Yack yack New York City, blah blah blah, in New York, blah blah blah, because I live in New York, yadda yadda yadda, etc., etc., since I've moved to New York, yackity yack yack yack. New York, NYC, NY, NY, blah blah blah blah blah.

I've also had problems finding swimwear that fits my breasts, but I've found a couple of online stores that cater to women like me (and Rachel). My favourites are www.bravissimo.com and www.figleaves.com, but if you google "dd+ swimwear", you'll find more options.

Granted, this hasn't made me love summer, but it's one less thing to feel bad about when you can't wriggle yourself out of a pool/beach party invitation.

I'm not a woman, I sympathise re self consciousness with outsize breasts. I've never understood men's puppy dog fascination for neumatic breasts..so I'm with you there.

however the real razor sharp observation for me in the article is the appaling smell of parts of new york in the heat.

I transferred from London for a 4 month stint in the summer of 2002 and I was astonished at how the heat cooked and evaporated the 'Refuse bin juice' onto the sidewalks creating newly evaporated and streaking layers over older ones. These made me gag and wretch as I hurried past them.

This is a first world city, but it conjured up nothing less than visions of third-world tropical garbage dumps.

Summer replacement TV shows. Instead of reruns, instead of making stars and studios (and network execs) work in the New York heat, the networks would put on different shows. Some of them were cheap tryouts for some performers; Sonny and Cher's successful show started that way, while Burns and Schreiber never caught fire after their brief summer tryout.

They'd even run British shows that Americans never heard of; The Prisoner, The Champions, The Saint, The Avengers. Don Ameche, virtually unemployable in TV at the time, introduced European circus acts in International Showtime. It was better to watch those shows, even in black and white, than going outside to be humiliated and beaten by other kids.

Now, in 2008, we have summer replacement shows again after a long hiatus. Only they're humiliating contests of people falling into water with cynical announcers bitching about them, or awful reality shows based on that sad bit of teenage entertainment, High School Miserable. Well, at least we can watch BBC America now.

I've known too many people subjected to that 'get out and do things' mentality -- especially reading children, who are often accused of never wanting to have 'fun'. 'Get out and do things" is really much more for the parents' benefit than one's own when one is of such a temperament.

As far as breasts are concerned, you have my deepest sympathies and I hope you can get reduction surgery. People tend to snark at a macromastia diagnosis... what, not want huge tits? That's practically unAmerican! Gak. All I have to say is, let them go through one of your or my days.

So does winter. Spring is the only time I really enjoy, and to a lesser extent... fall, which is like spring but with trash (leaves) everywhere. Of course spring is mostly a memory. What used to be a blissful respite is now one week in march.

Not all of it. I loved going to beach as a teenager or even sunning on my roof deck as an adult. However, I lived in Philadelphia and, like New York, summers invariably become hot, humid sticky messes. There's nothing fun about that. My husband and I put a pool in our backyard last year though and our problem is solved. Every day is beautiful when you can swim a few laps and you have a built-in camp for children.

Get some perspective, you whining malcontent. Go spend the summer supporting the troops in Iraq, then come home and write your ridiculous, self-involved drivel. Why is it that no matter how much some people drink, their glass is always half-empty? Whaaaa - summer is too hot! Whaaaa!

i think that says it all about why some of us hate summer -- it's the idea that you're supposed to be DOING SOMETHING, taking advantage of the long days to participate in some kind of casual, sportsy amusement. My idea of fun is to curl up on my bed with a book for as long as possible, but when it's "so nice out!" you feel guilty for doing so. Plus venturing out into hot'n'humid new jersey temps is just not fun.

oh, and all that leg-and armpit-shaving to accommodate summer fashions -- the difficulty of finding an appropriate sweater/jkt/wrap when you go from hell-like outdoors to frigid AC office, stores, etc ...

my usual discussion groups, lecture series, etc, all cancelled because "It's summer -- everyone will be away" as tho every person in the world simultaneously takes 3-month out-of-town vacations ...

I live in an old house now which cannot support AC (the landlord won't rewire the electricity) so summer sucks worse than ever.

I use to work in NYC in the late 80's and early 90's. One of my favorite pastimes after a long day of work during summertime was to stand on those oppressively hot subway platforms waiting for the train. Taking in the steamy heat and with sweat dripping down my neck, I felt so alive.

We're different in that regard. I just love summer.

And their control of the weather. If only there were no Jews there would be no unpleasant summer either.

....when Pauk Rudnick sent her to that perky summer camp in 'Adams Family Values'.

Pretty funny stuff, though. Gidget and the Kennedys. Heh heh heh.

And how did you get your keyboard to make that little apostrophe thing under the 'c' in soupcon, in "a soupcon of urine and spoiled milk"? I used to know what it was called.

to with that whine. Negative at such a young age! Do you learn how to be so negative or does it just come naturally?

It sounds like your parents have money, and you have opportunities. What's your problem.