Acorns. Ah, acorns.

Another reason I simply adore October: The beautiful weather (did anyone go outside today? Ahhh. I had a picnic), and the ACORNS OH MY GOD THE ACORNS.

This is all my mother's fault. When we were little and we used to go on walks with my mother, she'd be all about crunching acorns. Crunch, crunch, crunch, and she had so much fun crunching the acorns, and I always wanted to try it too, because she was having so much fun, but I was too wee and my crunching usually had no effect at all, even if I stood on top of the acorn. So now that I'm grown up and I can crunch acorns effectively, that's what I want to do, like, all the time. Always. It's one of those small pleasures that actually turns out be a massive big pleasure. If you see me around campus in this season, and I look like a bizarre epileptic ballerina wannabe, don't be concerned that I have lost my mind; I am just trying to walk in such a way that will allow me to crunch the largest possible number of acorns.

And, yes, okay, occasionally I will kick acorns from the dirt next to the trees onto the concrete so that I can crunch them, and I have been known to pick up a handful of acorns from near the trees and throw them on the concrete in front of me. But that is only because! That is only because the acorns, they fall very inconveniently right next to the trees! In the mulch area! Where I can't crunch them! It's not because I'm an insane addict, it's just because there are very few acorns on the sidewalks because they have all fallen on the mulch and around the tree roots!

DON'T JUDGE ME.

Another component of this acorn business is that I keep my eyes peeled for acorns on the sidewalk/road where I am walking, and I see them well ahead of me on the sidewalk/road, and then I have a few steps where I am anticipating the satisfaction of crunching that particular acorn, that juicy firm green acorn that will make such a pleasing crunch underfoot (this is particularly fun in heels, incidentally), and then I am in a good mood the whole time I'm walking. So it's good for my mood. It improves my overall wellness.

EXCEPT, except when I spot an acorn up ahead, and I'm all enjoying the anticipation, and then SOMEONE ELSE STEPS ON IT.

I mean, it wouldn't be so bad if I knew that that person had really enjoyed it. I have been known to selflessly give up stepping on acorns in order to surrender them to a companion of mine who might enjoy stepping on them too. But these people aren't even stepping on them on purpose! They don't even care! The acorns mean nothing to them! nothing! I seriously have to stop myself from running up to them and screaming You stepped on my acorn! You stepped on my acorn! But I refrain. I am not a lunatic (yet).

Public service: Kick acorns onto the concrete. Some people like to crunch acorns.