<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260184.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1493" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260184-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Once upon a time there was a Late Bloomer named Michelle. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Michelle absolutely positively LOVED Halloween and its traditions. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>One of her favorite traditions was carving a Jack O' Lantern.  Each year, Michelle would create your basic triangled-eyes and nose  Jack O' Lantern.  Michelle is many things, but a visual artist she is not. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>One Halloween Michelle was writing this Late Bloomer blog about incoporating soul-scintillating challenges into each day for 365 days.  That's a lot of days to fill! </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Since she loved Halloween so much, she wanted her soul-scintillation activities around Halloween week to center around all things Halloweenie.  So on Day 30 of this 365 challenge, Michelle decided on carving an intricate Jack O' Lantern for the very first time.  </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>She picked her perfect pumpkin and a Pumpkin Carving Kit. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260180.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1494" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260180-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Reminiscent of <em>Julie &amp; Julia</em>, Michelle began this undertaking at 10 p.m. at night when she finally finished writing her previous blog post on scary movies.  She was beyond exhausted.  Svenny would tell her to double up her activities on the next day, but Michelle is a stickler for living genuinely and authentically.  She promised her readers that she would live curiously EVERY day, and she refused to relent to fatigue!  It's just a state of mind, anyway.  Right???</p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>After a 1/2 hour of degutting the pumpkin, she chose a thoroughly complicated pattern at 10:30 at night.  If she was going to do this, she may as well do it right!  With gusto! </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260186.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1495" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260186-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Michelle is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesthetic_learning" target="_blank"><strong>kinesthetic learner</strong> </a>which means that she gets frustrated with reading directions in about 2 seconds.  She needs to get her hands on something and dive in. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>After a 2 second study of the instructions, Michelle chose to ignore the bit about tracing the pattern with the pounce wheel.  Do YOU know what a pounce wheel is??? </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Michelle dug in. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA2601881.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1498" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA2601881-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Houston, we have a problem. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Exhibit A</p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260189.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1499" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260189-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Exhibit B</p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260192.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1500" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260192-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Exhibit C</p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260194.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1501" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260194-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Exhibit D </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260201.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1502" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PA260201-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>And all was well with the world. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Because <em>this </em>was the Jack O' Lantern that Michelle really wanted to carve in the first place. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Funny how that works.   </p>