Thursday, July 9, 2009

Summer of my Discontent

I'm not a summer person. Give me howling winter winds any day.

Or even better, give me howling winter wind outside to inspire my imagination while I'm tucked away inside reading a good book. The kind of book where a crack of thunder will make me jump.

With the bright summer sun shining outside, I'm not inspired. Being from California, this is a problem. So what do I do? I draw the blinds, light some candles, and turn on a thunderstorm track on iTunes.

(Really, I have a couple great storm recordings. I think they're supposed to be for "sleep and relaxation," but they're great for setting the mood for reading or writing an atmospheric mystery.)

I have the same issue with summer travel. Hiking around castle ruins isn't nearly as awe-inspiring when the sun is beating down on you and throngs of tourists are squeezing by in the same turret.

Needless to say, give me a snow-covered stone circle in the dead of winter in England (at right) over a beach any day.

On the bright side, San Francisco summers are full of fog. Not quite as nice as a snowstorm, but I'll take it.

--Gigi

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Gigi--
I love that you have a thunderstorm track! :) I miss thunder and lightening almost as much as I miss crisp fall days.

Mysti said...

I love that photo and your post!!!

I did the most writing of my life one winter in a snowy little Colorado town. Living in LA for a year or so almost killed my writing -- the sunshine seemed RELENTLESS down there :)

I dunno how people write in the bright light of day :)

Rachael Herron said...

I have GOT to add a t-storm track or two to my iTunes....