How I met humidity.

The humidity has been the main thing on my mind lately. I use to think that I knew what it felt like to be hot, but now a truly know the meaning of HOT!! Growing up in the desert the sun felt like laser beams peering right down on me on hot days. The good thing though is that I could escape the laser like heat under a tree or porch. In NY, it feels like I'm am walking around in a heat bubble. The heat surrounds me, and when it is at it hottest it feels like I am suffocating. The other thing I have found out is that humidity will stick around even if the sun doesn't. Let me explain. Two days ago, I looked out the window in the early afternoon and saw that it was cloudy. Even though it was mid-day, I felt it would be a good time to run because in the West when it is cloudy it is cooler. Boy was I wrong. The first 15 minutes went on without a hitch, but as I turned around to head back to home, I realized how sweaty I was. Everything was so heavy. My shirt felt like it weighed 15 pounds, and my shoes 30. Walking back and looking at the skyline, I could see the heaviness in the air. I felt like sticking my hand out and saying "nice to meet you humidity". It is really going to be something I will have to grow accustomed to while we explore.

Another funny story happened yesterday. We drove our flight attendant friend Dennis to the JFK Airport at 5:30 in the morning. It was pouring rain when we awoke. This was the second storm I have encountered in my time here, and I am amazed by how much lightning there was each time. It looked almost like a strob light in the air. Gil tells me it has to do with all the moisture plus the extreme heat. We were able to get Dennis safely to JFK on time with no problems. Our drive home on the other hand, proved to be much more interesting.

The rain doubled its density on the way home, and Gil became more like our captain rather than our driver. Whole expressways were flooded out. We were driving on the Van Wycke Highway, where at one point water was as high as the bottom of our doors. There were mud slides from the side of the highways that Gil had to navigate through, and then we had to wait. We were waiting to exit onto the 287 Brooklyn/Queens Expressway for a LONG time. Turns out, as we found out later on the news, there was a freaking tornado in the area, a tornado in NYC!! It destroyed homes and ripped up trees and jumped right over the BQE. It took us at least 3 hours to get home, but at least we missed the whole tornado experience. I mean I love the Wizard of Oz, but I don't feel like going to visit anytime soon. Sorry Dorothy.

The day wrapped up by us eating at the cheap Mexican food restaurant, that I note is cooked and ran by a Japanese family. The funny thing about this is that our new favorite Sushi place, has nothing but Mexican Sushi chefs. Man, you gotta love NY!!