Just Imagining 10-30-09

   I don’t get the hype about Halloween; never have. I’m already have a sour attitude about summer being over, so I’m in no mood to deal with kids hassling me for candy and strangers acting like it’s suddenly okay to invade my personal space, just because they’re celebrating.
    Please note, this comes from someone who has never participated in either trick-or-treating as a kid or wild Halloween costume parties as an adult. None of this is to condemn what I have not done, because that argument would be quite futile. Rather, I’d like to share my won observations simply for the sake of discussion.
    Because I never went through the motions of celebrating Halloween, I genuinely don’t even know how, as we age, we go from innocent trick-or-treating to dressing up in provocative costumes, vandalizing other people’s possessions and getting drunk. Instead of a candy-induced belly ache the next morning, celebrants are greeted by one wicked hangover and maybe even an intoxicated stranger lying next to them.
    I’m most perplexed about how our Halloween celebrations evolve over time.  In grade school, festivities are kept pretty innocent with homeroom cookie parties and trick-or-treating with the neighbors.  Somewhere between losing baby teeth and getting a driver’s license, puberty strikes and completely changes the way we view Halloween. Seriously, we go from cute little witch costumes to slutty maid get-ups? How does this happen?!
    Even worse, originality often goes right out the window. What once was rewarded with a “best costume” trophy at your homeroom party is now a casualty of a society that just wants to skip the preparation and go straight to the drinking.
    Remember the kid who arrived in the best John Lennon costume at your fifth grade Halloween party? He’s now the “Female Body Inspector” tossing his cookies in the bush next to your house.
    And the girl who raided her mom’s wardrobe for vintage platform shoes, beaded necklaces and a fringed vest to make the perfect hippie? Let’s just say heart patients would have an attack all over again if their actual nurse wore a bustier, fishnet stockings and an exposed garter belt like she is now.
    Like I said, originality seems to hit the bricks as we get older and is replaced by cheap, runner-up costumes, which is truly a shame. It doesn’t take much to get a great costume together, just a fine idea and a willing participant.
    This is not to say adults cannot come up with truly creative costumes. Do you remember the 2001 Halloween episode of “Friends”? Monica and Chandler host a party whose guests include Catwoman, Supergirl and a potato-antennae combination named “Spud-nik.” Then there’s Ross’ new girlfriend Mona, who spoils everything by coming as “the slutty nurse,” as Joey calls her. Didn’t she know this wasn’t your typical Halloween party when unoriginal outfits were banned? Even Joey dressed as Chandler in an argyle sweater vest!
    Believe it or not, originality can show up in Murray, too. For Halloween 2005, one friend of mine decided to put a humorous spin on then-Murray State President King Alexander’s announced departure for the presidency of California State University Long Beach. My friend attended a Halloween party with a giant crown atop his head, a sports coat around his shoulders and an “I heart Murray State” T-shirt with “Murray State” crossed out and “Cal State” written over it in permanent marker. Originality, alive and well.
    I guess the appeal is like that of worldwide Carnival celebrations - dressing up and acting like a buffoon because you can. Everyone needs to destress at some point, and if Halloween supplies the excuse, go for it. If you’re going to celebrate, though, at least do it with a little flair! Channel an easy-bake oven, a UFO, The Rock Obama or Wilma Flintstone, and have one rocking, yabba-dabba-do time.
   
  Quote of the week: “I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween."
- Charles Swartz
                 
  Song of the week: “Changes”                                         - Tahiti 80

    Contact Keen at jodi.keen@murraystate.edu.

2 comments

sara

Sun Nov 1 2009 21:57

At your first naturist experience, you may feel apprehensive and worried that people will be staring at you. But a visit to naturistspace.org is much different than you would experience anywhere else. At there, you will not find people trying to undress you with their eyes, from afar or near, because there is nothing left for the imagination to remove. You will not find people throwing outdated, lewd or offensive pickup lines at you. Enjoy our clothing free lifestyle!

Uncle Chuck

Sat Oct 31 2009 17:28

I think it is too easy for the drunken disorderly to dress up like Zombies since that'sw hat they really are by 8PM. See you soon.

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