Men are from Warm Women are from Cold

Temperature Control
We are rarely experiencing the same sensations when under the same physical conditions. One is always hot, the other is always cold. In the car, in the house, in a store or walking down the street.

Karen and I have never agreed on what is cold or hot. We are currently in Sevilla, Spain where it is now over 100°F during the day and above 90 really late at night. We are both uncomfortable for the opposite reasons and struggling over control of the temperature.

I am going to state Bill's Interpretation of the Law of Thermodynamics, a universal truth believed by only about half the population (men): Women have never and shall never understand the concept of "thermostat" on an air conditioner or heater.

A man will experiment with a thermostat until he finds a comfort zone, usually (according to a woman) a few degrees above absolute zero in the summer. A woman will turn on an air conditioner until she is cold, then turn it off (or not) and open the windows and doors, suffocating any nearby man.

We are seeking compromise so that we are both comfortable but what is that? Depends. What is a comfortable temperature for a woman? Depends. What is fresh air? Depends. Is it possible to settle on a temperature even if one goes naked and the other wears a parka, hood, gloves and mukluks? Depends.

Even when I offer "OK, turn off the AC but leave the doors closed until it gets warmer then turn on the AC" (because it's 100 outside and in five minutes will be 99 inside) that doesn't work because then there's no "fresh" air. We are living in a tall building very near the center of a very large European city, across a narrow walkway from another tall building. It has not rained here in the month we have been here. Did I mention it is over 100°F outside, with little breeze? "Fresh" air is somewhere way above the roof...it doesn't come wafting in from the great outdoors and the several restaurants below. To be fresh it would have to be piped in from above and filtered, which is exactly what the AC happens to do, when it is on.

How about if I try to use the thermostat concept and say "Let's leave the doors closed and the AC on, you put on a sweater and we will crank up the temperature one degree at a time until you take off the sweater and are comfortable". Nope, go back to the fresh air thing above.

It's only June 14th and this is going to get very interesting. July is coming and it's going to be even hotter.

Flag Day and Army Birthday
June 14th? It's Flag Day in the US and the 234th birthday of the US Army. Happy Flag Day and Happy Birthday my Band of Brothers and Sisters! On 14 June 1775 the Continental Congress passed a resolution establishing the Army. It is today our country's oldest service.Click here to read the resolution.