Rant #1,571: Hot Christmas In the City

Hot, hot, hot.

Yes, so far, late autumn has been hot, hot, hot in my neck of the woods.

Temperatures are upwards of 20 degrees higher than what is considered normal for this part of the year, so we are experiencing temperatures in the 60s and 70s when we should actually be having temperatures in the 40s and maybe the 50s.

Several temperature records have been broken in the New York Metropolitan area, and it is hot, hot, hot.

At my work, they continue to keep the heat on, even in these balmy times, so it must be upwards of the high 70s in the office.

I cannot do anything about it--I have been warned not to touch the thermostat, which, I readily admit, I have done in the past--so I just have to suffer, in particular because there is a vent above where I sit, and it spews out hot air all day.

So what I have taken to do is to cool myself down with a nice bottle of water that I freeze overnight and bring with me to work.

It does do the trick, to a certain extent, and I am now drinking about a bottle of water every day during the workweek, which isn't a bad thing to be doing.

Looking at the rest of the week, we are at least going to be in the high 50s through Thursday, and then we will hit a cold snap, but it really isn't a bad one--we should be in the 40s late in the week and over the weekend, as we get closer to Christmas Day.

Anything but snow, which I absolutely hate, but there are side effects for people like me when we hit a warm period like this out of season.

My allergies haven't been very good, not surprisingly based on the heat we have been having.

Things are sprouting that shouldn't be, which means there are allergens out there that usually aren't around this part of the year, and it is affecting people like me.

Every day that I get out of bed I have watery eyes, have to blow my nose constantly, and while I don't feel sick, I don't feel 100 percent either, until the day wears on.

So, I have to ask myself, would I rather have snow or snot?

I will take the snot any day of the week, including today, Tuesday.

I go to the allergy doctor later in the week, coincidentally, and I will probably bring this all up, and I will be told exactly what I have just told you.

Yes, I will have to grin and bear it.

My son also suffers. He gets clogged ears, and I simply tell him that he will have to grin and bear that, too.

It's the weather, and come February, when it will finally turn cold--I think--we will look back on December and say, "Why can't it be like that today?"

So I am not really complaining; I am just saying that with all the good that the heat brings, it isn't all good, at least for people like me.

I guess you really can't have your heat and enjoy it too.

And just think, we aren't even in winter officially yet! That won't come for another few days.

Is this a tease, or will we have warmer temperatures this winter from late December to late March?

Who knows, but right now, I am baking.

Maybe not enough to put on a bathing suit and run outside and jump into the pool like that lady in the photo, but it is warm, isn't it?