I was working around the house on Sunday, and it was 50 degrees (F) and very comfortable. Someone visiting a neighbor asked me if I was cold. I hardly ever get asked that unless I'm barefoot when it's actually cold enough to freeze water. I told the guy "no," and that I was fine. I think he was amazed that I was barefoot, but living here in Wisconsin, 50 degrees is warm to me.
Its amazing what you will hear from people about being barefoot. As I entered a store once I held the door open for a woman who had a cigarette dangling out of her mouth. She looked at my feet and said "you're going to hurt yourself like that." I smiled at her and thanked her for her concern and told her i was very careful. Then I told her those cigarettes would undoubtedly do her more harm than my barefooting did me. She was completely speechless.
Here in the Netherlands, I get the 'cold' comment almost daily until temps get up to about 70, and even above that temperature I hear it regularly. People here are chilly-willies, while they don't belief barefooting is dangerous or unhealthy, they do somehow believe the ground is always cold, unless it's *really* a hot summer day.
Myranya, I have visited Amsterdam on 5 occasions and I was not able to barefoot very much. Each time I visited your country it was during the winter months Janurary-March (cheap air fares). The temps were a little to chilly for me to barefoot. I usually wore flip flops on my visits. As a southerner in the U.S.A. I usually do not barefoot outdoors until the temperture reaches the mid 50's. I truly respect people such as you and Mister Em who are tougher than I. This warm climate barefooter is envious of cold climate barefooters.:drool:
Wow, I've never been called "tough" before in relation to going barefoot. Thank you, that's a compliment.
You got that right! Maine, too. I hope we see 50 by this weekend. Would be fun, but anything is fine if the wind and clouds would lighten up.
I hear this from smokers in Maine, who stand outside shivering in the cold, usually on the shady side of a store, to enjoy their cig. When they see my shorts, I get the comment. I always say, truthfully, that, back when I smoked, I got cold a lot easier than I do now. Kinda screws up the circulation while you're doing it. I've been clean for 11 years. I pray I quit soon enough.
Is it about your being bf or in shorts? When I get the comment from non smokers, I do one of these: 1) Smile sweetly, or say, 2)I'm me, or 3)I'm good, it's not that cold, or 4)I'm hot, and I don't see why you're all cold. Stuff like that. All in good humor.Only rarely does it get worse, and that's only with severe control freaks. A very few people seem bothered by winter shorts. Actually, it's getting better every year! About the worst thing I said back was "Oh great. Bad enough there's a no bf policy. A no shorts policy also?" Thankfully, this is rare. Once this winter when it was 12 degrees F some young students rather cheerfully informed me it was cold outside for shorts, and I very cheerfully told them that today wasn't that cold, but the next day would be MUCH colder, below 0F all day long, with more wind. They didn't seem to know about the deepening cold. Since I'm a bit of a weather geek, I was right. Might as well have fun.
lol only in relation to barefooting. people ask me if im cold on really warm spring days! silly. but i only wear shorts in summer. actually i hardly ever wear shorts, its usually a skirt. i wear them in winter too but with long wooley underwear underneath i like being nice and warm with many layers in cold months, it can get pretty chilly here and im not that hardcore
I'm a total cold wimp. Anything less than 22C and I'm reaching for a coat and mukaluks. I suppose that's why I live where I do. I do have to take my hat off to those barefooters in the cold country, especially those who've posted the "snow threads"...
