Brian's World

Halloween

Happy Halloween all!

I hope every have a very wonderful Halloween and enjoys many treats while avoiding the unpleasent trick.

As for myself, I see another Halloween that isn’t coming up again. I don’t plan on attending any Halloween festivities, dressing up in any costume, or doing anything special on Wedmesday, besides sending a few cards if I get the chance.

No, I’m not being a scrooge or anything like that, I enjoy the holidays a lo. The problem is at RPI there isn’t an overall strong sense of social community, or at least not one I’ve found. Yes, people in groups will be doing things for Halloween, celebrating, partying, what not, but overall RPI will do nothing. Its not just Halloween, its everything. The closest I can imagine is one tree that gets some Christmas Lights on it during Winter Break. They turn off a light a student if someone dies while away on break. Sure, I don’t think “religious” views should be embedded into an institute, but I would wonder how much would be lost if RPI did something to foster more than just academic growth. Maybe someone could put some cobwebs up in a window or on a bush. I assume pumpkins would get smashed, but cornstalks are less likely to get attacked? Just thoughts.

Feeling the need to do something for Halloween I carved 3 pumpkins. Ok, thats a lie. I used paper and recreated 3 pumpkins. I know I won’t do anything on Wednesday, but I felt it was important to show I’m not a scrooge, so I took some time, scissors, paper, and glue and made some decorations. I’ve photographed them and you can have a look.

I do not belief in naming a lot of things, so they are numbered pumpkin 1,2, and 3. Yes, the teeth on the big one are different, but I pretended as if I was carving; if you cut something out you can’t put it back.. one shot only. The two littler ones were made from scraps from the first, I found if an effective use of trash. At some point I’ll hand them on my wall behind the monitor, that should suffice to help me feel connected to the world that celebrates things.

I do have some candy to enjoy, which is very nice and sweet, and I have some pretty cool Halloween cards (2 to be exact), 1 even plays a tune when you open it.

Sometimes I think about the saying about “work hard, play hard”.. something along those lines. I like to think I work moderately hard, and in return I might be allowed to play moderately hard.. but for me playing hard is no where near as “hard” as it might be for other people. I would very much enjoy passing candy out on Halloween or something like that, I always wanted to but I always ended up Trick or Treating. I don’t need to attend parties, drink, drug, sex, etc as part of “playing hard”. I gain much satisfaction from the little things, or at least things that most people may not view as age appropriate. I’m sorry if making paper pumpkins is a lame excuse for celebrating Halloween, yes it is something kids in kindergarten probably do, but I do not want to attend a party or something of the sort.. the only Halloween events I know of going on here.

I am going to hang my awesome pumpkins on the wall. You wish you had some.