Fresh Air

That term seems to refer to something I have not felt in weeks. This summer is really starting to wear on me. I don't care for summer as far as weather conditions go. I am a fall/spring person. I don't like the cold nor the heat. I really enjoy cool, light jacket weather. Weather where everything is calm. Too cold leaves you paralyzed and too hot leaves you exhausted and on edge.

One of the best things, though, about the summer is a fresh house. Over the winter, due to the cold, you leave your windows locked up tight. Something that I really enjoy is when it is finally nice enough out to have the windows open. Waking up in the morning, relaxing at night, lounging on the weekend - these moments are all enhanced a little when there is a natural air flow running through your home. Air literally gets to be stale, otherwise, and it has a different weight to it in a way.

This summer has been unbearable. I was out shopping the other day and saw some nice looking clothes for the fall that have started to fill the racks. I could not even fathom buying or trying anything on that was for cooler weather, however. Just the idea of wearing that stuff made me hot. It has been brutal for weeks straight. Today it reached a "feels like" of 108 here. I walked outside and laughed. It's about all I can do. The extreme heat that just has not let up has become so preposterous that my reaction is simply laughter. I am just baffled that with the sun setting its still in the 90 degree range.

I have had mixed feelings about the approaching month of September in the past. Some years it was dread for school, others it was the excitement of work ending and, strangely, more free time to come. In more recent years, September has meant New York and has always been met with excitement. Now, September is looking like pure relief. My life will not change, as far as routine is concerned, for the first time since I was 4 years old when September hits. I think my apprehension about how I might deal with that is completely overshadowed by the longing for a cool day. And these days, "cool" means less than 90, sadly.

(I don't know if I have mentioned it on here before, but the image above is something that hangs in my room. It is several pictures I took myself, printed and hung. The entire thins was conceived by me, designed by me, and executed by me. Most of the time, it has the effect of any other poster in my room. It is just cool decor. But every once in a while I look at it and really let it sink in that it's something I created myself. I am really proud of it.)

A Welcomed Change

I know it's a little late to be pointing out something I appreciate in my apartment this year as compared to last. But at the same time, maybe not. As I was about to write this blog, I was packing up my things to notice a guitar lying out. This, while not typical, is a representation of how much music is played in my apartment this year.

While most of us last year were music fans and were typically all listening to something at any point that we were home, playing music was not a common occurrence, and it was not with my previous roommate either. It is something that I love.

I may not always have time to pick up my guitar, but I don't think a day goes by that one of us hasn't played our guitars. And the beauty is when its a communal thing, finding two or three of us sitting down and playing music together. It's definitely something I love and have become accustomed to and one of the bigger things I will miss about this place in a few months.