October is a month I love more than any other for multiple reasons. It is the month of my birth so even though middle age and circumstance mean my birthday is more of a gauge of what’s gone rather than what’s coming, it still is a day that is different from the others on the calendar even if it is just to mark that I’ve made it one more trip around the sun.
Then, of course, there is the assault of pumpkin and pumpkin spice everything that occurs this month and although I realize they could sell pumpkin-flavored cakes, cereals, coffee creamer, candy, shakes, and of course the classic pumpkin pie, I admit they have me captivated each year with their ‘limited time only’ business model each year where I never get to try it all but I do try to sample as much as I can…viva la pumpkin!
Halloween is the other big event, of course, that occurs and even being at the midway point on the time clock of life as it were. I still love it, even though I don’t get to dress up in masks and makeup anymore and for some reason being forty-three and 6’5 means I am no longer able to get all that sweet free candy, I still enjoy watching those humans of the younger and shorter variety enjoy what I have been so cruelly barred from.
It is probably no coincidence then, being born so close to Halloween that whenever I write fiction it dips more into the realm of psychological fear and the kind of stories you’d usually see someone like Stephen King write than say, Charles Dickens.
Additionally, my biggest online writing ‘success’ came in the form of the paranormal blog News From the Spirit World, which if you have been reading this column for its almost decade of existence now (my, how time flies!), you will have heard me mention before.
That project I have decided to start again on a different web host, mostly because as said, besides this lovely column was my biggest fruitful venture into writing as it had at one time multiple listing on ‘page one’ of Google and other search engines for a few subjects which is actually a pretty hard task to accomplish.
News From the Spirit World has always dipped more to the skeptical side of the paranormal world, as I myself although not positive the paranormal does not exist, am also sure that ninety-nine percent of paranormal reports are pure fantasy and at times, outright lies by snake oil salesmen and cons.
Besides, what other place can I write about such weird subject matter as a woman who believes she is having a romantic relationship with the Statue of Liberty or a man who claims the world will end by Wednesday next week, just in time to screw up the weekend?
I think all of the spooky vibes and terrifyingly beautiful scenery are a major part of why I love this month so a month, so Happy Halloween to all of you, and here is to kick off what I hope is a lovely holiday season for all…now give me that pumpkin spice flavored doughnut before it disappears.
