I’m told the saying originated in India–only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun. I love it because I’m always wondering at the people who just go about their business despite the heat. How?
On Sunday it was a little cooler than it has been around here—the temperature only got up to 100°. It’s the monsoon, though, which means higher-than-usual humidity. That means my swamp cooler, which does a fine job in dryer times, struggled to keep the temp in the house below 90°.
When it’s 90° in the house, there’s an awful lot of lying around being lazy going on. Sometimes I poke the cats, just to be sure they’re still with me. We utilize the usual coping strategies—watching movies with lots of snow, sitting on icepacks, keep the fans on high and all papers nailed down. Sometimes I browse realty listings in Alaska.
It’s hard to accomplish anything when your legs are stuck to your chair and the only thought running through your heat-deadened mind is “sleeeepppyyy…”
Saturday we ran away to air-conditioning, but that brings it’s own problems. Noise, distraction, lack of sufficient internet…
When I jumped in with Erin’s Year of No Fear, I sort of just revisited some old (but good!) goals. As I tell my daughter, though, goals without plans are just dreams. While dreams are important, they’re not much use if they stay on that level. So I’m trying to set goals, then make plans to meet them.
Anyway, what this means is that I’m making to-do lists of things that need doing, and I’m doing those things. Heat or no, noise or no, apparently-dead (but not) cat or no, I’m doing them. As slowly as a sloth in a moseying mood, maybe, but still–doing things.
1) Write, not play on the internet. I can now spend ten minutes of every hour on Tumblr. More than that and I get booted off. Somehow I’m confused every time this happens.
2) Stay on top of the housework so I’ll have more time to write. Since I’m back at work but my daughter is not back at school, I’ve drafted her on the housework front. Since she’s in terrible need of all things Back To School–having lost or destroyed or outgrown ALL OF IT somehow–she’s a little more pliable than she might otherwise be. The threat of UNFASHIONABLE CLOTHING is a potent one.
3) Promote my books. Promoting books? Hmm…what’s next?
4) Be healthier–um, what was that last one?
5) Stop Spending. This one is actually going better than it has in a long time. Except for this week, of course, when the schedule is all up in the air and also we’re sort of celebrating my new job maybe just a little…
Yeah, I dunno. It’s 88° and I’m not even sure this is coherent.
But at least I’m doing things?
I hear you on the heat, KD. We lived most of my childhood, and way into my 20s with no A/C. And I imagine it’s way hotter where you are, so I feel your pain.
Doing Things is good. 😉