BOO!

It's that witching time everyone. It just got dark out and children have begun that chilly hike around town to see who can acquire the most Snickers bars.

I remembering looking forward to October 31 more than Christmas. It wasn't even about the candy. I just loved being able to climb into a new skin for the night - be someone who I am usually not and jump three feet when some clever homeowner jumped out of their front bushes on Halloween night. 

Now that I am older, I still dress up but it's not the same. I get candy now at the local grocery store instead of from peoples candy buckets that they hold out to me on their porch step. I have become an adult. One who loves when little kids toddle up to the door step for a Reses cup and resents those high schoolers who dress in all black, giving the false impression of a costume, and dive into the candy bucket without a simple "Trick or Treat!" 

Since I stopped trick or treating I have had a nostalgic pang in my heart every Halloween. 

As costumes trend toward the sexy version of Belle, a police officer, animals of all kinds, and well, a sexy version of everything, it seems Halloween has become more of a spring break version of dress up. It seems only children under five are still dressing up as their hero's or who they want to be when they grow up. 

 

One Halloween, I dressed up as a news reporter.

If you're an adult who wants to dress up as a scantily-clad Snow White, that's up to you. But more kids seem to be paying more and more money for less and less cloth in their costume. It is nearly impossible to find the average witch costume or even zombie costume - even in the kids section. Oh, and I doubt the wicked witch wore fishnets.

Halloween seems to be part of the push that is allowing kids grow up too fast. And here I am, in my early twenties, longing for the day when I dressed up as 50s girl or a warty witch and came home, exhausted and cold, to count out my absurd candy supply as my mom made me hot chocolate. 

I can't fight the trend of Halloween costumes when I sit out on the porch to hand out candy tonight, but I will encourage everyone who celebrates the haunting holiday to enjoy it as it used to be. Don a scary mask and bake pumpkin pie while watching slasher films all night. (Not all at the same time...) Remember what Halloween was like when you were a kid. That's easy for me as I am still terrified of scary movies, but try to tap into your inner zombie tonight and see how thrilling and chilling your night can get.

And of course, have a Happy Halloween!

This post is not for the actual 99 percent, really. It is for those who say that they are part of the 99 percent but either are too young or too wealthy to be categorized as such.

As Occupy Wall Street continues, I have noticed an increasing amount of people jumping on the bandwagon for trend's sake. This is a gigantic movement for many reasons and it affects many people (hence the 99 percent figure) but some people are acting as if it impacts them when it doesn't, while others are saying that it doesn't impact them when it does. Many voices do have an impact but when a number of those voices are misguided, the impact is not as intense.

There are photos surfacing across the Internet of babies and toddlers draped with signs explaining their debt and their lack of health care. OK, children help make a statement, but really? While a baby's family may be impacted by this - the baby can't voice his or her opinion/thoughts about the issue. I'm not trying to give anyone parenting advice, but I don't believe it's right to involve a child who can barely speak in an issue that involves political and current events knowledge.

With that said, if you want to bring an older child with you to Occupy Wall Street to educate them on what is going on, that is a great idea. Explain it to them, let them absorb the information and they can then decide for themselves what they think about this.

Some parents seem to be bringing their children for that reason but other children (pre-teens/ teens) are going to Occupy locations across the state because it's trendy. Hey, everyone is doing it, right? But they are occupying to occupy, not to make a statement or learn something. Again, this is not everyone - but there are certainty those occupying for the wrong reasons. There is nothing wrong with occupying a location (even if the issue doesn't impact you and it is just for support, as long as you understand why you are there.)

The latest on Occupy New Haven

As I said above, if people want to support the movement, excellent, so I am refraining from opinion regarding the guest appearance of Kanye West at Occupy Wall Street. As you can see by the photo below, found on the New York Observer's website, West strolled by the crowds of people wearing gold chains and sporting a golden grill. While those who were starstruck mobbed the celebrity, others expressed contempt at his visit, saying that he is of the 1 percent the demonstrators are speaking out against.

Without being too prolific and taking up too much of your time (when you could be out Occupying Wall Street [!]) I will leave it at this: This movement is spreading like wildfire and the people involved should be lauded for their vocalization, organization and dedication; however, this is not a trend, like feather extensions for hair or silly bands, that should be taken lightly. Go out, get educated and make the decision if you want to Occupy Wall Street and/or support the movement. And please, leave children under 10 at home.