The Madness of Costumed Drunkards, and Extroverts - a.k.a. NYC Halloween Parade

It's fallen on us like a plump old lady, overly made up, and more than a bit disoriented. It's the NYC Halloween Parade, and for years upon years, it's given the usually surly, and hurried average New Yorker, an excuse to run willy nilly through the streets of the village, oddly attired, and giddy from the experience.

With the sad exclusion of bags full to bursting with assorted sweets, it's a great time. And the inventiveness of the participants varies from bizarre, to nightmarish, from coy and mundane, to things you wander home hoping you can find a way to unsee a man dressed as human excrement, with his head as a remnant of an under digested meal.

But thats the point of it, the ability to transcend the morbid depression of an economy on life support. A healthcare system desperately trying to heal itself, and the closest thing to a modern plague - Swine Flu. While it's not healthy or recommended, to constantly find ways to escape this reality, it is however find and oh so dandy, to escape it for just an evening. For a short period of time, be as giddy as the 56 yr old man, prancing down Seventh Ave, dressed as Hermione Granger. Or the 24 yr old girl, dressed as a scantily clad Martha Stewart.

Join in this crazed march of wildly imaginative, and stressless group of adventurers. Eat loads of cheap candy, drink shots of Tequila from bright red wax lips, and sing humorous, but mildly profane Halloween songs. This is one of the few times adults can dress like lunatics, and behave like children, without an intervention being the end result.

Happy Halloween.

In perfect gratitude...

I have moments, full and ponderous moments, where I realize the importance of things. The crisp meaty taste of a ripe tomatoe on a well constructed sandwich. The glacier like coolness of a jug of tap water from the refrigerator. The warmth of a smile from a friend, or a child, or a stranger who you share an awkward, but connecting moment with.

These are things, that when I've slowed down my brain, turned off all of the extraneous worries of adulthood, I let wash over me, like warm rain on an even warmer evening, and am surprised by my acuity.

I had such a moment, minutes ago, as I sat at my desk, looking at movie trailers, recharging my stores of courage. During this time, I saw a couple clips, and both trailers, from Jason Reitman's soon to be released, "Up in the Air".

Cutting to the chase, I was awestruck. Seeing someone craft images that will stay in the minds of those who gleefully give over the better part of a twenty dollar bill, for a movie ticket. And even more for popcorn and soda. But those pilgrims of the cineplex will be met with an astounding piece of cinema/film/movie, call it what you will, but see it.

It's movies like these, that give me that jittery, "can't wait to finish me script" kind of feeling, so I can do what Jason Reitman is doing. Making films. And I would like to thank him for it. I would like to thank Jason Reitman for choosing to be a filmmaker, and making guys like me, realize there is art in entertainment.

Peace.