Rad.

I'm totally psyched to finally have my blog up and running, by the way, although not nearly as psyched as you are, you lucky reader, you.

It's almost Halloween, which has me all kinds of giddy. I finally figured out a costume last night, which means I have today to pull the whole thing together. Not that it's all that original or exciting, but it was my idea alone AND it entails buying a new wig, so big fun.

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I don't remember my exact reaction the first time I realized what was going on with Halloween as a kid, but I'm sure it was something along the lines of, "You mean I get to dress up in a costume? And wear it in public? AND eat tons of candy! Kick ass!" Even Christmas could not compete, as the joys of receiving a(nother) Cabbage Patch doll and putting on a velvet dress pales compared to traipsing around the neighborhood dressed as Princess Leia/Strawberry Shortcake/the Statue of Liberty, then eating my weight in candy until I either a) barfed, b) made my teeth fall out, c) got the sugar-crashing shakes or, one year, d) all of the above. Ah, to be a kid again.

And let's not forget the tricks! A couple weeks ago when I was in Minnesota, where the trees were adorned in all their colorful autumn finery, I saw one particularly spectacular tree fully decked out... in toilet paper. Meeeemories, like the corner of my mind...

Now, of course, I am an adult and yet not above all of this nonsense even a little tiny bit. The fiancee and I have lined up a couple parties (i.e. "costume-wearing/drinking opportunities) for Saturday. On Sunday we're hosting a horror movie marathon, featuring Alien, The Thing, American Werewolf in London, and yes, oodles and gobs of candy.

Before I wrap up, I had to share this. My darling friend Amanda is a funeral director, recently licensed. This was in my inbox this morning:
"On my way to my first SOLO DIRECTING service yesterday (which went swimmingly, if swimmingly means really sad and I had to pull over to get it together for a second on my way back to the office, sans Mrs. L), I'm driving Mrs. L over to the crematory and Oingo Boingo's classic "Dead Man's Party" came on. It was rad."