Summer's over? Probably. It hasn't gotten over seventy here in ten days. It's been cold and damp. Emergency crews are lauding the end. We've had over sixty drownings this summer, including a plane crash and a few boating accidents. Local resources are greatly depleted and the tourists left behind a lot of trash (non-refundable bottles and the like*). It's been an ominous few weeks.
Schools in Michigan cannot start until after labor day, unless they're private (never ask my opinion on private schools) and so the streets were clogged with buses yesterday. So much fun. Ten points for a kindergartener.
On a brighter note. I have started classes. Reading and Writing. Very invigorating , but haphazard, thus far. Both classes are remedial, but I am taking them for perspective and, well, just cuz. I'll be watching my professors with an analytical eye, since teaching English is 'The Backup Plan'. Beside refreshing my grammatical skill set, I do not believe I will learn a ton. I look at these classes as review, but I welcome epiphanies. After all, that concluding paragraph and I have never understood each other.
*If you plan to visit Michigan and are unfamiliar** with the concept of the bottle deposit, read this (PLEASE!).
**By unfamiliar, I mean smug, resistant, clueless, ignorant, or just plain mean about the whole thing, even though I am just a lowly gas station attendant and you are a sophisticated jet-setter who landed on the shores of Ludington, Michigan via Milawaukee or Chicago and think you're just too far above the bottle deposit to adhere to its goals, leaving the bottles for me to clean up. No, I am not bitter.
On yet an even brighter note, I am calling this song my chapter one song, I love the aesthetic and it fits perfectly into my "WiP"'s beginning.
"Generator 1st Floor" Freelance Whales
I've missed all my besties! I hope you had a great Labor Day. What's new with you???
Oooooh, Jonny, I am so digging that song!! <3 YOUUUUUU!
ReplyDeleteHoly cow, 60 drownings. That is tragic.
ReplyDeletePlus all the garbage. Dang tourists!
Enjoy your college courses, Jon!! I know you will do well!
Interesting song. You always introduce me to new music, thank you!
Love the song and how you can be informative with just the right amount of bitter jadedness to send my drink spurting from my nose :) Heart you!
ReplyDeleteHi Jon,
ReplyDeleteI heard about all the drownings this summer. Very intense. Was the undertow, rip-current stronger this year?
We had more accidental deaths up here this summer, too. It seems like more than the usual number of small plane accidents.
I hope your classes are fun and that you meet some interesting people in them.
Good luck with your classes! I was thrilled to see you pop up on my sidebar this morning - miss ya!! :-)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed dropping by, and the music was great. Why didn't I learn how to play the banjo? Awesome. Good luck with the classes. (I'm a new follower, by the way.)
ReplyDeleteYep, that is an awesome 1st chapter song! I may steal. And I love your reasoning for taking the reading and writing.
ReplyDeleteWhat up with the drownings? Maybe you should give up the station and be a lifeguard.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! Sometimes school is like relationships where you don't realize you got something out of it (besides an old sweater) until years later.
FYI: At our house, we recycle, think about our footprint!!! Go Planet Earth!!!
Will listen to song now.
Man, we haven't been below 90 in over 10 days (NJ). Wait, we haven't been below 90 since early May. Please, PLEASE, send some autumnal weather this way. I am so over the sweltering heat this year.
ReplyDeleteThat's awful about all those drownings.
Love the first chapter song!
Love,
Lola
First chapter song?! Does that mean that you've given more thought to novel length works? Yay for classes!! I'm with Lola on the weather. Jeez. It's been sweltering here. So sad and weird about the drownings. I wanted to make a very distasteful joke for some dark reason. It's just disturbing. Glad to be back. Missed you too!!
ReplyDeleteOh. My. Gosh.
ReplyDelete!!!!!!!!!
I *love* that song! I ♥ YOU for sharing it! Those dudes (and dudette) rock.
I'm glad you're feeling chipper about things--despite the basic feeling of lame-summer-itis you seem to be exuding. Onward and upward, right?
I miss the east in autumn. Enjoy it for me?
Banjo + chapter 1= win. AWEsome.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you've started up again (or are about to). And I will do my best to remember to deposit my bottles when in Michigan.
And holy crap, you guys drown a lot of people over there!
That song is perfect.
ReplyDeleteThose drownings are ghastly. 60?!
The trash is apauling. (too peas? I'm too tired to check right now)
I was hoping to have my film ready to sub to SXSW for next year, but since Mr. Cate lost the first 20 mins of edited footage, and spent the last 10 hours finding it, we might not make it.
I *was* going to come to your blog today to tell you about the award, but you beat me to it! So instead I'll tell you that I'm reading Part Time Indian right now and I'm thinking of you every page! Because, even tho I've never read any of your writing, Sherman's writing FEELS like your voice. It sounds like you. And you liked the book, right? Because I'm really liking it but mostly I didn't want to offend you by telling you this book reminds me of you, lol. Okay, shutting up now! *bye!*
ReplyDeletegreat to see you back! we also had our share of drownings - but, wow.
ReplyDeleteLove the song! Thanks!
Hope you're settling in for the fall, what with classes and everything. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jonathan. Great to meet you!! Um . . . it hasn't been over 70???? We're melting down here.
ReplyDeletesf
I enjoyed your post, and it's so full of mysteries, ie. why can't schools start before Labor Day, and what's up with all those drownings, and are these freakin' English professors going to be any good? :) Engrossing throughout.
ReplyDeleteMarisa - Glad the song has made you obsess too!
ReplyDeleteKelly - You're welcome for the new music.
Kristen - I hope I didn't cause you to make too much of a mess!
Paul - Same riptide as always, just higher temps. More people that don't know what they're doing than normal.
Shannon - Thanks! I like popping out of nowhere, it's fun.
Roxy - Hi new follower! I think playing the banjo would be awesome.
ReplyDeleteTina - You may steal anything from me.
Anita - Me as a lifeguard would be like a little girl as a snake wrangler.
Lola - Thanks for the kind comment!
Heather - Uh.
Ali - Onward and upward. I love it, friend.
ReplyDeleteCarol - Thanks for the bottle respect!
Lily - SXSW?!?! Too cool!!
Ali2 - :P
Terry - I am excited to see your version of the west coast someday.
Elana - Somewhat settled, but that's a bit unsettling for me.
ReplyDeleteHardygirl - Thanks for being here, enjoy the warmth while it lasts.
Sam - I do cryptic well, although it's usually by accident.