I can see clearly now
Thoughts on the rain
This has been the rainiest season in LA ever.
Granted, I have only been in LA for 3 years, and I do not know the entire history of weather patterns in Los Angeles, but it is the rainiest season that I have experienced in LA.
You might be saying that LA doesn’t have seasons, but you’d be wrong. In fact, I have a friend who says that LA does have seasons: Summer, Hot Summer, Cold Summer, and Fire.
This year, we’ve added Rainy. I think it’s been rainy more days than it has been sunny since January 1, 2023.
I’m not opposed to the rain. I went to college in the Pacific Northwest, after all. Actually, after days of sunshine on end (#brag) and drought conditions (#notbrag), the rain is a welcome reprieve. The trees are greener, the air is clearer, and the flowers are in beautiful states of blooming. It is lovely for a moment.
But, there is something weird about going days without seeing the sun in LA. Palm trees just don’t look the same with a backdrop of grey skies and dark clouds. They don’t have that same “just after rain” smell that the more fragrant firs or pines of the PNW do.
When I was in college, the rain didn’t bother me. Maybe that’s because I expected it to be rainy, so my expectations were met and my hopes of good weather weren’t dashed when the mists rolled in from November to April.
My expectations aren’t the same in LA—here, I expect the sun. As they say, “it never rains in Southern California.”
But rain it has, and it keeps going.
I suppose I shouldn’t complain. A little rain is far, far better than frigid temperatures or blizzards, and it certainly is better than the hazardous weather events that have happened throughout the country. I am just getting a little wet and managing with the “cold” 52-degree weather.
When it rains, I don’t want to go anywhere or do anything—which, again, is not the normal expectation of my life in Los Angeles. Not that I’m not out and about plenty, but, with the rain, I’ve been more apt to stay home and take some time to myself—something I often avoid doing.
It’s moments like these—the quiet ones—that allow me to reflect on my life and where I am right now. Often, I measure my life by what I am doing—shows I’ve seen, people I’ve hung out with, things I’ve accomplished—putting more weight into the loud moments that are in public. But life is happening in the quiet moments as well—the moments of reading a book on a weekend morning, cross-stitching while watching a cozy mystery, or strumming the guitar by myself.
Years ago, I used to avoid moments by myself, joking I didn’t like too much time alone with me. I filled time to avoid sitting with emotions I didn’t want to face—anxiety, sadness, fear. Now that I live by myself, I have a lot of time on my own. But I no longer find that I’m running from it or looking for someone else to fill it. Being by myself in the quiet moments allows me to sit and appreciate where I am—with no expectations of the future
So, I guess this rainy season testing my expectations has been a necessary season for me. A season that has helped me grow and appreciate the quiet moments as much as I appreciate the loud ones.
But, will I be ready for the sun to come out again.
Ten things this week
Richmond AFC is back! I’ve needed Ted Lasso in my life.
For something not quite as wholesome but equally as funny, I greatly enjoy Mythic Quest—also on Apple TV+.
One of my favorite books of last year was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I just started reading one of his older titles, How to Stop Time, and it is just as gripping.
I’ve plugged Abbott Elementary before, but that show NAILS teacher conferences. And charter issues. 10/10.
I created a March Madness bracket. I don’t have high hopes and probably won’t watch any games.
I cannot get enough of Ke Huy Quan’s beautiful Oscar speech. So moving and so well-deserved.
Same with Michelle Yeoh. “Ladies, never let anyone tell you you are past your prime.” YES.
Sure, you do the New York Times crossword, but have you done the New Yorker crossword?
I made these brownies for my Oscar watch party. Highly, highly recommended.
The date for the Wicked movie dropped. I am cautiously optimistic.
V curious what you thought about Season 3 Episode 1 of Ted Lasso!