Autumn and Other Wonderful Things

Today is the first real day of autumn of us. Don't make fun - yes, there are more fires burning in Southern California, but it's cool, it's crisp, the leaves are falling, the colors are changing and you can just feel it and smell it in the air. It's like a little slice of Heaven for me. I was even able to wear a sweater out - which in the L.A. area is a real treat.

I brought out all my Halloween decorations. My apartment looks ridiculous but I don't care; they make me happy. It looks like a Halloween store exploded in here. Every nice I light a pumpkin spice candle and cozy up on the couch and stare and my ghosties and witches and skulls and goblins. I'm definitely going to carve pumpkins this year. I'll probably take them to my mom's because she lives in a really nice neighborhood and actually gets kids trick or treating.

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited. On October 20th I'm going to Disneyland. I haven't been in a few years. Talk about Halloween - Disneyland really decks the place out in Halloween decorations. The Haunted House is spectacular - it's all done up like Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I'm not kidding - it's truly a sight to behold.

I guess that's the one good thing about being off work - I can go to Disneyland in the middle of the week.

Tomorrow I'm going to a job fair with my bestie friend Cheri. I went to Kohl's today and bought some really nice clothes. I am continuing to lose weight - of course not as fast as I want to. I've stopped going to Curves for a month; I want to get my blood thinner numbers steady before I go back. I just feel uneasy going back now.

My eating is fabulous though. I used to live on junk food; now I eat so healthy. I'm really amazed and proud of myself. I think God must have something to do with it too because honestly I don't know how I've done it. I'm even cooking real food and I NEVER used to cook.

As long as I'm off work I was thinking of volunteering somewhere. I'm just not sure what I want to do. It definitely would make ME feel better.

I had the longest, strangest dream about Dave Navarro last night. If you don't know who he is, he is an L.A. musician who plays guitar for Jane's Addiction. Don't ask what I ate before I went to bed. Mushrooms I guess.

I'm reading the most fabulous book - seriously, one of the best books I've ever read. It's called "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years." It's kind of really hard to explain. It's about this writer who's decided our lives are just like stories - and what kind of stories are we living? We can change our stories if we want - we can change our lives. It's not really a self-help book but it's helping me to see I can change my life story if I want. My story seems really boring now. I want more meaning in my life. Go to Amazon.com and check this book out. Honestly, it's changed my thinking and I think it will change my life. This book has worked its way into my soul and very few books do that with me anymore.

I don't think I've ever blogged about this, or told any of you this, but about a year ago, last September, I joined Overeaters Anonymous. I used to think it was just a crazy cult for loser fat people, but it's really changing my life. There are fat people there, and really thin people, and all kinds of people. It's totally based on the 12 steps and traditions of AA. I have a sponsor now and I record what I eat and go to meetings and let me tell you, it's one of the best things I ever did. I never saw myself doing something like this. This is another area where I think I just got a kick in the ass from some kind of higher power. It's not just changing what and how I eat, it's changing my whole life.

I honestly think everyone could benefit somewhat from practicing the 12 steps and traditions of the OA/AA/NA culture. So maybe I'm just a loser fat person but I don't think so. I think I'm a pretty motivated person who wanted and needed help and sought it out. And it's working out well for me. I've made some friends too - which is nice.

I'm a little low on friends. I have a friend who I've known for 30 years but she has very little time and I see our friendship dying out. It's kind of sad but maybe it's meant to be. I don't know. The ebb and flow of life, right?

Well, another not-so exciting blog has emanated from my brain. Excitement is good, but sometimes just watching the breeze and listening to the purring of the cat is good too.