The Heat is indeed on, and in more ways than one.

Recently, I blared my radio when the sound of the 1980s hit The Heat is On recorded by songwriter Glenn Frey played on SiriusXM.For those of us experienced enough to remember, the song served as the soundtrack of the popular 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop.When you get a chance, listen to the song's lyrics, especially the part that says "the pressure's high, just to stay alive 'Cause the heat is on."As we anxiously bid adieu to our third heat wave of the season, I realize how fortunate I am to work in an air-conditioned office.While I enjoy a nice, warm, summer day as much as the next guy, this rash of excessive heat has me about ready to tap out.And to think that after today, there's still the potential for over two months of scorching weather that could possibly lie ahead.But, truth be told, it isn't only the outdoors where The Heat can be felt.Oddly enough, The Heat recently managed to make its way into local movie theaters as well.Released several weeks ago, the comedy film starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy proved to be a big hit at the box office.Though extremely profanity-laced, several scenes in particular drew a rise from the audience, which ranged from teenagers to senior citizens.I saw the movie during its opening weekend, and certainly didn't walk away feeling as though I had been shortchanged.Rather than give away the CliffsNotes version of it, I recommend you see it for yourself in the theater, or once it becomes available on DVD or Blu-ray.Besides the outdoors and the widescreen, The Heat could also be detected on your television for much of the spring.That would be in the form of the Miami Heat, the National Basketball Association's professional basketball team which recently won its second straight NBA championship.Led by LeBron James, the league's Most Valuable Player, The Heat managed to pull out a decisive Game 7 win in what was otherwise a hotly-contested Finals series.Based on its roster of talent expected to return next season, odds are The Heat figure to be a mainstay on your television sets for at least next year and into the foreseeable future.Despite some of its shortcomings, The Heat does bring with it some advantages.For instance, some of our favorite foods, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and corn on the cob, taste best in The Heat.Beaches, swimming pools, and the shade never feel quite as refreshing to us until we're in The Heat.Likewise, amusement parks, ballgames, picnics and other outdoor activities seem to take on more meaning when they're in The Heat.Also, too, let's not forget that by and large, most families tend to go away on vacation in The Heat.Perhaps more than anyone, school-age children benefit most from The Heat in the form of summer vacation.With 64 days left until the fall season, it appears as though we just may have to batten down the hatches.Regardless of whether The Heat is on or not.