Translation Tuesday: Humidity
The word of the day for Translation Tuesday is something that is surrounding me today every time I step outside: HUMIDITY. According to the source of all credible information on the internet, Wikipedia, (note that there is sarcasm in that statement) humidity is basically the amount of water vapor in the air. Apparently there are several ways to measure humidity, and a lot of science goes into it… bottom line… the higher the percent of humidity, the more water vapor in the air. The more water vapor that there is in the air, the harder it is for the human body to cool itself.
So why the heck am I trying to give you a very bad science lesson? Because I feel like the humidity is sucking away my life when I step outside. It is awful. Stepping outside when the humidity is as strong as it is- 94%, is like stepping outside and being completely wrapped in hot, soaking wet blanket that covers every single centimeter of your body. It actually feels like the blanket is not only wrapped around you, but is tucked in as tight as it can be around every curve. The difference from stepping from outside to inside a building is palpable. Literally, as I was walking around campus today (unfortunately there was a lot of damn walking outside today) as soon as I stepped into air condition it was like the blanket was pulled off and I could breathe again. Awful to be outside. Not only is it hard to breathe, it makes you feel super sticky AND just forget trying to have straight hair- frizz city. I don’t even know why I bothered with trying to do anything with my hair this morning… by the time I got to my car it was poof city.
Honestly, the humidity is always tough here in the summer, it is one of the crap things we put up with for a few months in order to have great weather the other 10 months of the year. But the humidity that is happening now is worse than normal. Why you ask? One word: Isaac. As in Hurricane Isaac. See image below via Yahoo:
I may not live on the coast, but we are definitely feeling the outer bands here in the southeast. With all of that tropical weather comes even more increases humidity… like you are in the tropics. If there is one thing I have lived by living in the inland South in the last 10+ years is to NEVER underestimate a hurricane, no matter how far away from it you are… increased gas prices, random thunderstorms, crazy wind, and ridiculous humidity. Hoping everyone on the coast is all right (last I heard from my family/friends down that way everyone was ready), but I cannot wait for this extra humidity to MOVE ON.
So- humidity issues for anyone else out there? A fair warning to those of you who come to the South to visit… leave your flat irons at home!
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