If you know me at all, or even a little, you know that I have a love of words. Long ones, short ones. Weird ones or normal. This love of words translates into a love of literature. I have many favorite October writers and genres, but one author above all others can lay claim to being my very favorite. I am talking of course about Mr. Washington Irving, and my favorite work of his is the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. October is not complete without reading or watching this story.
Last year, I got lost in the book. This year it has been the film. I have watched it twice so far and feel repeat viewings in my October future. Normally I like Tim Burton, but I do not much care for his adaptation of Mr. Irving's story. True, there are elements of the macabre in it, but not to that extent. I much prefer the cartoon Disney version of the tale.
The story by Mr. Irving is to me, a perfect encapsulation of all my favorite October things. There is history, lyricism, superstition, calmness, plenty, harvest, stories, romance, comedy, foreboding, and mystery. Each wonderful idea, mixed together to produce a timeless tale. Plus, Bing Crosby is the narrator and the voice of Ichabod. So really, how can one go wrong?
From the very opening of the cartoon book, I am hooked. By the time Bing says "If we could but journey back to that remote period in American History," I am already lost in the story. I am a rapt listener sitting by the fireside, hanging on every word. "Nestled deep in the low rolling hills, in a sequestered glen sits a quiet peaceful place and yet somehow foreboding. For it abounds in haunted spots, twilight tales and local superstitions." How can one not be transported with words like that? One of my bucket list items is to type out those words, laminate them, and then go on a driving spree in New England during the fall to find just such a spot. Then I will take out my trusty dog-eared copy of the tale and read it by firelight.
I love the fact that Ichabod is not the typical leading man of stories. He is not muscled like Vin Diesel. He doesn't make ladies swoon like Cary Grant. He is not a millionaire playboy like Tony Stark. Instead he is a skinny man with a long snipe nose, shovels for feet and a voracious appetite. As Mr. Irving so eloquently puts it, "one might mistake him for a scarecrow eloped from a cornfield." I think another reason that I like Ichabod so, besides his wonderful name, is the fact that he is a learned man. Schoolteachers were looked on with higher esteem than they are now and he traveled the country lending his learned services to the country folk. It was a different time. A time when they used words like odds bodkins and gadzooks and that suits me just fine.
Ichabod is a fish out of water. We learn with him as the story goes. We see how the town runs, who the popular players are and how country life moves. People work, but they also play. They gather together rather than isolate themselves behind things. One of my favorite scenes is when Ichabod is daydreaming behind his school desk. His classroom is run riot, but as Bing puts it "Ichabod filled his mind with many sugared thoughts and hopeful suppositions." Swoon. I would love to call my daydreams that, many sugared thoughts and hopeful suppositions. Language has been lost I think. We need to bring back those hopeful suppositions.
But words aside, lets get to the good part. Ichabod attends the Van Tassel annual Halloween frolic. Never before have I so wanted to crawl into a book. The dancing, the merry making. The people, the food, the cold night air, kept at bay by the lantern light and barn doors. Ahhhh. We get to be a fly on the wall as Brom Bones spins his tale of the Headless Horseman. We get to separate ourselves from Ichabod and wander the room. This story is not new, it is an oldie but goody. People lean in to hear more and let their imaginations run away with them. Some laugh, some are wary, some are waiting for Brom to get to the good part. But poor superstitious Ichabod. He is not in on the joke. He is getting more frightened by the minute. He won't have the luxury of going home in his nice safe minivan, with the doors firmly locked and the windows rolled up. No, he has to travel by ancient steed through a darkened forest all alone.
Brom spins his story well and we follow Ichabod out into the night. "The sky grew darker and darker as one by one the stars winked out their lights and the clouds obscured the moon from sight." This is the story Ichabod has found himself in. He is in a waking nightmare. He could just shrug off the story, but what fun would that be? His imagination has run away with him far before he even ventured out. It is not a matter of if things will happen, only when.
My favorite part is when poor Ichabod starts to hear things. The reeds along the route sound like hoof beats. The frogs sound like they are croaking him a warning. He scars himself silly only to find that it is nature and not a phantasm. He beings to laugh at his own foolishness. It is that unhinged laughter that only comes about when you know you are being ridiculous. But sadly, he isn't. His laughter turns to screams of fright as the Horseman finally makes his appearance. Over the roads they fly. Gaining ground and losing it. Soon the covered bridge is in sight. Safety at last. Contrary to what we think will happen, Ichabod makes it across the bridge and the specters power is evaded. But the story has one more turn, the Horseman flings his fiery pumpkin head and we know no more of Ichabod.
This vague ending is one of my favorite things. Usually unresolved stories drive me crazy. But this, this one seems right. The next day, only Ichabod's hat is found, next to the shattered remains of a pumpkin. Realists say that he found love a few towns over and is living a good life with a fine family, but those superstition loving Sleepy Hollow folks know better. The Horseman got him and let that be a lesson to all unbelievers. The reader simply has to choose which story to believe and be satisfied. Did Ichabod survive? Was the Horseman really Brom Bones, or was it a true specter? No one knows and that is what makes it delightful.
It is a great tale and does not diminish with the years or multiple readings. As Bing says, "He had a way with the yarn did Mr. Irving. " and I couldn't agree more.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
Day 4: Cozy & Quiet
Last night I had the best of intentions to sit down and write my October Thought. I was excited, I was ready, and then I got distracted. The night was dark. The wind was howling. It was almost perfect October weather. (perfect would have fog and a full moon) I grabbed my trusty blanket, snuggly dog, some warm socks and went to watch the show. Everyone was asleep so I snuck into the living room and listened as the wind tried its hardest to take the roof off of the house. The eaves creaked and moaned and it was wonderful.
There is nothing like the feeling of being safe, secure and snuggly. One can watch the wind push and pull against nature. Listen as it screams in frustration and all the while be wrapped up in a cozy blanket. It just feels good. After a while I wanted a little more ambience to add to my late night snuggle fest, so I turned on the electric fire. I made a cocoon out of the blanket, curled up on the floor and watched the fake flames dance. It was all so peaceful.
Too peaceful in fact. I woke up quite a few hours later and dawn was peeking over the horizon. The wind was gone, but the fake fire remained. The puppy was curled up in my cocoon with me and all was right with the world. October seems the ideal time to find moments like this. Quiet times to be alone with ones thoughts. I don't know if it is the weather that turns us inward, but introspection seems to happen a lot more in October, at least for me. So that was how I spent my morning, watching the sun come up and enjoying the simple pleasures of an electric fire, warm blanket and a cuddly companion. I love these unexpected October moments!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Day 3: Reminders & Beginnings
Normally, I save this thought for later in the month, but it just kept nagging at me and I had to get it written so I could get some peace. One of my very favorite things about October is the decorations. I love decorations in general, but from April through September, there isn't really much to do holiday wise. Sure, the fourth of July is in there, but there is only so much one can do with red, white and blue. After an almost six month dry spell, this gal really needs to get her decoration on, and October is there to save the day.
I love everything about October décor. There are so many options. Do you go scary? And if so, is it funny scary, ironic scary, scary scary, gruesome scary or a hodgepodge? If scary isn't your thing, maybe pumpkin everything is. Or perhaps scarecrows. Maybe you are a leaf lover or a fan of the jewel tones. It doesn't matter. October has it all.
I get such a rush taking down the decoration boxes. Opening them up and seeing what is inside is like Christmas morning. Sure, I already know what is going to be in the box, but it is like getting reacquainted with an old friend. Do I put it somewhere new, or do I do the same thing as last year and the year before? It is great coming up with new ideas, or adding a bit of bling to an old favorite.
This year however, there was a touch of melancholy to my decorating fervor. Last October thirtieth my house caught on fire. I had gone all out with the décor, so much so that it bordered a bit on tacky. I just wanted everything on display since I couldn't pick a favorite. I can remember standing in the rubble of the house a few days after the fact. The house was eerily quiet and everything was soot blackened. The plastic pumpkins over the valances had melted and run down the drapes. The haunted village looked like it had been ravaged by monsters. The fake flowers had melted and drooped in their vases and the banners hung in rags from their hooks. It was all so sad. But at the same time, kinda theme. The interior looked like the perfect setting for a haunted house.
It didn't really hit me until a few weeks ago, and then especially Tuesday, the October décor was not going to be the same. Ninety-five percent of my décor was lost in the fire. Things that had major memories attached to them. Now some might think it silly to cry over holiday decorations, but they meant something to me. The five light up pumpkins that always sat on the window ledge, were purchased at Payless on a whim, because I had learned a poem about five pumpkins that day in school and mom thought it would be cute to buy them. There was the haunted house that my grandmother made me that had color changing lights on the inside and made a funny clicking sound at each interval. There was the skeleton snow globe that I bought with money from my first job. I had broken it years before while hastily putting it away, but repurposed the remainder so that I didn't have to part with it. Every decoration had a story and it felt like a part of me was missing this year as I put up the new baubles.
But then I realized, there was a silver lining. Not all of the decorations were destroyed. Some really meaningful things had survived. Like the paper scarecrow who has faded and has a myriad of tape removal marks on one side. Or the leaf garland that is starting to look a bit sparse because each year it loses a little more of its foliage. And already, the new decorations have a history built in. As I go through the years into the future, I will remember that this pumpkin was purchased the year of the fire. Or that new decoration was bought on a whim the day before and wasn't put out yet so it was spared. Already new memories are being made. And, with the new décor, there is a new house. Even if the old décor was around, there are not the same places to put it in. So creativity is needed and encouraged.
I haven't really had to think about the placement of things for a few years now, so it was sorta fun to reimagine what October would look like this year. True, it is a bit sparse and a tad eccentric, but it is a start. It will be fun to build my collection back up and make new memories. And, with the documentation of the October Thoughts, I can revive the past and see those decorations again in my minds eye. A real October miracle.
So, what is your favorite fall/autumn/October/Halloween/harvest decoration? And does it have a story?
I love everything about October décor. There are so many options. Do you go scary? And if so, is it funny scary, ironic scary, scary scary, gruesome scary or a hodgepodge? If scary isn't your thing, maybe pumpkin everything is. Or perhaps scarecrows. Maybe you are a leaf lover or a fan of the jewel tones. It doesn't matter. October has it all.
I get such a rush taking down the decoration boxes. Opening them up and seeing what is inside is like Christmas morning. Sure, I already know what is going to be in the box, but it is like getting reacquainted with an old friend. Do I put it somewhere new, or do I do the same thing as last year and the year before? It is great coming up with new ideas, or adding a bit of bling to an old favorite.
This year however, there was a touch of melancholy to my decorating fervor. Last October thirtieth my house caught on fire. I had gone all out with the décor, so much so that it bordered a bit on tacky. I just wanted everything on display since I couldn't pick a favorite. I can remember standing in the rubble of the house a few days after the fact. The house was eerily quiet and everything was soot blackened. The plastic pumpkins over the valances had melted and run down the drapes. The haunted village looked like it had been ravaged by monsters. The fake flowers had melted and drooped in their vases and the banners hung in rags from their hooks. It was all so sad. But at the same time, kinda theme. The interior looked like the perfect setting for a haunted house.
It didn't really hit me until a few weeks ago, and then especially Tuesday, the October décor was not going to be the same. Ninety-five percent of my décor was lost in the fire. Things that had major memories attached to them. Now some might think it silly to cry over holiday decorations, but they meant something to me. The five light up pumpkins that always sat on the window ledge, were purchased at Payless on a whim, because I had learned a poem about five pumpkins that day in school and mom thought it would be cute to buy them. There was the haunted house that my grandmother made me that had color changing lights on the inside and made a funny clicking sound at each interval. There was the skeleton snow globe that I bought with money from my first job. I had broken it years before while hastily putting it away, but repurposed the remainder so that I didn't have to part with it. Every decoration had a story and it felt like a part of me was missing this year as I put up the new baubles.
But then I realized, there was a silver lining. Not all of the decorations were destroyed. Some really meaningful things had survived. Like the paper scarecrow who has faded and has a myriad of tape removal marks on one side. Or the leaf garland that is starting to look a bit sparse because each year it loses a little more of its foliage. And already, the new decorations have a history built in. As I go through the years into the future, I will remember that this pumpkin was purchased the year of the fire. Or that new decoration was bought on a whim the day before and wasn't put out yet so it was spared. Already new memories are being made. And, with the new décor, there is a new house. Even if the old décor was around, there are not the same places to put it in. So creativity is needed and encouraged.
I haven't really had to think about the placement of things for a few years now, so it was sorta fun to reimagine what October would look like this year. True, it is a bit sparse and a tad eccentric, but it is a start. It will be fun to build my collection back up and make new memories. And, with the documentation of the October Thoughts, I can revive the past and see those decorations again in my minds eye. A real October miracle.
So, what is your favorite fall/autumn/October/Halloween/harvest decoration? And does it have a story?
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Day 2: Breathe Deep
My first day of October was fantastic. Not the most fantastic October day ever mind you, but it certainly was up there. I had a smorgasbord of October fun and didn't want it to end. Sun dappled drive through an autumnal countryside...check. First pumpkin spice latte of the month...check. Surprise treat that only October can bring...check. Decorations up and fabulous...check. Getting to revel in the first new day...super check!
But what really stood out to me, was the smells. No matter what time it was, no matter what I was doing, I was surrounded by October aromas. Each season/month has a scent or scents that readily identify it. But I think October has an embarrassment of riches in the olfactory department. Don't believe me, just think about it. February smells like chocolate and roses. March like a brewery, newness and green things. July smells like fireworks, May like flowers and December like pine. This year Yankee Candle has gotten in on the scent craze and released November smelling theme candles. There is Sweet Potato Pie, Cranberry Sauce and Turkey & Stuffing. Personally, I would not buy a candle that smelled like turkey, but that is just me.
In an abstract way, October smells like magic and excitement. There is this sense of wonder and adventure that permeates the days. Those feelings insinuate themselves into the everyday smells and makes them sharper and more lively.
I woke up this morning to the clean, crisp smell of an autumn day. The air was dry and had a snap to it. It is like the air is cleaner in October. You breathe it in and just feel better. More alive. It smells like moisture and midnight. While out running early morning errands I drove by machines freshly turning over the earth. There was this raw, wet, loamy smell that wafted into my truck. The rich aroma of soil. I almost stopped so that I could scoop some up and bottle to keep for later. Now there is a candle I would buy, wet earth. And speaking of wet, have you ever smelled a pile of wet leaves right after the rain? It is almost that same loamy smell and I just can't get enough.
But maybe you are not a fan of the wet earth and soggy leaf smell. October has other snifftastic smells in store. A lot of really good October smells come from baked goods or cooking. The weather turns cooler and out come the recipes for comfort foods. Smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel and honey can delight the senses. There is the sharp smell of licorice and the homey smell of cinnamon rolls or breads baking. There is spiced everything. Spiced chai, spiced cider, spiced air fresheners. October in general has this deep and somewhat tangible aroma, but it also has its lite moments. There is the smell of freshly washed blankets, or the wafting smell of wood smoke.
Like I said before, October is all about comfort and really breathing life in. The harvest is coming and the world puts out one final aromatic aria before fading into the dullness of winter. So my challenge to you for today, breathe deep. Really stop and take in a lungful of what October has to offer. Then share what you find.
But what really stood out to me, was the smells. No matter what time it was, no matter what I was doing, I was surrounded by October aromas. Each season/month has a scent or scents that readily identify it. But I think October has an embarrassment of riches in the olfactory department. Don't believe me, just think about it. February smells like chocolate and roses. March like a brewery, newness and green things. July smells like fireworks, May like flowers and December like pine. This year Yankee Candle has gotten in on the scent craze and released November smelling theme candles. There is Sweet Potato Pie, Cranberry Sauce and Turkey & Stuffing. Personally, I would not buy a candle that smelled like turkey, but that is just me.
In an abstract way, October smells like magic and excitement. There is this sense of wonder and adventure that permeates the days. Those feelings insinuate themselves into the everyday smells and makes them sharper and more lively.
I woke up this morning to the clean, crisp smell of an autumn day. The air was dry and had a snap to it. It is like the air is cleaner in October. You breathe it in and just feel better. More alive. It smells like moisture and midnight. While out running early morning errands I drove by machines freshly turning over the earth. There was this raw, wet, loamy smell that wafted into my truck. The rich aroma of soil. I almost stopped so that I could scoop some up and bottle to keep for later. Now there is a candle I would buy, wet earth. And speaking of wet, have you ever smelled a pile of wet leaves right after the rain? It is almost that same loamy smell and I just can't get enough.
But maybe you are not a fan of the wet earth and soggy leaf smell. October has other snifftastic smells in store. A lot of really good October smells come from baked goods or cooking. The weather turns cooler and out come the recipes for comfort foods. Smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel and honey can delight the senses. There is the sharp smell of licorice and the homey smell of cinnamon rolls or breads baking. There is spiced everything. Spiced chai, spiced cider, spiced air fresheners. October in general has this deep and somewhat tangible aroma, but it also has its lite moments. There is the smell of freshly washed blankets, or the wafting smell of wood smoke.
Like I said before, October is all about comfort and really breathing life in. The harvest is coming and the world puts out one final aromatic aria before fading into the dullness of winter. So my challenge to you for today, breathe deep. Really stop and take in a lungful of what October has to offer. Then share what you find.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Day 1: Hello October
I can't believe it is finally here. It doesn't quite seem real. Today, is the first day of October, and I am a bit apprehensive that my alarm is going to go off and it will all turn out to have been just a dream. I will wake up and it will really be November 1st and I will have another whole year to wait.
Happily, that is not the case. I am wide awake, and there is a feeling of October swirling in the night sky. Already the log jam of wonderful begins to queue up in my mind. There are so many things to say, so many new ideas to share. There are old traditions to observe and new ones to implement. I'm so giddy that I haven't even picked out which October movie to watch first.
It has been a wild ride since the last time this month came around, but that isn't the point. The point is, that for thirty-one-derful days there is a special kind of magic in the air. A different way of being. The days have an unusual feel to them in October. I really can't say why. Maybe I am seeing things through orange colored glasses, but October really is a month set apart. It has personality, vigor and more than a little mischief. I have felt it creep into the other months and slip in pieces of itself. A dash of mystery here, a pinch of whimsy there. I have caught fleeting tastes and smells of October in the strangest places, and felt its pull on hot summer days. Ah October, I have missed you.
For those new to the October Thoughts (OT), welcome. For those who are old hands, welcome back. I am so happy that I get to share my love of this wonderful month with all of you. It makes the journey sweeter traveling with friends old and new. Who knows what exciting discoveries we will make and grand adventures we will have this time around. .
For traditions sake, I will now present the reading of the history and for lack of a better word, guidelines. I have always had a love affair with October. Everything about it is heightened (lots more on that later). Then in the early 2000's, I found someone else who shared my love of the orange month. She wrote her own October Thoughts (still does) and graciously allowed me to piggyback off of her idea. You see, October has more than enough wonderful for us to share. Ever since, in one form or another, I have bent the ear of any who would listen, why I think October is the best month of them all.
Being a girl who likes variety, I have much to love in this month. I love the cozy and the scary, the cute and the gory. I like paper Mache bats as much as ridiculously expensive couture costumes. I like the candy and the weather, the scares, the tastes, the magic, the colors and so much more. Not everyone will share in all my delights and that is ok. As far as I know, October doesn't hold any grudges.
For 31 days, I will write about some aspect of October that catches my fancy. Some thoughts will be old, some new. Most will be long, there will be more than a little nostalgia and unless otherwise stated, it will be all my rambling thoughts (you have been warned). For the most part, I write at night. This means that when you awake in the glorious October morning there will be a Thought ready and waiting for you. BUT, life does happen and sometimes the thoughts will be delayed. That just means that you can fill in your own. I am more than happy to take requests or play with comments. You the reader, help me make the magic and what we come up with together, can sometimes be the best part. I look forward to our interaction.
But for now, you get my manifesto on why I think October is so great in the first place. Each year I try to put into words a summation of my October love affair. And each year, I come up with something slightly different. This year my overarching theme is the word cozy. I get a great feeling of inner warmth and joy when I think about October. The nights turn crisp and hold the promise of snuggling under blankets and eating comfort food whilst drinking hot beverages. There are golden glows from the suns rays, and warm, comforting colors in the fall palate. There is a sense of ease in the traditions of the month. By now, life has fallen back into its rhythms and routines from the chaos that is summer. There are things to look forward to and life seems to turn inward. The frenetic pace of the holiday season has not yet hit and there is still a sense of enjoyment in the coming days. For all its mystery and magic, there is something reassuring and dependable about October. I can always count on something wonderful to happen.
In my minds eye, I see October as a sepia photograph or multifaceted jewel. It is nostalgia and friendship. Promise of better days and new insights. And it is never the same upon repeat viewing. October is the best kind of mystery and I look forward to unlocking it with you. So grab a pumpkin spice latte and your coziest blanket and come along with me on the grand adventure that is October!
Happily, that is not the case. I am wide awake, and there is a feeling of October swirling in the night sky. Already the log jam of wonderful begins to queue up in my mind. There are so many things to say, so many new ideas to share. There are old traditions to observe and new ones to implement. I'm so giddy that I haven't even picked out which October movie to watch first.
It has been a wild ride since the last time this month came around, but that isn't the point. The point is, that for thirty-one-derful days there is a special kind of magic in the air. A different way of being. The days have an unusual feel to them in October. I really can't say why. Maybe I am seeing things through orange colored glasses, but October really is a month set apart. It has personality, vigor and more than a little mischief. I have felt it creep into the other months and slip in pieces of itself. A dash of mystery here, a pinch of whimsy there. I have caught fleeting tastes and smells of October in the strangest places, and felt its pull on hot summer days. Ah October, I have missed you.
For those new to the October Thoughts (OT), welcome. For those who are old hands, welcome back. I am so happy that I get to share my love of this wonderful month with all of you. It makes the journey sweeter traveling with friends old and new. Who knows what exciting discoveries we will make and grand adventures we will have this time around. .
For traditions sake, I will now present the reading of the history and for lack of a better word, guidelines. I have always had a love affair with October. Everything about it is heightened (lots more on that later). Then in the early 2000's, I found someone else who shared my love of the orange month. She wrote her own October Thoughts (still does) and graciously allowed me to piggyback off of her idea. You see, October has more than enough wonderful for us to share. Ever since, in one form or another, I have bent the ear of any who would listen, why I think October is the best month of them all.
Being a girl who likes variety, I have much to love in this month. I love the cozy and the scary, the cute and the gory. I like paper Mache bats as much as ridiculously expensive couture costumes. I like the candy and the weather, the scares, the tastes, the magic, the colors and so much more. Not everyone will share in all my delights and that is ok. As far as I know, October doesn't hold any grudges.
For 31 days, I will write about some aspect of October that catches my fancy. Some thoughts will be old, some new. Most will be long, there will be more than a little nostalgia and unless otherwise stated, it will be all my rambling thoughts (you have been warned). For the most part, I write at night. This means that when you awake in the glorious October morning there will be a Thought ready and waiting for you. BUT, life does happen and sometimes the thoughts will be delayed. That just means that you can fill in your own. I am more than happy to take requests or play with comments. You the reader, help me make the magic and what we come up with together, can sometimes be the best part. I look forward to our interaction.
But for now, you get my manifesto on why I think October is so great in the first place. Each year I try to put into words a summation of my October love affair. And each year, I come up with something slightly different. This year my overarching theme is the word cozy. I get a great feeling of inner warmth and joy when I think about October. The nights turn crisp and hold the promise of snuggling under blankets and eating comfort food whilst drinking hot beverages. There are golden glows from the suns rays, and warm, comforting colors in the fall palate. There is a sense of ease in the traditions of the month. By now, life has fallen back into its rhythms and routines from the chaos that is summer. There are things to look forward to and life seems to turn inward. The frenetic pace of the holiday season has not yet hit and there is still a sense of enjoyment in the coming days. For all its mystery and magic, there is something reassuring and dependable about October. I can always count on something wonderful to happen.
In my minds eye, I see October as a sepia photograph or multifaceted jewel. It is nostalgia and friendship. Promise of better days and new insights. And it is never the same upon repeat viewing. October is the best kind of mystery and I look forward to unlocking it with you. So grab a pumpkin spice latte and your coziest blanket and come along with me on the grand adventure that is October!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
The Trouble With Valentine's Day
Ah Valentine's Day. If you believe the media, it is the bane of single folk and men world wide. There is yearly talk of conspiracy cooked up between the money sucking trifecta of Hallmark, flower purveyors and chocolatiers. And really, sometimes I tend to agree. For a holiday that is derived from either a martyred saint or a man speaking up for social injustice, I just don't see where partially naked, fat babies carrying compound bows fit into the picture of me going out to eat a steak dinner. But maybe I'm just wired funny.
My earliest memories of Valentine's Day centered around dragging my mother to the store to pick out the perfect valentines for my class. This was back in the day when food allergies were rare and every child needed to get a card. The old all or none gambit. And woe to the kid whose parents didn't believe in holidays or buying cards and candy for 24 strange children who wouldn't write them a thank you for it later. Hours would be spent at my classroom seat-desk constructing the perfect valentine mailbox to affix to the front of my mini cubicle in training.
Once the perfect cards were selected, (sometimes we bought more than one brand because one just couldn't seem to convey all that I wanted to say) I would spend hours (not exaggerating here) with the cards fanned out in front of me behind the couch deciding exactly who got what. You see, Valentine card selection is a science. First, you sort out the cards that are duds and the ones that are too cheesy. You will have an innate sixth sense as to which ones these are. Then you get down to business. In grade school, you need to be cool, but not seem like you are trying. You need to pick out the perfect card that will tell your secret 8 year old crush that you will love him or her forever, or until recess. But the card can't just come out and say that. Good heavens no. It has to say something like "You are the Beary Best" but convey with subtle subtext that you will love them with an undying love that means you will share your hot lunch pizza with them and not think twice about doing it. Once that task is completed, then you figure out which candy heart exactly to stick in the envelope with it. You can't seem like you are trying too hard you know.
And then, there is how to sign your name. Do you write in cursive or block letters? Do you add love or friends forever or just write your name and leave it at that? What if the weird kid who eats paste in the corner when the teacher isn't looking misunderstands the wording on your card and thinks that you want to become a paste eating partner. See, picking out valentines is hard work. I sorted those valentines like some middle aged men sort baseball cards. It drove my mom nuts and dad never did understand why I had to do it behind the couch and why it took so long. (The light was better behind the couch if you must know).
Then you reach those awkward teen years where you don't have to send valentines to everyone. But that makes things tricky. And then they add candy grams, flower deliveries and other things into the mix. I think they really want to give teens mental breakdowns. Then heaven forbid you actually have a boyfriend or girlfriend during this time. Are you a serious couple or just starting out? Do you send something sickeningly cute (for future reference, the answer is always NO) or do you send something neutral that can be taken any way the reader wants it to go.
I have gotten some real interesting things for valentines day from boyfriends. I still have some of them. My favorite though falls under the category I entitled, "Give the gift and then shut up."
My teen squeeze stopped me in the halls between bells and did the classic, close your eyes routine. When I opened them there was the prettiest braided white lace choker in his hand, with a silver heart pendant hanging from the middle. It was beautiful. And then he started talking and ruined it. As he was putting it on me, he mentioned that he had purchased it at a garage sale. (I was ok with that, wahoo, vintage). But he kept talking. He had purchased it a while ago. (Ok, so he had it laying around and still thought of me. I can roll with that.) Then came the kicker, I bought it at a garage sale, a while ago, when I was dating this other girl and meant to give it to her, but we broke up and when I saw it in my drawer I thought you might like it. Ok, he really meant well, and it was beautiful, and it wasn't a regift, but still. Least. Romantic. Thing. Ever.
Just say, oh look, I found this necklace, thought of you and happy Valentine's Day. The End. Sigh, boys are weird. Which leads to my second favorite Valentine's gift. I got it in kindergarten when I was sitting on top of the jungle gym. The boy crawled up, gave me two fake sapphire rings that he had gotten out of a quarter machine, announced that now we were married and then scurried away. It was weird. But they were a really pretty blue. There were two of them, and being married to him seemed to entail that I do nothing different that what I was currently doing, so what the heck. I still have those rings. They fit on half of my pinky finger but I love them and the funny memories that they evoke.
Yup, Valentine's Day for me is weird. This year is no exception. While grocery shopping for the evening meal, I was hugged by a complete stranger in the middle of the produce aisle. I don't think he mistook me for his lady love, I think he was just really happy and wanted to hug someone on Valentine's Day and there I was. Then, when I went to the gas station the attendant who has called me boring and seems put out upon having to wait on me, offered to be my valentine. It was weird. (I seem to use that word a lot this time of year)
Yup, Valentine's Day is kinda strange. But what do you expect from a semi made up holiday. Now that I am older, I take exception to the fact that there is this one day, where as a nation we have to love people more than we normally do. Like for the other 364 days out of the year we can neglect them and just skate by, but come Feb. 14th, whoa boy, you better love someone. And who decided that flowers, chocolate, hotel rooms, restaurants, lacy things, perfume, stuffed bears and copious amounts of the color pink were the best way to express this? Maybe it is because I think we should treat people special everyday. Maybe it is because I don't like being told that I have to do something. Maybe it is because I don't get to sit at a teeny tiny desk, with a chair bolted on and make a paper mail box to get cards from classmates.
I just hate when people feel stressed about a holiday. That takes all the fun out of it. If your wife is overloaded and stressed, take the kids out of the house for a while and draw her a bath before you go. Don't make your husband wear a pink tie and go to a tea house if the thought of that makes him squirm. Do a load of laundry unasked. Leave a note on the driver side seat of the car. Make some cookies. Make the bed. You don't have to buy stuff to make someone happy. Just listen and be there for them. The stuff is just icing.
Case in point, my favorite part of the day came from something unexpected. I baked a cake for my mom to take to a monthly lunch. It came back almost totally uneaten because everyone else had decided that Valentine's Day was a good day to bring sweets and with all the selection it barely got touched. (I promise that was the reason. I am a good cook and the cake was yummy. I may or may not have tasted a tiny bite of it before sending it with mom. Quality control measures don't cha know.) Now I was left with a cake that none of us felt like eating for the next month. So I suggested that she take it back to her hotel and give it to the front desk clerk to share with the night staff. She thought that they might take offense to being offered a used cake. But I pointed out that she was only offering a taste and if they didn't want it, they could pass.
She got to the hotel and offered it to the front desk clerk who teared up and wouldn't stop thanking her. It seems the clerk on staff tonight was the manager and he let his employees have the night off. He and his wife LOVE cake and hadn't had a chance to get one or to celebrate because he was working. Now they had a cake to share when his break time came and it just made his day. I teared up as mom told me this over the phone. Without planning it, we made some couples Valentine's Day special. I counted the day a total success just because of that. What a wonderful thing to fall asleep on. You never really know, where a day will take you. And it didn't require hours of pre planning, lots of money, stress or reservations. It was just a nice gesture from one human being to another. That is the way Valentine's and every day should be celebrated in my book. Who's with me!
Happy Valentine's Day! however you celebrate it.
My earliest memories of Valentine's Day centered around dragging my mother to the store to pick out the perfect valentines for my class. This was back in the day when food allergies were rare and every child needed to get a card. The old all or none gambit. And woe to the kid whose parents didn't believe in holidays or buying cards and candy for 24 strange children who wouldn't write them a thank you for it later. Hours would be spent at my classroom seat-desk constructing the perfect valentine mailbox to affix to the front of my mini cubicle in training.
Once the perfect cards were selected, (sometimes we bought more than one brand because one just couldn't seem to convey all that I wanted to say) I would spend hours (not exaggerating here) with the cards fanned out in front of me behind the couch deciding exactly who got what. You see, Valentine card selection is a science. First, you sort out the cards that are duds and the ones that are too cheesy. You will have an innate sixth sense as to which ones these are. Then you get down to business. In grade school, you need to be cool, but not seem like you are trying. You need to pick out the perfect card that will tell your secret 8 year old crush that you will love him or her forever, or until recess. But the card can't just come out and say that. Good heavens no. It has to say something like "You are the Beary Best" but convey with subtle subtext that you will love them with an undying love that means you will share your hot lunch pizza with them and not think twice about doing it. Once that task is completed, then you figure out which candy heart exactly to stick in the envelope with it. You can't seem like you are trying too hard you know.
And then, there is how to sign your name. Do you write in cursive or block letters? Do you add love or friends forever or just write your name and leave it at that? What if the weird kid who eats paste in the corner when the teacher isn't looking misunderstands the wording on your card and thinks that you want to become a paste eating partner. See, picking out valentines is hard work. I sorted those valentines like some middle aged men sort baseball cards. It drove my mom nuts and dad never did understand why I had to do it behind the couch and why it took so long. (The light was better behind the couch if you must know).
Then you reach those awkward teen years where you don't have to send valentines to everyone. But that makes things tricky. And then they add candy grams, flower deliveries and other things into the mix. I think they really want to give teens mental breakdowns. Then heaven forbid you actually have a boyfriend or girlfriend during this time. Are you a serious couple or just starting out? Do you send something sickeningly cute (for future reference, the answer is always NO) or do you send something neutral that can be taken any way the reader wants it to go.
I have gotten some real interesting things for valentines day from boyfriends. I still have some of them. My favorite though falls under the category I entitled, "Give the gift and then shut up."
My teen squeeze stopped me in the halls between bells and did the classic, close your eyes routine. When I opened them there was the prettiest braided white lace choker in his hand, with a silver heart pendant hanging from the middle. It was beautiful. And then he started talking and ruined it. As he was putting it on me, he mentioned that he had purchased it at a garage sale. (I was ok with that, wahoo, vintage). But he kept talking. He had purchased it a while ago. (Ok, so he had it laying around and still thought of me. I can roll with that.) Then came the kicker, I bought it at a garage sale, a while ago, when I was dating this other girl and meant to give it to her, but we broke up and when I saw it in my drawer I thought you might like it. Ok, he really meant well, and it was beautiful, and it wasn't a regift, but still. Least. Romantic. Thing. Ever.
Just say, oh look, I found this necklace, thought of you and happy Valentine's Day. The End. Sigh, boys are weird. Which leads to my second favorite Valentine's gift. I got it in kindergarten when I was sitting on top of the jungle gym. The boy crawled up, gave me two fake sapphire rings that he had gotten out of a quarter machine, announced that now we were married and then scurried away. It was weird. But they were a really pretty blue. There were two of them, and being married to him seemed to entail that I do nothing different that what I was currently doing, so what the heck. I still have those rings. They fit on half of my pinky finger but I love them and the funny memories that they evoke.
Yup, Valentine's Day for me is weird. This year is no exception. While grocery shopping for the evening meal, I was hugged by a complete stranger in the middle of the produce aisle. I don't think he mistook me for his lady love, I think he was just really happy and wanted to hug someone on Valentine's Day and there I was. Then, when I went to the gas station the attendant who has called me boring and seems put out upon having to wait on me, offered to be my valentine. It was weird. (I seem to use that word a lot this time of year)
Yup, Valentine's Day is kinda strange. But what do you expect from a semi made up holiday. Now that I am older, I take exception to the fact that there is this one day, where as a nation we have to love people more than we normally do. Like for the other 364 days out of the year we can neglect them and just skate by, but come Feb. 14th, whoa boy, you better love someone. And who decided that flowers, chocolate, hotel rooms, restaurants, lacy things, perfume, stuffed bears and copious amounts of the color pink were the best way to express this? Maybe it is because I think we should treat people special everyday. Maybe it is because I don't like being told that I have to do something. Maybe it is because I don't get to sit at a teeny tiny desk, with a chair bolted on and make a paper mail box to get cards from classmates.
I just hate when people feel stressed about a holiday. That takes all the fun out of it. If your wife is overloaded and stressed, take the kids out of the house for a while and draw her a bath before you go. Don't make your husband wear a pink tie and go to a tea house if the thought of that makes him squirm. Do a load of laundry unasked. Leave a note on the driver side seat of the car. Make some cookies. Make the bed. You don't have to buy stuff to make someone happy. Just listen and be there for them. The stuff is just icing.
Case in point, my favorite part of the day came from something unexpected. I baked a cake for my mom to take to a monthly lunch. It came back almost totally uneaten because everyone else had decided that Valentine's Day was a good day to bring sweets and with all the selection it barely got touched. (I promise that was the reason. I am a good cook and the cake was yummy. I may or may not have tasted a tiny bite of it before sending it with mom. Quality control measures don't cha know.) Now I was left with a cake that none of us felt like eating for the next month. So I suggested that she take it back to her hotel and give it to the front desk clerk to share with the night staff. She thought that they might take offense to being offered a used cake. But I pointed out that she was only offering a taste and if they didn't want it, they could pass.
She got to the hotel and offered it to the front desk clerk who teared up and wouldn't stop thanking her. It seems the clerk on staff tonight was the manager and he let his employees have the night off. He and his wife LOVE cake and hadn't had a chance to get one or to celebrate because he was working. Now they had a cake to share when his break time came and it just made his day. I teared up as mom told me this over the phone. Without planning it, we made some couples Valentine's Day special. I counted the day a total success just because of that. What a wonderful thing to fall asleep on. You never really know, where a day will take you. And it didn't require hours of pre planning, lots of money, stress or reservations. It was just a nice gesture from one human being to another. That is the way Valentine's and every day should be celebrated in my book. Who's with me!
Happy Valentine's Day! however you celebrate it.
Friday, February 1, 2013
February Time Vortex
It's funny how life jumbles you up. One minute you are sure, no, absolutely positive that you will be doing one thing, then BAM, suddenly you are doing something else. Back in October I fully planned on doing an October Thought every day of the month. I thought about the topics all year. I mulled them over all month. I wrote. I made it to the 30th and was feeling pretty proud that this year, I would make it. Then our house caught on fire and everything changed.
Oddly enough, it hasn't been all bad. Sure, precious things were lost. But the people and pets were all ok. True, I live a modified lifestyle that borders on perpetual camping, but it is kinda fun. The loss of the old, makes way for lots of new. And that isn't turning out to be such a horrible thing. It is kind of illustrating the metaphor that has become my life. Out of the ashes, something new and exciting is rising.
Way back in October, when I thought I had life all planned out, (and really, I should know better) I agreed to blog with a friend for the month of February. Looking three months away, sure, why not promise to blog. But last night, while I was lying awake watching the new month roll in, I realized that man, that time went fast.
For some reason February has taken on the traits that I usually associate with January. This might be because I spent all but 6 days of December being sick and January was more of a reprieve than a resolution. I didn't feel like starting new. I just felt happy to be breathing. But February, one of my throw away months (sorry all you February babies) is turning into a month of rebirth and new dedication. I feel like I am finally starting to get my life back in order. Like the newness of January was only a nebulous holding cell for me to wait and burst forth come February. I have never felt anything like it.
I was looking at my various calendars and realized that TONS of amazing things are going to happen in February. There is my 4th favorite holiday, Ground Hog Day! There is Ash Wednesday, a Valentines Dinner to go to, a bridal shower for a friend, the Super Bowl, the Oscars, Psych comes back on...ok, it seemed like there was more going on, but still.
I feel imbued with hope and possibility. I feel shiny and new. I feel like it is a new beginning. Like I said, I am a month off. These are usually my feelings for January. I think it is all a part of the calendar months trying to get back on my good side. See, Normally I find November and February throw away months. Each comes after spectacular months and are a bit of a let down. Kind of like the day after Christmas. But this year I felt a strong good will for November, and suddenly I am digging February. Who knew. February is the new black, and I'm going to wear it proud.
So come on February, let's see what you got!
**UPDATE** So, February proved to be a formidable foe. And only 6 days in. There is a slight change of plans. I will still blog in February, but it will be for Lent. I think a good time of reflection rather than love introspection will be a better blog topic. See you soonish.
Oddly enough, it hasn't been all bad. Sure, precious things were lost. But the people and pets were all ok. True, I live a modified lifestyle that borders on perpetual camping, but it is kinda fun. The loss of the old, makes way for lots of new. And that isn't turning out to be such a horrible thing. It is kind of illustrating the metaphor that has become my life. Out of the ashes, something new and exciting is rising.
Way back in October, when I thought I had life all planned out, (and really, I should know better) I agreed to blog with a friend for the month of February. Looking three months away, sure, why not promise to blog. But last night, while I was lying awake watching the new month roll in, I realized that man, that time went fast.
For some reason February has taken on the traits that I usually associate with January. This might be because I spent all but 6 days of December being sick and January was more of a reprieve than a resolution. I didn't feel like starting new. I just felt happy to be breathing. But February, one of my throw away months (sorry all you February babies) is turning into a month of rebirth and new dedication. I feel like I am finally starting to get my life back in order. Like the newness of January was only a nebulous holding cell for me to wait and burst forth come February. I have never felt anything like it.
I was looking at my various calendars and realized that TONS of amazing things are going to happen in February. There is my 4th favorite holiday, Ground Hog Day! There is Ash Wednesday, a Valentines Dinner to go to, a bridal shower for a friend, the Super Bowl, the Oscars, Psych comes back on...ok, it seemed like there was more going on, but still.
I feel imbued with hope and possibility. I feel shiny and new. I feel like it is a new beginning. Like I said, I am a month off. These are usually my feelings for January. I think it is all a part of the calendar months trying to get back on my good side. See, Normally I find November and February throw away months. Each comes after spectacular months and are a bit of a let down. Kind of like the day after Christmas. But this year I felt a strong good will for November, and suddenly I am digging February. Who knew. February is the new black, and I'm going to wear it proud.
So come on February, let's see what you got!
**UPDATE** So, February proved to be a formidable foe. And only 6 days in. There is a slight change of plans. I will still blog in February, but it will be for Lent. I think a good time of reflection rather than love introspection will be a better blog topic. See you soonish.
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