I like the rain. I don’t particularly like the wet.

I like when it’s cold, but I don’t like feeling cold.

My feelings towards weather and temperature is very nuanced, and perhaps more than a little contradictory. They make sense to me, though, so maybe just consider this a weird love letter to the rain.

First of all, I really do not like the heat. As soon as it gets over 85°F I stop being able to function as a human. I can’t think straight, so I can’t be productive in any capacity. I just want to sit there and be hot and miserable. Given the fact that I live in Southern California, this means half the year can really suck.

I don’t know if it’s fair to say that that singular fact is why I love the cold and the rain, but it’s certainly part of it. But at the same time, my opinions require specificity in this case.

I don’t really know what cold weather is like. I’m not sure I’ve been outside when it was less than 30 or 40°F. Perhaps my opinions would change if I did know what that was like, as living in those conditions would definitely change my lifestyle significantly. What I do like is a slight chill. I like bundling up in three layers, feeling the brisk breeze on my hands and face while still feeling comfortable without a coat if I did need to go without. (It’s worth noting that I’ll wear a black coat on a sunny 80° day if I left when it was cooler that morning. Do with that information what you will.)

Being cold when you’re unprepared does suck, but I generally pride myself in my forward thinking, so that’s rarely an issue. Heat just tends to feel more oppressive than cold to me.

But I never get tired of rain, as Southern California never gets enough of it. I remember standing in the rain during lunch in high school and just letting myself get drenched. I’m sure the teachers in the next class weren’t too happy about that, though. I love the sound of rain and the feeling of the air when it’s lightly drizzling—right at the point where it’s not uncomfortable to walk in without an umbrella. When it’s pouring, that’s a different story. I’d go out in it if I’m wearing boots, but my normal shoes don’t have very high… what do you call those…  crests? Water gets into them easily if I step into a puddle, you get the idea.

Because of that, I don’t like actually being outside when it’s raining proper. I don’t like getting so wet that I’m inconvenienced once I’m out of the rain, so as long as that’s not an issue, I love it.

If you asked me what my ideal morning would be, the weather would be one of the first things that came to mind.

A slightly chilly overcast day. Possibly drizzling, or maybe it’s just a fog, but the day is painted with the muted grey of vibrancy without sunlight.

Accompanied by a hot cup of tea, as always.