Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Bandwagon jumping
Normally, I don't understand sports and avoid them at all costs, but I make exceptions for Frank Deford, as I did today. He's a sports columnist, so what on earth would he have to say that would interest me? Well, he was talking about a theme that seems to be in the ethos lately- the disappearance of August. Don't worry, you don't have to go check your calendar, August is still scheduled for the 31 days between July 31st and September 1st. But it's changed. Drastically. I remember August fondly. It was a fond time. Time for bike-riding, swimming, climbing trees, reading, stomping in puddles made by the frenzied flash thunder storms that whipped up in August. All the things that wouldn't be able to be done in September, once school started. But those days are gone. Now I work in August. Everyone works in August. It's time to frantically prepare, wrap up, finish last minute tasks, and review the plan for the fall term. The pace has changed. The feel has changed. Even the taste of August has changed with the odd timing of vegetable crops this year. The sound has changed with the odd weather and its repurcussions for frog and insect calling. And the storms aren't the same either. They're not as passionate, violent, quick, rejuvenating, and so apologetic afterwards. Frank Deford's words were spot on. And I'm adding my voice to those who miss August.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
August for us is all about rain and cold as it's our winter, so it's actually a normal August for us this year.
ReplyDeleteI will voice my concern though over where the year as disappeared to. Last time I looked it was January and now it's August, soon to be September?
ICLW
I noticed that too. Summers seem to get shorter and shorter, despite the fact that they last as many days as they ever did. I feel like it's all spent preparing for what's coming, instead of realizing and enjoying what is...
ReplyDeleteI'm givin' a big ol' "WORD" to this post. =)
ReplyDeleteAugust flew past me at an alarming rate this year. And it doesn't help that most of the month has been mired in chilly wind and fog (I don't think I'll ever get used to this quirky aspect of Bay Area weather).
This subject has just come up at home and at work, not specifically about August, but about how the summer seemed pitifully short this year. Most of us blamed it on the unseasonably cool and rainy weather in our (Chicago) area, but that's only a part of it, I think!
ReplyDeleteAgreed, though... I miss (missed?) August!
:: ICLW ::
HAPPY ICLW!
ReplyDeleteI am wondering where August is too! Here in Oregon, it's suppose to be one of, if not THE, hottest months of the year. But no, not this year. We've had MAYBE 3 days of over 100 degree weather. While, I don't really LOVE the 100+ degree days, they are a sign of something. It means that this is our last month to go swimming. Our last month to enjoy the sun we don't often see during the rest of the year. I miss August. I plea for it's return, hopefully next year?
*HUGS*
Thank you for visiting my blog and for your thoughtful comment. :)
ReplyDeleteThis whole summer had been bizarre for us here in Chicago (weather wise), though I am not complaining, as the cooler summer weather has worked for me. :)
As for Frank Deford, my husband and I sometimes see his stories on HBO's "Real Sports" show and enjoy his interviews. I also recall a made for TV movie I watched many many times in my adolescence about his daughter that died of CF called "Alex the Life of a Child." I still get choaked up thinking about it, especially now that I am adult.
ICLW