Mid-October DID/SAW/HEAR/DRAW

Whoa-hoa-hoa-hoa-hoa season

Kimber Poon

Oct 16, 2024

*Kimber Was Here is a record of how I make sense of the world. These essays are my oranges. Thanks for following along :)*

DID:

Even though this October has been unusually warm, I’ve still been doing all the fall things possible.

My fall things have included:

Buying the Pumpkin Vanilla candle from Trader Joe’s
Painting pumpkins
Drinking a pumpkin spice chai latte
Making soup
Laughing every time Jonny says “spoogy” instead of “spooky”
Eating butternut squash, roasted with cinnamon and honey
Making a grilled cheese sandwich with muenster cheese and green apple slices
Going to my university’s homecoming game. Something about football just screams “FALL!” to me, and my college campus is so nostalgic <3
Strolling around the Pumpkin Walk hosted in my college town… there were so many creative pumpkin displays! (my favorite is pictured below. AMAZING!)
My sister-in-law and I were dying at the goat — that’s a really good goat!

SAW:

This month I have been reading a physical book! With my eyes! I bought Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr, and there’s something about seeing words on actual paper that feels soul-nourishing. I am the kind of reader who cannot read a book without a pen in her hand, and I have completely marked up this book (I think of it as having a conversation with the author — it’s fun!)

Although it is written by a spiritual teacher and rooted in Christianity, it truly is phenomenal for both religious and non-religious people, and delves into what Rohr calls the “two halves of life". The gist of it is this: in the first half of life, you build up a container (identity, values, morals, ego, etc), and in the second half of life, you find what is meant to fill that container (meaning you actually get to live!). Rohr says that often people don’t know there is a second half of life and so they don’t get to that part.

Here’s a quote from the book that I love:

“We were meant to thrive and not just survive. We are glad when someone survives, and that surely took some courage and effort. But what are you going to do with your now resurrected life? That is the heroic question.”

HEAR:

This month I have been listening to the Twilight audiobook (yes.) That was one of the first romance books I distinctly remember reading in middle school and revisiting it has been hilarious. I love nothing more than listening to Stephanie Meyer’s descriptions of Edward Cullen’s golden eyes and glittery alabaster skin while mopping my kitchen floor. Why did I think Edward was soooo hot back then? Now as I have been listening to it, all I notice are his major red flags.

HE FOLLOWED HER HOME, HE CONSTANTLY BELITTLES HER AND MAKES FUN OF HER CLUMSINESS, HE WATCHES HER WHEN SHE SLEEPS, HE CONSTANTLY WARNS HER HE IS DANGEROUS AND NOT TO MENTION HE IS A LITERAL VAMPIRE WHO WANTS TO DRINK HER BLOOD. 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

But, despite the red flags, I have been thoroughly enjoying myself. Here is a Twilight-inspired playlist and a funny Halloween costume idea if you also were/are a Twilight fan:

DRAW:

A spooky illustration inspired by this song by the Head and the Heart:

My little sister and I also had the cutest craft night last night (<3) Her craft creation was incredible and totally October-y:

Let me know what you are doing, seeing, hearing, and drawing!

Kimber was here… and you’re here, too.

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