Heatwave 2010 - Day 1

[akk]

Outside temperature[°C]: 31.3 / 19.8
Bedside temperature[°C]: 23.4
Sleeping time: 07:00 - 15:30 (too early. have to shift further to 10:00-18:00)
Symptoms: bleeding nose membranes (ozone)
Other: Breeze and birds in the morning. Lawn has brown edges (~20% of the grass is dead). The strawberries, tomato plants and petunias on the balcony are watered three times a day and still alive.

Forecast
[32/20]-[36/19]-[32/21]-[34/19]-[33/20]-[30/19]-[30/18]-[21/15]
real temperatures, felt temperatures approx. +3


Realization: I tend to panic when it comes to heat. Thanks, heatwave 2003, for nearly killing me. You certainly succeeded with my rationality!
Plans to keep my cool:
1) rereading / rewatching X/1999 specifically for Twin Star, Fuma and Seishiro interaction. (I might as well do something useful!)
2) a card on the desk constantly reminds me that HW 2003 was deadly because it lasted 6 weeks!
3) started a new Yanoman jigsaw puzzle: rice paddy in the mountains (lots of soft green and blue in 5146 pieces)
4) this blog documentary (daily)

Comments

[rheasilvia]

It's good that you're able to shift your sleeping pattern like that - and yes, I don't think this heat will hold up nearly as long as the 6 weeks of 2003.

Can you get an AC installed? That won't help against the ozone, of course...

[akk]

I'm working on getting an AC, but there are restrictions from the landlord, so it has to be a portable one and money's an issue as well. I plan to get one for next year, though.

[rheasilvia]

I used to have a portable DeLonghi AC unit with a water tank (no installation necessary, merely electricity and a window/balcony door for the hose letting out the discharged air) when I lived in an appartment with no insulation right under the flat roof. The appartment got hotter than it was outside, and didn't cool down at night at all, no matter what. It was impossible to live in.

Yeah, it was expensive, particularly since I was a student at the time, but I really had no choice. And I got it overnight, again since I had no choice; I couldn't have stayed in that appartment otherwise.

[akk]

I'm at groundlevel in a thick walled, well-isolated "Altbau". As long as it doesn't stay hot too long, I'll manage to maintain bearable temps.
The AC is a fixed position on my budget planning, but right now the money is just not there.

[rheasilvia]

groundlevel in a thick walled, well-isolated "Altbau"

Sounds good! Yeah, in that case the AC isn't such a desperate necessity.

[akk]

It will ease my nerves, once it's an option, though. :)

[primera]

Pff, that is nothing! I can't believe you call that a heatwave! it's 40°C over here. I just went running out there and almost died. Started feeling sick and had to go behind some trees to throw up. I'm sharing this story with everyone I talk to today I don't care how gross it is. :)

[akk]

Heat is relative. It depends on the temperature normal for the environment where you live. Your reaction also depends on what temperatures you are used to and your thermal "comfort zone".

Normal temperature over here in Summer is around 22-25°C with an occasional day going towards 28-30°C. This is the first time that I (and the German weather service!) recall that Northern Germany may cross into 40+°C. So we're talking about 15°C or more above normal summer heat. If 40°C is normal for your place, imagine 55°C and argue again.

[primera]

I live in one of those places where the winters are really really cold and the summers are really really hot, so I would guess that I'm pretty adaptable to the extremes that come along.

[akk]

Then you're lucky.

[primera]

Lucky for being adaptable, but that doesn't mean I don't think longingly of the day when I'll be able to move somewhere more comfortable :(

[akk]

Lucky for being adaptable. Lucky for being healthy to cope with the strain put on your system so frequently. And I wish you even more luck for finding a comfortable place for yourself in the future.

Mine would probably somewhere with glaciers... :)

[primera]

Thanks :) I must admit I do tend to have a lot of luck, so I'm sure someday I'll settle down in my dream location, where it's always cool and breezy *_*

Glaciers. Wow, you really do like to stay cool. Watch out for the polar bears ;)

[killthwight.livejournal.com]

Yay, it's not that bad! :D Really glad to hear it doesn't seem like temperatures will be that high and that you're holding up!

On a side note, I'm amused that the temperatures you had today are about the same as we have here now and we're going through our winter. The lesson here is never to come anywhere close to Rio. ;)

[akk]

:) With heat, it's a lot about what you are used to. Most tropical and subtropical areas (except highly technologized *and* cooled) are forever off-limits to me. On the other hand, I still wear t-shirt and summer pants at first snow, even open shoes if the ground's dry, so anything above 25°C is well out of my comfort zone. :)

[killthwight.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's definitely about what people are used to, even when it's cold (though I admit it's easier to deal with the cold because you can always put more clothes on). I remember visiting Ljubljana in November and freezing to the point I could barely hold a pen I was shaking so much. It wasn't even below -5oC, I think.

[akk]

While I consider -5°C the perfect weather for outdoor sports, wandering, and stuff. :)