What I Did on My Summer Vacation
Remember the falls of your childhood? Returning to school, one of your first assignments was to write a few paragraphs on what you did over your summer vacation. I haven't written one since I was a sophomore in high school, but I'm going to try my hand at it again. I think it's necessary that I do this because the beginning of the summer was not only the beginning of a new season, but a new chapter, and I want to highlight the first important events. I returned to my hometown on June 1 for three months of excitement and adventure. I found the date to be very significant; it was fascinating that my first day after graduation from Elmira College was the first of June. The demarcation between college and the rest of my life was clear and I knew I was on the cusp of a monumental adventure.
The first major step was a two-part phone interview with staff at City Year New Hampshire. At the time, I viewed City Year as a job granting me some experience and a paycheck, not a lifestyle requiring passion and intensity. I got the job, guaranteeing that I had a future, at least in terms of a livelihood. Being hired by City Year meant that my summer had a definite end date -- August 27 -- and though I would have liked three full months to spend in Delaware, I knew that the end of August would bring a chance for new experiences.
Knowing that I'd be in Delaware for at least two months, I decided to continue my involvement with the open mic night scene, transplanting my regular performances at the Acoustic Lounge in Waverly, New York to Mojo 13 and Bellefonte Café. This helped me develop my songwriting skills, as well as increase my visibility in the area. I became part of a coterie of Delaware musicians, including Rachel Schain and Steve Adams. These men and women supported me and I supported them. We weren't simply fellow musicians, but friends, and we broadened our circles through mutual support. In late June, my musical development expanded further on the internet when I started the Request-A-Song project in an afternoon of despair. The project has generated a great number of ideas, guaranteeing that I will have many songs coming in the next few months.
July brought a family trip to Canada, during which we bonded even more closely in response to the madness of those around us. The serenity of the lakeside home confirmed my desire to pursue the idea that my friend Anthony had: to gather our creative friends and spend a month together, living and creating, every so often, like the Romantics of yesteryear.
I attempted another adventure toward the end of the month, hoping to travel to and from Elmira on state routes and highways and sleep on floors. It didn't work out exactly like that, but I did receive a massive amount of the adoration I so desperately need from my EC friends. Also, I was able to have my Kay guitar fixed -- the practical reason for my journey -- by an interesting man named Roger Bacorn who will receive my business again. I had a joyous adventure in Chicago with Jill for three fantastic July days. We traveled by train, enjoyed new foods and celebrated our delight in Harry Potter.
In the midst of all these sunspots of planning and travel, I had a few constant things throughout the summer. I helped work on the addition to the Riley household, building and improving our domicile by adding basement and kitchen space. This required me to work harder physically than I've had to in a while, but prepared me for all of the service I'll be doing with City Year New Hampshire. I became addicted to Paper Mario but lost the drive for it when my old addiction to Pokemon flared up like a Charizard's tail. You know what they say -- gotta catch 'em all -- and I still haven't after all these years. I hope to change that.
As the summer wound down, I welcomed friends new and old to my home for a graduation and going away party. What could have been an extremely awkward afternoon was instead an opportunity to see my buddies and have them bond over a mutual love of ukuleles and Bananagrams. While I know I'll see them all again, it was a beautiful moment with so many of us there, together. The final days of my residence in Delaware came, and I began the packing and preparation for my move to New Hampshire. I said goodbye for now to some people and hello to the next exciting installment of my life. Now I am here in Newmarket, and ready for what comes next.
-Paul
The first major step was a two-part phone interview with staff at City Year New Hampshire. At the time, I viewed City Year as a job granting me some experience and a paycheck, not a lifestyle requiring passion and intensity. I got the job, guaranteeing that I had a future, at least in terms of a livelihood. Being hired by City Year meant that my summer had a definite end date -- August 27 -- and though I would have liked three full months to spend in Delaware, I knew that the end of August would bring a chance for new experiences.
Knowing that I'd be in Delaware for at least two months, I decided to continue my involvement with the open mic night scene, transplanting my regular performances at the Acoustic Lounge in Waverly, New York to Mojo 13 and Bellefonte Café. This helped me develop my songwriting skills, as well as increase my visibility in the area. I became part of a coterie of Delaware musicians, including Rachel Schain and Steve Adams. These men and women supported me and I supported them. We weren't simply fellow musicians, but friends, and we broadened our circles through mutual support. In late June, my musical development expanded further on the internet when I started the Request-A-Song project in an afternoon of despair. The project has generated a great number of ideas, guaranteeing that I will have many songs coming in the next few months.
July brought a family trip to Canada, during which we bonded even more closely in response to the madness of those around us. The serenity of the lakeside home confirmed my desire to pursue the idea that my friend Anthony had: to gather our creative friends and spend a month together, living and creating, every so often, like the Romantics of yesteryear.
I attempted another adventure toward the end of the month, hoping to travel to and from Elmira on state routes and highways and sleep on floors. It didn't work out exactly like that, but I did receive a massive amount of the adoration I so desperately need from my EC friends. Also, I was able to have my Kay guitar fixed -- the practical reason for my journey -- by an interesting man named Roger Bacorn who will receive my business again. I had a joyous adventure in Chicago with Jill for three fantastic July days. We traveled by train, enjoyed new foods and celebrated our delight in Harry Potter.
In the midst of all these sunspots of planning and travel, I had a few constant things throughout the summer. I helped work on the addition to the Riley household, building and improving our domicile by adding basement and kitchen space. This required me to work harder physically than I've had to in a while, but prepared me for all of the service I'll be doing with City Year New Hampshire. I became addicted to Paper Mario but lost the drive for it when my old addiction to Pokemon flared up like a Charizard's tail. You know what they say -- gotta catch 'em all -- and I still haven't after all these years. I hope to change that.
As the summer wound down, I welcomed friends new and old to my home for a graduation and going away party. What could have been an extremely awkward afternoon was instead an opportunity to see my buddies and have them bond over a mutual love of ukuleles and Bananagrams. While I know I'll see them all again, it was a beautiful moment with so many of us there, together. The final days of my residence in Delaware came, and I began the packing and preparation for my move to New Hampshire. I said goodbye for now to some people and hello to the next exciting installment of my life. Now I am here in Newmarket, and ready for what comes next.
-Paul