I love equinoxes and solstices, these change-of-season times that are supposed to be ideal for cleaning and clearing and getting rid of excess. The first day of fall 2009 comes tomorrow, Tuesday, at 5:18 p.m. Eastern time. Here what it inspires me to do:
Learn stuff! This is back-to-school time which always puts me in a bookish frame of mind,
but this year I’m craving information like never before. It may be due in part to the largely raw food diet I’ve been eating the past several months. I was reading the website of The Raw Model (Anthony Anderson, pictured right) and he was saying how he, too, wants to absorb knowledge more than ever. Coincidence maybe. Anyhow, this is the time when learning is awfully appealing.
Walk and breathe the air. Autumn air smells the best to me, and September sun is precious since I know what’s coming down the road. Saturday William and I walked from Harlem to Soho (it’s a ways) and took in Central Park, a Times Square street festival, a movie downtown (The Big Fan, by the guy who wrote The Wrestler—it was fabulous), and then met my daughter, son-in-law, and his visiting parents in the East Village for dinner. Then we went to Nick’s show, Homer‘s Odyssey, which, “due to sold-out houses and enthusiastic reviews,” was just extended with an off-Broadway contract. We’re all very proud and excited. (Nick makes a great Cyclops—on stilts even.)
Go to farmers’ markets. They’re lovely in spring with the flowers and the early lettuce, and in summer with the berries and the peaches, but late September, October, and a bit beyond is my favorite time there. I love the look of pumpkins and gourds and assorted roots, of hardy greens that can survive a frost, and hardy farmers who don’t mind coming to the city for a few more weekends.
Get out the fall clothes. I won’t do it just yet: summer didn’t come to this part of the world till July, and we seem to get an extension into October, so my closet still looks very pastel and sleeveless, but it won’t be long before I get to re-meet my sweaters and tweeds and corduroys. There’s just more to play with and layer and express yourself in in cold-weather clothes, especially before it gets so cold you have to cover them with a coat.
Nest. As this season cycles in, I want to stay home more and do home home-centered types
of things: organize the kitchen cabinets, have people over for dinner, and paint the living room. (When we bought our condo this time last year, we made great color choices in the bedrooms. The living room just doesn’t work, though, and it’s time to repent my chromatic sins.)
Write. I was on the road the better part of four months getting the word out about Living a Charmed Life and The Love-Powered Diet. Now it’s time to stay put and write my next book. What would you like to read?
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Note: A wonderful young friend of mine, Michael Parrish, wrote his first Huffington Post blog today. It’s about why the ecological benefits of a plant-based diet need to be part of any serious environmental discussion. It’s a great piece, both well thought out and beautifully written.
posted September 21, 2009 at 8:49 pm
probably something along the lines of not losing yourself in a relationship or maybe even a living a charmed life for couples edition… just a thought
posted September 21, 2009 at 8:54 pm
oh! how about the financial book you wanted to write about? so excited for your new book!
posted September 21, 2009 at 11:19 pm
I have been thinking lately that a new edition of Younger By The Day would be wonderful!
posted September 22, 2009 at 7:45 am
Ah, thanks for the reminder to get back to the farmer’s market. I have that as a romantic image in my mind nearly every week. Seems like we get absorbed in all the things we need to get done and somehow rarely make it up there. What I really want to do is get a bike (mine somehow got run over by my car…luckily no one was on the bike at the time). Then I imagine my family riding bikes together up to the farmer’s market. Talk about romantic!!!
Marly
posted September 22, 2009 at 10:21 am
Hi Victoria: In your most recent book, you mentioned an anecdote from your daughter that said she never knew you were poor because you lived so well (I am papaphrasing). As someone who is trying to do that very thing, I think that would be a wonderful subject to expand on.
posted September 22, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Victoria, Anthony Anderson is a dear friend of ours! We know you from Unity of New York, and LOVE it whenever you speak there. My partner Ed and I started the site, UnitySocial.com AND…. Anthony Anderson is a great friend of ours! Small world, eh!? We need to have you all over to our place for a little wine & cheese (or something raw called “mock wine & cheese” LOL) some time soon!
posted September 22, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Bruce just sent this over to me, so great to read about your path!!! Im glad you are feeling the changes!
Would love to meet up for a juice!
Anthony
posted September 22, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Autumn is my favorite season! Pumpkins, mums and crisp air…love it!
You should be writing the book…New York Minute!
posted September 22, 2009 at 5:02 pm
How about a book on NYC? You seem to love the City and are always out and about experiencing the best of it. Just put on your tour guide hat and share what you know. Adair could even co-write the book with you.
posted September 23, 2009 at 11:33 am
i loved your shelter for the spirit book and also ways and means to live a charmed life while being fiscally responsible. spending money where you will get the biggest return..