Uninspired

I’ve started and abandoned a lot of blog posts recently. To be honest I have nothing to talk about, which is unusual for me because I’m typically quite the chatterbox, but I’m suffering from an acute case of lethargy this summer and I’m finding I just can’t be bothered. Everything – like working for a living - seems to take greater effort than usual. I feel like I'm wading through treacle.

I'm chalking my lethargy up to the heat of the summer. I'm not exactly what you’d call a summer person; I don’t really like to be out in the heat and the thought of lying on a beach and burning brings me out in hives. I generally only like the beach during the off season and have no desire to lie towel to towel in close proximity to other people smelling of coconut.

My parents and sister on the other hand are 100% certified lie on a beach and tan for the day type people and during their recent visit my parents frequently took themselves off to Coney Island for the day. In my early teens my parents would save up all their holidays from work and take the last 2weeks of July; first two weeks of August off for a family vacation. We’d drive to Dover for the ferry to France and then drive south – yes drive; it took 2days - to go camping for 3 or 4 weeks in Argeles Sur Mer or drive across the Pyrenees to Platja d'aro in Northern Spain to lie on a beach for 8hours and get a really good tan. After a few days I would get really bored and nag my parents to take us to visit castles.

If I wasn't the spit of my mother I'd swear I was adopted.

I’m not all doom and gloom in summer. I do enjoy a nice clear day with 75F-ish temperatures and a light breeze, but since summer in New York generally means temperatures in the mid to high eighties, uncomfortable levels of humidity and fetid aromas – characterised by the delectable scent of dried dog urine with overtones of hot garbage – I’m more often than not to be found hibernating indoors with a good book and the air conditioner blasting. In fact except for trips to and from my local Barnes and Noble to replenish my reading materials I’ve been rarely inclined to get out at all this year.

And while I’m whining, the other thing that drives me mad about New York in summer is the frequency with which restaurant and building workers hose down the pavements. I appreciate the fact that cleaner pavements are vastly friendlier on the nose and that it needs to be done, but I’m ready to smack the next inconsiderate f***wit who decides that water is insufficient for cleansing and that only the addition of about 3 gallons of bleach will do the trick. I’ve had at least 2 pairs of trousers ruined as I’ve tried to negotiate my way down a recently cleansed and sodden sidewalk – it’s either that or taking your chances in traffic - only to have bleach blobs splash up the back of the legs thus rendering my clothing with off white patches. Grrrrrr!!!

My clients have also been leading me a merry dance recently, if they are not resigning they’re teasing me with requests for 100% of my time over the next 3months and then changing their minds when they see how much 100% of me actually costs and only buying 35% and trying to finagle 15% for free.

No no no no no!!

I’m expensive kids, but I’m so worth it ;-)