autumn

The first tinge of fall in Los Angeles, California sends everyone rushing for their scarves and sweaters. It is the promise of Winter, a release from the heat, that gets us going. It feels so cold I'm inclined to play Death Cab for Cutie during my German engineered seat-heater mornings, when dawn breaks too quickly and I am forced to defrost and defreeze my toes and windshield. Winter is a far more luxurious time of year than summer, it is time for Ugg slippers and cashmere sweaters instead of sweaty sandals and sunburnt shoulders. Winter is a far more nostalgic time of year as well, the palpability of the holidays reminds us all of times spent sharing a hot drink or a brisk night walk. Winter exacerbates memories long shelved and left to collect dust during the other seasons. My cuticles are cut deep and it hurts to type, to text, and to write. But this does not stop me. The familiar and consistent beat of an old song stays with me and keeps my fingers moving at a swift and confident pace. The first signs of a colder season stay with me like hot tea dripping down my throat, warming my esophagus and then my core. With good intentions and warm thoughts I will face the weather I consider cold in sunny SoCal and indulge in a luxurious winter.