It was unseasonably warm in Los Angeles today. To the point where I'd venture to say that so far this year, it was the hottest day it's ever been. And now, at 3AM local time, it's still hot. And I'm still awake, though I can't tell if that's because I slept 10 hours last night and I'm still completely rested, I'm too uncomfortably hot to sleep, or if it's a by-product of the half a liter of Mountain Dew Code Red I downed earlier today.

I was stumbling around various sites tonight (because we all know the Internet is a great way to kill time when it's 3AM and you're not tired) and stumbled across this rather interesting site from another L.A. resident. She's not only got good content and pictures, but she's also completely tricked out her site with Flash and all that jazz plus a soundtrack that features the sound of rain and some basslines and notes on an electronic piano. It's oddly disconcerting and yet soothing at the same time. But the thing that I finally realized that was getting to me was the sound of rain falling.

Now I--
Oh now I wish it would rain down
Down on me
Oh yes I wish it would rain
Rain down, down on me now...
-- Phil Collins, "I Wish It Would Rain Down"

The last time I heard rain falling was when I was back East visiting my parents over a month ago, and I sat out on their back porch for over an hour while I just listened to the rain come down and watched the lightning illuminate the night. Until you have experienced it, you have no idea what a soothing sound rainfall can be -- but it has to be natural, that artificial noise machine crap just doesn't cut it. Falling asleep to rainfall is a great thing, and it makes me miss weather all over again (yes, I've already written about my displeasure over the fact that it's always sunny in L.A. and it's disconcerting to me that there's no WEATHER here).

Coming to Los Angeles makes me realize just what a precious commodity rain is. Not even in terms of replenishing reservoir supplies and all those environmental aspects, but also as far as giving the psyche a rest. An excuse to stay indoors and allow yourself to slow down from the fast pace and give yourself a respite from the impetus to go outside and do something -- anything active and outdoors -- that being in constant sunnyness gives you. And, I have to admit, it's a bit romantic as well and it appeals to the poetic soul.

I've set up a playlist of rain-related songs and I'll climb into bed now with the hopes that the mere thought of rain will be able to lull me to sleep. Tomorrow, I may e-mail the person behind the rain-soundtracked website, and hopefully she'll answer me since she seems like a very interesting person and someone I'd like to get to know.

I'm feeling so alive, feeling so real
On a stormy night, the rain is coming down
Rain like never before
I've got some records on, some bottles of wine
On a stormy night, the rain is lashing down
And I'm waiting for her...
-- Ash, "Goldfinger"