You know, just the juxtaposition of the banner of Santas versus the “Summertime” poster advocating grilled meats is enough for pause. It’s not like I’m in the southern hemisphere, you know?
Apparently they had some sense to be seasonal, but not fully. Confused? I know I am.
All of this running during the summer months has done a number on me. I’ve gotten particularly tanned over the past few months. It’s gotten to the point where people ask me if I’ve gone on vacation to southern destinations. I’m now also darker than my Indian colleague. Crazy!
Now, I really don’t mind being dark. Not at all! I mean, Filipinos tan–it’s what we do. I just wish that I didn’t have so many tan lines all over. I’ve got the t-shirt thing going, which I’m trying to combat by wearing a tank on Sundays. I have vee going down my neck/chest, and watch tans on both arms. I have them on both arms because on my runs I have my heart rate monitor on my left and my GPS on my right. I’ve got a tan line mid-thigh because of my shorts and at my ankle because of socks. I don’t think I’m making a huge deal out of it–I’m just conscious of it. Frankly, I find the whole contrast thing of fascinating.
The days are getting shorter, and autumn is just around the corner. Soon I’ll be back to a more even tone. I’ll welcome the weather with open arms until summer rolls around again and the process of getting tan lines can start all over again.
Yesterday, [a friend of mine] got a surprise in [his] email from HR, which has been the cause of much laughter over the past 24 hours. See, it’s been really hot and humid in Toronto as of late, and HR decided to give a gentle reminder that people should keep on top of being…um…not hygienically challenged.
The email included a few “Summer Tips” which were mostly basic hygiene stuff, but also included a note suggesting that employees ask colleagues if they’re unsure of their state. I’m sure colleagues would be fine with being asked to perform a cursory sniff test. Yeeeees.
It brings up something to mull on though. Someone must have complained about someone else in [that office] if an email suddenly became necessary. It is not uncommon for HR to address personal hygiene issues. Doing so with a staff-wide email though? Hilarious.
With Labour Day just about over, this sort of marks the unofficial end of summer, doesn’t it? Tomorrow when I head back to work, the school buses will be back on the road. After a good few months with light traffic, the roads will be packed again with extra vehicles getting to destinations not visited since June. Cooler weather is approaching. The equinox is coming!
I think I sort of want to care more, just because I probably should, but truthfully I’m sort of all apathetic about the change. This is just how the world works, right? Seasons come and go. Then again, why am I putting so much thought into it? Maybe I’m just fooling myself because I actually made efforts to take advantage of the warmer weather (this time through running) unlike so many summers past. Ugh. Who knows?
Tomorrow is just another work day.
Whoo. This past afternoon seemed more brutal than usual. It may not have been the hottest one out there, but the heat in the station seemed more stifling than I’ve noticed over the past weeks. As I waited for the train, I noticed people on both platforms wiping sweat off their brows, fanning themselves with folded sheets of paper or newspapers, and looking mildly dishevelled from the heat. I thought I’d get some relief when I got on the subway car, but I had the misfortune of ending up on one that wasn’t air conditioned. At least, it seemed like it wasn’t–I sure didn’t feel any relief. That, coupled with the fact that the train was more packed than usual made for a rather miserable ride. I had my eyes closed for most of the ride as I usually do, but I couldn’t full-on nap because every minute I was wiping dripping sweat from my face. At one point, this woman sat next to me and started fanning herself. Some of the breeze was hitting me, and I was thankful. When she stopped, I was sort of mentally willing her to just continue fanning herself so I could benefit.
When I got to my station, I stepped off the train expecting the humidity to be rotten, but seeing as how Warden is open air, the temperature there was so much cooler. I looked around and saw the relief on people’s faces when they got off that thing. Seriously, it’s no wonder there have been a number of heat-related incidents on the TTC as of late.
It made me think of my short time in Tokyo. Out on the streets around Akihabara, there are always lots of people giving away advertising freebies. Some of them gave away these plastic fans that were covered in advertisements for electronics. Despite becoming a walking advertisement, the fans were just so damn useful in keeping cool that I really didn’t care if I used them. Here in Toronto, I kind of wish there were some free fans given away on hot days like this. Maybe I should walk around Chinatown a little bit one of these days, buy a small manly fan and stuff it in my bag. That way I could just whip it out when I get all sweaty on a hot car. Though…you don’t really see that on the trains, do you? Trendsetter?
Uh…maybe I’d rather just sweat it out.
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