Summer

We’re half way through summer vacation and I have to say it: I’m bored.  No, really.  I’m bored.  I’ve read three books since summer started, finished one TV show, beat two video games, finished a class I was taking and am halfway through a second class.  I’ve done almost everything I set out to do this summer.  The only thing left is to finish planning out AP chemistry for next year. But if I finished that now, I’d have nothing to do in July.

I’m bored.  I never thought I’d say that about summer.  I’m an Phoenix native.  That means I’m used to the head-in-an-oven heat.  I used to live in the pool during my childhood.  The only wardrobe I needed was my swimsuit, some flip-flops, and maybe a pair of shorts if my parents dared to drag my out of the pool and take me into public.  My sister and cousin and the neighbor kid would have epic water balloon fights.  We’d run down the slip-and-slid.  We’d set the hose up under the trampoline and play for hours in the spray of the water.

On the days there wasn’t constant swimming, there were video games and night time tag and vacations to Flagstaff so my mother could get out of the heat.  We’d read and play with stuffed animals and watch an endless amount of Disney cartoons.  Nobody dared utter the words “I’m bored.”  And if the phrase did slip from your lips, there was always a parent near by to instruct you.  “Go ride your bike.” “Go swim.” “Here’s some crafts to work on.” “Go read your book”

We weren’t allowed to bored during the summer.

I know I shouldn’t complain.  There really aren’t any other “real” jobs that give you two entire months off besides teaching.  I mean, people are given vacation time in other jobs, but I don’t think most bosses would be happy if their employees took two consecutive months off of work.

Still, I feel like I’m trapped in some bizarre Ground Hog’s Day episode of my life.  “What’re we gonna do today?”  “Same thing we did yesterday.” “Try to take over the world?” “No, run, swim, play video games.”  Same thing every day.

Here’s hoping that July, with trips and planning for fall, will bring something different to my day.