Thursday is officially the first day of Summer! While hot temps arrived here WEEKS ago (seriously Spring? What happened???), this date makes it much more definitive when it comes to planning. I’m not in school and work pretty much for myself, so I don’t have a special Summer break or anything to look forward to, but I DO want to be a little more intentional with how I spend some of my days. I absolutely love what I do, but I don’t want to be tied to my camera and computer all day every day, so I decided to make myself a Summer to-do list. While my camera will still be with me for a lot things, many of these things will allow me to disconnect with intention and spend more time in nature, and/or with family and friends. Nothing super fancy, serious or even expensive, but definitely fun, fulfilling and worth it.
Here’s my 2018 To-Do List
Eat dinner outside on my patio.
This requires me to invest in some patio furniture for a small space but it WILL happen. The area is quaint and shaded during late afternoon, so all I really need is a small table, 2 chairs so that I can enjoy it with a guest, and a rug. Possibly some string lights too but don’t quite me, lol.
Read at least 5 books non-related to work or blogging.
I absolutely love to read books but I’ve fallen off the wagon due to being on the computer all of the time. I miss being lost in a story and my thoughts so I have to carve out some time for this. If you have some recommendations I’d love them!
Update home decor for GOOD.
I’ve made a lot of progress over the last few months but I really want to finish my home office and dining room/living room area. This requires extra money, lol, so I’m going to narrow down exactly what I need first and want so that I don’t spend money on decor items that I don’t love (but are a good buy).
Rise early enough for the Farmer’s Market on Saturday.
The downtown Farmer’s Market opens at 8am on Saturdays, so I’m going to have to make it a point to get up at least at 6:30am so that I can be fully awake and dressed to go down. I’ve been before but it’s been a loooooong time.
Make rosé popsicles.
I know this is simple and doesn’t require a special occasion, but I think they would be fun to make for a girl’s brunch or even game night as well.
Take a weekday road trip to a small town.
There are a few small towns that are 45-60 minutes away from Memphis, and I want to spend a weekday afternoon (when it’s quiet and not filled with tourists) exploring what they have to offer. I’ve driven through a few but never really stopped, so I’m sure there are some cute gems to be found. Oxford, MS and Wilson, AR are high on my list.
Go to the Drive-In.
I haven’t been to the drive-in in years, so I want to pack up some snacks, friends and go and enjoy a fun movie. There are still a few locations here so I got options!
Spend days doing something I love WITHOUT posting it to social media.
We’re always connected to our phones, but I’m finding more and more that I’m on social media not because I’m fascinated by the content or actually posting (I’m a LOT more intentional when I post), but moreso out of habit. Truth be told, a lot of the content I see has gotten boring and almost too curated, but I still mindlessly scroll a lot. I need to lessen this and do something better with my time.
Rent a bike to go exploring.
I lived on my bike during the Summers of my teenage years, and bike rentals to encourage neighborhood exploration have started popping up all over town. Downtown and midtown Memphis are on my list because there are so many historical homes and buildings and I really like looking at the architecture.
Late picnic (and/or concert) in the park.
I can’t tell you the last time I went on a picnic, and I think it would be fun to do one, especially if there is music involved. The Levitt Shell has a weekly concert series, so I could take in a show and kill 2 birds with one stone.
Take a dance class.
So I am NOT a fan of the dance moves that are popular now (which is normal. They’re not designed for me, lol). I grew up dancing in camp and school and learning routines, so I wouldn’t mind taking an old-school hip hop dance class, or even taking a salsa lesson or 2. My friend Andrea does salsa all the time and loves it, so that’s really high on the list.
There are other, bigger things that I want to do this Summer (go to the beach, take the train to NOLA, visit friends in New York, etc.) but these are all things that I could do at any moment, for little to no money. We were so resourceful when we were younger, so I never want to let money limit how much I do.