It’s the first day of summer vacation or, for me, the first day of summer school. I have been teaching summer school for almost 25 years. Sometimes I think about not teaching summer school, but what would I do with all of my time? And could I get by without the money? The answer to the latter question is definitely yes, but it’s a hard habit to break, that grad student/contingent faculty worry that you won’t get paid again. I mostly do it at this point because I like that spice of structure to my summer, just a bit to keep me from falling into a what-am-I-doing-with-my-life hole.

So here I am, back to teaching just a couple days after filing my spring semester grades, but now I’m teaching an asynchronous online course. I do this mostly to meet students where they’re at, and in the summertime, they are at work all day. Flexibility is key for them, and it really works for me. I got up this morning, sent my “what’s on tap” email, fixed up the captions on my video lecture, and then had time to head out on my bike over to Canton for an eye exam so I can renew my driver’s license. Riveting, I know.

But the ride really was. My life mostly goes north/south and west, so I hadn’t tooled around East Baltimore in a minute. I took Barclay Street down, across Greenmount, Hoffman to Ensor to Central for its gorgeous bike lane, a left on Gough through what used to be Perkins Homes. Have y’all been over here lately? A brand new landscape. I remember when I first moved here almost 15 years ago and rode around here. I couldn’t believe they’d let public housing that looks like public housing looks in documentaries about public housing be so close to rich people. I wondered when it would get torn down, and the answer is now. I hope the families who lived here have first right of return and actually get to return.

I continued my zigs and zags through the east side, remembering that phase where I was down here all the time to use my Groupon for cryotherapy at the weird wellness spa. Or to take my Groupon swimming lessons at the Michael Phelps Swim Academy at the Merritt gym. Or to ride that bike lane on Potomac Street that made some weirdos totally lose their shit. Or to go to that Cold Stone because I had coupon after coupon. I have spent so much time biking around these neighborhoods, and it felt so good to be back, no real time limit, pedaling around.

A quick eye exam and I was back on my bike. I headed to Canton Waterfront Park to chill for a bit and watch people play with their dogs. I got to meet a golden retriever puppy and touch his incredibly soft ears. And then I walked my bike around the park, saying my how-you-doings to the other folks lucky enough to not be in an office on a Tuesday afternoon.

I snapped this picture of folks sitting on benches, eating, smoking, doing what I was doing–just being out here by the water–because it all felt so good. We can just hang out at the park, do our own thing, watching goslings be cute and awkward and wave to our neighbors. I love living in a city, and I love living in Baltimore.

I stopped for a quick lunch before zig zagging my way home through Highlandtown and McElderry Park, up Milton to the drop down from the Baltimore Cemetery onto the North Avenue bus/bike lane, which I took all the way back to Barclay. I was flying, and the day was perfect and as Bruce would say, in the midst of all that is hard and complicated about the world, it ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive. Best day in the history of the world.