October, at last.

The past week has been a blur of coffee and newsprint. However, it was entirely worth it.

The first newspaper this semester (and my first as editor!) came out Wednesday evening. Needless to say, I am over the moon with happiness. The stories turned out good, the layout looks wonderful, the brand new addition of color on the front and back pages is striking.. It really makes all those 11 or 12 or 13 hour days on campus worth while.

The newspapers are available at the Granite City, Red Bud, Belleville, and East St. Louis Southwestern Illinois College campuses.

In my spare time since my last update I have gone successfully gone both vintage luggage shopping and on a mad DIY spree. The luggage, which very well might not actually be that old, is a light brown leather-looking suitcase with a buckle and a small handle that cost me $7 second-hand. The DIY projects have included everything from an assortment of throw pillows to apple-green pelmet boxes. I would go snap a picture, but they are in the bedroom, and Ricky is still asleep.

I can't blame him, though. I would love to still be asleep. The sun hasn't even began to crack over the horizon. Every year I forget how hard it is to wake up when it is still dark.

There is a plus side to the seasons changing. It is finally October, which means I can finally wear my trench coat without looking totally insane. The high temperature for today is somewhere around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, plus a lovely wind, which means it is a legitimate time to wear a long jacket. The coat, which is a light grey Nine West toggle trench, was a birthday present, meaning it was only useful for a few weeks before it became too warm. It has been hanging, sad and lonely, inside my closet, waiting for the leaves to fall. Jacket—your time has come.

On another, and completely off-topic, note, I have suddenly began caring about my nails. Although yes, I've always painted them, they've never been a big deal. I am too impatient to wait for normal nail polish to dry, so I only use fast-drying on my fingers. Up until last week, I was addicted to Avon Speed Dry Nail Enamel (what can I say? I used to be an Avon lady!) which dries very quickly, but bubbles horribly. Now I am in a mad love affair with Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Fast Dry Nail Color and Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen. They look perfect and dry quickly. I have polka-dot toes and little flowers on my thumbs. I feel nauseatingly girly, yet oh so happy every time I notice them.

I should go dry my hair. I'll be tutoring 9-4, followed my sushi with some friends from my algebra class, then extreme-cleaning my apartment. Fridays are always something.

Should today be a Starbucks day? Silly me, of course it should!