Three days ago, I started to get that feeling. The one where I feel the new school year creeping in and impinging on my time to create.
So, I will try something I have never done: look back at what I did this summer, with a dash of what I wanted to do.
I had grand plans, for sure, as I wanted to see how much of a musical I could write if I gave it a full month. Yes, I know it takes far longer than that to write a musical–Lin Manuel Miranda took seven years to write Hamilton, after all. I have already been writing a mini-musical in small bursts for the past three years, originally composing it on long nighttime dog walks during the peak of the pandemic.
Sad to report, I did not write any of the musical, nor add on to the ideas I had for two others. I only played guitar a handful of times, and piano even less (twice.) Other than listening to music, it was not a musically creative summer.
But, I did do the following during the 71 days of summer:
90–books I read this summer. I normally shoot for about 100 books but, for the past month, I have not been able to read. The last seven books on the list are all audiobooks.
63–nights I wrote before going to bed. I was interrupted by an eight-day trip with friends and family. An interruption that was well worth it.
62–mornings I created art, usually drawing, before breakfast.
23–nights I created art, usually painting and collage, before going to bed.
11–professional development workshops I took through the district.
7–professional classes and mini-courses I took on-line.
2–weeks of teaching a Vikings summer camp class (about 10 hours each day, prep and in action.)
2–personal development classes I took on-line, including one in art/art history, as well as one in web design to create this site.
And, all of this despite…
2–the number of eye surgeries I had this summer, one on July 11 and another on July 28. The first had me holding my head at a downward-facing and right-leaning angle for two weeks. The second had me looking straight down for one week, and now unable to see out of the eye, probably for the next few months.
Even without the surgeries, I would be proud of what I did this summer. Easily the most fun I have had in a summer in a long time!