What Summer 2008 means to me

The last few weeks, I've been floundering, not quite sure what this summer was going to bring. There's usually some sort of determination at the end of the school year to either keep the good spirit going or change things altogether. I really came away from this year with mixed feelings. So many things happened this year and I'm not sure what to do. It was generally a mixed bag all year long, with amazing highs and ridiculous lows. What this has left me was extreme appreciation for this exact moment. I still lose sight of what's going on right now, but I know that the second it really goes wrong, it's because I've strayed too far from living presently.

I've been working for a week now, and it's only going to get more intense as the summer goes on. I'm currently working 4 days a week in the office, two of those being scheduled half days. Both of the "half" days last week, I ended up working full days. The other day is devoted to "catching up" even though it's only Tuesday. I guess I knew that I would need the break because I ended up picking up another job for later in the summer that will involve me working on the weekends. At least I'm getting paid for one of these jobs.

All of this being said, summer 2008 maybe won't be so "great." As of right now, all I can see is stress and more white hair, but I've decided that I can still salvage some of the summer and give it a theme that's worthy of working towards.

I guess there really isn't a name for summer 2008 yet; what I really hope is that I can take shelter somewhere until it's over. I've always had a strange relationship with summer. I've never been particularly active during the summer. I've never had a real "summer job." I've never really done much of anything, but I've never particularly wanted summer to end. This is the first year that I've had real thoughts about wanting it to just be over so I can go back to school, which is just as terrifying because it's my last year. I really don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing after next year is over.

One of the things that I need from this summer is relaxation. I also would like for this summer to be about civility. These things haven't been hallmarks of summers past, so I've decided that it merits a new activity, something that I haven't tried before; this summer, I will be hosting tea parties!

Over the last year, I've become a food fanatic. I'm even a bit snobby sometimes. I've decided that food is something that isn't just for function; it is to be enjoyed. Through this, I've also realized the power of a good sommelier. Pairing a wine with food is an art. This has been a slow discovery for me, beginning with tacos, mariscos and sangria. The nature of the food and the drink changes in combination. I still don't drink actual alcohol, however I've decided to take the idea of the sommelier and apply it to something I'm more comfortable with: teas. Summer is all about refreshing tastes and what's more refreshing than a tall glass of iced tea?

So this summer, expect to see an invitation coming your way. Love you all.