Sunday Stealing: The Halloween Meme

A major caveat is due at the beginning of this meme. I am not an aficionado of horror movies in general, at least not the bloody gory kind. Suspense thrillers are great. Watching hapless horny teens being stabbed multiple times, no thank you, not interested, move on. Therefore the answers below may sometimes be a bit flip, slightly sarcastic or answer an entirely different question than the one asked. And you know what? There ain’t a darned thing you can do about it ‘cept steal this meme and do it yourself in the manner in which you believe it should be done.

1. What is your favorite written work of horror fiction? The Shining by Stephen King

2. What is your favorite work of science fiction/fantasy? Star Trek, but only the original TV series and the movies starring the original cast, not the multiple mutated spinoffs and wannabes that came later.

3. Who is your favorite monster? Personally, I find it interesting when people answer Frankenstein to this or any question asking about a monster. Frankenstein was not the monster’s name. Frankenstein was the name of the doctor who created the monster. I don’t know that the monster even had a name.

4. What is your favorite Horror movie? I mostly like Hitchcock movies like Psycho and Rear Window and The Birds. For more current stuff, I mostly won’t see it unless it is based on a Stephen King novel, and the movie is never as good as the original book.

5. What horror movie gives you the most chills? The one played in the theater with the thermostat set lowest.

6. What character from any horror film would you most like to play? Whichever one I would get paid most to play.

7. Freddy or Jason? While Freddy as a part of Mystery Inc. was okay I always found him a bit bland for my taste, and a little too much like some rich frat rat dude with nothing substantial to offer in the way of brains, brawn, or any other useful quality and provided little in comparison to the humor of Shaggy and Scooby or the intelligence of Velma. Freddy and Daphne were obviously just the eye candy on the show. On the other hand, Jason Bateman is one of those rare child stars who has managed to extend acting into his adulthood in actual adult roles without going nuts and jumping up and down on Oprah’s sofa. Not to mention that he is a real person rather than a fictional character. Therefore, I pick Jason over Freddy.

8. What is your favorite Halloween treat? Almond Joy. I know, not a traditional favorite Halloween candy, but as a kid that was the only time I ever got the creamy, coconutty, crunchy goodness of the Almond Joy. Mmm. . . wonder if they have those in the vending machine at work. . . Hmm, may be time for a little field trip to the break room.

9. Ghosts or goblins? Having no idea what a goblin even is, I’ll have to go with ghosts on this one. At least I know what I’m voting for that way.

10. Friendly-faced jack-o'-lantern or scary one? Honestly, are any jack-o’-lanterns scary? I mean truly scary? I think not. It’s hard to take any punkin head too seriously.

11. What is your scariest encounter with the paranormal? Fighting with something growing in the back of the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. I do believe the moldy jello took on a life of its own.

12. Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not? I am ambivalent on this topic. As a teen my family lived in a house where the husband/father of the family who lived there just previous to us hung himself in the basement. I often felt a “presence” around the house that I was certain back then was his ghost. However, as an adult I tend to think it was more an overactive adolescent imagination than a real ghost. However, I’m not totally convinced that ghosts don’t exist so yes, I am firmly ambivalent on the topic.

13. Would you rather be a zombie, alien, or psycho? Psycho because psychos have more fun.

14. Favorite Halloween costume? Cereal killer, when I dressed in a black sweatsuit covered in single serving boxes of cereal and carried a bloody knife.

15. Best thing about Halloween? Candy

16. Person in your family who most likes Halloween (not counting yourself)? N of course. He lives for the chocolaty goodness of the neighborhood plundering.

17. Are you superstitious? Lordy yes. I don’t have Southern roots for nothing you know. Ain’t nobody more superstitious than good ole’ southern country folk.

18. Share an unusual Halloween story. Once upon a time, a young boy was looking forward to Halloween. He went to his mom and asked for a costume that was not only inexpensive but easy to make. When she finished making the costume the boy tried it on. It fit perfectly and he exclaimed over how wonderful it was and was exactly what he wanted. On Halloween night, the weather was beautiful. The sky was clear and the temperature was not too warm nor too cold. The mother took her soon trick or treating. Soon, after just a few houses, the boy announced that he had enough candy and would like to go home and help hand out candy to the trick or treaters who came to their door. Upon arriving home, the boy found that only one of his treats was something he did not like and happened to be his mother’s favorite. He offered it to her politely and she gratefully accepted. He told his mother how wonderful she was to him and that it would be his greatest pleasure if she would put her feet up and enjoy some of her favorite TV programs while he handed out the Halloween treats. (Now that, my friends, is one unusual Halloween story, and of course, total fiction.)

19. What did you do for Halloween as a kid? Trick or treat with the neighborhood kids, usually about six or eight of us all together.

20. What's the best Halloween party that you've attended? Umm, the Fall Festival I coordinated at church several years ago. The kids, and the adults, had a blast. I dressed in a cat costume, a big furry one, and it was hot (in the sweaty I-might-pass-out way, not the OMG she’s-so-hawt way). We had good old fashioned fun, like bobbing for apples (most kids, and some adults, had never bobbed for apples before!) and a cake walk, and some newer type fun like face painting. We served witches’ brew (root beer poured over dry ice in a tub so the fog rolled out). It was great fun. I would love to do it again sometime if I ever have the energy.