Summer 'to-do' list was a little bit ambitious

MODESTO -- At the start of summer, I created a sort of to-do list.

I titled it "Summer 2012" and was determined to jot down every activity that would ensure a spectacular summer. This phenomena was inspired by one of my favorite shows, "Arthur," on PBS. I would watch Arthur and think, "Wow, they are so grown-up, everything they do is super awesome!"

Well, I must think the same thing now, because I'm still taking cues from third-grade cartoon animals. So I was excited to write down as many activities as I could, doable or not. I taped it to the back of my bedroom door so I would see it and it would remind me about its existence.

With autumn beginning Saturday, it seemed like a good time to go over the list to see how I did.

Well, I did not fill up my list as much as I expected, probably because I was busy trying to accomplish my normal summer workload and items I had put on my list at the very start of the summer.

I will, though, share a couple of the items with you.

At the top of my list was "Go to the beach." I had not been to Aptos — where my grandmother has a house — in a while, and I was having withdrawals. I ended up going twice, yay! First with Texas 4-H members from an exchange and second with my family for a few days of thrifting and observing deer cross busy Seascape Boulevard.

The only item on my list that I did not get to accomplish (keep in mind it was not a very lengthy list) was to "Browse the antique store by Brenden."

A friend of mine had told me about a huge, two-story antique store near Brenden Theatres. Cramped, musty- smelling stuff in every direction you turn — sounds too good to be true, right? I brought it up a couple of times as an adventure, but since I am rarely in downtown Modesto, it never happened.

Toward the bottom of my list, I put "Clean closet! Yikes," implying my excitement toward experiencing that activity. For half an hour or so, I organized, hung up and folded clothes, resulting in a pretty decent closet.

Alas, my closet has fallen back into disarray, but an idea I saw on Pinterest for organizing shoes should clear that up. As soon as I get the time. And time is the biggest issue with a summer list or any kind of list.

If I really had wanted to go to the antique store, I would have made it a priority, but life gets in the way. Graduations, 4-H Summer Camp, Stanislaus County Fair, birthday parties, meetings, orientations and things I forget to mention.

So maybe I'll make a list for next summer. Any suggestions?

Dominique Germann is a senior at Central Valley High School and a member of The Bee's Teens in the Newsroom Program.