Stream of Consciousness: Summer Vacation Edition

Summer is a time to step back and recharge, and that's just what I'll be doing.

Photo by Andrey Kremkov on Unsplash

It’s officially summer!

(And I don’t care.)

Ever since a certain global event in 2020, summer has become less meaningful. Plus, I much prefer spring and fall, but around these parts, either one lasts approximately 4-6 weeks, much to my dismay.

I don’t go out of my way to proclaim a Summer of George. It’s too unbearably hot and humid here — and the wicked thunderstorms and plumes of smoke from wildfires haven’t helped the last few years. I might travel to my favorite shore point with some friends if the weather cooperates, but like everything else, it’s gotten expensive.

When I was a child, I lived for summer vacations. It meant hanging out with my friends in the neighborhood and participating in Super Soaker fights, bike races, street hockey games, and variations of tag. Indoors, we’d play video games and watch our favorite shows and movies on VHS (and later DVD) — and when we finally got a computer, we’d argue over who got to use the internet first.

(These days, I have to schedule most friend meets weeks in advance, and I doomscroll so much that I fear it’s reduced my attention span to rubble. I need to retrain myself on how to read a book for pleasure!)

Staying up late and sleeping in were bona fide summer vacation indicators. Now, I can’t sleep past 8 am, regardless of the situation the night before — and I’m cutting back on late-night hockey games and practices whenever possible to salvage my sleep.

Perhaps it’s a symptom of growing older, working a non-traditional career, or not having school-aged children, but summer is a non-event for me now.

Being a freelancer/independent contractor/vagabond comes with a level of flexibility and freedom that, honestly, I sometimes don’t know how to handle, but I do my best to make the most of it. In my mind, I don’t have to wait for summer to do something meaningful or fun. I can do it whenever the mood strikes.

Is it privileged? In some ways, sure, though I wouldn’t exactly mind being flush with work this summer. I know of a hotel near the beach with a beautiful covered patio, free WiFi, and endless coffee. Peering over my laptop at the Atlantic, with a gentle sea breeze forming ripples in my mug? That’s a working holiday I can get behind!

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Speaking of summer vacation…

I’ll be taking a brief one from this platform. After a surge of creativity, which included reorganizing the home page, I’ve hit another wall.

My last break was in January, and it did me a world of good. My content was connecting with a wide audience, and my subscriber base grew quite a bit. But now I’ve run out of steam, and my last few articles haven’t taken off as I’d hoped.

I’m also contemplating changing the publication cadence. Maybe I’ll shift to bi-weekly posts that’ll be split into two parts: a main story/theme and a roundup of news. Some of my favorite Substacks follow this format, and it’s something I’d like to try.

I’d also like to do more profiles and Sleep Tourist reviews, as that content generally performs well and I personally love writing it. Those could be reserved for Special Editions, although I’m loath to put content behind a paywall.

So, who should I interview? What should I write about? How often do you want content from me?

~*Send me a message!*~

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Before I leave you, here’s some sleep news and notes…

(Let’s test-drive the new format already, shall we?)

• Casper teams up with Hulu? The online mattress brand introduced a new sleep bundle inspired by the Hulu show, Not Suitable For Work. Dubbed the “Your Mattress Knows Too Much Bundle,” it comes with your choice of a Casper One or Casper Cloud One Memory Foam Mattress, up to two Casper Original Pillows, and a Casper Percale Sheet Set. (If you’re feeling lucky, you can enter for a chance to win this limited edition bedding bundle.) Honestly, I think this was a missed opportunity for Casper to create a microdrama series based on office workers who have wildly different chronotypes and do their best to co-exist.[Casper]

• Remember Skechers Mattresses? Last year, I reported on the launch of the shoe company’s first foray into the sleep industry via a partnership with Adventure Mattress. Honestly, I had forgotten all about the endeavor until recently, when Skechers announced a refresh of its mattress lineup — only this time, it’ll be with Serta’s help. Will working with one legendary “S Brand” compel shoppers to turn to “The S” (or “The Esses”) for better Zzzs? Time will tell. The mattresses will be making their debut at the 2026 Las Vegas Summer Market. [PR Newswire]

• Is Sleep Number’s number up? Earlier this month, I shared the news that Sleep Number was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy — the smart bed company has amassed more than 600 million dollars in debt. A sale of the company was in the cards, and on June 12, 2026, Sleep Number entered into an agreement to combine with Sleep Country Canada, which is being regarded as a “stalking horse” bidder. (That means Sleep Number can continue to field higher and better offers.) In any case, Sleep Number promises there will be no disruption to its customer service or tech infrastructure during the sale process. Time will tell if this is a death knell or the start of a prosperous comeback, especially as other smart bed competitors continue to innovate. [Sleep Number]

• Eight Sleep has a retail store? Kind of. The popular sleep tech company is taking its retail operations on the road with a mobile showroom called The House of Sleep. It’ll pull up to your home or office and park there for a solid 30 minutes so you can test-drive what’s arguably the world’s most popular smart bed. Right now, it’s only available in the San Francisco Bay Area, but you can sign up for email updates while sharing which ZIP codes you want Eight Sleep to drive through next. [Eight Sleep]

  • Speaking of Eight Sleep… This review is one of the most critical I’ve seen for it — and it comes from The New York Times, no less (though not under The Wirecutter vertical, if that makes a difference). The moral of the story? Throwing money at a high-tech solution isn’t always the cure, but as one person pointed out to me, the reviewer may have larger sleep issues that an Eight Sleep alone can’t address. I’d like to request a follow-up. [NYT]

• The Anti-Eight Sleep? The Orion is like the FitBit Air to Eight Sleep’s WHOOP. It’s more affordable and doesn’t require a subscription to operate, and unlike Eight Sleep, you can pre-program the Orion so it’ll be accustomed to your baseline temperature from the first night. The company doesn’t advertise, let alone have a mobile showroom, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t paying attention. According to Orion’s 25-year-old founder, Harry Gestetner — who created the product after developing vertigo from a severe lack of sleep — it’s already raking in an eight-figure revenue just three months post-launch. Gestetner also plans to have Orion sleep suites in every major hotel within the next five years. Give the Sleep Tourist a call, please? [Entrepreneur]

• What’s your (sleep) type? Find out if you’re a morning lark, a night owl, or somewhere in between with this chronotype test. I’m a hummingbird — smack-dab in the middle. Last year, at a sleep symposium headed by Dr. Matt “Why We Sleep” Walker, I took a similar chronotype quiz and got intermediate, which is a less fun term for the same result. Hey, if anything, I’m consistent! Take the quiz yourself, then share your results in the comments. [The New York Times]

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Disclaimer: The information in this post is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. If you have sleep-related issues or concerns, please consult with your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider.

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Today’s post is sponsored by Midnight Brief Media & Consulting.