7.5.10 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW

Considering it’s a holiday, this week’s column is going to take a bit of a different form, and admittedly one that can be written more speedily since I refused to open my computer over the course of my three-day mini-break.  First, let’s have a collective enjoyment of The Fourth of July.  Sure, the celebration of the founding of our fantastic, if often misguided, country is excellent within itself.  But to me it’s all about fun, sun and fireworks… especially the fireworks.  I’m not sure I’ll ever outgrow my fascination with those bright shiny colored lights littering the sky throughout the night, all the better when timed with good music (a Souza march is appropriate, but I’ve enjoyed the more recent and modern take some displays have had).

But it’s not about the holiday itself, it’s about what you do with the holiday.  Considering I’ve been working pretty consistently the past couple months, this was a true holiday and I found myself down in South Carolina with family on a lake.  This is a miraculous and wonderful combination.  First, there’s family.  In all its forms, bonds and permutations, there’s nothing quite like getting together on a holiday and celebrating together, especially with family that you don’t often get to see.  Add to that children, who make all holidays actually enjoyable.  Watching children find endless fascination jumping off the back of a boat reminds me what pure joy is all about, a moment when the brain actually fully shuts off to just enjoy the sensation of whatever you’re doing in that moment, not thinking about the project up ahead or the project just finished.

So onto the activities!  I have found myself an avid water skier.  This being only my second time on skis, I was quite pleasantly surprised to find that I could actually get up and stay up.  Despite the fact that my body continued to get more and more sore over the course of three days, I still found myself waking up this morning eager to get back on and push myself to get up on one ski, which I managed to do, limitedly.  There were also some excellent tubing experiences.  Being pulled by a speedboat certainly has its joys, especially being able to hold on stronger than my brother who tumbled twice thanks to the excellently timed switchbacks of our cousin behind the wheel (I tumbled just once).  But there was nothing as insane as being pulled by a jet ski, which whips you like no roller coaster ever has.

But let’s face it, the Fourth isn’t complete without drinking.  But what if you combine floating in warm lake water whilst drinking.  Ah yes, I cannot even begin to describe the joys of a diaper dip.  Step your feet through the armholes of your life preserver, pull them up so they do indeed look like a diaper, jump into the water, grab a cold brew and you’re all set.  Just make sure you have enough brew at hand, because when the dip lasts over three hours, you need reinforcements.

And what’s a summer weekend event without a little campfire and s’mores.  I might not have been much of a camper, but this is one tradition I hold fast to.  There’s nothing so delicious as the combination of graham cracker, chocolate and perfectly cooked marshmallow.  Which all culminates in the ultimate enjoyment of any good holiday weekend, sleep.  I haven’t slept as long or as well in a long time, the beautiful result of being content and exhausted from the day’s activity and life in general, the work and the play coming together quite nicely.

Ok, so if you look back through, that’s ten highlighted items.  And sure, I shouldn’t highlight working consistently, but you know what, it feels damn good and it makes the holiday feel all the better in contrast.  All in all, I give it a big ol’ A.