Not Getting it Done on Halloween I actually have time to write some words that are not devoted to academia/grad school and it is kind of great.  I write on the eve of one my favorite holidays, Halloween, as the date of this post does corroborate.  That same date also verifies my neglect of this online writing piece, as if this was blog was a child, it would have ended up in Mexico or a salt mine a long time ago.  I left my policy class at 9pm tonight glad to be done with a long day but a little downtrodden at not being able to celebrate the Pagan holiday in any kind of acceptable fashion. I barely saw any skulls, did not see really any scantily clad co-eds, and did not get to dressed up as Chuck Norris which I had planned to. I have even grown my beard out for going on four weeks now to make look more Chuck Norrisish.  Walking to my car in the parking structure, something caught my eye that for some reason, really made my day. It was an orange paper sack with a jack o' lantern face on the front, traveling along the cement, blowing in the breeze in an empty garage.

Something about this image brought back memories of why I love this holiday so much.  It's the delightful and mostly innocent mischievousness that the holiday inspires.  I am talking more along the lines of hurling rolls of toilet paper and scaring little kids as you hide in bushes in a full gorilla suit kind of mischief as opposed to egg launching, property damaging and stealing bags of candy type as I can remember some hell bound hoods doing back in the day.  The fact that the day of ghouls and goblins gives children and adults alike the excuse to delve into creative imagination to channel the energy and physical appearance of some character, usually dead, is kind of incredible.

Seeing the tiny orange bag with the pumpkin face left on the ground reminded me that I did see my 80+ year old policy professor in a decomposing vampire mask before class, my LCSW therapist co-worker engaging in therapy sessions wearing a ridiculous hot pink wig, and also eating enough processed sugar in the past 48 hours to warrant fasting for a month.  I seriously feel like how Burt Reynold's face looks.  No offense Burt. Realizing these things made me feel much less guilty for the lack of my Halloween experience in 2011. Anyhow, I hope everyone else saw some black cats, heard a lingering spirit rattle a chain, heard an owl hoot and otherwise had a fine and creepily mysterious time.  There is always half way to Halloween parties, which I will be looking forward to. Until then, be good and get to the chopper.  ¶ 10:50 PM 0 comments