All my life I have looked forward to summer. Summer is my favorite season. Summer is the season that I make a lot plans for. And officially it starts June 1st or so, you know, when school is out. So I'm curious. It's July 17th. What have you accomplished on your to do list this summer and/or how much fun have you had (or not).

So far, I went on a fabulous low budget vacation to Mexico and dyed a purple streak into my hair and have managed to buy a good amount of new "summer" clothes, shoes and purses. And I'm so shopped out that I went shopping on my lunch break today to TJ Maxx (a discount, department store type store) and bought nothing.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

Answers

I have shopped until I can shop no more. 1 wedding, 1 funeral, 1 bachelorette party, and shorts to fit my enlargened ass.

Next week I'm visiting my Mom, and hopefully will get to see my niece. 2 weeks later I'm visiting my best friend and her daughters for 3 days.

I wish I could make it sound like I've done much more, but the most notable thing I've done is started new medication that makes me too tired to do anything. I should have saved it for winter.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

I got my hair cut really short (something that I have been scared to do for years, as if possibly having an unflattering 'do during the grow-out stage were tantamount to losing a limb); I've been to a lot of non-public transportation friendly museums (thanks to friends who are away and kindly lend me their cars for the weekend); I've gone for a lot of walks and done more yoga; I've read a ton of stuff that I saved as a reward for myself after finishing grad school; I've bought some great vintage dresses...and just had a lot of fun with my friends, since we are all more likely to make plans when it is sunny and bright out.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2001

I'll start with the semi-positive. My quintet has a couple of gigs to play. I have a made a pretty good, if not a bit screwed up, male species friend. Downers are, an unexpected root-canal and oral surgery, not painful, just painfully expensive. Unexpected death of a friend, pending death of another (freaking damn tobacco companies) and knee reconstructive surgery two weeks ago, which, in a very positive note, takes me out of my extremely pathological work environment for a while.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2001

Poor Vicki. Sounds like you haven't had much summer fun.

What a coincidence, Letty... I went on a fabulous low budget vacation to Mexico, too! I also bought a lot of light- and bright-colored clothing I wouldn't have had the nerve to wear last year. I had my hair subtly highlighted and then wished I'd had it unsubtly highlighted. I went to the beach a couple of times. I made new friends and was brave and outgoing in my social life. I sang karaoke. We went to museums and tried new cuisines.

Even though July's only half done, I feel like summer's almost over. It's because I have a lot of stuff to prepare before school starts.

I need to get a library card so my kids and I can check out tons of books, like we used to do all the summers before.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2001

The only thing I keep forgetting to do is lay outside and get a tan, but maybe that's for the best.

I'm sure I'm very attractive with my Ultra-White pasty pie face.

I got cool white highlights in my hair the other day and even let her cut my 'do above my shoulders. She's trying to convince me to come back and let her put some pink in, but I'm worried it'll look stupid because I'm not funky enough for it.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2001

I went to Davenport, Iowa, for a week (convention and gambling boats), then went to PA for a week. Took a side trip to Atlantic City for a mini-tacky vacation (I was impressed that New Jersey is such a beautiful state but whenever I go gambling it seems to be tacky for some reason). Nearly lost my shirt in Iowa and NJ. Didn't ya'll hear those giant sucking noises in June? Everytime I got close to a slot machine the money was sucked out of my pockets.

Won $20 for an ugly footwear contest at work though (bright yellow clown shoes with a strip of fake red fur on top. I don't know why.)

Cleaning out the house trying to get rid of all the junk that's piled up and stashed everywhere. The more I throw out, the more junk comes in.

(Keli, your skin will thank you later for staying out of the sun. Causes wrinkles and skin cancer. Use a self-tanner.)

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2001

I'm on a temporary promotion at work, so I'm busy at the office. I have to show up everyday. (bummer)

My intermediate term goal is to paint my house and get out of debt. This will take about 2 years, at least (semi-bummer)

I am going to Saturday evening picincs and attending summer stock theatre this year. (not a bummer)

All work and no play, makes this Joe a dull boy.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2001

I finished up my master's in early June (yay, me!) and have been indulging myself with as much reading and needlework as I can fit in. I'm also moving to Minneapolis next month, so I've been getting rid of extraneous belongings, searching on-line for jobs, making arrangements with the movers, and that kind of stuff.

I start packing next month. Oh, joy.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2001

I'm spending my summer working and chasing after my daughter who's just learned to crawl. She's spending the summer laughing at me as I "rock out" to Led Zepplin. Cheap thrills help keep down costs. Plus, there's the wading pool out back and the tomatoes turning red on the vine. Ah, summer!

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2001

I haven't worked at a "real job" since the end of March, so my summer began back then.

It's going to kick into high gear in a couple of weeks when we take off on a road trip to visit friends in the US of A.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2001

Moved at beginning of summer, and am having housewarming in two weeks.

Am going to see Roxy Music (as far as big concerts go) and have seen live music 2-3 times a week on a regular basis.

I go dancing every weekend.

Got a new haircut, though the hairdresser talked me out of streaks (is this a new fad?).

That's about it.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001