Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Freeze Yer Buns, Update Uno

Well, this year, I again decided to participate in The Crunchy Chicken's freeze yer ass off challenge. Of course, last year I was in LA. Where it never really freezes.

This year I'm in London. Where it is cold, but seriously, guys, it is not as cold as I was led to believe. Maybe it's because I spent four winters in the freaking Midwest, but London seems more like Seattle than anything. It's just always kinda drizzly and gross, but it's not particularly cold ... yet.

Anyhoo, I pledged to go without heat in my dorm room. We have individual radiators in our rooms so theoretically we are allowed control over the heat, but I swear there HAS to be some sort of secret heat monster living in the walls, because I haven't turned my radiator on once, and yet it is still always hot in my room. To the point where I often go to sleep with the window open.

So. I guess I am technically cheating with the whole Freeze Yer Buns thing, since I'm ... not, but this is SO not my fault! The heat that is under my control is turned off! Can I help it if my dorm happens to have hot ... ghosts or monsters or whatever it is that is turning my room into a freaking sauna?

All I'm saying is that I'm having an easy time of it right now, but y'all know I'm doomed come June. Did I mention that our windows only open about three inches?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, London is drizzly, that's England in a nutshell really. Wait until you venture up North - yikes.

I don't think you're supposed to actually freeze your ass off to feel you've accomplished something, lol. If you're nice and toasty without turning on the heat, then that is very cool (so to speak).

Dorm rooms - *shivers at the thought, but not for temperature reasons*

Eliane said...

There are no guarantees about our weather. Could be cold. Might be balmy. And usually in the wrong month. Someone (no idea who) once said that while everyone else has a climate, the British have weather.

p.s. I'm giving you an award

EcoBurban said...

There's something about damp, drizzly-cold that seems chillier than just cold. It gets to your bones... now I sound like my grandma.

However, it's already in the low 20's here in Michigan with a blanket of snow and icy roads, so I bet you're not missing the Midwest! I'm already freezin' my buns off!

Anonymous said...

My gas heat is freaking me out. Radiators can be very interesting creatures.

Cath@VWXYNot? said...

It's been unseasonably warm here in Vancouver, but it's finally starting to get colder (at last! Says the skier). Time to bring out the blankets and sweaters and mini-fur coats (aka cats).

Word verification is nestel. Is that like snuggel? Very appropriate.

Anonymous said...

We went to Quaker meeting in Scotland once and all the kids in kids meeting were drawing pictures of...sunny England. It was kind of funny.

You get full points for intent, though - if we all lived in dorms in temperate climates, we'd all use less energy. So it's a green *structural* choice, instead of day-to-day choosing to turn the heat down.

Anonymous said...

Living in California, I almost forget that other places in the world actually get cold and get wet.

I ain't freeze my buns off even if I wanted to. The weather won't allow it :)

Anonymous said...

Yes, but at least you know that no matter how uncomfortable the temp in our room gets, you can't jump out the window.

ruchi said...

Mon, I know, I'm not the hugest fan of dorm living either, but it's close to school! And it's eco-friendly!

Eliane, hey thanks for the award!!

EBM, yeah I'm really not missing the Midwest. The last year I was there, it snowed in May. That's when I was like, "That's it, I'm moving to CA."

Academic, yeah radiators are a little weird. We don't have radiators like this in CA so I'm not really used to them either.

Cath, does it snow in Vancouver?

Rosa, you're right. Green structural choice!! I like that. :)

Cindy, heh, I remember my first November in the Midwest when I realized that if you didn't properly dress for the weather, it wasn't just that you'd be a little uncomfortable like in California. It was like you could actually get frostbite!! That scared me straight and after that I was much more careful in how I dressed.

Dasha, that's actually part of the reason the windows only open a few inches. Because it's a dorm and they don't want drunk students jumping out the windows.

Cath@VWXYNot? said...

Yup - not very often in town, but the closest ski mountains look over the city, and it's only about a half-hour drive to the top!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, it's been pretty warm in Edmonton too but it seems to be reverting to normal now -- today high was 22 F. "Going without heat challenge ?".... Yeaaaaahhhhh...... NO.

Donna said...

I went to school in the midwest and I had a radiator in my dorm room that "knocked" so bad that sometimes I took my blanket and slept out in the hallway. Enjoy your toasty room without the headache. :)