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October 18, 2001

October

I love October. I'm not sure why. I can't remember ever not liking October, so I'm guessing I was conceived in October and that's why I dig the month so much.

But there are other reasons too.

October is when it turns cold. Well, at least in places that have seasons. In LA, I guess it turns cold in October too, but it's not the same thing. Back East, I could always count on bundling up to leave the house on crisp October mornings. "Dress in layers," my roommate would remind me. Yes, of course, since it'll be warmer in the afternoon at some point. Layers are good. A little tank top, a mock-turtleneck shirt, a sweater (cardigans are good). Yes. That's good. Even the ex-boyfriend's leather jacket to top it all off. Hmm. Cold is good.

Too cold is not good, though. I'm a weather wimp. I hate extreme temperatures. I'll complain when it's warmer than 82°F in the summer, and bitch like Hell when the temperature drops below 50 ever. That is why I live in Los Angeles. It is a haven for weather wimps.

October is when we go back to Standard Time, which I appreciate. I don't really like the whole Daylight Savings Time premise. I think it's so cool that there are places in the world that completely ignore this tradition (and let's face it, if it's not mandatory, it's just a tradition) and laugh about our little clock-changing ritual. Since I don't keep "regular hours" of any sort, I have no issue with the number of hours of daylight. Daylight is overrated. Well... except when I'm deprived of it. I have that thing where I get more depressed in the winter time just because of the lack of sunlight. Hell, I don't care if it's a real "condition" or not, but it allows me to have an "out" for eating extra chocolate and nesting in January.

"October" is the title of a song by the band The Disciples. This is a band that spawned other bands you may have heard of (Black Crowes, Butthole Surfers, Drivin' and Cryin'). This band won Battle of the Bands at North Springs High School in 1986 and their prize was the pressing of a single. The B side of "Can't Live Without You" is "October" and I, being the non-mainstream type that I am, always preferred that B-side non-hit.

October is when the leaves match my hair color. Well, at least the leaves in Boston. I remember going to Quincy Market in October for several years in a row and marveling over the breeze, the smell, the chill, and the colors of the leaves. I miss that. Palm trees don't change color (except when the fronds are dead and fall off onto your car).

October is when Braves Fever really sets in. I have been a Braves fan since I was a kid. I even loved the Braves when they were the worst in the league. That's when we could get the best seats at the stadium (for $4). But when the Braves went from Worst to First in one season... oh, man, that was an October I will never forget. All of the professors at UGA were willing to forgive us delays in turning in assignments, as we were all up so late watching the Braves spank the Dodgers in stupid pacific time. Oops... I live in LA now, I'd better reel that in. Oh wait, I live in LA. No one here cares about sports. Duh!

October 31st is Halloween. That's my favorite holiday. I love dressing up. I love taking kids trick-or-treating and pretending that I'm doing it for them. I love entering contests at bars and winning Best Conceptual Costume (because I'm never literal). I love haunted houses and Halloween parties and masquerades of any kind. That's a big contributing factor to my love of October, I'm sure. Freshman year at UGA, one of my dorm mates noticed that we had a Friday the 13th that October. She pondered, "Wouldn't it be scary if one year Halloween fell on a Friday 13th?" She was serious. If Reed Hall was "Friends," this girl was "Joey."

October is when I start to feel energy shift. It's like the end of the year is coming and October is our last chance to make something of the year before the stupid holidays rush in and keep us from being productive (or even sane). I feel all the potential of the new year ahead in October. Maybe that's why New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have never meant a dang thing to me.

I'm over here with my magnum of champagne and pointy hat in the eighth-tenth month of the year!

Posted by bonnie at October 18, 2001 1:49 PM