Let's start off this post with a
slightly embarrassing confession. For at least a few years now yours
truly has had a recurring nightmare, anxiety-inducing dream would be
more accurate. In it I'm busy doing whatever odd thing when I found
out that it's Halloween night and I am completely unprepared on every
front. It sounds ridiculous considering I'm the kind who starts
planning their holiday months in advance but that's just how much
Halloween means to me. Of course the only way to give proper tribute
to something you hold so dear is to live it as much as possible in
the days leading to it. Of course it can't all be big events like
visiting haunted houses or having parties. You have to find small
ways to live big. Today we'll talk of a myriad of ways to spend this
season to it's fullest without being outlandish.
Last Saturday marked the return of an
unplanned yet recurring phenomenon I now refer to as the September
Splurge. For the past four years or so one night of this month has
involved a trip to Lansing that generally results in a hefty haul of
seasonal goodies. This year wasn't quite up to the girth of past
splurges though it was still bountiful enough to qualify. This is of
course one of the pricier aspects of Halloween when it's time to take
some of that set-aside cash and go hunting for treats. Let's take a
look at what came home with me.
First up are snacks. Got my hands on
the new Cocoa Crisp M&M's and I gotta tell ya that what they make
lack in innovation they sure make up for by being pure spooky fuel.
Can't quite explain it but some candy just helps you feel a little
younger. It's a sort of undefinable quality and these gave me the
feeling of not so much being a kid, but at least a young adult. That
crunch of cocoa crispy along with the smoothness of regular chocolate
and snap of the candy shell form a perfect trio of candy goodness by
being a little understaed. Will definitely be bringing home more bags
of these babies. I believe these are a Target exclusive so get out
there and offer up some cash.
Also of note are Voortman Apple Crisp
Wafers. These are not new, nor are they explicitly tied to Halloween.
Beyond that I'm not sure how many of you will be able to find these
Canadian confections. Living in the northern states it isn't too hard
to stock up but I've no clue how far the company can reach. What's
bizarre is how these taste exactly like apple crisp, right down to
the oatmeal. That being said there is something that comes off as
slightly fake which is very odd considering Voortman uses some pretty
clean ingredients. Still an excellent option for those craving
something different than the usual pumpkin spice.
Onto decorations. On the upper left of
the above photo you'll see one of the vintage-style blow-mold
recreations Michael's is carrying this year. I adore both of them but
on the night in question this was the last remaining cat. Given that
many stores seem to have stocking issues this season I saw fit to
bring this home. First and foremost the colors on this are so good
witch rich orange and bold green contrasted against the black cat.
Another interesting touch is how the cat is actually slightly
off-center, a touch that adds some personality despite driving my
lite OCD wild.
To the right of the cat are three
hanging ghouls from Dollar Tree. Over the years I've amased quite a
stash of varying items like these. A key tip for any decorators out
there is to hunt down as many of these as you can and then hang them
from your tries via zip-ties. This allows for optimal placement and
security. Something that went unoticed in the store is how this is
the exact trio of creatures that comprised the Silver Shamrock mask
line from Halloween III. Somebody deserves a pat on the back
for that.
Lastly in this category we have window
clings. I didn't buy these, they were actually waiting for me when I
got home but the addition to my collection is welcome. I put these
absolutely everywhere. Not just windows but the bathroom mirrors and
even the class doors on kitchen furniture.
Mafiozoo may seem out of place as it
has absolutely nothing inherently scary going unless of course you're
terrified of a cigar smoking walrus. Indeed this was just a fine grab
off a boardgame clearance sale. Let's be fair, it can still work with
the season. Gangsters could easily fit in with our celebrations as
kids, and here we can pretend all these characters suffer some form
of were-curse. Glad I was able to find this as it has apparently gone
out-of-print and it seems like a very interesting title. Plus that
board itself, it's so weird to make this compliment, the board is one
of the nicest I've encountered in my years of gaming. It's thick,
heavy, beautiful, and has a spot for damn near everything. This year
my aim is to have at least one proper game night by candlelight and
while Mafiozoo may not be spooky it could help to get folks in seats.
A couple days after the shopping trip
I awoke to some nasty side-effects from ibuprofen but was able to
recover well-enough to accompany some family out to see IT Chapter
2. Gotta say it was a messy
movie that came so very close to being straight up crap. There was
enough overall entertainment value to still make for a fairly fun
viewing experience though that was offset by a major lack of tension,
terror, or even emotional drama from some of the characters. I could
go on to disect the issues at hand but I was still happy with the
experience. Most years I don't get out to see any big horror releases
in theaters so having Halloween last
year followed by this makes for a good feeling.
On Wednesday I was once again in
Lansing where I was able to indulge in the new Addam's Family menu at
IHOP. Honestly the menu itself is a bit skimpy as it's comprised of
only four items, most of which are just regular selections topped
with bright purple cream. While tempted to tackle the Gomez themed
omelet it'd been quite some time since my last traditional lumberjack
breakfast so I opted instead for the ultimate combo with Wednesday's
Webcakes. These are traditional pancakes coated with a web-design of
sweet sort of cream-cheese frosting and the purple cream on top. A
warning for those with sensitive teeth the frosting can be downright
painful so keep your coffee on hand for a good rinse. Also prepare to
see your lip prints perfectly recreated in purple on the edge of your
mug. That image alone is worth a trip.
Finally we have the pastime of the
autumnal walk. Exercise is always best this time of year, especially
when combined with a moped ride. What's been extra special of late
are the number of folks jumping the gun on decorating. A great deal
of folks around here can seemingly forget Halloween until it's on
their doorstep, kind like my nightmare, but this year there are folks
already lining their porches and windows with lights and skeletons.
And so I've been unable to resist the call to battle and am pushing
ahead a little earlier than usual on the major decorating. The
weekend should find at least the first wave of items hanging from
trees and porch-railing as I show a few of the neighborhood newbies
how things are done. Forgive the grandstanding, holiday decorating is
one of the few opportunities I have to show-off.
That's all for now you creatures of
the night. Next time there should be a properly focused update. I
hope you've gleamed some level of inspiration from these ramblings.
It's important to remember that Halloween doesn't have to be big.
Some novelty pancakes and a trip to the dollar store can unlock a
whole chain of events. That's the thing that makes this season
special. One moment you're at the theater watching Rambo, the next
you're hanging thirty ghouls in the trees of your front yard. So go
out and find some adventure, and if you're feeling generous share it
with the rest of the class.
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