An autumnal musing

If you live in or around the Northeast, you know the feeling. The tip of your nose is noticeably colder. The breeze comes by and quiet shivers crescendo into a shake. Autumn is here, and it's about time.

I am normally a fall-hater, favoring the renewing warmth of spring and the heat of summer. Perhaps it is the changes in my own life, or the passion for football, but I have come to respect fall and even enjoy it.

The cooler air reminds me of school days when the promise of homework was met with anticipation for the cool things I could learn. Yeah, it was geeky, but I liked the promise of a new school year. It was exciting to think of what might happen, what friends I might make, and what classes would teach me.

The season makes soup taste different and wonderful. You get to wear jackets, and that means more pockets!

It's a time for introspective moments as the dying leaves make us cognizant of our own life's cycle. When will we change colors? What does it mean for us and the people around us?

The biggest reason I disliked autumn in the past was that it ushered in winter. I still despise the bitterness, death, and monotony of winter (minus the beauty of a snowfall), but I think I place less blame on autumn now. Fall is just Spring in reverse, and I like Spring best, so I think I can hang with Fall afterall.

Plus, pumpkin pie and coffees rock!

Know thy enemy, and know them very, very well

Read what Bush said in a speech at the Ronald Reagan building today.

"Bin Laden says his own role is to tell Muslims: 'What is good for them and what is not.' And what this man who grew up in wealth and privilege considers good for poor Muslims is that they become killers and suicide bombers. He assures them that this is the road to paradise, though he never offers to go along for the ride."

I wonder if he wrote that part himself, considering how close to home it is.

Some days are just dull

I'm sure everyone has felt this way on some day of their life. Yesterday was a "no wake" day.

When boating, there are areas that you have to turn the throttle down, so as not to create a wake (waves that trail behind a boat). Usually this is done to protect the wildlife of an area of water, keep noise down, and to leave the water with little unnatural dturbance.

Yesterday was one of those days when absolutely nothing was disturbed. There were no waves, no interruptions, no progress. It was one where I went entirely through the motions, and feel no better today than I did yesterday.

I'm wondering if there was something could have done to turn the throttle up on the day. I'm sure I could have, instead of waiting for it to come to me.

Anyone have suggestions out there? A way to add a wake to a day like yesterday?