Published July 30, 2006 in the Hibbing Daily Tribune
By Aaron J. Brown
July is almost over, which means “blink month” is on the morning horizon. Sure, sure; August hath 31 days and all that, but it’s one of those months where I usually forget to change the calendar pages until it’s Labor Day. Then I hurriedly turn the page and try to get a month’s worth of enjoyment out of the August picture in 10 or 15 seconds (“Look at that mountain … nice … ought to go there some day .. yup … well, here’s September. Mmmm. Leaves.”)
It doesn’t help that my primary job is tied to the nine-month educational calendar. I work in the summer, too; but late August and September are traditional launch points for my busiest season. Thus this weekend is typically the time when I snap from a relative sloth-like trance and try to make more use of my remaining free time.
We finished staining the deck last week and now we’re hunting down a formidable number of concrete pavers to replace the wood palette that has now almost completely biodegraded at the bottom of our steps. Later, I’m going to try building a perpetual motion machine and navigating a Viking ship to an undiscovered continent. At least, that’s what I’m saying. If I fall short in these lofty goals, those failures will seem vastly more spectacular and tragic than never getting around to cleaning the gutters.
To be completely honest, I have not been as lazy as I would have liked this summer; it’s just that household projects in particular have fallen to the tempting allure of other endeavors. My lack of skill and interest in house projects is a matter of great frustration in our house, even to me. I know the responsibilities of owning a house, but I have a very high tolerance level for things like long grass and dust. I personally don’t even notice dust until a grayish-brown humanoid figure appears on the shelf and personally asks me for more skin cells. (Even then I usually wait until it asks twice).
But I’m trying. As much as country life creates work, it’s also worth work. It’s easy to let a few days go by and not realize or even care all that much about what people are arguing about in town. I remember following zoning board meetings quite closely, but that has given way to concerns about the growth of weeds. I suppose in a broad manner of thinking the two subjects aren’t far apart.
One of the reasons this time of year goes so fast is because there’s so much going on. County fairs are coming up in a week or so. You still have time to hastily create some disturbing and unwieldy art project, such as a popsicle stick rendering of a Japanese comic book character named Dr. Go-Go, in hopes of winning ribbons from confused judges who think it’s actually Frank Hibbing.
My most disturbing point of procrastination has to do with the Great River Energy Bike Tour, which is coming up fast on Aug. 12. You see, an entire summer has almost elapsed and I have yet to go for a bike ride longer than two miles. I’ve been focusing my exercise efforts on running, but that doesn’t help the muscles that do most of the work on a bicycle. Those muscles have been dormant, except for that key burst of action when I get up from the couch to get a frosty beverage. I’m sure a long bike sprint in the company of people who have spent their summer actually training will be just the tough love those muscles need.
August is a fast month, but a good one.
Aaron J. Brown is a columnist for the Hibbing Daily Tribune.