Whenever I think of October I think of pumpkins. Ripe, round, orange globes lying around in fields of browning vines, waiting to be scooped up and scooped out into frightening faces and pies and African-inspired nut soups. I think of bright red apples in the autumn sun and dried cornstalks tied into bundles and gargantuan rolls of hay dotting pastures. I think of Halloween costumes and bobbing for apples and country fairs full of homemade crafts and fruit butters. And the leaves…the beautiful leaves. Have you ever laid down under a tree in full autumn color to look up at the blue sky? It is like looking at cabochon rubies, emeralds, citrines, and golden sapphires scattered across rich blue velvet. Sigh…
Well, bucolic scenery aside, October is a month chock full of reasons to celebrate. My dear friends, it is time to adopt a shelter dog, celebrate the bilingual child, go to a class reunion, go hog wild, plan strategically, read a book, eat a caramel after that bowl of chili, get your teeth cleaned, make popcorn for your roller skating reading group, hug a photographer, maintain a positive attitude, and have a Happy Halloween! Boo, y’all!
Disclaimer: the comments in italics are mine and mine alone and do not represent the opinions, ideas or musings of any other person, group, or entity. Just smile and enjoy yourself… (PS: thank you Johan for your submission!!!)
Flower: Calendula or Cosmos
Birthstone: Opal or Tourmaline
Full Moon: October 4th @ 2:10am
New Moon: October 18th @ 1:33am
October is the month for…
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
Antidepressant Death Awareness Month that’s depressing
Apple Month
(World) Blindness Awareness Month
Celiac Disease Awareness Month
Celebrate the Bilingual Child Month sprechen zie Deutsch?
Children’s Magazine Month
Christmas Seal Campaign (through 12/31)
Church Library Month
Church Safety and Security Month
Class Reunion Month too late to call Weight Watchers now!
Co-op Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month sufferers untie!
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
Emotional Intelligence Month
Emotional Wellness Month
Energy Management is a Family Affair-Improve Your Home Month (thru 3/31/10)
Gay & Lesbian History Month
German-American Heritage Month have a bock beer with sausage!
Global Awareness Heritage Month
Global Diversity Awareness Month
Go Hog Wild – Eat Country Ham moderation is key…
Halloween Safety Month we need a whole month to prepare?
Head Start Awareness Month
Health Literacy Month
International School Library Month
International Starman Month
International Strategic Planning Month
Long Term Care Planning Month these two go hand-in-hand, right?
Month of Free Thought
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
National Bake and Decorate Month make a gingerbread haunted house!
National Book Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Caramel Month it’s not just for breakfast anymore!
National Chili Month
National Chiropractic Month make an adjustment!
National Crime Prevention Month
National Cyber Security Awareness Month
National Dental Hygiene Month get those teeth cleaned!
National Depression Education & Awareness Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Down Syndrome Month
National Ergonomics Month little changes make big differences!
National Family Sexuality Education Month
National “Gain the Inside Advantage” Month
National Go On a Field Trip Month and who’s paying for it?
National Kitchen & Bath Month
National Liver Awareness Month food or organ?
National Medical Librarian Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
National Physical Therapy Month
National Popcorn Poppin’ Month my favorite snack!
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
National Reading Group Month
National Roller Skating Month put down the books first…
National RSV Awareness Month
National Sarcastic Awareness Month yeah, right…
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
National Window Covering Safety Month there are unsafe window coverings?
National Work and Family Month
National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month
Organize Your Medical Information Month
Photographer Appreciation Month hug the guy with the camera!
Polish American Heritage Month
Positive Attitude Month should be every month…
Raptor Month
Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
Right Brainers Rule! Month left brainers rock!
Sausage Month
Self-Promotion Month not so shameless this time…
Spinach Lovers Month
Squirrel Awareness Month oh, nuts!
Stamp Collecting Month
Tackling Hunger Month
Talk About Prescriptions Month
Vegetarian Month already doing their part to stop world hunger…
Wishbones for Pets Month (10/15-11/30)
Women’s Small Business Month
Workplace Politics Awareness Month I’m sure we’re aware…
Special October weeks…
10/1-7 Universal Children’s Week
10/2-4 No Salt Week
Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend “thank you” is not enough…
10/4-10 National Newspaper Week
National Work from Home Week
World Space Week remember Space Food Sticks?
Fire Prevention Week
Mental Illness Awareness Week
Mystery Series Week
National Carry a Tune Week in a handbasket…
National Metric Week
10/5-10 Kids’ Goal Setting Week
10/5-11 Nuclear Medicine Week
Customer Service Week let’s make this a 24/7 observation…
Financial Planning Week
Spinning & Weaving Week spin a story, weave a tale…
10/6-12 Physicians Assistant Week
10/11-17 Build Your Business with Business Cards Week
Emergency Nurses Week
Getting the World to Beat a Path to your Door Week
Home-based Business Week
International Credit Union Week
National Chestnut Week roast some on an open fire…
National Food Bank Week
10/12-16 National School Lunch Week hug a lunch lady!
10/12-18 American Association of Medical Assistants
World Rainforest Week another 24/7 thing, y’all…
10/17-24 Food & Drug Interaction Education & Awareness Week
10/18-24 Freedom from Bullies Week we should ALWAYS be free of them…
Teen Read Week
National Chemistry Week
National Hospital & Health-System Pharmacy Week
YWCA Week Without Violence
National Infertility Awareness Week adoption is an option…
National Character Counts Week
National Forest Products Week
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
National School Bus Safety Week
10/19-25 Freedom of Speech Week
National Food Bank Week
National Massage Therapy Week I’ll take two!
National Businesswomen’s Week
10/24-30 Disarmament Week you can’t hug with nuclear arms…
10/25-31 Pastoral Care Week
International Magic Week rabbits & top hats anyone?
National Respiratory Care Week
Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week
10/26-11/1 Give Wildlife a Break Week give them a BRAKE, too!
10/27-11/3 World Hearing Aid Awareness Week
October days to celebrate…
10/1 Fire Pup Day
International Day of Older Persons
World Vegetarian Day the animals thank you…
Brazil: Festival of Penha
South Korea: Armed Forces Day
Hong Kong: National Day
10/2 Guardian Angels Day mine’s been busy lately…
Lee’s National Denim Day wear your favorite pair!
National Diversity Day
Phileas Fogg’s Wager Day
National Custodial Workers Day
Techie’s Day
World Farm Animals Day that should have been yesterday…
World Smile Day
10/3 Alternative Fuel Day
Change a Light Day with an eco-friendly bulb…
World Card Making Day
Inter-American Water Day
Israel/Judaism: Sukkot (1st Day) enjoy the Sukkah!
South Korea: Tangun Day
10/4 Blessing of the Fishing Fleet
Ten-Four Day we’re A-ok
Intergeneration Day
World Communion Day
Hong Kong: Mid-Autumn Festival
10/5 Child Health Day
Cowboy Hall of Fame Ceremony & Banquet
Improve Your Office Day would someone clean mine for me?
World Habitat Day
World Teachers Day
U.S. Supreme Court Term begins
Portugal: Republic Day
10/6 Ecological Debt Day I’m afraid it’s bigger than the US debt…
Jackie Mayer Rehab Day
Mad Hatter Day can’t wait to see Johnny Depp do this one…
National German-American Day guten tag!
Egypt: Armed Forces Day
Ireland: Ivy Day
Syria: October War
10/7 Balloons Around the World love rainbow-colored balloons!
10/8 Alvin C. York Day
National Depression Screening Day don’t fight it alone…
World Sight Day
Croatia: Statehood
Peru: Battle of Angamos
10/9 Leif Erickson Day
World Post Day send an email!
Ecuador: Independence of Guayaquil
Korea: Alphabet Day (Hangul)
10/10 International Newspaper Carrier Day how long will this job last…
National Cake Decorating Day
Naval Academy Day make a cake for a Navy service person!
Universal Music Day sing when you deliver it!
Japan: Taiiko-no-Hi
Kenya: Moi Day
Taiwan: Double Tenth Day
10/11 Clergy Appreciation Day
General Pulaski Memorial Day
International African Diaspora Day
National Coming Out Day
Simchat Torah
10/12 Columbus Day thank you, Chris…
Free Thought Day
International Moment of Frustration Scream Day
National Kick Butt Day cigarettes or jerks?
Native Americans’ Day
National Salesperson Day
Bahamas: Discovery Day
Canada: Thanksgiving
Mexico: Dia de la Raza
Spain: National Holiday (Hispanity)
10/13 Emergency Nurses Day
Navy Birthday
National Face Your Fears Day do something every day that scares you…
Hawaii: Discoverer’s Day
10/14 Be Bald and Be Free Day
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
International Top Spinning Day fun!
National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work & School Day
Yemen: Revolution Day
10/15 Get to Know Your Customers Day it’s about time…
Get Smart About Credit Day
International Credit Union Day
National Grouch Day hug Oscar!
National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day
White Cane Safety Day
China: Birth of Confucius
Iran: Martyrdom of Imam Jaffar Sadeq
Japan: Newspaper Week
10/16 (National) Boss’s Day give ‘em the day off!
Dictionary Day look it up!
Mammography Day
World Food Day it’s a distribution problem not a quantity problem
10/17 Bridge Day game or structure!
Diwali
Dussehra
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Mulligan Day stew or golf?
Sweetest Day chocolate caramels on the menu!
World Toy Camera Day
Malaysia: Deepavali
10/18 National Chocolate Cupcake Day sweet!
World Menopause Day that’s why we need the cupcakes…
10/19 Evaluate Your Life Day
World Osteoporosis Day get your calcium, ladies!
10/20 Miss America Rose Day
Birth of the Bab
Kenya: Kenyatta Day
10/21 Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce
10/22 Caps Lock Day don’t shout!
International Stuttering Awareness Day
10/23 iPod Day shoulda bought Apple stock in 1992…
National Mole Day skin or rodent?
Hungary: Revolution Day
Thailand: Chulalongkom Day
10/24 United Nations Day
World Development Information Day
Make A Difference Day librarians do this EVERY day!
10/25 Lung Health Day don’t smoke…
Mother-in-Law Day just smile
Reformation Sunday
Sourest Day
XTERRA World Championships
10/26 Worldwide Howl at the Moon Night I’m there!
Mule Day unsung heroes…
Austria: National Day
China: Chung Yeung
10/27 Cranky Co-Workers Day do we celebrate or kick their butts?
Navy Day
10/28 Day of International Concern About Young People & Gun Violence
National Chocolates Day hooray, more chocolate!
St. Jude’s Day
Czech Republic: Independence Day
Greece: Ochi (Oxi) Day
10/29 Internet Day surf for fun and facts!
World Psoriasis Day
Turkey: Republic Day
10/30 Create a Great Funeral Day might as well…
Devil’s Night
Haunted Refrigerator Night creepy…
International Bandanna Day
National Candy Corn Day gross…
Frankenstein Friday
10/31 Halloween my 2nd favorite holiday!
National Caramel Apple Day I love caramel apples…
National Knock-Knock Jokes Day who’s there?
National Magic Day
National UNICEF Day
Reformation Day re-form with a great costume!
Samhain hug a Wiccan!
Germany: Day of Reformation
Selected Author/Illustrator Birthdays…
10/1 Julie (Andrews) Edwards, 1935; Paul Yee, 1956
10/2 Jeanne Betancourt, 1941; Bruce Balan, 1959
10/3 Thomas Wolfe, 1900; James Herriot, 1916; Marilyn Singer, 1948
10/4 Robert Lawson, 1892; Karen Cushman, 1941; Don Brown, 1949
10/5 David Shannon, 1959
10/6 Elizabeth Janet Gray, 1902
10/7 Alice Dalgliesh, 1893; Robert Westall, 1929
10/8 Barthe DeClements, 1920; Frank Herbert, 1920; R. L. Stine, 1943
10/9 Johanna Hurwitz, 1937
10/10 James Riordan, 1936; Robert D. San Souci, 1946
10/11 Russell Freedman, 1929; Susan Arnold, 1951
10/12 Alice Childress, 1920; Robert Coles, 1929
10/13 Eileen Dunlop, 1938; David Greenberg, 1954
10/14 Lois Lenski, 1893; ee cummings, 1894; Miriam Cohen, 1926
10/15 Barry Moser, 1940
10/16 Oscar Wilde, 1854; Joseph Bruchac, 1942
10/17 Naomi Karp, 1926; Judith Caseley, 1951
10/18 Esther Hautzig, 1930; Joyce Hansen, 1942
10/19 Ed Emberley, 1931; Philip Pullman, 1946; Dan Gutman, 1955
10/20 Crockett Johnson, 1975; Nikki Grimes, 1950
10/21 Ursula LeGuinn, 1929; Janet Ahlbert, 1944
10/22 N.C. Wyeth, 1882; Marjorie Flack, 1897
10/23 J. Michael Crichton, 1942; Gordon Korman, 1963
10/24 Phyllis Fenner, 1899; Barbara Robinson, 1927
10/25 Stephanie Tolan, 1942
10/26 Steven Kellogg, 1941
10/27 Dylan Thomas, 1914; Sylvia Plath, 1932
10/28 Leonard Kessler, 1921; Judith Thurman, 1946
10/29 Valerie Worth, 1933; Rhonda Gowler Greene, 1955
10/30 Sydney Taylor, 1904; Eric Kimmel, 1946
10/31 Katherine Paterson, 1932; Tom Paxton, 1937
Some information obtained from School Library Monthly and http://www.brownielocks.com/october.html