The whole issue of water is pretty fraught in Australia right now, taking into account the annoying fact that we simply don’t have enough of it. But I’m not writing about big water issues today, I’m writing about smaller, more personal water issues.
Namely, the cold water dispenser at work. The kitchenettes where I work all have this thingie (a technical term – I can’t help myself, I’m a nerd) that dispenses filtered water. It has two little levers; you press one and you get boiling water (a lawsuit waiting to happen if you ask me), you press the other and you get chilled water.
I like really cold drinks. Eagle-eyed viewer may notice that there is often a drink next to me in my videos. This is a large glass, usually stacked to the top with ice then the gaps are filled with my beverage of choice. There are no freezers at my workplace so I can’t have ice (I can tell you’re asking yourself, “How does he survive such hardship? Surely he’s the reincarnation of Mother Theresa”). So when I get a glass of chilled water I want it to be really chilled.
Not everyone feels this way, for some people the water that comes out of the dispenser is too cold. Boo hoo. Stop complaining about inconsequential things you whiners. The real injustice for me happens when someone gets to the dispenser just before me and they fill up a really large bottle or jug. The dispenser has a reservoir of chilled water and if the person before me takes all the chilled water, my drink isn’t as cold as I like it. The injustice!
Someone almost earned a punch in the head today for their water gathering behaviour. My first inward sigh of disappointment came when they started filling up a large container, thus depriving me of the most chilled water. Then, they topped off the container with boiling water because the chilled water was too cold for them!
What the fuck?!?!?!?!
So they took all my fucking chilled water and then wasted it by adding boiling water. And they think that’s acceptable behaviour. There ought to be a law against that sort of thing. And when I’m supreme overlord of the Earth, there will be.
Angry 365 Days a Year 
and don’t forget the folks like my ex-boss, who demand a boiling hot cup of tea, then top it up with cold tap water. wtf?
This happens a lot in Asia. I got this weird response from them, saying that if you drink water that is too cold, you will get shock.
I’m like, what?
Yep, Shock!
You’re shitting me! I always try to drink the coldest water possible, the colder the better and nothing is better than a really cold drink of water when you’re hot.
In Taiwan, people drink warm water or room temperature water, especially when it is really hot. They told me why, but you know, it doesn’t really make sense.
It’s just like an ad I saw at the Hong Kong airport; to keep tuberculosis away, keep all your windows open at all times for adequate ventilation. This shit has happened to me as well in Taiwan, when everybody is freezing inside, wearing down coats, the Taiwanese that we worked with would open all of the windows.
In Canada, we heat inside when it’s cold outside, so there is no need of wearing a coat inside. And we damn well know that keeping your windows open when it’s cold will make you sicker.
This was so good that I turned it into a post.
TCM principles suggest that room temperature or warm liquids enter and move through into the body more gently than very cold ones-especially in hot weather. However, in western cultures, chilled liquids are seen to be more refreshing, as a cold blast is rapidly absorbed by the stomach. TCM focusses on maintaining an even energy flow through the body, which is why drinking cold stuff isn’t encouraged. As someone who drinks 2 litres of water each day, I certainly feel more comfortable when it’s room temperature.
this is verging on becoming twitterish, as in, right now the beverage i am consuming is an optimally refreshing 22 degrees centigrade :}
I like my water at about 15 C, but usually I just drink milk. I’ll buy my own cow some day, I will.
I don’t have anything to say to this, except for that I’m torn between hanging and firing squad for this one..
If I worked in your building, there’d be more icy water in the dispenser, cos I’m not taking it. Can’t say I really care what other people drink…
Vetti: At least that boss wasn’t stealing your cold water. Still a classic wft moment.
Range: There are some pretty interesting superstitions and sayings like that in Asia
And on the cold/room temperature thing – that’s personal taste. I just got pissed of at someone who stole my icy water and didn’t even want it.
Tom: Sounds perfect for Twitter.
Daniel: My apartment wouldn’t fit a cow.
Michelle: I’m thinking of boiling them in a big pot like the cannibals in the old movies. The use of water and temperature seems more appropriate.