Southern Summer Survival: Ranking the Best Modern Conveniences

Let’s be entirely honest with ourselves, we are incredibly spoiled. If you dumped any of us into the 19th century tomorrow, we wouldn't last twenty minutes. We like to think we are tough, but modern society has thoroughly softened us, and honestly? I am completely fine with that.

If we are ranking the modern-day conveniences that have transitioned from "luxury" to "absolute non-negotiable survival tool," one item takes the crown by a landslide, Central Air Conditioning.

In Northwest Louisiana, AC is not a luxury. It is a basic human right. Trying to survive a July afternoon in Bossier City without it is a one-way ticket to a literal meltdown. If my unit goes out, I am not calling a repairman, I am calling emergency services.

Right behind AC is High-Speed Wi-Fi. The absolute panic that sets in the exact second that little router light turns red is embarrassing. Suddenly, you can’t stream your favorite show, you can't work, and you're left staring at the wall wondering how people survived the 1990s.

And don’t even get me started on GPS Navigation. Remember the dark days of printing out MapQuest directions or, heaven forbid, unfolding a giant paper map while driving? If my phone app stops working now, I will get lost trying to find the grocery store down the street.

From Mobile Ordering Apps that let us grab coffee without putting the car in park, to Remote Car Starters that rescue us from third-degree steering wheel burns, we are living in the golden age of comfort. So go ahead, turn the AC down to 68, open up a streaming app, and thank the universe we live in the future!