the long and the short of it

Let's go back in time to December 5, 6, and 7 when I came to visit UMF for the first time. I observed classes, met with the Dept. Chair and the Dean, visited with my future teammates, met with a realtor, and just got a feel for the place in general. I arrived on Monday night, Dec. 4, spent the night in Portland, and drove to UMF in the morning on Dec. 5. The high on that Tuesday was 26 degrees (low = 17). I had my silk long underwear that I had ordered on the Internet at the suggestion of Mary S. (and the reaffirmation of Julie D.) and was wearing my big furry long coat with the hood that Mother had given to me for Christmas 2005 for all my trips to New York. I was toasty warm. On the 6th, the temp went up to 37 for a high (low = 12). I even risked running across the street from Franklin Hall to the Student Union without my coat (but with long underwear and several other layers). By Thursday, I was stumped. I had tried to pay particular attention to what people were wearing so I could get a feel for how casual people dressed, what was considered professional attire, etc. But what I noticed most was that no one was wearing long coats. So I finally asked, "Is this a fashion faux pas to wear a long coat? I only see ski jackets and short coats." The reply was, "Oh no. We all have long coats. We wear them when it gets cold."

Oh.

So when I was in Albuquerque for Christmas, I bought a short wool coat on sale. (TIP: Don't buy coats in Dallas . . . they're only fashionably warm-looking. Buy coats for warmth in a city that really has cold weather. Hence, I buy coats in Albuquerque.) But when I got here, it was cold! So I was wearing my long coat. But nobody else was wearing long coats. In the entire month of January, the high temperature in Farmington has been above freezing only 4 days. But no one is wearing long coats. So I've actually worn my short coat many days. I've been surprised, but it's actually been warm enough (as long as there are 3 layers underneath it . . . long underwear top, sweater, pants suit jacket; long underwear pants, pants, sock liners, socks, snow boots). The disadvantage to a long coat is: it's big and bulky. Where do you put it when you get inside. In my office, I can just hang it on the back of my door. When MRM and I went to a stage production by the local high school improv group, I was sitting 3 inches higher than anyone else because I was sitting on my coat. So only when the low is below zero, or when the wind blows (oooh, that wind chill stuff is so true), do I wear my long coat. Otherwise, I've joined the natives and am wearing a short coat.