It's Hot, Cue the Pandemonium

It's hot, folks. Like almost triple digits, but not quite. For me, after over a decade in the south, it feels like the beginning of summer. To everyone else here, it apparently feels like reason to panic. Schools are closing early, y'all. What?!

On one hand, I can see their logic as many of our schools do not have AC. No one wants little ones falling out due to the heat. I DO get that much. And I DO worry about the elderly in our region without AC. Sadly, I'm guessing this heat wave will claim the life of someone who is not fortunate to escape the heat and that breaks my heart. That side, I do understand.

What I don't fully understand is how it can appear as hot as people are making it to be here? I've lived through HOT. This isn't even close to the heat that I'm used to in the summer and early fall in Charleston. There wasn't an ounce of humidity that I felt today(seriously, it's amazing to have a great hair day when it's almost 100 degrees! Can I get an amen?!).  Nothing took my breath away, as in almost sucked the life right out of me, as I unlocked my car after it sat in the sun. In the south, you cannot even get in your car for about 2-4 minutes after you leave the office for fear that you may suffocate or stroke out from the swelter. The daggom car upholstery can give you 3rd degree burns if you're not careful. I've driven home from the office in SC while sitting on file folders to protect my legs when I had nothing else with me. Sweaty file folders that I then had to physically peel off of the back of my thighs when arriving to my destination. Now THAT, is hot. And nasty.

I mean, do I want to go for a jog in this weather, not so much. Let's be honest though, I never want to go for a jog. Can I fully function in this weather, absolutely. Am I going to stroke out before the sun goes down, highly unlikely, unless I go for said jog.

To Charleston and its years of brutal heat and borderline torturous summers, thank you. You've made me stronger. You taught me to hydrate even when I wasn't thirsty to avoid more IV's in the CofC infirmary. You taught me to hold my breath as I leaned in to turn my car on after a day at the office. You've shown me what true humidity feels like and you gave me the awful hair days to prove what you were capable of. And lastly, you've taught me that without access to a beach with triple digit temps, people panic. Here, where people panic, we just chalked it up to a great beach day and an excuse to be knee deep in the water somewhere. Thank you for the previous torture life lessons in the sun, my old friend.