A bit of a under the wire whinge…

Riiiiiiiight! Because nothing warms the cockles such as one’s utility company sending an email warning you they are about to empty your wallet for having dared to warm more than one’s cockles. I’m amused to see this now.*

Amuses me as we are now at the tail end of winter. By the calendar, a little over a week from the official start of spring. Yes, we have a few couple more weeks or so, of cold days, but things will be decidedly warming up in another month. I will not require as much gas/electricity to warm the apartment and can look forward to the bill finally going down. Yet, it annoys me to no end. for I have paid out ridiculous amounts these past four months for the basic privilege of not turning into a Raivenne-sicle. Well, I’m just peachy.*

The same time last year part annoys me. Until one year ago, like most of the office working world, I was not in my home Mondays through Fridays because I was at work. Thus, there was no need for my home to be heated for eleven hours out of the day. That changed almost a year ago with the onset Covid and we were quarantined. It was almost spring, thus the increase in my April utility was a little higher, as expected, but nothing egregious. It normalized after after, so I’m okay with it.*

This lovely information should have been sent in November, where it might have done some good. A little, hey customer, just a heads-up – we know it’s Covid, it’s winter and and all. And you’re home all day now. And even with wearing turtle necks and hoodies in the house to help compensate – it’s going to cost you a couple, oh fine, more than a few pennies more this winter would have slightly offset the surprise of that first bill in December. Let’s not talk about the sticker shock of my January bill once winter temps really kicked in. These past four months of being home 24/7 were an eye opener. Dropping that little tidbit in the email with my current bill four dang months too late is -well- cold, but I’m good with it.*

Even the contrasts in typeset galls me. Nice big darks letters to subtly inform me my bill is going to higher. Then, in lieu of parenthesis the, “Compared to the same time last year”, of the last line in a much smaller and lighter color font. Were we not supposed to notice this year that we’re paying more than last year? What was the point? It may be a reliable 10-15° rise in temperatures, but that is still 10-15° lower than what is presumed comfortable for most humans in NYC. Which means, unless we have an unexpected and extended warm snap (Oh pretty please Demeter(!)), I’m still going to need to heat my home for another month. So nice to understand it’s projected to cost me 33% more. I’m feeling so much better for knowing.*

*I’m really not.