Your Soundtrack.

I've been thinking lately, what if we all had our own personal soundtrack? You know, the music that plays along during a movie, giving the audience a clue as to the feelings and thoughts of the film's characters and maybe even giving a hint of coming events. I think it would make life a lot easier in some ways. For instance, you'd know when danger was coming (cue low, ominous string music), when you had met the love of your life (cue soaring fanfare), or when someone was hitting on you (cue Barry White's "Let's Get It On"). Admit it, now that you think about it, you'd love to have that kind of social help.

Now imagine how wonderful it could be in your interactions with other people. Imagine walking down the sidewalk and, as you pass each person, you hear their soundtrack. That man that just staggered past reeking of gin and ale has muted piano bar music playing. That past-her-prime lady that smells of cheap perfume has big band blasting loudly as she strides past you in her high heels. The creepy guy that's making a pass at you in the bar has the screeching strings of Hitchcock's Psycho (Get out. Get out now!). Not that I've ever had a guy hit on me in a bar.

Wouldn't it be great? Obviously, the accompanying music wouldn't be the same all the time for each person. It would change with their mood. So I might wake up with some dragging bassoon playing, but by the end of the day it may have changed to a piping piccolo (short of living in a Disney cartoon, I can't think of a situation would necessitate a piccolo, but you get my point).

So what's your soundtrack sound like right now? Dark and foreboding? Happy and chipper? Lazy and low? Is what your soundtrack is playing not what you want others to hear when they interact with you? Change the tune.

As the words to the old Doobie Brothers song go, "listen to the music."

'Tis the Season.

Well, that time of year has rolled around again. It seems to come earlier and earlier every year. You know what I'm talking about.

Halloween.

Yes, Halloween-time has come again. It's still the beginning of September, but the decorations have already started to come out at stores as well as (more importantly) their holiday merchandise. Does this bother me? No. I've always loved Halloween. After all, it's only a few days after my birthday. But what I love about it most is the atmosphere. More than the holiday, I love the season.

Fall has always made me, well, giddy. I love the changing colors of the leaves; the cool, crisp air; the low, sharp light of the more distant sun; the frost on the ground when you wake up; the later sunrise and earlier sunset. It all combines for an atmosphere of magic, much like winter and snow do for the Christmas season.

But beyond the weather, I always liked Halloween for the creepiness of the holiday. Not the bloody football player/cheerleader/bride costumes or the gory lawn decorations or the black, satanic focus that has steadily (and unfortunately) seeped into it in recent years. When I speak of creepiness, I'm talking about Disney-Halloween-TV-special kind of creepiness. Remember the old Disney cartoon version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow? The feeling I got from that was the feeling I love about Halloween. Nothing evil, nothing demonic, no blood running everywhere. Good, clean fun. With a bit of a shiver.

Naturally, my thoughts are turning to what I'm going to dress up as for Halloween. I always loved dressing up as a kid, whether or not it was Halloween-time (which is amazing, considering that I hate trying on clothes as an adult). Last year I was a scarecrow and the year before that I was Frankenstein's monster. Whatever I choose, it needs to be relatively cheap, not too hard to make/apply (I'll never try Frankenstein's monster again) and at least somewhat authentic looking. I'm not a big fan of the fake looking, store-bought superhero costumes or the gag outfits (no, a guy dressed as a cow with a giant udder is not funny). If I'm going to be something, I want to look as much like it as possible. Halloween is an excuse for grown ups to dress up again.

So, give me some input on what I could be for Halloween. Anyone out there have any ideas? Anyone? Is anyone even out there?

Am I all alone?

Whoa. Spooky.