Smart Talk with Art Krenshaw: Oct. 11th

Good news everyone!  Though he's having an incredibly busy semester, I've been able to track down Art Krenshaw for another reader question.  This installment, Art answers some questions about working in an office.

Art Krenshaw is an expert in human behavior.  He's studied sociology and anthropology at Northern Kansas University and currently teaches on the side.

 SMART TALK

with

ART KRENSHAW

Mr. Krenshaw, 
I know this is a small problem, and I don't want to seem petty, but I don't feel like I can ask my husband, my friends or the rest of my family for fear they would chide me for getting disturbed by something so insignificant.  
My situation goes as follows:  in my office, there are 9 people occupying a few rooms controlled by one thermostat.  I frequently am freezing, enough so that it's hard for me to concentrate on my work!  The problem gets even worse when I try to adjust the temperature, there are a few of my co-workers who jump all over me for changing it!  What sort of solution do you recommend for this problem?
Sincerely,
Chilled Out

Chilled Out,

Believe it or not, I get multiple questions of this type in my inbox everytime I do an installment of Smart Talk with Art Krenshaw.  Don't feel bad about having a different body type than some of your office mates, the important thing here is to speak up for yourself in a civilized manner.  I have two suggestions for you.  One is to take a trip to the store, a thrift store will do, and buy a handful of large coats or sweaters.  Make sure they are big enough for all of your different coworkers.  I would then purchase a large fan, a large retail or bulk warehouse are great places to find deals for a fan big enough to use in an office.  After you've done that, study up on your electrical circuits.  Nothing too crazy, and I'm not going to suggest you do anything illegal with those wires, just enough to be able to control some of your office wiring.  Once you get to work, get out your fan and plug it in.  Arrange the coats and sweaters in a nice big pile in the middle of the floor.  Then set fire to the coats.  Use your fan to make sure the flames get nice and large.  When your coworkers try to complain, hold up the cords you've cut from all of your office phones and internet, effectively disabling any communication with the outside world.  Once they head for the exits, they'll find you've locked all the doors, and that's when you use the fire extinguisher you've hidden beneath your desk to extinguish the flames.  Your coworkers will then view you as a loose cannon, and probably not challenge you over something as trivial as office temperature. 

Or just quit your job.

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Wonderful Art!  Your advice is well-said and well taken.  Until next time, this has been another edition of Smart Talk- With Art Krenshaw!