It’s the most wonderful time of the year
I love October!
As you’ll notice if you visit BloggerDad.com, rather than read this via a feed or email, the site is sporting a new design for the month of October. The image to your right is my son from last October. My wife thought he looked just like Snoopy from “The Great Pumpkin.” I think his head looks more like Charlie Brown, but he’s cute either way.
So why the design tweak? Well, Halloween is my favorite time of year, and I wanted to bring some of the fun here.
Of course, it’s been a long time since Halloween has held that same innocent joy for me.
I remember walking home from elementary school in Octobers of years past. Excitement rode the currents of crisp autumn breezes, electrifying children already hopped up on sugary dreams of Halloween. I don’t know why most kids loved Halloween – for me it was all about the colors. Deep dark forbidding blue skies, bright orange pumpkins, black cats, brown werewolves, green Frankensteins, white ghosts and skeletons, gray tendrils of smokey fog billowing across graveyards where shifting mounds of dirt signaled the uneasy undead making their way back home. The world had become one big giant Saturday Morning Cartoon and it was AWESOME!
TV shows and cartoons and even commercials all featured Halloween themed entertainment and to this day, they all give me a happy, comfie, nostalgic feeling.
Each October first, I began my countdown to Halloween. Oftentimes, to get myself all psyched up, I’d borrow books of ghost stories from the school’s library and would sit in my dad’s chair and read them until he came home from work. The scarier the better! Of course, at night, I was convinced that there was a ghost in my room, and would spend an hour peering out from under my Star Wars covers, half fearing, half hoping their might be.
Of course, the coolest part about Halloween was dressing up.
On a good year (when we could afford it) dressing up usually consisted of going to the corner drug store and buying a plastic costume. I remember being Spiderman, and I’m pretty sure I was a Star Wars character – though I can’t recall if I was Luke Skywalker or C-3PO. The coolest thing about costimes was that you got to wear them to school. Given the cheap nature of the costumes, they were usually ripped before I hit the streets with my mom and dad at night.
AllTop
In unrelated news, I got the exciting news that I was invited to be part of AllTop’s cool daddy bloggers! Thanks to the person who reccomended me! (Not sure if they want their name out there or not, so I’ll hold it for now). I’m thrilled to be one of the “Cool kids” even if I’m the dorkiest one at the party. You can’t miss me, I’m the guy in the back, still wearing his 3-CPO costume from when he was eight.
Sorry if this post is all over the place. It’s a bit of a last minute rush. I had another post lined up, but ran out of time due to a very hectic weekend. I’ll likely post the post that was supposed to run on Tuesday.
as always, thank you for reading,
Blogger Dad
38 Responses to “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”
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Congratulations on your Alltop thing! w00t!
I love the new picture, it’s totally cute!
That’s so funny, I’ve just written about dressing up (the children, not me!)
Do you think it was as stressful for our parents as I’m finding it now?
You know I must be miserable as sin.
I never got Halloween. Never.
To me Halloween was just a time waster on the run up to the two best days of the year, my birthday and Christmas.
I don’t think we do a good Halloween over in the UK anyway – which doesn’t help.
I’m happy that you’re happy though.
Now then, whose Halloween can I ruin next? Ah yes. I know!
Hmm. Unfortuantely that person hasn’t published their Halloween story yet. I guess I’ll have to wait.
I love Halloween, too, and I LOVE your new website design and the picture of your son, he’s so cute! Thanks for sharing your story. It took me back a few years to when I would rush home for my plastic Darth Vadar costume (yes, I had one of those and my best friend/neighbor had a Storm Trooper costume – or was it the other way around?). Those plastic masks were suffocating, though, weren’t they?
Halloween is so much fun!
By the way, I like your edit feature. I didn’t really have anything to edit, but I thought I’d try it out.
Dave, I think you need to dress yourself up as Lurch and get with the Halloween fun!
My children absolutely love it – and I don’t even let them go trick or treating.
We just get together with friends and the children do apple bobbing, play hide and seek and do that thing where you make up a bowl of cold spaghetti and call it entrails and then hide goodies in there for them to find.
Seriously buddy, you’re missing out . . .
. . . and sorry to rain on your parade, but I’m not posting about Halloween, just incase it was my Halloween story you were getting all exciting about trashing!
TARA!
Lurch?! How very dare you!
Hahahaha
You know what, I might just go ahead and do something now. It used to be all about me but I guess it’s not anymore. I might even have some fun? Hehehehe.
Yes. I was coming to deal with your bonfire.
I suppose I’ll have to use the traditional solution for dealing with a full bladder now.
I remember getting dressed up, going around the neighboorhood on roller blades, racing home, changing costumes and going back out for another round.
You would be surprised how many times you can go around the entire neighboorhood in 2 hours on roller blades.
I love the Halloween digs. When I was a kid, my mom always sewed my costumes. In retrospect, I was lucky that she cared. Back then, I always wanted one of the store bought costumes so people would know what I was. She did make me a really awesome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume one year, though. It had a giant fabric shell filled with batting, and leather patches sewn on the back. It was awesome. I wore it with numchucks the first year, and a bo staff the next.
I love the new look and I share you love of October and not just because it my b-day month. October is true fall to me. The leaves change color, the weather is crisp and cool, its perfect. Oh and don’t even get me started on Halloween. I am a huge fan. Can’t wait.
Congrats on your feature. Nice.
Oh dear another Halloween friendly blog!! I’ve just left a misery guts comment at stayathomedad. It’s such an American thing to do. We English are a bit more laid back about it though we seem to have tried to import a lot of costumes.
We did nothing as kids. At most I remember a baby sitter scaring me to death when she told us it was Halloween one evening when the folks were out. I was convince the honky tonk piano had a ghost in it!! She sang that song – ‘There was an old woman who swallowed a fly, I don’t know why she swallowed a fly, perhaps she’ll DIE’!!! I was speachless! P.S. Great job on the site!
So Happy Halloween! I might get a pumpkin:)
Writer Dad, you’ve still got that costume haven’t you? Come on fuss up, I think we need to know the truth . . .
I miss that distinct smell of the leaves on the ground and pumpkin pie.
The kids are all over the place on costumes…cheerleader, super girl, wonder woman, princess, zombie cheer leader… ahhhh.
Lurch huh?
Oops! Almost forgot. Congrats on Alltop. As one A lister told me, you’re in good company with that group, and he was right. Glad you are there.
My boys have Superman and Batman costumes, like 3 a piece, and they wear them ALL year long! We don’t celebrate Halloween, per se, but we do celebrate fall, and they love to dress up. It’s my favorite time of the year, too. I love the changing leaves and walking through crunchy grass and kicking leaves into the air.
Love the new seasonal look! And what a cute little pumpkin in the picture! I love it! Hearty congratulations on the Alltop recommendation, too!
Hands down Halloween is my favorite holiday. It’s magical. It’s pretty much stress free. I love how excited all the kids get thinking about thier costumes. I especially love decorating the house and bringing the magic alive. So much fun!
I do remember the days of those cheap plastic masks…so funny! We’ve come along away in 30 years!!! (geez…am I that old!?)
Matthew – Thank you! I love that picture, too!
Tara – The REAL question is, did your husband dress up? (nods back to commment about Tara’s husband wearing his mummy’s underclothing).
Dave – Thanks for the link love and stumbling! As for Halloween in the UK, it’s up to you and Tara to bring it to life!
Kool Aid – Thank you. Yeah, those masks were insanely annoying. Between the heat and the annoying band, half the time, I wore it up on top of my head. Glad you enjoy the edit feature. I put it there mostly for Dave foul mouthed Fowler just in case he slips up.
Tara – LURCH! HA!
Sal – LOL, now that is genius! How many bags of candy did you get?
Writer Dad – Thanks. Cool sounding costume. Of course, you had to explain to your mom that no good turtle costume would be complete without a pizza, right?
Jen – I completely agree! And happy birthday month! Thank you for the nice words.
CK – I like the zombie cheerleader idea! That is original, if not like some cheerleaders I knew in high school. Thanks for the congrats, I am in some very good company, indeed.
Jamie – LOL, it’s always fun to dress up as Superman or Batman!
Betsy – Thank you and thank you!
Caroline – I think Tara might disagree with you on the stress issue. But yes, it is a lot of fun!
TO ALL: All this talk of Halloween costumes has given me an idea. I’m going to put out a call for bloggers to post their Halloween pics from when they were a kid. I’ll talk more about it in a post tomorrow. So, see if you can find your pics and I’ll give you details later. Now, I’ve got to call my mom and see if she has any such photos!
Not sure why CommentLuv wasn’t working, but I updated it and it seems to be good now.
Blogger Dads last blog post..It’s the most wonderful time of the year
You just made me think of the movie, Weird Science.
Hey! My foul mouthed comments are NEVER slip-ups. The abuse is very carefully thought out and deliberate. *tsk*
I fart in your general direction.
I’m not sure about Tara and I being able to rally 60 million peeps. And besides I’m pretty lazy. I thought you’d have realised that by now.
Dave Fowlers last blog post..Flaps. Check. Undercarriage. Check.
Blogger Dad, my husband would rather eat his own foot than get dressed up.
I am wrong about Lurch by the way? More Frankenstein’s monster? I think Dave sees himself as a bit of a suave Dracula myself . . . He’s keeping very quiet on the matter of dressing up. Maybe he fancies trying out a Naughty Witch costume?
Tara@From Dawn Till Rusks last blog post..Books
Tara I’ll have you know I see myself as the Adams dude. Whatever his name is. You know the one married to Morticia (sp?) who is totally HAWT btw.
Dave Fowlers last blog post..Flaps. Check. Undercarriage. Check.
Love the photo of your son in the pumpkin patch on this months design! I agree he defiantly looks like Charlie Brown.
orlunds last blog post..Simple Clam Chowder For Wife
Tara and Dave – I totally see Dave in the nurse’s outfit. But that’s just because he sent me a pic of himself dressed in one. But that’s a story for another day (and another website!)
Orlund – Thanks. My wife took the photo. She seems to get the best photos of him! And yes, he totally looks Charlie Brownish.
Blogger Dads last blog post..It’s the most wonderful time of the year
Dave: Not Cousin It then? Or Uncle Fester?
No? Are you thinking of Gomez then? A bit chunky, wears a gangsta suit, chuffs on cigars. That one?
Tara@From Dawn Till Rusks last blog post..Introducing the new Harry Potter
So now I’m Uncle Fester dressed in a nurses outfit eh???
Gansta suit? Bit chunky? I’m the model of svelte sophistication I’ll have you know. I still fancy his screen wife though.
You two are asking for me to open up a giant can of whoop ass on you!
I’ll do it too. I’m a loose canon you know! I am.
ps BD send that picture back to me right now!
Dave Fowlers last blog post..Flaps. Check. Undercarriage. Check.
My only acknowledgement of Halloween, that I wear, is a headband with cat ears. People usually do a double take because they’re not sure if they saw what they thought they saw.
The teenagers love to decorate the outside of the house, so I’ve kind of gotten more into the spirit of it. My 3 year old was terrified to go trick or treating last year so we bribed him heavily with candy. If we didn’t how would we get any?
LizPs last blog post..10/02/08 First Dentist Appointment
Oh, I don’t know if I can get my hands on any pictures from Halloween way back when…. To be sure, my folks can’t, but I’ll see what I can dig up. Lookin’ forward to see what you post about this.
Kool Aids last blog post..dominion
You know, after hanging out here for the last couple of weeks, I can SO see Dave dressed as Uncle Fester in a nurse’s outfit. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
And Blogger Dad, Congrats on the Alltop thing, You Rock!
Dave – Why would I send that photo back when it can be such a useful blackmail tool? As for you being a loose cannon, I heard that about you. You know they make pills for that now, don’t you?
LizP – If you want some actual cats to clip to your headband, I’d be happy to send you Captain Bologna Butt (I’ll discuss the origin of that name in a later post) and Stares At Wall Cat.
Kool Aid – Cool, I look forward to seeing everyone’s pics.
Jamie – It means that Dave’s derangement is spreading! You cannot be cured. I guess you will have to stay here in the Quarantine Zone. And thanks for the congrats!
Blogger Dads last blog post..It’s the most wonderful time of the year
@Dave: What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Kool Aids last blog post..dominion
Jamie: It means Blogger Dad and Tara (and growing numbers of others) bring out the worst in me. Plus it means they possesses over-active imaginations and a strange fetishes.
It’s like being back at achool, sitting at the back of the class blowing spit wads through a hollow Bic biro andGetting into trouble becasue all the other dolts egg me on.
Kool Aid: What do you mean? African or European swallow?
Dave Fowlers last blog post..Flaps. Check. Undercarriage. Check.
Thanks for the offer of cats, but we have Pees On The Front Door so I think we’re good
LizPs last blog post..10/02/08 First Dentist Appointment
I remembered Halloween around my house, and it usually consisted of getting whatever clothes we had around and dressed up like either a punk rocker or snowman. The kicker was getting a pillow case as a candy bucket. About half full is as far as I remember it ever getting… but that lasted all of a day or 2 only.
hanks last blog post..Hanks Weekly Hangouts #52 (October 5, 2008)