Okay to be Comfortable

“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” -J. Wellington Wimpy

It is very hot in Nebraska in the summer, and on some days, it is humid enough to make one consider that doing the backstroke might be faster than walking. The only thing to do on days like this is to sit indoors in front of an air conditioner.


The problem with that plan, however, is that sooner or later, you have to pay the electric bill.


Some people would pay any price to keep cool. I am one of those people who tries to keep it as warm as I can stand for as long as possible. My husband gets home from work, though, and immediately cranks it down to “frostbite,” which is admittedly better than “barely comfortable,” but the latter is less expensive.


Maybe we’d be more frugal if we got the bill immediately. If you buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks, they make you pay for it right away, but then you can enjoy it knowing that you don’t have to pay for it in the hazy, distant future. Perhaps I’d feel better if the thermostat had a credit card scanner on it: “76 degrees? $25. Credit or debit?”


As it is, I have no idea if the cool (or warmth in the winter time) that I am enjoying is racking up a bill that we’re going to need to take out a loan for or if it’s perfectly okay for me be comfortable inside my own home.


Most likely, the problem is not with the utilities providers. They have been providing electricity, gas, and water to people’s homes for years and this system has worked for them so far. The problem is, in all probability, mine and mine alone. I probably just need to chill out (no pun intended) and relax.


That’s what an air conditioner is for. For me to be comfortable in my own home. I should learn to be okay with that.