October is the best month of the year.

There’s no denying or debating or even discussing it.

If it weren’t for October, there’d be no reason to stick out Nebraska summers, year after terrible year. Everyone with any sense would have moved closer to the Arctic Circle a long time ago, if October weren’t sitting there for us, shiny and cool, at the end of every September.

In fact, there is so much to love about October, and so many awesome October things to do, that you could spend all of November and December just thinking about how you let it go to waste.

Don’t.

How many Octobers are you going to get in this life? Seventy? Eighty? If you’re lucky.

You’ve got to wring every ounce of wonderful out of October while it’s right in front of you. You’ve got to gulp it down while it’s still a little too hot. You’ve got to make a plan and stick to it like a whole bag of Kraft caramels.

You can use my plan if you want. Thirty-one ways to maximize all 31 days. I didn’t write it in here, but you should assume that every day starts with a deep sigh.

Oct. 1: Decide that maybe living in Nebraska isn’t so bad after all.

Oct. 2: Quaff a seasonal beverage.

Oct. 3: Contemplate a falling leaf.

Oct. 4: Use the word “brisk.”

Oct. 5: Introduce yourself to a bag of Mello Creme pumpkins.

Oct. 6: Wear your favorite sweater.

Oct. 7: Wear your second-favorite sweater.

Oct. 8: Roast something.

Oct. 9: Leave your house. Walk until you smell a fireplace. Inhale deeply.

Oct. 10: Don’t leave your house. Watch three movies you’ve never seen before.

Oct. 11: Get caramel stuck in your teeth.

Oct. 12: Consider learning to knit. (Decide not to.)

Oct. 13: Wear your favorite scarf. Pretend you’re in Ravenclaw.

Oct. 14: Purchase a decorative gourd.

Oct. 15: Play a board game. Also acceptable: jigsaw puzzles, pinochle or pitch.

Oct. 16: Plug in a crockpot and fill it with cocktail wieners.

Oct. 17: Bring home the perfect pumpkin. Play with knives.

Oct. 18: Make concrete plans to have s’mores.

Oct. 19: Light too many candles.

Oct. 20: Wear knee socks. (Sub as needed with: tights, spats or leg warmers.)

Oct. 21: Have soup for lunch.

Oct. 22: Have chili for lunch. (Chili is different from soup.)

Oct. 23: Blame something on the full moon.

Oct. 24: Quick, make your own Halloween costume.

Oct. 25: Tell a spoooky story.

Oct. 26: Watch a scaaary movie.

Oct. 27: Believe in the Great Pumpkin.

Oct. 28: Eat a snack-sized candy bar.

Oct. 29: Vampires vs. zombies. Discuss.

Oct. 30: Cackle.

Oct. 31: Turn on the porch light.

Contact the writer:
444-1149; rainbow.rowell@owh.com