Goals are good, right? Let’s face it. It doesn’t matter what your goal is, if you meet it, you’re golden. Thus, I think it’s safe to say, under the philosophy that no goal is stupid, I was allowed one stupid goal. Said goal: make a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin.

I am not quite sure at what point I set out to complete this feat. Something had itched inside me since the first pumpkins began crowding around in “For sale” huddles at supermarket entrances. In my head I heard this: I love pumpkin pie. I like to carve pumpkins. I have a kitchen, and tools. I will make a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin.

It’s fun having a personal goal, and going around telling everyone, “Hey, I have this personal goal, you see…” It is the I will part that is most appealing. The no matter what, I have decided that I will do this, and you can’t stop me factor. Oh yeah. I was headed down the pumpkin-pie path, and I wasn’t turning around.

Naturally, I bought the biggest and prettiest pumpkin I could buy for this all-out effort, knowing full well its death would come in my oven, paired with cinnamony aromas and flaky crust scents. Tough truth: the aforementioned pumpkin is still sitting on my perch, yet to be carved.

When I actually read over my recipe, I realized there are such things as “pumpkin pie pumpkins.” They are smaller, rounder–and cheaper. Take note. Good. Now you won’t make the same mistake I made.

Armed with the right pumpkin and about five gazillion spices, I began. I cut the pie pumpkin in half, cutting my thumb along the way. I didn’t care. I got out the goo as instructed, and saved the seeds for my next venture. I covered my findings with foil, and baked. Then I scooped. Next, I pureed. Last, I mushed. In a two-day trial by fire, my pumpkin was prepared. I viewed my orange glop like a precious jewel. Canned pumpkin around the world bowed to it.

Now to the pie. Now to the easy part. Ugh. Why is it the easy part that always gets screwed up? (Yes? You saw this coming?) I did what no self-respecting pumpkin-pie baker does: I measured two-and-a-half tablespoons of cinnamon instead of two-and-a-half teaspoons. Ah ha. The T vs. t thing threw me again. Dang it.

So, the moral: I’m left with a spicy, brown pie-thing that, miraculously, tastes like…pumpkin pie!

I spent all my time worrying about the pumpkin, and not the overall pie. Can we apply this to life? I’m pretty sure. Do we want to hash this out in my blog? Nah.

The outcome was unexpected, but, fun anyway. I met my goal. Sure, I pretty much blew it, too. Ehh. Who cares. After all, all I really wanted was to be able to say, “I made a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin.” So: I made a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin.

Oh yeah. Eat that. Literally. Next time, I will try a homemade crust.