Halloween Through The Years

It's Halloween night, and I'm sitting here by the open window as an unseasonably warm breeze blows over my face. In the street below, Monster masks are illuminated by children's safety lanterns and glow sticks. Innocent laughter echoes through the neighborhood as kids run through front yards, plotting the best candy routes. Many of them are in pairs or larger groups, unsupervised on their sugary journey. It's comforting to know that I still live in a place where it is relatively safe for them to do this...that the magic of this night and this all-too-brief time in their lives has not been taken from them by the fear and paranoia this era in our society has generated.

Halloween was something I had turned my back on when Junior High began, but thanks to a friend, I re-discovered my love and appreciation for it back in '99 or so. I've tried to wear a costume or celebrate the holiday in some way ever since, so here's a list of every costume I've had since '99:

1999: Neo from The Matrix.

2000: Tried to be a 1950's greaser but scrapped it at the last minute to be Neo from The Matrix yet again.

2001: Jay and Silent Bob (I was Jay and my best friend was Silent Bob). This was probably the best costume I ever wore- certainly the most fun, and we ended up winning a snowboard in a costume contest. Snoogans!

2002: Pimpin' 1940's Frank Sinatra-type guy. That's the only way I can really describe it. I had a cool, long-40's style suit jacket and a cigar. Kinda weak, I know, but whatever. My friend who was Silent Bob the previous year went as Ozzy and he won the costume contest again.

2003: Anakin Skywalker. Now we're talking. I sank a ton of money and effort into making this costume, and my Grandmother helped out tremendously by sewing most of it. The cool factor on this idea was doubled because my girlfriend at the time went as Padme, and we looked awesome together with the whole "couple" theme.

2004: No costume this year. My girlfriend and I stayed home and passed out candy.

2005: In honor of "Half-assed Halloween" (a theme my friends came up with) I wore a Superman T-shirt under an open dress shirt, loose tie, black glasses, and a fedora with a "Daily Planet Press" tag, and BAM! Instant Superman/Clark Kent!

2006: I bought a V for Vendetta mask, intending on going as that character, but upon realizing it would cost too much, opted to go as a Wizard, complete with long white wig, beard, and cape with glow in the dark stars and moons. As Kitster would say, "That soooo Wizard, Annie!"

And I just quoted The Phantom Menace. Fuck. That will be all for today, children. Dismissed.

Oh, and Happy Halloween.