While I can't recall ever getting this mythical essay assignment upon returning to school and despite the fact that adults don't generally get summer vacations, I couldn't resist taking a stab at this cliché for a writing exercise.
It seemed like the Summer of 2019 was a wash, literally. As I recall, it felt like it rained the entire summer. Of course, it didn't, but it did rain enough times to cancel many outdoor activities I wanted to get to. We all know how the Summer of 2020 went down. Going into this year, I felt like we are all owed a spectacular summer. That was my goal.
Most of my time this summer was consumed with work; the "real job". No way around that and I am thankful to have plenty of work, bordering on more than I can handle at times.
As far as recreation, it started with a trip to New Orleans and Mississippi in June that I touched on in a previous post. Some hits and some misses on that one.
Gettysburg Bike Week was awesome this year. I've seen Kix so many times I've lost count and they NEVER disappoint. This time was no exception. Small Town Titans, Jasmine Cain, and Buckcherry also played this year. The crowd was huge, energetic, and well behaved. Contrary to popular belief, bikers know how to have a good time without being stupid. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case at every event I attended this summer.
Over the last few years, I have given up on the major professional sports league. I won't go into the why's again here, but I am betting you can guess. To get my sports fix, I made it a point this year to support local this summer. I made trips to my local speedway and minor league baseball stadium and enjoyed both immensely. I am hoping that things don't keep spiraling downward and I can attend some college and high school football games this fall, as well as hit a hockey game or two in Knoxville, TN this winter.
Attending concerts has always been one of my favorite activities and it is probably what I missed most during the pandemic lockdown. So far, in addition to the shows at GBW, I have seen John King/Morgan White (Martinsburg, WV), Chris Stapleton/Kendell Marvel/Nikki Lane (Bristow, VA), 3 Doors Down/Seether (Baltimore, MD), and Ashley McBryde/Priscilla Block (Silver Spring, MD). Still on tap is Black Stone Cherry and TONS more on the bill, Cody Jinks and Brooks & Dunn/Travis Tritt. Hoping things hold out so I can take in a few shows at the Frederick (MD) Fair next month.
The behavior of some concert goers took a bit of steam out of my enjoyment out of one of the shows I attended. I'll chalk it up to some people being pent up too long and not being used to behaving in a semi-civilized manner. Sadly, it's more likely that I'm getting old and have a lower tolerance for stupidity. Moving on....
In addition to all these concerts, baseball games, car races, etc, I attempted to swim or hike every day and while I didn't succeed, I came damn close. I hope to find alternate activities (or alternate methods) to stay active when the weather gets cold.
You may have noticed that I didn't mention anything about writing. That's because I did very little of it this summer. What little writing I did was a short story on the flight to New Orleans and some research notes on a non-fiction book I've been working on since December. I expect my productivity to rise as the temperature falls.
Thanks for reading and hopefully, it won't be as long before I post in here again.
