Not Natively New England.

"I thought you were from New England or some shit like that."

This was from a guy in my dorm freshman year in university. My dark brown hair and porcelain pale skin did not give any indication that I had in fact grown up in hot Arizona summers where the temperatures were constantly triple digits and the air was very dry.

Surprisingly, I didn't even use facial moisturizer or lotion really.

Or drink much water. If any at all each day.

Clearly, I consider myself to be very fortunate despite my start in adult life.

But all that to say I can tolerate and even thrive in the heat. So when someone complains to me about the heat outside a hot yoga class, I internally roll my eyes.

"It's not that hot," I want to say but won't.

But when I feel it is too hot, it is the word of God that it is factually fucking hot.

And despite it being hot, you didn't even hear a whisper of complaint from me over the past 5 weeks about it being triple digits and us under multiple excessive heat warnings here in Tucson and me not having air conditioning in the old part of my house for that time. 

And it was 107 degrees multiple times this week!

Yet, I still went to hot yoga too practice and teach. 

I still sat in my office in the old part of the house and worked for 8-9 hours straight with only a small fan to cool me down.

But I was due a miracle... And today my AC was finally fixed. After waiting for a part to come in that was ordered around May 10th, I had someone from the AC company here this morning fixing my system. And two hours later I had cold air streaming through the vents.

I can finally sit comfortably in my living room and office again. George can have her bench perch in the front window back to bark at all delivery people and bunnies that come into the yard.

But if I had to go longer, I could, without AC.

I can take the heat.

I went through menopause only experience maybe three hot flashes. 

And I am a Fire sign.

And also a Fire Snake (Chinese astrology).

I was the first person to walk on coals at a Native American Vision Quest retreat. I was also the person who went the longest without water in the sweat lodge at that same retreat.

Who needs AC?

Mostly this betch...

And maybe me a little too. Just a smidge.

Sometimes, I wonder that I am not human.

But I am definitely not natively from New England.