We've all made it to October, people. The hated month of September (at least it is for me) is over, and now autumn rots into place. Here in the mountains, the leaves are changing, and the air is crisp. (For how long, remains to be seen.) It's harvest time, or, as I prefer, the season of Death.
And Halloween.
Yes, my few long time readers know how much I LOVE Halloween. It used to be the only time I could be myself with no consequences. Before my "re-discovery" in 2008, Halloween was the time when I could be anything else in the world except my hated asshole self. Also- parties! Seeing what my friends, co-workers, whatever, concocted as their alter-ego for the night always made the party special. Back in college, the annual Halloween party was a huge affair (how could it not be with a fraternity called Skull?) with a combine party with SAE, Chi-O, and Tri Delt. SAE was another top house, while Chi-O and Tri Delt were top sororities. It's funny- of the four houses that comprised those parties, only mine remains active at PSU. The other three have been kicked off. In any case, the Halloween party was one of the few times in school that I actually stood a chance of hooking up, as I dressed in a tuxedo shirt, bow tie, and Vampire cape. I looked pretty sharp, I do say so myself!
For a few years in a row, I helped organize and decorate for a party at my friend/co-worker/savior Cat's place. I did my best to make the parties memorable, from making Halloween themed CDs (not played too loud- they were never dance parties) to décor to themed foods. Of course, the help from others always made it more special. These parties were mostly for my book store peeps, but I expanded the guest list to others I knew (and that others knew.) Several times after 2008, I thought about inviting friends from my transgender life, but I decided that would be dangerous- especially since I attended a few of these parties in dresses! (Like THIS ONE) (And THIS one). And that's not counting the huge annual Henri David Ball on Halloween night!
Henri David '09
One of the non-book store people who attended was Michelle. I met Michelle in the early 90s, when I worked for Chessex Game Distributors. She ran (if not by title, then definitely by function) Total Confusion, a game convention in Massachusetts, along with her then husband. She was the person who handled vendors, and I was there selling Chessex dice and such. We hit it off and have been friends since. In any case, she is a talented chef, especially with lasagna (but not bacon), and she helped make incredible food and added her delightful personality to the mix. Also, she has a thick Bahstin accent, for which I tease her endlessly. By sheer coincidence (yeah right), I'm typing this on her birthday, October 10. Happy birthday, Michelle! Hope it's wikid fun!
So now I'm back at PSU, and have been for a few years. Last year, I attended Rocky Horror Picture Show at the State Theater with Linda. I dressed up a little for that. This year, I won't be attending, as the showing is over the weekend before Halloween.
That weekend, I'll be heading south to Delaware, where my dad, Older Brother, his wife, and my Wife and daughter will scatter my Mums ashes over the water, as she wished. Two- thirds of them anyway. One third of them are in my apartment, awaiting either shipment or to be carried over to Scotland, where they will be spread in a memorial garden with her parents and sister. My overall plan was to do that scattering today. You see, October 10 is also my Mum's birthday- she would've been 83 had she not died in January. I wanted so much to have her home for her birthday, but I failed her. Shipping ashes to the UK is expensive, as it must be done by courier. It's actually cheaper to fly over with Mum's ashes in my lap! Money is always tight, so it didn't happen. I'll keep saving, and doing my best to get her there.
In any case, it's October. The Veil between worlds is thinning. Soon the dead will silently skulk around us. Maybe even break dancing, who knows?
Be well!
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