October brings magnificent fall colors, birthday cheer for Libras and Scorpios, sausage and beer, pink ribbons, scary-looking pumpkins and sweet-tasting treats. L.M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables, once said, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” Don’t you agree?
#1 – Thank a Teacher
Every October 5th UNESCO celebrates World Teacher’s Day. There are very few of us who cannot give credit to a teacher for helping to shape our lives in some way. I had many wonderful teachers who I didn’t appreciate until I was older. When I thought to thank them, they were gone. So don’t wait, today’s a good day to thank a teacher who’s made a difference in your life!
#2 – Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Who’s Got the Pumpkin?
October means it’s pumpkin time! Thanks to Lil’ Luna, who’s scoured the internet for us, we have a source for many delicious pumpkin recipes. If Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts, Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, or Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream sound good to you, you’d better go check out her list of links to 50+ Pumpkin Recipes.
#3 – Cyber Security
October is also National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Watch this 5 minute video from SANS on “how to spot and protect yourself from one of the most common attacks, email and phishing.” It could be 5 minutes that saves you from days, weeks, or months of future headaches.
#4 – Squish Your Pink
Although the color orange, as in jack-o-lanterns, comes to mind when we think about October, there is another color that dominates the month – the color pink. Pink ribbons are everywhere in support of breast cancer awareness. But this month just don’t wear pink or buy pink, please “squish your pink!” It’s a good month to remember to have a mammogram done and to encourage other women to have theirs done, too.
If cost is an issue for you or someone you know, many facilities have breast-screening specials this month. Here are links to sites with more information for free or low cost mammograms:
CDC National Breast and Cancer Early Detection Program
How to Find Where to Get a Free Mammogram During Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Find Free or Low-Cost Mammograms
And here are sites to check out if you want to help fund mammograms for women in need:
The Breast Cancer Site
“In just a few seconds each day, visitors can click on the pink “Click Here to Give – it’s FREE” button on the home page and, at no cost to them, help fund a free mammogram for a woman in need. The mammograms are paid for by The Breast Cancer Site’s sponsors and distributed by the National Breast Cancer Foundation.”
National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.
#5 – Think About This
“It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.” Dale Carnegie
Enjoy the treats of October!
