August 2024

Every August, ever since I first lived in New York City and observed the locals fleeing the city during the hottest month of the year, I have wanted to spend August on holiday. 

In America, this was a pipe dream.

But here in Europe, many people do this. 

They write off productivity in August and go to the beach, or the mountains, anything to get away from the stifling heat that hovers over the concrete and glass of any urban environment. 

It’s not a time for a city break; most cities are on holiday themselves. 

No, August is a time for slowing down. It’s very, very hot, for one, and even now I find it impossible to get much work done. Being in the air conditioning helps. 

But this is August, after all. And it demands slowness.