My oven is cooking pumpkin pie (or, My ode to things unsaid)

November 22, 2007 - Thursday

It's 11 a.m. and I have spent more time on the phone today than I have in weeks. I am not kidding! What a crazy time talking to the relatives. I love it. As much as I dislike the holidays, I really enjoy Thanksgiving because all you do is eat and watch football. Of course let's not forget the true meaning of the holiday, which is to share what we have and be grateful for it all. I'm pretty sure none of us do this well. (I'll get off my soapbox now.)

And so, I propose this: Thanksgiving resolutions! It may not be time to turn over a new leaf for the new year, but I'm going to resolve to be more grateful. I've had this mentality that I could die at any time so I better do whatever I can to enjoy life now. I dig that, but I think it could be keeping me from noticing what I already have and how great that is.

Feasibly, I could be grateful for everything that happens and everything I have, but that seems a little too much even for someone as optimistic as myself. I'm not Pollyanna! I keep thinking It goes without saying that I'm grateful for... but maybe it doesn't. So that is my resolution: assume that nothing goes without saying.

What do mean I can’t have everything?

Is the desire to consume contagious? I think it might be. Normally I am pretty happy with what I have and the means I have to acquire new things. But lately I have been thinking about all the things I want. Not even things I could pretend I might need, but just ridiculous shit: a new watch when I have one that works perfectly well, more hats (I'm not going to admit how many I have), or workout clothes (Who needs that? Won't a t-shirt and shorts do the job?).

I think that once this mentality found its way into my head, it just started multiplying and telling me that everything I have isn't good enough and that I must have something NEW! Don't get me wrong, I like new things but they are usually something I don't already have. My desires are spreading and I must cure myself immediately.

The worst part of this is that it couldn't come at a more inopportune time. I'm supposed to resist these urges when all of America is being swept up in its annual let's-just-spend-like-our-credit-card-bills-aren't-going-to-come holiday "spirit."

I'm hoping cleaning out all of my closets this weekend will give me some perspective. I have gone through one and have four bags of clothing and such to donate along with stuff I should have thrown away years ago. If I can give all of this away, is there any reason I should be purchasing more? I think not. But if anyone else has any other ideas to exorcise this awful demon, I welcome them. Somebody please help me!

Well, it’s about time for the inevitable, isn’t it?

November 13, 2007 - Tuesday

I drove home (at 6:45 pm) with my sunroof open! Today was a deliciously sunny and warm day. I believe that, although I spent most of it inside, it was my day to say goodbye to the summer/fall. I went to my fountain. I walked more than a mile outside. I wore a tank top outside. It was perfect.

In my quest to be more optimistic, I would like to welcome winter with some good thoughts. (But not, however, without a warning to Mother Nature: I can handle the warm days in February, but please! no 60 degree days in December. Don't toy with my emotions when you have four months of cruelty left in you.)

These are a few of my favorite things about winter: red wine, hats!!!, no more need to explain why I'm not tan, cooking without sweating, wool socks, Netflix, hot cocoa, that weird silence during a snowfall, and my parents dog helping shovel snow (if I get to see it) like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCnABUlvSXI