It's never too cold or snowy to wear shorts and water shoes. Even a good day for some air conditioning. When you got hot blood and a big smile, it's never really cold outside. ;-) (Source Photo: Dannielle Blumenthal)
So yesterday I was coming home from the fitness center/pool. I was wearing shorts and pool shoes even though it was only in the 30's-40's temperature out. This large man with a Texas accent stops me to ask how I can dress like that around Winter time. And it's particularly funny, because there is another man overhearing this conversation next to us wrapped up in no less than 2 coats/layers. So I say in a lighthearted way "I guess that I just have warm blood, so the temperature doesn't really bother me." He says, "Uh, in Florida, when it goes into the 60's, people start shivering and bundling up down there." I smile, and say "Well maybe we're just different people." Then he goes, "I like that--I like people that think different! You know why, [and he pauses and repeats again] you know why?" I look at him sort of eyes wide open at this point waiting to hear his explanation to the build up. And he says, "Because it means they don't give a sh*t what other people think!" At that point we both started nodding and laughing. Maybe you had to be there, but I think you can probably envision this sort of nutty scene. ;-) (Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Andy Blumenthal is Deputy Program Director at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader with over 35 years of experience delivering results across the public and private sectors. All opinions are his own.