Summer Brain.

This morning I got up and ran 8.74 miles in the park. And as I sat on the couch with ice on my knees, my Stitch pillow pet, and other post-run comforts (more coffee, peanut butter, unsweetened applesauce, etc.), I realized that it has been a while since I blogged. I'll blame the summer- that saucy minx. She sweeps in with her nice weather and the time just flies by- tomorrow it will be July. Crazy.

A few people in the med school dorm next to my building are having a cookout on their balcony. Judging by their continuous presence out there with club music and beer funnels, I am torn between two conclusions. First- that they have passed their boards and are going for one last hurrah before they settle into the madness that accompanies the rest of their med-student career; and second- that they did NOT pass their boards and are preparing for some sort of fall back occupation as nightclub owners.

I think it's the former.



This past week has been unbearably hot. It has been so hot that I have not turned on the oven- even to make dinner. You'd be surprised how innovative I became with cold meals- raw veggie plate, gaspacho, and finally, "ah, screw it, let's get take-out." The weather report alleges rain for this next week. Let's hope that that means we will be able to get dressed in the morning without becoming drenched in sweat. We'll see.

It also occurred to me this week- I am running my second half marathon in about two weeks. I am running the Old Port Half Marathon on July 14th- I get another sweet medal, I get to see my sister, and from what I understand, there is beer at the finish line. Does it GET any better than that? And the commute is actually do-able for Ben this time- he'll be at the finish line also. And J and F. Life is good.

Life is real good.

My Summer Soundtrack

Certain songs remind me of different seasons. It could be that I associate them with part of the year when I listened to it an awful lot, or maybe because there's something about the way that they sound that gives me a particular vibe. For example, the song 'Name' by the Goo Goo Dolls always makes me feel like riding in the car, staring out the window. And it's always at sunset and it's always autumn. Anyway. After some thought I put together a list of songs that- to me- say summer. [I should add that there were originally 18 songs on this playlist, but it was unreasonably long, so I halved it...]


1) Jackson Browne- 'Somebody's Baby'

Baseball dugouts. Fast times. Enough said.

2) Aerosmith- 'Jaded'

There is just something about this song that makes me feel like running across a beach. Only not un a slow motion romance kind of way, more of a 'get me to that ocean I wanna splash and scream and have a picnic' kind of way.

3) The Script- 'Don't Break Even'

Picture it: a co worker and I at what was easily my least favorite job. It was summer and this song played about every five minutes. But don't worry, it's not an earworm- except that yeah, it totally is.

4) The Fray- 'Over My Head'

This song was on a mix cd that Libby made for Sammy in high school. I have distinct memories of riding with Sam to Giffords and getting Peppermint Stick ice cream cones. Which reminds me- I must add 'trip to Giffords' to my list of things to do in Maine this summer.

5) Shakira and Wyclef Jean- 'Hips Don't Lie'

School of Robinson Ballet. Hottest days of the whole summer. Being so overcome with the music and the movement that the humidity was only an afterthought. Shakira Shakira.

6) The Eagles- 'Desperado'

My father loves the Eagles. He's got a bunch of cassettes in his truck. I love riding around with my father. And in the summer, these rides usually involve a trip to the Dairy Queen. We have the same blizzard order. Like Father, Like Daughter.

7) Avenue Q- 'My Girlfriend Who Lives In Canada'

The first time I played this song for my sister, we were in the car on the way to the mall. We laughed until we cried.

8) Third Eye Blind- 'Semi- Charmed Life'

'I believe in the sand beneath my toes/ The beach gives a feeling, an earthy feeling/ I believe in a faith that grows/ And the four right chords can make me cry/ When I'm with you I feel like I could die and that would be all right.

ALL RIGHT!!'

9) Wheatus- 'Teenage Dirtbag'

Bangor High. Best Friends. Green Saturn. Green Jeep. Best Friends. Soul Mates. OOOoooOOOooo.

Juicy June

June is the time when the sun stays out for good, there is pollen everywhere, and the humidity starts to make every un-air conditioned place feel like a sauna. June is also the time when I get a surge of optimism about today- the rest of the summer- next year- MY LIFE. Yeah, it's happening today. I'm making plans and making changes and I couldn't be more excited about where I'm headed. YAY LIFE!!

Tomorrow will be my first day at a summer camp for preschoolers on the upper east side. My co workers are awesome, we set up our classroom on Friday, and we actually get some kids in with us tomorrow! I'm still adjusting to the idea that pretty much every school in Manhattan has a play area on the roof, but we will be up there playing for the next 11 weeks. I am very pleased. To make things even better, I was also just offered a job for the September-June school year. Amazing. Awesome. Kickin.

I am suddenly so excited about all of the trips I'll be taking this summer. Yeah, most of them are back home to Maine, but I will be running my second half marathon and wedding planning with my Mom, which, to me, are wonderful things to look forward to. And my weekends are free, so people are planning on coming to the city to visit me?! I couldn't be happier.

One of the more- erm-- bittersweet excitements I'm feeling now is the fact that I will have TIME to clean my apartment and make it look the way I want. The bitter, of course, is that I will actually have to clean, and probably for an extended period of time. But I'm ordering furniture and drawing plans on a yellow legal pad and Babs is running and hiding under the bed. She does not like change.

As much as I would love to sit here and gush more about how happy I am (entertaining as THAT may be), I must be off. It's time to get ready for my second to last Sunday brunch for a while. Bring on the Bloody Marys.

Does anybody else feel this way once summer has started? Some other time of year? What kinds of things are you feeling excited about? I guarantee that once you start thinking about it, you'll start to feel great. :)