When you're too busy for a summer manifesto

Thank you, Scarlet, for living by Moo Thru and telling me about its existence. Yum!

As May wound down, I started thinking about writing a summer manifesto like I saw popping up all over the web.The idea of putting a little thought into how I wanted to spend the summer appealed to my love of lists and desire to enjoy the season.


Unfortunately, my summers tend to be chaotic affairs driven by crazy work deadlines, and this summer has been no different. Already I've spoken at a conference, held innumerable "urgent" meetings, released a 40-page report, blah, blah, blah. Remember the leisurely drive I was going to take up to Amherst for a conference at the beginning of June? Leisurely turned into "just get there as fast as you can" because of meetings and obligations that piled up on either side. I haven't gone swimming or popped over to the beach (even for just a day). I've missed two concerts whose tickets I've had for months. Needless to say, I never got around to penning that summer manifesto.

Who cares?! Despite some added stress, summer moments are meant to be stolen, and I've become a champion at savoring those little pockets of time. Enjoying the perfect summer cone. Stealing away to a matinee with a friend when a meeting ends just early enough. The summer buzz of a birthday celebration. Small town charm and the summer outdoor concert.

I'm also going to give the leisurely road trip another shot in a couple of weeks. I've got another conference (this one in Saint Paul, MN) coming up and am planning some fun stops along the way. Ohio, I'm looking to you to serve me up an antique mall or two. I'm also digging around online to find a watering hole in Minnesota to escape to for a couple of hours. I want to be realistic about places to stop (I do need to get there) but still want all the suggestions you can throw at me.