Who am I kidding? I didn’t get a summer vacation.
To be fair, we took our normal beach week and moved it to spring break. It was a lovely time and we were able to rent a house overlooking the ocean without having to leave the living room. Which was a good thing, because it was cold.
Still, as friends have posted their beach pics, I admit to missing the warmth of the sun and the sand in various places it was not designed to be. Circumstances being what they were, we didn’t make it back to the beach in warm weather. But the wife and I have declared that next year, we’ll get some sunburn days.
Summer officially ends today. In spite of the marketing that foisted pumpkin spice on us before Labor Day, we’re now officially into the spooky season.
The season of pumpkins, and apples, and falling leaves.
%$@$% falling leaves.
I digress.
Another new season gives us the chance to pause and reflect, as well as the opportunity to plan and dream. I won’t bore you with details, but I’ve been doing a lot of that.
Okay, fair, I always do a lot of that.
To be honest, when I look back on my Three Words for 2022, the recovery part isn’t going quite like I’d hoped. I mean I’m fine. I’m not sick.
I’m just more in “That’s Uncle Joe, he’s a movin’ kinda slow at the junction” mood.
I’m working on that and perhaps I’ll write about that one day.
This is not that day.
I will say that I’m pondering what Chris Brogan wrote the other day. He was talking about why we take on certain projects and why we might be “chasing something with no real return value.”
If you’ve been reading here for a while, as of course you should have been, you know that I was sort of asking the same question all through the pandemic. I gave up a lot of things.
Perhaps not enough.
So, as we’re moving toward autumn and thinking of sweaters and campfires and all that it brings, I’m asking that question again.
Why is this on my list? What am I getting out of it?
Now a disclaimer. Sometimes we do things for others. Sometimes we do things because they’re the right thing to do.
It’s the other projects, the other schemes, or whatever, that we need to really think about.
Is it worth my time? Will there be a return on my investment.
That’s what I’m thinking about this morning. Well, that and the fact that I never know what to wear when the seasons transition.
Life is hard. It’s harder when you’re a fashion icon.
What? Where was I?
We can’t stop the changing of the seasons. We can decide what we do with, or is it during, them?
Speaking of things to do:
Halloween Haunt opens at Kings Dominion this weekend. I’m not able to be part of the scare team this year, but I still feel like I’m part of the family. And I’ve loved watching my friends get ready to scare. I hope to rejoin them next year.
Also, the Virginia State Fair opens this weekend. I’m skeptical about that because there’s no rain in the forecast for Friday and Saturday.
If you go to either Haunt or the Fair, just remember that they’re off the same I95 exit in Doswell. You should have left last week.
As for what I am actually doing?
I’m currently assessing the real value of learning my lines for our next off book rehearsal this evening.
Farewell summer. Welcome autumn.
As an added bonus, I’m giving away free leaves and acorns. Yours for the picking.
Just trying to give you the opportunity to be a blessing.
There’s real return value in that.
Well, for me anyway.