From the Desk of the Lowly Office Aid: October 2011 Edition

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October 2011

Dear Friends and Family,

It's October and apparently that means it's time for fall, but as of right now I am officially rebelling against the calendar and the revolving of the earth around the sun (or whatever mechanism is in control of changing the seasons) because readers, I am not quite ready for autumn yet. I know what you're thinking, if you were here you'd be telling me, "Joy, summer is long gone, Labor Day was your last chance. They have my favorite pumpkin latte at Starbucks now and all the back to school gear is already picked over. Just accept it. Fall is here." Thanks for the words of wisdom, but unfortunately, I cannot accept them. Yes, I know that Starbucks and Coffee Bean have all their fall inspired drinks and pastries out and all the stores are decorated in fake orange and yellow leaves and the magazines are telling me what outer wear is in for fall, but that doesn't mean that I have to partake in this fall party that everyone seems to be having.

Perhaps I am just acting like a very stubborn four year old child. Fine. I just don't want anything to do with fall quite yet. I'm just not really convinced that it's here. Yeah, Yeah school started. I know. However, it's still warm outside. I don't seeing any leaves changing colors, let alone falling off the trees. Maybe if I lived in Vermont, then yeah, sure, I'd definitely jump on the autumn band wagon. Ten bucks the leaves are changing color and falling off already over there. I'm sure they're going to town with all their rakes. I bet everyone's heading over right now to the rake store to pick up this year's latest model. I bet they're even wearing sweaters while they rake-- nice, thick, knitted sweaters. I bet they have all kinds too, cowl neck sweaters, turtle neck sweaters, crew neck sweaters. I could think of more, but I will spare you, but I bet they have a different necked sweater for every day of the week, or for every mood at least.

None of that is going on here though. The sweaters have not been broken out and I don't have to rake anything up. The palm trees are pretty much great at holding onto their leaves or fronds or whatever they're called. As for the few trees that we have around here that actually do get all fall-ified, that won't happen until November at least. Seems to me that the only things changing color around here so far are the colors of mine and several hundred UCLA students' tongues and teeth. We just had a snow cone giveaway on campus, so I feel like it's pretty hard to talk about the glories of autumn when my whole mouth is now blue. See what I mean? Snow cones scream summer, so I'm sticking to my guns. In my books, summer it is. When I have to start wearing long sleeves and scarves every day, I promise I will accept autumn, but not quite yet. I want to enjoy my short sleeves, flip flops, and sunny days as long as I can.

However, as much as I seem to be expressing hatred towards fall, don't get me wrong. I do enjoy it. So once I start seeing the signs outside, I will certainly embrace the season. I love me a good pumpkin pie, latte, bread or muffin, but I'm just not ready yet. Pretty soon I am sure I will be in pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg heaven. Plus, I know that when I next visit Mom and Dad's, my lovely mother will have the house decked out, and I will be walking through an Autumn Wonderland. I'm pretty sure it will look like an entire deciduous forest shed its lovely brown, yellow, and orange leaves all over our house and magically applied themselves to wreathes, tables, counters, and various other decorative surfaces. Moreover, the pumpkin patch will have moved in as well, with the conspicuous orange gourds nestling in every available empty corner. I on the other hand have only one fall decoration-- a string of pumpkin lights, and you guess it, they aren't even up yet. By next month they will be. I promise. Enjoy this month of un-fall everyone!

Signing Off,

Joy Ellis

The Lowly Office Aid

Mr. Rake says,

 "All those Vermont folks have already been working me to death, and it's only October! I really ought to take my uncle's advice and move to California. He says that rakes have it easy over there."