For a while, I resorted to simply throwing medium soft objects at the perpetually malfunctioning air conditioner mounted defiantly upon the wall of my old studio apartment. Before that, I spoke soft words of encouragement in a strange attempt to coax it into functionality. This piece of machinery became my sworn enemy. So as I sat sweating through another Saigon April, I made a promise: If I ever meet the cold again, I will welcome it into my life unconditionally.
That’s why, trudging through the dark mid-winter days in search of second-hand furniture around Brooklyn, I’m feeling just fine. Meteorologically speaking, it’s true: I picked a bad time to move. But I’ll be damned if a little frigid air is going to stifle this hero’s journey (getting ripped off by well-worded Craigslist ads promising mid-century modern charm.)
Anyway, the novelty of winter hasn’t worn off just yet. It’s also given me an opportunity to compile some tunes to match the morning chill.