I’ve not run our air conditioning for the past 4 days and it’s been 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit in Atlanta, GA.  And my husband still seems to love me, so those two things combined feel like a big win!  First off, I think the United States runs the AC (air conditioning) colder and more than any other country.  I have no hard-hitting facts to support that, but I’m pretty sure that’s the case.  This means I was raised and have lived in an environment where people run their AC too much and too cold.  It’s all relative though, so perhaps I shouldn’t say “too,” but we run it more liberally that most other countries.  So yes, I have not run the air in a few days, and I am trying to see how long I can hold out. 

Why am I not running my AC? 

• I just love the challenge. It’s hard to explain and put into words.  It’s not about the money really, though that’s a fun added benefit (lower electricity bills and less wear and tear on our AC unit).  It’s more of just fun to me to try something that requires a bit more work, a bit of creativity, some discomfort, and to show I can do it. 
• I love the philosophy of Stoicism, and I often like to take a stoic approach to things. Stoicism is defined as “the endurance of pain or hardship without the display of feelings and without complaint.” This is definitely an exercise in stoicism, or perhaps 50% stoicism because there are definitely a lot of feelings and complaints being expressed in my household.  But not that much, for the most part we are adjusting and finding ways to evolve how we function in the house.
• Other people in the world have real problems right now, and our family really does not. Our “problems” are small, they are miniscule.  They are pay cuts and trying to work remote while teaching and taking care of our kids.  Those are not real problems.  There is something about the idea of experiencing some level of “suffering” that reminds me I can deal with adversity when and if I need to, and the more comfortable my life gets for me and my family, I like to remember that we can deal with adversity. 
• I am a frugal person and I love to do things to save money, and this is saving us money. Yes it’s maybe just a few dollars a day, but it’s still real savings. 
• Why not? Well, my husband has lots of reasons when I pose it this way.  He likes to remind me we have a functioning AC unit and we have the money to pay for run it.  My husband actually grew up in St. Thomas in a home without air conditioning, and sometimes without power after a big hurricane.  When I joke to him that he should be ready for this, he continues to remind me that although he is able to deal with this, why would he? 

What I have learned and enjoyed from not running the AC:

• We’ve opened our windows as it’s actually cooler in the mornings and evenings outside than it is inside. And as I sit here typing this, I am just really enjoying the sounds of nature outside my bedroom window.  The birds, the breeze, the wind.  It’s lovely.  And last night we heard a cacophony of owls that was so cool.  One of my kids was still up and heard it too and it was just a really cool experience we all shared. 
• We’ve spent more time outside as a family. Not all of the time, but sometimes it’s been cooler outside than inside, and it encourages us to go outside.  We’ve sat on the back deck in the early evening and the kids played in the hammock while we read our books. 
• I woke up this morning to a breeze coming through our bedroom, the sounds of birds, the sounds of garbage/recycling trucks chugging through the neighborhood, and I swear for a minute I thought I was at the beach. It reminded me of all the noises I hear waking up at the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey (where I grew up visiting as a child).  I woke up smiling, and I would not have if the air conditioning was turned on. 
• We adjusted and spent more time in our downstairs finished basement, which is about 20 degrees cooler than the upstairs/main level.
• We get creative. We put a fan in front of a window, and it creates really amazing airflow!
• I dug out an old industrial fan I have of my dad’s and it reminded me of my dad and how he used to run it in our basement as a kid. Was just a nice memory of my dad, and every time I walk by this fan now, I think about how my dad bought this fan and he was a fairly frugal guy so he’d be quite happy to know I kept it and am still using it.  He’s helping to keep my family cooled off over the summer.  I tear up and smile as I write this thinking about him. 
• I really do think our bodies are adjusting to it, and it’s gotten easier every day. I think this is true to all things in life.  You get used to things quicker than you realize you will. 
• My kids sometimes complain a bit, but they also quickly adjust to it, which just reminds me how quickly kids adjust to whatever is happening around them. Especially if you act like it’s not a choice and it’s just the way it is. 

My husband knows he can turn on the AC whenever he wants, but I think he’s actually starting to enjoy the challenge a tiny bit.  Or perhaps he just loves me a lot and is appeasing me.  I do continually remind him that he’s welcome to turn on the air whenever he wants, and I think we will soon as it gets even hotter here.  For now, we’ll see how long we can last, and we will use this as an exercise to remember how much we have to be thankful for. 

Written while listening to Hot in Herre by Nelly

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