I'm Tired, I Want to Watch an Episode of The West Wing Before I Go To Sleep And I Can't Think of a Title

There two distinct ways this summer can go, I think. One version, which appeals to me immensely, involves a lot of reading, learning, experiencing, etc. The other version, which appeals to me just as much, but on an entirely different plane, involves a lot of fun, entertainment, and -- what's the word? -- memories, I guess.

I'm sure there is an easy way to make a reasonable mix of both potential summers, but I've always been one to turn life into an either/or situation. Call it a flaw, a failing, whatever, but it's just the way I like to do things.

Basically, the goal is to find a way to relax without the horrible guilt of not accomplishing anything. Someday it's going to be necessary for me to just take a nap, or watch television, or sit around doing nothing without it bothering me. To return to the original theme, I'd like to be able to spend all my time going out to eat, catching movies, relaxing at the beach, wandering around the city at night, camping, playing soccer and baseball and frisbee, getting back my hackee sack chops, chilling at coffee places, attending as many concerts and sporting events as my wallet can sustain, shooting pool, playing cards, throwing darts and, at the same time, I'd like to read up on philosophy and art history, devote some serious time to the piano, catch up on all the books that have been stacking up around my room, seriously run again, write some more short stories or works of greater length, immerse myself in photography, watch all the films that NYU says I should've seen already...

This is all, of course, in addition to finishing Sandstorm once and for all, preparing for my first year away from home, and probably, without exaggeration, ten thousand graduation parties.

Eh, you know what? There are much worse things to be worried about.

(Oh, and I liked what I said about Performing Arts the other day during the final circle even though it wasn't as long or as personal as what everyone else said: "This community is a lot like a sailor's compass -- you don't need it to get where you're going, it doesn't get you to where you're going, but it sure is a helpful tool to get you there." I'm not sure if that comes across clearly. I got the impression that some people were offended by it, but it really was a compliment. I didn't intend to downplay the importance or helpfulness of the program. I simply meant that, without sugar-coating the compliment out of honesty, the program is extremely helpful even if it's possible to be succesful as an indivdual without it. I mean, think about it, it's immensely difficult to navigate a sailboat over an extended distance without a compass, to the point where most people would fail miserably at an attempt, but it is possible. It is possible to be succesful in a performing arts career with a highschool performing arts program, but it's comparably difficult. I hope, for the sake of my ability to articulate myself, that this explanation is for a minority of people who didn't read into my comment deeply enough and that it makes as much sense to the average person as I think it should.)