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| by Chris McGinty of AccordingToWhim.com |
My memories are scattered in some
places. I think of a number of childhood memories and then wonder if it
happened in the summer or some other time. Like that time that my dad and I
went to Wet ‘n’ Wild. Was that during the summer or at Christmastime? Ok,
living in Texas, that may not be as funny as living somewhere where it actually
snows.
Another example of this is that I
caught a fish once. I’m reasonably sure it was during the summer, but I really
don’t know for sure. I’d been fishing a few times in my life up until that day,
but I never caught anything. The brain is interesting in the regard that it
will convince you of things that aren’t necessarily reasonable. I was sure that
I would never catch a fish, because of the first few fishing trips.
caught a fish once. I’m reasonably sure it was during the summer, but I really
don’t know for sure. I’d been fishing a few times in my life up until that day,
but I never caught anything. The brain is interesting in the regard that it
will convince you of things that aren’t necessarily reasonable. I was sure that
I would never catch a fish, because of the first few fishing trips.
As I learned later, you could
flip a coin from this moment until the end of eternity, and it’s possible
(though very unlikely) that it might never come up tails. Any given flip has
nothing to do with the previous flips or future flips. It was possible I might
never catch a fish.
flip a coin from this moment until the end of eternity, and it’s possible
(though very unlikely) that it might never come up tails. Any given flip has
nothing to do with the previous flips or future flips. It was possible I might
never catch a fish.
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| Nathan and Chris like to test the gambler’s fallacy with trips to WinStar, no matter what season it is. |
I don’t even remember who the guy
was, but he was someone my dad knew. He had a pond that was stocked with fish
for the purpose of catch and release fishing on his property. When adults are
visiting, it’s often a good thing to find something for the kids to do. This
thing was standing by the stock pond with a fishing line with my brain
convincing me that it was a waste of time. Then I felt a tug at the pole. I
panicked. I pulled the line as hard as I could. The fish ended up hanging from
the tree behind me. We did manage to get it down and back in the pond before it
died. I’ve never fished again.
was, but he was someone my dad knew. He had a pond that was stocked with fish
for the purpose of catch and release fishing on his property. When adults are
visiting, it’s often a good thing to find something for the kids to do. This
thing was standing by the stock pond with a fishing line with my brain
convincing me that it was a waste of time. Then I felt a tug at the pole. I
panicked. I pulled the line as hard as I could. The fish ended up hanging from
the tree behind me. We did manage to get it down and back in the pond before it
died. I’ve never fished again.
I promised some more music, and
what would a summertime theme be without one of the earliest modern summer
songs?
what would a summertime theme be without one of the earliest modern summer
songs?
The Jamies – Summertime,
Summertime
Summertime
This song is possibly the
predecessor of “School’s Out,” except with maybe even more shocking lines
like, “Sorry teacher, but zip your lip,” and “If your folks complain just say, ‘It’s
summertime.” I’m imagining pompadours and switchblades on these ruffians.
predecessor of “School’s Out,” except with maybe even more shocking lines
like, “Sorry teacher, but zip your lip,” and “If your folks complain just say, ‘It’s
summertime.” I’m imagining pompadours and switchblades on these ruffians.
Speaking of open rebellion, Nathan
talked about suicide drinks in his first official installment of the Summertime
Funtime theme. I don’t really have much to add to his thoughts, except to say
that I first heard about these wondrous concoctions from a kid on one of my
little league teams. My mom had agreed to take him home, so that his mom could
run errands while we practiced. We stopped at a 7-Eleven, or similar store, and
the kid said he was going to make a suicide. I asked for clarification, and he
explained that you just mix all the drinks together. I didn’t need to be told
twice.
talked about suicide drinks in his first official installment of the Summertime
Funtime theme. I don’t really have much to add to his thoughts, except to say
that I first heard about these wondrous concoctions from a kid on one of my
little league teams. My mom had agreed to take him home, so that his mom could
run errands while we practiced. We stopped at a 7-Eleven, or similar store, and
the kid said he was going to make a suicide. I asked for clarification, and he
explained that you just mix all the drinks together. I didn’t need to be told
twice.
To her credit, my mom didn’t
object. Then again, this is a woman who used to buy candy cigarettes for my
brother and me while nursing a two pack a day habit with the real things. She
just has a different idea of a suicide, I guess. Why am I harshing on
cigarettes so bad? I might just be trying to make the part of Nathan that is a
conservative idealist cringe with my liberal rhetoric. Nathan’s not really a
conservative idealist, but he plays one on the internet.
object. Then again, this is a woman who used to buy candy cigarettes for my
brother and me while nursing a two pack a day habit with the real things. She
just has a different idea of a suicide, I guess. Why am I harshing on
cigarettes so bad? I might just be trying to make the part of Nathan that is a
conservative idealist cringe with my liberal rhetoric. Nathan’s not really a
conservative idealist, but he plays one on the internet.
I’ll finish this off with another
great summer song.
great summer song.
Seals and Croft – Summer Breeze
Chris McGinty is a blogger who
once expressed the theory that a song was great when it referenced suicide at
least twice in the lyrics. This may be a controversial idea with these
snowflake kids and their soft social media values… wait, maybe Chris is the conservative
idealist after all.
once expressed the theory that a song was great when it referenced suicide at
least twice in the lyrics. This may be a controversial idea with these
snowflake kids and their soft social media values… wait, maybe Chris is the conservative
idealist after all.