You’re probably familiar with the medical condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Are you aware that there are two kinds of SAD?
The more familiar one is winter-onset. The less familiar one is summer-pattern onset. Both are a type of depression. I won’t go into the characteristics. There are many websites out there with that information.
I self-diagnosed myself years ago as having spring-summer on-set Seasonal Affective Disorder. Here are my reasons:
- I hate bugs, spiders, and snakes. Hate. Them.
- I loathe being hot.
- I absolutely hate to sweat unless I’m working up a sweat on purpose., and I’m not too crazy about it then. But to be immobile and sweat simply because the temperature is so blithering hot you have no choice is really, really distasteful. Sitting by the pool soaking up the sun. Are you freaking kidding? How is that enjoyable?
- I live in a high-plains, semi-arid desert region. and we have sunlight and heat here. Day after flipping sunny day…
- I want to wear layers of clothes and socks, and I can’t.
- I have to sleep with fans on.
- I lack motivation and interest to do much of anything in the summertime compared to how energized I am in the fall and winter. Darkness, short days, cold weather, and layers of clothing make me a happy camper.
- I am more a more prolific and productive writer during the fall and winter and into early spring.
- I’m not a morning person. Unless I walk my dogs well after dark, which isn’t optimal, the only time the pavement won’t burn their feet is early morning. Ugh.
- Sunlight on my shoulders does not make me happy. (looking at you John Denver)
- I dread the arrival of spring, because summer is hot (ha ha) on its heels. Spring means yard work and yard work means weeds and weeds means being in the sun and being hot and BUGS, SPIDERS, and SNAKES.
- Some people say they don’t want to live where the air hurts their face (frigid locales). I say that’s preferable to living where the sun sucks the energy and life right out of you.
I cope with my spring-summer seasonal aversion by spending the brightest and hottest part of the day in my basement (typically 11 am to 5 pm), where it’s cozy, cooler than the upstairs, and I can control the amount of light I’m exposed to. I do my outside chores early-ish and save other outdoorsy activities for dusk or later.
I don’t know how people can live in places that get hotter than where I live. I could never adjust to living somewhere like Phoenix. Maybe I should get a summer home in Alaska…
Today’s word prompt – seasonal – is brought to you by Linda and #JusJoJan, and by me, today’s grumpy-about-summer blogger.
Until next time,
Kaye Spencer
writing through history one romance upon a time
I’m with you, Kaye! As I always say, you can put more clothes on if you’re cold, but there’s only so much you can take off if you’re hot. And I could live without the bugs too!
Thanks again for the prompt! <3 😀
I think I’m a bit of both – I don’t like winter days that are wet and cloudy and miserable but like you I cannot bear being too hot either. Thankfully I’m retired so on really hot days I can just do as little as possible and try and keep cool. I couldn’t live anywhere near snakes though. Thanks for the prompt.
I like a good gloomy and cloudy day whatever the season, but I will admit I don’t enjoy cold/snowy weather that is dangerous for people and animals. I want Mary Poppins weather—practically perfect in every way. Hahaha Thanks for commenting.