Why Cool Air is Romantic!

Did you ever stop to think that cold air and bad weather are actually better for romance? Is there a reason the Sahara desert is still, after eons, underpopulated? Remember that fabulous love scene in the movie Against All Odds with Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward? I remember it because of the realistic looking perspiration. I find it funny when I read romantic scenes taking place in Mexico or Morocco and no one mentions heat. As someone who lived in the California desert for ten years, trust me it’s definitely something you want to describe. The heat is something that you can feel on your skin. It’s a palpable feeling that crawls under your clothes and into your shoes. It’s tangible and yet invisible. Sometimes it might cause you to have trouble inhaling and you can’t walk barefoot outside for fear of burning your feet. When the heat is dry, it feels like an oven and when it’s moderately humid, it feels like a sauna. Makeup rolls down cheeks and pompadours lie flat. If you aren’t a natural beauty, the heat will find your flaws.

Yesterday, a woman came on television calling herself a ‘Professional Cuddler’. It made me realize, there’s probably a need for her services. Everyone loves a hug but hugs are short and by the time you figure out what’s happening, the embrace is over. But cuddling-- now there’s something I want to wrap my arms around because it could technically last all evening. Possibly invented by Inuit’s or Nordic tribes freezing in the cold, I wondered why this woman decided to pursue her career path and figured maybe she’s an out of work sex therapist holding on to the last vestiges of her past. Actually, she looked like a nice person and she made everyone smile. She also, might have a point. And, I can’t help but think that without cuddling the Northern territories would be bare as a desert.

Speaking of the desert, I remember the end of our personal cuddling due to extreme heat. While we lived in La Quinta, a place most of you know as that golf mecca near Coachella Fest, touching was verboten and only allowed when the air conditioner was set on FREEZE. Outside the day temps rose to over one hundred and at night they lingered in the 90’s. Our first few years we tried to brave the heat and kept our windows open. Finally, we realized that our days were being wasted while we slumbered on the couch like boneless chickens in a pool of our own sauce. If I wanted to write, clean or cook, the air-conditioner had to be on 80 degrees or less. Anyway, now we’re an hour away and our nighttime temps are in the forties. Cuddling is back in fashion at our house and we love it!

Anyhoo, the point is: if you’re a writer then make sure to paint a picture about the temperature. I'm always struggling with this and often forget to do it too. If it’s hot then let them sweat and if they’re cold then get them cuddling so the romance can begin!