It goes without saying that I’m no fan of Mr. Sun. Wait. It really doesn’t. If you’re not a frequenter of this blog, you probably don’t know that – when I choose my enemies – I don’t mess around with supervillains, nation states or Fox News as suitable nemeses. Mine is The Sun. And while I don’t really hate things – as life is too short to be consumed by this negative feeling – I will say that I strongly dislike Apollo and the way He burns me.
So, you can imagine my elation on account of the “bummer summer” that we’re having here on the West Coast, arguably one of the most beautiful and radiant summer spots on the planet. Unfortunately, the Summer of 2011 has yielded more rain and gray than is the norm, even in the rainforesty Pacific Northwest. And some people are getting pretty sad (others are being downright revolutionary) about it.
Friends. Readers. Community. You need not be sad. Here are three things that you can love about our less-than-sunny Summer of 2011:
1. At least we’re not Eastern Canada! To quote one of our Toronto Correspondents, “it’s as hot as Hades here!” With an average June/July temperature of 45 degrees and an average humidity index of 6,000%, well, it’s easy to see that we’ve got it much better here on the West Coast. As is the case with hipsters, the West Coast is cooler than any of us would like it to be, but, hey, at least we’re not Eastern Canada!
2. Higher-than-Average UV Index will get you Tanned! The Sun will still melt our community if we’re not careful. Thanks to a thinning ozone above the Arctic Circle, the UV index is, on average, 4% higher than normal this summer. So, even if the average West Coast temperature is a few degrees cooler than normal, don’t be afraid to get outside sans-chemise-et-pantalons and soak up those burnable UV rays. In the business we call this a “used car salesman ninja tan” because you get burned without knowing what’s happening.
3. Your Spring Veggies will go Forever! I don’t know about you, but my kale, spinach and lettuce is coming in nicely because none of the aforementioned plants know that it’s technically July and not May. This will offer my lovely wife Michelle and I some nice salad and sandwich greens at a time when, well, our tomatoes and strawberries should be turning red.
So, cheer up, West Coast of Canada! Just because the irreversible damages of climate change are graying and sweltering our landscape doesn’t mean that we can’t have a great, community-oriented summer. After all, we got to where we are today by being adaptable, creative and by making the best of totally bummer situations.