There's so much to do in the summer that frankly it can be overwhelming, especially if your brain operates with obsessive organizational tendencies. If you were to glance at my desk at the Inlander office, you'd see an array of Post-it Notes littering the space with various to-do lists. I eventually black out the finished tasks with a Sharpie to achieve a sense of completion and relief. With that in mind, I figured it'd be worthwhile to jot down some summer essentials in order to feel like I've experienced a full 2024 summer by the time Labor Day weekend rolls around.
__ Head to the ballpark to watch the Spokane Indians take on the Mariners' farm team, the Everett AquaSox (July 9-14), in the hopes of seeing Seattle stars of the future. (Past AquaSox legends include Felix Hernandez! All hail King Felix!)
__ Enjoy the region's agricultural bounty by hitting up the local farmers and night markets. (In other words, I use this as an excuse to finally add fresh produce to my overly microwave-dependent diet.)
__ See the glorious Furiosa on the big screen before theaters remove it for being a box office bomb. (Y'all realize if you continue to "wait till it's on streaming" that we're only gonna have crappy streaming-quality movies in a few years, right?)
__ Stock up on After Bite for when you foolishly let a friend talk you into camping or hiking and mosquitos inevitably eat you alive. (There's a reason I have the soul of an indoor kid.)
__ Take advantage of Washington state having the best venue on earth and attend at least one show at the Gorge. (I've already got those Blink-182 tickets. Because work sucks, you know...)
__ Watch every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie released this year. (Can you believe there's only one in 2024? Just Deadpool & Wolverine! Marvel has finally learned to stop over-saturating the market. ... Wait... there are four next year? #$!%.)
__ Head to one of the numerous great spots for tennis in the area — Comstock Park, Hart Field, Ferris High School, Mission Park, Shadle Park High School — and hit some balls. (If for no other reason than to slow the spread of annoying pickleball cult colonizers.)
__ Take an extended road trip not on a holiday weekend in order to actually enjoy the Northwest's roadside scenery without traffic issues. (I'm partially biased to Montana drives, with actual winding passes.)
__ Hop by the Central Library, check out a book, walk across the street and read the newly acquired tome while basking in the sun rays at Riverfront Park. (Bonus points if your grassy reading is done while waiting for one of the concerts at the Pavilion to start. A little Vonnegut x The Decemberists combo, anyone?)♦
