Fresno is only about 10 degrees cooler than Vegas, so this is my shut-in time of year. My goal is to achieve a greater proficiency on guitar to justify buying another one to replace the one I gave a friend when I left Vegas. The one I gave away was a 7-string that was fun to play hardcore and metal, but my interest in that has waned. The one I want now is similar to a semi-hollow Telecaster.

Oooh cool idea!

This summer I'm spending a lot of time driving down to Toronto for live shows. So far, Heavy Trash, The Avett Brothers, The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Coming up this week is She & Him. Later in June, Pavement, Broken Social Scene, and Band of Horses (all on one bill). There will be more trips as well, based on the shows I'm seeing coming up!

Also doing a super fast road trip to Montreal/Boston with my friends' band.

On top of that...some time spent in Kincardine at my mom's AWESOME place. Sadly they are looking to move in the next year, even have the new place built, in lametown, Ontario. So, yes, more time the world's best hammock this summer.

And, lastly, I'm thinking of a solo camping trip later in the summer. Just 3-4 days, and I'll let people know, in case some hanging out is possible, but...mainly I want some time alone in the northern woods.

I'm working on a new approach to things too...I'm mainly trying to say yes, to pretty much anything. So far, it's brought on some interesting times!

I'm just hoping that it stops raining at some point during the summer. We had over 5 inches of rain last month and we've had over three already this month and we're only a week in.

*Lots of trips to Coney Island
*In my dream world, we'd get away to Ocean City, NJ for a weekend
*Watermelon. I need a bigger fridge; mine is tiny.

a super fast road trip to Montreal/Boston

Holler if you have any extra time while in boston!

Holler if you have any extra time while in boston!

Highly recommended. They are a great bunch of people.

The rain has let up until tomorrow night, but then is supposed to come back. The good thing is that it is keeping the pollen down and keeping moisture in the forests around here, so we might have a lighter fire season.

There is a lot of music coming, and I can't really do it all. I have to chose among:

Neil Young
David Lindley and Jackson Browne (in that order, for me)
Swell Season
New Pornographers
Lyle Lovett
Garrison Keillor and the PHC show here in my town (yeah I know)
Bumbershoot
A festival in Pioneer Square in Portland at which the Decemberists are going to play.

Can't do it all. I have 20 minutes to decide on Neil Young and right now leaning against it, price-wise and because have to deal with Ticketmaster.

Other than that, small trips, like to Ashland and the coast and the mountains.

Biking, biking, biking! I love my bike now, and EM loves being dragged around in the buggy having adventures.

Especially if the adventures include brioche or the beach.

As long as we're dreaming, getting dragged around in a buggy by gomichild and having adventures involving brioche or the beach sounds fun. I guess due to payload issues, EM can ride in the buggy and I'll borrow a bike or something.

Seriously, I am getting a haircut. A good one. I've had to keep my hair long for shows and as soon as possilbe after July 1 I am getting a real cut and maybe color. I know the stylist I want to use and everything.

Digital photography class?

Vacation or day trip involving water?

Holler if you have any extra time while in boston!

Sadly, I think I'm only going to see the inside of a van, load in, and a show, then back into the van...A promoter's been trying to get the guys to come down for ages, and they finally agreed to go. But...they are freshly back from Europe, so work and loved ones aren't too interested in them touring any time soon!

But, yes, if I do have time, I will!

My Summer starts with seeing Anthony Bourdain speak this Saturday and ends with a road trip to St. Louis in August to see Gogol Bordello. In between, I've got an 8-week dance with microbiology (that starts this evening). Oh! I've also joined an adult kickball team! Play starts in early July.

Sleeping as much as I can.
Getting mentally healthy (or at least heading in that direction).
Not freaking out about future.

Like Ardiril, I shut myself in over summer. Although I don't think the kid will have any of that, so I guess I will spend the summer looking for shady spots to sit while she runs around like a loon. she's easy to spot, most of the time now, because she's the only kid who consistently wears a hat. guess who has a mother who grew up in the southern hemisphere..?

Summer ends with a short trip to Prague and then Vienna for a wedding. Just booked the tix yesterday, yay!

Lots of beach time.

More outdoor dining on the back porch

Lots of reading time with my kids -- right now we're reading the Percy Jackson series

Field trips! Kennedy Space Center, various freshwater springs, museums, and nature trails.

Evening bike rides and walks with my family and dog.

Summer ends with a short trip to Prague and then Vienna for a wedding. Just booked the tix yesterday, yay!

This sounds glorious, gaspode! I am so jealous!

Since Auntie w/cancer has shut down any visitation, Mum and I are going on a road trip. Yay road trips!

Our only definite destinations so far are Mansfield, MO (to see the last "Little House"), DeSmet, SD to see the "Little Town on the Prairie" and Mt. Rushmore. I've been wanting to see both the LIW places since I was a kid so I'm pretty stoked about the whole thing.

Hm. I should make a AskMe post asking about other things to see within that, admittedly wide, area.

This will be my 3rd summer at the house at the lake. I finally put in a garden, both flowers and veg. Last year, I had tomatoes in containers, and they got rained out.

Ideally, plenty of time on the deck, in the sun or shade, with a book. The ideal summer book is not too slender, not too literary, also not too cheesy. Ok, it's allowed to be too cheesy. It must be a cheap paperback because it may get left out in the rain or sun.

I always have these summer dreams, then realize that summer is packed with great events I want to go to, visiting friends & family, lawn-moaning, house renovations that require summer weather, and there is just not enough time.

My nephew and his gf may come for an extended visit. That would be terrific.

There is nothing not to love about long days and warm weather. Living someplace where winter is long makes summer very sweet.

My plan for the summer is to become mayor of New York, give everyone the summer off, and declare a State of Partymergency. The upside is that by September, everyone will be so worn out from being forced to party nonstop that they will actually be looking forward to getting back to work. Which will put an end to our current economic woes.

Living someplace where winter is long makes summer very sweet.

Amen to that.

One problem I always have with Summer Dreams is that they are first formed in youth, when summer really is a season apart. We had off school for two months plus, and even when we were old enough to have jobs, the same routines and rules didn't apply. Summer felt so long, so endless. As an adult with a job, you don't have the luxury of taking that much time away from real life, even if the lulling of the leaves and flowers and warm air lulls you to think that is how it will be again.

Off to Denver and NM this evening, then PNW in August for my father's 80th.