measi's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ah... I was WONDERING when that would show up Welcome to summer in the East, folks. The humidity switch just was turned on last night. Should be turned off sometime in September when everyone's electricity bills are racked so high from A/C costs that they'll be paying it off until next June. Boston had quite a light and thunder show last night. Fortunately it wasn't too violent--just low, long rumbles across the sky and flashes that brightened up everything above the top of the building across the street from me. I just opened the windows, turned the fan down low so I could hear it, and let the rumbles relax me to sleep. I love thunderstorms for that-- the power behind the lightning is so awesome, and behind that violent streak of energy is this rumble which seems to smooth everything over afterward. I miss the five o'clock thunderstorms from my childhood in Montana. Almost every day in the summer, the skies would blacken (and I mean blacken-- folks in Tornado Alley know what I'm talking about) and a 5-15 minute burst of downpour would come, drenching everything, sometimes dropping hail, and then leaving as fast as it came. For a short while the earth would have this sickeningly sweet, musty smell as the cold air battled the overheated ground. And then the pleasant relief of the evenings kicked in, and the cycle of the 24 hours started over again. But this morning in Boston, the skies are still grey, and everything has this musty smell that only can be caused by lingering humidity. It was just warm enough to not be "refreshing," like it often is in April or October when it rains overnight and produces morning fog. Yes, summer is here, and it's bringing that smell of lingering dampness with it. Can you tell that I'm not a big fan of humidity? It makes me wilt. Badly. I will probably have the A/C cranking all summer. (hence the comment about the electric bill). I would take a snowstorm over hot humidity any day. I can always pile more clothes on. There's only so far I can go with taking them off. And while it would be great to be acceptable to run around naked... my 5'5", 180 pound frame is a bit too heavy to be walking around like that in public. It makes me celebrate the fact that this summer, unlike last, I'm working in a place with air conditioning. In fact, there are people in my office who argue that it's TOO cold in here in the summer. I'd rather be cold than sweltering anyday. Having worked in an office last summer where I had no access to A/C, and spent most of the summer miserable because I went from one building with no A/C to a half-hour walk home to my own apartment with no A/C (until mid-August when I could afford to buy the A/C). It amazes me how people complain when they have no idea how good they have it. With over 200 people in this office (and about 250 computers), this place would be horrendous if the A/C wasn't kept higher. I guess folks have to complain about everything, eh? --Mel. 9:32 a.m. - 12 June 2001 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
||||||