October Resolutions 2026 Part 2

See three plays (The Producers, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Cursed Child)	Finish my birthday thank you cards	Don’t use up my MIchael’s and Barnes and Nobles gift card	Work on five machines in addition to cardio	Start posting research essays on Substack and personal essays on Medium
Celebrate a friend’s birthday with apple picking	See three movies (Resident Evil, Primetime and Clayface)	Write book reviews for the books book club read from January to June	Keep my desk clear for crafting and my sanity	Take a chance and email the enrichment program
Decide on a costume in case it is needed	Hang out with —--, —----, —------ and —----- (all individually)	Free Space: Horror movie marathon	Be opinionated and well educated in my essays	Do research on starting your own business
Read six horror/ gothic  books to celebrate the season	Have a game night with —---, —---, —--- and Justin to play  my new Disappointment game	Work on Story of Hope/ arrange a book launch	Write four more personal essays	Make at least five buttons for Katie and a comfort book (and maybe more buttons for myself)
Use the “nice” stuff- use bath bombs, burn the candle, use body butter	Start a new project with Burn this Deck that I got at MIchaels	Read and reflect on my new present The Tao of Pooh	Get a free massage by getting down to 187	Accessorize more, pay more attention to how I dress, wear lipstick more

October Resolution:

• I have to tinker with some parts of Story of Hope (without compromising the truth of the memoir because everything that happened in the book is true. I even used the exact text messages in certain parts. Thank God I have written out so much stuff that happened to me)

• I’ve already started the Tao of Pooh. Its very relaxing, akin to a back rub. I’m learning about Taoism but also being entertained by Pooh and his friends It’s a good way to take a time out from a busy day.

• At my last workout session, the personal trainer introduced me to six more machines. So everyday I can throw together a different workout. Some I do every day, others I switch it up. It’s nice to know what you’re doing and not get weird looks from everyone. Well, I think I made up the weird looks. Although one time, one guy came over and corrected me. 

• I cleaned off my desk at the beginning of the week and it’s already creeping back to “crowded” I have an array of art supplies- blank cards waiting to be decorated and cards I have already decorated and need to send. I have markers and scissors and gluesticks and paper I decorated. Hey, creativity can look alot like a mess. 

• I’ve become braver in voicing my opinions. Mostly I do it under pseudonyms but that still takes courage because the internet loses their goddamn minds. I’ve decided to start posting my research essays on substack and I don’t want to flinch away from how I feel. At the same time I want to make sure my essays are impeccably researched. I don;t want false details or propaganda. You won’t see any of my essays posted on my blog (unless they salivating over Sydney Sweeney).

• I have four more essays to write this month. Yesterday I brainstormed topics that I could feel impassioned about because personal essays don’t work unless you feel something when you think of them. 

• Our scale is broken so I have no idea how much I weigh. I can’t imagine I lost weight what with three birthday cakes and tiramisu and fried ice cream. Tonight is my friend’s birthday and there will be cake. This time of year (when the majority of my friends have birthdays) there is always cake

• I started doing this yesterday. I posted something to Medium and something to Substack. Ahhhh, the archives of Leigh.

• An enrichment program opened up next to the gym. I was thinking I could help kids write their college essays or with public speaking (I was a judge on the debate team in high school). I’m going to email them and offer my services. There’s a good chance it won’t go anywhere because I don’t have a college degree. 

• If I can advertise correctly, I might try to get a tutoring or writing business off the ground. I’d help kids with essays, SAT prep and maybe even science and math for younger students. I could advertise online or put fliers up at the libraries. 

• Finished the buttons for Katie. My favorite one was a Winnie the Pooh one. My second favorite one was a picture of a newspaper with the headline “No one knows what they are doing. Drink water and go outside” Love it! Her comfort book I will have to mail to her. I am making it fall themed. 

• My friend did my makeup the other night and I realize how little I pay attention to my appearance. I want to wear lipstick more, I want to ditch the everpresent sweatpants, I want to brush my hair. These are things I’ll do in the name of October.