*sputter*

I start my new job next week. For this I am excited.

I had a few thoughts on that other blog, here and here, if you are at all interested in meditation and an recount of that experience to a horrible realization that I am contributing to the demise of the planet.

Such juxtapostion.

I am all a flutter. I think it has to do with the change in the season. Sadly, I have come to realize that this hasn't happened yet. In fact fall won't actually happen until the 23 of September.

But isn't it funny how much our society/culture/'po. mo. whatever the hell' puts its consumer imprint on something so non consumeristic (is that even a word?) as seasons changing? I mean the Equinox is a planetary/solar event, not an arbitrary selection of time and space to go Fall Sale shopping (well, I guess TECHNICALLY it is [an arbitrary selection], we've assigned this particular planetary/solar event with the name FALL EQUINOX and have made it to indicate a change in what we call SEASONS, but thats just semantics really, and truly people? Fall Equinox is not synonymous to A Fall Sale of Clothing Extraordinaire: On now until September 15th - which is STILL SUMMER.).

I was sitting on the bus, deep in thought (I am currently re-reading Aldous Huxley's Island, and that will put you deep in thought) when I looked up and into the window of the Shoppers DrugMart and saw halloween gear. HALLOWEEN GEAR. September 13th was yesterday right? So that puts Halloween approximately 48 days away (so don't delay! Visit your local Gap store for cute costumes for your kids!). You know what will happen as soon as Halloween is past and gone? Christmas Decorations will come out.

We are rushing people! Rush, Rush, Rush. We are talking about fall being here before it happens, and before fall has even reached its adolecence we are going to throw ourselves into the thick of winter.

No wonder we are all so screwed up with stress and anxiety. We tell our children not to wish their time away, that it is precious. But what kind of example are we setting when we freak out about events that aren't taking place MONTHS from now, right now (order your turkeys folks before the end of October or you won't have one! And what kind of people are you if you don't have a turkey for Christmas dinner? Shame on you!)? These events were taken, transformed and then manufactured so that we can consume more.

I mean, I am not even Christian, but I celebrate Christmas. Why? Think about it. If you aren't Jewish, do you celebrate Hannukah? Probably not. So, if you aren't Christian, then why the hell are you celebrating Christmas? Oh! I get it, because it doesn't actually mean celebrating the birth of Christ anymore, it's about how much of your year end bonus you spent on purchasing things for your family that they don't really need. We also call this TRADITION.

Geeze, all this brought on by plastic pumpkins. Wow.

Rather than thinking Summer is over, think about how magical the time of year is when the seasons blend into each other. Rather than lamenting the loss of summer (which hasn't HAPPENED YET, you only think it has because bathing suits and beach mats have gone on sale by 75%), celebrate its last beautiful days. Rather than rushing into the next holiday, and it's hard not to since we are all stuck in this consumer cycle (which is truly by choice, you could stop it if you wanted to), just slow down. Even for a moment. You don't have to give up Christmas if you don't want to, but think, do you really need to get your friend a gift thats just so? Why not make her something? Can't make something? Learn how. Wow, you could learn something new, and give a great gift. And if the idea of not getting the perfect gift for someone is going to ruin your relationship with them, are they really that great of a friend then? Argh, I digress.

My point is this. Stop rushing time, and yourself. Step back from being sucked into the consumeristic mentality. Take a moment and think what is actually pushing you to rush. Is it you pushing? For what? Is it necessary? Will what you are rushing for going to cause you harm, pain, grief if you stop rushing? And enjoy the REST OF THE SUMMER, theres another 9 days left.