Fall. There's just something about it that captivates my soul. Maybe it's the return of all the rich flavors and scents, manifested as a cliche obsession with pumpkin spice lattes; the bittersweet bikinis-for-boots and sandals-for-sweaters exchange; saying goodbye to the grill and hello to the crockpot; the ageless Faith Hill ringing in a new season on the gridiron and funnel cakes at the fair; or maybe it's the crisp mornings and clear afternoons. Whatever it is, it makes me want to turn over a thousand new leaves, rake them into a heaping pile, and jump in.
And whatever it is, it's tugging me in a million different directions. Pushing, pulling, driving, distracting. Just like the weather this time of year, there's no predicting it. I love it, and I hate it. It makes me want to kick ass at my job and take over the world - or quit my job and travel it. It makes me want to dye my hair and paint my toes only to curl up in sweats and eat my weight in tuna noodle casserole. It makes me want to sleep in on Saturdays or wake up early to sip hot tea... or hike... or vacuum. It makes me want to bake beer bread and cupcakes and join a spin class for damage control. It makes me want to read a book, then write a book, and then give up and watch TV instead. It makes me nostalgic as I flip through the mental photos of old friends, volleyball, and college. And it makes me want to dust off the Canon and capture the beauty of today. 
But mostly, it keeps me up at night. I lay in bed staring at the blades of the ceiling fan spinning around and around as a thousand wild ideas surge through my mind, trying to keep up. Not even the white wine can tame them. And when my eyes are finally too weak to follow one more revolution of the fan, I fall into a deep, tumultuous sleep where Wonderland-like dreams invade my subconscious - the kind that take over when you eat chocolate just before bed. I wake up exhausted, yet energized, to face another day of this strange dichotomy.So whatever it is - the confusion, the distraction, the inspiration - I welcome it, and the change of colors that's coming my way.
