July is my favorite month of the year. Around here (the PNW), July is when summer really starts. June is more like June-uary. July is fireworks, sunshine, shorts and sandals, hiking, long sunsets.... and of course my birthday.

This time I'll be an even 22. The only big birthday celebrations left now are the Decades. You know, 30...40...50...ad infinitum. Not really though. I just wanted to use a latin phrase there.

Two things that I already got for my birthday that are super sweet: a restored, silvery-sleek, retro-looking radio/record player, and my diploma. I am now officially an adult. I just wish I could put my diploma on the record player and it would play Pomp and Circumstance.

Ike -- who really likes being a day-to-day working journalist