It is easier said than done. Being patient a midst unfavorable condition is challenging. Keeping calm a midst chaos by just stopping all the busy thoughts and dramas in our minds in this hustle and bustle requires effort.
As I entered the office this morning, it was unusually warm. I was already perspiring from walking to the office and now the air-conditioning is not working. My first reaction was feeling pissed-off. It was only early in the morning and to think of working in a stuffy environment for the rest of the day appalled me. As far as I remembered, this was perhaps the 5th time the air-condition broke down in our office ever since we moved to this new office and today was no exception and I didn't like that. But what could we do ? The management informed us that the air-conditioning system is down and would not be working for the rest of the day. The only measure done was that they provided a giant industrial fan to ventilate the office. The blade was huge enough to produce strong HOT air, but it is inevitably noisy.
Being restless, I tried to find some calmness in this high temperature. Being hot and humid is the least thing I desire. It is difficult. My husband knew the fact that I didn't like hot and humid environment. At home, at least we could adjust ourselves to our desired thermal comfort level by putting on more blankets, lower down fan speed, increase temperature of the air-conditioning etc. Now that we are in the office and there the air-conditioning is not functioning, this is the real test of patience now, and it is a test for me to be patient before blasting off.
Thankfully, I tried to divert my attention to something else by not focusing on the stuffiness of the office. I got my sketchbook out and sketched my neighboring colleague who changed into a sport singlet because he was literally cooking in his working wear. Now it is a record in my sketchbook that today is the day the air-con broke down again but it wasn't the end of the world.
The giant industrial fan, Vistar, was sent to our office to rescue us. Here is a sketch of Vistar who worked hard for the day. I hope you don't need to work again tomorrow because I want the air-conditioning back!
amazing sketch, i love your story
ReplyDeleteAn office without any AC can be tough to sit through. And at a very bad time too, what with all the stuff you needed to finish and all. Kudos for not letting that get the best of you. I hope the management has taken care of the malfunctioning AC soon after. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteRandall Rogers @ R J Heating and Cooling
Hi Willard, thanks for your comment. We suffered for 3 days of down time and felt really uncomfortable. Thannk God it is all good now! :D
DeleteThere's nothing funny about being stuck in an work environment that is blazing hot, but your sketches made me giggle. Out loud. I keep a small spray bottle I could fill it with ice water and spritz myself when the AC at my workplace went out, it feels like it doubles the cooling effect of the fan.
ReplyDeleteLane Pemberton @ Metcalfe Heating & Air Conditioning
There are a few things I find helpful when it is very hot out. The first thing is to put ice cubes or ice packs on my wrists. This actually cools the whole body. Additionally, drinking ice cold beverages and staying hydrated will help a person to feel better when it is very hot out. When possible, cool clothes to the forehead also feel very nice.
ReplyDeleteHenrietta Fuller @ Bri-Tech HVAC
I love your sketches. They are so simple yet clearly not just easy. Having art in my life is one of the most important aspects. It is what keeps me going. So I love connecting with others who are the exact same way. I can not wait to read more of your writing and see more of your beautiful work.
ReplyDeleteRosa Nelson @ HVAC Philadelphia