Perspective: OT Day 3

So it seems that my third OT of the year was a little too amazing to handle. I had just hit the save button when the computer transitioned to the blue screen of death and announced that it had a fatal system error. Then it muttered a bunch of techno jargon and promptly shut down. Various bouts of begging, pleading, threatening, plugging, unplugging and fist shaking did nothing to help matters. Not exactly the October treat that I was looking for. I blame November for this whole debacle.

So after I put down Big Carl (my really big wrench of doom that I thought might intimidate the computer into working) I went and sat in the semi darkened living room to cool off. And there it was, a gorgeous October evening. There was a nip in the air coming through the screen door and a brilliant yellow moon peeking in at me through the window. It was the yellowish color of old parchment and was a bit hazy which made it look like a childs water color of the moon rather than a perfect snapshot. It shone right in on me and I began to relax. This is what October is all about. Taking the time to just sit and enjoy. So what if an evil computer ate my thought for the day. This is October, there will be another thought right around the corner. I mean come on, it isn’t like October only has thirty-one amazing things in it and no more.

Truth be told, I have been a little frustrated with myself this October and it is only day three. Usually I already have the decorations up and ready to go around the latter part of September. This year I am still working on things and it may end up taking me all week. Plus I am a bit frustrated with how the finished bits are turning out. Don’t get me wrong, it is great to get the decorations out of their boxes. It is like getting reacquainted with old friends. But I would rather have everything done so I can hurry up and enjoy it. But you see, that is me getting in the way of October magic. Didn’t I just say that October lets you be. I am not doing that. I am trying to rush the magic and boy don’t I feel dumb.

So instead of worrying about how I was going to rewrite my though, I took the evening off. I poured myself a large glass of cider, turned on the tub and poured in a generous helping of candy corn bubble bath. I lit a few spooky candles and popped in a violin cd. For some reason I equate violins with fall. Don’t ask me why, but I do. They are not the only fall instruments though, but they were my music of choice tonight. I took a good long soak and let the October goodness seep into my weary and still a bit agitated bones.

After I turned really good and pruney I wrapped myself in my old raggedy yellow bathrobe and wandered around the house looking at the decorations. And you know what, things didn’t seem so bad. The missing touches weren’t really missing, I just wasn’t looking at things through October eyes. In fact, when I really started looking I was surprised at what I saw. I am a creature of habit when it comes to decor. Tradition, tradition, tradition. If it went there last year and looked good, then it will go there this year too. But I hadn’t done that. I don’t know how I managed to slip past myself, but I had made changes and I think that is why I felt so jarred. Tradition was circumvented for new and innovative ideas. And you know what, I liked the changes. GASP. I know. So now I am sitting in the orange glow of a pumpkin night light and typing out a new October Thought. I love how October has so many surprises like that. I happened to glance at my Twitter feed and saw a quote that totally captures tonight, “Pay attention to your outlook on life. You can either regret or rejoice; it’s your choice.” I choose to rejoice. I choose to stop and smell the pumpkins and let the October goodness wash over me. And if that doesn’t work, I will just have to eat some candy corn until I feel better ;)