Mother Nature's going through The Change

We're in the middle of a heat wave, like the rest of the country, apparently.  It's quite a doozy, I must say, but it just gives me more of a chance to talk about the weather, so I'm pleased.   Some ladyfriends and I were commiserating via text and one said if this was what menopause was like, she was doomed.  And this beyond delighted me-- the idea that Mother Nature is going through The Change and this heat wave is one big hot flash.  Isn't it so perfect?? I'm sure it's not an original thought but I'm going to pretend it is and sit here and chuckle at my cleverness for a minute. 

Ok, anyway-- and it's true, it's pretty unbearable. I think we're in the middle of some kind of heat advisory and when you live in "gotta go outside to stay sane"-ville, it poses a problem. But that's nothing new.

And guess what.  We're approaching the middle of summer, and unlike the same point in the winter, I'm still loving it. I love summer, even in a heat wave.  Walking outside in a kind of heat at such a temperature and moisture level that it feels like a second skin.  It's weird, it's strange, it's not normal. And i kind of love it in a kind of sick, self-torture kind of way. It's not like the chilly season, where you have to wear extra clothing to be comfortable. That sounds how it should be.  I'm going outside in the elements, I should protect myself.  But being out and not having to wear any jacket or anything??  it always baffled me, and does now.   It's not the most comfortable-- i mean i really do feel like I'm wearing myself inside out-- but there's a strangeness about it that I enjoy. It's a strange laziness that kind of takes everyone's guard down. The dog days, i guess, though of course I would change that to dog daze, the runner-up title for this blog post. The more skin that's revealed, the more vulnerable you are, I suppose.  The more exposed, and the more comraderie felt.  As the temperature increases, self consciousness diminishes. Everyone is saying, this is who I am. I don't care anymore what you see or what you think, because I'm so friggin' hot, I'm just trying not to sweat to death, and I just don't give a crap. 

And there's something nice in that. I guess it goes along with the "we're all in this together" feeling.  Kind of a "we're all dying in this together, and there's no escape, so let's eat 20 Italian ices today just to survive another day. cheers!"  feeling.   Yesterday I was out when it was too hot to be and had to go refill the parking meter.  I was walking toward the munimeter and passed by the metermaid...uhh.. is there a more PC term for that? Also, what's the male equivalent??  Anyway, normally someone I look upon with antipathy, both of our faces literally gushing with sweat, we smiled at each other, because, can you believe this weather??   He lazily peered at my car which had expired, and I lazily exclaimed, "oh.. that's my car.. I'm..."   and I just trailed off, lazily motioning to the meter, and he waved and lazily went on his way.

Sean came home and told me he had stopped at the store and about 5 people were singing randomly. Not in a super joyful way, like, I'm so happy to be alive! But in a lazy, oh i just don't care anymore. Were you listening? kind of way. There's no longer a difference between public and private.  Lazy.  Dazy.  Dog daze.