Summer has always represented change in one way or another. When we were young and school closed for summer vacation it was the best time of our lives, we didn't have a care in the world. The only stress we had to endure was should we go to the pool or beach? what was for lunch or at worst our friends were allowed to stay out a little later than we were at night.

As we got to our teens the summer months represented something totally different. Some of us had summer jobs and we also started looking to September a little sooner than usual because not only were there changes in our lives happening, but there was a definite change in the way girls started to look from the end of the school year to the beginning of next school year.

During our many months of summer vacations throughout our childhood one thing remained constant; and that one thing was a simple formula to judge our summer vacations. Every summer will be evaluated based on the previous summer and will be remembered by just simply asking the question "Remember summer 05' or that road trip in summer 06' etc, etc..

Well fast forward through all of the bbq's, beach days and vacations we have taken in the past because this summer has been one of big change. This summer as most of my friends settle into married life in their recently moved into houses and as backyard bbq's are replaced with weddings and engagement parties I am curious to know the answer of the most popular question in my head "What's next?"

In July two significant occurrences have taken place that will profoundly shape my memories about Summer '08. First I am now an uncle to a beautiful baby girl and one of my best friends and a current roommate is moving out of state.

Each occurrence has me running a gauntlet of emotions from absolute joy to absolute sadness and each day is different, sometimes each hour is different. So as I see my friend off as she starts her new life I can't help but wonder what the rest of the summer of '08 will bring?