It has occurred to be that the Fahrenheit temperature scale has a fallacious zero. In math zero represents both nothing, “I have zero apples,” and the turning point from a positive to a negative number. 0+1=1, 0-1=-1. What does it represent in Fahrenheit? It neither means there is no temperature, nor does it signify the turning of something above and below which there are significant differences that I know of. 100 degrees F is the point at which water boils. 32 degrees is the point at which water freezes. I propose there is a bigger difference between 34 degree and 30 degrees, then between 2 degrees and -2 degrees. I know it sounds like I am arguing for using the Celsius temperature scale, and perhaps I would if I did the research to see if it makes more logical sense at this end of the temperature scale. But, alas, I have not done the research, and that is why it has taken me weeks to write this blog post.
I love learning new things. One of the big draws to moving to a new state with a different climate was the opportunity to learn new things. But now, almost 6 months in, I may have had my fill of new things for a while. I long for a week of not learning something new. I had expected to do the research about Fahrenheit and Celsius and come up with some sort of observation worthy of a blog post and was waiting to write this until I had done so.
Perhaps this is what winter blahs are, this feeling of just being over the novelty of it. I have learned a lot about snow, but there have only been a few days of snow worthy of the type of snow play we were excited for. Like all good learning experiences, I am ready for some time away from it to process the learning.
So there is no big insight for this blog post- no novel observation that has led me to some deeper understanding of life. Yes, Fahrenheit has a fallacious zero and it is odd that the seemingly random 32 degrees has the ability to radically affect my life, but so what. I’m kind of over it and have no inclination to do the research that would typically follow such a curious observation.