Ten years ago when I was still in college I lived in a terrible apartment building.
I couldn’t afford to live on my own, so I moved in with three other roommates in a four-bedroom apartment.
This place was falling apart from the moment that we got there, and there was something new to fix everyday. The heating and cooling system was especially problematic, because we had to share one single window AC unit for all four roommates. As you can imagine, it was incredibly hot and I spent many sleepless nights in the apartment. At some point, I got smart and purchased myself a small portable air conditioning system. I dragged it into my room and had my own personal cooling system during the worst of the summer season. When I graduated, I wasn’t sure what to do with the portable AC system. I didn’t want to throw it away, so I carted it around with me everywhere that I lived. There were many times that I almost threw it away. These days, I’m especially happy that I kept my portable air conditioning system all those years. Even though I’m now a grown adult, there are still circumstances when I need some extra cooling power in my life. The first time my wife and I had a terrible fight and she kicked me out of the bed, I spent a sleeplessly humid night in the garage. By the tenth time she had done that, I was a professional. I pulled out my portable air conditioning system and started managing the indoor air temperature. As long as I’m in the doghouse, I’m going to be comfortable.