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Seasonal Affective Disorder and related tasks
Putting in my A/C was a reminder of the unfinished business in my life
My energy level is low at every change of season. I was born in the Pacific Northwest and find myself, midlife, in the Northeast. I am now acquainted with long, harsh winters, picturesque autumns, and humid summers when the air is a toxic mix of allergens and pollution.
The seasonal changes here hit me in ways that require a period of acclimatization. I tend to drag myself around slothfully as this unfolds.
When I first arrived, I thought I was depressed or homesick. So, on the advice of a physician, I took Prozac. Not wanting to become dependent, I didn’t repeat the prescription the following year and attempted to gut check my way through the lethargy. I now persevere by willpower only to compensate later by overeating and oversleeping.
With the arrival of warm weather, I just installed our window A/C units. Doing so is an annual marker that signals enjoyable pursuits like BBQs, golf games and family outings. It also reminds me of unrealized aspirations.
I feel like window A/C units scream poverty like an outdoor laundry line strung between apartment buildings or a rusted vehicle in the front yard. I would rather hear the whirr of central air in a…
