‘I’ll see you in September’

“People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.”

—Anton Chekhov

By Alex P. Vidal

GARY Lewis and The Playboys used to serenade us that when summer is gone, “I’ll see you in September.” 

“I'll see you in September

When summer is gone

Have a good time but remember

I'll be waiting back home

And when you go out dating

With some guy all alone

Just remember I'll be waiting

When summer is gone.”

This year, Fall season will officially unfurl in U.S. on September 22, but, for the time being, we have to deal with summer season’s scorching heat (as predicted by weather experts) as summer officially begins on June 21, Tuesday.

What to expect in summer? According to Forbes, expect the following: High prices. Bad service. Frequent delays. Another COVID outbreak. Anything could happen when you travel this summer.

The travel world has changed during the pandemic. It's less predictable, and service levels will be lower. Plus, Covid is still here, and cases are rising in some cities.

We will pay more and we will get less, experts say.

Travel pros say we have to guard against scams and depleted or nonexistent inventory problems this summer.

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There is a more precise moment that astronomical summer will begin in the Northern Hemisphere. That's at 5:14 a.m. on Tuesday, which marks the 2022 summer solstice, it was reported.

According to USA Today, this is the precise moment when the North Pole tilts closest to the sun, making the sun appear at its highest point in the sky of the year.

At that moment on Tuesday, the sun will be directly above the Tropic of Cancer. That's the farthest north the sun moves in the sky, which is why the days close to the solstice have the most daylight of the year.

USA Today says some people call it "the longest day," but to be precise, it's the day with the most daylight, because every day has 24 hours.

The amount of daylight will be roughly consistent for a few more days before shrinking each day until the winter solstice in late December.

In reality, it's felt like summer across the nation for the past few weeks, and meteorologists consider summer the hottest three months of the year (June, July and August).

But the real heat is still to come: On average, there is a one-month lag between the solstice and peak summer temperatures, according to climatologist Brian Brettschneider. 

That's why July is often the hottest month of the year in many locations.

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JUST ASKING: Is Sara Duterte maneuvering in anticipation of a challenge and an opportunity? 

This was the thought-provoking question made by Philippine Star columnist Federico Pascual on June 19, who went on: “By advancing to today (June 19) her oath-taking as vice president she could be firming up her position, expecting to enter the fray officially as the vice president in case Marcos is suddenly squeezed out.

“One situation, which most lawyers we have asked said they saw as remotely possible, is the Supreme Court’s barring Marcos from running for president or its ruling that his CoC was not validly issued by the Commission on Elections.

“If Marcos is disqualified on this ground, can Duterte (who is set to take her oath today) quickly take his place as president? Is this the reason why she is rushing her taking her oath as vice president – to give her leverage in going after the presidency?

“The Supreme Court is studying two sets of disqualification cases that were appealed by certiorari from the Comelec on the belief that the poll body gravely abused its discretion in its en banc rulings on the DQ cases.”

As we usually mention in every interesting subject matter, let’s wait and see.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)