The Autumn List

Apple picking, apple cider, tiny pumpkins too small to carve, Corduroy in colors such as mustard, caramel and plum or wine

That oh-so-impossible to find right light jacket for the cool morning commute

A cell phone that actually works, a blackberry that I don't pay for, more minutes than I could ever use, choosing my so-called "faves"

bean-card redemption at Hale & Hearty

the screaming tea kettle reminding me to relax

An office door that closes, an iPod dock, a desk with lots of drawers and cabinents, a project that is mine and mine alone

Freshly packaged sharpies in too many colors to choose from, a crisp yellow legal pad, an empty documents folder, the authorization code to new software

Halloween come and gone without one person belittling me for both hating the holiday and refusing to dress up and walk around the night thereof

Thanksgiving in Paris

Wool socks, a stripped scarf, a new winter thermo-jacket possibly in brown to replace the one I've had since I moved to the city

Tickets to Costa Rica, a surfing lesson, a villa right on the beach

Another attempt at the Brooklyn gardens in time for the foliage, my camera armed with a gigantic new memory card

A party to raise money for the marathon, happy hour, drinking one last time before I surrender to the "good training Gods," the first beer after the long month is over

Visitors from Princeton and Atlantic City with signs and banners and bananas

Cracking a new book and finishing it the same day, finally after all these years breaking down and reading the Harry Potter books, thirst, laughter, knowledge

An 18 mile run that doesn't kill me, a long-awaited tapering session, carbo loading for an entire week, real soda, chocolate and pizza

Finding a new spin instructor whom I adore as much as Sara

Signing up to teach the class, getting certified, passing the test

New hilarious seasons of my favorite shows, DVR, free cable & internet

Crossing the finish line

Taking the entire month of November off from running, watching movies, going to movies, going out to bars again, having fun, laughing, staying out past my bedtime, drinking, sleeping peacefully through the night, Advil-less days and nights again, slowly returning to normalcy...