来到八月，暑假也已过半。的确，感觉上就好像从现在开始，一切每况愈下。

　　Those perfect summer books are going to go unread, your last-minute plans will go undone, and the optimism you held at the beginning that this season would be different–that this would be the best summer ever–has gone entirely.

　　那些完美夏日书籍还没来得及读，那些最后一刻制定的计划也都无疾而终。假期开始时，你乐观地认为，这个暑期定会别开生面，将是你度过的最美好的暑假。而今，这种乐观情绪早已消失殆尽。

　　However, before you become depressed, it is not too late. Let’s list what you meant to do, what you actually did, and suggest how to salvage your good intentions.

　　然而，在你心情跌到谷底之前，现在还是为时不晚的。把你要做的和已做的事情列份清单，让我们看看如何挽回你的良好初衷。

　　Vacation at home

　　宅人假期

　　Intention: Make a bunch of travel plans.

　　初衷：制定一系列旅行计划。

　　As usual you made a few plans: you were going to visit popular places such as seaside cities, or country towns. Or perhaps you were invited to visit high school friends in other cities.

　　跟往常一样，你制定了一些计划：你打算去像海滨城市或乡村小镇这样的热门旅游胜地。或者，你也许受邀前往其他城市去拜访高中同学。

　　But as things turned out you discovered that plane tickets were too expensive, train tickets were sold out, and friends stood you up.

　　但结果是，你发现机票太贵，火车票售罄，而朋友们也放了你的鸽子。

　　New suggestion: Vow to go nowhere.

　　新建议：发誓哪儿都不去

　　Making travel plans can give you a headache. Going traveling can make you suffer more. So, lower your expectations.

　　制定旅行计划令人头疼不已。旅游更是让人痛苦不堪。所以，降低你的期望。

　　No one claims that summer vacation is incomplete without travel. It’s up to you to decide how you spend your time.

　　没有人会认为，暑假不出去旅行就不完整。如何安排时间，这取决于你自己。

　　Read what comes to hand

　　阅读手边的书籍

　　Intention: Track down a summer reading list.

　　初衷：对照一份夏季阅读清单，按部就班。

　　You were supposed to get it together and read some good books, or at least read the list that you put together to remind yourself of what you should be reading.

　　你本应该理清头绪来阅读一些好的书籍，或者至少要看看自己罗列起来的书单，提醒自己应该读些什么。

　　New Suggestion: Just read whatever you can lay your hands on.

　　新建议：阅读那些你手边的书籍。

　　You can take a recommendation from friends, or maybe just go into your favorite local bookstore and buy something of the right size and weight that looks great. Go home, fix yourself a cold drink and read the book. Stay up the whole night to finish it if you want, because it’s summer and you can.

　　你可以听从朋友推荐，或者也许你只需要走进当地自己最喜欢的那家书店，购买一些大小重量恰到好处且看起来不错的书。回到家，为自己准备一杯冷饮，开始阅读。如果你愿意，可以熬个通宵读完整本书。因为这是暑假，你可以这么做。

　　Ditch those flip-flops

　　丢弃人字拖

　　Intention: Promise to never wear flip-flops again.