What Made Me Happy This Summer

I decided to keep this week's post simple since I am back at school full force, spending what spare time I have preparing my classroom and lessons. Ready or not, my five hundred-plus students will be darkening (or brightening, depending on your perspective) my doorway this Tuesday.

So here it is. These are things that made me happy this summer.

1. Vacationing in Hawaii
Do you really have to ask why?

2. No classes, no extra jobs
This summer, I took my neighbor's advice who said to me about a year ago, "You should relax in the summer. You work really hard." He didn't have to be too persuasive. I have spent the last few summers music directing, performing, teaching voice, taking three-credit courses crammed into nine days. So this year, I finished up my "extra job," a music directing gig, the last week of school, and then I relaxed. (I did, however, write the occasional blog post.)

Of course, "no classes, no extra jobs" means I will be taking on extra responsibilities during the school year. My first extra project starts this Monday. It's just in my nature. I don't enjoy relaxing for that long.

3. Running on the greenbelt
During the summer, I love my morning runs on the greenbelt. I just don't get around to it as often as I'd like during the fall. This past week, considering the stretch I usually jog, I could have literally been running with the bulls this past week.

4. Biking & hiking
Because I did not take on extra responsibilities, Dan and I had a lot more time to go biking and hiking this summer. The best thing about hiking in Hawaii is the lack of large mammal predators, in other words, no cougars and wolves and bears—oh my!

5. Swimming lessons
I am not the strongest swimmer, and Dan was a competitive swimmer, a lifeguard, and a swimming teacher in high school. When we travel, I often ask him to give me "swimming lessons" in the hotel pool. We had a lot of water in Hawaii to work with this summer. Dan said his favorite part about our trip to Hawaii was giving me swimming lessons. How sweet is that? I even beat out surfing!

For the latest blog updates, visit and "like" Rebecca Turner-Duggan

Check out more of my work in: