Halloween was quite the event for me this year.  Costumes grand-totaled at FOUR, a fact that I have grown very fond of sharing with people.

The holiday means a lot of things to a lot of different people.  Some common views:

Halloween is…

• A socially acceptable time to eat inordinate amounts of candy
• A opportunity to wear lingerie in public
• A Satanistic holiday to be shunned by turning the porch lights off and pretending to not be home
• A time to express fascination with the dark side of the supernatural
• An excuse to purposefully scare and be scared
• A reason to run around the neighborhood that has nothing to do with exercise
• An extra bizarre bar night
• A photo opportunity
• A chance to dress up

I find that the last two hit closest to home.

A quick run-down to, literally, illustrate my point.

Costume Number 1 – Whitney Houston

This diva-duo made it’s appearance at the Pamoja House costume party the Friday before the week before Halloween, maybe jumping the gun just a bit.  My friend Jen agreed to dress up with me as Billie Holiday.  While this made no sense whatsoever, seeing as Billie Holiday was a few decades off the 80’s Houston I was channeling, it was perfect for the party.  Apparently, no one there knew enough about that particular genre of music to question us and simply appreciated us for what we were, girls in sparkly dresses with awesome fros – IE – the hit of the party.  Although, the resident Tinkerbell did provide some stiff competition…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costume Number Two – Little Bo Peep (and her sheep)

Grand Rapids Original Swing Society, aka GROSS, has developed this wonderful habit of getting lots of people together, providing music, and, essentially, facilitating weekly dance parties that are of an awesome caliber.  [Eight West did a recent segment on them if you’re interested in background.]  Halloween week marked the beginning of the dances being moved indoors with a widely attended costume swing dance at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.  [Yes, dancing in Rosa Park Circle is great, but not when it results in frostbite and/or hypothermia, a threat which is, unfortunately, very really in Michigan, even in October…]

It was very Night at the Museum-esque;  probably because we were at a museum and it was night.  Plus there were costumed characters swinging all over the place.  Regardless, I’m proud to say that the little bo-peep/sheep get up was a great crowd pleaser, and got more than enough comments and pictures to satisfy the slightly egotistical side of yours truly ;o)  Kudos to Jerry for doing that with me :o)

 

 

 

Costume Number Three – MVP Minnie Mouse

In all honesty, I hardly count this as a costume.  But it still got some “nice costume” comments, so I suppose it belongs on the list.  Basically, I worked at MVP Halloween night and decided it wouldn’t be acceptable to NOT wear a costume.  Either that or it’s just a great opportunity to not wear a uniform…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costume Number Four – Janet Jackson

After closing up shop at MVP, I returned home to find a football player, referee, and Tiger Woods in my living room fixing costumes, handing out candy, and trying to stop the dog from going crazy. IE, my roommates and friends getting ready to head out in the loudest, most chaotic way possible.  Probably one of my favorite welcome home moments to date…

Anywho, my friend Jess came over and I helped her come up with a costume.  You may recognize it.  If you’re sharp.  We stopped by her place where her roommates were watching what seemed to be some indie horror film.  *barf*  We stayed long enough to say hi and take a few pics, and then it we were downtown bound!

THE destination of the night was Rockwell’s/Republic, a sort of split personality type joint.  Two places, each with a different feel, connected by up second floor walkway and a maze of hallways in the basement.  [Seriously, I challenge you to find the bathroom in under two minutes…]  Hollywood theme, complete with a red carpet, and wall to wall awesome costumes made it a great night, PLUS it was a fundraiser for Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation!  Hooray for being able to feel good about partying!  Lots of my MVP favorites were there, including Mr. Matt Copeland, who came aaaalll the way from Chicago just to visit!  Okay, visit/guest DJ.  And, of course, Mr. Steve Harney, owner of Full Circle Marketing, one of the hosts of the night.

A few other thoughts related to Halloweek adventures:

Night of Fear Haunted House – sure, that was fun, if you jump at the drop of a hat, like I do.

Jack the Ripper – Performed by the Grand Rapids Ballet Company, was absolutely fantastic, in a chillingly beautiful sort of way!  I had the opportunity to attend with some friends from the IHM youth ministry group that I volunteer with.  [One of the dancers, Martha Bellamy, is in the youth group.  Watch for that name in lights someday; she’s getting ready to start auditions for companies across the country!]  A far cry from the child-friendly Nutcracker type ballet I’m more accustomed to seeing, but extremely well done.

I’ve-Seen-That-About-Five-Times-Tonight-Costumes – Every year there seem to be a few costumes that you see over and over, and I always wonder why…  Sometimes it’s obvious, like when everyone dressed up as Cruelle D’ville after 101 Dalmatians came out, but sometimes I swear it’s a grand scheme orchestrated by costume companies that somehow get into people’s subconscious costume idea thought process.  For example, Where’s Waldo and Audrey Hepburn???  Randomly popular in 2009.

Costume Pet-Peeve – Putting on a cowboy hat and calling it a costume?  Lame.  Right up there with putting on a jersey and calling yourself an athlete.

Regardless.  Halloween is one of the greatest holidays ever, as is surely evident by the length of this post.  Consider it my tribute.