Like most other moms I know, I’ve been insanely busy this summer. I had this pipe dream back in May that, once school was out, things would quiet down;  as it turns out, the end of school had just the opposite effect. The kids have been doing t-ball, tumbling and swimming lessons.  We’ve had multiple birthday parties, cookouts, and family get-togethers. Next week is my daughter’s birthday, and a few days later we leave for a family vacation to Florida. We’ll get back on a Monday night. Wednesday morning, my son goes back to school. Oi!

Needless to say, I haven’t had nearly as much time to write as I imagined I would.  And now that reality’s finally set in, I don’t anticipate being able to blog again for a while. So here’s my summer blog entry, a summary of all the stuff that’s annoyed me, thrilled me, surprised me or otherwise settled into my brain for one reason or another.

·         The economy is lousy. And it’s disgusting how conservatives are either sticking their fingers in their ears and humming loudly whenever anyone says the economy sucks or they’re telling everyone who’s not wealthy to shut up and stop whining. Such a sympathetic, helpful bunch.

·         Jesse Jackson is undermining the party whose principles he has supposedly supported his entire life. I understand that he’s jealous; for the first time in its 225-year history, the U.S. is close to electing a black president, and it’s not Rev. Jackson. For heaven’s sake, we’re finally considering, seriously considering, a candidate who’s not an old white guy. People like Rev. Jackson should be ecstatic. Even if Obama’s not perfect (which he’s not), we should support him wholeheartedly, especially when the alternative is More-of-the-Same-with-Jon-McCain.

·         Indiana Jones 4 is not as bad as it could have been nor is it as good as it should have been.

·         Wall-E is amazing. My kids have seen it 3 times. Beautiful animation, a storyline that can be read on multiple levels, two main characters that are not human, but more humane than many people I know. Incredible.

·         The Dark Knight is too upsetting for me. I love Batman. In fact, he’s the only superhero I have ever had any affinity for. He’s not an alien or a genetic mutation or a victim of a science experiment gone wrong. He’s a good guy using his wealth and brains to eradicate evil in ways that regular law enforcement cannot. I love the idea. But Heath Ledger was a favorite of mine, and seeing him in the previews was really hard. I don’t think I can watch the movie. I don’t want to pay $8 and then have to leave.

·         Brendan Fraser is a busy man. First Journey to the Center of the Earth, now The Mummy 3. He’s still hot too. Did you know he’s from Central Indiana?

·         Pierce Brosnan is so sexy. He and Colin Firth in the same movie (Momma Mia) are gonna be too much for me! Just watching Jon Stewart interview Brosnan the other night gave me hot flashes!

·         Summer television is generally crummy. There are some bright spots, though, all on cable. Thank heaven for Bravo – Kathy Griffin’s My Life on the D-List is awesome. And Project Runway’s back! Hallelujah! Tim Gunn, we could be best friends! Of course, Daily Show on Comedy Central and Countdown on MSNBC are good standbys. I can’t even remember what network TV looks like! Oh, wait a minute, yes, I do – 14 versions of Law and Order and 12 versions of CSI. Yuck.

·         The Olympics is a loss. I know it hasn’t even started yet, but the coverage won’t be on my TV. And it’s not just the whole China-human-rights-disasters thing. The Olympics is always a whole lotta hype for no good reason. I love sports. Just not any of those sports.

·         Rick Greenspan is gone. Amen. As an Indiana University alum, I cannot imagine why our athletic director lasted as long as he did. Greenspan, Miles Brand, Bobby Knight and Kelvin Sampson owe our basketball program, our students, our alumni, our fans and our state some major apologies. Somehow, though, I don’t see those coming any time soon.

·         Indianapolis is not the city I used to know. My hometown is being wracked by a violent crime wave that really worries me. Some grassroots movements are trying to do something about it. I hope they get it under control soon. Right now, I’m glad I don’t live there anymore, and I’m concerned about all my friends and family who still do.

So in between all the swim lessons, cookouts and firefly hunts, these are the things I’ve been thinking about this summer. Enjoy the last few weeks of break. Later…