The weather was especially nice today. We’re on the verge of our customary shift in Seasons. I call this Season Pre-Fall. Some locals call it False Fall. Whatever you call it, today was nice with highs in the low 80’s and lows in the high 60s. The sky was filled with bright fluffy white clouds against a backdrop of pale blue. As I was enjoying the nice day, I took a stroll around my work campus to get some fresh air and think about meaningless facts, fictional characters that live in the minds of myself and those close to me, and other extremely non-important trivia. Here are a few of my mindless wonderings.

Regarding the Weather: The funny meme local folx seem to share a lot this time of year in the South is that we usually experience 12 to 20 or more Seasons every year, they are Winter, Fools Spring, Second Winter, Spring of Deception, Third Winter, The Pollening, Pre-Summer, Beach Season, Cultivation Time, Actual Spring, The Real Summer, The Center of the Sun/Hot as Hell, Beach Season again…, False/Pre-Fall, Second Summer, Peanut Harvest, Cotton Harvest, Flight Students Arrive, more Beach Season, and Actual fall. In my family we also observe Football Season, Deer and Dove Hunting Season, Hurricane Season, and Mosquito Season. Of course, we observe major holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day and Iron Bowl, I’m sure you observe those too. Most business and schools close on All Federal, State, Local and REALLY Important holidays like the opening of Dove or Deer Season and Bad Weather/Cold Snap Season which usually causes us to close any major interstate near us for fear of ice or sleet. For the record, most Southerners don’t know how to drive on ice. Stay off the roads if you come to the South in an ice storm. YES, we know YOU can drive well on ice, but we CAN’T. Save yourself an insurance claim and just walk wherever you need to go. You have the heavy jackets, and we know the cold doesn’t upset you… Also, our Seasons can last a few hours to several days and they can happen in no apparent order. They overlap and sometimes they don’t even happen at all. All kidding aside, TODAY was a good day. I’m happy for that. Tomorrow though. Tomorrow promises to be a GREAT Pre-Summer Day.

Now, we only have a few days left, or maybe more, to get your swimsuit out and hit the sandy beach to close out Beach Season. Be sure to cover yourself in sunscreen and remember, Hot as Hell season may descend on you precisely as you step out onto the sand. Be prepared. We Southerners are fond of our Beaches. Yes, we do have one in Alabama. Hydrate well and se Hey to your Neighbors. You are likely to see them there.

As of a few days ago, Football Season is underway… Football in the South is either a sport or a religion. OR BOTH. we take it very seriously. Never plan a wedding or a funeral, blood transfusion, major life saving surgery, or childbirth on any day one of our Alabama teams is playing. We simply won’t show up… We are passionate about football and consider it blasphemous if you aren’t. It’s as divisive as our multi-party political system here in the United States. Football is the third rail, so to speak. Just don’t touch it if you aren’t ready to go deep in the conversation, commentary, or game. Posers will be identified, and many folks have been taken to the proverbial woodshed for talking during a game or criticizing the wrong team. Tread softly.

Now, onto those fictional characters: Ask me about them sometimes. If you ask nicely, one day I may tell you about Ludy and Ellery (the twins from different Parents), Parnell Purvis (the boy my Mama Leased as a Prom date for my sister), the Man under the Bridge, Kristin (The Local Harlot), Clovis Burkett (our Local Retail Heiress) or a host of others. I assure they are real, in my mind…

Thanks for allowing me to share a little about my thoughts today. I’m a little quirky, but I’m honest about it. Maybe it’s my Sothern Charm or perhaps it’s my Gentleman like charisma. You decide.

And finally, as I end my day, I want to reassure you that good days do happen. We all need a good day from time to time, and we all deserve them too. I hope your day was good. See you soon.