"The putrid corpse of liberty has been buried," declared Benito Mussolini. I can't say I'm surprised that my mother chose this Mussolini quote for her wedding invitation. She has never been what one would call a "conventional" person. I was a little surprised (but also happy) when she agreed to marry my English teacher, Max Medina. This development has made my summer even busier - between my classes at Chilton, the wedding planning, and, as Paris so efficiently pointed out, about ten years of extracurricular activities to catch up on, I find myself wondering: whatever happened to the good old days of carefree summer loving and having a blast?

My mother has always marched to the beat of her own drum. She has never cared much for societal norms or expectations. So, when she announced her engagement to Max, I'll admit I was a bit taken aback. Not because I dislike Max - he's a good man and a great teacher. But the idea of my mother, who has always valued her independence, committing to someone in marriage was a bit of a shock.

Nevertheless, I'm happy for them. And I'm doing my best to juggle all the responsibilities that have been added to my plate this summer. Between my classes, the wedding planning, and trying to make up for lost time with extracurricular activities, I feel like I'm running on fumes some days. But I'm determined to make the most of it.

As Paris pointed out, I've got a lot of catching up to do. Apparently, while I was busy being a model student at Chilton, my friends were living it up and having all sorts of adventures. Now I feel like I need to cram a decade's worth of experiences into a single summer. It's a daunting task, but I'm up for the challenge.

I can't help but long for the simpler days of my youth, when summer was a time for carefree fun and romance. Those were the days of "summer loving" and "having a blast," as the classic song goes. But I suppose those days are behind me now.

Life has become a bit more complex, with responsibilities and obligations that demand my attention. But maybe, just maybe, I can find a way to recapture a bit of that summer magic, even amidst all the chaos. After all, if my unconventional mother can navigate the waters of love and marriage, perhaps I can too.

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