Your Summer Diversions

[KendallJ]

It seems new topics are slowing to a trickle these days, and I have to believe that part of that is due to the Summer season. So while your intellectual juices are otherwise occupied with cookouts, baseball, and days on the beach, I thought I'd start a topic to see exactly what you're being diverted by.

For me, it's

a. trying to get blog articles written after a hiatus for business travel

b. the usual home maintenance chores

c. an "on deck" reading stack that is climbing faster than I can clear it.

d. a training schedule that is ramping up. I've decided to start doing some races again this year, and much of my extra time is spent running or biking, (or studying about how to run and bike better).

e. Canine agility. I'm teaching a beginners course this summer, and trying to get my dog ready for a few trials, if I can find the time.

You?

[dan_edge]

Howdy Kendall,

I've been posting much less since I joined the OAC and started my blog. Whenever I feel like writing lately, I work on my own essays, articles, etc. Besides that, I have more weekly scheduled activities now than I ever have at any point in my life. Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays we go to the gym, and I'm usually in no mood to write after that. Sunday is also house-cleaning and general chore day. When OAC is in session, I reserve Wednesdays for homework (due Thursday noon). That leaves Monday and Saturday. We almost always hang out with friends on Saturday, and I usually write my blog post on Monday (because my blog is updated each Tuesday). And somewhere in there, I'm working on a feature-article length essay on the psych-epistemology of sexuality, reading through all the Harry Potter books again in preparation for the movie and the 7/21 release of The Deathly Hallows, listening to lectures on tape, planning my wedding, and keeping my fiancee satisfied. All that, apart from trying to get my start-up business going. Whew!

--Dan Edge

[KendallJ]

And somewhere in there, I'm working on a feature-article length essay on the psych-epistemology of sexuality, reading through all the Harry Potter books again in preparation for the movie and the 7/21 release of The Deathly Hallows, listening to lectures on tape, planning my wedding, and keeping my fiancee satisfied. All that, apart from trying to get my start-up business going. Whew!

Whew is right, Dan!

I'm interested to see the article when you post it.

Let's see,

Keeping the fiancee satisfied ---- posting to the forum

Keeping the fiancee satisfied ---- posting to the forum

I think I know where I'd land on that choice.

BTW, for others, I didn't intend this to be a "Why you aren't posting to the forum" sort of note. I'm actually just interested to see how OOers spend their summer time.

[Inspector]

Summer? What is this "summer" of which you speak? I work the same hours now as before; do the same things now as before. Only now it's hot.

[K-Mac]

Well for me, this time of year is when things actually slow down a bit. Things have slowed at the office (tax season rush is over and summer vacations have begun) and my husband just started a new job and has been working long hours. With my not-yet-fully-healed broken leg, I cannot do too much physical activity yet, so I try to spend my time reading. Having just finished Atlas Shrugged, I was eager for more, so I decided to join this forum last week. Plan to pick up The Fountainhead this weekend.

So I guess the bottom line is, I'll be around this summer.

[KendallJ]

Summer? What is this "summer" of which you speak? I work the same hours now as before; do the same things now as before. Only now it's hot.

Good point. Unfortunately I don't know where you live, so the question may not apply so much. For those of us in northern climes, the summer psychology is a peculiarity. That is, I only get three months of really good summer, so if the sun is shining here, and its warm, we treat that as a scarce resource, and try not to waste it.

[Inspector]

Good point. Unfortunately I don't know where you live, so the question may not apply so much. For those of us in northern climes, the summer psychology is a peculiarity. That is, I only get three months of really good summer, so if the sun is shining here, and its warm, we treat that as a scarce resource, and try not to waste it.

I thought I was just being silly, but I now see what you mean. That is a good point. You people have to deal with winter. Oh boy am I glad I moved away from that. I live relatively near the sunniest place on earth, and I've got to tell you it's pretty great.

[KendallJ]

I thought I was just being silly, but I now see what you mean. That is a good point. You people have to deal with winter. Oh boy am I glad I moved away from that. I live relatively near the sunniest place on earth, and I've got to tell you it's pretty great.

I had a good friend of mine move from MI to California, and it became apparent to her how specific our (Northerners) response was. She couldn't get over the feeling every sunny day that she needed to skip work and not waste the day by doing something outside. Until she realized that it was going to be sunny 340 days out of the year.

[DavidOdden]

For those of us in northern climes, the summer psychology is a peculiarity. That is, I only get three months of really good summer, so if the sun is shining here, and its warm, we treat that as a scarce resource, and try not to waste it.

Northern climates? Northern climates?! Given the 2 months of absolutely no sun and 2 months of noticeably reduced sun up here, you Michigan guys are living in the veritable tropics. Though click here for my realtime front porch view now.

[KendallJ]

Northern climates? Northern climates?! Given the 2 months of absolutely no sun and 2 months of noticeably reduced sun up here, you Michigan guys are living in the veritable tropics. Though click here for my realtime front porch view now.

Well, I was just referring to anyone who has access to anything that would remotely resemble a summer. You, sir, are in a class by yourself!

So how are you going to spend that one "balmy" day where it gets above 50F?

[K-Mac]

The fact that Castle Rock, Colorado has over 300 days of sunshine per year was one of my top three reasons for moving here. I certainly don't miss the heat and humidity of Houston! As this past winter was winding down, it was the first time in my life that I've ever actually looked forward to the warmth of spring and then summer. (Being a native Houstonian, you dread the end of winter.) It is so wonderful to be able to read a book outdoors and feel the warmth of the sun on my face. I even smile when I see the raccoon-like tan lines left on my face by my sunglasses.

[DavidOdden]

So how are you going to spend that one "balmy" day where it gets above 50F?

Well, there's always working on the old suntan at midnight. I'll soak up as much cold as I can get, in anticipation of returning to the oven in the end of July. And then I think I'm gonna go buy me an SUV and drive somewhere exotic. Usually, summer is when I get my own research done, but this year I got to do do that all year, so I'm thinking I could explore some unknown part of the country. But I still gotta finish two papers.

[Tenure]

Oh I joined here expecting to post quite a far bit, but exams have really been taking hold of me way too much. Only got one left though, so I'll be free after that. Honestly, I'm just a lazy student, waiting to get a job so I can afford my world trip next year (actually entering Uni in 2008).

Here, it's not so much we don't get Summer. It's that Summer isn't really. It's a strange time when the sun does rise up into the sky and warm the Earth - but the clouds and rain have other plans.

I honestly don't post that much because I'm more intimidated by the speed at which an argument will grow whilst I'm just reading the first page. You want to say something but the discussion has moved to a focus on another point. You try and bring it back to that previous point, but then you end up splitting the argument two ways and confusion ensues. It's got very little to do with not finding the time to post now.

[Capitalism Forever]

When I lived in Hungary, the summer would not divert me at all; in fact, I would have more time than in the winter because I had to travel all the way to Austria to ski but swimming is Hungary's national sport!

But here, in the UK, I couldn't help but fill all summer weekends on my calendar with trips to places like Portugal and the Canary Islands. And in the winter, I'll still have to go to Austria! Now I'm beginning to understand why Heathrow is Europe's busiest airport!

[DarkWaters]

It seems new topics are slowing to a trickle these days, and I have to believe that part of that is due to the Summer season. So while your intellectual juices are otherwise occupied with cookouts, baseball, and days on the beach, I thought I'd start a topic to see exactly what you're being diverted by.

In no particular order, I am:

• Working as a railroad transportation consultant for the summer.
  
• Visiting family.
  
• Making some progress on my dissertation.
  
• Listening to audiocourses and reading books so that I can be a better armchair intellectual:
  • History of economic thought.
    
    
  • Contemporary political philosophy.
    
    
  • Islamic Totalitarianism in history.
    
    
  • Total warfare in history.
    
  • The negative effects of various socialized healthcare programs.
    
  • Svensmark's theory of climate change.
    

Analogous to Kendall, my reading list seems to be growing faster than it is shrinking.

Edited June 22, 2007 by DarkWaters

[kufa]

I have been doing many things. Usually in mornings, I go hiking with a friend of mine, and after we're done we end up playing Wii, but on other days, I go swimming at my friends house. In afternoons, I work. At night, I go to the gym. On weekends, I go to the lake and go to the beach. IN between all of this I've been trying to finish a few books.

[Bold Standard]

Well, I've moved to a new apartment, and I don't have my own computer right now.. There is a computer lab I can get on sometimes, but I usually just stay on long enough to check my mail & myspace & facebook, because there's no AC in here.. Here are some of the other things I've been doing:

Working (a lot more than I did last summer).

Reading: Kant's _Critique of Practical Reason_ & rereading _Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals_, _Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre_ edited by Walter Kaufman, studying Aristotle's _Nicomachean Ethics_, and studying a book on how to speak Spanish. Sometimes I go to the bookstore by my house and read random things for a couple of hours here and there.

Listening to books on tape for how to speak Cantonese (for fun)

Writing lots of new songs.

Going to see local bands perform. Also seeing some real concerts.. I saw Morrissey a couple of weeks ago and he was fantastic.

Hanging out with random people and trying desperately to get some intellectual conversation going, but usually getting glazed-over-eyes.

Doing chores.

Taking lots of showers.

Going swimming & working out.

Cooking.

Trying on my clothes in different combinations and stare at myself in the mirror.

That's mostly what I've been doing.

I've missed you guys though! ; D

-David

You?

[John McVey]

I have to believe that part of that is due to the Summer season.

It's winter in Australia. The outside temperature is about 35F - piffle to you guys I'm sure but no fun for semi-desert creatures. The space-heater takes time to warm the room, and never warms the bricks and concrete, so my fingers are cold and it makes me type funny! Brrr!

10 hour days, then gym, hence I can't be at the coal-face keeping my posts fresh, so I mostly do posting on weekends. Other topics I might be interested in often have large trains of thought already built up through the week, so by the time I get to them there's a backlog to get through and frequently what I'd have to say has already been said. Still, I'll try to think of more worthwhile things to say anyway.

JJM

[KendallJ]

Well, I've moved to a new apartment, and I don't have my own computer right now.. There is a computer lab I can get on sometimes, but I usually just stay on long enough to check my mail & myspace & facebook, because there's no AC in here.. Here are some of the other things I've been doing:

Working (a lot more than I did last summer).

Reading: Kant's _Critique of Practical Reason_ & rereading _Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals_, _Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre_ edited by Walter Kaufman, studying Aristotle's _Nicomachean Ethics_, and studying a book on how to speak Spanish. Sometimes I go to the bookstore by my house and read random things for a couple of hours here and there.

Listening to books on tape for how to speak Cantonese (for fun)

Writing lots of new songs.

Going to see local bands perform. Also seeing some real concerts.. I saw Morrissey a couple of weeks ago and he was fantastic.

Hanging out with random people and trying desperately to get some intellectual conversation going, but usually getting glazed-over-eyes.

Doing chores.

Taking lots of showers.

Going swimming & working out.

Cooking.

Trying on my clothes in different combinations and stare at myself in the mirror.

That's mostly what I've been doing.

I've missed you guys though! ; D

-David

So, that's where you've been! I thought you disappeared. Hope the new apartment is going well. After Cantonese, go for Mandarin. Far more people speak it.

[DavidOdden]

After Cantonese, go for Mandarin. Far more people speak it.

Alternative recommendation, depending on the kind of fun you have in mind, go for Xiamen. Far more intellectually challenging. Far fewer people can speak it

[KendallJ]

Alternative recommendation, depending on the kind of fun you have in mind, go for Xiamen. Far more intellectually challenging. Far fewer people can speak it

David, I think of all of us, you're the only one who gets more utility from a language the more obscure it is.

[JMeganSnow]

I'm trying to take up walking for exercise (this would be easier if there weren't so many damn bugs), but in general I don't do anything different in the summer than I do in the winter. I stay up later and get up earlier, really. I go see movies a lot because summer is when all the big action movies come out. I usually get at least one sunburn and I'm just COVERED in mosquito bites. HOW THE HECK DO THESE THINGS KEEP GETTING IN HERE?!? *SWAT*

I just moved to New York which is (slightly) higher in lattitude than the part of Ohio where I lived. I haven't really *needed* air conditioning yet, the complaints of my house-mates aside. (You know, I thought MEN were supposed to be stoic and WOMEN were supposed to be whiney.) This is nice because the AC in my room isn't hooked up yet and I don't want to bother with it . . . every time it gets hot and stays that way for long enough that I consider hooking it up, it gets cool again. Not like Dayton where all summer you have one type of weather (very hot, really muggy) with variations (thunderstorm, sort of sunny if it weren't for all that haze, and the all-time favorite: tornado).

Most summers I do end up going to the Family Reunion and hanging out on a beach somewhere for a week or so. Not this year, though, I missed it because of the move.

[BaseballGenius]

I just moved to Charlotte, NC so these activities will actually be year round for me, but nonetheless they are in my summer plans.

Playing baseball, weight lifting, tanning, watching movies and baseball games, read at the library, write in my Journal. I like activities where they arent only enjoyable, but also where I can see progression with them. These activities pretty much make up my whole life, I dont have any variation. And thats how I like it, because it allows me to focus and improve more.

I'm still looking to add one more activity to my routine though. Feel free to add suggestions based on my current interests.

[Moebius]

Because I began my first full time job this year, summer is more or less the same as any other season. This is particularly apparent since right now I live in a tropical/sub-tropical country where there's really only two temperatures --warm and hot-- with varying degrees of humidity. Mostly I play a lot of pickup basketball during weekdays and swim on weekends. It's pretty much impossible to do anything outdoors when the sun is directly blasting high intensity heat at you, and the humidity basically make you sweat the moment you walk out of the door.

[KendallJ]

I just moved to Charlotte, NC

Playing for the Knights??