Here's some weather humor that illustrates an important point. Let's say it's 20 degrees Fahrenheit in Wilmington. How cold is it in Celsius? One response might be: I don't know - How far is Celsius from Wilmington?

Let's face it, many of us shy away from the Celsius temperature scale, preferring instead our cuddly Fahrenheit teddy bear. The United States remains one of the world's few Fahrenheit holdouts.

Here's a simple method that I use to relate the two temperature scales: First, you have to know the common rule: 0 Celsius equals 32 Fahrenheit. Then, all you need to remember is that when the temperature changes by 5 degrees Celsius, it changes by 9 degrees Fahrenheit. So, for example, if the temperature rises from 0 to 5 Celsius, it rises 9 degrees Fahrenheit, from 32 to 41.

Perhaps with this 5 to 9 idea in mind, you too may soon speak fluent Celsius.