The Days Mashed Between

A three-day summer break. That’s what I’ve got. Mashed between Spring and Summer terms.

My summer classes start on Tuesday and being thrown back into the midst of projects and deadlines will consume most of my time once more.

However, since most of my classes will be online, I’ll have a few more spare moments than what I normally have. That’s the beauty of online classes, you don’t have to commute to the classroom. You can stay in your PJs, wrapped up in your blankets, and still get work done.

I’ve been trying to enjoy these three days that I have off, though. Yesterday I went to see an Indy Eleven soccer game with my friends. The roof to the stadium was off and there was a slight May breeze that floated through the bleachers. It was refreshing. We won, but only because of the other team touched the ball with their hands and we got a free kick into the goal. Superb, way to win against the top team in the league, I think (they were so mad at themselves it was almost funny). I got the most delicious hot dog, though. Covered in salt and layered with cheese I think I hit the jackpot in the concession snacks section.

Right now I’m just sitting on my bed, listening to rain sprinkles shuttering on the roof and the train + dark thundering clouds shuffle by my open windows. I want to go to Lowes and buy some plants, nice big green ones that I can hopefully keep alive throughout the summer months. You see, I have this nack of buying lots of green plants with the intention of taking care of and tending to them, but the truth is, I forget about them half the time, leaving them to starve in their dried up soil. I think I need to pick a day, say every Friday, and label it bath-day for my baby plants so I can have the accomplished goal of keeping them alive.

Although I do have 12+ credit hours I’m taking over the summer, I hope to do some reading for enjoyment, too. What’s on my list, you ask? Well, I’ll be happy to tell you.

1. The Nix – Nathan Hill
2. Commonweath – Ann Patchett
3. Tornado Weather – Deborah E. Kennedy
4. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (a book I bought a year and a half ago and have yet to pick it up and finish it.)
5. Wait Till You See Me Dance by Deb Olin Unferth

There are probably more that I just can’t think of now but this is my starting list (if you have any suggestions, please, I’d be more than happy to receive them).

I’m not sure what I’m going to do tomorrow, maybe start in on the short story I’ve been working on, tidy up my room, or spend some time laying in my hammock with my feet up and a glass of ice coffee by my side (it would be the last day of summer break anyway).

All that I really know is this. I’m thankful, truly thankful for every single day that I’m living. I could write another whole blog post about this but, this time, I’ll keep it short: Every day we spend wishing on the things that are going to come in the someday future, we’re missing out on the future that we’re living now. This is the future we’re living — these little spare moments make up the life that, one day, will be gone. So, even during the days smashed in between, I’m thankful, and I’m living it to the fullest.