death resume

I just did a search.  I'm surprised I've never shared this here.  I know that this has been something I have shared with a few people for most of my life.

I was just talking to a few of the boots about cold temps coming.  The coldest temperature we have ever had here for a moment is 26 below.   I pointed out that when it gets THAT cold, it is sorta cool to bundle up and go outside for a few hours.  If you can do it and be comfortable, then it feels like you have passed a test of sorts.  A sort of IQ test.  I'm not sure, but I think most people would not pass - they would simply complain and refuse to go outside.  

I remember being a young fella and working late on a software project.  At that time, I refused to own a car and went everybody on my bike.  I even made home-made studded tires for the winter.  Time to ride my bike home.  1.6 miles - not all that far.  Bitter cold outside with a powerful wind.  I ended up standing on the pedals to get home since it was against the wind.  I had four layers of gloves, a good, wool balaclava, and when it is this cold I wear my scarf over my face.  A layer of ice formed on the scarf, but the hard work with all the layers actually made me overly warm.  When I got home, i started stripping down outside to cool off.  The next morning, the paper reported

      100 below!

... with wind chill.  And 30 below without.  Looking it up right now it says numbers that are not so extreme.  Oh well.  Apparently the police were not allowing people to be out.  I guess I slipped by them unawares.

The point is:  I did a thing.  I thought it was cool.  I still think it is cool.  I hadn't planned on doing it.  I was just going home and it turned out to be colder than I thought it would be.  But I was prepared.  Layers. Studded tires.  Thick scarf that I can breathe through.




Last winter ...   at my place here in montana ...   the temp never got below zero - not even for a moment.  I think the coldest it got was 7 degrees.  I think half the winters are like that - where it doesn't get below zero.  

I was trying to say that if it does get really cold, it feels good to be prepared and put a full day in out in the cold.  The bootcamp usually comes up with all indoor activities for days where it can be uncomfortable outside.  But there is a sensation of having accomplished something if you do it.  

This morning I said it was a bit like the fremen from dune.  They gotta have it together or they won't survive outside.  




I guess it is a kinda dumb thing to work, outside, all day, in brittle cold.  I did it several times when i was eleven, living with my grandad.  We had stuff that needed to be done, so we went and did it.  The air has a different smell at 20 below or 30 below.  I remember feeding cows and getting an icicle on my nose - not quite an inch long.  And my nose was warm enough that there is a thin layer of water between the icicle and my nose, so you can shake off the icicle.  But instead, I wanted to see how long it could get before falling off.  The longest i even got to was about an inch.

I was trying to say ...  and i think i said it poorly ...  if you take the challenge and it turns out to be easy, you sorta impress yourself.  You did a thing.  It didn't make money or impress anybody.   Over the years of your life you come up with hundreds of little things and add them all up on  your death resume.  Nobody cares but you.


To spend a day, outside, in the cold, layers are important.  Including layers of gloves.  Layers on your legs.  We have overboots here now and people seem mighty keen on them.   Add and remove layers to optimize comfort.   And then when a day of bitter cold comes along, it could be easy.  And when that day ends - you did a cool thing.  


A long time ago I came up with "death resume" as a way to justify doing stupid things just so i can have the sensation that i did a thing.  Surely I am not the only one that likes this sensation?  And has a list of stupid accomplishments?