21 Years
It was 21 years ago, Austin was the hottest place in Texas. Millennials were but nascent beings, the first of Generation Z was beginning to emerge, larval-like, and it was still called “Town Lake.”
Think Austin peaked at two or three days cresting 113°, and my memory isn’t all it could be.
Labor Day weekend show, a Virgo, a Leo, and then the stultifying heat of a trailer, a small tin can with no AC, and a town, devoid of people.
Pre 9/11, post Y2K?
A large portion of the “Millennial” group wasn’t old enough to drink, yet. Some could vote. The Dixie Chicks weren’t “cancelled” yet. All of “ZZ Top” was intact.
Time lurches forward. I still think about an old timepiece, and the way the pendulum swings, and each click of a gear-set, moving forward with impenetrable “click.”
The thought of temperatures, and broken AC units, Town Lake, and the old Barton Springs, all of that came up from watching the local weather. Prior to this weekend, in San Antonio, it has yet to hit 100°
Digging around in the archives, trying to find that entry, I discovered that the bank “Time and Temp” sign across the street from the old trailer park? That registered 116° that fateful Labor Day, non-holiday for me.
Over 110, and no AC?
In my mind, I sort of divide “Summer” into June-July-August, as that makes sense, and scheduled correctly, for me. But in South Texas, “Summer” hits in early May, maybe March, and stretches — generally — until at least November. So by my reckoning, despite all the other problems, everywhere, including our local politics, so weather is a safe topic. Bit weird, as we’ve had a 7 year drought all but erased in a matter of weeks, almost biblical in its effects.
Having spent years in the desert southwest, and recalling a nearly commonplace summer event with Phoenix’s Sky Harbor airport closed because the ambient temps soared above 120? But the effects are different, and in AZ I was used to the relatively dry heat, whereas humid Austin?
21 Years
What’s happened in 21 years?
Thinking back, I’ve got several books available, including one built on a single year in a trailer park. Old South Austin, when it was that creative cauldron.
Unsure of what brought it up, exactly, I was idly musing about “The hottest place on the planet” that fateful weekend in the year 2000, thinking a lot has transpired in 21 years.
Born in 1980-2? Not quite old enough to legally buy alcohol back then. “Cancel” culture has yet to be invented, and the “internet” was the wild, wild west. Sort of.
My last years in Arizona, it was usually a 20-minute walk home from the University. When that summer temp peaked over 110, and upwards? That walk could take as long as 40 minutes. Adjust and pace ourselves.
The follies of youth?
21 years is also three-quarters of a Saturn Cycle, so it’s time to pause and assess — what’s changed? What goals have been reached? Milestones?
The transit book, which I was talking about it back then, I finally pushed it out the door.
Much earlier, the aforementioned Two-Meat Tuesday, got it out the door, along with others.
There’s a personal goal, I’ve gotten to, as well, I’m down to just two pair of cowboy boots, a dress pair and an everyday pair, which is looking a little haggard, but it is supposed to beat up (looking). Maybe half-dozen sandals, and that’s it.
Small goal, but I did arrive at it, finally.
Less is more.
21 Years
What part of this matters?
It was the heat, and where we all were, 21 years ago, broiling in the summer sun.
- Looks like Monday finally hit 100.
It’s a Virgo thing.
