“At a party in the city, a new transplant to the area waxed poetically about all the wonderful activities Chicago had to offer.  Another member of the group had finally heard enough and interrupted.  He observed that it was a good thing there are enough people like him to keep the countryside from getting too crowded for the rest of us to enjoy.

Many people feel the same way about heat or lack thereof.  It may be difficult for someone who has grown up with four seasons to grasp the concept of giving up on winter, but there are those raised in the north who move south and settle for hot and hotter.  They probably spent most of their lives inside and never learned to appreciate what the great outdoors has to offer.

Perhaps it is a figment of the writer’s imagination, but it almost seems to be a more cheerful place without the malcontents that harrumph and bah humbug the transitional seasonal benefits of fall and spring coupled with the glorious events and opportunities presented by a real winter sandwiched in between.  One has to wonder what will happen to the sun belt states once they have too many people tripping over each other.  The only thing scarier than avoiding the other drivers in crowded places like Florida is staying out of their way when they are up north trying to drive on ice and snow.  While fun to watch, the carnage does raise our insurance rates.

Although we do have air “conditioning” available during the summer, it’s only needed in more temperate climes about three days per year.  Aside from factories, motels and office buildings with windows that don’t open,  we don’t have to tolerate the dry, moldy air at home.  Only on elevators and certain stores are we bombarded with obnoxious scents from perfume, candles and potpourri that can’t be filtered out or vented away.  Up north the addition of a coat and gloves permits full enjoyment of the crisp, pristine air in the winter during a brisk walk followed by a hot chocolate by the fire after.

The cost of air conditioning in the south now exceeds heating costs up north in properly insulated dwellings and one doesn’t suffer from thermal shock entering or egressing from buildings with a 40°F differential in the summer.  I’ve always been uncomfortable in a suit and tie when going from a frigid building to a hot car in the parking lot during triple digit weather.  Permanent transplants to the south must also build up a tolerance and avoidance system for snakes, mosquitoes, fire ants, insects swarms, alligators and other critters over time.

Of course, there always are people on the fence who prefer the same boring weather year round without the joys of a northern winter or having to deal with the intense summer heat of the sunbelt.  Snowbirds migrate to the south during the winter to avoid participation of winter sports and the cardiovascular benefits of shoveling snow, but also want to escape the extreme temperatures and humidity in the southern summers.  Retirees will return to the northlands in the spring to spend summers in cooler climes with the grandkids.

In summary,  there are those who either blow hot or cold on the issue of heat while others believe following the temperate zones up and down the country with the seasons isn’t strictly for the birds. ”  Tim Parker