Sigh. I know that summer really is almost over, that a new year looms waits just around the corner, and that eight hours of sleep a night will soon become a distant memory (sob). I suppose that summer always feels too short, that every August I'm suddenly struck with the realization that WOAH there, summer--this relationship is moving WAY too fast for me, and that no matter how much I accomplish in these three months of freedom, I am always going to have an impossibly long "woulda, coulda, shoulda" list. I remain convinced, however, that this summer the August-ness stings more than usual.
As I mentioned in June, this summer was supposed to be the summer of doing NOTHING. Alas, somehow that message got lost in translation, and this summer became the summer of doing EVERYTHING. Let's review, shall we? I went to New Orleans, hosted a birthday party, hosted an engagement party, hosted Liz, toured Philadelphia with my brother and his girlfriend, went to Richmond, came home, went to Richmond again, visited my Grandmother in Clemson, visited dear friends (including Whitney) in D.C., cheered during Preston's baseball games, went to Scotland with my in-laws, decided that nope - family vacations don't get any less awkward as you get older, went to Wintergreen where we hosted my friend Margaret and visited with my friend Kelly, and oof. Late on Friday night we arrived home in Bryn Mawr. I mean, honestly. Maybe it's my old age, or the fact that I'm a gigantic loser, or the fact that I spent the entire morning at IKEA staring at Swedish names that I can't pronounce, but don't YOU get tired from reading that list (and lalala you are not allowed to tell me if you say "no.")?
Now, I admit that this summer of THE CRAZY is almost entirely my fault. I overestimated my energy, said yes to far too many people and invitations, and did not reserve enough time for doing nothing (and by doing nothing, of course, I mean reorganizing & deep cleaning our apartment...in addition to a little bit of ACTUALLY doing nothing). The individual pieces of the summer - visiting with different friends and family members - were truly wonderful, and I honestly don't know what I would have eliminated from our schedule. When I reflect on the summer as a whole, however, all I can see is an unfocused and overcrowded three month period, and that just makes me sad.
That said, Preston and I have already discussed tactics for next summer, I still have almost two weeks of summer left (Preston has three....arg) - even if I do have to take a Greek exam (SOB SOB SOB) during that time - and luckily, thanks to Flickr and my annoying (and by "annoying" we understand "endearing"....right, friends?) habit of photographing every possible moment, it is impossible for the summer to remain entirely unfocused in my memory.
Right now, however, if you'll excuse me, I have to go do nothing. It's good to be back.
annoying = endearing for me, too. it's all we have to go on.
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