40 degrees, what's the difference?

It always amazes me how different 40 degrees can feel on each end of the winter season. In the fall, 40 degrees feels so cold. These days, it feels so warm and I'm so thankful for the 40 degree days. (Sometimes, it even gets warmer than that! What a treat.)

Like many things, its all relative!

Becoming a New Yorker

I could never truly be a New Yorker, although a few habits are developing.
If you've ever crossed the street in New York, you know the people here don't wait for the crossing light. I've started to cross the street when I want, too... only in doing so, you can easily tell I'm not a native. When I jay-walk I'm still concerned about getting hit by a car, so I run or do a little jog. The natives, they just casually crossed the street, on-coming traffic or not. I could never do that.

You can see me running across the streets.

Open your windows

It used to be, in times past, that windows were opened year round to air out the house. This daily airing helped reduce the spread of disease. In our times, windows are shut air tight, and the air/"energy" loss is considered problematic. Is keeping in the old, stale air in the name of energy conservation making us sicker?
Italians still open their windows. In fact, a good friend of mine, while living in Atlanta, was convinced the air conditioner was making him sick. Italians are raised on the concept of airing out the house. So much, to the extent while living with an Italian family in Switzerland, the windows were opened in the mornings for an hour or so. It was cold as the average temperature was about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The cold air introduced fresh air into the house and helped kill any germs already there.
So, open your windows. Try it. It feels so good to have fresh air in the house. You don't need to live in 78 degrees.