Wednesday, August 6, 2008

the heat

The heat has broken and I actually saw rain today. These are very doggie dog days here in Dallas. Hot. My god it’s been hot.

It’s too hot for anyone to do very much. My email has been nearly silent. My telephone too, though that’s not unusual. Most people know better.

I like these dead zones. Fortunately, I have enough work so that I don’t feel panicked and I like the feeling that everyone is on vacation and nothing is pressing.

The deep summer work dead zone is different from the holiday season work dead zone. Around the holidays, the city buzzes and hurries and everyone is too busy to work. In summertime, the city slumps and everyone is too lethargic to work—or do much of anything else. Traffic on the highways is thin. I went for a pedicure Monday and the salon was practically empty. I met friends for sushi today and the restaurant was uncharacteristically quiet.

This July was one of the hottest in our history. We had 16 days of 100 degrees or higher. Monday the temperature was 107 degrees.

Texas heat even looks hot. I can see it from my window. The sun is a hard, bright light and the trees and shrubbery are pale and stressed from its brutality. If the Garden Bed of Death survives this—and it is hanging on—it will be the hardiest garden on Earth. Sorry looking, but hardy.

Right now, the temperature is a balmy 89 degrees. It’s lovely, but I’m still not working very hard. It’s summertime. Who cares?

Digg my article

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

our phones have been dead at the office too! glad it's not just me.