Summertime

Today is Ryan and Nolan’s last day of school.
I can’t believe that it’s here. The end of elementary school for Nolan, and the end of 7th grade for Ryan.
I recall those days when time was measured in terms of school years, but when I look back at my childhood, the only times I remember with any clarity are the summer vacations.
I remember the oppressive heat and still, smoggy air in the San Fernando Valley where I grew up.
I remember the sense of accomplishment I felt when I forced myself to stay awake nearly all night the day I got out of school in 5th or 6th grade, watching VHS tapes of wrestling on the top-loading VCR, just because summer had started, and I could sleep in.
I remember the progression of water-themed toys: The hose, the thing with the clown hat that spun atop the stream of water that you jumped through, the slip-n-slide, and finally the swimming pool.
The Sunland of my elementary and early middle school days only exists in those summertime memories of ice cream trucks and afternoon naps underneath the wall-unit air conditioner.
Back when the livin’ was easy.

113-107

So the Lakers just won the NBA Championship for the third year in a row.
You know how I know that I am 100% Los Angeles sports fan?
As soon as the game was over, I turned on the local news channel so that I can watch the victory riot.
So far, it’s pretty bush league, but I’m sure they’ll be flipping over cars within the hour.
UPDATE: Dang. The LAPD got in there with their rubber bullets and tear gas, and they didn’t even let the fans start one fire.
Oh well. There’s always the victory parade.

Zoom Zip

Before I say anything, I should point out that, yes, the last entry should be titled TAKE THAT, Comic Book Guy.
It is a glowing, shining, permanent example of just how totally over-extended I am in my life right now.
I actually woke up last week, and realized with great horror that I was simply…empty. I was totally out of ideas, and didn’t have anything interesting to write about here. I think I’m being pulled in too many creative directions all at once, which is A Very Good Thing(tm)…but I’m more than just a little bit bummed that I’m not living up to my own standards here, recently…I mean, come on, reruns?! That shit is played, y0.
Anyway, since last time I wrote, I’ve actually been out in the real world doing stuff: I hiked to the top of Henninger Flats with Anne and found a geocache, went to Sacramento to collect on my bet with Boomer and The Dave at KWOD 106.5, and signed 200 pictures for the Star Trek Cruise.
There’s some other very exciting stuff, but I can’t talk about it yet. 🙁
I’ve been up since 4AM on 5 hours of sleep, so I’m going to slllllllmmzzxxlxpxhghgxxxxxxx