Even my 1988 hard cover dictionary lists a few definitions for living. These range from the very basic (state of existence – something static) to more intentional (finding joy, purpose and engagement – something participatory). Reading through the 15 lines describing the meaning of living, I was reminded the word is often used as an adjective, as in a living wage, within living memory or a living language.

Related Thoughts and Observations

I often notice the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon at work, pinging my subconscious when an article, news story or something else in the world “magically” aligns with the Photo Blogging Challenge theme for the month. In October, something related to living seemed to pop up at least a few times each week. I know the actual frequency of the topic in the wild has not increased; it’s just that my awareness and sensitivity to it amped up once PJ published the topic.

Zest is a Key Ingredient to Good Living (by Joan M. Cook, published October 17, 2026 in the Ideas section, Time Magazine) is one article that resonated strongly. It’s loaded with links to additional resources. And the author recognizes that while some people seem naturally to have an irresistible aliveness, others have to work hard to cultivate zest – especially those living with physical illness, pain or mental health challenges.

Re-reading the article got me thinking about my “word” for 2027. At this point, zest is a top contender. Or maybe one of its synonyms: vitality, exuberance, or joie de vivre (French for joy of living). Who knows…depending on the December and January PBC themes, I may even share my final choice here on the blog.

Also this month, I came across the word herbstfreude (German) which translates to “autumn joy.” It’s a perfect, one-word descriptor for the sense of excitement and delight I experience in the fall: apple and vegetable harvest, cool mornings and evenings, the changing from green to warm yellows, oranges and reds, family birthdays, Halloween, the first dusting of snow on the mountain peaks and more. All of which makes it easier to make this month about truly living!

Here’s my set of photos for the month…

1. Family Celebrations

We celebrated milestone birthdays on both sides of the family. Here’s a quick pic from the second family get together, which features both Japanese and Chinese takeout at the request of the celebrant. This unusual “Asian fusion” allowed us to scout out two new-to-us restaurants that turned out to be fairly decent. 🙂

Bonus photo – for another family birthday celebration, we dined in-person at another new-to-us restaurant. It fully lived up to its excellent reviews on Google. Here’s the katsu lunch plate that I had to share with other family members due to its deliciousness and sheer amount of food!

2. Family Board Game Night

We enjoyed several family board game nights (a near-weekly tradition) this month, including a few when our oldest and partner were visiting. This is an in-progress game of Wingspan with all the official expansions.

3. Introduction to Glassblowing

We tried to take an introduction to glassblowing class about a year ago, but I left it too late and the studio was fully booked during the time of our oldest and partner’s visit. So this year I booked WAY in advance. We had so much fun!

Not only was there a bit of friendly competition to see who could produce “the best” wavy bowl, small bowl, bird, etc., but even the choosing of which projects to do, which colors to use, watching people gasp for breath after blowing open an ornament or vase or whatever, and more. Plus there’s an indirect connection to the family that runs the studio, which added to the warmth and enjoyment. I didn’t take this photo, but it was taken with my phone so I’ve opted to include it.

Bonus photos – some of the pieces we made.

4. Living with the Consequences

Life involves consequences, whether or not you’re aware of the potentialities. I grew up in a place and time where sunburns were accepted as a normal part of summer. Now, decades later, I’m dealing with the consequences of pre-cancerous sun damage and the associated requirement for treatment. Here’s a rare selfie, taken after 10-days of at home pre-treatment before a final treatment of my face at the dermatology clinic. Believe me, my face was much redder, more scaly and quite painful for more than a week afterwards. But those limited effects are preferable to the potential “C”onsequences of ignoring the risks arising from a care-free (ignorant?) childhood. When’s the last time you had a skin check?

5. Listening and Responding

The richness of life is enhanced by listening and responding – just like any truly good conversation. I learned at our glassblowing workshop that October is our youngest’s favorite month. And since pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns are synonymous with October, youngest came home with a blown glass pumpkin. Anyhow, that led me to probe for interest in carving jack-o-lanterns, which we hadn’t done for about 10 years. And youngest said sure! We spent an afternoon cleaning out the guts, choosing patterns and using the Dremel tool to make jack-o-lanterns far more elaborate than any from our kids’ childhood days. I hope I remember to suggest this again next October.

Bonus photos – our completed Pokémon-themed jack-o-lanterns, a Pikachu and a Jigglypuff. You can see the learning curve effect, with the Pikachu drawn in thick black sharpie (bad idea) and the Jigglypuff drawn in thin red sharpie (much better idea). Also, we need better lights for this kind of jack-o-lantern. The Pokémon pumpkins went will with the mini-packs of Pokémon trading cards we handed out with candies.

And that’s a wrap! I hope you had at least a few moments when you felt you were truly living over the past month.

To see how other Photo Blogging Challenge participants approached this theme, head on over to host PJ’s blog, A ‘lil HooHaa and look for the linkup at the bottom of his post.

And please, consider joining us in November, when the theme is Make your month about being a storyteller. You’ll need 5 photos and a blog site. There are free options available, so hit me up in the comments if you need more info on getting started.