Film. Comics. Sci-Fi. Superheroes. Pulp. Noir. History. Superman. 20th Century Archaeology.
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| May the Queen of Halloween bid you an Excellent All Hallows Eve |
Well, 2021 is in the books at our house. And we had a good one.
Halloween sort of starts for me now in July as I start working on podcasts and actual Halloween night is pretty chill. But we did 5 episodes of Podcast, five Watch Parties and I watched a bucket ton of Halloween/ horror stuff this year.
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| Elvira would want you to trick or treat |
I do love the spooky season, and I hope you do, too. Movies, candy, stories, ghosts and witches - it's all good stuff. Gimme the staples of Halloween any day. Well, specifically, October 31 and the days before.
I hope your Halloween is full of fun, however you do it! There is nothing wrong with ignoring it all and watching some sports, but there's also nothing wrong with a party and costumes, or tricks and treats.
At our house, Halloween started when my mom (The Karebear) would tell us to get the Scotch Tape and cardboard decorations out a few weeks ahead of the big day, and we'd tape stuff up on windows and in the kitchen. Cats, ghosts, draculas and whatnot. Throw in some Great Pumpkin and other TV specials, and then it was time to figure out a costume. And at least two of mine were hand-made by mom and grandma (I had a full-body ET costume that nearly killed me in the Houston humidity).
This year, we're sitting on our porch and shooting candy down 5' PVC tubes into buckets to keep the kids and ourselves entertained. Costumes look doubtful, but you never know.
Anyway - have a great day and night! May it be SPOOKTACULAR!!!
July 4, 1776 is the date that the Second Continental Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence. A vote had been held on July 2, 1776 to agree to seek independence from Britain in the form of the Lee Resolution. However, a formal Declaration of Independence did not appear until July 4th.
Perhaps the date we observe has as much to do with the stirring text of the Declaration as anything - and it is the formal document eventually signed by most of the delegates to the Congress.
While not a document which laid down the manner in which the government would be run, which would not arrive for over a decade in the form of the Constitution of the United States, the Declaration of Independence does lay down the moral reasoning for our separation from England. The Preamble, often memorized by school children over the years, and familiar to most Americans, formed the ethos of America as a state which required the consent of the governed, and that the government would serve the needs of the people. But also that government not be changed on a whim - but when the government no longer responded to the needs of the governed.
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| Dolly's outfit needs more sequins |
Hey, y'all!
Well, yeah. This Thanksgiving was weird, but good.
First - I am thankful for Jamie and how much she looks after me and Scout and everyone else in general, but in COVID times, she's been extra great. We're now however many months into this mess and she's been both dealing well with having to live with me and has been entirely key to me keeping an even keel throughout.
I'm thankful for a solid job that is unlike to see much damage as the situation around us remains fluid. It can be crazy, but it's a challenge I am growing to appreciate more all the time.
We live in town with much of our small family, and I'm thankful we're doing well, and I can see people (socially distanced) even if high-fives and hugs are harder to come by. We've got a solid support system here locally and in California, and that doesn't hurt.
And, of course, I'm grateful for all you knuckleheads who have made COVID-times bearable by staying in touch, co-producing podcasts, reading the blog, and doing Tuesday and Friday movie nights. It's a heck of a thing that there's a network from New York to San Francisco and Seattle and back again through the midwest, Kansas City and onward to North Carolina and Tennessee. Y'all are everywhere, and it's alarming.
