If you’re looking to save a bit of money on heating this winter, we at Culture have a solution for you. On days when you can’t feel your fingers and gloves aren’t an option, or when your breath is visible to the naked eye, consider our proposition. The library is far away and Starbucks charges in degrees Celsius. No, we’re not talking about the rotisserie aisle in Tesco Metro, we present to you The Bath.
The best past-time in the bath is, clearly, reading. This does however pose a few minor issues. Dropping your novel onto your navel into the soapy suds below does make for some awkward conversations in tutorials. It’s best to just greet the “why is your copy of The Wife of Bath’s Tale so wrinkled?” with a blank stare.
Another predicament you’re sure to encounter, we like to call ‘The Cold Hand Problem’. Since reading is primarily a hand-based activity, your digits might become chilly as they must remain ‘en plein air’, while the rest of your body is pleasantly enveloped in the watery warmth. Luckily you have two hands. Reading, it turns out, can be done with one, although this is a skill that needs practice; it’s like learning to ride a bike no-handed. Unfortunately for some, mistakes happen during the learning process, and inevitably lead to ‘problem A’ [see above]. As practice is the only means to perfection, we recommend perusing slimmer volumes rather than heavy tomes to master this artform. Hemingway’s The Old Man and The Sea is a good place to start.