It's been rather hot here in NYC for the past few weeks. Most of the time the temperature has been in the 80's, with an occasional foray into the 90's. However, it has been rather humid.
As it has been hot, and as I walk to work, naturally I sweat. I started off wearing a suit and tie to work, because we dress as our clients do when working at the client site. Well, after a few days I started carrying my jacket instead of wearing it because I would have sweat spots under my arms, on my chest and stomach, all down my back, and even on my arms themselves. Removing the jacket alleviated this grossness somewhat.
Yilin insisted that I wear undershirts. My initial reaction was, "No way! I'll be so hot I'll sweat even more!" As it was, I already got dressed standing in front of the AC, and stayed there, until I had to leave the apartment. So she bought me some undershirts and I tried it out. Sure enough, once I put my button-down shirt on, the sweating commences. However, the undershirt soaks it up like a sponge so that it doesn't show through my work shirt. (I'm still hotter and sweat more, though.)
I could take the subway to work, as they are air-conditioned, but the subway stations are so hot in the summer, that if I had to wait even a few minutes I would quickly be soaked. My walk is about 3/4 of a mile, so it's relatively short. Now, when I walk to work I walk SLOW. At least, by NYC standards. I see guys wearing suits and ties (jackets on) all the time while walking to work. These guys do not walk slow like me; they are in full-speed-ahead-power-walk mode. I cannot fathom why I have perspiration running down my forehead and they do not. Yilin insists that they only walk very short distances, e.g. from the subway station to their office, or from a cab to their office. Perhaps.
So now, I wear an undershirt, which almost always alleviates any sweat soaking my work shirt. I carry my jacket while I walk to work instead of wearing it. I walk very slow, and only on the east side of the street so I am in the shade the entire time. Although I might have some perspiration on my forehead and upper lip, my shirt isn't soaked anymore. The first thing I do when I get to work is go into the bathroom, run my wrists under cold water for a few minutes, wash my face with cold water, and cool off. By outward appearances, I am not sweaty or hot.
But the reality is different. The office AC is set on 72, which is a temperature that I consider hot any time of the year under any conditions. So it takes me an hour or two before I stop sweating (inside my shirt) completely. Unfortunately, although I may appear comfortable, I am not. The worst part is that sweat has been running down my back and butt crack, so now my underwear and lower undershirt are completely soaked all day long. Unlike my shirt, there is no chance for them to dry out.
I did not write this to complain, even though it sounds that way. I wrote it because I don't understand how all of these other guys do this every day throughout the summer, for years on end. Are they wearing ice packs strapped to their inner thighs? What's their secret to staying cool?
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7 comments:
Oh how I miss your stories josh. I say walk as little as possible...and shed as much body fat as possible. Lightweight fabric may help too. Or you can just get a job where you don't have to wear a suit.
maybe they are running to get out of the heat and get inside air conditioning faster. When I walk at lunchtime, I change my clothes. After my walk I too have to go back to work and appear presentable. I know changing clothes might not be an option, but baby powder does help me feel drier.
phil, i'll try to keep updating my blog, so that you keep hearing stories from me.
anonymous, thanks for the tip. i don't think changing clothes is an option, although i could get dressed in a bathroom stall i suppose. i will try baby powder.
My walk is about 15-20 minutes to work and during the summer I always get a "sweat mustache." I always go to the bathroom when I get in and try to make myself look presentable. Luckily for me, working in a lab means I can essentially wear hotpants and tank tops all summer and don't have to worry too much about my appearance.
Fall and winter aren't too far away my friend. Someday our dreams of living in colder climates might come true.
I too hate the summer heat. If it isn't heat, it's the rain, and both ways you are soaked. I have (almost) mastered timing the subway in the morning. I know my longest wait on the platform is roughly 5 minutes. It is offset by immediately cool or cold subway cars which justifies a slightly lengthened wait in ambient+10 degree temperatures.
I would also recommend walking in the shade and not the sun.
Josh, I too have this problem. I pray for sub-70 degree days all summer. I feel your pain...
I have a 10-minute walk (and I walk slow) from the subway train to the office and on a hot day I am nasty by the time I reach the lobby. I have done much research into clothing that may help as I know I am not going to change my genetics (yet).
How I deal with the sweat:
First... exofficio and EMS sell performance wicking polyester undergarments. I have nearly converted entirely from my previous all-cotton selections. Yes, in a fire, they will melt into a permanently adhered crinkly skin-tight mess, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. (Not to digress too much but don't most super-villains start out as normal guys involved in some unfortunate accident anyhow? Maybe being a super-villain isn't such a bad gig? They have cool hide-outs and have minions to do their bidding and don't pay taxes...)
Second... I have located a few wicking undershirts as well, which make me feel comfortable and don't seem to leave less of a sweat impression on dress shirts than any soaked cotton or cotton blend undershirt. Take a look at LL Bean and Lands End. Patagonia has some nice silk weight undershirts, but they are really expensive, but might be worth it; I haven't tried them.
Third... Get a sweat rag. Yeah, it's not awesome, but it helps keep the sweat from completely rolling off my face and dripping on to the clothing. I went to REI and purchased a hiking towel and it soaks up the sweat. I think it's an MSR wash cloth sized rag.
Lastly... I carry a personal fan for the hottest of days when the air is still. It is a pen, with a little plastic fan on the end of it that tucks into my laptop bag no problem. Yeah, it sounds dorky, but when you point it at your face, the evaporation effect really is quite cooling.
As a side note:
Are all women are witches? Have you ever seen them sweat, and I mean real sweat? I see women wearing JEANS on pavement melting, sun scorching, blazing hot days! It boggles my mind, creeps me out, and is just implausible.
nate & dusty: thanks for the tips. i will look into some of the brands you mentioned, dusty.
as for women not sweating, i don't know. i see women wearing the TIGHTEST jeans walking down the street on the hottest days and i feel uncomfortable for them. yilin doesn't understand it either, so perhaps she sweats. i've never her, though. *cough cough*.
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