The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Ahh...the smell of latex and facepaint in the air.  Trying not to get too close to others so you don't get fake blood all over you.  Working with your body to get your walk just right.  Wigs and petticoats and props, oh my!

Oh yeah, it's my favorite time of year.  October is upon us, which means (ba-ba-ba-boom) Halloween is coming!!!  This is the best time to experiment with new makeup techniques--people don't seem as shocked to see a zombie coming towards them at this point.  Whereas if you do that in April...well, folks tend to be more puzzled than gleeful and curious.

Speaking of zombies, the 2nd Annual Zombie Walk will be held in downtown Columbus on October 20.  We participated last year and had a blast.  Really, what's more awesome than seeing around a hundred zombies shuffling towards you on a Saturday afternoon?  Kelly started this last year, and most of us found out about it through Facebook.  The fact that we had so many people show up makes me think that this year will be even bigger.  If you don't want to walk with us, just come hang out on Broadway that evening, and you'll get plenty of photo ops with the zombies!  Just so you know, mine will be legen...wait for it...dary!

The Spooktacular will be held downtown on Saturday, October 27.  The League of Columbus will be in attendance, and there will be plenty of fun scares and candy to go around!  I've said every year that I wanted to go to this, but have yet to make it.  This will be the year I finally go!  I'm not sure what costume I'll do, seeing as how we'll probably stick around the downtown area afterwards.  I love dressing as Black Canary, but I know what will happen with inebriated folks at the bars. 

 It's difficult to keep a wig on when people pull on it, and everyone likes to give their own opinion on whether you should be wearing that.

I've grown accustomed to the sideways, unbelieving looks that the Muggles love to give me.  Yes, I'm a plus-sized girl.  Yes, I'm wearing nothing but a leotard and fishnets. The looks hurt, but the snarky comments and behind-the-hand stage whispers are worse.  I am lucky enough that I work with a really great group of folks who back me in all my costuming decisions, regardless of going against body type. And yeah, we've totally got each others' backs (and fronts, and horns, and arrows, and scythes...I could keep going all day with that :-)) Fun fact: I've lost a few pounds, and I'm doing it the healthy way!  My Black Widow looks fabulous now, but I'm afraid pieces will fall off.

I may make some adjustments and wear it anyway, even though no one realizes who I am (they think I'm Catwoman.  Really?  I mean, totally different belt.  Not to mention no cat ears...).

(Catwoman photo courtesy of DeOndre of Atlas Photography.  He's awesome!)

Wearing a costume in public doesn't only mean rude comments.  It also means fracking douchebag assholes who don't understand boundaries.  For instance: last year (at Dragon Con, so I can't believe this happened) I had a Google Android costume.

That helmet is glued to a ball cap with elastic under the chin.  Late in the evening, drunk guys would come by and just whack me on the top of the head.  Not only was it annoying, but it hurt.  Yeah, I got pissed, especially when someone would try to take it off my head.  YOU DON'T TOUCH A PERSON'S BODY OR THEIR COSTUME WITHOUT ASKING. Last Halloween, Jon and I went as Dr. Horrible and Captain Hammer, complete with "Occupy" signs.  Mine said "Captain Hammer, Corporate Tool", and his said "Occupy America, Because the Status is Not Quo".  It made perfect sense to anyone who had seen the movie.  However, some random asshole decided he was going to rip the sign out of my hands and dance around with it.  I grabbed him and roughly took it back while yelling at him NOT to touch my stuff.  So yeah, supposedly I was too rude with him and should have been nicer because he was just drunk...nah.  Sue me, I was drinking whiskey.

Now where the hell was I going with this?  Cause I'll be damned if I remember...

Happy fall, y'all!