CougZone.com - The Pres' Palouse Park Bench

June 26, 2009

Michael Preston
CougZone.com Staff Writer

Now that the longest day of the year has come and gone, it really is the summertime and those of you who were lucky enough to be in the Seattle neighborhood of Fremont last Saturday for the Solstice Parade, you are all too aware of the fact that it is not only summer but that there are public indecency laws for a reason. I'm all for freedom of expression - just not for 65-year old Boeing retirees.

This weekend, I've temporarily relocated to Whistler B.C. because I enjoy duty-free liquor, a more valuable American dollar and not having to go to work. It's really amazing how quick the stresses of work or life in general melt away when you're in a beautiful city far away from any of those things. For the next couple of weeks, there will be a collection of 16 current and former Cougars competing at the USA Track & Field Championships in Eugene and DeAngelo Casto, Brock Motum and Klay Thompson will be competing at the FIBA U19 Men's Basketball Championships in Auckland, New Zealand. After that, it will be a few weeks until football practice sessions begin, a smaller contingent of Cougars compete at the World Track & Field Championships in Berlin and the Wazzu soccer team ? perhaps inspired by USA's GINORMOUS upset of Spain this week - begins their pursuit of a Pac-10 title. During the intermittent breaks in the action, here are a few suggestions for a summer getaway from the stressors of life such as the death of the King of Pop.

Go To A Baseball Game

For those of you living in the Seattle-area, there are plenty to choose from including the Mariners, Tacoma Rainiers and Everett AquaSox. Ignoring the absorbent price of any alcohol whatsoever at any of these venues, an afternoon at the ballpark is a getaway that is reasonably affordable on any budget. For those of you on the east side of the state, head over to a Spokane Indians game where former Cougar Jared Prince will be lacing up the spikes for the summer.

Sleep Until 1 P.M.

Alright fine, it's not a getaway but it's a nice temporary escape and an activity sponsored by late-shift workers and lazy teenagers/college students for many years, you'd be surprised how refreshing sleeping until the stock market closes is. Granted you feel as if you've wasted most if not all of your day and you're a borderline lazy slob but some days it's just nice to feel that way. Plus, you miss the crap that's on early morning television and get straight to the Jerry Springer/Maury Povich block on your local Fox affiliate.

Go To Hawai'i

Although it doesn't exactly fall in the affordable category, if you can afford it, do so. I'll be going in a couple of weeks for a friends wedding reception and I'm more than excited to be headed to a place where the daytime high temperature varies between 83 and 86. Add in a couple rounds of golf, a light ocean breeze and good company and you've got the makings of an awfully good trip.

Take A Trip To The Zoo

Even if you don't have kids, a fun time is to be had. An activity always reserved for the warmer summer months in Seattle, visiting the zoo helps reaffirm one thing you should've already been sure of: I'm glad to not be the guy who feeds the angry tigers. My two favorite attractions: seeing a real life Butch T. Cougar and petting the nose of 2,000 pachyderm named "Tank". Additionally, don't stand near "Tank" after he's eaten a lot of fiber.

Road Trip

To where? Who knows. Just get on the road and start driving. The only real requirement is that you drive more than 200 miles. Pullman is pretty dead this time of year and I hear Kalispell is always a happening place. Or you could really take this to an extreme and just hop on I-90 and go east until you run into Boston. Once you get there, sell your car and fly home since you'll probably be too tired to drive.

Make A Beach

Now usually I reserve the right to make a beach to the forces of Mother Nature but nothing says a summer of fun like a beach umbrella, a cooler full of beer and 10 cubic meters of sand dumped in your back yard. Throw a kiddie pool in the middle and you've got quite the spot. Plus, you don't have to deal with tons of children running around screaming and their sun burnt mother chasing after them. Plus, you won't have to worry about your cousin whipping you with bull kelp (if your family is anything like mine).

Become An International Man/Woman of Mystery

As James Bond shows us, he gets to travel all over the world meeting attractive people and drinking vodka martinis is really a glamorous life. That sounds like quite the getaway. The mere inconvenience of being shot at or tied to some ridiculously complicated torture device involving lasers and a sidekick who is either a midget or giant is something you should be more than willing to put up with after gambling in Monte Carlo. I'm sure MI6 has applications on their website for any and all who wish to apply. Requirements may include having 32 different suits, witty British charm and a secretary with a currency sounding moniker. My secretary's name is Cashnickel and she is simply a delight.

So here's too a good summer for everyone. Can't say I at least didn't try and get you out of the house on your own adventure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm needed in London. Apparently a billionaire is scheming to take over Antarctica and I'm just the man to stop him.

Who Cares Pick of the Week: Well, frankly, I care about this one. Angela Smith to win the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. Go cuz!

Dunderhead of the Week: Woman in Arkansas who, before taking a psychological evaluation to determine if she could recover custody of her children, drank 13 beers. I'm going to assume she failed with flying colors.

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