Halloween Rant

I might like it. I could happily dress in costume a few times a week.

I do have fond memories of Salem as it is the site of the first big Abuzz/A2k get-together that I travelled to and it's close to some of my favourite little restaurants up the coast.

Yeah that wouldn't be too bad - I guess if you did not live in the center of everything.

I think for a month of the crowds (the out of control drunk crowds) and the late hours.

But then I don't think I would live right in the center of it.

'K, Kolyo, you got me to belly laugh at my computer.

I'm not fond of Halloween, which I've already ranted on about on a2k over some years time, but I'm pacing myself now not to be so nasty (or as an old friend would say while making a starfish with his hand on his chest, "Nasty Body").

Not that I answer the door but I do need the front indoor light on in case of fire (no kidding, as I'm night blind and I once did have a fire next door, flames zooming skyward, fire engine and so on). Maybe I'm getting more mellow? Nah, it's because there aren't a lot of trick or treaters here to bother me.. there was just one doorbell ring last night. I figure there are better trick or treat pastures closer to Coors Blvd. and I/We here, are a fair hike to get some candy.

I should add that I felt sorry for the sole kid, probably with a parent, who still checked my place just in case. I'm not a natural meanie, at least most of the time.

I don't answer my door at night and have some stories on that...

First, that fire next door had something to do with neighbor's newly ex husband's fixing her furnace for winter and somehow goofing up, clearly not on purpose. The fire started around 4 a.m., and soon I had a neighbors pounding on my door. Ms. non-door answerer actually answered when I heard yells, neighbors worried about me. One of my oddities is that I have anosmia, though it isn't complete, sometimes I get garlic. I didn't smell the fire, was amazed when I saw it.

I was going to tell two stories, but in thinking about the last one, I'll be quiet for a while.

We used to go out to dinner, then we decided why do we have to rearrange our lives.

The past few years, I'm alone in the house on that date. I'm not going to open doors to strangers, period.

Re making it look halloweenie. Nope, didn't look like that. Looked like someone who was putting up a barrier to prevent climbing up 3 different sets of stairs.

It was a definate barrier, not an invitation to an obstacle course.

Didn't seem to matter if parents saw the ropes or not. The first set of parents certainly saw them. It was in broad daylight and they stood there and watched as their kid had to find a way to manuever between 2 sets of ropes, without falling down on the stairs, then come up and bang on the door. They then had to watch the kid do it in reverse.

Seemed to me all three of them were dumber than a box of rocks.

I'm not going to post signs saying I'm sick so don't knock on the door because (a) If the parents are anything like the above, they won't see the sign either. (b) I'm not announcing to the world there's a sick person in the house, when Halloween is the night people with ill intent are wandering around also.

I'm glad my comment about not caring what some kid stranger would love got marked down.

It's validation to me, plus linkats comment about being known as "the mean cheap person" that this is indeed a world circling the drain.

What about "that's a person who prefers their privacy and we should respect that"?

Oh no. That would mean telling their kid that they can't do something. Something that is obviously meant to be left alone. I was waiting for the person to come along and tell me I was just a grumpy person, who doesn't have the rights that a kid has. What kind of world is this nowaday? As a child, I had to listen to adults and not bother them if they didn't want to interact with me. I didn't get to call them grumpy or mean, I got to call them Mr or Mrs Last Name. Now, the adults, even those with no interest in children, have to bend over backwards to avoid any suggestion of not being totally enchanted at every encounter.

Like I said before, I think parties are the way to go.

Yeah, a house without it's porch light off was enough to tell me (and the other kids) not to bother them.

Side thought. If all the parents are out with the kids, whose houses are they going to? I feel like anyone who is left at their house because they have no kids to escort around are the de facto entertainment, whether they want to be or not.

That's not mean or grumpy. That's just not wanting to take part in the game, where the only alternative is to have to go out of my way, by abandoning my home for the evening.

Just get a big box of oatmeal. When they arrive at your door just scoop out some and drop it in their bag or container. They won't be returning...at least not for goodies.

I get the M&M fun size packages and keep them at the ready.

we are the only house for a quarter mile in one direction a MILE in two other direction and maybe 2 miles toward the big farm,(And the closest building on that farm is a huge dairy brn. Id strongly suggest doing this. The onlykids weve had in the 28 years weve been here are our own an some reltives or a friend from town (That kid just graduated from College)
Heres a few others

Crime scene tape?

500 rabbits. Something creepy about herds of rabbits

make a junkyard around th front of your house. You can get piles of scrap iron from your nearby steel mill.

I said that because that is what people will think that will egg your house - it is more a warning rather than anything else. I didn't say you were I said they will think that. The majority of the people would not do anything even you screamed at them at the top of your lungs to get the F- off my property you freeloaders I ain't giving you anything - but there will be one crazy person that will egg your house. So do it your way.

And I hate to tell you - people will ill intent are around every night not just Halloween.

"Like I said before, I think parties are the way to go. "
To me it is each there own. You seemed to want it all your way - you don't want to change but you want everyone else around you to change. Unfortunately for you this isn't going to happen.

" Side thought. If all the parents are out with the kids, whose houses are they going to? I feel like anyone who is left at their house because they have no kids to escort around are the de facto entertainment, whether they want to be or not."
Perhaps the mom took the kids and the dad stayed home or other way around or an older kid like goes on in my house hands out the candy or even this - we went out to eat once and left the bowl with a note as our kids were older - "help yourself"

That's not mean or grumpy. That's just not wanting to take part in the game, where the only alternative is to have to go out of my way, by
abandoning my home for the evening. - no you said it yourself - just don't answer the door. Problem solved - and if you don't want the bell rang - disconnect it. And I know , I know but I shouldn't be bothered - well sorry you want to live in a free country you kind of have to deal with other people even things about the culture you don't like.

Can't you just shoot them and nail the bodies to the front of the house? That should deter the little bastards.

Stand your ground.

one year we ran out of candy and handed out packages of instant oatmeal and chicken soup package - the kids were delighted

my roommate and I laughed and kept getting food out of the cupboard

the next year our downstairs neighbour gave us a whack of cash to buy extra candy on the condition we'd sit on the porch and hand out the stuff - so no one would ring his doorbell. Deal!

in this neighbourhood the thing is to sit outside and chat with the neighbours while in between packs of trick or treaters. people who are out with their own kids leave 'take one' buckets on the front steps. they work, you hear kids yelling to each other - remember just take one!

yeah it is.

but that's ok - you are the one who gets to deal with the ramifications

word to the whole post - especially to this

the crime scene tape and junk yard theme are halloweenie standards

and rabbits ... some people think they're to do with Monty Python and locals ... all think of the Big Apple, which is surrounded by wild rabbits and is a much-loved tourist attraction

That would definitely stop them from knocking on your door -

I do think though the thread does say "Rant" so I guess you gotta give a little leeway - it is a rant thread, though the post does sound like chai is seeking advice to stop this - she states what she was doing to try to stop these annoying children.

In reality she did not ask for advice - Maybe you should put up a sign for us Saying only negative rants about Halloween allowed on this Thread - Caution - grumpy old people who hate costumed brats bothering them and begging for free candy!

So we don't get confused - we aren't the brightest bulbs

No, it's not mean, it's not grumpy, it's not cheap.

Mean, gumpy and cheap would be sitting on my front porch and yelling at each kid as they passed by, and telling the parents to keep them away from me.

Passive aggressive would be posting a sign saying you were sick, to garner pity and thus be left alone.

People don't egg houses around here, nor do they toilet paper or do other stuff like that. We don't have mishchief night. There aren't any ramifications for not drinking the koolaide. I've never even see any smashed pumpkins.

If I really had to think about it, the whole trick or treating thing around my neighborhood seems to be more about the parents showing off not just their kids (because they are so adorable in their professionally made costume), but also their own costumes. About half of them are more dressed up than the kids. In addition, more than a handful chaperon their kids around with glasses of wine or beer.



Of course people with ill intent are around every night of the week, and mornings and afternoon.

What an opportunity to blend in though. A sanctioned holiday where you can go out, knock on doors and gain entrance easily. I don't think I'm remiss in being extra careful on an occassion where that can happen.

I didn't say a word about free candy, brats, and above all, I never used the word hate. I resent that.

I said I have no interest in children. That's it. No interest. That in no way indicates hate.
I'm aware that's usually interpreted as hate, but that is very narrow minded.

I did say that the adults watching a child in the broad daylight climbing between ropes, and the child, had to be none to bright. I sure stand by that. What a bunch of dopes.

It's confusing how you said children are so wrapped up in whatever on that day they don't register things like barriers where they have to actively stoop, step over, avoid falling. But you yourself were bright enough as a child to know that an unlit porch light meant no treats.

So, what is it? Are children today, and their parents dumber than you or I were?

I'm going to say this again, because it really hit home with me when I was writing it yesterday...

Apparantly parents, even the ones who think their kid is the 7th wonder of the world, and who they are convinced they are teaching them to be the most marvelous human ever, can tell their kids that someone with no interest in their activities is just a mean old person who is probably just cheap and miserable. They don't need to tell their kid, or realize themselves, that this is a person who prefers their privacy, and we should all respect that.
Oh yeah. We only have to respect others that aren't like them when it involves race, religion, gender, economics etc. Obviously the person who just doesn't want them knocking on their door is mean, grumpy, cheap and full of hate.

Good to know.

No interest doesn't equal hate. Most people would be appalled at a costume with even the slightest indication it's stereotyping, profiling, or making fun of some group of people. They would protest the person wearing it. But I guess showing no interest in something allows anyone to assume they are mean.

And again, most parents are walking their kids around in pairs from what I can see each year. Both parents are out there with their kids. So who is at their house handing out treats? No one, that's who. They are mostly going to the homes of people who have no children. Maybe some people like that. Maybe some feel they have to put up with it even though they are indifferent. If a person feels strongly enough about not wanting people coming up to their door and banging on it, and puts up a blatently obvious obstacle over every single entryway. Isn't that deserving of a little respect?

It has nothing to do with children, adults, candy, and everything else surrounding this thing of interest to many people.

It's strictly that I don't want Anyone knocking on my door, unless I know the person, and if I'm expecting them. My home, I get to say who comes on my private property.

There needs to be parties instead, where those that have interest in these things can go, and be with others that are interested also.

Ramifications? You mean fear of retaliation? So instead someone needs to be willing to be held hostage to another persons interests, and desires to invade ones private property?

Yes.

If you lived here, I bet you would be a great neighbor. We could not, wave, and otherwise just mind our own business.

You'd love having me as your neighbor.

I'm a great neighbor.
We all watch each others pets, check the mail, water the garden, etc while the others are away. Bill always takes out my garbage bin on trash day. He and I shop and cook for each other all the time. Other neighbors, who I consider good friends, has designated our house as the place for their 2 kids to run to if there is ever any trouble. The 2 kids are in both our wills. The husband was there for us when I had to get an ailing, confused, combatative, dehydrated husband to the car, to get to the hospital. Others have been there for me for support when I had to call the ambulance for him at least 4 times over the period of a year. I don't know what I would have done without them. It was an annus horribles. We've gone out to countless dinners, coffees, yoga, swimming etc. When another neighbors house burned down in the middle of the night one February, we were the people she and her son stayed with that first night. No one got much sleep.

We've been here over 20 years. Longer than probably 90% of the people on the block. In that time, I can't even add up the donations we've given to the school at the end of our block, Zilker Elementary http://zilkerelem.org/ , for various causes. While I have no interest in the everyday lives of children I don't know, I do want them to obtain education so they can become productive members of society.

We, and no other neighbor has ever been vandalized.

So, to get threats of "ramifications", being told I'm not part of "the culture" of this neighborhood, told I want everything "my way" and don't understand "this is a free country" is more than laughable.

ehBeth once made a comment something like "your rights end at my nose". My nose that night was the steps to my private property, a few yards from the street, which was cordoned off in such a way that only 3 of the 50 or more families that were out on the street that night didn't understand. The people, both adults and children, who couldn't figure that out, were stupid. Yeah I said it. Stupid.
Ignore the "knocking" and door bell? No door bell. What knocking this year, and in previous years occured, was more of a "meth addict trying to break in for a fix".

I couldn't have cared less if everyone was running skyclad through the streets, conjuring up demons through the sewer pipes. They could have been screaming at the top of their lungs, I wouldn't have cared. But when they step on my land, what I say, goes. I don't need smack talk about what a mean, grumpy, cheap person I am, because I enjoy quiet, and don't enjoy strangers banging at my door.

Until rogers post, I didn't feel any need to say anything about my "real life" as above. But Izzy's admonition to Stand Your Ground, hit home.