My favorite month of the year ended yesterday, and I’m kinda sad. I love, love, LOVE October – always have, always will.
If you’re a regular reader, you know fall is my favorite season, a time when I experience a sort of energy overdrive. You also know I’ve created a nickname for this time of year: The ’Bers. Well, today signals the halfway point of the ’Bers, and I promise to make the most of them.
October, though, was full of blessings, I have to say. First, I rejoined the ranks of the 9-5ers in a seriously organization, and have gleefully begun the process of shutting down my 10-year-old business, since clients in this recession were few and far between. Let me qualify that: Good clients were hard to find. There was no shortage of self-important, non-paying shysters.
October was a great month in many other ways as well, from getting all 96 pansies planted – the snapdragons have already gone on to Flower Heaven – to purple-wearing Spirit Day to hearing from so many readers when I had some really down days. I’m still going through quite a bit of personal drama, but I’m learning more intelligent and healthier ways of dealing with that through The New Codependency, which I swear could benefit just about everyone I know. It’s an excellent book, and I haven’t gotten even halfway through it.
More importantly, I was able to make it back to the gym. However, I’m going to have to give up my early-morning training for now, because until we get that elusive third car, my transportation is completely unpredictable. What I’ll be able to substitute are morning walks/jogs in the crisp November air. Should be able to find some cheap Russell sweatpants and sweatshirts someplace, right?
The good (?) news is, the holiday season has officially started. I know because I saw back-to-back Pillsbury commercials while getting dressed this morning. One was the old crescent rolls at Thanksgiving scene, the other about their Cinnabon knockoffs. These came on right before the Today show segment about some high-fat “comfort” concoction.
This is going to be a troublesome period in my house, because I’m a great cook – really! – and the Queen of Comfort Foods. I’m still mostly vegetarian, but the family menu this week is heavy on red meats and slow-cooker faves. Also, the hubby has been getting a little out of hand with his sweets addiction, and last night made a pan of brownies, of which he only had perhaps two.
Isn’t that hateful?
I must admit, November is big fun, and we look forward to the annual trek to Dayton for Thanksgiving, during which I get completely stressed out, yet recover in time for madcap Black Friday shopping – but more on that later.
I’ll do all I can to resist my usual baking frenzy over the next eight weeks, and here’s my incentive: This morning, for the first time since I got it last Christmas, I’ve been able to fasten my watch around my wrist using the second hole in the black, leather band, instead of the first one. Sure, I could have ordered a larger band, but the cost was around $100, and really, I preferred to just get the weight off so I could fit into the “standard” band.
I’m now quite happy.
I don't care whether you're driving a hybrid or an SUV. If you're headed for a cliff, you have to change direction. That's what the American people called for in November, and that's what we intend to deliver. ~ Barack Obama
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Leslie J. Ansley is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur who blogs daily for TheRoot. She lives in Raleigh, NC.