Thunder Distant

So I am realizing how very strange it is that we do not have thunder and lightning in San Francisco. I mean I did think it was strange at first. I kind of felt it was missing. But now, since traveling, I have encountered thunderstorms multiple times, and it occurs to me how truly profound and amazing it is that such storms do not occur in the San Francisco Bay Area - or at least the city itself. I don't know about the whole Bay Area. I mean, overall, SF is a bizarre bubble of unusual weather patterns. It reminds me not a small bit of the circle of ground in 'Waiting for Guffman' where supposedly the aliens had landed and the weather was always exactly 62.4 degrees (or some such) with a 30% chance of rain. That's basically San Francisco. That's what they were talking about. Hm. Perhaps the city is really an extra-terrestrial landing site. That would explain a lot.

But nevertheless, we still don't get thunderstorms. But while I was waiting all day in JFK airport for my flight to Paris, it was thundering outside and raining. It was the same in Boston as I was on the phone with several people at that time. And last night, as I went for my first run in France, I decided I needed to go quickly, because I could hear and see thunder off in the distance. It never came our way, but it was there.

I suppose it must not thunder in SF because of the even temperature. Since the electricity arises from the meeting of cold and warm fronts, and we don't really have such things in San Francisco - it's always kind of both - we get no electricity. Maybe that's partly why everybody is so mellow. We won't mention the other partly why. But I really believe weather affects the way people behave. If you live in a sunny place, like Florida or Southern California, chances are you will be smiling and happy and generally radiating sunn-like qualities most of the time. If you live in a colder climate, you will develop a colder aspect to your personality.

Southern France is quite warm and sunny. The 32 C degree weather took me by surprise at first. When I got off the plane, I thought they had heated the airport. And then I realized, no, hot weather does still exist in natural conditions. I am already clearly conditioned to San Francisco weather. But I adapt easily. Especially when the weather is warm and pleasant. Mmm, France. I think I will go bask in the sunlight some more.... And watch out for thunderstorms.