I don't have any good ideas this week. Normally, I have an idea during the days leading up to Saturday and I drop down a few sketchy ideas or notes on a page and save it as draft. But nothing came to mind this wee and so I get out of bed this morning and flip open the laptop and have nothing to start with.
And I don't want to do anything elaborate, because I've got errands to run today: taking Sarah to the doctor, trying to help Grace get the last bits of her Nerd Herd Halloween costume, going to the gym for some exercise.
So, I don't have all day to just sit and noodle in front of the computer screen.
. . . so, what should I talk about? . . .
Everyone is sick of the election, so that won't work. (Though, it is really very important and if you haven't taken advantage of early voting opportunities where you live, PLEASE do go vote on Election Day. And remember that while we've only been yammering on about the big race for the White House, there are many, MANY important races at all other levels of government and those local and state races have MUCH more effect on your daily life than the occupant of the executive branch.)
It is starting to look and feel more like autumn here in central Ohio. It is getting cold each day and jackets (or a nice vest) are necessary for comfort. The leaves are in the midst of changing color and falling all over the damn ground and I have to rake them up and holy cow why does this take so long and why am I sweating inside of my sweatshirt when it is actually cold outside and this is awful. But everybody loves Fall, right?
I started watching the Netflix import from Britain "Black Mirror"this week. I've only gotten through a few episodes, but I like it. Modern day Twilight Zone episodes with An Important Issue to frame each story around. Sometimes the language and the subject matter (especially of season 1 episode 1) is a problem. But the series is good.
I fly an American flag in front of my house and it has some sort of plastic rotating collar at the top of the pole, from which there is a metal clip that attaches to a fabric tab inside the flag's sleeve. From all of this, I surmise that the flag is then equipped to rotate according to changing wind patterns and be able to adjust--at least some?--so that it won't be wrapped around the flag pole on windy days.
Can you now guess what my flag looks like?
Halloween decorating is not as much fun as Christmas decorating. In our house, we don't have a central focal point--such as a tree--to emphasize the season. There are several (but maybe not enough?) tchotchkes about the house on various shelves. (Eyes of newt, plug in pumpkins, a small witch hanging from our outside porch.) We have not yet carved our pumpkins. (That's another errand to accomplish today.) And we have some orange electric lights to help decorate the porch at night, but I couldn't get the outside outlet to work last week when I tried to plug them in. I kinda want some hay bales and corn sheaves and things like that, but we never really get into it that hard. Oh well.
Hey . . . look at that.
I did have something to write today. Whether it adds up to the fact that you should not spend all day watching football, I don't know.
But if it doesn't, just remember--nobody else cares if your Halloween costume is based off of the coach of the Sunbelt Conference winning team from 1974. Pick Dracula next year. Everybody recognizes Dracula.
See you next week.