Heat.

Tucson is hot.  So hot.  I've been reading about Australia in Bill Bryson's Down Under and his pages are just packed with compliments to the Australians for thriving in such hot whether.  He makes them sound like saints for staying alive, and then he drops out some temperatures.  How's 115 degrees Fahrenheit?  Oh that's easy.  Tell me why doesn't Tucson get any credit?  There's a million people in this city, and I haven't run across any novels describing how incredible Tucsonans are for staying alive.

Maybe it's because we hide.

Yep, that must be it.  I don't get any credit for surviving, because I am currently hiding from the heat, paying someone to keep my 419 square foot apartment cold.  I could have used some serious kudos today, but you know what?  I'm happy right where I am.