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Sometimes I'll fantasize about being one of those warm climate chasers. There are people who live in tropical climates in the winter, and then move north during the summer. Warm days all year long sound nice. I've long held that warm climates are in my blood, I still kinda believe that. I'm often more comfortable in the summer than C. One time, we were in the sauna together and she was sweating bullets, but my skin was bone dry; I was actually quite comfortable.

But the truth is I'll probably never be one of those migrators. It's not that I'm a romantic about seasons, it's not like winter is a key season for me. The truth is I enjoy contrast. I like relief.

Relief. Relief is the transition from discomfort to comfort. Relief is what I would miss if I lived in a warm climate. Have you ever walked in a downpour, rushing to get home, rushing to get inside, get warm, and change clothes? Those are some of my favorite moments in life. They're as good as a tasty dinner.

Temperature relief is one of my favorites. There's nothing like walking into a warm house after escaping the chill wind. A sweltering summer day into an air conditioned grocery store. Hopping from a cool swimming pool to the hot hub. Or from a frigid shower to a toasty sauna.

Sometimes I think about relief in small contexts, micro-relief. Like when you get a box of random chocolates. Sure, you want to eat only the good ones, but the chocolate box is roulette, you're gonna eat some that you don't like. And that's OK, it makes the good ones taste better. It's the same with jelly beans or Starburst or those candy advent calendars during Christmastime. The contrasts are good. One time, I got one of those "all one flavor" bags of jelly beans, and I got tired of them halfway through. Even though it was a bag full of the "good" flavor, I ended up missing the random flavors.

Those "all one flavor" bags are a trap. I think teenager me really liked that idea. Only banana Runts please. Pick out the ones you want. Avoid vegetables on the plate, only eat the meat. It seems childish to me now...

"Too much of a good thing" but I kinda hate idioms.

Uneven experiences create texture. A boring episode of your favorite show. A movie that you didn't care for. An album that has good songs and bad songs. A boring night with your friends. "They can't all be winners"...maybe they shouldn't all be winners. The losers lift up the winners.

"Without losers, where would the winners be", ugh, I hate idioms.

I don't like the concept of eternal paradise. Doesn't "paradise forever" sound like it would become boring after eternity? There's no more contrast, paradise becomes the norm, and the norm isn't interesting.

Maybe eternal paradise is supposed to transcend earthly feelings and emotions. But I like being a human. Do we keep our sense of identity? Or am we supposed to become part of the amorphous consciousness that is "good vibes"? It reminds me of the orange goo from the End of Evangelion. Both possibilities unnerve me...