Halloween is my favorite day of the year. Even though I won’t be doing much this year I still have a certain amount of anticipation. I’ve always loved the idea of putting on a costume and being someone else for a few hours. Exploring different parts of myself, showing off a little perhaps, having fun.
Though my costumes haven’t been all that skillfully made, I’ve had fun with each one. I’ve been an aviator/aviatrix a few times. I’ve even had the silk scarf, leather hat, and goggles. I took a flight that way once! I’ve been Ellie Mae Clampett. I’ve been Dead Spock. I’ve been Athena. I’ve been a kenshi who really was “shi.” I’ve been Emperor Palpatine. I’ve been a US infantryman. I was Galileo once, as I wrote about in another post. My earliest halloween costume was a devil costume when I was just a baby. The earliest costume I remember was when I was a robot, with a cardboard box body, dryer hose arms, and pliers for hands. I was so excited to dress up! I think I was four.
One of my favorite memories is of dressing up as the shortest Darth Vader who ever was. I’m only 5′ 3″ so it was a pretty big difference between me and good old Wafflepants! I was in college at the time, and went to French class in the costume. Later, I visited the Undergraduate Library. I went up to the information desk and asked where the plans were for the Rebel Base. “Maybe in the map library?” was the quizzical response. I had a lot of fun as Short Vader.
Last Halloween I was Doctor Squiggle. You know, the doctor with illegible handwriting? I had a little prescription pad that I wrote fake prescriptions on. Things like “One Apple, P.O, As needed,” or “One Banana, P. A., BID.”
What was your favorite costume?
Mindflight 