There's a what on the road?!? Summer Recap

Well, well, well. It seems I have come to the end of my summer, and it is only fitting that I recap it. Summer '06 was certainly an interesting one, and while it didn't match the spectacular summers of '03 and '04, it definitely beat the pants off '05. So without any more rambling, it's time to recap my summer.

The summer started out on a high note, as my sister's track team won conference. The month of May didn't really seem like summer, however, as I was knee-deep in my online Physical Geography class and was doing some heavy cashier hours the good old Super Target. I didn't mind, though, as my friends were home and we hung out a few times.

By the time June rolled around, summer picked up. I had some strange and interesting experiences, such as going for jury duty and heading up to Hanover Park for counselor training. It was at this point that a good friendship seemed to be budding into something more, but in all actuality it was just another bitter pill. Towards the end of the month, I went to a White Sox game. It was a great game. The Sox only managed one hit, but it was a home run by Jim Thome and that proved to be the deciding margin. At this point, I was looking ahead to July and another enjoyable experience at camp, though in a bit of a different capacity.

Camp certainly did not go as expected. The entire week before camp was a roller coaster as to whether I was going to be a counselor or not. As of the morning I left, I was to be support staff. The ride to camp was a journey in and of itself. The church van got a flat on I-55 near Bloomington, delaying us a good hour. Then about 10 miles south we began having other issues. Well, suffice it to say, we got to camp a bit later than hoped for. When I got there, I was put on support staff and was assigned security detail of the field behind the activity center. Around an hour later, I was placed as a counselor instead and given a room where each of the nine guys knew each other. Though our toilet was perpetually clogged and we had to deal with a 16 hour power outage with triple digit temperatures, it was a great time. When I got home, I still had over a month of summer to go.

The last month of summer was not really spent on anything spectacular. It was mainly used to relax and replenish myself for the new schoolyear. I hung out with old friends a few times. I realized this year that saying goodbye is hardest the first time. While I do miss my friends, I am not as upset as I was last year. I'll see them again.

So, to sum it up quickly, this summer was full of interesting experiences, making new friends, staying connected to old friends, and losing some as well. I started to watch more television shows as well. Stuff on the Disney Channel, "My Own", and "The Contender" have become part of my viewing schedule. All in all, I think it was a good summer.

To conclude, I'll clue you in on the blog title. Yesterday I was up at ONU tying some loose ends before the year started. I decided not to take I-57 home but rather Route 45 instead. While I was driving, I notice a bird standing in the middle of the road. As I approached, I realized that it was none other than a pelican. Yes, a pelican. I had never seen one in Illinois in my life, and probably never will again. That strange encounter was the perfect end to a relatively strange summer.

Poser

As many of you know, I have had a general aversion to a store known as Abercrombie & Fitch. The reason for this aversion is still unclear, but it began in 1997 when I received a shirt from there for my birthday. I promptly had my mom return it. I didnt even go in the store and did not set foot in an A&F after.

To understand where this story is headed, I need to give you some background information about the evolution of my fashion (or depending on whom youre asking, lack thereof). When the 2000s began, I sported football jerseys and windpants religiously. By June 2003, I began to care what I looked like, and by 2004 most would say I became a full-fledged prep in my style of dress. I went from shopping at Montgomery Wards (thank goodness that place shut down) to places such as Old Navy and Hollister. This new, evolved look gave me a greater amount of self-confidence to face the world. With this in mind, I set off to Orland Square Mall this Friday for some Back to School shopping.

I started this trek at 1 pm with cash in pocket and a smile on my face. I decided to stick to stores that coincided with my image, so Mom, Dad, and Me and Hip-Hop Nation were out of the question. I started out at Aeropostale and didnt find anything quite like I was looking for. My summer/early fall wardrobe is pretty much complete, so I was looking for some warmer, late fall/early winter stuff. They didnt have it there, nor did H&M, the Gap, or the Buckle. American Eagle soon followed. I decided at that point to pull out the ace in my sleeve, Hollister. I have had great success there as of late, and I genuinely like their clothing. However, the one warmer article of clothing was not quite what I was looking for, so I left empty handed thinking I was out of options. Thats when a big moose stared me in the face.

At that point, I was left with a choice: end a 19 year streak of refusing to enter an Abercrombie, or ensure that I go home with nothing. I took a deep breath and walked in. Though I was dressed relatively preppy (complete with popped collar), I felt immediately out of place. The store even had a literal scent of arrogance, and I wanted to get out as soon as possible. There was nothing there that I liked, and even less that I was willing to pay for.

As I left the mall empty handed minus a Choco Taco, I asked myself, Did I just sell out? After pondering it for a while, I was a bit surprised at what my response to that question was. Yes, you have sold out, but you did that two years ago. I was always convinced that aesthetic inadequacies were responsible for my failures with the opposite sex. Therefore, I didnt take much time improving the product but rather decided to create an image: The Best Jakob Money Can Buy. Yes, this new image has given me more self-confidence, but I was left with another question.

At what cost has this image come? Have I gotten any new friends out of it? No, if anything my arrogance has cost me new friendships. I still have the same core group of friends, and theyd like me just as much whether I was in a tuxedo or in my underwear. Have I gotten a girlfriend? Negative. Not even close. Probably cost myself a few opportunities. I know I irreparably damaged a friendship in February 2005 due to this image. Have I improved as a person? No. I have become an insensitive buttface with little regard for anything not involving the word Jakob. So, what have I gotten out of this new image? MySpace picture comments from people Ive never met and probably will never meet? Oh goody. Thats worth a whole lot. Ive even let myself go from a physical and healthy standpoint because I believed that my clothes and image would cover it up.

Now, dont get me wrong. I like what I wear, and that style I feel I look best in. So when I do complete my Back to School shopping, expect me to be dressed in the same kinds of stuff I wear now. However, I will make one thing clear. At this point in my life, I am a poser, and I dont like it one bit.

Bitter Pills

Another day produces another blog. I've actually been thinking about this one for a while, so hopefully some valuable thoughts have been made.

Well, I've been thinking about how life gives us bitter pills to swallow. I've been force-fed more than my share in the last year or so, and quite honestly, I've hated it. Some of the main bitter pills that I've had to deal with have been second place and rejection. I used to hate coming up short with such a ferocity that I'd rather not come close than to encounter a near miss. However, I've been thinking about bitter pills.

The only time we physically need bitter pills is when we are ill. These pills do two things for us: they make us stronger and make us better. However, we do not need to take these pills forever. We get to a point where we are strengthened and well to the point that they are unnecessary.

Therefore in my life, I'm resigned to taking these bitter pills. I may not always like them, but I know they will strengthen and improve me to the point that as a person, they won't affect me anymore. So come what will and come what may, give me your best pill. It'll only make me better.