Winter is here...

…and my co-workers are complaining about it. I don't feel sorry for them, though, because I know that they, like most North Americans, secretly love to be cold.

Case in point: my office is blessed with large, old-fashioned bay windows that open into a lush and picturesque backyard. Now imagine that it is April or May in Vancouver . The rain has stopped, the sun has come out, the birds are singing. It is 18 or 19° C, and the office is slightly warm.

Do my co-workers throw open the bay windows and allow Mother Nature to caress them with a gentle, cooling breeze? No. They crank up the A/C to the point where I seriously consider bringing gloves and a toque to work. (I actually did have to wear a fleece for most of August.)

And have you noticed that North Americans have a strange obsession with travelling to the hottest places on Earth and transforming them into the coldest places on Earth?

Take Las Vegas , for example: “Hey, I know! Let’s all go to the Mojave Desert and build hotels with heavy-duty air conditioning systems so that no-one ever has to break a sweat!”

Another example: a few years ago, I went on a Greek Islands cruise. I foolishly assumed that travellers to the Greek Islands would be prepared for heat, or at least a reasonable level of warmth. However, my roommates kept the A/C cranked so high that I didn’t sleep for an entire week. The sound of my teeth chattering kept me awake. I tried putting on every tank top and pair of short shorts I owned (which I had packed assuming that I was going on a FREAKING BEACH VACATION and not some sort of arctic survival simulation), but somehow it didn't help.

So, I have a business proposition, if any of you want to jump on board. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you:

The Winnipeg Luxury Eco-Resort: Enjoy Air Conditioning that’s Crisp, Cool, and All-Natural.

Sandals Iqaluit: Finally! A Beach Resort Without all the Damn Heat.

It’ll be a huge success, I swear! And then everyone can leave the hot climates to people like me who actually WANT to warm up!