Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

Since one of my least favorite things in life is being cold I'm very thankful to live in a sub-tropical climate like Taiwan. Unfortunately the difference between "tropical" and "sub-tropical" is about 3 months of winter. Of course, winter here isn't nearly as cold as winter in Missouri but I personally think it can be just as miserable in different ways. If summer in Taiwan is like a sauna, very hot and humid, with lots of sweating--wow, that sounds good right now!--imagine that the sauna is only 50 degrees, so it's still really damp and humid and you're even still sweating a little bit because of the humidity, but you're also shivering because it's cold. That's winter in Taiwan. Sounds nice, huh??
I actually enjoyed the little bit of winter I experienced in Missouri over Christmas, mostly because it had been a few years since I'd seen snow. But it was also because even though we had snow storms, after the storm was done the sun would come back out. In Taipei, January is just day, after day, after day, after day, after day, after stinking day of rain. You start to believe that the sun might not actually come out again.
What makes it even harder this week is that it's time for Chinese New Year. Every year that I've been in Taiwan for the New Year holiday the weather has warmed up just in time for the holiday. After the holiday it gets rainy again but at least for a couple of days the sun comes out and it seems like summer again, like some sort of Chinese New Year miracle! But this year it's actually getting colder!
So how do we stay warm in a city were there are no furnaces and everything is made of tile and concrete? Well, here's a picture of my technique. Fleece blankets and slippers are a must. Hello Kitty is optional. Also, this heater is one of my favorite things ever. I know I say that about alot of things but this one is actually true. It's like an oscilating fan except it glows and puts out heat, like a mini rotating sun. I used to have it in my living room but now I have it sitting next to my computer desk in hopes that it will keep my fingers from freezing to my keyboard while I type.
Tomorrow's forecast--13-15 degrees Celsius (55-59 F) and 90% chance of rain.
At least it's better than the forecast for China!
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Now playing: Relient K - In Like A Lion (Always Winter)
via FoxyTunes