My Summer Goals

So, since I have a lot more free time in the evenings now than I ever have since like, high school, I've decided that this summer I am going to go back and school myself in some of the bands I've always wanted to get into but have never taken the time for. On the list: Wilco, The Replacements, The Flaming Lips, The Shins, The Decemberists, Guided by Voices. I already know a few songs/albums by all of them, but I've always intended to go back and get a little more in-depth, so that is my summer project this year. Luckily, I get to play whatever music I want when I am at work, so that will be very helpful in getting to know stuff better.

Last weekend I went to Buffalo with a bunch of old friends from OG to surprise my old roommate Jim for his Big 3-0. We went to Niagara Falls, met Jim's Mom and Stepdad (and his runaway dog, Maggie), went out and partied at some gay bars, had the police stop by the apartment (possibly getting jim evicted), ate at Arby's, and had an incredibly long ride home during which we made an alphabetical list of people to invite to our next party! We also went to an outlet mall where I got a really cute Marc Jacobs dress for $100. Now I just have to get some shoes to go with it!

I'm also planning to read a lot of Barney/Robin HIMYM fanfiction, so if you're into that drop me a line, ha ha!

July

July, from Les Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (I took this image from Wikipedia. Hey, it's in the public domain!)

I have always been really happy to have been born in July. My birthdate itself is kind of cool--7/27, like an airplane. In numerology 7 is usually regarded as a mysterious, highly spiritual number, relating to such concepts as the seven days of Creation, the seven archangels of the Revelation, the number of magnetic power points radiating through the Earth (see Nikola Tesla's magnetic fields), and is just generally representative of God's force. Nine (27) is no slouch, either. Mathematically, all of its products come back to it, anything you add to it will also come back upon itself, and it's three of three (3 being a powerful number in its own right). In alchemy it is referred to as the Red Dragon. The compound number 27 (3 of 9) is called The Sceptre, and is highly beneficent, a number of karmic reward in which intellect, imagination, and creativity are highlighted.* That must be why I'm always so freaking happy. ;-) Anyway, I enjoy that kind of thing so it's a reason for me to love the month.

July was also always the only month in summer that we had completely off, school usually ending in early-mid June and picking up again in late August. When I think of the happiest times in my life thus far, they usually involve lazy, sunny days spent at various pools and beaches, or out on the front porches of Georgia in early evening, catching fireflies with my cousins, any sort of responsibilty the furthest thing from my mind, flora and fauna out in full force and all smells intensified! There's just something about summer that I don't think I'll ever get over. I'm almost superstitious about it, really. If I have a bad or boring summer, then I'm not ready for fall to begin, and certainly not psychically ready for the misery of winter.

There are also heavy political connotations to the month. The name itself comes from Julius Caesar. In France they have Bastille Day. The U.S. and several South American nations celebrate Independence Day. FIREworks. It's quite a magnificent month. (I won't even get started on the whole sun god, king as god, worship deal. I'll save that for a discussion on Leos!) I've always been intrigued by the idea of the heat and intensity of July finally causing angry people to just go ahead and freaking revolt.

At any rate, July is usually a happy time for me, and this year it has been especially fun, with all the Harry Potter (who has a [fictional] birthdate of July 31) mania. The seventh book being released in the seventh month of the year 2007. I feel connected to it in a lot of ways. There is even a powerful spell in the books called a PATRONus charm that a wizard uses to protect him or herself from dark forces. Let's face it, it's all about me.

I just hope that my birthday is a nice day with good beach weather. I was trying to plan a trip to Point Pleasant, but it was just too expensive. So, now it looks like either Jones Beach or Brighton Beach for the day. And the following night I get to see Sonic Youth perform the entire Daydream Nation album at McCarren Park Pool!! Talk about exciting...

Also, it's National Ice Cream Month. Need I say more?

*A lot of this info. is culled from Linda Goodman's Star Signs. She's THE authority on all matters astrological.