Welcoming October is a Favorite Tradition

October has been my favorite month of the year as long as I can remember. When I was a child, growing up on the West Coast of the United States, October signified the beginning of Fall. It was when the leaves changed and when I'd first notice a nip in the air. Summer gave way to Fall, and Winter was around the corner. And October was the month of Halloween, my favorite holiday.

October doesn't hold quite the same magic today. There is no Fall season here in Mississippi. Summer turns to "Winter" rather abruptly. There are only a handful of trees where the leaves change colors. The oppressive humidity does subside but not until late in the month. Halloween is frowned upon by the legions of Southern Baptists who occupy this state (some of which seem to prefer JesusWeen). I watch more horror movies during October than usual, but that is about it.

Some Questions About Aliens Are More Relevant Than Others

Does alien life exist somewhere in the universe? Could be. I have no idea. And to be honest, I don't find this question to be all that interesting. Why? "Alien life" could refer to little more than single-cell organisms on a remote planet. Does sentient life exist somewhere in the universe? That is a more interesting question, but it still only takes us so far. The answer to this question might have little relevance to us.

What we'd like to know is whether sentient alien life has visited our planet from theirs. Has this happened during our lifetimes? If so, does our government know about it and are hiding it from us? Are aliens still visiting? Are any of the abduction stories accurate? If aliens have not visited, are they likely to do so in our lifetimes? These questions seem far more relevant.

Using Our Power As Consumers To Bring About Change

I am about to describe a hypothetical situation. I've based it (loosely) on something happening in one of the many hobby communities found on Reddit. Which one isn't relevant, and neither are the people involved. Something similar could happen to those of us involved in almost any hobby. I suspect that something similar has already happened to some of us, and I know it has for me.

Imagine that there is a business and that you have bought items from them several times over the years. It could be a local shop or an online storefront. It is not a massive corporation but a small family-run business. What they sell isn't relevant, and neither is what you've bought. What matters is that you have been content to spend some of your money there. You have been happy with their prices and their service. 

Harris Wipes Floor With Trump in 2024 Presidential Debate

 

I watched the 2024 presidential debate the night after it aired. I didn't have time to catch it live, so I watched it while waiting for the arrival of Hurricane Francine. I figured I'd be up all night anyway, so there was no harm in watching a debate that might keep me up all night.

Without the approaching storm, would what I saw during the debate have kept me up? It would have but not for the reason I feared. It would have kept me up because Donald Trump's vision of America is terrifying. And his plans for reshaping the country in his image are even more so. It would not have kept me up due to worries about Harris' suitability for the office. She turned in a performance for the ages, and it is tough to imagine how anyone could have done better.