Ahhhh, October

October could possibly be the best month of the year.  Cool but not cold temps, Halloween, harvest, kids in school, baseball ending, football getting going, holidays around the corner and just a general feeling of order in the universe.

I even like saying "October."  Maybe it's my inner German relishing the guttural beginning of the word: Auch- toe-ber.  Actually is was just recently that I discovered my German ancestry.  I was able to trace my mother's maternal side of the family back to 1700s Germany.  I had always assumed the Shirey's hailed from Ireland.  Nope.  Germany.

October comes from the Latin "octo" meaning eight, as in the eighth month, according to Wikipedia.  The same source also reports October is Black History Month in the UK, a month with 31 days.  Here and in Canada Black History Month is February, the shortest month of the year.  Hmmmm.... just saying.

Take a look at some other October highlights:

National Pork Month

Clergy Appreciation Month

Pregnancy Loss and Infant Loss Awareness Month

Filipino American History Month

National Arts & Humanities Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender History Month

National Cyber Security Awareness Month

Dwarfism Awareness Month

Auto Battery Safety Month

So, on your way to your annual mammogram (men get breast cancer, too), call your gay pastor to invite him or her to share a pork dish at your favorite Filipino restaurant.  Explain you are on a committee planning an arts fair and plan to include artwork by children living in violent homes.  After lunch, drop your computer off with the Geek Squad before getting your car battery checked, preferably by a little person.

Happy October everyone!!