C. A. T. Tales

No, this isn't Buttah but I couldn't resist. It soooo could be him if he was the kind of feline to flatten himself tummy down. He's a tummy up kinda cat. However, title and photo aside, this posting isn't about the cat(s) again.

I'd like to talk about climate control. Not world climate, warming or otherwise, but office climate. The office space I spend much of my time in during the weekdays does not have central air (or heat for that matter). The cooling efforts are accomplished with the aide of four window units. Three in the warehouse area and one to cover the offices.

You may have heard, in fact perhaps it has been a theme around the country, this summer has been most un-summer-like. I don't know how many 90 degree days we've had, I do know that there have been very few. That day back in June might have been our first real taste of it. That day may have been IT for summer. We've spent most of the summer hovering around the mid to upper 80s. Most evenings have been cool-to-cold (to me). The humidity too, for the most part has been moderate to low. So, in my mind the need for any A/C has been minimal, at best. That is not to say that guys haven't cranked it up every day since June. The guys (especially the warehouse guys, and the boss) are always hot (so to speak).

Me? Not so much, flash moments aside. Though I have experienced, in recent years a greater tolerance for cooler temperatures and don't layer up nearly as much or as often, I am still more often than not, cold over warm. I do feel that my body temperature has risen, is rising and I do feel warmer more than ever before. But still, I am hardly ever flat-out hot in that sense of the word. I certainly haven't felt a need for A/C ever before and this summer in particular.

For years now I've often been the odd person out. The majority would always vote (if such a vote were to ever take place) for A/C. So, I have had to deal. I keep extra long sleeve shirts, fleece jackets, or sweaters available for use to fight off the the chill from the A/C on any given day.

Today is such a day. It is overcast, damp, barely 70 degrees. In fact, I doubt the air temp topped 70 today. I'm wearing a t-shirt, a long-sleeve denim shirt, and a fleece jacket. It is friggin' cold. To elaborate, I hardly ever drink coffee after 10 AM but here I am in the late afternoon chug-a-lugging the hot beverage.

I once had a co-worker, Gladys, who couldn't stand the cold, she and I were the odd ducks in the pond during that time. She'd sit at her desk, typing away, with a hat on her head and a scarf around her neck. In between projects she'd don her mittens. Gladys was cold when it was hot because the A/C would be kickin' and she was cold(er) when it was cold because that was Gladys.
I didn't have it bad like Gladys then, and don't have it that bad today, but I do wish they'd turn off the freakin' A/C. Open a window for cripes sake, there is a nice breeze and since the Air and Water show is long gone, no jet noise over-head. Heck, there aren't even any jack-hammers in use today.

On the upside, it is Friday and a new assistant has been hired. The adventure begins anew.