Summertime BINGO

touch grass and get wet

Jun 23, 2025

Do you remember when summer was fun?

When the season stretched out before you, a vast open space free from school and responsibilities? When the world wasn’t on fire, literally and figuratively? When your greatest goal was to find money for the ice cream truck and the hardest decision you faced was between a chocolate eclair bar or a cherry italian ice? Perhaps you were transported to that alternate universe known as summer camp.

Childhood lulled us into a false sense of summer with the promise of an entire season dedicated to the pursuit of frolic and leisure. Sure, school’s out, but that’s really only great if you’re a teacher. The adult version kind of sucks: kids everywhere rubbing it in our faces with how much fun they’re having (or how bored they are or they need a ride), watching the planet burn, who is picking our crops, how to keep cool (thanks, AI, for driving up electricity costs), are we on the precipice of WWIII, croptops back in style, what’s actually in ice cream sandwiches to make them not melt, another round of covid, will retirement ever be an option for me, who has my data and what are the doing with it, etc, etc. And the sun sets so late it’s hard to go to sleep early. WTF.

Hello anxiety spiral that swirls slightly faster than a rusty park spinner on hot asphalt, but is just as vertiginous and terrifying.

Can we add just a wee bit of joy to what is shaping up to be a hot time? Can we aim to capture some of the wonder of summertime in little bites and bites? But also make it, ya know, maybe a little fun?

Let’s play summertime bingo.

I’ve taken the time to pack your BINGO card full of the greatest hits of summertime. Maybe you’re like, great idea Rubi, but your ideas suck. I want to make my own. Great, there’s also an empty card for you to fill in as you like. My feelings aren’t hurt. (Send pics of what you create.)

Print it out, save the image, mark it up, do what you must. Paying subscribers who send me a pic of their filled in card with any modicum of documentation will get a free sticker pack.