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Summer Laughing Seal

Fun Friday: The Best of Summer

I took the liberty of changing today’s theme from Funny Friday to Fun Friday. Let me tell you why…

I am not feeling very funny, and, honestly, there is nothing more excruciating to endure than forced humor. While I may not be feeling funny, my desire for FUN is at a peak.

It’s summertime in the city, people! Woot, Woot! We are having darn near-perfect temperatures here in Chicago. The Taste of Chicago is in full swing, and downtown is humming with traffic and the eager energy of people looking for summer celebrations.

It is July 12th. You know that, right? Summer is slipping away minute by minute. But there you are, sitting in your office or home, on the train or wherever, looking down at your little screen just like everyone else around you. Go ahead, look up. Right now… Count how many people are looking at their little screens.

Meanwhile, life is happening.

Here on Ourspace, we are often touting the latest trends in technology, the all new important apps or the hot movie that was just released. But just for today, can we turn it off? Can we unplug and remember the simplicity of summer? Truly there will never be an app to take the place of the pure pleasure of long warm days and memories being made.

Today for Fun Friday – I offer you the 10 best things about summer according to my inner child. Let me know if I missed any.

  1. The Ice Cream Truck – Far away on a warm evening you would hear the chime in the distance. Somehow – by some miracle of warp speed and internal GPS – you are able to race home, collect some change and navigate through the neighborhood to catch up with the puttering truck. Deciding what to have, now that was the hard part.
  2. Summer Fruit – Is there anything more succulent than a perfectly ripe nectarine? I think not.
  3. Long Bicycle Rides – Before helmets were required.
  4. Catching Fireflies – And of course creating a “natural” habitat for them in a jar with grass and holes punched in the metal lid.
  5. Dandelions – Whether offering a wishful blow or a string of hopes chained together, youthful dreams are bound to the weed.
  6. Sweet Sleep – The result of long hours of exhausting play, staying up later and sleeping in. Ahhh.
  7. The Drive-in Theater – Oh how I wish that they would make a comeback.
  8. Playing Ghost in the Graveyard, Freeze Tag or Kick the Can – With all the neighborhood kids. THE BEST!
  9. Lemonade Stands – even though I don’t think I ever actually sold a cup.
  10. Reading – Reading endlessly because there was nothing more urgent that needed to happen.

There was nothing more urgent that needed to happen…

Jeez – everything is vying for importance these days. It is really up to us to sift through and prioritize our lives. I personally think fun should be at the very top of our priority list, especially in the summer.

So look up from your screens, folks.

Summer is ticking away – and there are no apps to enhance its simple pleasures. ENJOY!

Cover Photo Source: trasroid via Flickr

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://testspace.thesanjosegroup.com//wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Photo-on-12-14-12-at-2.39-PM-2.jpg[/author_image] [author_info] Jennifer is Director of Content & Ideation at SJG.  I am convinced that every human being is innately creative – Picasso said the key is to remain childlike within the body of a responsible adult, or something along those lines. As the oldest member of this opinionated clan, I feel responsible to share a different perspective. Engage me – I love a good debate! [/author_info] [/author]