We are in the season of weddings (and anniversaries – happy 12th, hubby!), vacations and all-around warm-weather fun. When I take a moment to review this issue’s slate of stories, I realize I have a touch of summer fever already, and why shouldn’t I? It’s a wonderful time of year. Cooking out, swimming, gardening … some of my favorite pastimes that are still pleasant before the real heat makes us moan “ugh, summer” while we jostle for position in front of the A/C vent.
We begin by reminiscing about the public swimming pools that were a fixture of Baby Boomer school breaks before getting “Footloose” for prom, then preview a film festival smack dab in the deadCENTER of the country before moving on to hot (both temperature and style) looks for the gentlemen in our lives. We tackle the topic of how to handle the inevitable summer slump when it hits the kiddos and finally finish up with patio-friendly white wines and beef on the barby plus beaches so unbelievably picturesque they seem like a movie set.
On page 54, a fabulous fashion pictorial styled by Timothy Fields and photographed by Simon Hurst features OU musical theater major Andy Shane Tofa demonstrating some of his amazing athleticism while modeling outfits from metro retailers. How he was able to keep a smile on his face while doing some of the leaps and jumps we requested is beyond me. My abs were groaning just watching him (from over on the couch, natch). And keep in mind, the handful of photos we’ve printed are just the very tip of the iceberg. He executed some of these flying bounds over and over and over until we caught just the right expression and body positioning with the lighting and styling just so. Bravo, Andy!
This month also brings us the subject of our cover story, the 15th annual deadCENTER Film Festival. The creatives at Ghost crafted the cover illustration for us to celebrate the event, of which we have been proud sponsors since its infancy. We are so excited to see “the little festival that could” all grown up and hitting the big time. Get your All-Access Pass and attend this year so that you can say you “knew them when.” In a few short years I would bet dollars to donuts that tickets will be hard to come by.
This June is extra special to me because I get to see my husband experience his first official Father’s Day. I think he was born to be a dad; he takes such joy in everything our son does, from toothy grins and giggles to meeting milestones and even the unglamorous aspects involving oh-so-many bodily fluids. He pulls shifts in the early hours so mama can grab a little extra shuteye and dances like nobody’s watching just because our baby loves it. I am so lucky to have him and can’t wait until our little guy is old enough to know what an incredible father he has.
Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads out there!
