Planning an IRL, 1980s-style Summer
It's summer in my neck of the woods, and with the season's change I've found myself really craving ease. I want to let myself off the hook (this is a HUGE statement for an Enneagram One like me, who has insanely high expectations of myself). I want to turn the dial down on a lot of things. I want to experience more slowness, more quiet. I've been feeling a nudge lately to take an extended break from social media, so I decided I'm going to embrace an IRL (in real life) Summer. What this will look like for me: I'll log out of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter from today, June 21, through Labor Day. (My exceptions will be a quick FB session on Fridays to check in with my creativity group that shares there weekly, and I might pop into Instagram for a limited time to share anything I might get published this summer.)
I've been listening to a lot of podcasts about digital wellbeing, and how technology affects our focus, our attention, our capacity for deep thought, and even the way our memory works. I'm curious to see how my IRL Summer might impact the way I remember these few months, and also any creative work I might produce. Also, to be honest I've been having a hard time lately with parenting my precious yet incredibly spirited and strong-willed child. Along with that, work seems to be in a constant state of disruption, and then, you know, there's all the disruption happening around the world in this crazy time in history. I recently read Shauna Niequist's I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet and I keep coming back to the part where she says, "Make your world really quiet sometimes, especially when things are hard or you have a difficult decision to make."
So that's what I'm going to do. I'm trying to make my summer quieter, smaller. I don't want to open Instagram and be bombarded with everyone else's summers and wonder if I'm making summer "magical" enough for Zadie. You know what made summer magical for me as a kid in the 80s and early 90s? Swimming pools. Unfussy beach trips (the kind where you just bring towels, a bag of grapes, and some tuna sandwiches). More ice cream and popsicles than the rest of the year. Fireworks on the Fourth of July. And that's about it. So this summer I'm going for low-stakes, easy, 80s summer magic. Here's what that will look like for us:
Hanging at the neighborhood pool (we recently became members at the most low-key neighborhood pool EVER...basically some neighbors bought a lot on a residential block and built a pool there. There's some chairs, umbrellas, a ping pong table, and very basic bathrooms. We have a key and can let ourselves in from 6am–10pm every day. Talk about 1980s!)
Saying "yes" to ice cream and other frozen treats more than usual
Fourth of July parade and fireworks in our small town
A week "staycation" with cousins visiting...this will mostly be swimming at my mom's house, with one big ticket item––a trip to Disneyland!––in the middle of the week
Zadie going to summer day camps; one is mainly arts and crafts all day at a local university, then toward the end of the summer she has three weeks at a more high-energy Jewish camp nearby
For me, I'm having a "middle grade summer." As I prepare for a writing workshop in August where I'll work intensely on the middle grade novel I wrote, I'm going to read a bunch of middle grade books, and I'm also watching The Baby-Sitters Club on Netflix lol. (It's actually really good!) Middle grade books are easy, soothing, and enjoyable. I highly recommend!
So that's pretty much it. If you have plans for a similar type of summer, let me know! And if you take the plunge for an IRL Summer of your own, definitely let me know! Here's to an easy breezy summer.
In Case You Missed It
"Yes, Traveling with Kids Is a Shitshow––But Here's Why It's Worth It" - I had an article published on What's Up, Moms? all about the roller coaster of travel with kids. If you have any trips planned this summer, read this to help with perspective and adjust your expectations. ;)
Articles
"Yes, I Would Be Positively Delighted to Throw Away Your Trash" (McSweeney's) - All the parents out there, I know you can relate!
"Oxygenate the Family Unit" (The Cut) - Wow, I loved this piece and related to it on so many levels. The pandemic + ridiculous pressure from today's parenting culture are quite the double whammy and I love this author's ideas and upbeat tone. It's an excellent read, just trust me.
Books
The Year of the Horses (Courtney Maum) - This memoir about a mother finding herself again by reigniting a childhood passion for horses really resonated with me. It's a quick and absorbing read, perfect for your beach bag on vacation.
TV/Movies
Tehran (Apple+) - We love this spy thriller that recently came out with their second season. It's fast-paced and surprising and centers around a complex woman who is a hacker/spy for the Mossad (Israel's intelligence agency) undercover in Iran. It's intense but not *too* bad for sensitive little me.
Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple+) - We just watched this over the weekend and it was an easy, enjoyable film with endearing characters. I don't have much more to say than that...I recommend it! Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again, but I'm pretty sure I'm the target demographic for Apple+? I've loved almost everything I've watched on there.
Podcasts
"Freedom to Breathe" (Freedom Matters podcast) - I really loved this conversation...they touched on so many topics, but what I got the most from was the part about mindfulness. The whole conversation felt really gentle, interesting, and nourishing.
How to Fail: Brene Brown - So much good stuff in here about comparison and competition, fitting in versus belonging, and tooting your own horn!
Wrapping Up
Welp, I wrote this on Friday and a few hours later Zadie tested for COVID, which is definitely adding to the "slow" vibes :| What are your plans for the summer? Hit me back and let me know your plans for low-key summer magic, and what you're reading, watching, and listening to! I seriously love hearing from you (especially bc I won't be on social!!).
All Good Things,
Joy
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