It's summer: don't forget your parka.

I'm about to blog on a subject of great importance: air-conditioning.

It is currently 73 degrees Fahrenheit outside, a dream temperature that weatherpersons dare to call comfortable. But holy crap the office has air-conditioning, so it must be on, and set at "blast."

First of all, I kind of hate air-conditioning. It's artificial, dry, wasteful, selfish, harmful, and often unneccesary in most circumstances in central New York. I recognize the instances in which it is necessary (nursing homes, hospitals, large gatherings of people, etc.), but by necessary I do not mean set at 57 degrees in every standing building from May 15 to October 15. Who is comfortable at 57 degrees anyway? The exceptions, that's who, so why the heck do we make this the rule? Why make ourselves cold when we do not have to be? I'll let you all in on a little secret: we control the level of air-conditioning. Unlike the weather, all we have to do is press the "off" button if we want to stop shivering in July. Let the revolution begin!

Rarely do truly hot days occur in this area of the world. When they do, you have my permission to turn on the air-conditioning. In fact, I may thank you for it, but I'm really okay with being a little warm. When it's in the 70s, and even low 80s, just turn the darn fan on (and save energy, and money, and your soul). Maybe dress as if it were warm? Such clothing is sold. Let the revolution continue!

I wish I was being facetious about my anger, but I'm not. I like being warm (and even hot and sweaty has its moments), so in the bloody summer why do I have to wear winter clothing to work/grocery store/movie theater/theater/book store/coffeeshop/restaurant? Feel free to join the revolution.