Summertime, and the Living's Easy

A typical 20-something (like myself) usually doesn't have a very diverse set of life experience. Stuff that was once a huge deal probably seems relatively simply in hindsight - the first date, kiss, beer, and other "firsts," which often involve back seats (God's greatest gift to a teenage male). Then there's the even more tired rites of passage like high school, high school graduation, going away to college, college, and graduating college (See? How exciting can your major life changes be when they all involve the same 2 nouns?). Despite the different memories and feelings you may associate with these periods, they all have one great thing in common: Summer. Regardless of whether you got to second base at age 15 or had to cram for that sociology exam while hungover at 19, the comfortable freedoms of summertime were there. Say them with me now: No classes. Sun. Crappy summer jobs. Partying (and during college, even more partying). Summer romance - and summer drama. And oh yeah, no classes. Summer is the cool friend that comes to hang out at his Dad's house for 3 months each year, as if that's how it worked out following a custody battle between his parents, Spring and Fall. And though I've rounded second base a lot since I was 15, and will never take a sociology exam ever again, Summer still comes down once a year. It's great.

But I'm lucky. A lot of my friends don't hang out with Summer like we all used to anymore. Most have these job things. Real ones. I'm lucky (I guess), because I'm still getting my edumucation and still get to hang out with Summer like always. Maybe it's because Summer is not welcome at their workplace, or by their spouse, but its still sad that Summer isn't as good friends with them anymore. Anyways, I've been in ATL for 2 days now, and have had a great time - much better than I expected. You go to dinner with friends. The "how ya been?" conversations go on for hours. Inside jokes get resurrected. And they still crack you up, of course -- even though there's that subtle understanding that the humor behind them is no longer fresh and you're feeling more nostalgic about them than you ever thought you would. But it's only the first week of my 3 month period of RnR from la escuela de law, and things are really looking promising.

Star Wars Friday!! I'm a little angry with myself, since this will be the first of the prequels I didn't catch at a 12:01 showing, but this just goes to underline my whole point - the process of growing up doesn't stop suddenly - it slows down. When I was 18 and had time to do something stupid like camp out for Episode I without feeling ridiculous, I did it. But now I'm 24, slightly more practical, and so I just hit up Fandango.com for advance tickets. You can feel like a kid without being one, to be sure, but it's times like now - when I'm looking at the guys that used to caravan with me in an aimless search for some party we just heard about, and instead see guys who pay apt gas bills, get hassled by their bosses, and get calls from clients in between beer scores, I wince at the facts we're all facing - we're getting old, yo. I imagine they might be looking at me the same way - I'm not toilet-papering peoples' houses either, I'm drafting memos. No more destroying downtown Athens after destroying the frat house, I'm in sleepy Macon, GA tucked in a 1-Bedroom Apt. I'm not bitching about having to work late waiting tables or whatever, I'm bitching about having to get my suits dry-cleaned all the time because it's the uniform at the Courthouse.

None of this is sad, it's just something that stops and makes you think. We're all still having fun, but as our parents would have taught us if we listened, fun calms down a little bit. And like I said, I'm one week into Summer 05, I've got one good summer left until I take the Bar and see what this full-time job thing is all about, so I'm still crazy enough to be insane for 3 months outta the years. Noba ain't dead yet. The clubs, the bars, the live shows, the road trips, the flirting, the movies - bring it on. I wanna do a New Orleans trip for those that can make it, an old school visit to Six Flags would be nice, and hiking, camping, and beach-bumming are definitely on the agenda. You too can have the summer of an 17 year old with a fake ID and the parents car, even if you're a 24 year old that only gets carded 80% of the time and drives the same SUV that used to be your parents (dat Clarke).

Who's with me?

Now back to my trance...(starwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsgirlsstarwars
starwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsgirlsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwars
starwarsbeerstarwarshotgirlsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsbaseballstarwars
starwarsgirlsbeerandstarwarsstarwarsstarwarsnakednessstarwarsbeerstarwars)