Summer and I have a love hate relationship.
Actually---scratch that. It’s more of a feeling like that relationship with your older sister who’s perfect. You love her because you’re taught that you should. You want to like her. People speak nothing but good things about her, of her good qualities, of the good things about her. There’s so much wonderment and potential lurking under there. And yet? Yeah, not so much.
I get why I’m suppose to love summer. The idea behind it all is there. It’s like an ad for the perfect life: BBQs, trendy clothing, sunglasses, lovely tans. There’s so much that’s attached to summer, especially for somewhere like Vancouver. The different festivals, the typical events, birthdays (mine and Canada’s) just to name a few. It’s all new and exciting. From the time you’re a young kid, summer is suppose to be your favourite time of the year.
Sure, I get all that. I’ve made a whole to-do list around summer. I started going to those events and whether they were hit or miss, having a blast with my friends. I enjoy sitting out in the sun. I love my little summer dresses, the fact that the day isn’t dark and dreary by the time I get on the skytrain on the way home. My birthday is in summer, I mean that’s already a gimme.
But for every good thing about it, there’s a bad. The sweat. The heat. The way it makes people react. People are constantly going away--so it’s harder to make plans. The people who are stripping off--that really have no business stripping down. The busy beaches, the patios that are always the first to be snapped up. Swimsuit shopping. ‘Nuff said.
So I guess this year I’m going to make an effort to get back that spark with summer. She’s already shown promise. There are some good memories out there already. The nights where it’s warm enough to go in just a t-shirt, the fireworks, the feeling of the sun literally baking into your skin. It’s all there, I guess, ripe for the taking.
Summer, for me anyways, has always held an appeal of a couple of different things--I blame the amount of after school specials, teen dramas and bad teen films for this list. I figure maybe, if I can combine all four things into one epic summer that maybe that hate/love thing will finally turn for the better.
In the off-chance for making this “the best summer ever” I’ve decided I need four things. Yes, I’m -that- girl. I like my lists. They’d be:
The perfect pair of sunglasses
The perfect summer album
The summer love
The perfect birthday
So far, two out of four done. Ain’t too shabby.
The perfect pair of sunglasses.
Thankfully this is checked off. It’s that confidence issue. Although, as I’m pretty much blind without my glasses this isn’t always the ideal eye fashion but--well, maybe it’ll just make the people around me that much more attractive. Beer goggles are so passe. Let’s try non-prescription sunglasses goggles.
The perfect summer album (or possibly mixed tape).
Music is a big part of my life. I’d honestly love if someone would make me a soundtrack to my life--and sometimes I do have a hand in that. I love looking for new music, I think I’d be lost without my ipod and this can be especially true of summer. Some music--in my opinion just screams “summer”.
Yes, this is generally some pop hit, as discussed in one of my favourite blogs “Low Resolution”. However, perhaps it’s just the mood I’ve been in lately or maybe just what I stumbled on but to me, Brothers by The Black Keys just screams summer. It has a bluesy-rock feel that not only sounds like lazy summer days but can easily get you amped up. There’s honestly nothing I’d love to do more than sit down at English Bay, watch the sun set with an iced tea, some good company and this CD. I hope it holds true for the entire summer as my love tenders to waver easily.
Summer Love. (cue JT)
Well this is easy enough. Who doesn’t like being in love? It’s not a prerequisite in any shape or form to have a good summer. I like to think I’m comfortable enough with myself and with my life right now to not need to add in another person into things to make it complicated, stressful and dramatic--I obviously get enough of that from my friends. However, the first stages of any relationship are always the best. That giddy feeling you get when you talk to them. The way they can make any crappy day into a good one just by being there. The exploring, the unknown, the romance.
The question here really isn’t why would you want it? More like, why -wouldn’t- you want a summer fling?
The perfect birthday.
Well, as nice as it is to have a birthday in the summer--it’s away from all major holidays and therefore you don’t get ripped off present wise. However, the bad thing is that everyone wants to do other things and generally, for whatever reason, my birthday doesn’t always land on the top of the list.
That and the fact that birthdays--especially around our age aren’t exactly original or unique. Especially for a bunch of broke asses like me and my friends. I’m really hoping this year’s scavenger hunt manages to be at least a little unique and hopefully brings a lot of laughs.
So that’s the list. I’m hoping to cross off just one more item from that before summer slips from our fingers once again. I mean, this is just my ideal summer but I’m sure there’s many different versions out there.
And, hell, if it doesn’t end up like this---well I can always spend my autumn renting those bad teen flicks and dreaming of the summer that could have been.
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