Random Positivity
Because why not?
1 - We did get a handful of trick-or-treaters last night, and the ones we got were great. Mostly quite young, all very cute, all in costumes that showed enough effort to make one smile and think "yay, kids and parents having a fun time" instead of "geez, why bother". After the first batch had come and gone, Missy looked at me with big happy eyes and said "I am dying of the cute!!" I agreed.
We live in a quiet subdivision, reasonably well-lit, although with not that many small kids, so we usually get at least a few trick-or-treaters. I really like it -- in my Seattle apartments, I pretty much never had a front door that a kid could get to. This year, the ones we got were out later than usual, probably since it was a Friday night.
1.1 - Not only were they charming, they were incredibly well-mannered. I'm used to doling out candy by the single piece, but Missy's approach is to proffer the bowl, which is full of mixed candy, and let the kids pick. There's always the question of how much they'll take, of course, and whether they'll have to be warned not to grab fistfuls. Well -- nobody did, or even tried, or even seemed inclined to try! One piece each, or two at the most -- as the evening drew later, I was ready to encourage them to take more!
1.2 - We had absolutely no older boys in street clothes. We sometimes get these, and they really, really irritate me. Guys, I'll give you some freaking candy even if you clearly need a shave instead, but ffs, at least pretend that you give enough of a shit to put on some kind of lame attempt at a costume. (One friend of mine used to keep a supply of cheapass Halloween stickers, which she gave to anyone over 18, usually with a fatuous remark.)
1.3 - We also saw no costumes that I would class as "ickily sexualized". (Bearing in mind that, in this climate, you could trick-or-treat in a bikini and not get too cold.) Saw quite a few superheroes, of both genders.
1.4 - The very best of the trick-or-treaters were, in fact, older kids: two girls, probably about 14 or 15. They were wearing great costumes -- one had on a long glittery black velvet evening dress with a high Mandarin-style collar, the other was wearing a sort of jungle-girl outfit in fake fur (but still not overly sexualized, yay!)
When we opened the door, they greeted us with tidings of the season, and announced that they were there to bring us "gifts of poetry and song"! The girl in the evening dress then recited the first verse of "The Raven" -- not terribly well (lots of gesturification), but at least as well as I could have done at that age.
I smiled and asked the other girl if she was also offering something, or if they traded off at different houses. She said, "We take turns, but I'll sing you something if you like." And she did. I didn't recognize the song, but daaaaammmn, she had a terrific voice -- pure tone, good support, wonderfully lovely and unaffected!!
They then asked if they were "worthy of candy", and I was already proffering the candy basket. Hell, yes. I told them to take a handful each!
Best trick-or-treaters ever!!!
2 - Oh, yes, Missy's costume! I had to dive back into that project as soon as we got back from my birthday trip to the Keys (which is why I haven't yet posted anything about that trip, eep). The deadline was Thursday, since that's when the staff party was. I put the finishing touches on it on Wednesday night -- not, I am glad to say, at a ghastly late hour. She looked fabulous! And she was so pleased! I tried to get a picture, but mine came out very badly; I'm hoping for better ones from the party itself.
She was Mother Goose, and her staff members who were at the event (that is, the ones working that day) came as the Queen of Hearts, Old King Cole, and the Cat with the Fiddle. And yes, readers, they won, hands down, and got a lovely giant fruit basket for a prize. I personally got a great big Smug, which I'm still wearing.
3 - ZOMG, COOLER WEATHER. I actually have the windows open! I can't begin to express how much I miss fresh air during the hot sticky months. I'm incredibly grateful for A/C, and for the income that allows us to be able to afford it, but ZOMG FRESH COOL AIR.
1 - We did get a handful of trick-or-treaters last night, and the ones we got were great. Mostly quite young, all very cute, all in costumes that showed enough effort to make one smile and think "yay, kids and parents having a fun time" instead of "geez, why bother". After the first batch had come and gone, Missy looked at me with big happy eyes and said "I am dying of the cute!!" I agreed.
We live in a quiet subdivision, reasonably well-lit, although with not that many small kids, so we usually get at least a few trick-or-treaters. I really like it -- in my Seattle apartments, I pretty much never had a front door that a kid could get to. This year, the ones we got were out later than usual, probably since it was a Friday night.
1.1 - Not only were they charming, they were incredibly well-mannered. I'm used to doling out candy by the single piece, but Missy's approach is to proffer the bowl, which is full of mixed candy, and let the kids pick. There's always the question of how much they'll take, of course, and whether they'll have to be warned not to grab fistfuls. Well -- nobody did, or even tried, or even seemed inclined to try! One piece each, or two at the most -- as the evening drew later, I was ready to encourage them to take more!
1.2 - We had absolutely no older boys in street clothes. We sometimes get these, and they really, really irritate me. Guys, I'll give you some freaking candy even if you clearly need a shave instead, but ffs, at least pretend that you give enough of a shit to put on some kind of lame attempt at a costume. (One friend of mine used to keep a supply of cheapass Halloween stickers, which she gave to anyone over 18, usually with a fatuous remark.)
1.3 - We also saw no costumes that I would class as "ickily sexualized". (Bearing in mind that, in this climate, you could trick-or-treat in a bikini and not get too cold.) Saw quite a few superheroes, of both genders.
1.4 - The very best of the trick-or-treaters were, in fact, older kids: two girls, probably about 14 or 15. They were wearing great costumes -- one had on a long glittery black velvet evening dress with a high Mandarin-style collar, the other was wearing a sort of jungle-girl outfit in fake fur (but still not overly sexualized, yay!)
When we opened the door, they greeted us with tidings of the season, and announced that they were there to bring us "gifts of poetry and song"! The girl in the evening dress then recited the first verse of "The Raven" -- not terribly well (lots of gesturification), but at least as well as I could have done at that age.
I smiled and asked the other girl if she was also offering something, or if they traded off at different houses. She said, "We take turns, but I'll sing you something if you like." And she did. I didn't recognize the song, but daaaaammmn, she had a terrific voice -- pure tone, good support, wonderfully lovely and unaffected!!
They then asked if they were "worthy of candy", and I was already proffering the candy basket. Hell, yes. I told them to take a handful each!
Best trick-or-treaters ever!!!
2 - Oh, yes, Missy's costume! I had to dive back into that project as soon as we got back from my birthday trip to the Keys (which is why I haven't yet posted anything about that trip, eep). The deadline was Thursday, since that's when the staff party was. I put the finishing touches on it on Wednesday night -- not, I am glad to say, at a ghastly late hour. She looked fabulous! And she was so pleased! I tried to get a picture, but mine came out very badly; I'm hoping for better ones from the party itself.
She was Mother Goose, and her staff members who were at the event (that is, the ones working that day) came as the Queen of Hearts, Old King Cole, and the Cat with the Fiddle. And yes, readers, they won, hands down, and got a lovely giant fruit basket for a prize. I personally got a great big Smug, which I'm still wearing.
3 - ZOMG, COOLER WEATHER. I actually have the windows open! I can't begin to express how much I miss fresh air during the hot sticky months. I'm incredibly grateful for A/C, and for the income that allows us to be able to afford it, but ZOMG FRESH COOL AIR.