{ 196 comments… read them below }

  1. Katie the Fed*

    Ha, you’re in the DC area too, right?

    I took my dog out for a short walk and she was like “eff this. bring me home, NOW” and has been passed out in front of the AC ever since.

      1. Windchime*

        I was back in DC last week and I honestly don’t know how you guys survive back there. The heat plus the humidity made me feel like I was gonna die. And I saw people JOGGING in the mid-day heat. The body is an amazing thing. At least theirs were…..mine was just sweaty and exhausted.

        1. Kimberlee, Esq.*

          I’ve gotten used to just having a film of sweat on my entire body like all day. It eventually goes away when I’m inside long enough, but it only takes about 2 minutes outside to form again. It’s weird and gross, but I’m really surprised at how quickly I sort of got used to it. I’m from Idaho and Oregon originally, so DC was quite different!

    2. periwinkle*

      Another DC’er here. It seems like every AC vent is our house is blocked by a cat. Thankfully they leave the one next to my desk uncovered. Ah, bliss, especially after those moments when I’m brave/daft enough to venture outside for any length of time.

      Time for more peach iced tea.

    3. Katie the Fed*

      the humidity is about 99 too. UGHHHHH. It’s like being in Oman, minus the gold shops.

    4. Cat*

      My poor cat has basically been flattening herself like a rug on my floor for the last several days (I have window AC units which are not cutting it in DC this week).

    5. Kara*

      Last Sunday I biked past a dog -one with a very thick coat, maybe a Bernese mountain dog – that was sprawled on its steps like “I simply cannot right now.” I left for work this morning and it was 90 degrees before 8 AM; I left for home this evening and it was 98. Kill me.

      1. Pussyfooter*

        I remember going outside in a Pennsylvania summer and wondering why it felt like I was shut in an overstuffed closet-ha!

        If you grow up in Arizona, it feels a little surreal to hear how uncomfortable two digit weather can get. We beat our own record this June at 119…and I was stuck in a car with no air conditioning the afternoon they grounded the planes 20 years ago–did you know that you can feel the line of demarcation between sun and shade, down the center of your face, if you face North at sunset on a 124 degree day?? Weird.

        I know you have readers who’ve been to the Mid-East: is it true that parts of the Arabian Peninsula regularly get into the 130-140’s while everyone has to go about their daily routine? It burns Us! It burns Us!

        2. Chinook*

          I remember being in Okinawa in October and thinking “it’s true – Canadians do melt like snowmen.” Then I did Toronto in a heat wave (for World Youth Day where we were in the middle of a park with no shade after walking all morning) and realized that breathing through old sweat socks would be more enjoyable and wondering why the heck anyone chose to settle here in the first place. I will take -40 (C or F is the same) over +35 anyday of the week.

          But, swimming pools and shade never felt so good.

          1. Esra*

            Even the shade is hot in downtown TO right now. Nevermind the streetcars. Nothing like showing up for work drenched in other people’s sweat.

        3. Windchime*

          Yeah, I grew up in Eastern Washington state and it’s a desert over there. 100 degree temps are not uncommon, but the humidity is in the single-digits and so it’s a good kind of heat, the kind that just warms your bones. Not the kind that sucks the life out of you.

        4. fposte*

          A low-key friend of mine was visiting Death Valley during record heat (134), and she said she could literally feel her heart struggling.

          I think the Arabian Peninsula temps you mention must include heat index, though–134 is world record heat for the whole globe ever, so no place has gotten into the 140s, and the Asian record (in Kuwait) tops out at 128.

        5. Melissa*

          I don’t know about 130s-140s, but my husband has been deployed to the Middle East and he says it regularly got up to like 100-115 range. The high for tomorrow nearby where he was, for example, is 110.

        6. Nusy*

          I’m in Central California (Central Valley), and for us, 95-100 is normal summer weather, a little on the warm side. We don’t really start to freak until we get close to 110. Over that, well, that’s a proper heat wave.

          On the upside, it would be impossible to sell/rent a home without massive air conditioning, and most houses and apartments have central air. I’m in the bad situation where I have an AC at home, but not in my car. I have gotten blisters on my hand more than once from grabbing the keys just as I pulled them out… ouch!

      2. Zahra*

        It’s 97 here if you count the humidity and it’s a bit cooler as we had some rain earlier. Oh, there’s no AC here since it’s only hot like that 2-3 weeks/year.

      3. Allison (not AAM!)*

        That’s hotter than it is here in Orlando! Then again, we are having monsoon-like rainstorms with all the thunder-and-lightning FUN that goes along with it!

      4. Elizabeth West*

        It’s 87 here in Southern MO. But we had four weeks of 100+ temps for two years in a row, so I AM NOT COMPLAINING. *sends ice cream to all in the heat bubble*

        My kitty hides in the culvert pipe when it’s hot. She won’t come inside. I drag her in if there is a bad storm. She used to hide under a chair when I did that, but now she walks around the house yelling at me until the storm has passed and I let her out.

      5. TheSnarkyB*

        108 in NYC considering heat index. Fck.
        Careful with dogs everyone! Mine seems to be suffering more from the hot to cold outside to AC&C shock than the heat itself. Just my lil observation. :)

      6. FreeThinkerTX*

        I’m from and in Texas, and 98 is chump change! We get the high heat and high humidity (from air streams coming in from the Gulf) from about mid-May until the beginning of October.

        Though, honestly, I am sympathetic when high heat happens in areas not built for it. My latest Scientific American magazine says that something like 14,000 people died in France in their heat wave of 2003. If you don’t have the infrastructure to handle it (robust power grid, high-BTU A/C systems, lots of shade from trees and shrubs around your house), you’re going to have casualties.

        P.S. In the Texas heat wave of 1980 (69 days over 100F), we had no air conditioning in our house. My brother and I survived the summer by stacking two cookie sheets loaded with ice in front of a box fan, and then laying in the cool-ish breeze.

      1. Chinook*

        AAM – your home for temperatures from around the world in both Fahrenheit, Celcius and Kitten Length.

  3. Jesicka309*

    I’m just so happy to see an open thread that hasn’t got 500 comments yet. What’s up everyone? It’s winter down in Australia, so rainy and cool is the go. :)

    1. Chinook*

      It is raining here in Calgary and there was dew on the car this morning. And the hail from last week that took 2 days to melt seems to have killed the mosquitoes!

      1. anon*

        I’m in Calgary too, but not seeing rain… yet. I’m sure it’s coming as the sky has darkened considerably and the winds have picked up. Just a normal day in Cowtown ;)

        1. Al Lo*

          I’m just off Glenmore and 18th, and it was pouring and windy half an hour ago; my husband was driving in on Glenmore at the city limits (at the same time), and he had blue skies and sunshine. Ah, Calgary’s micro-weather patterns.

      2. Jesicka309*

        What’s 7 degrees Celsius when converted to Fahrenheit? I want to compare temps ha ha.

      3. Felicia*

        It’s thunder storming here in Toronto:) The dog keeps barking at the thunder. It’s still hot. 31 C which I don’t know what that is in farenheit but that’s hot. It’s also humid. Though earlier this week , which humidity it was 40 C, and we had an extreme heat warning.

        1. Esra*

          It’s supposed to break this weekend. I don’t event want to look at my hydro bill next month.

        2. Pussyfooter*

          I googled “celsius to fahrenheit” and it automatically provides two boxes with an “=” sign between. Just type the C temperature in the corresponding box and you get the F without hitting any additional keys. (31C=87.8F)
          The internet is so much cooler than it used to be ; D

    2. Sophie*

      I’m in Melbourne. The rainclouds disappeared again this morning, it was so cold I really struggled to get out of bed! I’m thinking we’ll soon be getting a repeat of the freezing cold mornings we had a couple of weeks ago.

    1. HR Competent*

      Currently in Anchorage and changing planes for Kenai, AK.

      A pleasant 65 degrees.

    2. Liz in a Library*

      Totally odd how the northern and southern US have swapped places this year. In SC, I don’t think it’s gotten over 100 degrees yet, when it usually is by April!

      Granted, today is also the first day without rain all summer.

      1. Editor*

        My sister lives in upstate New York and says that since the school year ended, they’ve had only two storms. One rained for 20 days and the other for 22. I live about five hours south of her, but it has rained here almost every day, too.

        1. Melissa*

          I think this is the first week in NYC that it hasn’t rained at least one day, a little bit.

      2. ChristineSW*

        We were in SC recently (Hilton Head Island) for a family vacation. It may not get over 100 degrees, but my gawd is it HUMID!!

    3. Anna (and lay off the bananas!)*

      Wait, it’s below 80 in Texas and we’re well into the 90s in New York?!?!

        1. Anna (and lay off the bananas!)*

          No kidding. I went to visit a friend in Austin about a year and a half ago. It got up to about 90 on Halloween — which to me is just nuts. So it’s hardly surprising that Texas being 20 degrees cooler than NYC would be met with… disbelief.

    1. Pussyfooter*

      Google says it’s only 99 degrees? It was actually nice outside around 12:30 in the east valley…yeah, that won’t last. Beautiful sky with lots of little clouds all over today.

      *It rained on my birthday :-) !! (That’s a treat in Arizona, in the summer)

      1. Holly*

        I checked on Weather.com using my zipcode: weather.com/weather/today/Phoenix+AZ+85020:4:US

        YAY rain! I miss rain.

        1. Pussyfooter*

          Cool. I didn’t know there was a place you check by zip.
          I checked google and weather.com and got a 2 degree difference right now. How are they deciding I wonder?

          1. Chinook*

            AAM – your home for temperatures from around the world in both Fahrenheit, Celcius and Kitten Length.

    2. Stephanie*

      I’m also in Phoenix enjoying our “cold” snap. Much better than the 120 it was a couple of weeks back. I’m out near one of the mountain ranges, so we’re always a hot spot. O_o).

  6. Jesicka309*

    Anyone wish they could go back in time and give themselves some AAM advice to themselves? Like, hop in a time machine and tell themselves not to send pot plants with their cv to interviewers?

    I’d be telling 21 year old me to actually ask what the job duties were when interviewing for current role.

    Or telling 22 year old me not to wear sandals and a (very cute!) sundress to an interview. I don’t care if its 38 degrees young lady, put on a blazer and shoes!

    Who else wishes they knew AAM in their past? :)

    2. Ruffingit*

      OH YES DEFINITELY!! So many things I would have done differently. But then again, I’ve learned a lot from my mistakes and I continue to learn from this column.

      Frankly, a lot of what I hear here is a relief. For a long time, I bought into the whole “Don’t address something to hiring manager” thing and I felt bad when I didn’t try to find out who the HM was and address it directly. Same with follow-up to see if they received the resume calls. Then I read Alison’s column on those things and felt validated because I had always thought both of those things were worthless time wasters and not appreciated by those doing the hiring.

      1. CF*

        Don’t send candy bars with your cover letter.

        Don’t give Elvis refrigerator magnets to the people who interview you.

        Don’t tell the (male) interviewer that yes, you (female) would like a break because you drank that entire diet Coke and man do you have to pee.

    4. Felicia*

      I found AAM when I was 20 (I’m 23 now) and I’m glad I found it when I did. I see my same age friends asking me for career related advice and I answer “Well, here’s what I read on this blog called ask a manager…”

    5. Chris80*

      Yes, definitely! If only there was a shoulder version of AAM telling everyone how to behave at work, much like the shoulder devils/angels in the comics. AAM on one shoulder, your college career center adviser on the other…

      1. PuppyKat*

        Love this! Or could it be Professional Cat on one shoulder and Bad Kitty on the other? :-)

        1. Julie*

          “Professional Cat” reminds me that my friend is renovating her backyard, and one of her cats has been nicknamed “Construction Kitty”!

        2. tcookson*

          I had a professional cat at work for a couple of days last week! My husband was gardening in the backyard when he found an abandoned kitten not much more than 6 weeks old. He tried to lure it out of its hiding place, but it was too scared to come to him.

          We put our 16-year-old daughter on the job with some chicken that I quickly poached in the microwave and minced into a light fluff. She caught it and gave it some food and water, then we had her sit out in a lawn chair for a couple hours and observe whether any mother cat responded to its cries. Nobody came, so we brought it inside and let it sleep with our daughter that night.

          We already have two cats and a dog, and with that and the four of us, we figured we couldn’t afford the vet bills and care for another animal. So I took it to work with me then next day and kept it until I could take it to the shelter where I volunteer. I sure did love having a cat in my office while it lasted!

    6. Sara*

      I wish so badly I could have foujnd this blog years ago. Alas I only found it last year, but the things I’ve learned from here and the emails I’ve exchanged w Alison…. valuable!

      I share this website with EVERYONE I know who mentions anything career related :)

      1. Julie*

        Me, too, and now I don’t have the patience for reading other job-related columns because, well, I’ve found the best one.

        1. tcookson*

          I’ve nearly abandoned all my other advice columns since I’ve gotten really into AAM — especially since I started reading regularly reading the comments. I can find the answer (or pose a question and get responses) to just about anything I could possibly want to know! Some of the other columns I read have regular commentators who come across as very unwelcomingly strident in their opinions, but the readers here for the most part are a real community . . . so I’ve found my advice home here!

    7. ChristineSW*

      I know AAM started in 2007, the same year I graduated with my MSW and started my first post-grad job. Oh man how I wish I’d known about this blog then!!! Who knows…I’d probably still be at that job today!

    8. Jen in RO*

      Wearing a blazer at 38C is not humanly possible. I don’t think an interviewer would appreciate sweat stains!

      1. Jill*

        I read this comment three times before I realized you weren’t referring to your bra size.

      2. CatB*

        38 Celsius with a full suit, tie, the whole nine yards? Been there, done that. When I got home I couldn’t stand being in the same room with myself. And I’m not the sweaty type.

      3. Pussyfooter*

        Ahhh! That reminds me! I have to go get those little under arm guards they sell at fabric stores for my suits!

  8. CathVWXYNot?*

    A very pleasant and sunny 25C (77F) here in Vancouver, and my boss and his wife are taking my husband and me sailing after work – woohoo!

  9. Tina*

    It’s miserable in Boston. Just got home, turned on the bedroom ac which is the only room that has it, and have every intention of staying in here until the heat wave breaks our I have to go to work, whichever comes first.

    1. Julie*

      I’m in Boston, too, and we had to buy two more window A/Cs a couple of weeks ago in order to not be trapped in the bedroom, so I feel your pain.

  11. Pussyfooter*

    Jamie of IT/Hello Kitty fame,

    If this is unwelcome nosiness, please ignore it:

    I’m wondering if you are feeling some new energy yet, since you said you were going to get treated for (was it) anemia? I hope you feel good.

    If that doesn’t help your mood, I say buy the most expensive Hello Kitty collectible you can, put it in an *obviously high quality* display case, and show it prominently in your office. I DARE them to judge you!!!

  12. YOTeach*

    So open thread question:

    How can you put a job on your resume that you are not yet doing, but will do in the future? For example, I have a job beginning in late August where I will be teaching community college courses. I am only doing that twice a week though so I still need to find something else. A part-time job has come open and I want to apply for it. That job would utilize many of the same skills I will use in teaching.

    SO…how to put the job on the resume because I’m not yet doing it?

    1. Z*

      In terms of dates, I think you would list it as, “Beginning August 2013.” For skills, of course you don’t have the advantage of listing accomplishments like you do with jobs you’ve already done/you’re already doing, but at least you can list duties. Then, I suppose that in your cover letter, you could explicitly draw the connection between the skills you’ll use in the future job and the ones you need for the job you’re applying for.

  15. Allison (not AAM!)*

    Open thread question of my own: is it possible to tell a coworker that they wear entirely too much perfume? I honestly cannot breathe around her. I don’t sit by her any longer, but even when she walks by my desk, or when I walk by hers, it’s awful. And I know that it bothers other people in the office, but in the past I have had a friendship with her, and I sort of feel that I should be the one to say something. But I don’t know how to approach her.

    1. Ruffingit*

      I think you can be direct, but discrete. “Jane, I like the scent you’re wearing, but I wonder if you might consider wearing less of it? It is a bit overpowering for me.”

      If that doesn’t work, have your manager take it up with her.

      Also, here are Alison’s old columns about this issue:
      https://www.askamanager.org/search-results?q=perfume

      1. Jessa*

        The problem with the phrasing “a bit overpowering” is that it’s a disservice. It downplays “I may have to leave and go home ill for the day and lose pay (if I do not have leave or sick pay) because of your inconsideration.” It’s not a matter of “considering less” it’s a matter of “I know you like that perfume, but you are wearing so much of it, it is impairing my health. And soft pedaling that can make a lot of people miss the MAJOR message which is “do NOT do this, people are getting ill.” Polite language often fails to work and if this person misses the message because they think it’s OPTIONAL to stop doing this (it is NOT. They HAVE to stop.) That’s a 2nd day I get to go home ill in a job I may lose pay in.

        This message is not like one about you’re not dressing appropriately for work. This one is about something that is possibly making someone else actively ILL. I had an employee come in and cause a full on asthma attack in me and another employee. I told her. She didn’t get it. She did it a second day I sent her HOME. She still didn’t get it. We finally dismissed her. In that job we had sick leave. We got paid for going home. But the SUPERVISOR on the overnight shift I couldn’t LEAVE until I got someone in the building to cover. So there I was on the sofa in the owner’s office with my inhaler trying to stop wheezing because the first time they soft pedaled the “please don’t wear so much perfume,” and the 2nd time she just didn’t really give a darn.

        1. Ruffingit*

          If the case is that people are getting very ill, then I would say leave this to the manager to handle because it’s affecting the health of others. Because Allison (the OP) did not say this was causing massive illness or any health repercussions in others and that she had a friendship in the past with the woman, I feel that soft pedaling it might be an option. If it’s not, then the manager or supervisor can take care of this.

    2. JBeane*

      I don’t have an answer, but I have this problem too! I often have to reach for my inhaler when the perfume hits my way, and I know a lot of my non-asthmatic co-workers are uncomfortable, too. Still, it feels weird for me to tell another person how much perfume to put on.

      It’s kind of a moot point in my case because I don’t know the culprit is (I’m on a large floor full of passerby), but I’d be interested in other people’s take on the perfume question above.

      1. Jessa*

        I have been known to either politely take the supervisor aside and address it in general or be a scoche passive aggressive and grab my inhaler in the presence of the person in question. It’s really not necessarily something you can address yourself unless they’re your friend. If they report to you, it’s a closed door conversation about “look too many people with potential breathing problems, please tone it down.” And the 2nd time it happens you send them home. If they’re hourly they end up not getting paid that day because the people with allergies, asthma, copd and just plain “OMG too much smelling stuff in here,” have the right to clean air.

        1. ArtsNerd*

          Why not say “I’m sorry, something about your perfume seems to be triggering my asthma”? It’s factual and non-judgmental and WAY more effective than passive aggressive puff-and-glares.

          I haven’t had a perfume issue, but I’ve had to excuse myself from standing near smokers plenty of times, and no one’s been a jerk about it.

      2. Pussyfooter*

        If it’s making you have to use medication and you don’t know who’s causing it, please tell your manager.

    3. fposte*

      Probably not like that, and certainly not on behalf of other people–that ends up suggesting you have an invisible and nameless crowd behind you, which is unfair and unpleasant. But an easier way is to treat it as something situational when you’re interacting with her–“Sorry, the perfume’s really wafting toward me today and it’s giving me some kind of reaction, so I’m going to sit a little father away”–and then repeat for future interactions.

      I’m assuming that you’re not her manager, and that you don’t have chemical sensitivities or other physical issues that make her passing by your office door beyond unpleasant to risky. If you do have physiological issues, then I agree that’s a mention to the manager thing. The solution may be about where she walks and where you walk rather than changing her perfume plan, but as long as you don’t have to face it that shouldn’t matter.

      1. Jessa*

        If anyone is having a reaction the fact that they normally do not have to face it does not change the fact that they are probably not the only one. Any time someone’s perfume rises to anyone having a reaction it’s too much and it needs to be fixed.

        1. fposte*

          I’m not quite following that. My point is that, as we’ve discussed here several times, it’s neither fair nor effective to say you’re speaking on behalf of other people when telling somebody they’re doing something wrong, and that goes quadruple if you’re a co-worker and not the person’s manager. If Allison has a problem with the co-worker, Allison needs to speak about her own problem, not to extend it to nameless (or even named) other people. There’s a reason why that’s a classic bullying tactic–it suggests that you have people on your side when the other person doesn’t.

          “Reaction” is also a vague and very non-medical term. As I said, if there’s a medical situation, time to talk to the manager, but if it’s just that it’s a smell you find strong and unpleasant for a moment, that’s not a medical situation.

          2. Pussyfooter*

            I agree with fposte on this:

            An ex-boyfriend once pulled me outside of his friend’s house where a bunch of us were playing a D&D style game. He said everyone else was angry at me, because I hadn’t done whatever he was advocating for in the game. It was just a weekly social situation, but I was new and felt very small and embarrassed in front of those people for a long time before I learned that none of them even knew he’d been upset with me–much less cared themselves. I was hurt by that for a long time before I found out the truth.

            It really is important to “own” your issue when you need to say something critical of another person. It could be cruel to leave them with the impression that they are looked down on by an amorphous crowd, or even just a social group where they can’t ask about it openly.

          3. Ruffingit*

            This is so right on fposte and thank you for saying it. I used to have a manager who would do this. He’d call people into his office, myself included, and talk about how “others” had noticed/said something regarding some complaint.

            Truth was, HE was the only one who had an issue and this was known by everyone because my co-workers and I were an unusually close group of people (we’re still friends 10 years and several job changes later, even though we now live thousands of miles apart). We all talked all the time and went to lunch/dinner together frequently. We all knew that he was trying to do a divide and conquer kind of thing.

            TL:DR – Do not do this. Own your feelings and talk to someone about your feelings, not “everyone’s” feelings.

    4. Brandy*

      I would say (based on the fact you are friends), “I think you over-did it on the perfume today.” If you want to dance around a little more, you can say, “I’m not sure if it’s me, but your perfume seems REALLY strong today.”

      You’ll probably have to only tell her once, and it makes it seem like a one-time thing. If she’s astute, she’ll pay far more attention to her perfume quantity in the future.

      1. fposte*

        I think this is really good too, if you’re close enough friends to do it. The key is the “today” and the “I.” This isn’t counseling somebody–it’s doing the equivalent of a broccoli-in-your-teeth alert.

      2. Anonymous*

        Caution on this approach – many people who wear scents daily (aftershave, scented lotions, perfumes) become habituated & increase in amount to be able to smell it themselves. Please tell them now, being straightforward that the scent is causing problems. It is kinder to be direct now, than irate later.

  16. Lynne*

    95 and 90% humidity here in Portland, ME. no AC :( its never above 80 for more than 3 days in August so it never seemed like something to get.

  17. B*

    Last night at 11:30 it was 91. I think NY hit 97 with a feel of 105. Now if only everyone believed in deodorant.

      1. tcookson*

        I used to wish people didn’t believe patchouli was the equivalent of a shower.

        LOL — I used to work in a natural foods warehouse, and I used to wish the same thing about a lot of our customers (and some of our staff)!

      2. Pussyfooter*

        “I used to wish people didn’t believe patchouli was the equivalent of a shower.”
        Very Ew.

      3. FreeThinkerTX*

        This is one of those times I wish AAM had a “like” button!

        (I hate the smell of patchouli in any situation, but *especially* when the wearer hasn’t bathed recently).

    1. danr*

      That’s wonderful. I was going to measure our visiting cat, but he just got up as the sun hit his spot to either go home and lay on an ac vent or lay down on our garage floor. He’s a silly cat sometimes.

  20. Paralegal*

    I’m still at work, but I’m ok with that since the longer I stay in the office, the less I have to run (and pay for!) the AC at home.

  21. Amanda*

    How do ya’ll beat the heat if you don’t have A/C?

    The fan is actually making me hotter.

    1. Not So NewReader*

      I like fans with metal blades (as opposed to plastic blades) because I think the metal pushes more air and makes me feel cooler.
      Could be just me though…

    2. Natalie*

      Minnesota gets surprisingly hot in the summer and I grew up with no AC. The best thing to do is spend the day indoors somewhere with climate control – malls are great, since you can just wander about. Go to library, go see a movie, etc.

      At night we put spray bottles full of water in the fridge and spritzed ourself occasionally. Eat Popsicles in between spritzing.

      1. KLH*

        Yes! Put a cold washcloth on the back of your neck. Give yourself a discreet wipe down with cool water. Drink things with ice in them. Put your drinking glasses in the freezer. Sleep on wet sheets.

        1. Pussyfooter*

          If the power goes out, I put a towel on my bed, soak my nightshirt and direct the fan at the bed. Works like a charm.

          Oh, throw pants or shirt in the fridge a few minutes while getting ready for work is nice too.

    3. Lizabeth*

      Baby powder, applied with a heavy hand

      One of those gel beaded bandanas that swell when soaked in water (forget the name!) and tied around the neck. Evaporation cooling at it’s best on a major pulse point.

      Speaking of pulse points…plunge wrists into a bucket of ice water

      Hot here in NYC but storms predicted for Sat. Night to cool things off (I hope)

    4. Brandy*

      Blender drinks. Ice + fruit juice + fruit (+ alcohol if you want). Sip slowly. It’s lovely.

      Also, ice cream, visits to the pool, a cold shower (makes the fan better), etc.

      But right now I just thank my stars for the AC.

    5. Elizabeth West*

      Rub some ice cubes on your forearms. The skin is thin there, and the fan evaporating the cool water off your skin will help a little. And wet your hair.

      If it’s unbearable, get out and go somewhere with AC for a while. Don’t make yourself sick.

    6. Anonymous*

      Freeze plastic bottles of water. Take them out as needed – wrap in something absorbent & carry on your person. Sounds whacky, but it really helps.

      1. Pussyfooter*

        I’m just starting to carry ice water around and I keep leaving rings and puddles everywhere. How and with What do you wrap your bottles?

    7. QualityControlFreak*

      One thing we do is freeze plastic bottles of water and place them behind the fan in the path of air intake. You have to have a number of bottles and rotate them as they thaw out. And it’s best to set them in a bowl as they “sweat” during this process. It helps a little. But it only gets really hot here for brief periods in the summer, so no AC in the house for us, either.

  22. PuppyKat*

    100 degrees in Northern California—and it’s only going to get hotter this weekend.

  23. Windchime*

    So I don’t know if this is officially an open thread, but what’s with this person we interviewed today? We were looking for a technical person to lead out Data Warehouse team in a Testing/QA effort, so this person is going to have to know how to do a lot of technical, programmery-type stuff such as creating automated tests, writing SQL queries, etc. This candidate could do NONE of that; in fact, he couldn’t answer a very simple technical question and it went downhill from there.

    I had a bad feeling when I saw his resume. It was anti-AAM and full of meaningless statements, such as: “Provide knowledge of clinical/business processes, analytical expertise, and strong leadership skills to work with key stakeholders, end-users, and project team members.” There was literally three pages of this kind of thing, but somehow all the buzzwords got him through HR screening and into an interview, where he tried to fake his way through several technical questions.

    Alison, his resume would have probably made you weep in despair. I read the whole thing and never could tell what the guy actually does for a living.

    1. Anonymous*

      At first I was thinking, “then why’d you interview the guy? That was obviously a waste of time.” Then I realized it went thought HR first. I once went into an interview I was tragically unqualified for. About 10 minutes in I just had to ask why they called me in and was told HR chooses the candidates. I thanked them for their time and said maybe they could skip out early for lunch instead of continuing this interview. Shame on HR.

      1. Josh S*

        I kind of love your response to that situation. I have a fear of ending up in some interview like that–where I’m woefully unprepared for some technical aspect of things.

        If so, I’ll be using your response.

      2. Windchime*

        Believe me, I was wondering why we were interviewing him as well. The big boss and HR had talked to him and then they passed him off to us, the people who would have potentially been his teammates. As soon as the introductions were over and the questions started, we could tell that he was not qualified. We went ahead and did the interview and I’m not sure that the candidate even understood that things didn’t go well, but it was pretty awkward.

        1. Jessa*

          The scary part of what you just said is the part about you not being sure the “candidate even understood that things didn’t go well.” How on earth does anyone go through one of those horridly awkward interviews and have that little clue?

          I wish in the past when I’d gotten stuck in one I’d had the courage 10:50anon had, to just say “you know this is insane, why am I here, let’s shake and say bye.”

          1. Windchime*

            Good point; he might have just had a calm facade. I don’t know what he was feeling, so he might have just handled it well. I honestly didn’t seriously think about cutting it short (although I was definitely wishing it would end!), but in retrospect, that might have been kinder to the candidate.

          2. tcookson*

            How on earth does anyone go through one of those horridly awkward interviews and have that little clue?

            Maybe it’s like one of our professors summed up regarding students’ expectations about how they’ve fared in a course:

            “If I smile at all, or am in any way pleasant or polite to them, they think it means I like them and therefore they are getting an ‘A’ in the course. If I’m distracted or short with them, they think it means I hate them and they’re going to get a bad grade in the course. There is literally no way to make them understand that it’s their work that effects their grade! They think it’s all about whether I LIKE them! What am I supposed to do — just keep a neutral expression all semester long?!!

            Maybe the interviewee is like the students, and reads more into the interviewer’s lack of throwing stones than is absolutely there?

  25. The Other Dawn*

    Oh, what a precious pussy cat!! I think you need to have a section on your website that is nothing but cat pictures. Or maybe pictures of your readers’ pets. :)

  26. FD*

    The weather is miserable today. Is this legal?

    Sorry, couldn’t resist that.

    Anyway, Minnesotan here. It’s been just below 100F for the last three days, with humidity around 70%. The heat just broke now, and 80F and falling feels very, very good. It’s supposed to get below 70 overnight. Earlier through, I walked my dog and he was dragging, despite being a terrier breed and therefore normally able and willing to walk the legs right off us slowpoke humans.

  27. Becca*

    Is it just me or are woman bosses absolutely crazy! I’ve had two so far, and they both have been extremely demanding, used yelling as a tactic, demeaning and abrasive. BUT only to us woman. If a man suggested the same thing I did, they would get praised.

    I had an awful day at work today. My boss accused me of lying to her when I most definitely wasn’t. After crying in my cubicle for a few minutes I decided I really need to look for a new job but this time with a man as a boss.

    1. Calla*

      Is this a joke? Up until my most recent job (where I work for 4 people including 1 woman but my direct supervisor is a man), all my bosses have been women, and for the most part they have been great. Anyone can be an awful boss.

      1. Becca*

        I wasn’t being 100% serious. Just ranting, mainly. But I have noticed the woman I’ve had as bosses tend to treat other woman differently. My first woman boss was a lot harder on us, but I think her motivation was because she was the first Director in that position that was a woman.

        The second one I think is just crazy and has trust issues.

        1. Melissa*

          A lot of male bosses treat women differently, too, in much the same way. They’re either harder on the women – and therefore expect more out of them to consider them “good” the same way they might consider a male employee good – or they expect nothing and think we’re dumb because of our gender. Being any more than 0% serious about that statement is still sexist. And looking for a job with a male boss is just silly; it doesn’t guarantee that your boss will be good.

          1. tcookson*

            I was in a bit of trouble with my male boss not too long ago, in the same basket with his male employee from his private practice, with whom I’d collaborated on a bit of work that affected the university department where my boss is the head. I could tell that the guy and I were in precisely the same amount of trouble, but my boss was flat-out cussing and yelling at him, and then he would turn to me and be very soft-spoken and steeped with brittle politeness, then he would turn to the guy and resume his cussing. So yeah, he was definitely treating us differently, although I wasn’t any less on the hook than the other guy was.

            1. Pussyfooter*

              Hi tcookson,
              Do you and your boss have the kind of rapport where you can point this behavior out to him/talk about it?
              (For that matter, did you prefer one style over the other or find one more effective?)

              1. tcookson*

                Hi Pussyfooter,

                It all happened so fast — one minute I was telling my boss about something I’d done with the document I’d been working on with his other employee, and all of a sudden, my boss had snatched his cell phone out of his pocket and was yelling and cussing into it at the other guy. He put the other guy on speaker phone (he was in my office live and in person), and for a little while, the other guy and I were just trying to figure out what in the h*ll was going on.

                When I realized that my boss was yelling at him (and seething at me, minus the yelling) because of something that I had done, I jumped in and told my boss that I had acted alone and that the other guy had nothing to do with it. Then I immediately explained why I had done what I did, and my boss was immediately fine with it. He did an instant cool-down, as he is wont to do, and never mentioned it to either of us again.

                I was too relieved to have the situation resolved to read much else into it regarding gender politics, etc. But to answer your question, I do have a relationship with my boss in which I can tell him what’s on my mind. But I also like his style just fine; as long as he’s direct enough with me that I can tell where I stand, I’m fine. I know that he won’t yell or cuss at me, but I’ve learned that when he becomes very soft-spoken and his manner becomes very precise and brittle, that means that he is angry.

    2. Anonny*

      Um… That’s a bit sexist, honestly. To put it mildly. Two female bosses that are both terrible is obviously not good, but two women do not speak for all females everywhere. I have a female boss who’s fantastic. Good luck in your next search.

      1. fposte*

        More than “a bit sexist,” in fact. And you’re generalizing based on two whole people you’ve worked with? Come on, rant or not, that’s just not a good sign about your own thinking about the situation.

        I think that there are certain kinds of weaknesses that are commoner in female bosses and others that are more common in male bosses, but all of them can be found in everybody somewhere, and there’s no demonstrable superiority of one sex of boss over another. Generally when I’ve known people who say that women or men are always better bosses, it’s because they’ve decided to forgive the weaknesses of one sex but not of the other.

    3. Pussyfooter*

      Tangent inspired by Becca’s discussion:

      It’s always sounded like bad grammar to me when people refer to “woman careers.” We don’t say “man doctor/accountant/IT person”–we say “male.”

      I understand that in the 19th century, the general public had a hard time wrapping their minds around the concept of “female” professionals and used this awkward phrase, but I would’ve thought modern people would see it as sort of condescending.

      I only noticed fposte using “female.” Why do so many people still say “woman”?

    4. Ruffingit*

      I’d say crazy doesn’t run along gender lines. I’ve had some bad women bosses and some bad men bosses.

      That said, I am sorry you had a bad day today. I hope you’re able to get some rest this weekend and do something fun to take your mind off the work situation.

    5. Elle*

      I’m restraining myself from writing out what I think of people like you but all I will say is this. Enjoy reaping the benefits of the prejudices that you perpetuate.

    6. KellyK*

      Pretty sure two crazy bosses is not a representative sample of all female bosses everywhere.

  28. ChristineSW*

    All I can say right now is thank goodness for central air!! When it’s going, it’s easy to forget that it feels like an oven outside. I think it’s starting to break though–small thundershower this evening with more storms this weekend with temps in the 80s to follow. YAY!

  30. Melissa*

    I’m a teaching assistant this summer in NYC and we had a bus/walk tour of the South Bronx planned for today. As you might have noticed, the city got up to a high of 98 with a dew point of 70. My superiors did not cancel the tour, so I spent today 9 am to 4 pm walking and riding in a sparsely air conditioned bus around the South Bronx (which does not have much trees or shade, but lots of concrete to trap the heat!) with 50 undergrads. By the end of the day we all smelled horrible. At one point we were inside a building and the news was covering the weather, and they called the dew point “oppressive” and everyone was like “mmm-hmmm!!”

    I don’t think my air conditioned room has ever felt so good.

    1. Steve G*

      Wow! I work in energy exclusively in NY. The NY grid’s load – as well as Con Edison’s load separately – both made record peaks today. We’ve been paying large users to lower energy 5 days in a row, its a record # of days we’ve been doing this in a row. This week was completely insane. And yes it did feel hot today, but not so much earlier in the week…

  32. Jen in RO*

    Romania has been a pleasant 30C (86C) most of this summer, which is pretty unusual and I haven’t had a chance to wear my summer dresses much . (At work, yes :P) It’s terribly funny to us the way that British papers are full of news about how they’re melting at 30C… for us, summers without 40C days are weird! On the other hand, my Finish friends laugh when I complain about -20 in winter…

    1. Jo*

      You’re so right -in the UK here and I know our 30-odd degrees seems like small potatoes :) But it’s also a question of infrastructure -our roads are melting, train rails buckling and next to no one has air con, so it feels worse.
      Personally I’m also 9 months pregnant so I reserve the right to complain non-stop about the horrible heat as I am desperately uncomfortable and have sausage-ified extremities! ;)

        1. Jo*

          Not me – she’s (allegedly) overdue! Mine won’t inherit the throne but should have less trouble with the paps. ;)

      2. spiny*

        Me too! And the hotter it gets, the fewer shoes fit. I am down to one pair of flip flops and a pair of men’s slippers. Baby better come soon or I’ll be a waddling cliche

        1. Jo*

          I feel your pain – swollen ankles, fingers and the dreaded waddle in full force. Have some empathy. But we WILL get there! :)

  33. Rana*

    Coming in late to the party, my husband and I had to get off the internet this afternoon… because we had a power outage! It was bad enough dealing with the 98F heat outside when we had the fans and the one window unit; when they cut out it was rather scary to contemplate. (And I’m pregnant, so I’ve been taking heat very seriously this summer.)

    So we went out and sat in a nice air conditioned restaurant eating food we didn’t have to cook or shop for, which was nice.

    It’s now much cooler, as a big storm blew through and cooled everything down. Here’s hoping it reaches you folks east of us soon!

    (Our cat is also very flat today.)

    1. fposte*

      Rana! Sneaking in some exciting news stealthily there. Congratulations, and I can imagine that adding a little internal space heater to the mix just amps up the heat.

    4. Rana*

      Aw, thanks, all. :)

      Yes, I’m running warmer than usual, which is strange for me, because I’m normally that person who always has cold hands and feet. ::laughs::

  34. Lindsay J*

    It’s actually cool here right now 82*F right now and a high of 86 for the day. Tomorrow is expected to be more of the same.

  35. Chocolate Teapot*

    It’s hot and sunny here and my regular work lunch venue has has a run on Salad Nicoise.

  36. Sandrine*

    I have two fans strategically placed so that I can keep being the little happy geek I am.

    Found a way to appreciate my job, ha. BF is staying with me at Mom’s while she is on vacation (woo!) and I’m going to Japan with my sister in September (double woo, considering the fact that I’ll have an empty wallet by the time I get back since Japan and South Korea are my kryptonite at the moment) .

    Life is good and you can’t make me get off the computer, noooooooooooooooooooooooo :D !

    1. chikorita*

      I hope you’re going in late September then, summer in Japan is pretty damn hot :p Have a great time!

  37. Felicia*

    Speaking of how hot it is (though it isn’t nearly as hot anymore), what does everyone wear to interviews on days when it’s so hot that you feel like you’re melting? I feel like I’m much more confident in my interview clothes when it isnt 40 C, and I’ve never had a job that required business casual during the summer. Though most offices are air conditioned, I’ll get so sweaty on my way there. And I recently had an interview in an office that didn’t have air conditioning…I was melting.

    1. Elizabeth West*

      I interviewed last summer in a heat wave, in a car with no AC (until July, when I got a newer car). What I did was wear a nicely-tailored, lightweight blouse with short sleeves and lightweight pants and carried a blazer. If I went in and the office was cold, I could slip on the blazer in the lobby. If not, I was not too hot and I still looked polished. And I had my water bottle with me EVERYWHERE I went. No one said anything bad about the bottle. (I once had an allergy attack in the middle of an interview and didn’t have it; it was super-embarrassing and I had to be given water. I don’t go anywhere without it now.)

      For shoes, I usually wore my Crocs Mary Janes, but with ankle-high stockings instead of knee-highs. No one could see them under the pants. You could also wear a skirt. I can’t wear skirts without hose, so I usually don’t.

    2. Jen in RO*

      I’m in IT, so I can be a bit more casual, but when it’s really hot I wore stuff like a pair of nice pants + heels (sandals) + a top or short sleeves shirt, or a skirt + sandals + short sleeves blouse. Like Elizabeth suggested, I also carry something in case it’s cooler inside – a cardigan in my case, I don’t even own a blazer.

      To be honest, for most of my current round of interviews I wore my cardigan even if the AC was off… because my cat is a little bastard and I’m full of scratches on my arms. I wouldn’t want an employer to think I self-harm, so I made sure I was covered.

  38. VintageLydia*

    I’m also in the DC area and we’re in the middle of a move. I was legitimately worried about the movers yesterday, especially since they had another move after us. Heat index was 110/F! Actual temps were 100/F and nearly 100% humidity. It was brutal.

    1. Rana*

      Oh, poor movers! Every move we’ve ever done has been in the summer (academic schedule) so I know what you’re talking about. I always buy a case of Gatorade to put in the fridge for them, and let them know it’s okay to hang out in the room with AC if they need it. And we tip well, both for the heat, and because we have a bazillion books, and those suckers are heavy.

  39. Tasha*

    I’m pretty sure Cambridge is going to spontaneously combust. The heat index hit 110 yesterday (the thermometer said 102) and it’s probably just as hot today. I couldn’t tell you much beyond that because I stepped into my apartment stairwell and decided that if an insufficiently insulated below-ground structure resembled an oven, there was no way I was going outside.

    The slightly ironic part is that I spent a good bit of time last night explaining anthropogenic global warming to an architect.

  40. Carrie in Scotland*

    Not been 30c here plus am on the coast, which helps a bit. But it is the first “proper” summer we have had in some years esp after last year (rain…). Apparently, although England/Wales have severe heatwave warnings in place Scotland has no such system! Isnt that crazy!?

  41. Carrie in Scotland*

    & oh! Sorry to spree but can anyone tell me how to join the AAM linkd in group? Thanks muchly :-)

  42. Sara*

    Am I the only one that thinks it’s ridiculous and unfair that certain places stay open in this much heat even though they have no cooling/ACs? I was at a Mrs Field inside a mall yesterday and that place is normally 20 degrees warmer than the outside temp–so you can imagine how awfully hot it may have been yesterday. I just felt so awful for the employees who had to work there in the boiling heat, and I actually complained to the manager. I mean……I get that businesses have every right to operate how they please, and I can totally understand their viewpoint as well….but I couldn’t get over how terrible I felt for the employees who had to work there, esp since it’s not like they get much choice or flexibility in the matter (besides…quitting..which obviously isn’t feasible for everyone.)

    1. Natalie*

      A bunch of employees walked out of a McDonalds in NYC today because the AC has been broken for years and the manager wouldn’t close despite the heat. It was bad enough that one employee had passed out.

      1. Sara*

        Yikes! I hope something comes of this other than them getting fired!
        When I spoke to the manager, he said he needs to stay open cz he needs to pay rent for the place etc….so I get that customers are still coming and they may not bea ble to afford to close for a day (altho as a customer. Not sure how it would work for a franchise though, vs small mom-n-pop stores. Libraries with no cooling were closed a couple of days during the week.

  43. Anonymous*

    So, I know people may have moved on from this thread, but just in case I have a question. My previous manager was laid off a few months ago and quickly got another job. Now, a position has opened up in her department. I have been thinking for a little while that I wanted to switch jobs, so I applied and have an interview soon. She along with an HR person is going to be conducting the interview. So how do I prepare for an interview beyond thinking of answers to the standard questions, research the company, and come up with my own questions? I have never done an interview in a situation where the hiring manager has already managed me, and knows my strengths and weaknesses, working style, etc. Not sure what to expect.

Comments are closed.