Good Riddance Summer 09

Labor day has come and gone, which means the days of summer 2009 are waning…and fast. But in my opinion, the days aren’t ensuing fast enough. While the autumn brings crisp weather, vibrant colored leaves, the hope of a new school semester, and the quixotic love affair we often associate with the cooling temps, a recap of this past summer proves to be one of the less scintillating summers on record.

Joe Queenan’s piece in the Labor Day weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal recounts the ignominious summer, calling it “the least eventful summer since 1491.” I couldn’t agree more.

You see, nothing really happened. Health-care reform got nowhere. Obama picked no fights with anyone, refusing to demonize the health insurance corporations. Sotomayor’s Supreme Court nomination was confirmed, but with far less drama than I expected (or hoped for). The economy remained stagnant—growing neither worse nor better. More people were indicted on fraud charges (e.g. Richard Scrushy of HealthSouth). And Cash-for-Clunkers launched, making most of the headlines—indicative of just how boring this summer turned out to be. If it weren’t for the little incident with the cop and the black prof from Harvard up in Cambridge and the subsequent “beer summit,” coupled with the town-hall brawls, as it were, the headlines probably would have retreated to less stimulating topics, such as the increasing deficit or Tom DeLay’s debut on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Aside from the political and economic, Lance Armstrong didn’t win the Tour de France; the Yanks climbed to the best team in baseball (surprise, surprise); the Lakers won their 15^th championship; and all of the movies stunk (I haven’t seen “Inglorious Bastards”). Indeed, the only one who can claim to have had a busy summer is the Grim Reaper. Did everyone die this summer?

Personally this summer was a bit lackluster: No vacations! Notwithstanding a trip home, two trips to NYC, and a 36-hour excursion to the Maryland shore, I’ve found myself short of money and short of fun. Much to my chagrin, I studied for TWO standardized tests: GRE and LSAT. A poor decision, as the most effective approach most likely would have been to tackle one at a time. The result: overwhelming mediocrity on two important exams instead of quality performance on one. Hindsight is indeed 20/20, my friends.

On the up and up, I did fall in love with a wonderful young lady. But the distance is taxing to say the least. She’s at the University of Tenn., and I am still in Princeton. What’s more is that on my most recent visit a few weeks ago, she was “uninvited” to a wedding, because the bride and groom had to make “budgetary” cuts on non-married, non-engaged couples—though I had RSVP’d both of us months in advance. At the event, the wedding party showed up in stretch hummers and the recently married couple left in a helicopter. Since when are people (especially old friends) more expendable than open bars, air travel, and extravagant entrances? What a guy, huh?

But the summer is over. Class starts in a week and the hope of a new semester and a new year is abreast. Here’s to a better autumn and a hope that the future holds an exciting new frontier. And here’s to a summer that I say GOOD RIDDANCE!