Big Fall List Of Fabulousness

Fabulous photo by the lovely Shea. I hate photos of myself. But this one is pretty good (I guess). My hair looks weird. Sigh.

So anyway, let's hear it for September! Woohoo! It's the start of Fall and I love it. I'm pretty excited about this season, especially in our new neighborhood. I intend to give you a photo "walking tour" of our new 'hood soon.

All year I've been saying that this fall lots of things will kick into gear. Well, I don't know about 'kicking into gear' but I do have a number of projects I'm excited to start working on. Here's a sampling, both big and small.

1. Goal setting: Okay, I don't usually set goals for myself because I have a hard enough time keeping up with everyday life. HOWEVER, a long-standing wish has been to have a little art show. Maybe it's in a coffeeshop, maybe it's in a group showing somewhere, maybe it's an open-studio thing. I don't know. However, I would like to have a little show somewhere, somehow, next fall. One year from now. That's a pretty good goal, right? That means I have to make some art, right? Right. I'm thinking a forest theme. That way the owls can show up too.

2. School: I'm on the verge of deciding to enroll in a part-time program for a Masters in Social Work. Yes, after all that hemming and hawing and clothing-rending, I've (almost) decided. Why social work? Mostly it's because I want to stay in my current field (mental health), and also because I'd like to do work with art therapy some day. It's something I'm interested in, it's totally do-able part time, and it's not a radical change. It's something that I can fold into my life as-is. Every single occupation/personality test I take recommends counseling or therapy or social work or art or teaching for me. I can do all of those things with an MSW. So... I haven't *quite* made the final decision yet (still investigating programs, etc.) but I'm very excited about it. Finally moving out of the world of pre-requisites into an actual degree program! It only took 7 years... (yet another illustration of "Do it now -- the time will pass anyway...")

3. A number of smaller goals: Make a graphic design website for my teeny-tiny freelance gig, set up Etsy shop for prints, work on outline for book idea Terri and I came up with, start a local support group for couples with the unwelcome guest of chronic illness...

Some other fall wonderfulness:

* Decorate for fall! We love to decorate for autumn and winter holidays. I especially like making Halloween crafts.

* Autumn menu planning! Bring on the butternut squash -- it's my favorite food season.

* RIP books galore! I have quite a list. I'm currently reading The Godfather because I don't have anything else yet from the library -- does that count? (somehow I doubt it)

* October movie viewing! I like a good scary (not gory) movie. We want to watch a lot of spooky things in October. A friend's husband made us a fabulous list (below, in case you'd like your own scary-movie viewing party, or have something to add)

Scary Movie List (by Steve)

Ghost Stories

* “The Haunting of Julia”- Mia Farrow
“Don’t Look Now”- Donald Sutherland
“Ghost Story”- Fred Astaire
“The Changeling”- George C. Scott
“The Black Cat”- Lugosi / Karloff (sort of)
“The Body Snatcher”- Lugosi / Karloff (sort of)
* “Carnival of Souls” - 1962
* “Repulsion”- Roman Polanksi, 1965
* “The Fog”- 1980, Adrienne Barbeau, directed by John Carpenter
“Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte”- Bette Davis
“The Nanny”- Bette Davis
“Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” Bette Davis, Joan Crawford
“Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” – 1971
“White Zombie”- Bela Lugosi

Vampires

* “Dracula”- Bela Lugosi
* “Horror of Dracula”- Christopher Lee
“Dracula Has Risen From the Grave”- Christopher Lee
“Nosferatu”- 1922 (silent)
“The Hunger”- David Bowie
“Fright Night”- 1985, Roddy McDowell
“Salem’s Lot”- 1979

Haunted Houses

* “The Shining”- Jack Nicholson
“Wicker Man” 1973 (sort of)
* “The Innocents” 1961
“Poltergeist”- Craig T Nelson
* “Session 9”- David Caruso
“The Haunting”- 1963

"Ju-On"

I can't wait to start in on the list!

Anyway. Just kicking off my favorite season with a happy post.