summer in new york is fun, but oftentimes, the humidity creates discomfort that is difficult to overlook.

ConEd sent us the electricity bill for our first month at 420 W 42nd. the amount was a few dollars shy of four hundred dollars, an enormous sum for a two-bedroom (converted into three) apartment. that upcoming paycheck might as well never come since it’ll evaporate into bills and rent immediately upon receipt.

air conditioning is most likely the reason for our high bill, and my roommates and i justified the cost by assuring ourselves that electricity costs would go down once the weather became cooler. we also decided that we would conserve energy by turning off the lights in unattended rooms. quite an adjustment compared to the carefree energy-spending spree of college where i often slept with four lamps and three computers constantly on full power.

when i walked outside today, it was nice to feel crisp air and cool breeze as i made my way towards the port authority. it reminded me of the few days i spent in san francisco last summer when every day seemed to be another display of “perfect weather.” right now, it’s cloudy outside and i’m sure it’ll get warmer as the day progresses, but it’s worth noting the great deal of pleasure derived from experiencing cooperative weather. it also helps to know that the a/c won’t be eating up as much power today.