Looking Back at July

Can it really be possible that it is August 1st today?

Can it?

My calendar says it's true, so it must be. Wasn't it just July 4th last week?

This month has been a whirlwind. I just counted and I photographed 13 portrait sessions and 3 weddings this month. I went to one wedding as a guest, attended one funeral, watched Matt participate in one triathlon. [He did a second one but I was shooting a wedding so couldn't go.] I don't write my beach adventures on the calendar, so I'm just guessing but I'd say I was at the beach or out on the lake between 5 and 7 times. I had Dairy Queen probably 8 times. Ok, maybe 6. Or 9.

It's been a good month. A really good month.

In a way, I feel like summer is almost over. I saw a tree with leaves turning yellow today and I immediately felt the dread that comes with winter approaching. The back to school ads are out in full force and people are talking about moving back to college dorms and starting school again. Summer days are numbered.

And yet, there is still one whole month of summer left. One whole month left of sessions, weddings, camping trips, being a guest at a wedding, and lots of time for beach visits and Dairy Queen trips. I think I'm going to try a new thing. In the middle of all the sessions this week, I am making a goal to go to the beach for 3 hours this week. Whether that's done in one trip or two, it doesn't matter. It sure helps that I live 5 minutes from the beach, so I can jet over there for a quick afternoon siesta.

I'll be back in a week to report if I was able to meet that goal or not.

Summer is winding down but it's not over. There's still lots of time left to squeeze fun out of the warm summertime.

P.S. I'm reading this book called "168 Hours - You Have More Time Than You Think." I am only 50 pages in but I'm already looking at my day and my time management so much differently. I can't wait to read the rest and to put what I'm learning into action. Today, I'm wrapping up keeping track of how I spend my time for an entire week. I felt like that was an impossible challenge but it wasn't that hard to keep a notebook on my desk and jot down when I changed from task to task, when I woke up, when I ate lunch, when I went to sleep etc. Now, I have to analyze it and see how the breakdown of my 168 hours actually occurred. Eye-opening, for sure!