This is basically my start-of-summer masterpost, full of a bunch of different things for summer.
Summer is a great time to look back on all the things that have happened in the past year and also to look ahead to what you want to accomplish and do. So...
Top 5 of the Year:
It's hard to pick just five things that made this year great, but here are a couple in no order:
-Solos in choir concert and spring ballet
-Developing friendships
-Seeing some great musicals
-Learning a lot
-Having some great teachers
I'm sure there's more but it's hard to think off the top of my head :)
Top 5 Goals for the Summer:
-I really want to reexamine and become deeper in my relationship with God.
-Taking a personal finance course
-Stretching and hopefully getting my splits! :)
-Creative writing and reading a lot of great books
-Spending time with friends
Summer Reads:
These are a couple books that I would reccommend. There's other books I love but they don't seem summery enough :P
If you want to check out some of my favorite books, go to the "To Read, To Watch" page.
If you have any questions about the books I list, please put them in the comments.
-The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Set in Jackson, Mississippi during the Civil Rights era, The Help tells the story of a young writer, Skeeter, who decides to write a book filled with the stories of maids who work in the households or Jackson. It's a powerful story about friendship, human rights, and standing up for what you believe in.
***Some foul language and violence.
-To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is a great American classic, also about civil rights, but set in the 1930s. If you haven't read it, run to the nearest bookshelf because it will probably be there. I did a lengthier review of TKAM in the "To Read, To Watch" section.
Also to note that a sequel of sorts to Mockingbird is coming out this summer entitled Go Set a Watchman. I'm not sure that I'm going to read the sequel for several reasons that I may outline in a later blog post. If you google the title you'll find plenty of articles about the controversy about the publication. But please, please read To Kill A Mockingbird. It is one of the richest and important books I have ever read with some of the most lovable characters I have ever encountered.
-All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
This is on my summer reading list and I read it this past winter. It's beautiful writing and provides a unique perspective on World War II. I liked it over all, but some of the middle bits I didn't love as much. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction this year I think, so it's highly popular. The writing is extraordinary.
-Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
If you're looking for non fiction, this is the book to go to. If you're a fiction reader who doesn't really like non fiction, this is also the book to go to. Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favorite authors. He writes about psychology and sociology. I have read many of his books, but this is the one I started with and it's probably my favorite. It talks all about our first impressions, split second judgements, and why they happen and why we should or shouldn't listen to them. It's full of anecdotes so it keeps the interest, and is fairly easy to read while also being extremely informative.
Let me know if you like any of these books in the comments! Also if you have some favorite summer reads that you'd like to reccommend, please do, as I'm almost always looking for new things to read.
11 Things to Do in the Summer Without Going on Vacation:
I love the freedom of summer, but I also find that sometimes I don't know what to do with myself and end up wasting time doing almost nothing. Here's a list to help me just as much as you.
Without people:
-Read a good novel and write a review either in your own notebook or online.
-Find an intriguing recipe and cook something new.
-Take photos or draw pictures of the beautiful flowers and trees summer brings.
-Write a short story.
-Shoot hoops or ride your bike.
With people:
-Film your own movie and then have a premier complete with fancy dresses and a red carpet. You could even have it outside by hanging a sheet on the garage door and bringing a projector outside.
-Don't have a video camera? Put on your own play complete with costumes and sets.
-Open your own "restaurant" and cook a fancy meal and invite people over to enjoy it.
-Make a fort out of blankets or in a tree.
-Have a neighborhood pick-up soccer or kickball or Capture the Flag game.
-Make a lemonade stand or some other roadside business.
-Set up a mini water park in your driveway with a sprinkler and hose.
Let me know in the comments what things you love to do during summer!
This was a great post! I have so many summer plans (which I did a blog post about)...if I can accomplish even half of what I want to, it will have been a very productive summer :)
ReplyDeleteI read Blink because you recommended it and it was really interesting! I've just started reading more nonfiction, so that one was good for me. I have the other three books on my reading list (which is very long)