Fall Into Fun

Fall is my absolute favorite season, and I think this might be the best one ever. Not only did Boyfriend and I celebrate our four-year anniversary this weekend, but we also go to see Kings of Leon rock the Sommet Center last weekend.

Halloween is steadily approaching and I cannot wait. We’re having a costume party where Boyfriend is going to be Wolverine and I am going to be Selene from Underworld. However, I realize that some people do not celebrate the autumn holiday to religious beliefs or being to cool/too poor/insert whatever reason here. At any rate, there are still ten great ways to celebrate the cool air, the fall leaves and crisp air that precedes winter.

1. See Where the Wild Things Are – It was beautiful, touching and slightly scary. My friend, Mr. Campbell, made a good point by telling me how great the music was before I went. Boyfriend and I discussed that the movie has a lot of symbolism and epitomizes the childhood experience (in terms of feelings, not meeting monsters). I’d be lying if I didn’t get a little weepy at the end.

2. Listen to a lecture by Anne Rice – Yes! The main branch of the Nashville Public Library is giving the best Halloween treat of all! They are using their Skype connection to allow us all to talk to the Queen of Vampire Lore, Anne Rice at 1 p.m. Oct. 31.

3. Attend church or other fall festivals – I once had neighbors who didn’t do Halloween due to religious beliefs. No problemo! APSU has a history of doing GHOST, and other churches and organizations across the state are providing safe Halloween alternatives as well.

4. See the Twilight double-feature (yes, I found one in Tennessee) – NCG theaters in Gallatin (across from Volunteer State Community College) is showing a doubleheader on Nov. 19. Twilight shows at 9 p.m. and New Moon shows at midnight. The great thing about this theater is also that they have free refills on popcorn and drinks.

5. Netflix some laughs – I am addicted to reruns of 30 Rock! On days when the weather is so cold, I love to turn on my favorite sitcoms or watch the comedy of Jeff Dunham.

6. Have pre-holiday parties – I have all of my Christmas presents purchased, just not wrapped. A lot of magazines suggest wrapping parties so you can see friends, be productive and share the cost of wrapping resources.

7. Hit the books – JR and I love to search the Internet and order books to pick up at the library. However, this weekend, we discovered that Books-a-Million in Rivergate has tons of books on sale. We got a grammar book, novel and crossword puzzle book for $10. There were so many books, it was overwhelming. It was like bookworm heaven – and reading at home by the fire is a great way to pass the time.

8. Get some class – As a part of professional development, I am taking a social media class through the college. I have learned that a lot of businesses and schools offer continuing education classes for learning about skills outside of college. Sign up, and you’ll see how to get your noggin working in the cool weather.

9. Plan a winter vacation –Winter in Tennessee is not my favorite, but I feel warmer already when I surf Travelocity. I saw that a flight and 4-night spa trip to Cancun starts at $614. However, Nashville flights are a little more difficult. If you’re looking to go to Mexico or the Caribbean, it’s going to cost about $1,500 per person. Winter trips to places like Boston or Las Vegas, however, are about $450 each.

10. Host a Transformers marathon – Since Revenge of the Fallen was released Tuesday, Transformers marathons are really easy to host. Get Transformers birthday plates and napkins at Kmart or any party store and satisfy both children and parents that don’t have babysitters!

Posted in: