When real things happen to imaginary people

This year, amazingly, Halloween night was clear! No rain! Really damn chilly to be standing outside for three hours, but that was totally worth it, because it involved my favorite Halloween game: making people think I was a Halloween statue until I moved.

I successfully freaked all the preteen and teen trick-or-treaters, and a lot of parents. Backlighting + flowy dress with hood and sleeves + holding really still if anyone was looking + stepping toward them if they came near = screaming. So much screaming.

Tiny kids? Those I waved and smiled at, and gave them extra candy. But rambunctious preteen boys proclaiming they weren't scared of anything, and that I was just a statue to walk around to get to the candy? Oh no, I'm going to lunge and bare my teeth. One of them fell over backwards trying to get away from me.

Not to mention that I completely unnerved a lot of parents who thought I was a piece of decor, too. One group of preteen boys asked one of the parents to walk up with them, which got the reply of "Nuh-uh. I'm a grownup, I don't have to go up to the scary statue".

Playing with knives and fire! Wheeee! And now I have pumpkin seeds that were roasted with olive oil and alder-smoked chipotle salt.

So the Infamous BlueJay made me a mermaid skirt. Which I like a lot, even if the Body Image Demons were muttering really loudly. I decided to ignore them, and wore the skirt (and one of the batwing hem jackets that BlueJay made me years ago) to Six's reading at the Wayward Coffeehouse.



( OMG NO PETTICOATS! )

Then today I did a Halloween thing I'd never done before: I went to a pumpkin patch! With theda and Thekla! I totally blend in at a farm, yep.

Happy anniversary to my beloved StroppyOne! Today is our 15th wedding anniversary!

And happy Halloween to the rest of you folks! I hope your day is wonderful.

No, it's not really a costume, it's just some of my fancier clothes, a Really Big Hat, and fangs. But it makes me very happy. ::grin::



Now, to wait for the trick-or-treaters to start showing up!

New post time at Gothic Charm School! Waiting For The Great Pumpkin: Halloween Ideas! Yes, I wrote a post related to my favorite holiday. Don't even try to look surprised.

My beta readers are, as always, delightful and helpful. Thanks!

And just like always, please help me spread the word about the new post? Thank you!

Really. TRUST US WITH SHARP THINGS, FIRE, AND CANDY. We are completely safe. Look at our happy faces!




Eviscerating the hapless pumpkin.



clovisdvlbunny, looming over the candy. Maybe he'll share.

The most recent issue of Rue Morgue magazine introduced me to the music Kristen Lawrence (clicky-link!), and I am very grateful.

She's an organist, composer, and singer, and she's created a lovely collection of Halloween carols. It's the sort of music that would be played in the parlor of a classic haunted house, and I adore it. Between this and my growing collection of music by Nox Arcana, my wish for atmospheric, symphonic-with-a-dark-twist music is being granted. Go give her a listen!

Over the past few days of browsing stores with Halloween merchandise, I have only purchased THREE items.

- Skull-decorated cupcake liners.

- Wilson's black gel color for frosting.

- Two oven mitts with glow-in-the-dark skeleton hands on them.

Okay, I have not yet been to Michael's or a big JoAnn's. But still! Marvel at my restraint and willpower so far!

More proof I am a grown-up: I finally made the appointment for my follow-up mammogram. Which I had kind of been dragging my feet on, and YES, I know that such things are important and should not be delayed. I KNOW. My appointment is tomorrow.

Of course, possibly negating any claim I have to adulthood: I stopped by the darling neighborhood thrift store (that is entirely staffed by sweet little old ladies), and discovered a brand-new, miniature version of one of the Gund bears I collect. I, erm, may have squeaked and bounced up and down. And then walked home with my parasol and a bear tucked under my arm. What? Now the Murphy Bear Clan has a new brother. I just need to figure out what his name is. (The other four bears are Murphy (who was the first), Dearby, Thirby, and Bigby. See this post for a longer explanation about Murphybear and why he's so important to me.)

Y'know, with the clocks "falling back" last night, there is NO reason for me to feel tired. Or headache-y, really. Both of which mean I'm feeling kind of fuzzy brained, and don't feel up to writing much. Which means I'm just going to post a small picspam instead.

( An assortment of photos from before a concert, sfds, and Halloweeny sfds )