Football fans have the Super Bowl, while their baseball counterparts have the World Series. Movie buffs anticipate the Academy Awards and music fans eagerly await the Grammys. Chefs look forward to cooking for guests during the winter holidays and preachers eagerly await Holy Week. When you're a big kid at heart you look forward to October. You have 31 days leading up to Halloween-and that barely leaves enough room to squeeze in all the nostalgia.
My childhood friend, Steve, kicked off the trip down memory lane by emailing me a video of the intro to Fright Night, WOR-TV's late night showcase of horror movies that aired in the 70s and 80s. It is hard to believe that we would stay up until 3 am watching movies with titles like THE INCREDIBLE TWO-HEADED TRANSPLANT, WEREWOLF OF WASHINGTON, and LADY FRANKENSTEIN. Actually, these days we have a hard time believing could ever stay up to 3am, period! But Steve's video started the movie mania, which had me reaching for the DVD shelf to replay chillers from yesterday starring Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing. It wasn't exactly the Whiteway Drive-in, but I guess it was the next best thing.
We rarely keep candy in our house, but that goes out the window during October. After all, we have to stock up for our little visitors! The thing is, not being up on the latest candies has me searching for treats that haven't been in production for years. Remember Marathon, Nestle's Choco Lite, and Wonka Scrunch Bars? I need to get out shopping more. Next thing you know I'll find out that you can't buy 8-tracks anymore!
My nephew, Eli, had a lot on his mind for a kindergartner. Not the meaning of life or perpetual motion, but the question that has haunted young kids down through the ages: "What am I going to wear on Halloween?" Every time I thought he settled the question in his mind, he'd see another commercial on television or a display in a store and start the whole selection process over again. So he's gone from Count Dracula, to a Transformer, then Indiana Jones, a pirate, and a ninja. I couldn't really offer him any advice, as a glance at the family photo album indicates that I dressed as Batman every year in elementary school. There are still two days to go before Halloween, so he still has the opportunity to change his mind at least a half-dozen more times until then!
Have fun on Halloween, be safe, and save the Mars Bars for me!
Ian Eastman, M.A., is a community educator with Family Services of Warren County-a charitable agency that helps people solve problems and be happier through counseling, substance abuse services, and support groups. Learn more about this important work at www.fswc.org.