How to survive a July weekend in Florida without air conditioning

1. Don’t sit in front of the heat-generating computer.
2. Swim in the pool.
3. Go to the movies.
4. Hang out at friends’ houses whose air conditioning is not broken.
5. Actually turn your computer off for once, even though it usually stays on 24/7.
6. Pray for snow.
7. Drive around in your air conditioned car a lot.
8. Come back to your house after 11 at night and quickly write a post before succumbing to heat exhaustion.
9. Cry yourself to sleep on top of your sheets with enough fans going to create a wind tunnel, plus place ice packs in strategic locations. Dream about sleeping in a volcano.

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67 Responses to How to survive a July weekend in Florida without air conditioning

  1. Amanda
    Twitter:
    says:

    Wow it sucks to be you right now.

    When does the repair man come?

    Reply

  2. Grant says:

    Just stay in the car 24/7 – drive it inside the house, use it as a toilet / hammock, etc. You could also try leaving the freezer door open.

    Reply

  3. Cris says:

    You know I almost heckled Britt for writing about almost the same exact topics as Dooce last week. But damn it, I JUST finished writing a post for later this week that talks about almost the same things. When you read it, it was not a copy. HONEST!!

    Sorry your air conditioner broke. I saw some farm and ranch stores have an evaporative fan for about $100. It might help cool down the bedroom and you can use it in the garage while building Halloween props once the AC is fixed.

    Reply

  4. Mary says:

    You have every ounce of sympathy I have to spare. I went through this last summer. Living a few summer days in the desert with no a/c. Not good. Hang in there.

    Reply

  5. Turnbaby says:

    Mmmkay

    So I won’t complain that it was kind of stuffy in the Red Room

    Hope it gets fixed soon :poke:

    Reply

  6. Fantastagirl says:

    I grew up with no air-conditioning, and now, I can’t imagine not having it. So sorry – I think you should go to a hotel.

    Reply

  7. #1- Don’t work up a sweat, know what I mean?
    #2-Bribe an A/C repairman to get there ASAP.
    #3-Eat Popsicles.
    #4-Don’t wait for that snow stuff. Ain’t gonna happen. Nope. Sorry.
    #5-Take off the socks.
    #6-Stay cool, man.

    Reply

  8. Jay
    Twitter:
    says:

    Last time my air went out I stayed at a hotel and then spent the next afternoon hanging out at the library reading newspapers and magazines. I was just me and the homeless folks.

    Reply

  9. Kat says:

    #Take multiple cold showers
    # soak washcloths in water, place in freezer.
    # remove frozen cloths from freezer and stuff them down shorts, inside your bra (if female)
    # if you need to blog, place every single fan you own in front of your computer chair, behind it, on all sides, and crank them to the highest setting
    # pull all the shades and blinds, and then walk or lay around the house nude
    # take super cold shower then run out and stand naked and wet in front of the fans

    My AC is having a hard time keeping up with the temps right now, so I feel your pain.
    I only have a box/window unit for an entire apartment, so when it’s not working right, I’ve had to get creative.
    I’ve taken like 7 cold showers today, stood in front of the open fridge for a few minutes, and have been sitting at my comp desk with frozen washcloths stuffed in my bra. :boobs4:

    Reply

  10. AmyD says:

    Sounds like my kitchen when the kids make pizza in the summer. Now, I gotta go… this chair makes strategic places sweat and it’s too damn hot!

    Reply

  11. We were headed for a hotel one time when this happened. Then I used those math skills that I teach every day. I figured out that the yellow pages have these “emergency” companies. The extra charge that you pay is about the same as the hotel room.
    I put frozen washclothes on my boobs when I was quitting the nursing a baby thing. I vowed to never try either one of those things again.

    Reply

  12. Becky says:

    I feel your pain and you have my sympathy. I remember growing up in Alabama with no A/C and it was horrendous! I have my air cranked right now and sending you cold thoughts.

    Reply

  13. B.E. Earl
    Twitter:
    says:

    NY was damned hot and humid this weekend too.

    I spent most of it laying in the AC watching movies instead of interacting with anyone. Sometimes it’s better that way.

    Reply

  14. Sarah says:

    Oh man does that suck. I hope you get it fixed you are way too hairy to survive long without icy cold air.

    Reply

  15. Aunt Robin says:

    I’m the baker for a very busy fine dining restaurant. The little thermometers the cooks keep handy to test the temp of the soups, etc. read 122 degrees while clipped to their aprons most days in July-August. Add exhaust from the steamers, dishwasher, fryers and braziers and you realize “hell’s kitchen” isn’t all about the temperaments.

    Although I do get a bit cranky. Heh!

    Hint: Soak a hand towel in cold water and wrap it around your neck. It really does help.

    Reply

  16. Zom says:

    I know your pain, brother.
    I went through the same thing last month.
    I put one of those re-usable gel cold packs in my pillow when I slept.
    It didn’t help much, but it helped. :violent029:

    Reply

  17. kapgar
    Twitter:
    says:

    Does praying for snow actually work down there?

    Reply

  18. Bucky says:

    Pussies.

    We open windows and put fans in them.

    Inside the house was a cozy 85° on Saturday.

    Reply

  19. Miss Britt says:

    I am going to have to listen to this bitching all day, aren’t I?

    Reply

  20. oh fuck, i am so with you on the pure torture it is to be without air conditioning. damn.

    can you move the office to britt’s house for a day until it gets fixed? better yet, take the day off and head to the movies again!

    good luck, my hairy friend.

    Reply

  21. Dawn says:

    Brutal!!!!! Is it fixed yet?? What about now? Huh? And now????

    Reply

  22. Crys says:

    oh man, i’ve been there. previous to this year, when we replaced our a/c, the old unit would go out on the hottest day of the year. just drain of freon. and it did it about 3 times a season. it was like a sauna upstairs in my house. i contemplated staying at a hotel — you should too

    Reply

  23. Crys says:

    oh man, i hadn’t even thought of you, Britt! better wear a bikini…

    and then take pics…

    of you in bikini and ADAM in a bikini…

    i’m getting carried away…

    but srsly…

    bikini…

    Reply

  24. RW says:

    This is what vodka and any number of fruit juices are for.

    Reply

  25. Dutchiestyle says:

    You could always escape the torture by coming to the Netherlands for the weekend. It’s cold here!! Of course that might be because I’m a Florida girl and not used to 59 degrees in late July. Hope the A.C. is back up and running soon.

    Reply

  26. Robin
    Twitter:
    says:

    Just be glad you aren’t in Massachusetts during a blizzard.

    Reply

  27. Nina
    Twitter:
    says:

    I slept with ice packs for two weeks while my a/c was out for two weeks. Cold showers help, too.

    Reply

  28. trishk says:

    You poor thing!

    I wouldn’t hold your breath for the snow thing though.

    Reply

  29. perhaps i shall be soon moving to the land of dutchiestyle. that sounds phenomenal!

    Reply

  30. Finn
    Twitter:
    says:

    Check into a hotel immediately.

    Reply

  31. metalmom says:

    Isn’t this reason enough to shave off all the body hair? And why didn’t you GET A ROOM? They’re not just for sexing anymore.

    Reply

  32. Winter says:

    The only AC we have is a wall unit in the corner of the dining room, at foot level. (I didn’t put it there. The landlord did.) So I know about fans in the bedroom. I’d say welcome to my life, but my life is miserable, so I just feel really bad for you.

    Reply

  33. Kay says:

    Dude being in the humid south myself and going through this in August last summer. I feel your pain. And share my air conditioning with you if I could.

    Reply

  34. Sybil Law says:

    I’m so glad I went to bed. Haha
    Seriously – that sucks. I hope a repairman is on his way to fix it today!
    Is this how you feel? :violent029:
    Well, at least you have a pool. Meeting in the pool!
    Also, I’m with Crys – Britt needs to wear a bikini! Pictures!

    Reply

  35. golfwidow says:

    When I was a kid, we didn’t have air conditioning. I can’t remember what we did to survive it. I know we didn’t drive around in the car a lot, because it didn’t have air conditioning either. I think we just opened every window we could reach.

    However, more than once I had to go to the neighbors’ houses, apologize, and retrieve our cat, who was audacious enough to saunter in when they opened their doors to, say, get the paper, and nap on their air conditioned carpets when they weren’t looking.

    Reply

  36. How many movies did you see? (oh! And what movie? Was it any good?)

    Reply

  37. Honeybell says:

    Holy hell – I was bitching about our broken AC in Kansas . . . but just thinking about it in Florida just makes me melt.

    Just curious, does this mean more naked pictures?

    Reply

  38. Lisa says:

    I’m a princess when it comes to the air conditioning. I damn near killed Dude when he told me it was going to take two weeks for someone to come out and perform maintenance. He was trying to save some money so we had to wait and I had to melt.

    Feel cool soon my friend, feel cool soon.

    Reply

  39. Jason says:

    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that bites.

    Reply

  40. Ioma says:

    Oh fuck no! I get heat-induced seizures, so if my AC broke, I’d have to stay somewhere else.

    I hope your AC gets fixed soon so you don’t have to fry your ass off. Until then, just walk around completely naked.

    Reply

  41. Em says:

    I completely understand. When I got to my new house a few weeks ago our a/c didn’t work. We don’t have the humidity you do… but it’s pretty damn hot here. I hope you get it fixed soon. :-)

    Reply

  42. Miss Britt says:

    Um – to all of you fuckers suggesting Adam get naked?

    No. Just… no.

    Thanks.

    Reply

  43. DutchBitch says:

    You turned of your computer! Are you INSANE man!!

    *BITCHSLAP*

    Well, at least, by the looks of it you were able to resuscitate it…

    N.E.V.E.R. do that again! EVER!

    Reply

  44. Gwen says:

    Egads. I hope it gets fixed soon or you guys are going to be at each other’s throats. Can y’all work from the pool?

    Reply

  45. I guess you finally have an excuse to sit around naked all day, huh? :woohoo:

    Reply

  46. misi says:

    Why not just check into a hotel??

    Reply

  47. little_lj says:

    I can’t afford A/C. It’s 95 today in NYC.

    I pretty much just lie around in my underwear pouring water on my sweaty body.

    Which is yet another example of “Hot in pornos, not hot in real life”.

    Reply

  48. Trukindog says:

    Bummer dude, here in the Valley of the Sun if the AC goes down we just head to the nearest Circle K kwiky mart and hang out in the walk in Beer cooler till they through us out, then it’s any AC port in the heat storm so to speak.

    Reply

  49. Evil Genius says:

    Holy molars Batman! I owe my life to dental hygiene and a good air conditioner!! lol

    Hope it gets fixed quick. Until then, you might want to think about visiting some meat packing plants to take some tours. :-)

    Reply

  50. Jozet at Halushki
    Twitter:
    says:

    Did your tears at least cool your face?

    I sleep with my feet in the freezer.

    Reply

  51. Stephanie says:

    Good Lord, man, get thee to a hotel…stat! Take poor Jigsaw with you guys….he’s almost as hairy as you are….i can’t imagine the places that are sweaty…:::shudder::: Swim nekkid! :woohoo:

    Reply

  52. Mattie says:

    I would so work for you for free. Just to have access to the pool.

    Reply

  53. Stacey says:

    You need a harem of girls with fans.

    Reply

  54. Avitable says:

    Amanda, he came Sunday and ordered a part, so hopefully by Wed/Thurs.

    Grant, I’ve been thinking about alternating between the car and the pool.

    Cris, I’ve got about four fans trained on me and ice in my pants.

    Mary, yeah, it’s fucking miserable.

    Turnbaby, me too!

    Fantastagirl, I would, but sleeping at night isn’t that bad – it’s mainly working here in the afternoon from 2-6.

    LMSS, you mean I can’t come hang out at your place?

    Jay, I don’t know what we’d do about Jigsaw, too.

    Kat, why would I close the blinds before walking around nude? :)

    AmyD, we aren’t even thinking about trying to use the kitchen right now.

    BTDT, I had a guy come out on a Sunday, but the part won’t be here until this week.

    Becky, cold thoughts are appreciated!

    BE Earl, it was too hot to sit in front of the TV for me.

    Sarah, I know! My fur coat!

    Aunt Robin, yeah, cooling the back of your neck lowers your body temperature by a few degrees, so I do that.

    Zom, ooh, that must have sucked in Louisiana!

    Kapgar, all I ended up with was a ton of bird shit falling from the sky.

    Bucky, that sounds miserable.

    Britt, you know it!

    Hello, I wish we could afford just to take a few days off, but we can’t.

    Dawn, not yet. *sob*

    Crystal, okay, I’ll see if I can fit in Britt’s bikini.

    RW, on the several times that I’ve consumed alcohol, it always makes me hotter.

    Dutchiestyle, oooh, 59 degrees. Sounds lovely!

    Robin, I’d much rather be cold than hot.

    Nina, it’s hard to masturbate in the shower when it’s cold, though.

    TrishK, I’m still hoping!

    Finn, need to find one for the dog, and it cools off enough at night that it’s bearable. Otherwise, I totally would.

    Metalmom, are you volunteering for Avitable Shave Duty?

    Winter, ooh, that sounds miserable!

    Kay, can you email it to me?

    Sybil, Britt only swims in the nude.

    Golfwidow, your cat was very smart.

    TMP, saw The Dark Knight twice. And it was great!

    Honeybell, why? Do you want more naked pictures?

    Angie, working on it!

    Lisa, hopefully ours will be fixed before my balls melt off.

    Jason, yeah!

    Ioma, I have been walking around with as little clothing as I can.

    Em, I can’t imagine living like this for more than a few days.

    Britt, well stop trying to pull my underwear off, then.

    DB, before that, it’s probably been on for a year straight.

    Gwen, I’ve been thinking about that.

    Heather, who needs an excuse?!?

    Misi, nighttime’s not too bad – it’s the afternoons that suck.

    Little LJ, can’t afford it? Isn’t it worth it?

    Trukindog, that’s a good idea.

    Evil Genius, I was going to go get a job cleaning walk-in freezers.

    Jozet, the tears are boiling on my cheeks.

    Stephanie, Jigsaw has her own personal fan to keep her cool.

    Mattie, if you come to the Halloween party, you can go swimming.

    Stacey, are you my first volunteer?

    Reply

  55. Re #6: why pray? That’ll get you nowhere. You gotta earn your cocaine by prostituting your body just like the rest of us.

    Reply

  56. christine says:

    Stick a slightly dampened bedsheet in the freezer and use it as your sheet when you sleep.

    Oh, and eat spicy food.

    Reply

  57. Avitable says:

    Wayne, I don’t gotta earn nothin’!

    Christine, spicy food? That’s a new one.

    Reply

  58. Beth says:

    Try living in Hawai’i for 3 years with no AC.

    Reply

  59. Avitable says:

    Beth, but don’t you guys have a constant breeze and weather that’s around 75?

    Reply

  60. Beth says:

    No, that’s pretty much a myth.

    Reply

  61. Beth says:

    It’s ok. Maybe when we move to Virginia in May I’ll come visit you and your Air Conditioned House and swim in your pool.

    ( Oh yes, I’m NOT above inviting myself over ;) )

    Reply

  62. Avitable says:

    You can totally come over. And the pool is clothing optional!

    Reply

  63. Faiqa Khan
    Twitter:
    says:

    You forgot another one: go to the Quickie Mart, buy 35 bags of ice, fill your bathtub with it and take the plunge. Or buy a cooling fan from Sam’s. Besides, on the overall scale I think we have the best weather. I have to keep telling myself that. Again and again.

    Reply

  64. Avitable says:

    Faiqa, I’ve got about four fans. And I think Los Angeles has the best weather. I totally need to move back there.

    Reply

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