“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Hard as it is to believe, October has arrived!
My favorite quarter of the year has begun. I love the this time of year, as the Earth (where I live) slowly drifts off to sleep. We get all those great Autumnal color changes as Winter slowly approaches. We get to celebrate all the fun holidays–Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years–and somewhere in the midst of that I turn another year older.
So I welcome October with a hearty “Hello!”. It should be a fun month. I think I’ll kick it off with a reading of Neil Gaiman’s short story “October in the Chair” tonight. It seems fitting. And the fun will continue with a weekend viewing of the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel, The Martian, which took science fiction fans and non-science fiction readers by storm after its release.
My hope is that the month will be filled with some classic scary reading and viewing (time to get out the Vincent Price DVD’s), with pumpkin-flavored and pumpkin-themed eats and drinks, with bonfires and s’mores and with making memories with friends old and new.
What about you? How do you plan to revel in the month of October?
well as I live and breathe.. he’s still alive!! 🙂 I miss you! I know you are/were still running last I heard of FB and glad you are enjoying each day that arrives! I wish I could say Fall is in southern Florida but.. duh, it’s not. I just hope we get a “winter” this year. Last year was nearly extinct, and they have already said the next 3 months will be warmer than usual.. sigh.. But any humidity gone will be some relief!
Are you going to see the movie, The Martian? I can’t believe you wouldn’t lol.
Take care… love, Pat
Yes, I’ve certainly been far off the grid these last few months. Not for any particular reason other than just how I’ve chosen to use my time. I do miss it, and everyone, and hopefully can start spending a little more time here.
We are just finally starting to get some true fall-like weather this week, and it couldn’t come at a better time with October starting.
I plan on seeing The Martian on Saturday with some family and friends. I’m looking forward to seeing how they chose to adapt the story. Did you read it?
I was just wondering where you’d got to! I’m looking forward to The Martian as well. I really enjoyed the novel and can’t imagine not liking the film.
My October plans? Lots of writing and reading. I’m working on book 5 of my SFR series and revising another novel for submission. I’m on a fantasy binge, so reading lots of door-stopping tomes. I’m also looking forward to fall activities like apple-picking and apple pie-eating.
Yes, they will have to work hard to screw the film up for me not to like it. It has gotten some really good reviews thus far. Book was fantastic.
Those are some good October plans. I wish you well with your submission when it is ready. Very exciting!
Hello, hello! Nice to see a new post!
My October will be spent the usual way: Fall gardening, reading, listening to music, walking. I just spent – as you saw on the blog – a month reading and watching things Sherlock Holmes related during “Sherlock Holmes Month at Tip the Wink”. Now I’m reading a mystery set in 1600s Japan, as well as one set in 1960s England, with THE LINESMAN up next in SF reading.
I too have a birthday, end of this month, and it’s one of those Significant Numbers. * sigh *.
Ah…significant number! Finally turning 30 are you, Richard? 🙂
The Sherlock Holmes month looked/sounded fun. I need to read more of the original Conan Doyle stories. And need to catch the last two episodes of Arthur and George.
Hope yours is a lovely October!
I just retired from my job as a children’s psychotherapist, so for once in a long time I’m looking forward to winter — no mandatory driving on slick roads!
Congratulations!
Yes, not having to drive during bad weather is a true plus, that is for sure. I love it when it snows, but don’t enjoy driving in it…or rather trusting the other drivers who are trying to drive in it.
Peter Travers of the Rolling Stone seemed to really enjoy the film: 3 1/2 out of 4 stars. At least the producer didn’t censor “I’m fucked” out of the opening line to get a G rating.
I did not realize The Martian had been turned into a film! I have not read it yet, so I better get on that.
I will miss summer, as I always feel better during the warmer months, but my summer was kind of a bust since I was injured in a car accident. Here is to autumn being much more awesome!
That is a bummer of a summer, that is for sure, Becca. Hopefully the remainder of 2015 will be wonderful and make up for that.
I thought the book was great, really interested to see how they chose to film it.
Like you, I love autumn. Winter is my favorite though….but as I get older, its appeal is lessening.
Oooo…you’re going to see The Martian. I knew you would, it’s a film suited for you. I am not a movie goer,but this one I want to see. I read the book and really liked it…a whole bunch. I can’t wait to see what you thought of it. If you don’t write a blog post, please let me know your thoughts via email. (I will not be able to see it this weekend)
Hello, long time no see.
I just got off from the hospital, and 2 weeks of staying at home so I won’t be able to enjoy the autumn foliage of Warsaw, nor I won’t be able to travel up north abroad.
I like autumn, but I dislike Halloween as it’s overshadowing our traditional festivities. My favourite season is winter, anyway.
I started “Fantastic histories of the world” project on my Polish book blog, but I’ll write about it on For Culture’s Sake too. Already read 3/196 books. 😛 I’ll write more on my travel blog too. 😛 Lots of things to do in October. 🙂 Ah, and I’m taking part in gamification event in my library that is held until the end of November.
Cheers!
Wow, two weeks in the hospital sounds like ugh! Health wise, I’ve been pretty lucky. I met a very nice guy who wrote an inspirational book on facing health issues, Warrior Patient. His name is Emmett Williams, a former editor of Reader’s Digest. I recommend anybody who has health issues to at least check it out. His book just just won some kind of big sounding award. I’ve got a paperback copy that I will take with me the next time I’m in the hospital — to snuggle up with after visiting hours and my wife has gone home. It’s that kind of book.
Here’s how I met Mr. Williams and, luckily, found out about his book: Typically, I was bouncing around on the internet looking for free promotional opportunities for my debut novel, Rarity from the Hollow. It had been published about three years before by traditional small press in Leeds that didn’t have an advertising budget. Four months ago, I decided to retire from my job as a children’s psychotherapist and to give self-promotion a try. There’s a free comment type, I guess it’s a forum…called Shameless Self Promotion paid for by Create Space. Anyway, Mr. Williams is a member. He saw a post that I’d made about Rarity from the Hollow and bought it. I’d never met him before and didn’t know anything about his background at the time. I was just another novice giving my creative writing a last shot. We are kind of friends now, if people you’ve never met can be called friends.
Mr. Williams posted a review of Rarity from the Hollow that said it was the most enjoyable science fiction novel that he had read in several years: http://warriorpatient.com/blog/2015/05/18/58/ The review was skillfully written and fun to read. I contacted him to thank him, which I’m now not sure was appropriate, but, anyway, we became friends. He sent me a free copy of his book, Warrior Patient.
If you are hard up for money, like me, Mr. William may send you a free copy too. I don’t know for sure, but he’s a very nice guy. In his seventies I think. I’m a little younger, and have never read a medical book before, but I’m so glad that I found out about his because I needed it.
Kama, like Mr. Williams, you seem very cool. I don’t know you, but your comment about literature impacting culture was cool…. The hospital is not cool, for anybody
Good health,
Robert
Thank you for the comment and the story It wasn’t 2 weeks in hospital, it’s 2 weeks of stay at home after hospital. 😉
Cheers.
This is the month of apples here. We can go collect ground apples for our goats and donkeys, same for overgrown squash. It’s also the month we get the last of the firewood and hay in, stacked, covered. I will also be getting out my favorite big tea kettles so I can fix 6 cups of tea all at once to enjoy all morning.
Pumpkin spice is like catnip for people. It’s glorious.
My plans for this month involve cozy blankets, good books (right now I’m reading a ghost story set in Venice), and mulled wine.
Happy Birthday Carl,
You’ve got lots of company in October for your birth month – I’ve got two kids and two (soon to be three) grandkids with birthdays this month. (Also two nephews and one niece!) We are very expert in eating cake up here!
My favorite birthday cake is carrot cake with pumpkin spice. As for quality time – the best for right now with 3 new babies is curling into a chair with a sleeping grandbaby! (Kind of hard to read if they’re awake!)
Great to see you back on-line!
I love reading Neil Gaiman in October, he adds just the perfect amount of creepy to my day.
I’m proofing a novel by Temple Williams, and self-promoting, but I’d rather be reading all of October, November….
I saw THE MARTIAN and liked it a lot. It stays pretty close to the novel. Ridley Scott knows have to make a good looking movie. There’s a lot of space eye-candy in this film!
Since this seems to be the post of the month, Happy Halloween!