Hey everybody, it’s Aaron! I am writing this on a Sunday evening, and it just so happens to be the last Sunday of summer… the last Sunday before (dun, dun, DUNNNN) my students come back into the classroom. (*Insert Halloween screaming noises*)

I am incredibly excited and think this year is truly going to be a great one. I’m going into my fifth (what?!) year of teaching middle school English, and I’m excited to meet and build relationships with all of my kids. 

However, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been in a bit of a “funk” today and started having wild anxiety while showering earlier… Many of us recognize this as the “Sunday Scaries” and they were in full effect today. I also, during this “funk” mood, was feeling uninspired. Yesterday, I went to the lake with my parents and got to spend the day in the sun, with Christian and my family, and it was wonderful. We both got gnarly sun burns, so we will both be going in to work tomorrow looking like a crab and a lobster when we meet our kids, lol.

However, when thinking of my mood and mindset between yesterday and today, it dawned on me how quickly things can change and how thoughts and emotions impact everything else around me.

With all of that being said, I think I am going to list some of my favorite things to read, listen to, watch, taste, sip, and experience that all put me in a “Fall/Autumn Mood.” I love summer, but Fall is my all time favorite season. I am trying to look for the positive things and hope that this newsletter provides you with some visuals that help get you in that mood soon, too. As Chandra recently told Brenda and I, “I’m just ready to use the word CRISP.”

Cuddling up with a good book, especially with a cardigan and a soft, cozy blanket. A few books that are great for Fall/Halloween season that I highly recommend are: The Whispering Man by Alex North, Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky, the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman, as well as The Amityville Horror (for which I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook if you want to feel creeped out!)

I love drinking what I refer to as Witch’s Brew, for which I found in a recipe book ages ago and don’t remember the exact measurements. However, it consists of frozen orange juice, frozen lemonade, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and apple cider. You let it simmer on the stove for an hour, remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves and add whiskey to make things more fun. It is great around a bonfire or while listening to a good record.

Want to hear something spooky? I highly recommend The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor soundtracks! 

I also LOVE going to wineries and vineyards and feeling the CRISP (ya feel me, Chandra?) air and watching the beautiful leaves fall. Sweaters, scarves, and boots are also wonderful, obviously. I do enjoy pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING (well, within reason), and I’m excited to have it be reintroduced to my taste buds. 

Also, Hocus Pocus 2 is coming on Disney Plus on Friday, September 30th!!

I love listening to the Halloween Hootenany album and enjoy burning incense, drinking herbal tea, getting pumpkins to carve or at the very least, sit outside on your porch. 

All of these are things that I’m sure many of you enjoy or already do during this upcoming season. However, I hope that this got at least one of you excited for Autumn, excited for something coming up this month, inspired for something, because I personally feel more uplifted and ready to have something pumpkin-flavored. For now, my Prosecco will have to do with my Pumpkin Carving candle burning. I have no complaints. Love to you all.

Cheers,
-Aaron