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These days, I find myself always looking into the future. I keep looking forward to the weekend, waiting for some peace and quiet and yet something always comes up. Every weekend, I think, “This is the weekend I’ll finally get to hit up the gun range/go camping/drive to the beach” and every weekend, I end up busy with something I don’t want to do.
In elementary, middle and high school, summer was a break from school, yet I worked all the time so it really wasn’t a break. Those that have worked in the golf business know, having a schedule where you work when everyone else is heading to the shore, the lake or partying is not ideal at all. In college, I got double fucked: being away from college as well as continuing to work every Fourth of July. I hadn’t enjoyed a Fourth of July from age 14-24.
The weird thing about summer is that it’s gone before it gets here. After winter, the spring months are spent fixing all the bullshit that winter brought. There’s all sorts of holidays, family get-togethers and things of that nature, along with weeks of rain and moderate chances of snow, so it’s hard to really get anything accomplished. By the time the nice weather rolls around, you’re balls deep in yardwork, rec sports, trying to catch a decent concert or getting railroaded by life. Throw some weddings in the mix coupled with visits home if you live away from your parents and you have a recipe for never having any downtime.
There’s something mystic about summer: the long days, tall shadows and gorgeous sunsets. Sure, I don’t love the humidity, mosquitoes or lack of any good sports (sorry, baseball). Going for a hike through the mountains and enjoying wildflowers, working up a sweat to earn your post hike shower beer or being able to sit around a campfire and grill are some of my fondest memories. To me, summer should be a time to relax. It’s not called “the dog days of summer” for no reason. You figure, it’s really only nice outside from May to September in my neck of the woods so why not get together and feel alright? By the time you realize its summer you’re at the second half of July.
As of this article, we’re 38 days from college football season, meaning by that time, summer is over. Sure I want college football season; it’s my favorite time of the year, but I haven’t knocked out any of the things I’ve wanted to do yet, like visit Antietam, build my fire pit or go to the beach. For me, summer really isn’t summer unless you get to the beach. Something about the smell of the salty ocean, suntan lotion, sand between your feet, and the smell of charcoal grilling gets me in the mood to enjoy life.
Not only is it great beach time but I look forward to a porch beer and a grill session with friends. Everyone drinks too much and talks too loud – these are the kind of things I live for. When it gets cold out and I’m shoveling a foot of snow off my car, I remember the warm days when the trees weren’t bare of leaves and everything was vibrant and green. I’m sure seasonal depression is made up but it doesn’t make the cold, shitty weather any better. If it wasn’t for hockey and college basketball, I wish I could hibernate through winter.
Up until postgrad life, I never really got to enjoy summers. In fact, I wished them to be over as fast as possible. I’ve missed out on a ton of parties, vacations and experiences due to working. In college I wanted it to be over so I could return to school. As someone that can finally sit back and take in summer, I’ve found it to be a much overlooked part of life. .
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Madoff
I specialize in damage control, being the drunkest at any and all functions and social assassination. Always appreciate a strong gif game. Follow me on Twitter. Sometimes I put up cool stuff about golfing at the local dirt tracks.
@BLMInvestment
September Scaries
Boat is in the water. Spending every minute I can on that beauty!
Heading to the lake right after work now.
Living in Texas, can’t wait for summer to be over. But if I were north of the Mason-Dixon, I’d be losing my damn mind.
I’m in the minority, but even in the midwest I get to a point where I’m ready for summer to be over. I bitch about the weather in February life everyone else, but seasonal changes are awesome.
It won’t cool down until Halloween. But when it does, it’s bliss.
As usual, you nailed it. Was texting with a buddy earlier today about how insane it is that it’s almost August. I haven’t even been as busy this summer as I have in the past and it’s been a total blur.
THIS is everything I needed today. As usual fantastic job my friend.
One perk of Florida is that we have summer from March-November typically. Some hate it, but I enjoy being able to rock shorts and a t shirt into December and laying out by the pool during a warm snap in February.
Yeah, but you still have to live in Florida
“Only a fifth of a second before that you were a small kid with a ten-week summer vacation that lasted a hundred thousand years and still ended too soon. Zip!” One of my favorite lines from Catch-22, this just kind of reminded me of it.
Great article except the part when you said baseball isn’t a good sport. This is America. If you don’t like getting hammered at an afternoon ballgame (Major or Minor) you can go fucking live in North Korea.