Warm again!

I was very hot and sticky on my run this morning. I had bundled up against what I expected to be the cold of the morning, but almost immediately on leaving the house, I realized that it was much, much warmer today. I really, really dislike overheating. You can ask anyone who's hiked with me in the Summer. I almost always end up shedding my shirt and hiking in my bra. Being too warm due to overdressing, however, is worse than being only barely dressed and being too warm merely due to the weather. In the latter case, your body cools itself by sweating, and the sweat evaporates. When you wear too much clothes, however, all the layers of clothing block the passage of heat and sweat, and you end up a disgusting, wet, sticky mess.

I know it sounds funny that I complained about cool Summer days, and now I complain about warm Winter days. It's just that I mentally and physically prepare for certain things, and sometimes I have a difficult time adjusting back. For example, if a Winter weather forecast says that it will be -40, I wear a lot of clothes, and say "Bring it on!" If the cold snap doesn't come, there I am, huffing and sweating, and people laugh at me--"What? You're complaining that you're too warm? When it's -30F outside?" It's all context, you see. :)

I think I need a new approach to overheating. When I go outside, and find that the weather is too cold for what I've worn, I don't dream of going further, because frostbite and hypothermia are real threats and are very dangerous. I come back in and change to warmer clothes. Why not give the same treatment to being too warm? When it is too warm, I am not in danger of causing permanent damage to my body, but I do get irritable, I don't enjoy my time outside, and I snap at the dogs. Isn't damaging my relationship with creatures who are partially responsible for my well-being, just as unhealthy as frostbite? Why not come back in and change?

Upon returning home, I checked the thermometer outside. It is 40F/4C. Here is another idea, genius self. Look at that thing before getting dressed. What, hey! I'ma get me a PhD in physics, and I'm figuring out how to dress myself, as well!

Edit: Article!