Happy Halloween!!

Baby, its cold outside or how I learned that start time is a nebulous concept at best

The much overthought costume

(with thanks to Alphagal who gave the most useful bridesmaids' gift any bride ever gave to her attendants. Totally. Alphagal looked after her girls bigtime)

I wanted to make sure that I got to the event on time. When I left at a quarter to six I was afraid I might be late. I went to where I was pretty sure the venue was and discovered that it was not where I thought it was at all, it was a bar but it was the wrong bar! Damn it. Did you know downtown Raleigh has a lot of bars? I was shocked too.

Now, I was not going to get out of the car, I would have driven around all night before I got out and went in someplace to ask. There is nothing sadder than an orphaned, costume wearer in a sea of people not dressed in costume. I’m dumb I’m not daft. I finally got my shite together and found the street where the event was actually located but then turned the wrong way on it when I found it and ended up not where I wanted to be. I felt in my heart it was a right hand turn and that the venue could only be in that direction. It wasn’t. Not even kind of. I am not very bright and I was driving around in a little red riding hood costume. In broad daylight.

I smartened up fast though. I was thinking “Damn, this thing is going to be under way and there is going to be nowhere to park and I’m going to wind up parking a million miles away and probably going to end up mugged. . When I finally rolled up at ten after I was able to park at the gate. I was the first one there. I was so early the cops milling around the entry had the time to check my ID. I haven’t had my ID checked in years. I’m old and I look old. I’m not going to pass for under twenty-one again in this life time. I’m pretty sure I was older than the cop IDing me.

Okay. 6:10 pm. nobody doing nothing. The first of the three bands hadn’t started warming up and a quick look around turned up me, myself and I. Did they even bother to advertise this? I learned about it from a random guy at the dog park. I never saw any official notice of it out in the world until I searched for it online.

I was the first person to sign up for the costume contest. I then decided that instead of wandering around by my lonesome in broad daylight in a little red riding hood costume that I and my costume should eat something over priced. I went into one of the hosting establishments and after having to admit I was there by myself, was seated. I was waited on by The Littlest Angel. While I was waiting for my food I watched a muted, ancient Dracula movie. I idly wondered why the Whedonverse vamps never wore tuxedos.

I over tipped the Littlest Angel and went on my way. At least by now it was darker and I noticed a few more costumed people milling around outside.

Darth Vader and Leia

The Power Plant needs closer over sight!

Rome lives.

He's game!



I had repeated moments of panic because I would suddenly notice I could not see through the mask. I could but it was a matter of training myself to focus in the right place, actually through and X shape in the mask where the eye holes were supposed to be.

Suffering for my art

The Village People didn’t hit the stage until close to ten; I did not win the costume contest: I should have though. Some bimbo in an acid washed mini skirt stuffed a pillow up her top and called herself Brittany made the cut instead. This guy was the big winner:



I had a great time, my costume got a lot of compliments and the Village People still rawk. Go HERE for the rest of the pixs.

The Village People!