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The changing of the szns is upon us, and we all know what that means. It’s time for your coworkers to open conversations with ‘lovely weather we’re having.’ It means wearing a coat to work in the morning that you’ll have to carry home in the afternoon. It means being outdoorsy again, and by that, I mean having drinks on the patio. And last: it means choosing between having the windows open or turning on the air conditioning.
Now, when I started writing this piece on a Thursday it was 75 and sunny. Sadly, just a few days later as I nurse my Sunday Scaries it’s 39 degrees and rainy. If it isn’t obvious enough from that description, I live in Ohio, where mother nature is apparently a big fan of Katy Perry’s 2008 smash hit “hot and cold” #m00d.
For now, I’m unfortunately bundled up in joggers and a sweatshirt with the heat on, but one day, I too will be forced to make this tough decision. So, without further (Freddy) ado… let’s get into it with a lil pros / cons.
We’ll break this bad boi down into three categories: cost, comfort, and noise.
Cost
Do you know how much it costs to open a window? If you guessed nothing then you’d be right, because it’s free. In a world where quite a few of us are struggling with student loans and bills, paying an arm and a leg to stay cool may not be an option. Or, you could be like my dad who chooses to keep the AC at 75, but I think that’s just because he wants to make the rest of us suffer.
For me personally I just blindly pay my bills and don’t look at what they charge me. Sure, I’ve overdrawn my account more times than I can count, and I’m probably grossly overpaying, but if it means I don’t have to look at another bill because I look at hundreds of them from 9-5 then that’s fine by me.
Vote: AC
Comfort
I don’t know about you guys, but I like to be comfortable. Cashmere sweater in the fall? Check. Fuzzy blanket in the winter? Double check. Stretch khakis from the Gap (Gapkis)? Heck yea.
In the words of the late, great, John Mulaney: “I got a massage and the woman told me to undress to my comfort level. So I put on a sweater and a pair of corduroy pants, and I felt safe.” When the window is open you’re at the mercy of mother nature and the elements, and if I wanted that I’d go camping…. Or be homeless. I need a nice, cool, temperature controlled environment, ya know, like your office.
Now I’ll admit it’s around 70 degrees I’ll toss a window open and let the breeze blow in, but anything about above that and its windows down, AC on.
Vote: Temperature pending, AC
Noise
I’m a light sleeper, so when many of my friends talk about falling asleep with the tv on again I can only sit there in jealousy. Heck, my girlfriend has fallen asleep when we’ve been on dates to football and hockey games, but that more may be about how I’m a lousy date and less about her being tired.
Like discussed above, when you have the window open you’re exposed to the elements. There could be animals making noises, kids yelling, or douchebags revving their engines. Do you know what helps quiet all those things down? Say it with me: a closed window.
Vote: AC
For those counting at home, I’m 3* for 3 for AC; the asterisk given to comfort based on what temperature it is outside. But if you think about it, no one in their right mind would be comfortable when it’s 30 outside with the AC on, unless they’re Mr Freeze from Batman & Robin, which in that case he’d be dropping some hilarious puns, and who doesn’t love that?.
Respond
@ellisnd02
@ellisnd
Windows open is an option? Must be niiiiiice.
When you said “late, great John Mulaney,” I immediately Googled him to make sure he was still alive. Don’t scare us like that.
You can go windows down in Houston but your walls will be wet within the hour, you’ll also have a heatstroke watching tv.
Sometimes, if I really wanna treat myself, I’ll turn the air down to 66 during movie night to make me forget I live in a 100 degree swamp.
Really making me look forward to moving there. Thanks for that
It’s the best city in the country, it’s just hot and humid. It’s really not that bad, people just like to complain about it as a way to be trendy. Hit me up if you need anything before, during, or after your move
…but what about NYC?
kidding.
Thanks dude
Houston is great, you will enjoy it.
Seconded
Cincinnati smells like a burning dumpster in the summer, ac all the way.
I saw an actual human man drop a duece in an alley the other day as I took the bus to the bars so this might explain that but idk tho
That should be on the cover of all Cincinnati promotional travel brochures
It’s Always Crappy in Cincinnati
“Our homeless shit in the alley, their homeless shit in the street. Cincinnati: Better than San Fran”
At home, AC. In the car, windows down.
Utilities included in rent so, I’m cranking the A/C up
In the car? Both. With the sunroof open too.
My boss just left early because a raccoon clawed through her window in Park Slope Brooklyn And ravished her apartment while we are at work. I will be installing my AC tonight.
Ravish or ravage? The images coming to mind of a raccoon ravishing an apartment are too funny.
Ravage. Where is the edit button?!
Nah, imma choose to believe a raccoon made sweet, sweet love to her apartment.
Midwesterner here. A/C all the way. Allergy szn is upon us, don’t need that poison getting in my house.
I live right in the heart of Pure Michigan so I’m all about the windows wide open, oscillating fan cranked up, and that 65° breeze flowing throughout the night.
I grew up in the Mitten, and damn it, I miss this