An Ode to Summer 2023
Summer is what I have been waiting for all year. The long days and warm nights are what life is made of. With a blend of the of the meteorological summer (June 1 and ends on August 31) and the astronomical summer (June 21st or 22nd and runs until the autumnal the equinox, coming to an end on September 21, 22nd, or 23rd) over here at Onyx and Milk we are going to say we have 116 days of summer (starting from May 28th and ending September 21st). Summer to me is a season that lends itself to endless possibilities.
“116 days of summer”
I always want to do so much stuff, but life and a bit of my overthinking sometimes get in the way. This summer it is going to be different. I have created an adult friendly bucket list of things that I would like to do this summer, my Ode to Summer. 116 activities that I would like to do. A bit ambitious? Yes, but if you aim beyond the solar system, when you fall, you will fall amongst the stars, not a bad place to land! I live in New York, so some of the items a NYC driven, but you can always adapt it for your home town or city.
I have created a PDF called the Ode To Summer 2023 if you want to download it and keep it as inspiration for your adult summer activities. Here are the a few that I just must do.
Fall in love. I know what you thinking, but it is not that. I am going to fall in love with myself, this version of me. That last two years the world has changed, and we all have changed and getting to a place where I accept and love me for who I was, who I am and who I’m becoming is the most important thing. This list is to push me outside my comfort zone and also relish in the things that I use to like and still like to do.
Write a book. This has been on my list of things to do for a while and to tell you the truth, what is stopping me is me. A cookbook, a book of essays, a book of short stories honestly, I’m not really sure. I’m so caught up in my head about what a book is, is what might be standing in my way. I have stuff to say, is it important to the masses, maybe not. I shouldn’t care but I do. Another question that also plagues my mind, am I a writer can I call myself a author? I publish blog post all the time, hum.
Take a photo every day. I have a camera and I have my phone and although I have had some of my photos published, it is kind of hard to call myself a photographer, but why? This self doubt is exhausting. I love how some people just have their cameras around there necks always primed to take a photo. My camera is usually in my bag or my pocket, why I don’t know. I need to just take the photos and capture the beauty I see in our world.
Create a summer journal. Not just any written journal. I want to start a journal of memories, a textured journal, one where I draw, I stick stuff, I write, I paint in it, it is not static, it is living, it is evolving.
Be an extra in a movie. I want to be able to see how people see me, from someone else’s lens. This I think will make me push myself way out of my comfort zone. I have read that beyond your comfort zone, that is where growth and amazing things happen. Imagine getting head shots and going on auditions, oh the fun, oh the scare, oh and all the butterflies in my stomach, just thinking of it.
Sell at a flee market. Everyday people don’t tell you things but having the skills of a great salesperson allows you to accomplish a lot in life. I’m not talking about being manipulative and sneaky to get people to buy your wares. What I’m talking about is the act of putting yourself and your product out in the open for people to evaluate it. The skill of knowing something’s worth and showing the worth in someone else’s life and they purchase it. The skill of being rejected and still moving forward. The skill of being able to talk to anyone. The skill of negotiation. The ability to project trust worthiness. And lastly the reward of selling something. The truth is the moment we step outside, we are selling ourselves trying to be liked, trying to loved and trying to be respected.
Start meditating. I hear so much about meditating and how some people talk about it makes me think I can’t do it. Here is what meditating would look like to me. Meditating for me will look like allowing my mind to close all the tabs that are open, turning off the music playing in the background, allowing my inner voice to have moments of pause, to allow my inner ears to hear. Meditating to me will be finding the inner balance within me, to allow my self to not judge myself, allow myself to brave, allow myself grace, allow myself safety, allow myself kindness, allow myself creativity, allow myself abundance, allow myself peace and stillness, allow myself the knowing that I am enough, allow myself healing, and allow myself space to be authentically me. This will be hard, but it will be worth it, by going within will allow me the wisdom to not only survive in this world but thrive.
Here is to the Summertime when there are always opportunities to have moments of endless possibilities.
1. Get a tattoo
2. Visit Museums
3. Go to a baseball game
4. Visit the Statue of Liberty
5. Visit the Empire State Building
6. Go to a Broadway show
7. Go to Queens Night Market
8. Go to Brooklyn Flea
9. Ride on a carousel
10. Visit outdoor spaces in the city
11. Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway
12. Spend a day at Governors Island
13. Ride on a Ferris Wheel
14. Visit Niagara Falls
15. Get caught in the rain, step in puddles
16. Take a ride in a hot air balloon
17. Be an extra in a movie.
18. Learn to ride a motorcycle.
19. Learn a new skill just for enhancement
20. Write a book.
21. Add a new source of income online.
22. Start waking up early.
23. Create an original YouTube video of the summer
24. Sundays without using technology
25. Donate blood.
26. Visit a chocolate factory.
27. Plan a picnic.
28. Fly a kite.
29. Ride a rollercoaster.
30. Test drive a Ferrari or a new car.
31. Throw a huge party.
32. Start a journal.
33. Take a class: cooking, sewing, …
34. Learn to code
35. Make jam.
36. Watch fireworks.
37. Make a summer music playlist
38. Chase down the ice cream truck
39. Do nothing and feel no guilt
40. Make a tie- die t-shirt
41. Take a road trip
42. Eat cotton candy without guilt
43. Fall in love
44. Row a boat
45. Rent a beach house
46. Go to an outdoor concert
47. Have a water balloon fight
48. Sleep outside/ camping
49. See an outdoor movie
50. Go to a state fair
51. Go to a drive-in movie
52. Visit the farmer’s market, make a meal from haul
53. Try something new, eat, cook,
54. Pick strawberries
55. Attend a parade
56. Grow an herb garden
57. Random act of kindness
58. Sell at a flee market
59. Watch a sunset
60. Watch a sunrise
61. Make ice cream
62. Go bowling
63. Go to the zoo
64. Paint something
65. Take a photo every day of summer
66. Send a post card/ write a letter and use stamps to mail it
67. Say yes, all day
68. Hop on a train/bus/plane and spend day in another city
69. Buy a pair of summer sneakers and take photos of it’s evolution
70. Ground myself by walking in the grass
71. Meditate
72. Make a new friend
73. Start a podcast or post consistently
74. Teach a class
75. Start a fitness routine
76. Volunteer
78. Eat dinner on the balcony/porch
79. Make balcony/porch summer ready
80. Take a summer vacation to another country
81. Go to the aquarium
82. Go fishing
83. Have a wine tasting with friends
84. Spend time with kids
85. Go to a water park with only adults
86. Make home made popsicles
87. Chew loads of gum and blow bubbles
88. Sprinkle native flowering seed in empty lots or places that need some love
89. Buy a stranger a meal
90. Make adult lemonade
91. Only spend $20 on an outing
92. Make a list of things that make me smile
93. Use my non dominant hand all day
94. Visit another place of worship other than own
95. Have a solo picnic with a new book
96. Make something with my hands
97. Make out in public
98. Set up an outdoor photo studio with props for people to take pictures (be the photographer)
99. Check in a local hotel for just the weekend
100. Send groceries to a family member or friend in need
101. Go to the beach and be a beach bum.
102. Buy magazines that will inspire all summer
103. Go to a block party(dance, no matter if everyone is watching)
104. Ask for help doing something cool
105. Take a bubble machine to the park, and watch the kid come out in everyone
106. Get to know one of your Facebook friends out in real life instead of just on the computer
107. Take an outdoor yoga class
108. Buy a hula hoop get good at it
109. Take a dance class
110. Go to the dermatologist for routine skin care
111. Call in to the radio station and dedicate a song to someone
112. Leave mini cards with inspiring quotes about for people to find
113. Start a TikTok or consistently post
114. Trust myslef
115. Dress up for a casual event
116. Live my alter ego for one day(I will try not to get in trouble).