The Weather

Why do we talk so much about the weather? In the grocery store, making a purchase, waiting in line. It's one of those topics that everyone can relate to. Isn't the weather nice today? Not too hot yet, is it? Did you notice the nice breeze? I am one of those people who notices the weather. I'm a bit worried that it's an "old person" thing but my experience says, no. We are all interested in today's weather. But why?

Obviously, if you're traveling, it's important to know what you're flying or driving towards, to be prepared. Or what you have to look forward to, what to pack. Have you ever planned your day around the weather? Postponed a short drive when the rain is flooding the streets, or canceled an outdoor event because the day would just be too darn hot?

My mood is often influenced by the weather. I wonder if that's biological and if our ancient ancestors felt the same way. If the weather is rainy or harsh, we want to stay inside. Makes sense. If the weather is pleasant and sunny, we want to feel the sunshine on our skin and enjoy whatever is outside. I live in a place where it is often sunny and warm but I am not an outside person. The things I love to do, I love to do inside.

When I left Southern California 22 years ago, I was so tired of the overcast days of summer. I was angry! It's June! I wanted to be at the beach in the morning enjoying the sunshiny summer days, but that is exactly the time for overcast skies. We called it June Gloom. Phoenix in June is almost bearable. It's getting pretty hot, but you can still grab some coolness in the early morning and later evenings. The problem is that I know my summer isn't going to get any better. It's going to get so hot that I will be stashed inside my house like a ground squirrel in a hidey hole. I only venture out when I have to drive a kid somewhere or buy groceries.

So why do I hate the hot weather so much? I think it's because the rest of the country is enjoying being outside and we in Phoenix are experiencing cabin fever. I also think that I prefer a more moderate temperature. But then, doesn't everyone? Extreme hot and extreme cold are dangerous to human life and if we aren't prepared, we could die. Ah ha! We need to know what the weather will be like so we won't succumb to the elements and die! That's biology based , don't you think?

We are all submissive to the weather. We can't change it, we're getting better at predicting it, but ultimately we can merely observe it and behave accordingly. If I could choose a place to live based on the weather, I would choose more rain, not much snow, breezy, and just enough sunshine to keep me from going crazy. I wonder if can google that.