My summer bucket list
Last summer, August was partially over before I pulled together my summer bucket list. Kinda set myself up for failure. This summer, I have some big goals but I’m also trying to structure my time so I can spend as much time at the pool with my kids as possible.
I’ll update this list as I go through items. I like a little pat on the back from time to time.
Present at History Camp Boston
My Big Huge Goal this summer is presenting at History Camp Boston on August 9. And doing such a great job that I want to do it again. And other people want me to do it again. And I’m proud to share the video of my presentation. And people want to hire me for graphic design, illustration, and/or history stuff… maybe even invite me to come speak at their historic site.
No pressure.
So far, I have 59 slides and have been “productively procrastinating” shall we say.
Finish typing notes from my sketchbooks
While this feels very “productively procrastinatey”, typing my sketchbooks has uncovered forgotten doodles and connections for my presentation. I’m currently up to sketchbook 11 of 14. It takes forever. I type quickly, thanks to my parents making me take a typing class in high school that I swore I would never need because I was never going to work on a computer. I’m trying to retrain myself to avoid backspacing forever to fix mistakes and just fix them later. It’s a slow process.
But it will be worth it.
Visit JFK Library
My uncle surprised me with a Passport to Presidential Libraries recently. I’ll already be in Boston, so I’m planning to visit John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and get my first stamp!
Visit Peace Field
Hmmm… I was very excited to squeeze in a visit to where Presidents Adams were both born at Adams National Historical Park. Unfortunately, they’re closed on the days I’m able to visit. Another time. But probably not this summer. Dang it. Maybe I can visit where they are interred instead — United First Parish Church (the Church of the Presidents).
Add new people to my website
There are dozens of people I want to add to my cast, but right now I’m prioritizing:
Ben Franklin
Henry Johnson
Robert Smalls
Edward Stanton
Ida B. Wells
Benjamin Banneker
Harriet Tubman
Make a lot of progress reading/doodling Lincoln
But don’t stress about finishing it this summer. I need to focus on My Big Huge Goal.
Corral all of my newsletter “extras”
I gather up the POTUS Pop Quizzes and POTUS Extras from my email newsletter each August (the anniversary of The POTUS Notice). Perhaps it would make more sense to get these on a calendar year schedule and do an end-of-the-year wrap up instead.
See?! This is just the kind of procrastination energy I’m looking for! Except I had this idea last August and still haven’t done it. Now I have twice as many things to corral.
Blog or blog series about the amendments
Attaching a number to anything means it doesn’t stick in my brain. Quiz me on the Amendments and I will fail so spectacularly that it will appear I know nothing about history. Perhaps if I slap some doodles on them, they’ll sear in my memory a bit? Let’s find out.
I’ve been meaning to do this for a while. Now that I’m typing up the rest of my notes, I’ll be able to find amendment-related doodles easier. I have no excuse.
Johnson + Johnson
Andrew Johnson was terrible and Lyndon Johnson did some pretty incredible things, particularly for Civil Rights. Having watched Manhunt and read about LBJ, the differences are even more pronounced. There’s a blog post comparing and contrasting these guys rattling around in my brain. I may even throw in Richard Mentor Johnson for a little extra Johnson.
Ew.
That doesn’t sound right. But you know what I mean.
Go through my draft blogs
My drafts folder is filled with dozens of ideas for posts. I can bring one or two to life before Labor Day, right?
Start moving on my History Buff Holiday Gift Guide for 2025
I always wait too long then have to scramble to pull together my letter to Santa/holiday gift guide. (Have any ideas? Let me know in the comments below.)
Fix my lame bio that shows up at the end of blog posts
I can do better than that, right? Geez. Gotta do better before my presentation.
Read a lot of fiction
Not to brag, but I’ve already read quite a bit this year.
