HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Worn out? On a sugar high? Me too. I'm absolutely exhausted. BUT. Tonight is the night; I watch The Exorcist TVYNS (2000). Yay! I'll see about staying up long enough to watch Frankensetin.

I'm Regan Macneil (post-vomit). I mean, right now. No clue as to where the cold cream is. But that's fine. I had fun taking a gazillion photos. The scariest part of the day was being made up as the sweetest little Regan (possessed-by-the-Devil) Macneil, in front of a mirror; with the light off; and snapping a photo with flash. I came out of the bathroom pretty quick. I then flashed (pun, yes, 2nd of the month) back to the freaking scariest trailer I've ever seen...

The Exorcist~ Unreleased trailer

Posted by, guess who? Justin. http://exmk.net/

Don't fret; for, in the coming week, Halloween will continue. Because I have a pillow case overflowing with goodies for all my friends to share.

Hope your Halloween was a Thriller! THRILLER YEAH!

Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree

GARFIELD'S HALLOWEEN

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #1

The creepiest Halloween Garfield has ever endured...

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #2

Though he is gone... No, no, no. He'll never be gone. Bobby "Boris" Pickett, (February 11, 1938 - April 25, 2007), lives on every time you find yourself bopping along to the Halloween anthem The Monster Mash.

"Monster Mash" hit the Billboard chart three times: when it debuted in 1962, reaching No. 1 the week before Halloween; again in August 1970, and for a third time in May 1973. The resurrections were appropriate for a song where Pickett gravely intoned the forever-stuck-in-your-head chorus: "He did the monster mash. ... It was a graveyard smash."

The novelty hit's fans included Bob Dylan, who played the single on his XM Satellite Radio program last October. "Our next artist is considered a one-hit wonder, but his one hit comes back year after year," Dylan noted.

The hit single ensured Pickett's place in the pantheon of pop music obscurities, said syndicated radio host Dr. Demento, whose long-running program celebrates offbeat tunes.

"It's certainly the biggest Halloween song of all time," said Demento. The DJ, who interviewed Pickett last year, said he maintained a sense of humor about his singular success: "As he loved to say at oldies shows, `And now I'm going to do a medley of my hit.'"

Pickett's impression of Karloff (who despite his name was an Englishman, born William Henry Pratt) was forged in Somerville, Mass., where the boy watched horror films in a theater managed by his father.

Pickett used the impersonation in a nightclub act and when performing with his band the Cordials. A bandmate convinced Pickett they needed to do a song to showcase the Karloff voice, and "Monster Mash" was born _ "written in about a half-hour," said Dr. Demento.

The recording, done in a couple of hours, featured a then-unknown piano player named Leon Russell and a backing band christened The Crypt-Kickers. It was rejected by four major labels before Gary Paxton, lead singer on the Hollywood Argyles' novelty hit "Alley Oop," released "Monster Mash" on his own label.

The instant smash became a sort-of Christmas carol for the pumpkin and ghoul set. In a 1996 interview with People magazine, Pickett said he never grew tired of it: "When I hear it, I hear a cash register ringing."

Excerpt from The Washington Post

Jay Stephens bids Farewell to The Main Masher

Bobby "Boris" Pickett, Richard & the Young Lions~ Monster Mash 2005


First footage I ever saw of The Great Bobby "Boris" Pickett.

Bobby "Boris" Pickett~ Monster Mash


Bobby "Boris" Pickett~ Monster Mash 90'S

Repost of my favorite Monster Mash video; Classic Creeps at their finest!

Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Kryptkickers~ Monster Mash

HALLOWEEN SAFETY

(Yes, it's a bit of a bummer, but it's important info and needs to be said. ;) )

Costumes

• Cold weather can be harmful if children are dressed in costumes or clothes that don't protect them.
• Long costumes can be a tripping hazard for children.
• Improper masks can interfere with a child's vision or breathing.
• Swords, knives and other accessories should always be made of flexible material.
• Flimsy materials, flowing skirts and baggy sleeves can all be hazards around candles or flames.
• Coloured contact lenses that change eye colour can be a hazard.

Decorations

• Carving pumpkins can cause injuries.
• Candles, jack-o-lanterns, lighters and matches are all fire hazards.
• Indoor and outdoor decorative lights that are substandard, cracked or frayed can be fire hazards.
• Halloween candles with multiple wicks close to one another can produce a single high flame or several large flames that produce intense heat and can ignite nearby materials such as curtains and window sills.

Trick or Treating

• Children who are not accompanied by an adult are vulnerable to injury, bullying by older children or predators.
• Children running across the street and off the sidewalks risk a collision with a motor vehicle.
• Unwrapped treats or those in loose packaging from unknown sources may be unsafe to eat.

Minimizing Your Risk

Taking these steps can ensure everyone has a good time.

Costumes

• Choose costumes that are loose enough to be worn over warm clothing, but not baggy enough that children trip over them.
• Pick brightly coloured costumes that can be clearly seen by motorists. Add reflective tape to the costume to increase visibility.
• Use make-up or face paint rather than masks. If you do choose a mask, make sure it allows your child to see and breathe properly.
• Look for costumes, beards and wigs that are labelled "Flame-Resistant." Nylon or heavyweight polyester costumes are best. Even so, "Flame-Resistant" does not mean fire-proof. Avoid costumes with baggy sleeves or flowing skirts that could catch fire from flames and candles.
• Avoid contact lenses that change the colour of the eyes. They should only be used under the supervision of an eye-care professional.

Decorating

• Only adults should carve pumpkins. Let children draw a face on the pumpkin, which you can carve.
• Keep candles, jack-o-lanterns, matches and lighters in a place that children cannot reach.
• Instead of candles, consider using a small flashlight to light the jack-o-lantern.
• Make your home safe for ghouls and goblins by removing objects around the outside of your house that could cause children to trip or fall. Turn on your outside lights so that children know they can visit your place.
• If you are using indoor or outdoor decorative lights, make sure they are certified by a recognized organization such as the Canadian Standards Association or the Underwriters' Laboratory of Canada. Check lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Do not overload extension cords.
• Keep pets inside and away from trick or treaters and lit candles, especially if they are easily frightened or over-excitable.

Trick or Treating

• Go trick or treating with your children each year until they are old enough to go by themselves. When they are old enough, make sure they go with a buddy or in a group. Or follow along at a distance to keep an eye on them.
• Tell your children to walk, not run from house to house and to stay on the sidewalk or at the side of the road facing traffic. They should only cross the road at the corner and look both ways before crossing.
• Tell your children to stay in well-lit areas and only visit homes that have their outside lights turned on. Make sure they know never to go inside homes or cars.
• Give each child a flashlight to carry, to make them more visible.
• Tell your children not to eat any goodies until you have looked them over. Serve dinner before the children go out, so that they will be less tempted to eat goodies along the way.
• It is a good idea for you or your child to take a backpack along, to empty goodies into if the loot bag becomes too heavy.
• Examine the treats your children bring home before they start eating them. Throw out any treats that are not wrapped, have loose or torn wrappers or have holes in the wrappers.
• Check toys or novelty items for small parts and do not let children under three years of age play with them.
• You might want to consider an alternative to sugar-based treats, such as sugarless gum. Stickers, multi-coloured pencils or beads can be a nice replacement for, or an addition to, traditional treats. Ask your children for suggestions.
• For diabetic children, let them eat the potato chips, peanuts and sugar-free gum from the loot bags. They can also keep some of the other treats, such as chocolate and candy, which can fit into their meal plan in the following days or weeks. Leftover treats can be traded with other children or given to less fortunate kids.

General Safety

• If you are driving on Halloween, be aware of children. Slow down and enter and exit driveways and alleyways cautiously.

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 1997 --Halloween can be a traumatic and even dangerous time for your pet. Ms. Jacque Schultz, ASPCA Director of Companion Animal Services, offers some common-sense tips to protect your pet on Halloween:

• Don't leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween: There are plenty of stories of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen, even killed pets on this night.
• Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets: Chocolate is poisonous to a lot of animals, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.
• Be careful of pets around a lit pumpkin: Pets may knock it over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned.
• Don't dress the dog in costume unless you know he loves it. Otherwise, it puts a lot of stress on the animal.
• If you do dress up your dog, make sure the costume isn't constricting, annoying or unsafe. Be careful not to obstruct her vision
• even the sweetest dogs can get snappy when they can't see what's going on around them.
• All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room during trick-or-treat visiting hours; too many strangers in strange garb can be scary for a dog.
• Be careful your cat or dog doesn't dart out through the open door.

While this can be a fun time for people and pets alike, remember that your pets are depending on you to keep them safe from the more dangerous goblins and ghouls that this holiday brings.

Further questions about animal safety and behavior, can be directed to the Animal Behavior Helpline, 212-876-7700, ext. 4357 (HELP), Monday through Friday 1-5 p.m.

NO SCAREDY CATS THIS HALLOWEEN: TOP 10 SAFETY TIPS FOR PET PARENTS
Attention, companion animal caretakers! The ASPCA would like to call your attention to these common-sense cautions that’ll help keep your pets safe and stress-free this time of year.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowlful of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms can be very dangerous for dogs and cats, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed. If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are ingested.

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise extreme caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume can cause undue stress.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe or bark. Keep a look out for small, dangling, or easily chewed-off pieces on the costume that your pet could choke on.

7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not obstruct her vision in any way. Even the sweetest animals can get snappy when they can't see.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and become lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

Health Canada

ASPCA Halloween pet safety

Caring for kids

Children's safety zone

Kidsource halloween pet safety

Scans from Ghostly Frights for Halloween nights (part 2)

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Parts 1-4 of the Charlie Brown Halloween special. Found (thank goodness it was found, I couldn't find it!) at Mostly Ghostly Music Sharing Blaaahhhggg!!!. Hopefully the 5th part will be posted soon. Hold tight, it's worth the wait for a classic. UPDATE: It was actaully DAVE who uploaded it. Last bit coming soon. Thanks, Dave!

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! part 1-3

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! part 4

Scans from Ghostly Frights for Halloween nights (part 1)

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #3

After seeing the Boston Pumpkin festival 2006 vid I posted today, Dex1138 sent me these cool photos from it! And photos of Cemetaries, Graves and Statues. Thank you!

More from Neatorama:

Read the story of The Kenova Pumpkin House! The tale of a West Virginian man who, along with volunteers, carves over 3,000 pumpkins and display them on his house every Halloween! The most famous Haunted HotelsThe Scarf That Dripped Blood! How cool can you get?

HALLOWEEN QUOTES (from Quotegarden.com)

I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween. ~Author Unknown

As spirits roam the neighborhoods at night,
Let loose upon the Earth till it be light...
~Nicholas Gordon, poemsforfree.com

Eat, drink and be scary. ~Author Unknown

Pixie, kobold, elf, and sprite,
All are on their rounds tonight;
In the wan moon's silver ray,
Thrives their helter-skelter play.
~Joel Benton

A grandmother pretends she doesn't know who you are on Halloween. ~Erma Bombeck

Witch and ghost make merry on this last of dear October’s days. ~Author Unknown

Halloween wraps fear in innocence,
As though it were a slightly sour sweet.
Let terror, then, be turned into a treat...
~Nicholas Gordon, poemsforfree.com

Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night. ~Steve Almond

Halloween is huge in my house and we really get into the "spirits" of things. ~Dee Snider

At first cock-crow the ghosts must go
Back to their quiet graves below.
~Theodosia Garrison

'Tis now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out
Contagion to this world.
~William Shakespeare

Hold on, man. We don't go anywhere with "scary," "spooky," "haunted," or "forbidden" in the title. ~From Scooby-Doo

When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.
~Author Unknown

Bring forth the raisins and the nuts-
Tonight All-Hallows' Spectre struts
Along the moonlit way.
~John Kendrick Bangs

From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!
~Scottish Saying

This Halloween the most popular mask is the Arnold Schwarzenegger mask. And the best part? With a mouth full of candy you will sound just like him. ~Conan O'Brien

'Tis the night - the night
Of the grave's delight,
And the warlocks are at their play;
Ye think that without
The wild winds shout,
But no, it is they - it is they.
~Arthur Cleveland Coxe

One need not be a chamber to be haunted;
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place.
~Emily Dickinson

Those seemingly interminable dark walks between houses, long before street-lit safety became an issue, were more adrenalizing than the mountains of candy filling the sack. Sadly Halloween, with our good-natured attempts to protect the little ones, from the increasingly dangerous traffic and increasingly sick adults, has become an utter bore. ~Lauren Springer

Where there is no imagination there is no horror. ~Arthur Conan Doyle, Sr.

Just like a ghost, you've been a-hauntin' my dreams,
So I'll propose on Halloween.
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.
~Classics IV

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls. ~George Carlin

Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen,
Voices whisper in the trees, "Tonight is Halloween!"
~Dexter Kozen

There is something haunting in the light of the moon; it has all the dispassionateness of a disembodied soul, and something of its inconceivable mystery. ~Joseph Conrad

Ghosts, like ladies, never speak till spoke to. ~Richard Harris Barham

If a man harbors any sort of fear, it makes him landlord to a ghost. ~Lloyd Douglas

Men say that in this midnight hour,
The disembodièd have power
To wander as it liketh them,
By wizard oak and fairy stream.
~William Motherwell

Charlie Brown is the one person I identify with. C.B. is such a loser. He wasn't even the star of his own Halloween special. ~Chris Rock

A gypsy fire is on the hearth,
Sign of the carnival of mirth;
Through the dun fields and from the glade
Flash merry folk in masquerade,
For this is Hallowe'en!
~Author Unknown

Once in a young lifetime one should be allowed to have as much sweetness as one can possibly want and hold. ~Judith Olney

Auld Daddy Darkness creeps frae his hole,
Black as a blackamoor, blin' as a mole....
~James Ferguson

Of calling shapes, and beck'ning shadows dire,
And airy tongues that syllable men's names.
~John Milton

Acting is like a Halloween mask that you put on. ~River Phoenix

Stir the fire till it lowe
How like a queen comes forth the lonely Moon
From the slow opening curtains of the clouds
Walking in beauty to her midnight throne!
~George Croly

True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about but few have seen. ~Author Unknown

Backward, turn backward,
O Time, in your flight
make me a child again
just for to-night!
~Elizabeth Akers Allen

They that are born on Halloween shall see more than other folk. ~Saying of unknown origin

Being in a band you can wear whatever you want - it's like an excuse for Halloween everyday. ~Gwen Stefani

You wouldn't believe
On All Hallow Eve
What lots of fun we can make,
With apples to bob,
And nuts on the hob,
And a ring-and-thimble cake.
~Carolyn Wells

On Halloween, witches come true;
Wild ghosts escape from dreams.
Each monster dances in the park....
~Nicholas Gordon, poemsforfree.com

A house is never still in darkness to those who listen intently; there is a whispering in distant chambers, an unearthly hand presses the snib of the window, the latch rises. Ghosts were created when the first man awoke in the night. ~J.M. Barrie

May Jack-o-lanterns burning bright
Of soft and golden hue
Pierce through the future’s veil and show
What fate now holds for you.
~Author Unknown

On Hallowe'en the thing you must do
Is pretend that nothing can frighten you
And if somethin' scares you and you want to run
Just let on like it's Hallowe'en fun.
~Author Unknown

Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story. ~Mason Cooley

Proof of our society's decline is that Halloween has become a broad daylight event for many. ~Robert Kirby

Hark! Hark to the wind! 'Tis the night, they say,
When all souls come back from the far away-
The dead, forgotten this many a day!
~Virna Sheard

I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion. ~Henry David Thoreau

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,
May luck be yours on Halloween.
~Author Unknown

There is nothing that gives more assurance than a mask. ~Colette

Hobgoblins know the proper way to dance:
Arms akimbo, loopy legs askew,
Leaping into darkness with delight,
Lusting for the ecstasy of fright,
Open to the charm of horrors new....
~Nicholas Gordon, poemsforfree.com

Nothing beats a haunted moonlit night on All Hallows Eve.... And on this fatal night, at this witching time, the starless sky laments black and unmoving. The somber hues of an ominous, dark forest are suddenly illuminated under the emerging face of the full moon. ~Kim Elizabeth

Look, there's no metaphysics on earth like chocolates. ~Fernando Pessoa

Forget love - I'd rather fall in chocolate! ~Attributed to Sandra J. Dykes

After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you can conquer enemies, lead armies, entice lovers. ~Emily Luchetti

Garfield's Halloween Adventure

Hopefully I'll have the time to scan Garfield in disguise...

Garfield's Halloween Adventure part 1


part 2


part 3

Last minute Neatorama finds

Yay, Neatorama strikes again!!!

Gothtober

Paranormal restraining orders

Horror movie quiz

Ouija Board guitar

********************************
These links are to be featured on my other (neglected) blog, Ectoplasm soup.

"I shall not commit the fashionable stupidity of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud." - C. G. Jung

15 Famous Ghost photos

Creepy catacombs story

Matt Hoyle's Encounters

Deathbed confession: Army Officer saw Roswell Aliens

13 Crystal skulls

Halloweeny cartoons

Popeye's Halloween


Pumpkin moon


Disney's Halloween: The Cat segment


Sintetizador~ Halloween 2006

Alvin and The Chipmunks Halloween songs

Alvin and The chipmunks~ Ya never know
Alvin and The Chipmunks Meet Wolfman~ Oh brother!


Alvin and The Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein~ If a monster comes in our room


Alvin and The Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein~ There are things out there


Alvin and The Chipmunks meet Frankenstein~ If you wanna have friends


The Chipettes~ Nightmare

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #4

I need to do a crash-Halloween-horror-movie-a-thon! The classics are a must. : Frankenstein (1931), Dracula (1931), Psycho (1960), Night of the living dead (1968), The Amityville Horror (1979) (Already caught it this year, yay.), The Omen (1976), BEETLEJUICE (1988) (Saw it for the first time a few days ago. Killah film.). I'm listing only what I know. I also try to watch The Birds (1963), Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Birde of Frankenstein (1935). Anything missing is almost certainly listed at the Really scary movie guide. Oh yeah... THE EXORCIST!!!

Boston 2006 Jack-O-Lantern record

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #5

Ray Bradbury~ The Halloween Tree INTRO


part 1


part 2


part 3


part 4


part 5


part 6


part 7

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #6

Hershey's Trick or Treats site has a lot of goodies for everyone. Myspace layouts, clip art, desktop wallpapers, screensaver, you name it.

You'll find fun games for the kiddies at YTV.com. Including Jinx (very adorable ghosty on an adventure), Trick or Suite, and lots more.

Incredibly festive cakes to be found at Starry Night bakery, Halloween tricks and treats, wedding cakes by Dawna, holiday recipes, wedding of the damned, and easy to make Halloween cakes and cupcakes. YUMMY.




Oh yeah?! Well, I can carve a better Jack-o-Lantern than that under water! Underwater pumpkin carving

An oldie but a goodie; because you never know when you'll need Flaming Pumpkins of Death!

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #7

The BEST haunted house EVER. Bates Haunt videos from datbates. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I can't wait to see this year's house!

Bates haunt 2002


Bates haunt 2003


Bates haunt 2005


Bates haunt 2006


Brooks automation haunt 2006

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN #8

Visit The Imaginary World's Monster section for vintage pics of toys and fun things for ghouls of any decade. From The World of Mr Toast. Hang out there long enough and you'll find protesting kandy korn among other lovely oddities born from the dazzling mind of Dan Goodsell.

I also found Curioddities. These eerie artworks have a circa 1920's - 40's feel; Pumpkinman, Skeleton people, a Mummy lady... Halloweeny stuff.

O mai! Look at teh time. It's Laugh-Out-Loud Cats & LOL Cat time!


Ape Lad! Thnx for teh laffs! Everyday i is smilin'!