Freaking Hot and Humid

This is the fan I was using all day at the office and on the train this afternoon. It says "Bambi" on it in stylized katakana, one of the two Japanese syllabary or alphabet systems. I'd switched from a bigger one so I could use it on the train without hitting the person next to me, but it's so small as to be almost completely useless.

It's so freaking hot and humid. And it's only June. It probably wouldn't be this bad if Japan weren't "setsu-den"ing (saving electricity) now, but...I feel like I'm gonna pass out. My face flushed just from walking to the train station earlier today in the mid-day sun. I think something like 600 people were admitted to the hospital two days ago for heat stroke.

After stewing all day in my own juices, I am now on the train where there is at least some air-con. it was supposedly on at the school today, but the windows' letting in so much sunlight, the relatively high A/C temp (28 degrees Celsius), and the big space all combined to make it feel like it wasn't on at all.

I only spent three or so hours in an A/C'ed room today:

* 1-1.5 hours while recording the audio tracks for the school's self-produced textbook. (If you ever wonder why the dialogue tracks on language-learning CDs are so lame, blame the textbook writer, not the speakers!)

* One hour while eating lunch

* One hour while teaching

I would've taught more classes if the senior teacher today let me, if only to be in an A/C'ed room. Heck, I would have taught all six of his classes. But I couldn't, because he was training someone and either letting the trainee observe or teach in most of his classes.

I'd like to think that the reason this train reeks of sweat isn't me, but I can't be sure. I am so hot and sweaty, I want to drink a gallon of iced tea while standing under a cold shower, then replace all the blood in my body with said iced tea. x_X

These days, when I get home from work, I'm so disgustingly hot and sweaty that I literally peel off everything (yes, literally, since everything is stuck on my skin, I can't just slip out of my skirt or shirt; I have to peel them off) as soon as I step in the door and jump in the shower.

There's no amount of wet wipes (of which we have large sizes, and many) that would get rid of the stickiness. I need to start carrying wet wipes with me so I can wipe down when I get to work.

I had to go to the bathroom as soon as I got to work today (not for the usual reasons), but to splash some cold water on my face. I don't know how women are still wearing all that makeup. Mine would have melted into a brown puddle onto my shirt.

Ugh.

Ok. Enough complaining about the weather. For now. I

I'm gonna read my Murakami book and hope it takes me to a faraway and cool place. Like a cave. Filled with iced tea.