outdoor cat summer

songs of the summer from ‘98 through today (do not forget to shuffle).

perfect for:

• boosting morale as you sweat in a 97 degree subway station en route to your unpaid internship

• outdoor activities that involve sitting or floating or stasis in general

• the cab ride that you can’t afford to your (unpaid) internship that you had to take because the train skipped your station and is never arriving at that stop ever again - in fact, the subway system may no longer exist, we don’t know, but you’re due at a cubicle in -16 minutes

• sunny day tween ennui

• when you realize that you never went to sleep-away camp and you never will, but you can watch wet hot american summer and that will scratch the itch for now

highlights:

• out of the shadow by rogue wave - classic ‘00s indie pop album first recommended to me by iTunes in 2013 (what nostalgia!)

• “insufficient funds” by the courtneys - two words: “unpaid” “internship”

• “words to me” by sugar ray, “juliet” by LMNT, “i’m just a kid” by simple plan, and “ordinary day” by vanessa carlton - from forcing radio disney on your family during every beach-bound car ride of your childhood

• “fountain of sorrow” by jackson browne - the most upbeat, barbecue crowd-pleasing devastator of a (nearly) 7 minute opus

• “paint’s peeling” by rilo kiley - you grew into your grumpiness while you were away at school this year and your mother is noticing

• “bad sneakers” by steely dan - donald fagen name-checking sixth avenue in this song makes you feel less bad about spending your entire summer in midtown