Today I used the Facebook stalker feed to spy on a conversation about whether it is right for a Christian to participate in Halloween. Though the questioner was doing her best not to be overly judgmental, the mere act of questioning my friend in a public place seemed intrinsically judgmental. My knee-jerk reaction to this sort of religiously driven crap is to (1) disassociate with people participating in it, and (2) write snarky things in response, then (3) wonder why I’m not a better person. Growing up is hard.

But the truth is, I have little trouble with Halloween, whether we define “participating” as handing out candy or dressing up as, say, Miss Wormwood or a “decorative” scarecrow and scaring children who come up the walk, har har that was funny that year. I even carved a pumpkin this year, for the first time in I don’t know how long. There are a couple things I dislike about the holiday — I dislike how our neighbors have a “graveyard” in their front lawn complete with a “corpse” “decomposing” nearby. That’s not my style. And I dislike how much candy I consume when the trick-or-treaters don’t show up and leave me with a bagful. But here’s what I like about the holiday: I like giving kids candy, I like the imagination and creativity that goes into planning, I like looking at the costumes, I love an excuse to dress my kid up, and I like watching kids play the role they’ve chosen for that day. These are good things. And if Easter and the War on Christmas (ha ha, oh, FOX news, you warmonger, you) has taught us anything, it’s that we can reclaim the holidays and celebrate them as befits our beliefs.

So that’s what I want to tell that ultramegaconservativewoman who is gently judging my friend for handing out candy. And that’s my first NaBloPoMo entry.

*mostly, but gosh I do love bacon

“The news is about what people want to keep hidden. Everything else is publicity.”

Bill Moyers on The Daily Show

I mean, my brain’s circuits fried with all the irony (oh fine, it may be pop irony instead of literary irony, but still it’s stronger than coincidence) in those two facts. No, child, you will not be winning scholarships to college with plagiarized writing. You will be left behind.

Damn shame, too. Good kid.

Then I woke up, and soon I’m going to go to Home Depot to get the ONE compost tumbler available in the entire valley. Harumph.

I wasn’t very close to her — we lost touch after high school –  so I hesitate to say something that will upset anyone. Yet I’ve been sitting here for an hour since I found out, trying to remember how I’ve rationalized others’ deaths in order to understand this one. But that’s what’s bothering me: rationalizing is like putting round pegs in square holes and thinking that as long as the pegs don’t fall out, they must fit; in short, it often makes sense just to the person twisting logic to fit the situation.

Maybe it’s just me, but every time a friend or relative dies, the choice between faith and reason becomes all the more clear. And I just don’t think I can choose faith anymore. I quit believing in miracles a long time ago, and now I don’t really see the point of loving a god who does nothing.

Blonde No. 1: You really need to touch up your roots.

Blonde No. 2: Well, I’m thinking of going back to my original color.

Blonde No 3: Ugh. Who would want brown hair? I mean, especially in the winter?

Me: glare.

Let me briefly recap what happened between my last post and now: My sister-in-law had her baby (as did my sister-in-law’s sister-in-law), and then BAM! Every woman in the world announced she was pregnant. Except me. And Lucy.

Speaking of babies, the big news is that (1) I have a new niece! And sorry, world, but my nieces are pretty much the cutest nieces of all the nieces. Although those Grable progeny are looking alright. Also, (2) I have full-time work lined up next quarter, and (3) I’m keeping busy with freelance jobs this quarter. So I’m making at least enough dollars to buy dog food, which fuels our local poop factory.

And now, having been working on freelance jobs, lesson planning, teaching, and more freelancing all day, I’m going to bedfordshire.