DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince made it all sound simple:
“Give me a soft subtle mix
And if ain’t broke then don’t try to fix it
And think of the summers of the past
Adjust the base and let the alpine blast
Pop in my CD and let me run a rhyme
And put your car on cruise and lay back cause this is summertime.”
Sure, I can play Pandora at my desk and get whisked away in fantasies of sitting on the beach with the sun hitting my face and a good book on my lap but it isn’t the same. Although visiting the ocean and playing some upbeat tunes has come true a few times this summer, the thought of taking it easy like Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith argh,um,The Fresh Prince vocalize seems to be long gone.
Was it ever a reality?
The First Years
Sure! When I was a kid (below the standard working age) summer was a crucial break from school and the constant structure of scheduling. My days were spent hanging out on playgrounds with friends, going away on vacation, or even getting pumped up over sleep away soccer camp. What was there to stress about? Maybe your mother calling you in for dinner before the street lights came on and you were about to miss a critical game of kickball!
Sweet 16
“You want to drive, you better get a job.” Words spoken so many times by my father that I’m sure somewhere on Google he is cited as saying them. In a blink of an eye, simple summers were over and parents assumed you were an adult and had to live like one. Don’t get me wrong, I had no issues making my own money but those once relaxing summers turned into scrubbing plates in a dish room at the hospital. First job memories……frightening to say the least!
Present
The innocence of summer breaks is gone and as most of us know, it’s just another three months of working but just in hotter temperatures. I will say, at least for me, summer is my chance to come up for air and loosen up the shackles that have kept me close to my desk all year long. Obviously the dynamic has changed and instead of checking out for some much needed vacation time, we are very much still plugged in. Is it me or does work send you even MORE emails when you are out of the office? How will I overcome my summertime sadness (see what I did there 🙂 )?
I’m going to plan.
I’m going to figure out what my next moves are and what risks are worth taking. I’m going to get more organized and get my financial life in order. I’m going to see friends more because the weather gives you more flexibility to do new things. I’m going to go back to the beach with a new book and soak up what I have earned all year, time for myself.
“And this is the Fresh Prince’s my new definition of summer madness”
Where Am I? 