… is just a few days away!  When did it get so creepy?  Halloween has always been an “evil” holiday, but when I was a kid we didn’t worry about people poisioning our candy, abducting us, or having to have nightmares from all the bad movies that come out around this time of year.

It was fun.  We “trick-or-treated” on “beggars’ night”, went to a Halloween Party at the Baptist Church, that was actually called a Halloween Party, and we wore costumes.  (Daddy, the preacher at said Baptist Church wasn’t all that thrilled with it, but he let us anyway.)

Halloween by definition is All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints Day.  It is supposed to be a night when all the evil of the world comes out prior to honoring the saints. 

Well, who came up with that bad idea?

Was it Satan!  (Really, my appologies to Dana Carvey for that one!!)

Probably.

But it really doesn’t matter.  Make it fun.  Make it  yours.  Keep it light.

We were clowns, ghosts, witches, Popeye The Sailor Man, Peter Pan, Wendy, Princesses (I was never a Princess), and other cute-child-friendly-nightmare-preventing costumes.  We were never Chuckie, Freddy Krugger, Shaun of the Dead, or Elvis.

Why be so scary.

Yes, in the world we are stuck with, one has to X ray their children’s candy.  And there are some people out there who take it to the limit.  But in reality, it’s just another night for kids to have a good time.

And what the heck is wrong with a good time.

Stop buying the evil, and it might just back off.

Again, I say keep it light.

I usually dress up for Halloween at school.  We have a contest for teachers.  The kids vote for us by donating their “spare change” to the Future Educators of America.  A noble cause that provides scholarships for kids from our school who plan to be teachers.  They raise a lot of money each year, and many of the teachers really get into it.

I’ve been “Malibu’s Most Wanted”.

I won third prize for this one.

I’ve been and EMO Kid.

I didn’t even place…go figure!

This year, I’m having a rough time coming up with something to top those two.

I’m thinking of going as myself!  That should scare the crap out of them!

Happy Halloween.

A year ago today was “Bloody Friday” when we saw many of the world’s stock exchanges experience the worst declines in their history, with drops of around 10% in most indices…what a difference 365 days can make!  Ok, not that much of a difference, we’re still in the crapper!!  But really, one day out of one year can make a difference.

It got me to thinking!  Danger Will Robinson!!

I thought I’d check the day out throughout history and see what else happend on this day.

Stick with me here, there’s a point!

In 1628, the Siege of La Rochelle, which had lasted for 14 months, (if you have seen the Three Musketeers movie, the battle was one of the scenes) ended when the Huguenots surrendered.  This was a blow for religious freedom in Europe.

Harvard was founded in 1636 making it the oldest college in the United States.  It started as a religiously based school…hmmmmm.

President Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty in 1886, you know, back when the French at least “pretended” to like us.

From the “here we go again” category, Black Monday on Wall Street, the crash of 1929 and the beginning of the Great Depression.

1936, FDR rededicates the Statue of Liberty, just in case you missed it the first time, and BTW, the French were still friendly.  They didn’t get mad at us until we saved thier butts back in the big WWII thing.

In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the leader of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khruschev announced that they were removing the missile bases from Cuba.  And we believed him!

In 1968, President Nixon and other US officials denied any involvement in the bombing of North Vietnam, and we believed them!

Oh yes, Michael Jackson’ new movie comes out today….wait a minute…isn’t he dead?

Speaking of the dead, in 1917, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, one of Queen Victoria’s sons-in-law, died.  I’m guessing it was while trying to fill out the “full name required” box at the emergency room.

The world was blessed with Edith Head, one of the greatest costume designers of all time, in 1891.  We would be with out the role model for the nasty-ugly lady assistant to Dr. Evil in all those Austin Powers movies – and we wouldn’t have the super hero costume designer in  The Incredibles, a movie all guys secretly love, had she not been born.  And we’d be missing some really great costumes!

Bill Gates, who would bring us Microsoft, came along in 1955 and Jamie Gertz of “Still Standing”, a hilarious TV sitcom,  came along in 1965.  And where would we be with out Justin Guarini who was born in 1978?  I’m guessin’  far more musically advanced than we are now!

This date marks the refusal of Greece to submit to Italy and the Axis Powers in 1940.  They call it Ohi Day, which is loosely translated as “Buzz off you Bunch of Bullies”, or some such thing.

The Peruvians celebrate The Lord of Miracles today, and the Catholic Church has several saints honored this day; St. Easdin, St. Fidelis of Como (Perry’s grandfather?), St. Faro (the patron Saint of Vegas?), St. Godwin, St. Job of Pochayiv, St. Jude, who must have had a “rap sheet” since he as two aliases – St. Thaddaues or St. James.  What was he doin’ fencing the bread and wine?  And then there’s the feast of St. Simon the Zealot, or Simon Zealotes as the Bible calls him.

So, all in all, it’s a pretty interesting day, just like most days are in history if you dig deep enough. 

Oh, yes, and one more thing…Charles Marvin Brads was born on this day in 1921…

Happy Birthday, Dad, thanks for making a difference in my life, I love you!

Here’s a shocker for ya!  Kate Gosselin has admitted to Vanity Fair that her children have been “acting out” since the D-I-V-O-R-C-E has brought that gawdawful “reality” show to a screeching halt.  (Thank you Jesus!   Not for the kids acting out, but for the screeching halt thing!) 

I’m sorry here, but me wanting an Academy Award and me winning one are two different things, even I’m not that good of an actor…I just can’t act surprised on this one.  She expected exemplary behavior, no problems, and folded hands on their laps?  Come on Kate!  Get real! 

I don’t mean to turn this into the “Hate Kate” site, but c’mon lady.

What do you expect?  Be a parent!  Be, I don’t know, less self-absorbed.

She told Vanity Fair she is “trying to give them the grace to see, if they’re acting out of line, I’m trying to look deeper in why that is.” 

Ok, the hair dye has seeped into the brain cells.  I really don’t think she has that many to spare.

Really…trying to give them grace to see…my Mother had a way of doing that.  She let me know right away that I was acting out of line.  There was no time for me to study it, I learned PRONTO!

But then, my Mother didn’t slap me on a REALITY TV show, and plaster my face and hers all over US, People, and Vanity Fair.

Ms. Gosselin also said, when asked how the kids are dealing with Jon being gone,  ”Miss him. They say they miss him. I imagine they say the same thing when I’m away.”

This woman can put body language in a magazine article!  Even I get the snide and snippy content there.  “They SAY they miss him.”  He’s their Daddy, lady, he may be a total “DB” but of course they miss him!

In the  interview, Gosselin, 34, also talks “excitedly” about guest-hosting The View and her potential future in television. “It comes to me very easily when I’m doing TV . . . I laugh that people are like, ‘Oh, that must be so hard.’ To me it’s so very easy!”

Of course it’s easy for her.  She’s not only a virago, harridan, and nag, she’s GreedyMedia Junkie !

But let’s get back to the kids.

They may be actin’ out, but they ain’t misbehavin’. 

This should surprise no one!

They’re behaving as well as should be expected!

Oh yes,

DFACS, where the heck are you!

I saw my first Christmas TV ad of the season last night on TV…(where else would I see a TV ad but on TV!). 

I’m just not ready.

Really, I’m not done with all the candy corn, no trick or treaters have pounded upon my door, and we haven’t even bought the turkey yet. 

I am not settled on my Halloween costume for school, and Bass Pro is putting up wreaths.   The Picture with Santa display is already up at Discover Mills…c’mon!

Don’t rush me.

Ashley Furniture is having a Christmas Sale…IT’S OCTOBER!

Now, I’ll admit, I’ve done some shopping.  Not much, but at least the love of my life will have a few things under the tree, even if I don’t get back to the mall.  But really folks, can’t we just enjoy one holiday at a time.

Halloween – stuff yourself with candy until you’re sick.

Thanksgiving – stuff yourself with turkey until you’re sick.

THEN Christmas.

I am always on the lookout for a bargain, and see stuff all year long that might work for Christmas…but I like to savor the holidays…ONE AT A TIME!

The minute Christmas is over Kroger sets up the Valentine’s cards and candy and reminds us that flowers are what a woman wants.

What a woman wants is a man who can cook and clean!

Once the Valentine’s conversation hearts go on sale, it’s the Peeps display…and frankly, I could eat those little suckers all year long, but why so soon?

After Easter, Fourth of July…gotta get that new grill…bar-b-que the ribs, firecrackers, patriotic table cloths and on and on and on!

We barely get over the fire we started with the sparklers and it’s time for Labor Day, when we all don’t labor…unless  your the one making the macaroni salad and chip dip and cooking the burgers and hot dogs!

Then it’s Christmas!

What happened to the Fall holidays?

Can’t we just wait…it’s not like Christmas won’t come around this year?