Absolute Zero

Remember in science class when they were teaching you about molecule movement, heat, and how molecule movement caused heat? The faster the molecules are moving around, the warmer that substance is? Ok, if you don’t remember then there’s just one thing I need to reiterate to you that you might have forgotten from your classes, and that is: there is a point—absolute zero—where molecules cease to move because it is so cold. If you want to know what absolute zero feels like, I’ll tell you. It felt like today. When I woke up and checked weather.com I was stunned to see the stats: -18 degrees and -31 wind chill. Eighteen degrees below zero as a temperature before the wind chill is factored in! I contemplated just staying home and sleeping, but I figured I should get up and go to work so I braved the cold out of a sense of duty. Sometimes I’m just stupid like that.

So I walk outside after putting on more than a few layers of clothing. As soon as I hit the air, I can feel my face go numb. As I trudged over to the prep school, more and more of my face went numb. It started with my lips, then moved to my nose, then cheeks, then my neck, then my eyeballs froze, and lastly my fingers that were inside of my gloves got that numb sensation. I figured my entire face was blue when I walked in the door.

I wonder how anything can survive in this bitter cold. As I came home last night I saw two cats out and about on campus and I was amazed that they were out. How could they stand the freezing cold? Shouldn’t they have been kitty-cicles by now? If either of them would have been friendly and came up to me, I would have taken them inside our apartment for a little while so they wouldn’t have to fight the cold so much, and I’d probably give them some nice warm water too since they’re probably eating snow because I know there sure isn’t any unfrozen water outside with these extreme temperatures.

Well, moving on from talking about the cold, I also found out something really cool yesterday. You want to know what it is? You do, don’t you? Ok, well here it is—The Juliana Theory will be back in the cities to play in March with Further Seems Forever and The Ataris. YAY!!! I am so looking forward to it and will probably be getting tickets for it soon. Three totally unbelievable bands. This should make for a great show. I’m also happy to say I’ll be going to see Finch and The Used in a week and a half. Since we’re also talking about music, my undying love for Tori Amos has resurfaced lately. Her piano playing combined with her wonderful voice just make me melt every time I listen to her.