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Ana wrote: "So true. Time zones blow my mind, too. How can it be tomorrow in Australia??"
Yeah, I am used to it by now. I am on GMT, same timezone as UK. When I wake up, folks from the States and around there..."
We get snow here 6 months out of the year. It's barely cracked 10 above all month...
Yeah, I am used to it by now. I am on GMT, same timezone as UK. When I wake up, folks from the States and around there..."
We get snow here 6 months out of the year. It's barely cracked 10 above all month...
Yeah, it sucks. But thanks to global warming, our summers are longer than they used to be! :) There's the silver lining...
JH Mae wrote: "Yeah, it sucks. But thanks to global warming, our summers are longer than they used to be! :) There's the silver lining..."6 months of snow?! I must have missed where you are from...
Northern New York. I'm in between the Adirondacks and Canada. Snow usually starts flying in late October, and we almost always have our last storm in April, sometimes even for Mother's Day.
As crazy as the time zones drive me, the fact that JH Mae and I live in the same country and she gets 6 months of snow a year and I barely get temperatures below 60 blows my mind even more!
That is funny! But in Europe, there would be at least two countries in between you both (unless you are both in Russia), so if it helps, you can look at it that way :-)
Where are you again? Though the snow can get annoying, I love to have seasons. I lived in Florida as a kid, and the world never changed from Jan to Dec. And I couldn't take the heat, anyway.
Switzerland, but I was born and raised in Missouri! We have several inches of snow right now, too.
Wow, Switzerland! You get warm summers there?
In between the Adirondacks and Quebec, actually. Up here, a lot of us sound Canadian...
They can get hot here during heat waves, but nothing like in Missouri. Very hot here is 90's, but that's rare. Heat wave in Missouri is low 100's, and since we vacation in the summer time a lot with my parents, we feel it!
I guess we must sound like people from Ontario - farther east our northern neighbor is Quebec, farther west it's Ontario. They are beautiful - my family has lived in the Adks for generations. But I'm closer to the St. Lawrence River where I live now.
Leigh wrote: "They can get hot here during heat waves, but nothing like in Missouri. Very hot here is 90's, but that's rare. Heat wave in Missouri is low 100's, and since we vacation in the summer time a lot wit..."
I had no idea it got so hot in Missouri. We're lucky if we get 90s here.
I had no idea it got so hot in Missouri. We're lucky if we get 90s here.
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Yep. The fact that almost the entire population of my country could fit in London totally blows my mind.
@Ana: population of Shanghai is somewhere around 20-23 millions ^_^
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After our Caribbean cruise, I suggest we all go to Portugal for a tour of the countryside!
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The north is really lovely, I went to Gerês once and completely lost myself!
Leigh wrote: "After our Caribbean cruise, I suggest we all go to Portugal for a tour of the countryside!"
I have always wanted to go to Portugal... I could use some sun now, too. But we have to go to Rome after that.
I have always wanted to go to Portugal... I could use some sun now, too. But we have to go to Rome after that.
I have been all over the United States, Mexico and Canada, but never outside of North America. I would love to go anywhere!
Kandice and Aaron - time to leave North America! Yeah! And, yes, we can go to Rome after Portugal.
Sigh, I hear you...But you know, dreams are the stuff real life is made of. We keep dreaming until we live it.
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I went to Paris in college (10 years ago!) which was amazing. And on a Mediterranean cruise on my honeymoon, four years ago. Italy is beautiful, and Rome was my favorite.
We would camp in Canada when I was a child and I loved it!
Well, I've been to Portugal and Rome. And I dream of visiting America.I've only a couple of very short trips to the USA (NY, LA and suroundings, and Charlottes - for this latest one, I basically only saw the inside of my hotel) and a quick stop over in Vancouver, Canada. I'd love to travel all over the States, visit their natural parks, go to Canada, Mexico, and all of South America.
Melaslithos wrote: "Well, I've been to Portugal and Rome. And I dream of visiting America.
I've only a couple of very short trips to the USA (NY, LA and suroundings, and Charlottes - for this latest one, I basically ..."
Being from the US, I've always wondered why people from overseas want to visit here. The only clue I ever had was from a German exchange student in high school. He said it was the space - we just have so much of it.
I've only a couple of very short trips to the USA (NY, LA and suroundings, and Charlottes - for this latest one, I basically ..."
Being from the US, I've always wondered why people from overseas want to visit here. The only clue I ever had was from a German exchange student in high school. He said it was the space - we just have so much of it.
Yes! So much space! And beautiful parks and natural formations (Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc.). Everything feels so big, so raw (at least from pictures).China is also a big country, with a lot of beautiful sites to see. But there is so much people, and they had a very developped civilisation since for ever, so every small space of land and nature has been touched and is under the control of humans. Except if you go really to the frontiers (Mongolia, Tibet, etc.), there is very few untouched places. Feeling is very different.
Yeah, we do have lots of that!
Regarding the attraction of the USA/Canada (for me, they are in the same situation), there's also something else, but harder to explain. I think it can come back as what I mentioned before, things being more "raw", but let me try to explain better.I come from two very old civilizations, the Chinese and European one (so with Greeks and later the Romans). Everything is old. I love it, love to discover all the tiny bits of history hidden at every step you take. But sometimes, it can also be very heavy. You kind of feel that everything has been said and done. Like a big morass that glues you down.
USA is the New World. I know that most people there come from Europe, but there's this idea of a new start, a clean slate, that goes with the US. Therefore, there's so much more enthusiasm, potential. Everything seems possible.
Like a young man versus an old one.
That's one of the reasons why the US seems also so attractive. It's dynamic. Does that even make sense?
Melaslithos wrote: "Regarding the attraction of the USA/Canada (for me, they are in the same situation), there's also something else, but harder to explain. I think it can come back as what I mentioned before, things ..."Absolutely! That's part of why my husband (he's Swiss) loves the States. It's also a country of contradictions and surprises - wide open spaces, roads running straight for hours in the Midwest, then small cobblestone alleys and stone buildings from the 1700's on the East Coast, swamps and steam in New Orleans (the most haunted city in the US), and the magnificent Grand Canyon with that fake and flashy (but fun) Las Vegas growing right up out of the desert nearby.
We also went to Canada on accident two summers ago when we got stuck for 2 days because of airline problems. Montreal was gorgeous and we plan on going back!
Leigh wrote: "We also went to Canada on accident two summers ago when we got stuck for 2 days because of airline problems. Montreal was gorgeous and we plan on going back! "
It is beautiful - I live only 1 1/2 hours from Montreal but I think the last time I went there was 10 years ago for a concert. Vieux Montreal is my fave, though.
It is beautiful - I live only 1 1/2 hours from Montreal but I think the last time I went there was 10 years ago for a concert. Vieux Montreal is my fave, though.
Hey! It's another snowy day here. Just went for a walk into town and came back wet and cold!
We had sprinkles Thursday and Friday and today is a little grey, but dry.
Aaron(Reblast) wrote: "We're having a sleet storm today. Rain and ice...Luckily I have a good book to read and my wife didn't have to go to work. School was canceled as well. Now we'll be lucky if we don't lose power."
I can't remember the last time we lost power, but when I was a child, I lived in West Virginia, and we were lucky to have power 4 out of 7 days in the winter.
What are you reading?
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel on CD and Doctor Who: Engines of War.I enjoyed Revival, but it was not one of my favorite Kings.
winter....oh, yeah...love it!
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I am guessing you use a desktop too then? I don't think I will ever be able to use a laptop as my main computer. Fine for emergencies though.
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We have a "den" with a reclining love seat and that's where I usually read. There's an end table with shelves. There's a lamp, snacks, and a place for my drink so I'm pretty much set when I'm reading there. Funny enough, my laptop is kept on that end table, and is always charged, but I never use it for GR. I always walk through the house into the dining room to use the desk top. Like you guys said. I've never quite gotten the knack of the touch pad cursor.
Aaron(Reblast) wrote: "Wow, that's cool that we have that in common, Kandice.My book case (one of them) is next to my computer.
My 'den' has all that I need for a good read. LOL"
Ours is actually my oldest son's old bedroom, so on the smallish side for a den, but three of the walls have book shelves, there are shelves around the top of the walls, and my Doctor Who TARDIS closet is in there, so I love being there.
My husband and I just got back from seeing American Sniper. It was very, very good. I think I'll read the book, American Sniper, it was based on.
I heard there was quite a bit of controversy regarding American Sniper. Are these claims justified, do you think?
Derek wrote: "I heard there was quite a bit of controversy regarding American Sniper. Are these claims justified, do you think?"In our family there are quite a few Marines who have been very outspoken about hating the movie and the idea of it, but not having been in the military myself, I saw nothing to complain about. He wasn't shown to kill innocents, he was portrayed as incredibly humble about his status and the effects of war on him were present, but they didn't seem blown out of proportion or to paint the military in a bad light.
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I never thought we would get this big. Thank you so much for contributing to this being the best group on GR! *cough cough* :P
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Books mentioned in this topic
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket (other topics)Memoirs of a Geisha (other topics)
Memoirs of a Geisha (other topics)
Broken Pieces (other topics)
All the Blue-Eyed Angels (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Laura Black (other topics)Alexandre Dumas (other topics)
Philippa Gregory (other topics)
Margaret George (other topics)
Colleen McCullough (other topics)
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Yeah, I am used to it by now. I am on GMT, same timezone as UK. When I wake up, folks from the States and around there are usually in bed or getting there.
We usually get such great weather but lately it's been so cold and windy (last night my glasses nearly blew away) and it seems that today we will get rain too. Oh joy.
We never get snow here though so don't get to play, only enjoy the nastiness of the bad weather :P