i found out before noon that there was no work for me today (the printers still weren't ready with the remaining boards). although that meant i had a free day, i couldn't go anywhere because the weather looked like it'd rain at a moment's notice. instead i stayed home and made lunch: a blueberry strawberry smoothie along with some reuben sandwiches. it was my first time making reubens, i didn't realize how fatty they were, with the layers of mayonnaise, corn beef, cheese, sauerkraut, and grilled in a frying pan of melted butter.

unexpectedly the weather cleared up, although it was too late for me to go out naturing. instead i went for a run in the humid and hot weather. the sun felt weird on my head, i don't think the top of my skull has been exposed to natural sunshine for over 2 decades. i could feel the wind blowing over the curves of my head, my short hair playing like whiskers feeling the gentle breeze. my hair didn't bounce into my eyes and i felt lighter. i couldn't stop looking at my shadow on the ground, intrigued by the unfamiliar silhouette of my head. the sun will do me some good, adding some color to the pale skin where my hair used to be. you'd figure i'd feel cooler with less hair, but without the insulation of my former coiffure, my bald head actually felt warmer. when i came home i showered, tried to shampoo but there wasn't enough hair to get any lather. the stubbles on my head acted like velcro, tugging on my t-shirt as i tried to slip it on. this new look is a good experience, it'll prepare me for one day when i really go bald. not only does going hairless make me look either criminal or diseased, it also makes me look old.

for dinner i had the rest of my reuben sandwiches while watching a frontline documentary on the saudi royal family.

later in the evening there was an intense thunderstorm. the sky was flashing, the ground from rumbling from the thunder, and hard rain fell continuously. fearing my motorcycle would be drowned where i parked it, i changed into my swimming trunks and went outside in the rain to move it down the street. the water was already up to the back of my legs, i parked the bike in a drier spot. soon afterwards the rain stopped and cambridge was back to being quiet.