By Matthew Sotlar
By the time this column is published, summer will be over. All of the 90/90 days — 90 degrees, 90% humidity — will seem like a distant dream. With the departure of summer comes the much-appreciated arrival of fall.
Whether you love it for the scenery, the cool weather, the long nights, football games, etc., everyone — at least the people who I surround myself with — loves fall.
Obviously, the best part of fall for me is the cool weather, a close second would be the trees. Go down to Mill Creek Park and take a look at the mighty oaks. They stretch high into the sky and are usually flourishing with green leaves.
As soon as October and November roll in, the leaves are either scattered on the ground or turned red and orange and ready to drop
I’ve lived out in the country for the greater part of my life, so I’ve grown to love the long, cool nights and the landscapes during the fall. There is nothing better than driving down a long stretch of highway at sunset with the windows down and a little Eagles or America on the radio. To me, that is the American Dream.
Halloween is another plus to the fall season. I love binge-watching horror movies and skyrocketing my blood sugar levels on cheap candy. While some may hate them, I love a classic 70s horror movie. That was when directors didn’t have CGI and had to rely on practical effects and atmosphere to create psychological horror.
The best Halloween candy is obviously the little Laffy Taffy bites — not including the banana flavor, yuck — and I will not debate on the subject. You’re talking to a stubborn mule. As for scary movies, my favorites are “The Wicker Man” and “The Shining.” They’re classics and worth it for the cheap scares.
I’ve got my costume lined up for Halloween, at least I do for now, until I inevitably change it — again — in a week. I’m going as Saul Goodman from “Breaking Bad,” since I just finished the show last month.
Fall also brings Thanksgiving. There’s nothing more American than gorging myself on turkey and side dishes and taking a five-hour nap at 4 in the afternoon. It’s always a plus to see my family. The meal makes Thanksgiving worthwhile for me, even though I know the first Thanksgiving wasn’t as fantastic as my teachers told me in elementary school.
The seasons in Ohio are always interchangeable. Some days in the fall reach 80 degrees and sometimes it’s the mid 40s in October. Even when it’s 90 degrees and I’m swimming, or it’s 20 degrees and I’m sitting around the Christmas tree, I’m thinking about fall.
Of all the seasons, fall is the best. Like Goldilocks, it’s not too hot or cold, just right.