Its Wednesday, and that means its time for the first official unofficial summer edition of .
We talked about it recently, but I dont care what science says; summer starts when we hit Memorial Day.
Once the Indy 500 is in the books and the , Im in summer mode.
Have a gripe? Send it in!: matthew.reigle@outkick.com
When I was a kid, summer was my favorite season. It meant no school, warm , and my birthday was close.
Now, it might be my least favorite season for those same reasons and more.
So, lets dig in to some of the worst things about summer.
Electric Bills Skyrocketing
I live in Florida, and that means that summer is the time of year when it gets surface-of-the-sun hot outside.
Just like when it gets cold in other parts of the country, the best way to play defense against this is to simply keep your a– inside.
However, cranking the AC and throwing on so many fans to keep the interior of Reigle Manor (our rented townhouse) at a liveable comes at a price.
A literal price.
Im more invested in the energy bill than I ever thought Id be. I hate when its high and I’m entranced by keeping it low.
In fact, I think the moment I said to my wife during the cooler months, “Hey, lets pop the windows open and turn off the AC,” only to be rewarded with a significantly cheaper energy bill, was the moment I officially crossed the threshold into adulthood.
But, in the summer, ponying up some extra bread is a necessity, lest you want to die of heatstroke in your home.
Id prefer to avoid this.
Kids Being Out Of School
Ive got no issues with kids, but my wife and I are DINKs: Double-Income, no kids.
This isn’t to say that Im against having the kids I dont actually have at home all summer.
What I am saying is, Im against other peoples kids home all summer and ruining stuff I like to do.
The biggest problem happens down at the neighborhood pool. When school is in session, its like an oasis where you can relax, unwind, and not have to worry about an 8-year-old cannonballing into you.
Over the summer? Its none of those things.
I blame the . Kids, lets face it, are idiots by nature, and thats not their fault.
I was once a kid and an idiot. Some would even say Im still the latter.
But its a parents job to right their dopey little kids wrongs. So, when they crash into a handsome writer and his wife who are just trying to enjoy some beverages on the pool deck because theyre chasing pool , maybe say something.
The other place we get burned by school being out is at .Â
Of course, the summer months are one of the biggest tourist seasons, and that means youll be dealing with insane crowds on top of the hellish heat and blazing sun.
So, pro tip: dont come to Florida in the summer and well all be a little happier.
Getting In Your Car After It Has Been Sitting In The Sun
When youre out running errands in the heat, there is nothing better than plopping back in your car with the AC blasting.
But before you get to that, you have to suffer through a hot car.
Is there anything worse than when you get in your car and grab the steering wheel, only to realize that its so hot you practically singe your palms?
Yeah, actually, there is: accidentally leaning on the metal part of a seat belt that has been sitting directly in and branding yourself with it.
I know that sunshades can remedy this, but those are such a pain in the butt. The ones that fold like an accordion are easy to fold and unfold, but then you end up with this big piece of folded, reflective foam that you have to store somewhere.
But if you go with the more compact version of a sunshade that is two pieces, you may never be able to get it folded up and placed back in its little packet ever again.
Thats the kind I have, and it still feels
