There is a classic surfing movie called The Endless Summer, and I’ve been thinking back to it lately. I can’t recall if I actually saw it; but in my imagination I surely did (and that might be just as good). Some crazy California surfer-boys tour the world following an “endless summer”…because back then, insulated wetsuits were apparently not a thing. The vibe was beach-beach-beach and waves-waves-waves. Music. Girls, probably. I think they surfed some, too…
Well, it’s mid-September, and I’m a having my personal Endless Summer. (It will end in a couple days, but let’s pretend not). Once in a blue moon—it happens that classes start up late September and no concerts impede extending the classic European August-month-off right into September. If you are reading this in the 2-weeks-maximum-summer-holiday United States, my condolences.
Well, I’ve not been on a surfboard, but I’ve been diving into all the things that I love, and they take a lot of time and therefore can be harder to fit in during the rest of the year. The supposedly “productive” part of the year. Things like reading books, composing, drawing and “painting” with pastels. Also things in the R&R category like hanging out, listening to Sunday jazz combo concerts at a local café, a occasional meal out, walking aimlessly, and, obviously, napping on the sofa.
All the bureaucracy of modern life continued, but at a blessedly lower intensity. School was “out”. I trashed many thousands of unread emails (look up how on YouTube) and zapped some 100 email subscriptions, breathing air into my email inbox. Which is to say, into life.
If this sounds indulgent—books, naps, walks—it is, and is not. It was needed in a big way, after a June and July spent running from here to there doing this, that, and the other thing.
As usual, at this moment of almost-restarting-the-year, I’m plotting how to keep more of this Endless Summer in my normal life. I’m not sure how, but I’m sure I’m going to try.
Because while resting up and doing nothing, some lovely music came popping into my head and onto manuscript paper and into the computer, even. I had been so tired and scattered, I had wondered if I’d ever “get an idea” again…but all I needed was to stop the doing. I read several seriously great books, which reminded me just how rich books are in every way. I advanced a lot on a major project that has a lot of “bits and pieces”. Patience and calm was needed. We’re almost there.
So that’s what I did on my Almost Endless Summer Holiday. I hope you had a great holiday, whether it was short, long, or just right.
I can’t close without mentioning some trivia about the music of the film The Endless Summer. A band called “The Sandals” [previously “The Sandells” and prior to that, “The Twangs” [!!], got briefly famous for the soundtrack. They hailed from San Clemente, California, a stripe of sand made for surfers between L.A. and San Diego. A couple years after recording those tracks, The Sandals inexplicably moved an hour inland to…my home town! And shortly thereafter, broke up…Such a shame. Perhaps I even met them, unknowingly…me a budding musician, twanging my ukelele…ah, those were the days…
Here is the original poster for the film, Bruce Brown, director—love the 60’s colors and graphics:
