As Bob Plyler writes in his "Critical Eye" column this week, summer has pretty much reached its unofficial end.
If your calendar is worth anything, it will tell you we technically have a few weeks left before fall.
My desk calendar says Saturday, Sept. 22, will be the first day of autumn. I'll take the calendar's word for it; I didn't pay a whole lot of attention in ninth-grade earth science.
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Scott Shelters
If some predictions of the Mayan calendar are correct, we're about to enter our last season before the end of days. Obviously, if I felt the end was near, I would be doing something more important than writing this note.
I plan to live this fall like I do pretty much every year. In my eyes, it's the best season.
The changing leaves provide for great scenery. A fall afternoon jog, walk or drive always hits the spot.
Football season starts up again this month. I'll cheer on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoons for the first couple of months of the season. After that, I'll still watch the games. Instead of cheering, however, I'll just be shaking my head in disappointment by November and December if recent history holds true. Thankfully, there will be plenty of other games to watch.
Halloween is another bright spot. I look forward to carving pumpkins, going to scary movies and taking "haunted" house tours. Having a fall beer or two while putting up Halloween decorations makes for a fun Saturday evening as well.
Most importantly, my girlfriend and I have much more free time in the fall than in the summer. The train of weddings, graduations, graduation parties and other family and friend-related events has reached its end.
We can wake up on a Saturday morning and decide how we want to spend the day and night. That's a nice, relaxing way to live.
I enjoyed the many events I attended this summer and the people with whom I passed the time. However, not having to be any place in particular on weekends is a great feeling.