Thinking about the weather, and what social function it serves in conversation, is informing the way I think about generating digital form with it online. As a part of my design process for Open Research, I have been trying to write down the different ways that I talk to people about the weather:

There was the woman who works at the risd:store, who remarked on how cold it was while I signed my credit card statement. There was Ethan, who talked about the weather while taking the elevator to unlock my classroom after I forgot my key. We talked about the weather for a full 10 minutes in my Web Design class, where everyone had to share their reactions to the recent cold spell. My radiators don't work, or Should I buy a hat? The guy who fills in for Nick (at the gravel parking lot near CIT) remarked on how cold it was when I was leaving the lot yesterday.

We're in the middle of a particularly cold spell, even for Rhode Island, and it seems like everyone here is talking about it!