Frost smoke

A.k.a. "frostrøyk". It's basically when the air that comes out of your mouth when breathing freezes as a result of the temperature. Certain privileges comes with frost smoke. If it's frost smoke temperature outside and you come in, someone will almost automatically ask if you want a hot cup of tea to warm up. And it's also a good indication that Christmas is near.

Earlier today I ate this year's first bowl of porridge and drank "gløgg". These things are nearly too weird to try to explain Aussies, but porridge is rice porridge, you chuck lots of cinnamon and sugar on it and hide one almond, and whoever gets the almond gets a marzinpan pig or other kind of chocolate if no one likes marzipan. A few years back my grandfather accidently swolloed the almond, however, refused to admit that he had done so, and we'd eaten all the porridge and couldn't force the maarzipan on someone who clearly said they didn't deserve it. We ended up rock-paper-scissoring on who should get the goodies.

Back to the smoke. For the second night in a row I've walked home across Youngtorget trying to breathe frostsmoke (it's a good feeling too, not just an invitation to hot tea and xmas parties), but failed. Today has been freezing, but still, pathetically enough it being December 7th, the air has refused to freeze. Strictly to avoid this blog becoming P.C. and all, but I seriously think global warming has something to do with it. I had a quick read of some of my previous blogs, and one about me getting my licence said, and I quote "I will this summer, and now it's official, so you can all make fun of me if I don't get around and do it." I don't take it back, please feel free to mock me, by all means, however, I believe I now support the environment by not driving. I bikeride.

An issue in the papers this week has actually been about cyclists and whether they should ride with a helmet or not. It's a dumb discussion really (of course you should ride with a helmet, it's your brain all over the sidewalk there), but they've nearly come to the conclusion don't ride with a helmet! Because you get more reckless and actually has a bigger chance of getting run over. I would say four units of alcohol would make you reckless and increase your chances of getting hit, but what would I know?? It is also suggested cardrivers get less thoughtful and are more inclined to bump you off the road if you have a helmet.

Not sure what the world has come to really. Don't protect you and you are screwed, try and protect you and someone will screw you...

Back to the frost smoke again. It is cold when your eyelids freece, and they do, a few times every winter. It just has to be really, really cold. I failed blowing frostsmoke on my way home tonight, but I will try again tomorrow. It has to become winter sometime.

I did come to a few conclusions though:

1. famous people can be mean and make fun of where you work.
2. famous people can be nice and make up for it by buying you beer.
3. I want to go to Nicaragua.

Someone might say conclusion number three isn't a conclusion, but it is. I really want to go to Nicaragua. I will start lobbying at my work tomorrow.

Someone might say conclusion number one and two aren't conclusions. But they are. It depends who makes the rules. And on my lonely planet, I make them.