Happy Labor Day! Can you believe it’s September already? August definitely flew by. I spent most of past 2 weeks still thinking we were in the single-digit days of August, and then before I knew it, I was writing the wrong month on forms. What the heck!

Summer started out so mild. It took a long time for us to reach 80°F days, and folks were lamenting it. I knew, though, that we would soon regret wishing for 80°F as we were slammed with heat wave after heat wave. So many consecutive days where the highs were 90°F and up, and where evening temperatures didn’t dip below 80°F at all. So much sweating was done. BUT, even with the threat of Zika looming over me, I managed to escape with relatively few mosquito bites! (Although I doubt I’ll ever have as many as I did last year, when I had so many that the itching just cancelled out and I felt nothing anymore.)

A lot happened this summer, as I was gainfully employed the whole time (scoooooore) and was able to afford to say yes to a lot of opportunities. Here are some highlights that will find themselves on my year-end recap in a few months! (Holy moly.) If we consider “summer” to be June 1-August 31, here are a few little adventures that I had:

• Tried “warm yoga” (not quite as hot as hot yoga) for the first time and really enjoyed it
• Attended my first IGDC Instameet
  
• Got my own tech community mentee
• Went to a friend’s wedding in Roanoke (blog post will come when nicer photos become available!)
  
• Made my annual trip to New York City , which involved a lot of firsts
  
  • And snuck back up a few weeks later to bring my brother back home
• Got trapped in an elevator! …
• Saw Ingrid Michaelson at a free concert
  
• Was invited to cover Capital Solstice
  
• Finally moved out of my house in Ellicott City
• Checked out the National Building Museum’s ICEBERGS exhibit for their “Save Jack!” event
• Had a blast at a circus-themed Yelper party
  
• Saw The Phantom of the Opera at the Kennedy Center
• Finally got a night guard to stop me from grinding my teeth into dust
• Visited a trampoline park for the first time (and loved it!)

  

• Attended a blogger shopping night at Pike & Rose (post coming soon!)
• Saw a Nationals game with my company
• Restarted ballet class
• Won 1st place in Harry Potter trivia with Geeks Who Drink

  

• Went kayaking for the first time and loved it!
  

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I feel like I am forgetting a lot of fun things that happened, but this was just a really jam-packed, fun summer. Sometimes I do wish I had a little more downtime, time for myself, but I don’t regret doing any of the things that I summed up above.

As the weather (hopefully…) cools down, I think I’ll also cool it with the activities a bit but try to keep myself physically and socially active. I made a really conscious effort to incorporate more physical fitness into my life, but also to be an active friend. To reach out and be there and plan fun activities for the people I want to keep in my life and let them know that I want them in my life.

How was your summer?
Are you ready for fall? I have a lot to look forward to in the coming months, and I’m excited to share all of it with my friends, family, and with you!