Lemonade Stands, Head Colds, and the SoJo Glow 5k

We’re still recovering from the Fourth of July — though in truth, there was less to recover from. Fewer fireworks. The likely culprits: a dip in national enthusiasm, and a spike in the cost of things that go boom. Patriotism, it seems, is not recession-proof. This year, even the neighborhood teens who once might have considered launching pyrotechnics from a skateboard ramp appear to have downgraded to sparklers and half-hearted Roman candles. The silence was mostly appreciated, and almost touching — if a little unnerving.

Swipe for Lemonade
Some good news in the city's suburbs for the cynical: the hallmark of summer childhood, the perennial pop-up lemonade stand, still seemingly persists — though in a form that would confuse a modern Norman Rockwell. In our strolls this week, we noticed many of today’s enterprising children still offer lukewarm citrus drinks on folding tables, but now alongside payment options such as Venmo, Apple Pay, and the occasional delighted acceptance of a few crumpled bills. Their signs are hand-lettered in marker, sure, but many now include a QR code or stray Instagram handle. Earning a dollar is still the primary goal, but the secondary objective seems to be going viral — even if they don’t quite know what that means. Call it the new American Dream: fewer lemonade stands on corners, more personal brands at the curb.

Cold Front
We, like half the city, also found ourselves shifting uncomfortably in our homes amidst the grips of an oppressive and omnipresent summer cold. Much like an email newsletter from the local dry cleaners, it arrived without warning — and no one is quite sure why. Judging by the number of people visibly sick, dressed like it’s October in July, and giving haunted stares out the window at healthy passersby in tank tops and shorts, it’s safe to say it’s making the rounds. The sun is high, the skies are clear, and somewhere indoors, a dozen congested South Jordanians are wrapped in fleece and drinking apple cider — or, gasp, herbal tea. Summer’s a time for leisure, but we take exception to the leisurely rate at which our sinuses seem to be draining.

Glow in Broad Daylight
And finally, a hearty round of applause for the participants of the SoJo Glow 5K/10K, which happened this past Friday night and, at times, felt like jogging directly into the heart of the sun. Despite the name, the “Glow” portion of the event may have been slightly undermined by the fact that it was still fairly light out through much of the proceedings. The runners, bless them, arrived in a dazzling array of classic — and sometimes outlandish — running attire. For the curious, we note that some arrived fleet-footed and clearly in their element, while others seemed to be reconsidering every decision that had brought them to this moment. But even those wildly outpaced by the pack kept going, often cheered on — or in some cases, accompanied — by their children, who ran wildly in zigzag patterns with the kind of joy only possible when you have no idea what a 10K is.