the perfect day

It's a Saturday in early June, I'm ahead on all my personal projects, and I wake up before the sun rises. But it's already getting light outside. 

The entire summer lies in front of me, with months of fun promised. 

I think about how much fun I had the previous night after work, with a gaming and internet session as the sun went down just as I was getting to sleep at 9:30 PM. I get ready, and pull my running water bottle out of the fridge. I drive up to Riverwoods and start running up Provo Canyon. 

Usually, I am with my cousin, and we will keep each other running at a decent pace. When it's this early, it's still cool outside, but I know that the temperature will rise quickly. The summertime crowds haven't arrived yet. I run past Bridal Veil Falls, through a tunnel of green trees that rustle in a slight breeze. Birds are chirping. The early morning sunlight creates subsurface scattering, lighting up the edges of the leaves above us. 

As I finish my 13.1 mile run, the crowds are starting to gather in the canyon. But we're almost done anyway. I love seeing the canyon buzz with life, instead of being quiet and empty like it is in the dark part of the year. I don't feel a single bit of pain from any injury -- I am sore, sure, but I feel great. 

After running, I drive home, drown myself in caffeine, and get some breakfast. I take a shower and get ready for the day. 

If I take a walk, it will be warm and bright. The heat will energize me. I might break a slight sweat, but it doesn't matter, because I'm getting into the pool soon. I may start out riding some roller coasters first, if it's a Lagoon day, flying past waterfalls and hanging upside down over the I-15. Regardless, as soon as the water parks open, I'm in the pools. 

I feel sore going up the water slide stairs, but it's a great feeling, knowing I started off the day with a fantastic workout. I ride water slides for at least a few hours. The sparkling water surrounds me as I fly down the chutes, and the world is sunny and blue and green and bright. I splash down into the pool and as I resurface I see a row of verdant trees through a thin film of water. There isn't a single cloud in the sky, and the world smells of barbecue and flowers. 

Around lunchtime, I drive home, do a bit of cleaning, get food, and take a shower. Then, I get to my creative work. I lose myself in my art, writing, programming, music, and math. I paint dragons, build apps, and spin tales of faraway worlds so much better than this one. When my brain gets a little tired, I'll sit out on my hammock and read some nice fiction, or drive to one of the many parks in my area and take a slow, easy walk. I might grab some shaved ice or ice cream for a snack, but most likely that'll be for after dinner. Or, if there's a carnival, I'll cut my creative block a bit short and check out some rides. 

I meet up with friends for dinner, maybe getting Mexican, American, steak, or some pizza. I am showered and have a fresh spritz of cologne on. My nerdy water park wristbands will still be on my wrist, used to access the inner tube I used earlier in the day. As I eat, I think about how much fun I had at the water park, earlier in the day. After that, we get some ice cream or shaved ice assuming I haven't already. Or maybe some smoothies. 

As day turns into night, we may go to the theater to watch a summer movie. If so, I'll hope the theater has an arcade so I can play games for a bit. If we're not, then I have the night to myself. I lose myself in fantasy worlds -- video games, visual novels, cartoons, toys, books, daydreams, internet chats, and comics. I get ready for bed and get into pajamas as the sun sets, then play until I'm exhausted and can't stay awake for a minute longer. I end the day lying in bed, reading my control systems textbook or something similar. The soft mattress feels like heaven to my sore muscles, and I slip into a sleep filled with lucid dreams and astral projections. REM rebound is the strategy for the night. As I slip into unconsciousness, I know that everything is going to be okay. I fall asleep to the whisper of my fan, the hum of the AC, and the chirping of crickets, my body still feeling like I'm riding a roller coaster, and my mind transported to faraway worlds of dragons and spaceships, of talking animals and adventures in nature, of love that never dies.