Ever since I was a kid, the first week of August has always been a time of reflection for me. When I was younger, it meant the half way mark for summer vacation and the 'back to school' commercials were beginning to bombard the airwaves. It was usually during this time, that I figured out what items from my list of things to accomplish during the summer, I wanted to try to squeeze in over the next four weeks. I used to hate those commercials, they were like a thumb tac in a balloon, sucking all the air, and color, from the care free feeling of a long summer.
I like those commercials now. I am not in school any longer, so I can enjoy how they affect all those under 18 I encounter. Although the official beginning of the year is January 1st, sometimes it feels my years begin in September. A time to start fresh, get organized and get back to business after a relaxing lazy summer. July was a blur to me, work, weddings and tropical storm Arthur occupied much of the month. On the odd day off I was usually so busy trying to get caught up with stuff around the house, there hasn't been a whole lot of time for the usual activities of summer. The beach is beckoning loudly now that it is August and so is my urge to reorganize and regroup. I know come September what I want to have done this past summer and look forward to sharing come the fall.
