Constructive Summer

Several years ago, a group of teachers from my school were having a get-together at someone's house to celebrate the last day of school. While we were there, the conversation steered toward what each person was planning on doing that summer. One woman said, "I'm going to find the recipe for the perfect strawberry Margarita."

All kinds of chuckles followed, but I think she meant it. And that's part of the beauty of summer vacation as a teacher -- there literally is enough time to take on some project exactly like that, whether it's just for fun or something more substantial. I don't know if she ever found her perfect mix, but if she did, she had only invested one summer worth of time into the quest, and had something to carry with her afterward forever and ever.

I know a lot of teachers who will take on less than mentally taxing summer work just to stay busy and make a little money. I know one guy who works at a golf course in the summer just so he can play for free. I know people who make big projects of home improvements, working out, family trips or activities -- any number of things. I even know a few who teacher summer school (I'm sorry, but -- BLEAH). Having this much time off during the best weather of the year almost makes up for the fact that we only get paid for three-fourths of the year (try to keep that little fact in mind the next time you make a comment to a teacher about how nice it is to have summers off).

Now as for me, of course the writing starts, in earnest, tomorrow morning. It absolutely is hard work, but I'm very much looking forward to it. Summer writing has a more serious feel to it now compared to ten or fifteen years ago when it was just a hobby. But as I'm getting ready to tear into a new project, I'm reminding myself to keep some balance between the work and the fun, and to make sure that even though I WANT to devote a lot of time to the writing work this summer, I have to push outside of the classic introvert comfort zone a few times and see what else is going on in the world. That's where a lot of the stories come from, after all.

Now that Summer Vacation 2015 has officially started, I plan on spending tonight pretty much sitting on the couch with a book in one hand, the iPad in the other, and a movie on the TV in front of me. Tomorrow morning the revisions and the writing begins. After that, it's just a matter of taking whatever highs and lows the coming eight-one days will bring and making the best of it.

Now let's get out there and have some fun!!