Maybe it is sleep debt, maybe it is stress and adrenaline leaving the system. But either way, even after an objectively good night (so says the sleep tracker), I feel terrible.
Well not terrible per se. It’s more of a zombie like grogginess. The sort of slow thinking, “the world is too bright” kind of day that really can only be resolved with mimosas, dark glasses and a nap after a pleasant brunch.
Ah brunch! Remember those? They were the most illusive hints at what adult life could be. I mean, they only really unlocked as a thing when I was in Vancouver and pushing 30. But the problem there was that we did not have the financial capital to indulge in such activities very much - only when our more sophisticated friends invite us out. And at that time, even having a coffee outside felt luxurious, so the notion of sitting down on a terrace for a cocktail or mimosa was much above our station.
I remember back in 2018, one of
I left that place with a slight ringing in my ears, like I’d been to some sort of music performance - no doubt from people shouting over the background din of so many people. But there was a definite vibe. A certain vitality to the place. Like everyone there was alive.
Looking back now, I understand why New York was so badly affected by Covid. Not just from the initial contagion perspective but from a cultural impact too.
I think I miss that. I miss being surrounded by busy people, with no agenda of my own. No clock watching. No thinking about the babysitter and having to get back soon. Just having a weekend free, to do as I please when I please. Which right now, would be just about nothing.