The Problem of Summer

I love summer. Summer is popsicles, sleeping in and staying up late, reading fluff books, going to the movies, and basically doing whatever you want. Just reading that list makes me happy!! As it is, however, my summer hasn't entirely felt like that. Oh sure I've had my quick vacations to California, and yes I can sleep in when I want to. But this summer there's a boat load of work I still find myself having to do.

First I've got this Gilder Lehrman conference coming up in July. By the time I get on that plane to go to New York City, I must have completed three nonfiction history books. One of which is over 600 pages in length. Interesting, but definitely not the fluffy, beach reads I would hope to crack open in the summer.

Second, I'm working on a project for the Teaching With Primary Sources grant. I have to put together Primary Resource Sets for individual Indicators in the State Core. In fact, I am signed up to complete 18 of these sets. Yes, I get paid, but wow...I'm at "1 down, 17 to go" at this point. *sigh*

Third, I would really like to get up and going on my Curriculum plans for my night school classes next year. Life in the 2010-2011 school year will be MUCHO simpler if that gets done before September.

But going back to The Problem of Summer. The real problem is that IDEA of summer. I want to play! But my blasted logical mind is struggling to let me really enjoy the play time I take when there are all these other RESPONSIBLE things I should be doing. Blast.

I think the universe is trying to make me work too. When I asked my two-year old nephew last Sunday if we could "hang out sometime this week"--as long as it was okay with his mom, of course--she responded that he was pretty busy with playdates and other such things. Yeah, that's right. My two-year old nephew has a busier social calendar than me. Thank goodness I have those Resource Sets to keep me company, right?

California = #1

To celebrate another year as SURVIVORS of the public education system, Greg and I planned a road trip to California for the first week of June. My fab friend, Caryn, came along as well and I couldn't have been happier about that! The road trip proved not only to be full of grand and happy memories, but a wonderful way to cross #1 Take a Roadtrip off my 27 in 27 list.

We left on Sunday afternoon and I pulled my car back into my complex about 1:00 am on Wednesday morning. So the trip was, first and foremost, FAST. But I did mention fabulous, right? I had so much fun!

The drive to California was relatively uneventful. Caryn had provided us each a new/weird treat--chili pepper covered pineapple which we consumed somewhere in Nevada, I think. Eating that (and a whole lot of other stuff) and singing our way through 3 volumes of Glee music took up most of the time. Arriving in California we did have a few speedbumps (metaphorical for the most part). We got a wee bit lost trying to find our hostess to procure the house key (Greg is GREAT at U-turns, though), Blueberry got a wee bit "smudged" when one driver--who will remain nameless--hit a pole, but all in all--we made it!!

Monday was spent basking in the beauty and magic of Disneyland Resort. We rode most everything we wanted to, and a few favorites more than once. We ate lots of luscious Disney treats--churros, ice cream, brownies, muffins, Mint Juleps (Disney First!). Really, you can't rightly capture in a Blog the joy of seeing your best friend get drenched on Grizzly River Run, or the thrill of riding an insanely fast bobsled down the Matterhorn at night...wedged between somebody's legs. Just know--it was awesome. Approximately 15 Hours of Awesome, in fact. We ended the day how we started it--at the bakery. Greg loaded up on a brownie and Diet Coke to guarantee he'd stay awake for the drive back to our borrowed "pad." Not a usual meal for midnight, but there you go.

Tuesday we finally awoke...somewhere between 8 and 9, I believe. After some quick "readying" we headed for the Santa Monica Pier. Beach Time!! Unfortunately, the overcast skies didn't seem to want to burn off too quickly. So we checked out stuff on the pier--including a Trapeze School?--and then wandered the beach for a couple hours. We saw somebody who was either "famous" enough to be readying for a photo shoot or a stranger who was just so full of herself she brought personal stylists along to the beach. Caryn and I discussed the HOT factor of clean cut surfers. And we built "sandcastles" with our feet. They met their demise by incoming waves, though Greg's hung on long enough to appear like a lonely Sand Mushroom as we walked away.

And we did walk away. We walked back to the car, changed back into travel wear, and headed home. Well, I should say that after one more quick California stop--to try my first ever In'n'Out Burger--we headed home.

Overall, it was a great California road trip with some truly hilarious and wonderful people. Fast. Fabulous. And a mere $75 extra at the car dealership to buff out the paint markings (ala The Pole) on the side of Blueberry.

Happy Summer!!!

And Here is My Report...

School is OUT for the summer!! 180 days down, 0 to go. Wahooo!!!! The celebrations will go on for at least a month and a half, and then I'll have to start focusing on going back to school. But let's not put such a damper on things at this point.

No, the point of this is to remind you all of a little goal I set for myself back in August--No Treats for the School Year. There were some pre-designated treat days and even treat weekends, and I'm not going to lie and pretend I didn't justify a few other occasions that came up (i.e. the night I was literally surrounded by brownies, eclairs and sorbet at a wedding reception and decided that spending a Saturday night serving a friend was treat-worthy). But for the most part...I did it. Really. I turned down cookies, donuts, candy bars, birthday cake, cupcakes, ice cream and more for over 9 months. Whoa.

I bring this up not to gloat, per say. I imagine most people aren't impressed, anyway, but more likely find it bewildering. Because...who does that?! I sit here as the one who accomplished it and just think, "Holy cow! I did that?! Why? Whoa!!" Seriously.

I know the why--I'm insane, plus I had a great desire to slim down the waistline. And there were positive outcomes in that as well as other areas. For example, this experience taught me that I have amazing willpower in big, strict things. Its the small, normal things that I need to work on. Namely, having moderation in all things--including treats.

I'm going to have to adjust to life with treats again. I'm fairly confident the alien feeling of cookie consumption will aid in the new goal of Treat Moderation--the next step to becoming a somewhat normal, well-adjusted human being. I'm also fairly confident the alien feeling will disappear all too rapidly. I'm just hoping it doesn't disappear along with the box of Girl Scout Thin Mints in my cupboard.