Let's Talk About...The Summer Solstice

Ok. Was that the summer solstice that just passed by? June 20 was the day when the sun hit its northernmost spot in the sky. You know what that means? It is just a slow downhill ride to winter.

We are told the longest day of the year was just a week ago. Are we to believe that today is shorter than yesterday? Let's just pause right there and remind ourselves there are always 24 hours in a day. So, days aren't really getting longer or shorter at all. Are they?

That is one of those concepts that confuses children. And me.

On one hand, it feels like summer has already been around for a while since it has been so hot and everyone seems to be traveling. On the other hand, the trusty calendar says summer has just begun.

Other than the calendar, summer is marked by a couple of things. First, school gets out. Now, depending on where you go to school, that can be anywhere from mid-May to mid to late June. That's a wide summer-starting-point.

Next, the spring flowers are over and summer blooms begin. And it gets really hot.

But most importantly, people start hitting the road. It's that time to take the camper out of mothballs, give it a good scrub and head off for Yellowstone. Or grandma's house.

But, if you are unlucky, summer means summer school begins.

I remember going to summer school during the summer before I started college. The whole summer. Even today I wonder, "What was I thinking?"

I guess I was going for a few inexpensive credits and getting some core curriculum out of the way before hitting the big university. Who put that idea in my head? I managed to ruin that blissful, once-in-a-lifetime summer between high school and college.

I went to Long Beach City College that summer and took Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. One after the other. Except for the idea that one was big and one was small, I didn't really learn anything.

Let me be clear. I was an English major. Economics, as a whole, does not play to my strengths. Was I trying to destroy my GPA before I even started college?

All I recall is sitting in a very hot classroom all summer while all my friends were at the beach. Listening to the teacher talk about market shares, labor forces and inflation while staring out the window was not my idea of a fun-filled summer.

The only other summer school classes I ever took were Driver's Ed and Driver's Training in high school. It was me and a bunch of stoners (really) crammed in a Toyota hurtling down the freeway that summer with no air conditioning, but with a horrified teacher on valium in the passenger seat. Those were good times. Despite my rampant fear of dying, I managed to survive and earn a driver's license in the end.

Lessons learned, summer should be spent at the pool, on the beach, in the backyard, or at some faraway magical place on a yacht. Certainly, not in a classroom.

Well, needless to say, I never made that mistake again.

Summer is supposed to be a time to give your brain a rest. Remember the notion of "lazy days of summer?" Well, that was only true until the real world emerged, and careers took over. Then there was never rest for a weary brain.

So, let's make an effort to hit the trail, enjoy the outdoors and get some much-needed vitamin D during all those extra hours of sunshine even though there are still the same 24 hours in a day.