"In the summertime when the weather is high/ You can stretch right up and touch the sky." - "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry
Summer is my least favorite season. In fact, I dread it because of the horribly oppressive heat and humidity that plagues the South, not to mention the gigantic, steroid infused, Incredible Hulk sized insects that invade this part of the country for about six months out of the year. But in an effort to use positive thinking, here are the ten things I am most looking forward to this summer.
1. The Gaslight Anthem's new album "Handwritten".It will be released on July 24, and that can't come soon enough for me! It is definitely what I am most looking forward to this summer. It's going to be phenomenal! The new single, "45" is available on iTunes today, and I will be talking more about that in tomorrow's post.
2. Spending quality time with the girls I nanny for. All school year long we run and run and run, so it will be really nice to be able to hang out at the house, do some fun homeschool work, play, and relax. I am bound and determined to let them act like kids this summer and not have to worry about staying on a strict schedule and dashing from place to place all the time.
3. Four weeks off of work! They will not be all at the same time, but it looks like I will have a week off in June, two in July, and one in August while the family I work for goes on vacation. That will really help break up the 50+ hour work weeks this summer.
4. Christmas in July! If you have read my profile (or any posts from December), you know that I am obsessed with Christmas. It's my favorite holiday, so why celebrate it only once a year? My family has been having a Christmas in July celebration every July for about eight years now, and it's something I really look forward to.
5. Writing! With my various weeks off this summer, I am planning on working on Who We Thought We Were, as well as some poetry and articles on child development. I need to be much more proactive about my dreams of a writing career, and this summer will be the perfect time to get down to business.
6. The 2012 Summer Olympics. I always get excited when the Olympics start. I first got into watching the Olympics in '96 with the "Magnificent Seven" women's gymnastics team. I don't know if anything will ever beat Kerry Strug's vault that she did on an injured leg, but you never know. The events I will definitely watch are gymnastics, swimming, and diving, and probably some track and field as well.
7. Listening to summer music. I have about 50 songs in a summer playlist on iTunes, and I don't listen to a lot of those songs any other time of the year. The Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffett get played a lot. When it's 100 degrees outside, nothing sounds better than songs about hanging out at the beach or getting wasted away again in Margaritaville.
8. The Beach Boys' new album "That's Why God Made the Radio". Due to be out on June 5, this will be the perfect start to the summer season. From all of the reviews I have read, this album is supposed to be like a throwback to the classic Beach Boys music of the 60s. That sounds great to me!
9. Summer reality TV series. Being the TV junkie that I am, I'm really looking forward to So You Think You Can Dance, Big Brother, and Hell's Kitchen. I am a sucker for these reality TV shows/competitions, and they are on almost every night of the week all summer long.
10. Thunderstorms. I love thunderstorms, just as long as they are not in the middle of the night while my dog keeps me awake as he shakes uncontrollably from his irrational fear of lightning and thunder. I think storm clouds are beautiful, I love the sound of rain and thunder, and best of all, they can cool the air down by 20 degrees sometimes, and that is always welcomed during the long, hot days of summer in Virginia.
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
School's Out!
"School's out for the summer/ School's out forever!" - "School's Out" by Alice Cooper
Funny, this song had a much different meaning when I was the one in school. Now I'm the adult taking care of children will not be in school for nearly three months. I remember hearing this song on the way home from my last day of high school. Man, I was so excited I could hardly stand it! This was my anthem that whole school year. Now, it will just seem like school is out forever.
Don't get me wrong, I love the girls I work with more than I can even put into words, but being with them for 50-55 hours a week is going to be exhausting! I have written up extensive lesson plans that cover seven subjects that we will tackle every day, plus I have a ton of ideas for extra stuff if we have time. Then there is also their swim team, gymnastics, and the occasional violin lesson. Wait a minute. Why did I ever think we would have extra time?! We will also take two field trips a week. Do you think I may be a bit too ambitious? I figure that I did it last year when they were only 3 and 5, so why not kick it up a notch this year?
Rest assured, I'm not going to work these poor kids to death all summer with hours upon hours of boring schoolwork. The vast majority of my lessons are taught through play or experimentation, and I am making a point to give them plenty of rest and free play time every day, way more than they get during the school year.
So, that will be my summer for the most part. I do have a couple of weeks off that I hope will give me a lot of time to write, because I am really going to miss working on my writing. As Bruce Willis's character Joe said in "Bandits", 'There's never enough time when you're working...'
Funny, this song had a much different meaning when I was the one in school. Now I'm the adult taking care of children will not be in school for nearly three months. I remember hearing this song on the way home from my last day of high school. Man, I was so excited I could hardly stand it! This was my anthem that whole school year. Now, it will just seem like school is out forever.
Don't get me wrong, I love the girls I work with more than I can even put into words, but being with them for 50-55 hours a week is going to be exhausting! I have written up extensive lesson plans that cover seven subjects that we will tackle every day, plus I have a ton of ideas for extra stuff if we have time. Then there is also their swim team, gymnastics, and the occasional violin lesson. Wait a minute. Why did I ever think we would have extra time?! We will also take two field trips a week. Do you think I may be a bit too ambitious? I figure that I did it last year when they were only 3 and 5, so why not kick it up a notch this year?
Rest assured, I'm not going to work these poor kids to death all summer with hours upon hours of boring schoolwork. The vast majority of my lessons are taught through play or experimentation, and I am making a point to give them plenty of rest and free play time every day, way more than they get during the school year.
So, that will be my summer for the most part. I do have a couple of weeks off that I hope will give me a lot of time to write, because I am really going to miss working on my writing. As Bruce Willis's character Joe said in "Bandits", 'There's never enough time when you're working...'
Monday, April 18, 2011
Summer's Creeping In
"I feel summer creepin' in/ And I'm tired of this town again." - "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
I'm starting to get that panicky feeling that I get every spring when I realize that it's only a matter of time - days, weeks if I'm lucky - that the horrible, stifling heat and humidity of summer will overtake the area and stepping outside will feel like suffocating in a sauna. Nice, huh.
With the realization that summer is almost here, I am hard at work trying to get some writing business done before the girls' school year ends and my work week goes from 30-35 hours to 50-55 hours. Don't get me wrong, I'm really looking forward to my extra time with them and have been busy getting my lesson plans together, but the extra nanny/homeschool hours will severly cut into my writing time. I am about 225 pages into my fourth Willow book and am hoping to finish it by June. If not, no big deal, but wouldn't it be nice? I have queried several potential agents and am keeping my fingers crossed that I will get a positive response from at least one of them.
So, with shopping around my first manuscript, trying to complete my fourth novel, writing lesson plans for an entire summer that will challenge two extremely brilliant young children, and still working hard at my regular school-year nanny duties, I've been a little busy. I know it will only get more hectic as summer continues to creep in, but hopefully the hot weather and long days will bring some good news of future success in the literary world...
I'm starting to get that panicky feeling that I get every spring when I realize that it's only a matter of time - days, weeks if I'm lucky - that the horrible, stifling heat and humidity of summer will overtake the area and stepping outside will feel like suffocating in a sauna. Nice, huh.
With the realization that summer is almost here, I am hard at work trying to get some writing business done before the girls' school year ends and my work week goes from 30-35 hours to 50-55 hours. Don't get me wrong, I'm really looking forward to my extra time with them and have been busy getting my lesson plans together, but the extra nanny/homeschool hours will severly cut into my writing time. I am about 225 pages into my fourth Willow book and am hoping to finish it by June. If not, no big deal, but wouldn't it be nice? I have queried several potential agents and am keeping my fingers crossed that I will get a positive response from at least one of them.
So, with shopping around my first manuscript, trying to complete my fourth novel, writing lesson plans for an entire summer that will challenge two extremely brilliant young children, and still working hard at my regular school-year nanny duties, I've been a little busy. I know it will only get more hectic as summer continues to creep in, but hopefully the hot weather and long days will bring some good news of future success in the literary world...
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Classic Cars and Movie Screens
"And I always dreamed/ Of classic cars and movie screens."
- "Old White Lincoln" by The Gaslight Anthem
Warm summer nights bring back fond memories for me of drive-in movies and driving home in the middle of the night across the High Desert of Southern California with thousands of glittering lights shining in the distance. I also flash back to classic car shows full of my favorites like Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelles, and GTOs. Isn't it sad that kids today have no clue what a drive-in movie is, and very few realize how totally cool a muscle car can be?
Hey, wait a minute! I was born in the 80s! I shouldn't have memories of drive-ins and muscle cars, but I do. I was fortunate enough to live in and visit places as a kid that still have some of the country's few remaining drive-in theaters, and I grew up in a family where classic cars (the louder and faster the better!) were the norm over the latest fully-loaded model.
If only I was sitting in a '65 Candy Apple Red Mustang right now, eating popcorn and laughing at some funny movie with an old metal speaker hanging on the car door...
- "Old White Lincoln" by The Gaslight Anthem
Warm summer nights bring back fond memories for me of drive-in movies and driving home in the middle of the night across the High Desert of Southern California with thousands of glittering lights shining in the distance. I also flash back to classic car shows full of my favorites like Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelles, and GTOs. Isn't it sad that kids today have no clue what a drive-in movie is, and very few realize how totally cool a muscle car can be?
Hey, wait a minute! I was born in the 80s! I shouldn't have memories of drive-ins and muscle cars, but I do. I was fortunate enough to live in and visit places as a kid that still have some of the country's few remaining drive-in theaters, and I grew up in a family where classic cars (the louder and faster the better!) were the norm over the latest fully-loaded model.
If only I was sitting in a '65 Candy Apple Red Mustang right now, eating popcorn and laughing at some funny movie with an old metal speaker hanging on the car door...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
"The girls in their summer clothes/ In the cool of the evening light/ The girls in their summer clothes, pass me by."
Bruce Springsteen probably didn't have wild little kids on his mind when he wrote those lyrics, but that song always makes me think of the girls I teach. These are the girls who dance instead of walk, sing instead of talk, twirl instead of run, and always have fancy dresses on. As they stampeded toward me in their frilly sundresses this morning when I arrived at their house, I couldn't help but smile. These children are the epitome of "girls in their summer clothes", at least for me.
Yesterday I wrote about an agent who requested the first chapter of my book. Well, I heard back from her already, and it's not good news. Her rejection came so quickly, I have to wonder if she even read my work. Not to sound cocky, but I know my books are good, and I know in my heart and soul that I am meant to be a writer. I will keep at it, and hopefully it will lead to somewhere fantastic...sooner rather than later.
Tomorrow...my query letter for you to comment on. Maybe you could offer me some advice!
Bruce Springsteen probably didn't have wild little kids on his mind when he wrote those lyrics, but that song always makes me think of the girls I teach. These are the girls who dance instead of walk, sing instead of talk, twirl instead of run, and always have fancy dresses on. As they stampeded toward me in their frilly sundresses this morning when I arrived at their house, I couldn't help but smile. These children are the epitome of "girls in their summer clothes", at least for me.
Yesterday I wrote about an agent who requested the first chapter of my book. Well, I heard back from her already, and it's not good news. Her rejection came so quickly, I have to wonder if she even read my work. Not to sound cocky, but I know my books are good, and I know in my heart and soul that I am meant to be a writer. I will keep at it, and hopefully it will lead to somewhere fantastic...sooner rather than later.
Tomorrow...my query letter for you to comment on. Maybe you could offer me some advice!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Summertime Blues
"Sometimes I wonder what I'm a gonna do/ But there ain't no cure for the summertime blues."
Remember when you were a kid and it took forever for summer to arrive, only for it to disappear in a split second? Yeah, summer isn't like that anymore. Now it seems like the heat and humidity attack in full force by May, and the weather doesn't let up until October. Also, there's the business of not having three months off to relax, watch cartoons, and play on the swingset every day. At least I get to live vicariously through the children I take care of.
I am a teacher and nanny for two girls, ages three and five. During the school year, the oldest one goes to school full day, and the younger one goes in the mornings, then afternoons are filled with an abundace of activities that at times make my head spin. But once summer started, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, there are the day camps, swim team, and violin lessons, but for the most part, the kids get to be kids. Yea! When I see the girls swinging on their tire swing, riding their bikes, coloring picture after picture, and reading every book in sight, I flash back to the days when I loved summer and everything it stood for: freedom, relaxation, and fun, fun, fun. What happened to summers like those? I'm glad that they still exist for the kids in my life, even if my carefree summers are over.
Yes, I may have the summertime blues, but thinking about the crisp autumn days that will soon come, crunching leaves beneath my worn tennis shoes, and seeing pumpkin patches on every corner always brings a smile to my face. Anyone up for watching "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown"?
Remember when you were a kid and it took forever for summer to arrive, only for it to disappear in a split second? Yeah, summer isn't like that anymore. Now it seems like the heat and humidity attack in full force by May, and the weather doesn't let up until October. Also, there's the business of not having three months off to relax, watch cartoons, and play on the swingset every day. At least I get to live vicariously through the children I take care of.
I am a teacher and nanny for two girls, ages three and five. During the school year, the oldest one goes to school full day, and the younger one goes in the mornings, then afternoons are filled with an abundace of activities that at times make my head spin. But once summer started, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, there are the day camps, swim team, and violin lessons, but for the most part, the kids get to be kids. Yea! When I see the girls swinging on their tire swing, riding their bikes, coloring picture after picture, and reading every book in sight, I flash back to the days when I loved summer and everything it stood for: freedom, relaxation, and fun, fun, fun. What happened to summers like those? I'm glad that they still exist for the kids in my life, even if my carefree summers are over.
Yes, I may have the summertime blues, but thinking about the crisp autumn days that will soon come, crunching leaves beneath my worn tennis shoes, and seeing pumpkin patches on every corner always brings a smile to my face. Anyone up for watching "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown"?
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