We have entered the period joyously known as ‘silly season’. A time when anybody who holds any position of power hits the beach and allows us get on with our lives. Or find stories to fill air time or ink space.

You get the most random stories making the front pages so, in honour of this noble time of year, Undaunted is having its own silly season as I furnish you with a few ways to embrace and survive the long month that is August.
These tips are in a loose chronological order to help you through the month.

1. Pre-season friendlies

They are the bridge between the World Cup and the new Premier League season. They are not the Commonwealth Games. They offer hope. They offer a new dawn but there are some catches.

Firstly, you have no idea about half the players on the pitch.

Secondly, you should be soaking up the sun’s rays or even catching up on a good night’s sleep depending on kick-off times.

Finally, you will forget the result and team line-up the minute the final whistle goes.

In spite of these three downers, the fact is you can’t get enough of them.

2. Music / Festivals

We all know that, when you reach a certain age you lose interest in chart music. It’s time to take this a step further. 

You know that latest hip band who seem to be playing their own instruments and vaguely interest you? Forget it. Yes, you will download the album, listen to it once and then discover one track that sounded like a track you heard when you were 22.

This means when you head to the Picnic at the end of the month promising yourself you will go to both the groovy new band and the old reliable? Undoubtedly, you will end up with a hand full of grey-haired rockers and some wannabe hipsters at the old reliable. You will also sneer at the hipsters.

As evidence, I give you a classic song by Page and Plant:

Or you could think you should get down with the kids and go to a Mumford and Sons gig:

Let’s get real here people. It’s a bit like full fat milk or low-fat skimmed. No contest.

3. Back to school and preparation

My memory is not failing. It WAS dark, the lights were on. The fire was flickering. All these things happened in late September.

You got your book list in the first or second week of term. What was even better was the school had its own bookshop so one Monday your parents gave you an envelope. In return you arrived home with a schoolbag full of books. For some reason the covers had a feeling of fabric. You could feel the threads. Not that it mattered. As soon as they were home, they were covered in shiny plastic or old wallpaper to make sure they lasted all year.

Does this happen now? Oh no. You get bombarded from day one of the holidays with ads and offers. Every school book delivered to your door in broad daylight. I suspect they are covered in gold lamé and monographed. What a waste of August worrying about books. The only upside is you’ll have more time for friendlies and music surfing.

Have a great month.