Why is Summer So Damn Busy?!
I need to get off this ride AAAHHHHHH
I’d rather be laying in bed right now, to be honest. But I am writing my silly little essay instead, because I promised y’all that every Tuesday you’ll have something to read from this silly little newsletter.
This week was not the most exciting one in the books. Just work, work, and more work, and then on Saturday I got a nice breakfast with a friend before going home to do some more work. And then on Sunday, Ryan and I did as little as we possibly could, which included watching several episodes of The Sopranos, eating easy meals, napping, and hanging out with our cat, Juno.
It was perfect, and I wish I could say I woke up on Monday morning feeling refreshed! But I didn’t. That morning we slept in an hour and a half longer than normal, and when I finally opened my eyes I could feel a headache coming on. It was one of those pesky pressure headaches that feels like there’s concrete in your sinuses. Sometimes they clear up once you’re up and moving around, but other days it gets worse the more active you are — and there’s no rhyme or reason as to why.
Well, on Monday my headache decided to get worse as the day went on. The pain and pressure stayed the same, but I just kept getting more and more tired from the perpetual weight of my sinuses. I finally took some Tylenol after lunch and felt good enough to sit at my computer and write for a while. But I still want to go back to sleep.
I blame summer for my discontent. The weather is too damn hot, and there’s just too much going on in my life. Every day feels like a mad dash to get stuff done, whether it be client work, chores, or random one-off must-dos, like running to the grocery store when I forgot a dinner ingredient. And on top of that, we spend most weekends going out and doing things. All this is a recipe for exhaustion, and we’re reaching that point in the year when we’re at our most tired. Maybe you are, too.
I was thinking back to last year and wondering, is it always like this? And I do think that, yes, summer just tends to be a busy season for Ryan and I. Part of that probably has to do with the fact that the weather is only nice where we live for a few months out of the year.
Once the temperature hits 70 degrees, that means it’s officially beach weather, festival weather, wedding weather, grilling weather, 5K weather, etc. etc. It’s three to four months of nonstop activities. Suddenly, every weekend we have something to do or someone to hang out with or somewhere to visit.
“There’s too many things to do,” Ryan puts it. “They’re all fun things, but there’s just too many.” Summer is like being on a carnival ride that’s really fun at first, but then just keeps going. Like if you were on the Tilt-a-Whirl for several months straight with no breaks. After a while you’ll be begging someone to let you off.
We’re both introverts, which doesn’t help. We need to be alone to recharge. But in the summer, it feels like we’re swimming against a tide of responsibilities and opportunities that we just don’t have to manage when it’s cooler out. Alone time is scarce.
This past weekend was one of the first times in recent months that we could actually veg out. We still went out on Saturday night to a festival that was brat(wurst) themed and ate a few juicy brats and other fair food. But the weather was hot and the sun was in our eyes and it was the end of another long work week, so we only stayed around long enough to say hi to our friends, who met us there, before leaving.
I feel like my tolerance for being outside quickly wanes as the summer goes on. When we have our first hot days in June, I’ll leave the windows open and wear my shortest dress and go for a long walk in the sun. But by August, once we’ve had more than a full week of 85 degrees and 90% humidity, I become an AC gremlin and barely open the windows in my apartment. And it takes a whole lot of mental fortitude to get myself to go outside and get some exercise.
I start to notice around this time of year that I’ll yearn for cooler weather — which is dangerous territory. Once it’s cold out, I know I’ll yearn for warmth again. But at least I’ll be bored for a while, which feels so necessary right now.
In the meantime, I’ll try to make the most of what’s left of summer. It’s a lot to handle, but it will be over before I know it.
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Come write with me this month! I’m teaching a workshop at the end of August. It’s called Grief and Memoir: Writing to Heal.
If you’ve been a reader here for a while, you’ll know that I frequently write about my dad’s passing in 2018 and how that’s left a lasting mark on me as a person. Writing is a way for me to process that loss year after year, because grief never really goes away.
I designed a class where we’ll talk all about grief writing — why it matters, what to do when it feels difficult, and how we can use it as a tool for healing. If you’ve been impacted by a significant loss in your life, be that of a parent, pet, friend, or even a place or state of being, this class is for you.
There will be two sessions: an in-person class at WordHaven Bookhouse in Sheboygan, WI, and a virtual class that anyone can attend. You can sign up for both classes on the WordHaven website. Each one is $10 per person.
In-person class at WordHaven: Saturday, Aug. 24 (sign up here)
Virtual class: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 1pm Central Time (sign up here)
Hope to see you there!