The Great Summer To-Do List

Because bucket lists are too intimidating. I feel like a bucket list would just not work out for me. I would think to myself “whatever, I have my whole life to get that stuff done” and it would never happen. Though if I did have a bucket list, the only thing that I can think of that would be on it is to one day work at a ranch for a season.

1. Read Books 

1a. Design Sponge at Home: Grace Bonney.

I look at Design*Sponge daily and am a little obsessed with Ms. Bonney's sense of style and writing. I love that she has a sneak peek of her own home in it. I actually just snagged this from the library yesterday and already I went out and bought a pegboard for my kitchen pots and pans. Oops.

Slightly ashamed that while holding an English degree, the first book that I pick for my Summer reading list is largely composed of pictures.

1b. A Clash of Kings: George R.R. Martin

I finished A Game of Thrones shortly after Spring Break. I could not put it down, which I didn't anticipate, having never read fantasy aside from The Narnia series. I'm not a fan of the sexual explicity in the show—a lot of times I feel that it's pointless—but Martin uses it in not a heavy-handed way that builds up some characters for me, and makes me hate others. He's a masterful writer.

1c. The Western Canon: Harold Bloom

English professors know about Harold Bloom, professor at Yale, all around fancy person, and the canon is a controversial and morphing topic that I'd like to know more about. I assume it has a lot to do with the subjectivity/objectivity debate in art and I'm all about that mess.

I think this one balances out the picture book nicely.

Past Summer reading lists have been ridiculously overambitious. We'll stick with three right now and add on if we need to. I'm always open to suggestions!

2. Be Active

2a. (free!) Movies at the Park

2b. Make my own clothes

2c. Host some Crafternoons: Some of the high school girls I taught are interested in sewing some stuff with me! I think it would be neat to have them over and craft together.

2d. Art Lessons with my Nieces: Because I have some really awesome nieces.

3. Follow Tradition

3a. Pool time/attempt to tan/fail as tradition dictates

3b. blueberry picking

3c. float trip

3d. catch a lightning bug

3e. visit family

So there you have it! I have a list. One that is practical enough to be doable, and I'm optimistic enough that it will actually get done. Here's to a happy season.