Summertime is almost upon us. Here in the Sonoran Desert, that rarely has anything to do with the calendar. We have enjoyed an unusually mild winter and spring here this year, however. Sure, it was 103 degrees on the last day of winter, but that was a weekend blip, then everything cooled off again. Very often at this time of year, people feel as if the dehydration as set in until Christmas.
A lot of my fellow desert-dwellers who have the means to do so get the heck out of here every summer. I have the option to head to Ann Arbor and work poolside all summer. For some reason, I stick around here for the worst of it.
I believe that reason is that I'm just not normal.
This desert spawned me, and I have always liked the heat. Nobody is really supposed to like the summertime heat here. Heck, nobody is supposed to be living here. The desert is filled with reminders that people should never have stopped and built dwellings here. The heat also delivers a higher concentration of UV rays than other places, all the better to speed up the skin cancer process with. We've got a few different reptiles that can take you out. Wander too far out into the desert and a mountain lion might snack on you. This entire region is one big "NOT WELCOME" sign.
Good Lord, I love it here.
What's best about Tucson at this time of year — especially in my neighborhood — is that I've almost got the place to myself. People who don't have to spend much time here love to Blah, blah, blah, about the dry heat. Yeah, well, it's also a hot heat. There is not a lot of frolicking in the out of doors during a Sonoran Desert July.
The bonus for me is that I live near the University of Arizona. It's practically like I'm a wealthy guy who rents out bars and restaurants near me for my personal use at this time of year. And while the tips might not be as great, the bartenders are all happier because they're not dealing with puking college kids.
While it is true that I can be exceedingly gregarious at times, I tend to prefer misanthropy-adjacent quiet time, and there is an abundance of that here right now. I am in no rush to deal with an airport crowd anytime soon. I'll get out to a bar for some day-drinking and a little remote work. Even in my most lone wolf moments, I do enjoy hanging around bartenders.
I'm a borderline misanthrope, not a sociopath.
Click the button to get the Morning Briefing emailed to you every weekday. Have your coffee with me, people. It's free, and it supports conservative media!
