Earlier this summer

I’ve been pretty terrible at paying attention to 30trees lately. Let’s say I’ve been distracted. Anyway, here’s my effort to chronicle a few fun things that transpired in the summer months of 2011.

Earlier this summer, Ryan and I headed south to my ole stompin’ ground in Southern Ohio with everyone else our age for the WARRIOR DASH, which involves swimming in giant mud puddles with dead fish, jumping over fire, and throwing away your shoes. Kyle and Krystin met us later for some sweet rain campin’.

Warrior Dash also involves a detour to ATHENS because that town is like my Lotus Island, and I have to go (and want to stay forever) if I get within a few  miles.

My parents both retired in June, so my whole family took a boat to the BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. We stayed on a boat for a week, which, apparently involves eating delicious food, going to islands that require jumping off the boat and swimming ashore, and sitting on the deck under a giant bowl of stars at night. That “bowl of stars” business is from a Counting Crows song that I almost always think of when I can see the sky touch the horizon all around me. Here is one of my favorite pictures from tiny, tiny island Jost Van Dyke.

Kyle celebrated America’s independence by JUGGLING LOGS. If you know Kyle, you’re probably not really surprised. Kyle also recently earned his master’s degree. Congrats on both parts, brotha’.

In what amounted to an informal family reunion, we went to the JIMMY BUFFET CONCERT with my parents a bunch of other lunatics from Cleveland.

My great friends Tim and Mike played at the Grog Shop that same week  in July with the rest of their band SCHOOL NIGHT. There was also a fantastic blackout in Tremont that knocked the lights out in Prosperity Social Club. The girl who was singing on stage just kept going, and everyone had to pay with cash like in the pioneer days. Here’s a shot of School Night, who covered Tracy Price’s old favorite “Steal My Sunshine” by LEN. I was kind of hoping for “Meet Virginia” or “Drops of Jupiter.”

OUT ON A SCHOOL NIGHT: Ironically, it was Friday, but I still like this pictures of us looking like a bunch of hooligans outside the Grog Shop.

MORE STELLAR MUSIC: We saw The Decemberists at Nautica, the new Tower City Amphitheater, last month. The Head and the Heart opened up for them, and they were really fantastic as an opening act. Thanks to Pete’s Music Supply, Ryan and I have been listening to them for the last few weeks. They’re pretty enjoyable, especially in North Carolina. Erin, it kind of looks like your arm’s in a cast in this picture.

Hands down the BEST PART OF THE DECEMBERISTS SHOW was when, during the encore, they played the song “The Mariner’s Revenge Song,” this hauntingly, pirate-like piece is about two men trapped in a whale’s belly after it eats their ship, one of whom has sworn revenge on the other. It’s about 8-minutes of creepy loveliness. So, as soon as they start playing, this massive ship starts rolling down the river directly behind the stage. The singer kind of looks behind himself like, Are you kidding me? The song kept kind of building up until everyone in the place was stomping on the ground so hard it felt like the bleachers were going to just cave in. It was pretty amazing and kind of reminded me of the end of Moby Dick, when everything gets sucked into that great maelstrom of doom. Maelstrom of doom!

Ann Marie and Darren came out to visit us for the TASTE OF TREMONT, which is kind of a funny ritual. Let’s wait until the hottest day of the year, make a bunch of pasta, and invite thousands of people to all eat it in a small space. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I still love it.

I also love this Taste of Tremont attendee who was trying to motivate people to register to  VOTE with some inspirational dance moves in front of St. John Cantius.

Welp. That’s it for now. I hope your summer involved some street dancing, too.