Pumpkin Drunk

I got a certificate/postcard today (yesterday as you are reading this) from my place of employment. On the postcard was a sort of congratulatory "You've made it 2 years with us" message of acknowledgement. The first thing I thought was, 2 years...I've really been working this job for 2 years? You see, I never graduated college. I worked my butt off for three years, making the Dean's list, working as an RA, and taking leadership roles in my sorority and different clubs. I loved school and I worked hard at it, but I was lacking direction. I didn't know what I wanted to be. I still don't. After switching majors three times I decided to take a break. I went home and then moved in with Derek who was still attending school at the time. Now he is in his second year of Grad school and I've been working at a job that I actually truly like, but don't see myself doing for life. So this tiny weeny post card brought on a lot of big emotions and feelings about where I'm going and what I want to do.

I know the healthy thing to do with these big emotions would be to call a friend, talk them out, reflect, take a bath, do some yoga, but no... I decided to get pumpkin drunk, metaphorically and literally. Tis' the season am I right?

I showed Derek my little postcard and told him I wanted to celebrate. Derek and I got out our pumpkin supplies: A pumpkin, pumpkin carving kit, and of course pumpkin head, a favorite local seasonal beer. 

I think we did a pretty kick ass job carving it. We decided to skip the level 1 recommended stencils and went straight for level 2...just sayin'

This is when Derek left to visit a friend. I decided to continue the pumpkin trend of the night by cooking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. 

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And then ate 1 or 4. 

While I was baking I put in, The Graduate because I've got about 40 more movies I need to watch to cross off #15: Watch 8 of Time magazine's top 50 movies of all time and that was one of them. I couldn't have chosen a better time to watch The Graduate. I could totally relate to the pressure and expectations that Dennis Hoffman goes through in the beginning. The whole Mrs. Robinson thing I couldn't relate with, that would be weird, but the rest of it I got.

This one quote from the movie particularly spoke to me: It's like I was playing some kind of game, but the rules don't make any sense to me. They're being made up by all the wrong people. I mean no one makes them up. They seem to make themselves up.

Then after the movie I wanted more pumpkin. So I baked the pumpkin seeds.

and now since I find myself with no remnants of the pumpkin left to cook or carve... Its just me and the postcard. And ya know what? I've decided to frame it, because (and this might be the pumpkin talking), I have nothing to be sad about and everything to be happy for. I have a job that pays the bills and gives me the freedom to pursue my own interests, I'm in love, I'm supported, all of my family are happy and healthy, I have food to eat, a place to sleep, and someone who cares. And that is something to celebrate, so celebrate I will... or have (there goes the pumpkin). I think all accomplishments, big or small, should be celebrated. And if all pursuits fail... I think I've got a bright future in pumpkin carving (see photo above).

My new favorite movie and my recent accomplishment framed.

Thanks so much for reading.