Oh, Fall, how I love thee; let me count the ways...

Honestly, it's true - I've always loved the fall. In fact, I love the beginning of all the seasons. A new direction in the wind, a time for change...it reminds me of the verse in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 in which "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."

The reason that I love fall so much is because a lot of great things happen in the fall. Despite my outward groans, I do enjoy going back to school every August/September because I like to learn and see my friends again. Also, every member of my immediate family's birthdays are in the fall, starting with Dad on Aug. 30, me (yea!) on Sept. 14, Mom on Sept. 24 and Mark on Oct. 11. That, along with the annual West Texas Fair & Rodeo that always came to Abilene around the time of my birthday, has left me with many happy memories of the early fall all through my childhood.

As we move on into the season, only more joy awaits a young heart. First, there is the ever-popular Halloween - who doesn't love to dress up and eat candy??? Then there is the glorious three-day holiday for Thanksgiving, a time for visiting family and eating lots of great food (something that I love). With Thanksgiving comes the official kick-off for the Christmas season, which, of course, is the most wonderful time of the year. This joyous time culminates with the big day on Dec. 25, leading us into winter and a time to bundle up and stay warm while having a break from work and school.

Having said all of this, how could I NOT like fall? It's impossible. Thus, I sit here with a smile on my face as the wonderful season of autumn moves closer and closer towards Texas, me, and the lives of the people I love. Happy early fall, everyone!

Two more weeks!

I can't believe it, but there are only two more weeks (and two days) before I start back to school at UTSA. I've already gone online to Amazon and ordered all of my books, but besides that, I am in strict denial. This summer went by WAY too fast!!!

I'm looking forward to my classes this fall. I'm taking three: Comparative Nationalisms (comparing the nationalistic sentiments of different countries, esp. those in Europe judging by the book list), ProSeminar (year-long core course at the end of which we will write a thesis-like project/paper), and my Independent Study on Mexico in the 1920s with Dr. NF (with whom I went to Mexico in June to do research). The ProSem class only has six books, all of which I already have, but the Nationalisms class has 12 books! Hello, Amazon. You think you are getting a good deal there, but those shipping charges really get you in the end...

However, I still have a couple of weeks of "freedom" which I will not take lightly. This past weekend Derek and I went to Corpus Christi for a friend's wedding (Courtney Wilson-now-Loy) and this weekend we are going somewhere for Derek's sister Lauren's 21st birthday. Forgive the secrecy - in the highly unlikely event that she is reading my blog on a steady basis, the trip's location is supposed to be a secret so I will not disclose at this time the destination or activities of the event. All I can say is that it will be this weekend and will involve activities that only a 21-or-up-year old can participate in...hehehe.

Oh, one more thing before I sign off. I have started exercising again - yea! I do the Denise Austin Daily Workout every morning on Lifetime at 6:30 am. Yeah, not my favorite thing to do that early, but hey, I get it over with and I am doing something. I hope to be able to talk Derek into buying a nice treadmill sometime in the next few months. I know he would like that, so it may not take much to convince him.

Well, that is about all for now. Until next time everyone! :-)