Five ways you will never have to buy an umbrella again
Sydney is being a bit of a nuisance at the moment. The weather, that is. It’s getting teenage in this city, steamy one minute and storming the next. You can’t help but get caught unawares in this situation. The last couple of days I have been both drenched due to terrible combination of a lack of umbrella and a sudden lightning storm, and caught wearing jeans in weather that felt at best sub-tropical.
So what would I do if I get caught in the middle of a hurricane’s baby cousin this week? Certainly not get wet.
Here’s how to avoid the damp without paying a dime (or dollar as the case may be, considering we’re Australians) in a topical humorous way!
Get bookish
I have mentioned previously in a post about how best to garner oneself an umbrella without the cost. For those who (accidentally I’m sure) missed it, I say get thee to a library. If you’ve got the time, you can just grab a book and hang out there for free. If you need to get a move on, ask the staff for the black umbrella you left there last week. In all likelihood, they’ve got a collection of about ten million.
Get friendly
If you can manage to get the puppy dog eyes effectively large, there are always people around wielding umbrellas too big for one. Just smile and ask if you can share. It won’t work every time, but 99% of the time, people are just dying to add a bit of chivalry into their day.
Get creative
Remember when you used to make the sailor’s hats out of newspaper? Tap into your youthful exuberance. It won’t keep you dry in a monsoon, but in a light drizzle, a paper sailor’s hat might just keep you that little but warmer. And you will definitely get kudos for creativity, which might improve your chances of having someone heroically offer their umbrella (see above). A detailed guide to folding technique is here, http://www.ehow.com/how_4765470_newspaper-sailor-hats.html
Get baggy
It’s no fashion statement, but jump into Go Lo and buy a bag of garbage bags. You used to be ok with it hanging at Homebake clad in a garbage bag, so why not tap into your college nonchalance and make yourself a poncho? Beside which you can add some chivalry into your own day by offering them around.
Get educated
Places of education like universities or museums usually have spaces to sit and read a book while waiting for the latest downpour to cease. Call work and tell them you’re stuck in the rain, and are going to wait it out. Then go and check out what’s new in the art world. If there are no hallowed halls of learning in the vicinity, balance the cost of an umbrella you will without a doubt lose on the way home with the cost of a $3 coffee and a bit of peace of mind.
If none of these appeal and you the purchase of an umbrella is unavoidable, consider getting one of these dandy little objects for yourself.
It’ll amuse your co-workers, and allows you to fix your hair, talk on the phone and stay dry all at the same time. It’s not necessarily cheap, but you can’t put a price on the hilarity of a nubrella.
How do you stay dry when the weather turns?
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