One for the History Books

Before I get started, an apology is in order. I know it has been well over a month since my last post. Like DC, I decided to shut it down for the month of August. Don't worry though this recent sabbatical has definitely re-charged the battery and now I'm ready to rant and rave about completely worthless crap.

Labor Day Weekend is the unofficial end to summer and like some I spent this past holiday weekend at the beach. Of course, Seacrets was involved and the weekend wolfpack of 4 bros ended the summer in style - there was also g, devouring crabs, sick cover bands, and late-night beach parties. My incredibly long drive home from the beach (a five hour drive which usually takes 3 hours) left me time to reflect on what really was one amazing summer. While labeling this summer as the best summer to date might be a little bold, it definitely joins the club as one of the great summers of my life. It is hard to decide which was the best, but the Summer of '01, Summer of '03, and the Summer of '09 were three unbelievable summers that had enough memories to last a lifetime.
On one hand, there was nothing quit like the Summer of '01. It was the summer after my first year in college. Everybody returned home with a year of the college life under their belt and the next couple months would be ones I would never forget. Whether it was beers busts at the moon tower or in this case some park or house parties that went until all hours of the night, we definitely lived it up that summer. For those of you who were there, you know what I'm talking about. While most of us were holding down jobs, we didn't have a care in the world and there seemed to be something going down every night of the week. It really was a blast and it was probably the last time all or most of my high school friends were in the same place at the same time. Since then friends have spent summers traveling or working in other cities and now we are all forging our own paths in all different parts of the world, but for one last summer we all seemed to be in DC living it up.

Just when I didn't things could get much better than the Summer of '01, the Summer of '03 was one hell of a ride. The tone for this summer was set with beach week in North Myrtle, South Carolina. Big beach house, perfect weather, and the cheesiest bars in America set the stage for one of the great weeks of my life. Seriously, a club with wall-to-wall carpet and dance cages??? In the words of my bff, "Jess", "get better." A month long summer session back on campus followed. I took one class while enjoying an even more than usual lax college life style. A 4-week internship in DC started in June, only to conclude the summer in Boston for the final 5 weeks. Throw-in the fact this was my first summer as being of the legal drinking age and I fell in love for the first time and you can see why it was one amazing summer.

Finally that brings us to this summer, the summer of '09. I have to admit this one was different. It was by all means great, but it wasn't quit the same as the first two. I think the first two were about friends and the memories that were made. Don't get me wrong, friends were very much apart of this summer as well and played an intricate part of so many great stories; however, looking back on the last several months it is clear I was on some sort of mission. I was going to live it up as best I could. Yes, I need some companions by my side for the many ridiculous events that transpired, but really I lived it up with everybody. I did it up with work friends, college friends, high school friends, friends of friends. Sh*t, I probably even hung out with people who would qualify as complete strangers. I mean it didn't matter I was going to go big. I painted the town. And I dont's just mean DC. I painted much of the Eastern seaboard red, green, blue, and yellow all at the same time. I found an extra gear, my Inner LeBron, and a lot of whatever and just went with it. Along the way, there was The Weekend That Was, a whirlwind 4th of July weekend, a 37 year old OBGYN, more crazy Thursdays than I can count, an awesome Friends Weekend (more on this in the next post), and a grand finale at the beach to boot.

Yes, this was probably all made possible by my dead-end job that manages to pay me enough money to support my life style. In the end though, you don't get many opportunities like this. I have the rest of my life to work and be responsible, but there may not be that many chances to have a summer like the one I just experienced. If there ever was THE summer of THE Sean Sullivan this was it. I left all out there and had one awesome time in the process. I really did love every minute of it. Thank you Summer of '09 and thank you to the friends who came along for the ride. It was incredible.

Now, it's time to put this one in the books and look forward to Fall. Redskins season is upon us and it is definitely time to rectify my current professional situation.

I will recap some more August highlights in my next post and then it's back to school for you, the readers. Trust me, I think you will find it very educational.....