You know I'd love at least for once ...

gilesgoat · Post by **gilesgoat** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:25 pm 0

kalmar wrote:It's a good point. Anywhere in Wales is a trek and a half from anywhere else. Even Wales.

Semi-true, at the point that is nearly ( and in some cases it really is )
for me to go back to Italy rather than travelling across Wales/UK.

With the petrol raising we should seriously consider the donkey and a
small cart to be pulled by it ...

piku · Post by **piku** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:51 pm 0

Today I wondered if it was going to bother getting light. It was just so manky.

Giles, rig up a bright light connected to a timer switch by your bed. If you want to be fancy, make it a dimmer switch too so that it gradually gets light over half an hour or so. I find being woken up by my bedside light coming on has far more effect than the radio.

It's quite amazing what a difference it makes - instead of being a zombie for half an hour it merely takes me fifteen minutes to get out of bed.

Bright lights are good, they fool your brain into thinking it's sunny.

I feel like death when I wake up in the mornings and it's dark, it's horrible. At first I thought it was the amount of sleep I was getting, but going to bed earlier makes no difference.

the2bears · Post by **the2bears** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:06 pm 0

My brother does shift-work, and combined with Canadian winters doesn't see much sun as a result. He bought a "dawn" lamp, and it's worked wonders on his mood. He himself noticed an incredible difference after only a few days.

Bill

l1n3n01z · Post by **l1n3n01z** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:17 pm 0

amanset wrote:Going to work in the pitch black - and I mean literally pitch black not "just a bit grey" - and coming home in the pitch black is when it gets depressing.

Sun up/down today is 08:29 and 14:50 and it is only going to get worse.

11 - 15:40 here and getting worse...

amanset · Post by **amanset** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:19 pm 0

l1n3n01z wrote:
amanset wrote:Going to work in the pitch black - and I mean literally pitch black not "just a bit grey" - and coming home in the pitch black is when it gets depressing.

Sun up/down today is 08:29 and 14:50 and it is only going to get worse.
11 - 15:40 here and getting worse...

Crikey yeah, it must be. Does Iceland fit inside the Arctic Circle or are you guaranteed an hour or two of sunlight?

Yak · Post by **Yak** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:44 pm 0

that's why 10 days in Baa-bados over Xmas is so nice. Get away from the jingling sleigh bells and shit weather, just lie around in the sun and read and enjoy a little slice of guaranteed summer in the depths of winter. Best time to take a beach holiday really, winter, because you appreciate it all the more.

Of course when the time comes we really *need* such a break - we can't have one.

Guru-Meditation · Post by **Guru-Meditation** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:55 pm 0

I'm the (almost) complete opposite. If it doesn't rain in a month I start getting edgy and don't feel happy until I've felt rain fall on my skin.

Dio · Post by **Dio** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:03 pm 0

I really notice the difference between here in Newcastle and Preston where I grew up, even though it's only half an hour or so.

I now completely understand now what Billy Connolly says when he says he couldn't live full-time in Scotland any more because of the winters. Another half hour lost would be just awful.

pogo · Post by **pogo** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:41 pm 0

At least it's dry and often bright in the NE - when the rest of the country is being rained on it's as often dry as not here, while clouds that pour sheets over the west or Scotland offer only sunshine and showers by the time they arrive here. We only get it worse when snow arrives from the direction of Limb Clock Land, but I can't remember the last time that happened. The shorter winter days don't bother me much - it's not for many weeks, and I well remember the long Summer evenings, and a Midsummer week when it never gets dark.

You're in one of the wettest parts of the British Isles, in fact of Western Europe, Giles. If you head off in almost any direction, especially East or South but even North if you chose your destination well, will be drier and brighter. There are no guarantees of Sun this time of year, but almost anywhere is likely better than where you are if you can all get away.

bumblebee · Post by **bumblebee** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:12 pm 0

I read somewhere recently that in some parts of Europe up till the 18 century people would just do nothing all winter and nearly hibernate. The idea was to save energy and food during this season. I have the feeling that we naturally are predisposed to having lower activity in the winter, sleep more and do less, but our modern society forces us to behave as we would in other times of the year.

This said, I am more than glad I don't have to normally wake up before 8-9, for the price of working later, of course. I also look at the darkness and murky weather as a time I have to appreciate for what it is. Not that this will make it significantly better for you, Giles..

Orava · Post by **Orava** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:09 am 0

We have daylight from, what 7:20 something until 16:40 or so at the moment. A vast improvement over (Southern) Finland which is sunrise just before 10am and sunset before 3pm.

However come February and Finland will have clear skies, bright snow and a few more hours to the day and the UK will still be in the midst of the winter gales and drizzle and feeling like the never-ending autumn.

I like gales though and there is a good one blowing out there right now and the weather-man says it is going to get worse until mid-day tomorrow. Well, the telephone lines are already whistling, so thi sis going to be one interesting commute tomorrow morning.

Finns also say (like Germans?) that it is the time for contemplation and candle-light.

Anyways we celebrated the independence day today with some pea soup and pancakes with jam. All traditional.

There is a big party at the Presidential Palace, of course. Here are some pictures of the years gone and what she was wearing.

http://www.yle.fi/linnanjuhlat/2007/index.php?p=4

(The president is HER, of course!)

Look, who is that?

And a nice parade or two

amanset · Post by **amanset** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:40 am 0

Yak wrote:that's why 10 days in Baa-bados over Xmas is so nice. Get away from the jingling sleigh bells and shit weather, just lie around in the sun and read and enjoy a little slice of guaranteed summer in the depths of winter. Best time to take a beach holiday really, winter, because you appreciate it all the more.

Of course when the time comes we really *need* such a break - we can't have one.

It is very common in Sweden to take a winter break so as to get some sun due to the, well, almost compelt elack of sun in Sweden.

This explains why there were so many Swedes in Thailand getting killed for the tsunami a couple of years back.

Bane · Post by **Bane** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:02 am 0

come to Scotland and see the sun there we get plenty of sun there and you can see the glorious site the wonderful scenery great whiskey and ales. It is a tranquil place. Until you go to Glasgow and then you'll see our wonderful NHS at work

Tmuk · Post by **Tmuk** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:09 am 0

I don't mind it too much. It's lovely sitting in at home reading a book while the wind and rain is lashing the side of the house. And I sleep so much better in the winter too. I used to find the winters a lot harder when I was a student and had more free time to stare out the window and let myself get gloomy and miserable. Keep busy and enjoy the cosy evenings is my advice.

gilesgoat · Post by **gilesgoat** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:42 am 0

9.40 am .. same shite .. quite dark, lead sky, cold, windy and looks like
it's going to rain any minute.

This coming year I am fucking going to take some more time in Italy
possibly in Summer ( the REAL one ) when we have around 40 C there.

My best time spent there is when I wake up in the morning and then I
can take a walk ( in the sun ) and go to the bar and get an espresso

It makes a whole world of difference, with only 80 euro cents

Speaking in terms of weather I think this year been one of the worst I
ever spent in my life, crap, absolutely crap, totally utter crap