No More Mr. Nice Guy

Talk about a Halloween fan-boy's dream come true. As an early birthday present my wife picked me up tickets to The Gruesome Twosome Tour of Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie. I am so excited for this show I can hardly stand it - thank Samhain it's only a month and a half away! Nothing like a little Halloween goodness in the month of May (and to help me forgot how close to 40 I'm getting...) With the recent release of Zombie's superb 'Hellbilly Deluxe 2' and all the shock-rock classics of Alice (the true Godfather of metal), this looks to be a show for the ages.

Do I have the greatest wife in the underworld or what? Thank you, my sweet corpse bride- you're the rottenest!

New Pics

Finally got around to digging through the crypt for the last of the 2009 Halloween pics. Found this interesting one in the pile. It's a little artsy compared to my usual point-and-shoot style of photography. I must have been feeling a little loopy from all the brain cells I killed off courtesy of Rust-Oleum. (My new Halloween fence - a major purchase from Home Depot - turned out great, but my IQ dropped twenty points!) Anyway - a ton of new pics have been uploaded to the '09 page, as well as last year's poem and invite. Enjoy!

This Ain't Disney's Haunted Mansion

Passed this beauty on a recent trip to the Wisconsin Dells. Unfortunately we drove by the Haunted Mansion on our way out of town so I didn't have time to stop in and check it out. We'll be passing through that neck of the woods again later this summer, so I'm definitely planning on dropping five bucks to see the scariest attraction in the Dells...

The City In The Sea

Our new fish - and first family pet - a male Betta fish we named Edgar.

For no ripples curl, alas!
Along that wilderness of glass-
No swellings tell that winds may be
Upon some far-off happier sea-
No heavings hint that winds have been
On seas less hideously serene.

Welcome home, Edgar!

Got Paint?

My wife is always quick to claim that Halloween is 'my deal,' washing her hands of all things October. But more often than not she is the one to find the great deals. Such was the case at a recent visit to Home Depot. On our way out the door we passed a shopping cart filled with reject paint cans. Naturally, since Halloween is 'my thing,' she was the one to say: "Hey, could you use any of these for Halloween?" So we look through the cart and lo and behold... a 3/4 full gallon can of black paint.

God, I love my wife.

Return to Sleepy Hollow

I was going through the hundreds of photos we took on our bi-annual Christmas trip to Florida the other day when I came across this forgotten gem. This was taken at Walt Disney World and was just one of those random 'in-a-mad-rush-to-see-Mickey' moments when the family was trying to stay together and not get lost in the crowd. We passed by this candy shoppe on Main Street, USA and I HAD risk losing site of the wife and kids so I could stop and snap a pic. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to peek inside and see what goodies they had for sale - but knowing DisneyWorld, it is probably better left to the imagination.

Sleepy Hollow

Last night I took my daughter to a wonderful production of Washington Irving's classic folk tale: 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' which was put on by our local high school's drama department. I'm not sure why they chose January to stage this particular play (it seems more suitable for October, but maybe that's just me...) Regardless, it was nice to get a little shot of Halloween goodness right smack in the middle of a dreary Minnesota winter. A tip of the hat to director M. Farris for hooking me up with a couple of t-shirts - which feature the awesome artwork above - and for getting such a fine performance out of an outstanding ensemble of students!

Poe Toaster No More?

First and foremost - happy 201st birthday to the master: Edgar Allan Poe! I wish you the peace and prosperity, dear Poe, that eluded you in life. May you share your days in paradise with your darling Virginia and your loving 'Muddy' at your side.

But what's this? No Poe Toaster? Perhaps last year, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, the toaster saw fit to end this charming ritual. I dearly hope not, for Poe deserves this fitting memorial. In a year from now I suppose we shall see. In the meantime, raise a glass filled with cream and amber and sing a toast to Israfel!

Happy Birthday, Poe!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/poe/bal-poe0119,0,2922653.story

Exile on Main Street

I'm slowly, s l o w l y coming out of a self-imposed Halloween exile. Our 2009 haunt was our most ambitious project to date, and it really sucked the life out of me. I've suffered from severe Halloween burn-out - the first time that's ever happened. I needed to step back, regroup, and re-focus on what's important. I hope to get back into the swing of things in the next few weeks and actually start sketching out ideas for our 2010 haunt. Thanks for your patience - we hope to be back bigger, better, and SCARIER in 2010! Until then, keep checking back and keep checking your closet...