Missing Halloween... 5 years in a row now

Halloween is cursed for me. I realize how contradictory that sounds, but it really is. See- I love Halloween. Especially growing up in the midwest where you don't have to inspect your candy, the leaves turn colors, and on the rare occasion Halloween gets "postponed" because of the early blizzard. I remember one such holiday where my sister dressed up as a killer bee, and I was a bee keeper. Classic, really.



But lately I've been missing out. In college our final fall golf tournament was always held over Halloween. Which meant instead of going out to all the parties with my girlfriends dressed as Mr. T and Anna Kournikova-- I was asleep by 9 in order to make it to my 7:05am tee time.

Then there was last year. I spent Halloween driving through the Texas basin with all my belongings packed into my car as I bid adieu to crazy AZ and left for my destiny in Florida.

This year: Chicago. Ok, yes- this sounds great. For one, I'll get to wear my suede coat that my mom got me last year for Christmas. And well, it's Chicago. I'll be staying on the magnificent mile-- so I'm sure some major shopping will be in order. Last time I was in Chicago I went a little pie-eyed in Prada, so this time I'm back to claim a little of my dignity. I was hoping to go see some Jazz while I'm there, but since I'll be going solo-- I doubt I'll be venturing out by myself after dark.

But even with this trip to one of my most favorite cities planned, I'm so bummed.

I want Halloween. Trick or treaters. In true Brown tradition, I wanted to make popcorn balls even though I doubt none of the children in our neighborhood would take them. (One thing I miss about my hometown-- you could count on homemade cookies, brownies, and popcorn balls-- and never had to worry if they were poisoned. We always set out a bowl of popcorn balls with orange and brown M&Ms in them for the neighbor kids. It was outside our front door- we worked off the honor system.)

So I'll be in Chicago- but next year Halloween is already blackened on my calendar. Next year I'm going to get it right...