Halloween used to be a big production, with months of forethought. My mom sewed multiple costumes for me, which were frequently used for several years. One year, she made me a Wendy dress out of an old sheet, and I went with my neighbors Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Tinkerbell.
I miss trick or treating, and I miss dressing up. My neighborhood doesn't have enough kids for me to stay home with a bowl of candy either.
This year, I discovered something fun to do: Trick or Vote. With Halloween just four days before the big election, Portland (and 50 other cities in 40 states) are doing a fun get out the vote campaign. I get to go door to door in costume, but this time, I'm asking for a pledge from people that they will vote their whole ballot and get it in by the deadline. There are a lot of important issues on the ballot in addition to the president, so we hope to encourage people to look at all the candidates and measures. It's nonpartisan, which makes it easier to reach out to everyone.
After much deliberation, I finally settled on dressing as Beethoven because my hair is just right for it. I've compiled a black coat, white tights, short pants, a white frilly shirt, and a red scarf.
