the first day of Halloween

Today I'm wearing my costume, or at least a rather scaled back version (pants instead of the skirts, no corset or Sting, etc), and have had many incorrect guesses, such as Dickens (reasonably close), the Mad Hatter (I'm not nearly crazy enough, but also reasonably close, especially as the top hat is an Alice in Wonderland one, although not the sort belonging to the Hatter), Edgar Allen Poe (not really, and too much color and gagetry, I suppose it was the bird on my hat that suggested this, although it isn't a raven, more like a sparrow), and Abraham Lincoln (really, apparently any character ever who wore a top hat I now resemble enough for someone to guess). In spite of these horrible guesses, it was still fun to go to work all dressed up. No one else in my department wore so much as a funky hat. The closest anyone else came to dressing up was to wear a Halloween broach. However, some of the other departments in the building really got into things. In the elevator this morning there were platic bats, and a sign saying 'stop by the second floor, we're *thirsty* for visitors' in a dripping blood font, and there was a bloody thumbprint by the button for the second floor. So of course I stopped by, and in the hall were tombstones, and a table with garlic and another tombstone and a sign saying 'check all stakes, crosses, and garlic at the door', and pictures of various vampires with notes under it saying 'so-and-so's sire', which was amusing. And inside the office there was a coffin and bloody handprints (there was a fog machine, also, which apparently wasn't working) and five or so ladies dressed up as vampires. It was fun. They decided to decorate this year (two years ago they did a whole huge Wizard of Oz themed decoration and costumes) in order that everyone would stop by and visit. They liked my costume, especially my pendant watch (and one the gals actually called it steampunk, and said I could be a steampunk vampire, which was completely amusing and fun because I like knowing I'm not the only one who knows what steampunk is (beyond my circle of friends, I mean)) and there was chocolate, which is always good.

At lunch there was a potluck, and I didn't bring anything, so I took my sandwhich down and sat around talking to people and getting a chance to see some of the costumes (there was a hippie, who had the original touch of a large button saying 'yes on proposition 19' (for those of you not in California, that is the proposition to legalize marijuana), a fairy godmother, Pippi Longstocking, Minni Mouse, a rockstar, a hobo, the Donky and Pinochio from Shrek, and other which I have forgotten). Costuming is just so very much fun, and I'd forgotten just how much fun until today, I think. I've been depressed because of the lack of a proper Halloween party, due to people having to work, but it will still be fun and there will be costumes and chocolate, which, after all, is the point of Halloween (so far as I'm concerned).