Summer is Bullshit
Some ways of making it less of a crappy season.
Hello! :) I’m Nospheratt, and this is Joy Every Week - a weekly quest to find joy in everyday things. You’re receiving this either because you subscribed or someone forwarded it to you. Enjoy!
I hate summer.
Well, maybe not summer per se, but heat. Hot weather.
Anything above 25ºC1 is a disgrace, as far as I’m concerned, but as we all know, climate change has fucked everything impossibly up.
Also: daylight savings time, holy shit how I hate DST. The sky should be dark at 10:30PM, not this bullshit twilight we have to endure until the end of freaking October.
Other greatest summer hits: heatwaves.
Sweltering nights, still and oppressive, without even a breeze. Sweating. Feeling tired all the time, because heat drains your energy and my will to move.
Sunstroke. Heat exhaustion. Dehydration. Heat stroke.
Relentless sun. Scorched earth and melting pavement.2 Droughts. Hurricanes. Floods. Wildfires.
You know what? I do hate summer.3
And yet, summer is inevitable.
So today, we look for summer joys, to make the season more bearable. Perhaps even have some fun.
ICE CREAM
All-caps because ice cream is one of my favorite things ever. I actually eat it year round, but in summer it’s something else. The cool, smooth, soft goodness of a big scoop in a very hot day… heaven.
Among my fondest childhood memories is waiting for the ice cream man to come down the street with his cart. The sound of his horn announced his presence way before we could see him, and would unleash all the kids from the block in a mad dash to ask parents for money.
We would swarm the cart like locusts, vying for first choice, because otherwise you could end up without your favorite flavor. Egg cream and grape were very popular; not as common and pedestrian as strawberry or chocolate. 😂
As you can imagine, none of the popsicles was particularly good. I knew that, even back then.
But they were something special nonetheless, something out of the ordinary.
We didn’t get them every day, not even most days. So the days when the parents said yes, there was much rejoicing. We’d walk back to our little porch, clutching our bounty carefully, and sit there to unwrap the paper even more carefully.4 Laughing, always laughing, making a bit of a mess, enjoying our cheap, very special treats.
Sunscreen
I know I should use sunscreen all the time, but in practice I mostly wear it during summer. And I don’t particularly like slathering myself with thick goo, except for this: sunscreen smells like summer vacations.
It smells like drinking mate at the beach watching a glorious sunset, listening to the crahs of the waves. Like delighting in the seagulls’ dance, wings gliding over the silver stretch of water where the river meets the ocean. Like sitting on the sand and eating whatever the vendors had on offer that day. Like finally being able to rent a tiny, tiny cabin 10 blocks from the ocean, and spend a weekend of quiet doing nothing.
Like late nights drinking beer and playing trivial pursuit, listening to the crickets and frogs.
Music Festivals
This is another thing that has become complicated by climate change and excessive heat, but in not-catastrophic conditions, summer festivals are lots of fun.
Back in 2019 we arrived at Bordeaux on June 21, not knowing that in France it’s the date of Fête de la Musique - a day when there are free concerts everywhere, from the opera to the streets, to celebrate music. Every corner of every town fills with color and songs, street musicians and famous bands performing side by side.
The wonder of that discovery - walking right into a big, exuberant and joyful celebration - has stayed with me.
Even small festivals have their own charms. Our little town organizes events all summer long, and even tho they only sell almost-warm beer and not-very-good food, it’s a lot of fun to sit on the grass in the park, listening to the artists and enjoying the vibe.
Asado (Barbecue)
In Uruguay, we call our barbecue “Asado”.
It’s something deeply embedded in our culture; we make asado for all celebrations, from birthdays to weddings. We make asado in the weekends just to hang out with friends or family. It’s so important, we call it by name, like asado de Navidad (Xmas barbecue) or asado de fin de año (”barbecue of the end of the year”, which can mean literally a New Year’s eve barbecue, or any barbecue to celebrate the end of the year 😂).
For many people, summer is barbecue season. I love the ritual of it, be it a big gathering, a small family affair or just me and my husband. There’s something primal and satisfying about sitting by the fire, trading stories, remembering asados of years gone.
And eating delicious food.
Picnics
If you want a lot of the joys of barbecue without most of the hassle, a picnic is perfect.
Lazying about under the shade of the trees, doing nothing, sipping something cold… it’s some kind of summer paradise.
You just need to pack your favorite finger foods, lots of beverages and some folding chairs or a blanket. Depending on what’s your jam, add a book or a few games, and don’t forget the sunscreen!
This Week’s Quest - Looking For Summer Joy
1 - What are your favorite things about summer?
Make a little list. Here are some more ideas:
Walking at sunset, taking in the glorious colors, welcoming the respite of the night.
Jello! I know it’s not for everyone, but a cold cup of homemade jello reminds me of childhood, it feels like a festive treat to me.
Seasonal fruit. Strawberries. Tropical fruit like papaya and mango. Watermelon, which is mostly water and can be used to make the most incredible drinks.
Summer food. Vibrant salads, gazpacho, salmorejo (which I like way more than gazpacho, btw), cold sandwiches.
Blockbusters. I enjoy summer popcorn movies a lot. The Fall Guy was unbelievably fun.
Summer reading. As in, books you read during summer, just because you want to and maybe have more time than usual to devote to it.
As always, after you have your list, try to add things to your calendar or daily/weekly routines.
2 - What are the things you hate or dislike about summer?
This is not an easy one, but it’s worth to think about it in advance and try to figure out how you can avoid or minimize stuff that makes your life miserable.
For example: I love grocery shopping, but I despise going to the supermarket during the hottest hours. So I schedule my grocery trips in advance as much as I can, to get there and back before the peak of heat.
3 - How can you take care of yourself this summer?
Okay, not exactly about finding joy, but:
Climate change has turned summer into a dangerous season in many places;
Having a “Take Good Care of Myself” summer plan in place will leave you with more time and energy for your quest for joy.
It doesn’t have to be anything complicated. Just think about some things you can do to protect yourself to the best of your abilities, to keep in mind during the hot season. Like:
Drink more water. I use this free app because I need the reminders and it’s very cute.
Use sunscreen. At the very least, try a moisturizer with SPF.
If at all possible, try to squeeze more rest into your day-to-day, even if you’re not going on vacation. Summer is the season of going out and partying, so it’s important to balance that with enough recover time, to avoid burnout.
If you live in a zone that’s at risk of summer-related danger, see if there’s anything you can do to prepare or protect yourself.
This Week’s Clues
📚Reads
➡️ Tinto de Verano (Spanish Red Wine Cocktail)
It gets hot in Spain, so folks start to order tinto de verano, a red wine-based drink, as soon as the temperature begins to rise. It’s a refreshing, low-ABV way to beat the heat. Go into almost any restaurant in Spain and order a “tinto” — the servers will know exactly what you mean.
I discovered tinto de verano when we lived in Madrid and is one of my favoritest summer things. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to find outside Spain, so I’m about to try this recipe.
➡️ How to Have Fun By Yourself This Summer
There is a big difference between being alone and being lonely. One concept is spatial, one is emotional, and while the two are connected, they do not have to be intertwined. Somehow it’s been hammered into our heads that anything worth doing is done with someone else. When you think of “summer fun,” you think of girls in bikinis holding hands as they jump off the docks. You imagine park picnics and parties with friends.
The hardest part of having fun alone is unlearning this image of what fun looks like.
The truth is that being alone is grounding and luxurious. Whether you’re a raging recluse or just looking to fill your Tuesday mornings, learning how to have fun alone this summer is a skill that will make your summer (and your life!) more fulfilling.
➡️ Adventures Await: Exciting Summer Activities for Adults
Summer is an exciting time of year for everyone, but have you noticed it is difficult to find summer activities for adults? It’s not just a kid’s season, so why the difficulty in finding fun summer activities? We’re changing that!
➡️ 50 Fun Things to do This Summer
I like a lot of the ideas on this list. It’s a good starting point for making your own; choose what sounds appealing, discard the rest, add things that are unique to you.
🎥 Watch
Easy cooking is one of my favorite sources of joy; even more in summer, when the only reason I want to go into the kitchen is to get more ice or to grab some ice cream. So I’ve added these two videos to my “try this” list. The watermelon sorbet will be first order of business.
🎙️Listen
➡️ How to travel without even leaving home
Whether you’re going somewhere new and exciting for the summer or taking a well-earned staycation, there are endless ways to venture into our world and plug into wonder. Saleem Reshamwala is a filmmaker, journalist, podcaster – and an expert world traveler. And even though he’s been to far and wide places, his hyperlocal and unique style of traveling will change the way you plan your next trip.
I love this podcast, but this episode is such a joy, so much fun. It really transported me to other places, in the most delightful ways.
➡️ 7 Easy-Listening Podcasts for Summer
Interesting list of different podcasts to try this summer.
🌳 Quote
That’s It For Today!
If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend. We all need help during these trying summers. 😅 And if you’d like, tell me: what’s your favorite summer joy?
Until next time. —Nospheratt
77ºF
I’m not even kidding, the last two summers literally warped and melted the supermarket’s pavement.
I know some people love summer. If that’s you, I’m happy for you, truly. Enjoy! 😊
The popsicles came wrapped in paper - only the fancy brands used plastic wrappers.
The Substack algorithm, however mysterious it is, has helped me to find my people. Hello from a fellow member of the "summer is bullshit" tribe.