Overheating Differently

NEW WATERS

5 / 5 / 2026

Hello from interstate 10 !

I’m on my way back from California, driving back to sweet old Sedona… and my lord is the desert an interesting place to feel. I just passed a sign that read, ‘Turn off your AC for the next 10 miles to avoid overheating.”

Meanwhile, every time I turn off my AC, the sun turns my car into a toaster oven and I start developing a whole new set of thoughts I don’t identify with.

The desert seems to be asking me to… overheat differently. 

I just spent 2 weeks working remotely and traveling up and down the California coast, from San Francisco to San Clemente. I had the chance to go on a road trip with a dear friend of mine so we did our girls trip, stopping at a tree house in Temecula, a beautiful European style home in the mountains of Santa Barbara, and eventually we glamped outside of San Francisco. 

After she headed back to the east coast, I traveled south again to Malibu to meet my boyfriend who is currently expanding his business in California.

We spent time on beautiful land up in the Malibu hills, traveled back to Santa Barbara to glamp for the weekend, and ended in San Clemente, a homey town that reminded us of places on the east coast. 

We came across all different types of landscapes and people, and that always seems to be our favorite part. One of our favorite things to do together is people watch and read and understand everyone. You can gain a lot of information by watching and feeling someone’s energy. 

One night, we were sitting on the beach in San Clemente and Jacob noticed an older man walk up to a young woman and sit next to her. He said he could feel something was off, so he purposely walked up to the water, giving her an opening and letting her dog run up to him, waiting to see if she’d signal anything. 

He didn’t get anything clear from her. But by this point I could read the situation too. 

She was in her young 20s, on the beach with her small dog and book. He was a much older man that walked right up, sat down and inserted himself into her space. She didn’t want to engage with him, but did not want to be “unkind” or disruptive to the man, so she let him stay. He wouldn’t hurt her, but something about it still wasn’t right. 

Feeling this, Jacob and I decided to try again and ask to pet her dog together. It worked perfectly and I engaged the young woman while Jacob turned to the man. 

When I started talking to her, I felt it more clearly. But I also began to genuinely connect with her and we both knew nothing happened by coincidence. 

She was 22, a waitress, interested in health and wanting more from life and I couldn’t help but feel like I was looking at a younger version of myself. We chatted for a moment, laughing and connecting easily and I watched her light up when I told her what I get to do now. 

Again, she never expressed any sign that she was uncomfortable with the man, so I got her number to connect and we walked away. 

When we had connected by text later on, I let her know why we walked up to her and she said this “you guys are the sweetest, I definitely appreciate that lol…didn’t know him but couldn’t really escape the convo😭 thank you!” 

I’d always rather be safe than sorry when it comes to something like that.

It reminded me of the part that feels something isn’t quite right, but doesn’t want to be disruptive. The part that stayed kind even when it came at her own expense. I know that place well and it felt really special to meet a young woman there from a different place. 

And honestly it made me think about that sign in the desert. “Turn off your AC to avoid overheating” Because sometimes it feels like that, doesn’t it? Like the solution is to override what you need to prevent something worse from happening.