Journal Chacham's Journal: Rant: Warm office, but what can i do? 8
I really dislike the summer in the office. It gets warmer outside so the women start wearing less clothes. Then they complain the office is too cold. Really?! My water consumption went up this week, and i''ve been buying caffeinated drinks just to stay awake.
I have an air vent above me which was closed before i got here because the lady next cubicle over, who is very nice and sensible as long as she agrees with you, complained of being too cold. When i asked her about it, she said opening it would make her cold, require her to wear a sweater and socks (perish the thought!) and then take them off when she got outside, which would inconvenience her. About me, who gets much too hot and cannot take off my clothes, she offered me the ice pack she uses to keep her lunch cool, to place on my neck or in front or in back of my fan. I guess i'm just clothes-minded. Anyway, arguing with a coworker is not productive and only ends up in fights, if everyone stays employed. So, i'm looking for other solutions.
As our section of the cube farm is a set of four cubicles with their own walls, airflow is restricted. I made a request to maintenance to remove one of my walls or replace it with a half-wall (suggested by another clothes-challenged woman, who sits near a window (no windows can be opened)). That may allow for better air flow. The request went in yesterday, though i have to find out if that is the correct group to make the request to, and if this is allowed, or even if it would be approved.
In years past i've wondered why hot air made me uncomfortable and tired, yet outside i was fine. To wit, inside, at 72 i'm warm, 74 is uncomfortable, 76 is really uncomfortable and i am tired, and at 78 i've been known to blank out (depends on how tired i am). Outside, however, i can weather the 80s and love it. After reading and testing, i found the difference to be fresh air. I don't mind the heat, but the stale air. Take away my fresh air, and i'll need the air to be cooler. I'm assuming this is true for most people, though the range will differ.
Well, fresh air is out of the question here. The windows are closed, we're a few floors up, and the vent that would blow directly on to me has been closed. So, i need to be cooler. Iced and caffeinated drinks only work so much, cost a bit, and have other consequences. A personal air conditioner would seem best, but do those even exist? I mean, there are personal heaters which do the job well. But what about cooling the air? Fans do little more than move the air. I have a fan, but the walls of the cubicle stifle its already limited effect. There are sponge coolers that have mixed reviews. I'm looking for a(n impossible) air conditioner that would just blow the hot air under the cubicle wall (or the like), would be silent, and be powerful enough to cool me down. I don't need much more than that. Truthfully, any idea might work, as long as it is relatively noiseless and inconspicuous.
More importantly (Score:1)
Do you get to listen to the radio at a reasonable volume during the work hours?
HAHA! Just joshin' ya. No, you need a mini fan, or put on some shorts that may hide your boner in case of the aforementioned ladies with less clothing during these warm months. Okay, my wisdom is imparted. Let us rejoice with some bikini pic tweets!
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NICE.
Why not open the vent and get your co-orker the space heater? Just remember to be all apologetic about being a big sweaty male chauvinist pig and it'll be fine. Also maybe search around for little evaporative coolers, or the DIY "swamp cooler" thing on youtube.
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She has a space heater. She uses it during the winter.
The funny part is, she thinks rationally (half-way techie even) when she wants to. The even funnier part is, she's from the Ukraine.
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I wish we had windows. Lucky dog.
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I wish we had windows. Lucky dog.
They are handy - ten feet off the ground, so all we can see is a strip of sky at an odd angle, and almost no natural light ever gets in, but it means we can tell if it's raining or not outside before setting off. I'd far rather have a/c though!
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I'd far rather have a/c though!
Let's trade! We always want what we don't have, eh? :)
In your case, though, you can provide you're own A/C, as you have a window, put in a window fan, or a double window fan that can blow air both in and out. (I used to have one of those and was really happy. It may not be perfect, but you have some recourse. Enjoy what you have. :)
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I have a fan. If i showed up in shorts i would likely be reprimanded for not wearing business casual.
Luckily, i have headphone to hide what i listen to, so no red stapler is required.