My mood is highly correlated to the weather. More specifically, I need the sun to feel cheerful, motivated, and all other optimistic emotions. My life may turn upside-down but I’ll be happy as long as it’s bright and shiny outside. This hasn’t changed even after living in Ahmedabad where the sun can literally melt roads at times.
There were a couple of days between the last deadline of the term and my ticket home. I thought I would get to enjoy my favorite winter pass-time after ages — sit in the sun all day with a novel. When the day finally came, I woke up to this:
Yes, it rained in December. It was 10am. The overcast sky was accompanied by an invisible drizzle and a freezing wind – the perfect cocktail for depression. Cookie, the dog, was howling nearby to express his discomfort. A peahen was foraging lazily. My plan stood canceled.
I shut all doors and windows and began wondering how I’ll spend this free day. I could paint. I could watch a movie. I could play a PC game. I could try cooking a new recipe. I could write a story. I could learn a new tune on the whistle. I could have fun singing karaoke. I could read in bed. I could finish some of the online courses I started. I could restart Spanish lessons on Duolingo. Or I could just chat on the phone.
But when my mood is ruined all the things I usually find interesting suddenly seem boring. So I put on some music, climbed into bed, and started thinking about the future. Five minutes later, deeply unsettled, I got up and decided to spend the day watching That ’70s Show. Ah, sitcoms, the thing I turn to when I just want to switch off my mind and waste time.
After few episodes, I got bored and decided to take a nap. I had a dream related to the show, where I was in the circle with Hyde and Red. Hyde was a communist and it went something like this:
Red: What’s a damn commie like you doing in a b-school?
Hyde: I’m here to take down the system from the inside, man. First, I’m gonna build up my credit-worthiness. Then I’ll take lots of credit. Then I’ll become an NPA. It’s the perfect plan, man!
I woke up and had a nice laugh.