a quick summer recap

Hello again. It has been quite some time since I’ve felt like writing, and even longer since I’ve posted. I have led a boring summer so far, which is what I plan to report on in this post. But first, let me share what got me in the mood for writing...

I said good night to my parents tonight and went down to my room like I do every other night. I turned the lamp beside my bed on, like I do every night, and gathered all my laundry for tomorrow. Feeling more inclined to clean things up around my room—which I haven’t cleaned in too long, to be honest—I set to work and threw away old editions of The New Yorker and threw all of my shoes towards my shoe rack (without putting them on it, of course), cleaned off my nightstand and grabbed a Norton’s Anthology of English Lit, specifically my purple tenth edition of the Romantic Period. I read some Coleridge and a Wordsworth poem, as one does, and a line from a preface I had previously underlined stood out to me. It read: “Literature, that is, could keep humans essentially human.”

I’ve spent my summer trying to read more and more, continuously aiming for that Goodreads goal of 25 books. I’ve read light romance fiction and memoirs and American classics, and I didn’t realize what was missing until I read that line from the preface. I have been so focused on reading and expanding my mind that I’m not backing it up with an outlet. I’ve always been a big reader, with occasional slumps and whatnot, but this summer I have lost the fire for writing that I’ve also had since I was a kid. 

I remember sitting at the family computer in the living room when I was in second grade typing made-up episodes of my favorite TV shows. There were always little unfinished stories that I had scribbled down in journals with the locks on them from the book fair at school. 

I started this blog last summer as an outlet. I wasn’t reading a lot, but I also wasn’t doing much of anything. This summer, I have intentionally been trying to take it slow and figure out my future (I think that topic is a blog post in and of itself). And yet, with all of this “soul searching” I have been trying to do, all meaning is being lost because I’m only exercising one type of self-expansion!  

Basically, that has been my summer so far. Not having anything to write about, and when I do, just not feeling it. If I was consistent in posting, you would already know some general things I’ve done this summer. Since I haven’t, here is a quick recap:

The beginning of my summer was occupied by little stray kittens, who were the sweetest things to exist. Ever. Our neighbor has since taken in all of them (thanks mom for having a cat allergy). Other than that, I just spent a lot of time with my family and/or at the lake. 

I got bangs! (Not a stress response.) It has been almost two months since the big chop, and I still can’t figure out how to style them. 

Turned 21. Had the best burger that I’ve had in a long time from Barrel 33 with my parents for a little birthday lunch. Then went to Publix with my mom and got a chocolate torte that almost made me cry it was so good. I feel like the emotions could have also been birthday-related and regarding a symbolic shift from childhood’s homemade chocolate cakes to something that could be seen as more refined? I’ll leave that up for interpretation.

Went to Lexington for a night to stay with my friend Molly. Had the best chicken quesadilla in a long time from a place whose name I can’t remember but have since visited again. Next day, I went to the wedding of an old teammate of mine. Had lots of fun at the ceremony and reception with old teammates and new laughs. Then went to the lake again.

Got white linen pants. May not seem significant, but I wore them three times a week for like a month after. 

Went to a poetry reading with my friend Belle! The main poet of the reading was an old professor of mine, and I got to hear from her and two others. Belle and I then went to an Irish pub downtown and I had really good potato soup. Restaurants have treated me pretty well this summer.

Family lake trip! Hectic. Sunburn. 

Got into scrapbooking for a second. My journal will soon be bursting with pictures. 

Went to Lexington again! This time for a weekend—with my best friends from school. We thrifted and drank coffee and lost in trivia at Charlie Brown’s and went to King’s Island and ate at that Mexican restaurant from the last time I went. 

Watched fireworks with my parents, brother, and niece!

Lake. Again. For the last time until September. Saw the prettiest sunrise and sunset of all summer. 

I got a Kindle! Only one book on there so far, though (Memphis, Tara Stringfellow).

And now, one more life update… I’m leaving for France on Saturday for about a month! I am pretty darn excited to be back. I want to say I’ll write while I’m there, but we know my track record.

Thank you for reading this random, patchwork post. Hoping that the next one will be more cohesive and have a theme or something haha. But hey, it wouldn't be Abundant Thoughts without scattered thoughts that pour from my brain, right?

Quick side note: I’ve had this blog for over a year?!! How crazy is that? I feel like I wrote the first post last week. 

Until next time! Thanks again, friends :)