Bragging?

It's cold here. I know some of you poor souls in the North have been cold for months and now have snow. But we just dropped below freezing and I'm not adjusted yet. That's why I live in the South. After sprinting from my car to the building, wrapped in my coat, scarf and gloves with my mug of hot chocolate, another employee and I were commenting on the cold. He turns to me and says with a straight face "Well I don't turn my heat on until January so I'm used to the cold."

I think I just stared, slack-jawed at him. Had this been someone I knew better (or really even liked at all) I would have laughed. People, I know it's a tough economic times. I know we're tightening belts and all that. But living with no heat? That's like camping to me. Why not just save money by selling your house and buy a fancy four room LL Bean tent. He explained that he just wears a lot of layers in the house and sleeps with 4 (!) blankets on his bed. And yes, he has room mates, who I guess have gone along with this "wilderness adventure" plan.

Now I understand there are truely needy people, even in my town, who can't afford heat. I understand that when choosing between comfort and eating, they choose food. But when you have a job, own a house, and have roommates to help pay 1/2 the bills, why no heat? I just can't wrap my mind around this. Also, I have made a big mental note to NEVER visit him without my parka and long johns. Weird.