Confessions of a Temperature Control Fanatic in Middle Tennessee

Let me tell you about my relationship with my thermostat. It’s more committed than most marriages these days. When summer hits Jackson like a wet blanket or winter creeps into Adair with icy fingers, I become a different person – what my family lovingly calls “The Temperature Tyrant.”

The Six Stages of Middle Tennessee Weather Grief

If you live anywhere near Windy City, Spring Creek, Humboldt, or Medina, you know our weather has more mood swings than a teenager. One day you’re sweating through your shirt while checking the mail, and the next you’re contemplating whether your car has secretly transformed into a freezer overnight.

Signs You Might Be a Temperature Control Fanatic:

• You have nightmares about your HVAC system breaking down during the one week of 100-degree weather
• You’ve named your thermostat (mine is “Coolinda” in summer and “Heatmiser” in winter)
• Your seasonal decorations include strategically placed fans and space heaters
• You’ve contemplated moving your bed directly under a vent

Last August, during that heatwave that made Humboldt feel like the surface of the sun, my air conditioner decided it needed a vacation. Two hours later, I was sitting in front of my open refrigerator, contemplating how I could fashion it into a wearable cooling unit.

The Great Thermostat Debates

In Medina households across the county, there’s a silent war being waged. It involves tiny adjustments to the thermostat when nobody’s looking. One degree up. Two degrees down. The passive-aggressive addition of another blanket. The dramatic removal of a sweatshirt.

In Spring Creek, we don’t just talk about the weather – we prepare for it like it’s the apocalypse. “Did you hear it might hit 92 next week?” is code for “Should we build a panic room lined with ice packs?”

Let’s not even start on the winter in Adair. My dog refuses to go outside unless I’ve pre-warmed his sweater in the dryer.

The truth is, living in our slice of Tennessee means being ready for everything. And when the weather gets weird (which is always), remember ADA Air Conditioning & Heating exists so you don’t have to build that refrigerator suit I was contemplating.

Because staying comfortable shouldn’t be a full-time job – although my thermostat monitoring suggests otherwise.