Are You Overtired or Overheated?

Yesterday, I aimed my car alarm at the airconditioner in my office. 

I was closing up and on my way out the door. 

When I heard my car alarm beep and Javier laugh out loud, I realized: this isn't going to work.

Climbing into my trusty Landcruiser, Javier asked if I would like the airconditioner remote to turn on my car. In that moment, I knew I was feeling tired and yet, there is something magical and powerful about laughter, especially, in those unintentional moments of making a loved one laugh.

More than twenty summers in Baja, I have invested time, energy and experience in learning how to stay relatively cool and conserve my energy during the warmer months. Ironically, in the last handful of years, much planning and drawing has happened during the winter and much onsite construction during the summer. The latter entails onsite visits during the warmer months.

As we approached the job site, I began taking pictures of the round rock planters, block curbing, white chalk lines for patio steps and the guys digging to begin their formation. This is in the afternoon sun. This is when the workers are partially covered to protect their skin, to stay relatively cool and work in these conditions. 

These men amaze me and whenever I see them working outside on the west side in the afternoon sun, I marvel and wonder how they do it. When this is your job, you do your best to do the job and stay hydrated and heat is part of the equation. No luxury. This is hot work with hot materials: stone, concrete, metal shovels and the blazing sun overhead. 

I called Javier later that afternoon, after taking photos to send to our client and asked if we can coordinate the work to happen with the trajectory of the sun: work on the west side in the mornings when there is some shade. Work on the east side when the sun is blazing on the west. He said that might work.

Several times in the last week, I have felt overheated. Defeated. I know better. I know how to stay relatively cool and conserve my energy. I take a moment to reflect: what have I done differently this summer and why am I feeling overheated? I've been walking the beach in the mornings after Paloma goes to school. The sun is up. The temps are rising. But, I'm walking along the water's edge, sunblocked and big hat to shade my face. Doesn't matter. The sun can easily zap your energy. I went to a lovely yoga class earlier this week. I enjoyed it very much and walked away with an inspiring poem and some new transitions. Still, I got too hot. My clothes were soaked. For the next two hours, I felt zapped. I know how to stay cool, I tell myself. I let myself overheat. Time, patience, hydration and the body recovers. I see Javier later in the day and say: we need to install airconditioners in the Yoga studio. His reply: don't overthink it, just do it. I'm working on it and wishing I had done this months ago in preparation. I thought about it. Then shelved the idea with: it's okay, we know how to stay cool. This is a luxury.

How do you know when you are overtired? One of my tell alls: when I step into the shower and turn on the water and the temperature doesn't feel right and I try to adjust one faucet and then the other and the water goes from too hot to too cold. I look at the faucets and see the letter "C" and I cannot remember if that means Cold or Caliente. Then I try to remember the universal law of which side is always hot and always cold. And still cannot remember. This tells me: you're overtired. 

Aiming the car alarm at the A/C is a new one. It is also a reminder of the comforts I enjoy: a trusty landcruiser and airconditioning in my office. 

How do our workers feel at the end of the day when they have worked in the sun or mixture of sun and shade? I imagine, very tired. I imagine, feeling the heat. I hope they rest. I hope they feel a cool reprieve. 

I come back to feeling overheated from walking on the beach in the sun or feeling overheated after taking a yoga class and I feel the immense privilege of the life I get to live. A life I have worked hard to create yet remember clearly and regularly what it felt like to live a life without privilege. I aim to create the best working conditions, salaries and experience for our workers, staff, crew and clients. That we may all feel as cared for, as considered, as important, as included, as we all are to each other in this shared life of community, near and far.  

As I sit here, I can feel the sweat beading, ready for a shower with confidence that I am feeling rested and remember which side is hot and which side is cold. Laundry is washing. Paloma is playing her Ukelele. Dylan just made toast. Javier is at Rancho el Aventadero, letting the chickens out to run around. And my yoga mat awaits me with my memory of how I practice in summer: aside from a slower practice, postures that help cool the body, as opposed to postures that increase body temperature. Forward bends, legs up the cool wall, yin and gentle poses, supported restorative chest openers and twists, combining effort and ease to maintain my body temperature and I know: this is a luxury. And I am grateful. Everyday.