Orange County / Weather Wimps?? (San Diego, Palm Springs: Home Depot, school, live in)

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by cityx

After living in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California for a number of years I wonder why Southern Californians are so over-reactionary to even the modest change in weather conditions.
Obviously, many people can't drive well even during drizzly periods but the syndrome goes beyond that. I'm not sure if people even know how to operate their heating systems efficiently. My job takes me into people's homes regularly and it seems well over half of the homes I visit crank the heat up to the point where it feels like a sauna. Very uncomfortable. Even at some retailers like Wal-Mart and Starbucks the heat is blaring and I feel myself breaking a sweat before I even walk out the door. There's a joke around the office that as soon as the temps dip below 70 degrees here, it's time to crank up the heat. I'm really believing it at this point. There is really no reason for healthy people to use the heater unless the temperature becomes unusually frigid; mid 40s or below I'm thinking. Even at that, for Pete's sake, set your thermostat at 65 which will prevent your business or home from feeling stuffy, hot, and downright uncomfortable.
I've never been a big fan of artificial heat sources. It dries me out, gives me a headache and just makes me feel blah. I much prefer to put on another layer to compensate.

I don't intend this to be argumentative, but isn't it entirely possible that it might be you, considering you are having a problem everywhere you go? Have you been seen by a medical professional? If you're only turning on the heat once it hits the mid-40s, I feel for your S.O. Seriously though, please do get checked.

P.S. I've lived in many cities with many climates, and in every city, I too don't let my home get colder than 70*. I guess I'm one of those crazy folks, but given I'm not a born and raised SoCal girl, I guess those "crazies" are everywhere.

And, for what it's worth, if you study medicine, you will be taught that the average most acceptable room temperature for humans is roughly 74-76.* So, yeah, humans do tend to turn on heat to get a 50-something room back up to the 70s. If mid-70s is hot to you, I am truly concerned that you have a health condition.

[IloveOC]

I think it is also what you get used to - when I returned to CA for a visit in February from Minnesota - I thought the weather was great and wanted to be outside. Many of the people there were in sweats and jackets - but to go from 10 degree's to 50 or 60 degree's, I thought it was warm and beautiful.

[Charles]

I should start a thread called "Everywhere except OC / High Housing Cost Wimps?"

[cityx]

I am truly concerned that you have a health condition.[/quote]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOL.
Your heartfelt concern for my well-being is extremely touching and I'm actually getting a bit choked up by it. Please wait while I grab a tissue............................................ .................................................. ........
........ ...... ..... ... .. . Ok, I'm back. Well, be rest assured that I am in excellent health which I thank God for every day of my life. The point that I was trying to make is that many SoCal folks overcompensate for the change in the weather by cranking the heat unnecessarily. They have no concept of how to use a heater to achieve any degree of temperature stabilization. Believe it or not, this issue has come up quite a bit in the environment where I work. Many of my fellow field reps are from different parts of the country and have made this same observation as well.
That's really the point I was trying to make.

[cityx]

Originally Posted by IloveOC

I think it is also what you get used to - when I returned to CA for a visit in February from Minnesota - I thought the weather was great and wanted to be outside. Many of the people there were in sweats and jackets - but to go from 10 degree's to 50 or 60 degree's, I thought it was warm and beautiful.

Yes. good point and I agree.

[WeakandDizzy]

Originally Posted by Charles

One reason SoCal has lots of accidents in rain is rain is so infrequent that the layer of motor oils and engine fluids mixed with the first rain in a while creates very slick roads for the first few hours of a new rain.

CHP stats tell all: L.A. motorists can't drive in the rain - latimes.com


I think 65F would be a bit too chilly for me. Comfortable would be 70F or so. At night, maybe 65F or 67F would be OK but not during the day.

By the way, I am already sick of this recent rain. I moved away from Huntsville for this reason. Rain, rain, rain, gloomy, rain, cloudy, dead, rain, almost every day in winter.

Charles,
come now. It is the rainy season in California ( late fall- early spring). I know in Southern California everyone expects it to never rain and just water their lawns, fill their pools and wash their cars with Colorado River/ Sierra snowpack water, but come on, the native annual grasses and flowers need some love. Don't worry, in a few months the endless summer will return. Sometimes I think Californians ( esp the Southern variety) are like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz !!!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Yes, people are weather wimps. I didn't even wear a jacket today and I managed to stay on the road.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by WeakandDizzy

Charles,
come now. It is the rainy season in California ( late fall- early spring). I know in Southern California everyone expects it to never rain and just water their lawns, fill their pools and wash their cars with Colorado River/ Sierra snowpack water, but come on, the native annual grasses and flowers need some love. Don't worry, in a few months the endless summer will return. Sometimes I think Californians ( esp the Southern variety) are like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz !!!

In a few days, not a few months.

[Fontucky]

Even though I grew up in LA and OC, I've always preferred a cold house. In fact, both gas heaters in this one don't work and haven't for years, and it can get chilly in this inland valley in Winter. (Yes, I get complaints from visitors) Going into other people's homes and overheated stores almost always proves uncomfortable for me, as Thanksgiving Day was last week. I guess I'm not all full of myself, because I've never looked at those people as "wimps'. In fact, I see myself as the exception and see them as the norm. I'm the strange one where I come from.

If an Inalik man from Little Diomede Island in the Bering Sea relocated to Fontana in July when it's 113 outside, I wouldn't pass him off as a wimp because he was uncomfortable, I'd assume he was unaccustomed to the heat and leave it at that.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Even though I grew up in LA and OC, I've always preferred a cold house. In fact, both gas heaters in this one don't work and haven't for years, and it can get chilly in this inland valley in Winter. (Yes, I get complaints from visitors) Going into other people's homes and overheated stores almost always proves uncomfortable for me, as Thanksgiving Day was last week. I guess I'm not all full of myself, because I've never looked at those people as "wimps'. In fact, I see myself as the exception and see them as the norm. I'm the strange one where I come from.

If an Inalik man from Little Diomede Island in the Bering Sea relocated to Fontana in July when it's 113 outside, I wouldn't pass him off as a wimp because he was uncomfortable, I'd assume he was unaccustomed to the heat and leave it at that.

Well said.