Happy Friday!

Things have cooled off considerably in St. Louis the past couple of days, which figures since I just wrote a post on how to keep your ass from sweating off when it's outrageously hot. HUBS and I will be holed up inside tomorrow in honor of our neighborhood's annual raucous homecoming. I'm really looking forward to catching up on Downton Abbey and just chillin' (Do people still say that? No? Ahh, well, such is life.)

Here's some cool stuff I found online this week.

1) All the TV addicts out there will like this wrap up of the 2011-2012 season.

2) Do any of you ladies read sci fi/fantasy lady fiction? I've only read two books in the genre and I still enjoyed the Vaginal Fantasy Hangout.

3) Going outside can make you happier, more creative and more focused. Also, letting your mind wander might not be such a bad thing.

4) The White Girl Problems twitter feed. Go. Now!

5) Maybe you and your boss don't get along, but things likely won't get as heated as the contentious relationships these actors had with their directors.

There. If the weather's nice go sit outside and get more creative this weekend as your mind wanders.

Unnecessary Government Decisions

...

By now you've likely heard that Mayor Bloomberg wants to turn NYC into an area somewhat free of large sugary drinks.

I understand his motives, but we all know this is bullshit, right? As has been said many times today, there's nothing to stop someone from buying two or more smaller drinks. Or, for that matter, buying a giant bottle of their favorite evil drink at WalMart and pouring it into a travel mug as needed.

But, there's something bigger that bothers me about this. When will people learn that we need to be allowed to make our own bad decisions, especially when those decisions don't hurt anyone else?

The way I see it, everything is a muscle. If you never pick anything up, you'll eventually lose the ability to pick things up because you aren't strong enough. The more basic, personal choices are regulated and taken away from us, the more I believe people will lose the ability to decide simple things for themselves. The less we use our brains, the worse off we all are.

Also, let's not pretend it'll cost nothing to regulate every cup of sugary whatever at every convenience store, gas station, sit down eatery and fast food joint in NYC. The local government will get bigger, sillier and more expensive. Which always leads to needing more tax dollars. Which leads to people having less of their income to spend and businesses having less money to hire and pay workers.

And, let's not forget that anything milk based is exempt from this proposed move. Because we all know that milkshakes are essentially a health food.

I'm going to say something now that's going to sound really bitchy and horrible. Here it goes:

Remember way, way back when all governments did was fight wars and make sure folks didn't murder each other in the street for no reason? If you made a bunch of really dumb-ass decisions in a row at least one of three things would happen: you'd get sick/become incapacitated, you'd die or someone would kill you. You would, in some way, be rendered unable to reproduce anymore and your particular brand of shitty, bad-choice-making genes would be wiped from the Earth. Likely providing a very good lesson to anyone who watched you do stupid shit and then cease to exist.

An example? On Sunday night I had a Whopper, small fries and a small soda for dinner. Monday, HUBS made burgers and fries at home for lunch. Tuesday? I was sick as a dog. Message received. Never again for me.

I'm not saying that we should never help anyone out ever. I am saying that if, in 2012, you're an adult who doesn't know or care that having a lot of sugary drinks isn't good for you, maybe you should be allowed to get sick because of it. Maybe it'll teach you something when you become diabetic and need to have your foot amputated. Just. Maybe.

And, fuck, if you don't get the point then what are we supposed to do with you? Assign a government appointed health Nazi to keep you on the straight and narrow?

I can't imagine that would be cheap.

A Nice Thought

Tuesday Tipday: How To Stay Cool

...

How To Stay Cool Outside When You'd Rather Be Riding Someone's A/C Unit

Now that we've had our unofficial start to summer it's time to consider summer's greatest challenge: enjoying our days without passing out from heat exhaustion.

I know what you're thinking, I've never gotten heat exhaustion, why would it hit me now. To that I say, you never know, friend. You just. Never. Know.

1) Nighttime is the right time: For that matter, so is the early morning. If you really must be outside, leave the comfort of your air conditioner as early or late as possible. Mornings around 5 or 6 am tend to be the coolest. An 102 degree night will still be unpleasant, but at least the blasted sun won't be slapping the shit out of you at the same time. This is why I'll spend the next few months watering and weeding my garden at increasing late hours. Citygirl ain't no fool.

2) You + Water = BFF: Even if you're not working outside (Hello, road crews!) you still need to stay hydrated. Unless you keep cool by panting like a dog, ingestible liquids are your best friend. Fill up a huge travel mug or thermos with ice and water, put it in the freezer a few minutes before take off and sip throughout your travels. Tired of water? Add lemon,limes or cucumber. Slip inside someplace cool and have a soda, Slurpee or Frosty. Just don't let yourself dry out. That's when things get dangerous.

3) Your car is an oven; don't stand for it: I don't have A/C in my car anymore. The single most important thing I've learned to do (other than bringing a frosty beverage)? Roll the windows down the morning I'm going somewhere. This will help even if you are blissfully supplied with cool, cool forced air to your vehicle. Letting air flow through your car will keep it cooler. Just roll the windows up and turn on the air when you're ready to roll. If you just can't bear the idea of leaving your unattended car with the windows open, I just read a cool tip on Lifehacker for getting the hot air outquickly.

4) The world is an oven; baste accordingly: I'm not talking about sunscreen, although applying a cooling one about 30 minutes before you head into the sun could certainly help. I'm talking about your choice of clothing. Please, for your own good, wear the lightest possible clothes you can. Light in weight and light in color. I've got some white linen pants that save my life every summer. And, don't be afraid to carry your own shade with you. Men! Get a lightly colored umbrella. Women! You have many parasol choices. Both! Wear an open weave hat already.

5) Stay out of the sun; that is all: If you don't know by now, keep to the shade and shadows when walking around on a hellishly hot day. I go out of my way on a regular basis to stay away from direct sunlight. This includes staying in the house when it's too hot for my delicate sensibilities. Whatever works, people!

There, now you're fully prepared for the summer. I'm going to continue sitting inside my A/C filled house. How about you?