To be honest, I'm struggling. Creativity is fleeting, elusive, like the fireflies I tried to catch as a kid, while anxiety and minor health issues seem heavy and never-ending, like the sidewalks I used to roller-skate on.
Summer used to mean freedom, filling my days with things I loved. I need some of that back. And so that's what this summer is all about.
Binge-reading. Eating ice cream. Going to the beach. Watching scary movies. Doing arts and crafts. Playing with ideas for July's Camp NaNo.
It's not all fun and games. I still have grown-up things to do, of course, so I'll get those done. Other stuff? Not so much. It's about the attitude.
This might all seem silly, and it might not work, but my creativity and my spirit demand I do something before they become too dim to be seen in the summer dusk.
*****
What was your summer like as a kid? What's it like now? Have any suggestions for fun activities? (Traveling isn't easy for me so closer-to-home ideas are appreciated!) What are you looking forward to this summer - a trip? a project? a book? a movie?
*****
* If you're not familiar with Seinfeld's The Summer of George, or if you just want a good chuckle, check out the clip (it's less than a minute) below -
And if you know The Summer of George storyline, please join me in hoping my summer turns out better than George's . . . .
*****
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| Join us! |
Please stop by and say hi to my fellow IWSG co-hosts: Diane Burton, Kim Lajevardi, Sylvia Ney, Sarah Foster, and Jennifer Hawes.
Summers as a kid were endless. Now they fly by.
ReplyDeleteHow about a museum?
Good idea about a museum! I already have a few possibilities. And art galleries, too, maybe.
DeleteAnd thanks for co-hosting today!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! :)
DeleteGood morning Madeline, or should I say, Hi George?
ReplyDeleteI wish to goodness, I had some fun suggestions for you. My energy and creative has been sopped up by series of weird things breaking and plans gone awry.
I'll be checking your blog for ideas that might lift my spirit, too. Great request we shall all benefit from.
Thanks for co-hosting June's IWSG blog hop.
Lynn La Vita @ Writers Supporting Writers
I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling somewhat the same. Yes, please come back and read the suggestions. I know these guys will have some good ones! :)
DeleteEating ice cream, reading, and watching movies sounds like fun to me. I also have a few short trips planned to visit family. Hope your fun summer gets your creative juices flowing. And thanks for co-hosting this month.
ReplyDeleteHave fun on those trips, Natalie! Safe travels!
DeleteGrown up things? Well, that's no fun...
ReplyDeleteI just really want to get my book done and maybe start trying to publish it?? Eek!
That’s a big project, Sarah! Good luck with it! :)
DeleteI hear you about needing to fill your days doing things you love. I hope you find that again soon!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid summer meant warm weather! It's been freezing up here in Maine. And rainy. So dumb. I guess I'm just hoping it warms up soon. I mean, it's June!
Cold in June? Yikes! I almost melted into a puddle here the other day, it was so hot.
DeleteMy summers as a kid sounded a lot like yours—minus the scary movies, that is. I've been thinking about participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this July but no final decisions yet. I've been traveling a lot the last few months, so I'll be looking forward to not needing to go anywhere for a little while (even if it means I'll be trapped in Florida...).
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure about Camp NaNo yet either. I’m hoping inspiration will strike soon.....
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI hope you find the inner peace you need to move forward.
As for me, last year ended with a bang and this year was a continuation of the bang but I am slowly but surely gaining momentum. and I am looking forward to attending the Writers Fiction Festival in Matera, Italy.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Thank you, Pat.
DeleteOh, Italy! Have a wonderful time! :)
I feel ya! My friend emailed me, telling me about her plans for family trips and I'm all "we can't vacation because my time off got sucked up in my daughter's surgery and I hadn't even regained the time I took for pneumonia last year." Yes. I think we both need a break from all the everything.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting!
Maybe you could do some day trips on the weekend? Or some sort of staycation? Find your breaks where you can, Loni.
DeleteDay trips are always fun. Go to a nearby town and check out what they have to offer. We live in lakes country, so a drive to a lake with a beach is fun, or rent a boat or a kayak, or something. I also like to go to shows with my grown up sons.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting this month!
Mary at Play off the Page
Good ideas, Mary - thanks! :)
DeleteMy summer as a kid was just reading, eating and playing games.
ReplyDeleteAs an adult its meeting publishing deadlines.
I like the “kid summer” way better. :)
DeleteIt's not a silly idea at all - it's BRILLIANT! One summer when my kids were in grade school we made the summer of reading. It just meant that for one hour every day, we shut down all our electronics, found a cozy spot around the house and read for one solid hour. It was great. I need to institute that just for myself this summer. Thanks for the inspiration. :)
ReplyDeleteLove that, Nicki! Maybe I’ll do something similar around here, for me and for my husband. The tortoises? Not so much. :)
DeleteMy family went to Cape Cod probably every single summer, until I was sick and tired of it by age fifteen. I begged off the last time I remember my parents and little brother going in 2002, when I was 22. As an adult, I'd love to go back and revisit Cape Cod, on my own schedule, staying where I want, as long as I want, doing only things I want, instead of forced to follow someone else's plans. I also often stayed by my grandparents back in Pennsylvania, though that also started becoming strained after I became a teenager and had much different ideas and interests than they did.
ReplyDeleteRevisiting things - places, books, movies, etc - as adults can be fun but sometimes bittersweet, too.
DeleteYour opening paragraph cracked me up! Ah, summers...so different now than when I was a kid. They seemed to go on forever. We'd spend out days outside running around or swimming. Nowadays, I don't want to go outside in the summer cause it's too darn hot in Florida :)
ReplyDeleteI’ve learned to get outside as early as possible. Less chance of melting then. :)
DeleteI don't remember summers as being light-hearted and freedom as a kid. I loved school so missed it. Odd, I know.
ReplyDeleteI liked school and summer both but for different reasons. :)
DeleteYou will make it a great summer, Madeline!
ReplyDelete(I remember the Summer of George :))
I hope so!
DeleteThat's funny because I've been thinking about past summers, and I want to do what I used to do back then now. I want my summer to be a lot like what you want to do this summer. :)
ReplyDeleteNot a bad idea, right? :)
DeleteSummer for me (at least, now) is for all the writing!!! I'm trying to get those adult chores out of the way so I can dive deep into finishing my latest book.
ReplyDeleteGo for it, Jennifer!
DeleteMy summers were spent at an outdoor pool--playing all day long until age 8 then adding in 1-2 swim practices a day after that. LOVE swimming! Now my workload lightens in the summer and I make it a priority to swim outside as much as I can.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Jennifer! Have fun!
DeleteOk, I'm glad you clarified at the end, because your summer is NOT going to end up like George's! I think your plan is brilliant, and I'm doing a bit of the same. Yes, I'll honor my adult obligations, but also, I'm going to do more of the things that make me happy. It is all about attitude!
ReplyDeleteWishing you an awesome summer of YOU! Thanks for co-hosting today.
Yes! Let’s have great summers full of happy moments. We can do this!
DeleteMy childhood summers involved lots of biking. Of course, that was back in the 1970s when parents weren't as fearful about letting their kids disappear until dinnertime. I hope you enjoy your summer and find some inspiration along the way.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sadira!
DeleteHonestly, I kind of already got my fun for the year out of the way with a trip to England and Guernsey, so I don't have much fun planned for the summer. LOL
ReplyDeleteYou went to Guernsey? Fantastic. I read the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Saw the movie, too. Fun.
DeletePatricia - you need to rest up from all your fun! :)
DeleteDiane - I loved that book! Haven’t seen the movie yet....
Summer meant working in the vegetable garden. And I do mean work! But when the work was done I got to read. I'd take an old quilt, find a shady spot, and read until dinner time. Fun! Now, summer means enjoying the outdoors, playing outside with the grandkids, and maybe a short trip to northern Michigan. Thanks for co-hosting this month.
ReplyDeleteI bet you could still grab that quilt and settle down in the shade with a good book. :)
DeletePutting pressure on yourself won't help. The reason things went so well as kids is because we took things as they came--or at least that's what my childhood was like.
ReplyDeleteWake up without a plan and a jar full of ideas. Pull one out if it doesn't work for you, try another. Creativity will come back when its ready. :-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
Even as a kid, I had some sort of plan - read, watch cartoons, eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, read..... :)
DeleteBeing a Seinfeld fan (you either are or you're not) I love that episode. Thanks for the laugh and a few moments away from thinking of what I have to do.
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome!
DeleteTo be honest, that sounds like the most amazing summer. So fun! I hope you enjoy, and the inspiration comes flowing back in. Thanks so much for co-hosting this month.
ReplyDeleteI just hope it works.... :)
DeletePrior to my ninth year, I bolted out of bed at sunrise (before any instructions could be given) and ran barefoot through the desert till sundown. Oh, the carefree fun we (neighboring kids) had! The passage of years notwithstanding, we all still need to feel that way sometimes. Go for it and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! I think we forget those moments, those feelings as we get older. Let's at least try to get a little of that back! :)
DeleteI think you and I are on the same page. After my hubby and I spent a couple of weeks doing stuff in celebration of our 50th anniversary, I can't seem to get my brain out of the "doing fun stuff" mode. I'm still feeling free and easy... kinda like being a kid... just taking each day as it comes. I'll get back to the writing eventually, so I'm not worrying about it. Maybe we both just need to enjoy the summer, eh? I might even reupholster some furniture... :) I say, for you, do whatever the heck you feel like doing. And have fun! It'll recharge your battery.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you had so much fun, Susan! I say keep it going for as long as you can. :)
DeleteThank you for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite summer memories include: just sitting under a leafy deciduous tree with a view of leaves, sun, and white puffy clouds next to my best friend; bicycling to the "the" lake with my friends, swimming in the lake, running around the lake, sunbathing by the lake (not going to do that these days), and sipping giant sodas from the corner store (like the Big Gulp variety we couldn't actually carry on our bicycles). For this summer, I don't live near a lake anymore, but I plan on taking some short bicycle rides, driving to the beach on the Sound (bicycling there includes going down steep hills which I would have to go back up), going out on a kayak (just have to get brave enough to do the whale roll in and out of the boat by the dock because I'm not in shape enough to do the graceful crouch into the boat), and going wading in the ocean. I hope to go on some short hikes and "vista view" type walks, too.
Your summer plans sound excellent, Tyrean!
DeleteIs the whale roll an actual thing?! It totally sounds like something I would have to do if I ever get up the guts to try kayaking. :)
Oh, and I just wanted to wish you well on finding your joy! (I can't watch the clip right now because I'm in a Starbucks with no ear buds, but I'll save it for later)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tyrean. Right now, I'm needing all the help/luck I can get.
DeleteOooh, best of luck for your fun-filled Summer of [better than] George! My perfect summer day would have to be a morning spent at the pool, an afternoon napping, an evening with a great meal and then a drink by a fire pit. (All of these things can be solo or with people, depending on how introverted I'm feeling that day/week/summer. LOL!) Nourishing your creativity by taking some time to relax and play is a wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds lovely! Maybe a drink at the pool, too? Although, then I would definitely need a nap. :)
DeleteYou have to take care of yourself or your creatively will dim. Eat that ice cream and read those books. Great post!
ReplyDeleteMy creativity is drifting dangerously close to those old bug zappers.... :o
DeleteThe clip is hilarious. The summer of George it is. Read a book from start to end, in that order! Yes! For me, I'm going to read too, probably a couple dozen books instead of one, but who is counting.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I watch that clip/episode, I laugh out loud. :)
DeleteAnd yes on reading a couple of dozen books!
I hope you find that energy and fun this summer. My big plan! I'm getting a knee replacement. LOL Not so fun.
ReplyDeleteI hope the surgery goes well! See if the doctor will write you a prescription for reading and eating ice cream. Rest and take care of yourself!
DeleteThank you for co-hosting, Madeline! I think you are wise to make this a summer of fun. What I remember best about summer was that it was carefree. Wherever we lived, as kids we ran free outdoors from sunrise to sunset. One of my favorite sounds in the world was my grandmother's screen backdoor slamming behind me as I raced for the fields, the woods, or the shore. Kids have amazing imaginations, and my world was filled with magic, adventures, and possibility. Your post reminds me that it is important to shake off the mantle of adult responsibilities once and a while to restore one's soul. Enjoy!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the imagery/sound of that back door slamming! And the thought of shaking off that mantle made me smile. Like shrugging off clothes that are too tight and not really "us."
DeleteThe summer of George! Love it. Game on! I'm mostly staying cool and trying not to get hit by tourists riding electric scooters. Thank you for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteYes on the staying cool! I went out the other day and just about melted into a giant puddle. I was prepared for that to happen but still.
DeleteI'm looking forward to kayaking on Lake Ontario if/when it warms up and I find the energy to haul the kayak up from the basement. It's also going to be busy with a few trips, a month-long drama camp for one kid, and some home tutoring for the other since she dropped out of the drama camp. The yard needs a ton of work. The house is always cluttered. I certainly won't be bored. And, oh yeah! Writing. Hmm... Not sure how that's going to fit in. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely won't be bored! :o
DeleteI was a farm kid, so summers were hard work in the mornings and lazing around with books on hot afternoons. It was a great way to grow up. In my town there are lots of summer festivals and concerts, so I don't have to go far if I want excitement. However, I tend to stay at home with my books and writing whenever possible. Sometimes put my lawn chair outside in the shade and watch the birds and butterflies.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds lovely, Patricia! So relaxing.....
DeleteAh, summers as a kid. Just playing all day without a care to time or the weather. These days, summers are gone in a blink. My fun time will be next month when I get to read by the lake and go on an adventure with my mom and son. This month, I'm trying to be sorta productive. :) Thanks for co-hosting today!
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of an adventure! Hope it's a good one and you all enjoy it!
DeleteI hope you have a beautiful summer. Happy IWSG.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Juneta!
DeleteI do like summertime, but I get too hot nowadays to really appreciate them. I also can't stand the bugs that keep getting inside!
ReplyDeleteI've gotten somewhat better at maneuvering around the heat - getting up early, etc. Afternoons are for shade or for air conditioning. :)
DeleteSummer and 'grown up things to do' just don't fit, do they? I'm a teacher and the summer holidays began a week ago but I opted for a ten day additional teacher training. Made sense at the time but I'm very resentful right now.
ReplyDeleteSummer for me meant lying somewherea, anywhere, like a beached whale and reading without interruption. Ice lollies, summer dresses, salads, lemonade, swimming, summer nights, stars, and ignoring some of the things that had to be done. Wishing you a wonderful summer. Happy IWSG
Hopefully those ten days will be inspirational and, at the same time, go by quickly. :)
DeleteI've scrolled through your thread and must say that there are some great suggestions.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy your summer!
Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG this month.
Thanks too for your suggestion over at my blog - flash non-fiction? Sounds like a plan...
I knew everyone around here would have great ideas to share!
DeleteHey, you never know, right? Flash non-fiction might be your new thing. :)
I loved summers in my youth. They lasted forever and were full of fun and easy days. My sister and I played together everyday. We were blessed. I really miss summers being "free." Thanks for co-hosting this month!
ReplyDeleteMy summer won't be free, but I'm going to try and add some "easy days" in there. :)
DeleteI have been so blessed. I never thought I'd find a silver lining to working in the summer after being a teacher for 10 years, but I found two. 1) I get to set my schedule so I have time to write during the day and still have my weekends. 2) I get to do arts and crafts with the kids I work with.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what you have access to locally, but I plan on attenting a lot of library events this summer and trying out books and TV I've never tried before. Maybe there are free events in your area you can try out.
Hope you have a good summer.
Excellent, Toi!
DeleteLove the idea of trying books and TV I haven't tried before. My husband is always up on free stuff going on around our area so we'll definitely try some of those, too.
I LOVE your plan. Attitude really has a huge impact on our lives.
ReplyDeleteAnd my attitude hasn't been so great lately, for a number of reasons. I'm changing that, starting now!
DeleteI related to your honest and revelatory post - thanks for sharing! I missed writing an entry last Wednesday, June 5, because I returned to my homeland, Indiana, where I saw many fireflies!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a good trip/time!
DeleteThank you for commenting over on my blog. I apologize for not publishing my comments anytime sooner. But they're up now! I'm thinking of converting my blog to my website like Alex's, you know? What do you think? Choices choices!!! x(
ReplyDeleteNow to answer your questions:
What was your summer like as a kid?
Full of hot sun, no air conditioning (it turned out that we lived like poor people so my dad could save every penny to travel the world in his later years. Ugh).
I did spend a lot of time outside turning the backyard into an arena for my brother's matchbox cars. I loved that! I loved when my mom filled the trees will water: I'd put baking sheets in them and pretended they were boats for my collection of My Little Ponies!
I also did a lot of make-believe role-playing with all the neighborhood kids. SO. FUN!!!
What's it like now?
Now it's filled with balancing kids, household responsibilities, and WRITING! I still fill my head with magic and story making. *le sigh*
Oh, and we have AC and I refuse to sweat it out in the house. Take that, Dad. Ha! :P
Have any suggestions for fun activities? (Traveling isn't easy for me so closer-to-home ideas are appreciated!)
Uh, writing? Writing, and more writing? hehe. There's drawing, playing Uno, Go Fish, MineCraft... That's what I do besides writing. xD
What are you looking forward to this summer - a trip? a project? a book? a movie?
Hmmm... writing. Movies. Family coming in from out of State... Swimming!
Thanks for the fun questions!
xox
Elizabeth
I played lots of make-believe games as a kid, too. Still do. :)
DeleteI wish there were more movies I was looking forward to seeing, but I'll find some. Or I'll wait for others to hit iTunes or Netflix, etc.
Thanks for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure!
DeleteYou definitely need to inject some moments of fun among the adult responsibilities, otherwise there'll be no inspiration for writing! Your plan sounds great. I was lucky enough to grow up in Brighton, the jewel of England's south coast, so I have very nostalgic summer memories of hanging out on the beach and the pier, wasting money in the arcades, then we had beautiful countryside to the north which was great for exhilarating bike rides. I don't even have a bike now! Now, with the kids, I kind of vicariously experience childhood again through them. We do have some fun stuff lined up for summer. Have a good one!
ReplyDeleteI hope you and your family enjoy your summer plans, Nick. Have fun! Maybe even ride a bike with the kids? :)
DeleteLOl this clip is still as funny as the first time I saw it. I had forgotten the summer of George and at first I was thinking it was referring to the time George did everything the opposite of his instincts and had the time of his life. LOL maybe I should try that one.
ReplyDeleteI hope your summer is what you were hoping for so far and not like George!
Oh, I love that "opposite" episode! Maybe we really should try that one of these days. :)
DeleteYou have a fantastic summer planned! Enjoy! Maybe add a walk in a park to the itinerary, or star gazing one night, or a picnic somewhere in nature. All things I'd enjoy if I had to "stay close to home" - although, my home is an always moving camper van. But, I hear you... While our life is challenging in different ways, I'd love a few days of total relaxation or fun or no thinking about writing ANYTHING once in a while!
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting, and sorry I"m late to the party. Blame life on the road. :-)
No worries! Glad you could make it. :)
DeleteYeah, summer’s a bit of a bust for me too. My writing has come to a crawl. Would love to sequester myself for the summer. Away from family and work, at a beach somewhere, with lots of books to read, pen, paper and my chromebook. Good luck with July Camp NaNo. Tried to do it before but every time something would go wrong.
ReplyDeleteThank for co-hosting this month!
So far, the only thing I'm doing well is the reading part of my plan. I'll probably skip Camp NaNo, but then again, you never know....
DeleteThe reading part is the only part of my plan I’m doing well too. Like Stephen King said, “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” So I guess, in a way, we're doing something right. :-D
DeleteI like the way you - and Mr. King - think. :)
Delete