A Video Clip Remembering When Mr. Rogers Visited Lou Ferrigno & Bill Bixby From "The Incredible Hulk"

When I was a kid growing up, there were some shows which I watched. Yet often, it dawns on me that I do not remember any specific episodes. Or, at best, one or two.

That is kind of the case with Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. Like most American children of my generation, I watched Mr. Rogers. In fact, he was enjoyable to watch. Only good memories come to mind while watching.

However, I have a hard time remembering any specific episodes, with one exception. There is one episode which comes to mind, even after all of these years. It was when Mr. Rogers visited the set of "The Incredible Hulk," a popular television show from the late 1970's and early 1980's. It may have been my favorite television show at the time and certainly ranked as among my very favorite shows overall. So it was exciting to get a peak of how it was behind the scenes, if you will.

Yes, that is the episode which still comes to mind. And it felt like this day, Halloween, would be a good time to share a short video focusing on that particular episode.

Evidently, I am not the only one who remembers that specific episode.

Watch the video below, and feel free to share any thoughts or comments:

Visiting Lou Ferrigno & Bill Bixby from "The Incredible Hulk" (Mr. McFeely Interview)

NFL 2025 Week 9 Thursday Night Football Review: Ravens Crush Dolphins in Miami

  

Baltimore Ravens 28, at Miami Dolphins 6

The Ravens obviously made short work of the Dolphins. That was what I expected. That said, it was a bit of a surprise in terms of the extent to which the Ravens dominated. 

To put it plainly, the Dolphins just were not competitive. I thought that perhaps home field advantage might have helped them a little bit.

Home field advantage, however, was no help whatsoever to them. 

It feels like things just get worse and worse for the Dolphins. As good as it must have felt to earn that win on the road over the Falcons, an embarrassing loss like this will get people to forget about that quickly and refocus on all of the problems that the team has faced all season.

Lamar Jackson completed 18 of 23 passes for 204 yards and four touchdown passes. Clearly, he was a force. But he did not have to do it alone. Derrick Henry was an additional force on the ground, as he picked up an119 yards on 19 carries. It was a complete day for Baltimore's offense. 

The two teams appeared relatively even, statistically. The Dolphins actually had advantages in overall yards and first downs earned, as well as time of possession. However, they also committed two turnovers. Also, obviously, the Ravens were able to take better advantage of their opportunities than the hapless Dolphins managed to do.

Yes, both teams got off to disastrous starts this season. but you would never know it by watching this game. The Ravens looked like a team that is surging and far from out of the playoff picture or divisional race. By contrast, the Dolphins appeared to be a team which was hopelessly outclassed and mistake prone. A team that does not have faith in itself or the system which they are running.

Maybe that's harsh. Just the impression that I got.

Baltimore now has won two games in a row, the first time all season that they won consecutive games. They improve to 3-5 on the year. Miami, meanwhile, falls to 2-8. The only contention the Dolphins appear ready for would be the first overall pick in the draft. 

My pick: Accurat

Book Review: Trigger Warning By Neil Gaiman

    

This is a collection of short stories by Neil Gaiman, the noted author who has taken a serious hit because of some of his personal issues. Apparently, even by his own admission, he is more than a little flawed on a personal level.

That said, he is a solid writer. I have read and enjoyed his works before, particularly "The Ocean at the End of the Lane." Also, I enjoyed some works of his on Norse mythology.

So yes, I like his works. And I wanted to read this one, as well.

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

Indeed, as mentioned earlier, I like Gaiman's books. I have never read a bad one. At least not yet. And this one is no exception.

However, this one just did not quite grab me like some of his other works have. I am not entirely sure why. But yeah, my mind kept wondering off. The stories just did not hold my attention like some of his other works have in the past.

Don't get me wrong: there were definitely some good ones. Some of the stories really captured my attention and were enjoyable. It was just that it did not feel consistent. There were some stories that just...well, I had a hard time getting into them, frankly. I mean, I struggled almost to ridiculous levels. And that felt unusual. My mind would wonder almost at the exact same points whenever I attempted to reread certain stories. So when I say that they did not grab me, that's an illustration. 

Now, that is not to say that it is bad. There were some stories which I actually enjoyed in this collection. It's just that by and large, this collections feels like it is generally not his best work.

Still, it is not a bad book. His writing style has always been solid, and he really is a great storyteller, even if other books feel to me like they illustrate that a little better than this one tends to do.

October 31st: This Day in History

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history 

Since this is Halloween, one of my favorite holidays, it feels appropriate that this brief summary of history on this day begin with the origin of this particular holiday. Back on this day in 834, the first All Hallows Eve (Halloween) was observed to honor the saints. On this day in 1517, Martin Luther posted his now famous 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. These were opinions and criticisms of the Church which would effectively begin the Protestant Reformation. On this day in 1776, King George III spoke out about the rebellion in the thirteen colonies for the first time since learning of the Declaration of Independence. In 1846 on this day, the Donner party, unable to cross what has since come to be known as the Donner Pass, built a winter camp. In 1887 on this day: Chiang Kai-Shek was born. On this in 1914, the Ottoman Empire (modern day Turkey) joined the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria) during World War I. In 1954 on this day, the Algerian Revolution against French colonial rule began. In 1963 on this day, Ed Sullivan saw the Fab Four and Beatlemania firsthand, ultimately leading to their famous appearance on his show, which itself would lead to the "Second British Invasion" of the 1060's. On this day in 1980, the Polish government recognized the Solidarity trade union. Finally, on this day in 2011, the overall population of the world reached 7 billion people, according to the United Nations.

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• On this day in 445 BCE, Ezra read the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 9:1, NLTse).  

• In 802 on this day, Empress Irene of Byzantium was driven out. 

• On this day in 834, the first All Hallows Eve (Halloween) observed to honor the saints. 

German Priest & Theologian Martin Luther

• On this day in 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on Wittenberg Church in Germany, for all intents and purposes beginning the Protestant Reformation.    1517 - Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Palace Church. The event marked the start of the Protestant Reformation in Germany.  

Michelangelo's Self-Portrait Bust

• On this day in 1541, Michelangelo Buonarroti finished his famous painting The Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican. 

• In 1552 on this day, Emperor Karel & Markgraaf Albecht strike siege for Metz. 

• In 1587 on this day, Leiden University Library opened its doors after its founding in 1575. 

• English/French/Dutch delegates signed the anti-Spanish "Drievoudig Covenant" on this day in 1596. 

• On this day in 1617, Laurens Reael resigned as Governor-General of the Dutch East-Indies. 

• An earthquake in Safed, Palestine, killed one hundred on this day in 1759.

 

The guillotine, which is the most iconic and infamous symbol of "The Reign of Terror" of the French Revolution.

• On this day in 1793, the execution of the Girondins at Paris, during the Reign of Terror. 

• John Dalton gave the first lecture to Manchester Literary/Philosophical Society on this day in 1794. 

• In 1808 on this day, Holland Brigade battle at Durango, Spain. 

• Sir Humphrey Davy of London patented the miner's safety lamp on this day iun 1815. 

• On this day in 1837, there was a collision of river boat Monmouth & Trement on Mississipi; killing 300. 

• In 1846 on this day, the Donner party, unable to cross what now is known as the Donner Pass, constructed a winter camp. 

The flag of New Zealand

• On this day in 1863, the Maori Wars resumed as British forces in New Zealand led by General Duncan Cameron began their Invasion of the Waikato.

• 1864 - Nevada admitted as 36th state of the Union

1868 - Standard uniform approved for US postal carriers

Painter MichelangeloPainter Michelangelo 1871 - Founding of Netherland Protestant Union in Dokkum

1876 - Cyclone hits Bengal, about 200,000 die

1876 - A monster cyclone ravages India, resulting in over 200,000 human deaths.

1881 - Metropolitan club plays its last game of its non-league season They win 80 of 151 games (18-43 versus NL teams)

1887 - Rimski-Korsakov's "Capricio Espagñol," premieres in St Petersburg

1888 - John Boyd Dunlop patents pneumatic bicycle tyre

• 1892 - Arthur Conan Doyle publishes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

1900 - AL pres Ban Johnson writes to NL pres Nick Young seeking peace

• 1905 - Great revolutionary demonstration for amnesty in St Petersburg

1906 - George Bernard Shaw's "Caesar & Cleopatra," premieres in NYC

1907 - Calgary City Rugby Foot-ball Club's 1st game defeating Strathcona Rugby Foot-ball Club 15-0 at Calgary

Flag of the Olympics

• 1908 - 4th Olympic games ends in London

1913 - 1st US paved coast-to-coast highway, the Lincoln Highway is dedicated

• -1914 - Great Britain & France declare war on Turkey

1916 - Clare Kummer's "Good Gracious Annabelle," premieres in NYC

Playwright George Bernard ShawPlaywright George Bernard Shaw 1917 - Eugene O'Neill's "In the Zone," premieres in NYC

• 1917 - World War I: Battle of Beersheba - "last successful cavalry charge in history"

• 1918 - Spanish flu-virus kills 21,000 in US in 1 week

• 1918 - Banat Republic founded

• 1920 - Romania annexes Bessarabia

1921 - Federation Sportive Feminine Intl forms (1st woman track & field association)

• 1922 - Benito Mussolini (Il Duce) becomes premier of Italy

1922 - Karel & Josef Capék's "World We Live In," premieres in NYC

1923 - 160 consecutive days of 100 degrees at Marble Bar, Australia begins

1924 - World Savings Day was announced in Milano/Italy by the Members of the Association at the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks).

1925 - Cossack officer Reza Chan replaces sultan Ahmad Shah in Persia

• 1932 - Greek government of Venizelos falls

1936 - The Boy Scouts of the Philippines was formed.

• 1937 - Spanish government moves from Valencia to Barcelona

• 1938 - Great Depression: In an effort to try restore investor confidence, the New York Stock Exchange unveils a fifteen-point program aimed to upgrade protection for the investing public.

Italian Dictator Benito MussoliniItalian Dictator Benito Mussolini 1939 - 27 U boats sunk this month (135,000 ton)

1940 - 63 U boats sunk this month (325,000 ton)

• 1940 - Battle of Britain, fought between the RAF and Luftwaffe over the English Channel and southern England, ends

• 1940 - Deadline for Warsaw Jews to move into Warsaw Ghetto

1941 - 13 U boats sunk this month (62,000 ton)

1941 - Mount Rushmore Monument is completed

• 1941 - Prior to US in WW II, Germany torpedoes US destroyer Reuben James

• 1941 - Mount Rushmore was declared complete after 14 years of work. At the time the 60-foot busts of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln were finished.  

1941 - Clothing factory fire in Huddersfield, England kills 49

1942 - 94 U boats sunk this month (619,000 ton)

1942 - 9th day of the Battle of El Alamein

1943 - Wash Redskin Sammy Baugh passes for 6 touchdowns vs Bkln (48-10)

• 1943 - World War II: F4U Corsair accomplishes the first successful radar-guided interception.

1944 - Chief of staff Kruls names De Quay chairman of Universal Commission

1949 - "Regina" opens at 46th St Theater NYC for 86 performances

1949 - Amsterdam Telegraph-director/SS'er Henri Holdert sentenced to 12 years

1949 - WOC (now KWQC) TV channel 6 in Davenport, IA (NBC) 1st broadcast

1950 - Collazo & Torresola attempt to kill Harry Truman in Washington, DC

• 1951 - Second Chamber accept plan-Schuman

1952 - 1st thermonuclear bomb detonated at Marshall Islands

1953 - TV broadcasting begins in Belgium

Flag of Algeria

1954 - The Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) began a revolt against French rule.     1954 - Algerian Revolution against French begins

1954 - Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Texas Golf Open

1954 - KREM TV channel 2 in Spokane, WA (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting

1955 - Mgr Alfrink appointed archbishop of Utrecht

1956 - Rear Adm GJ Dufek becomes 1st American to land an airplane at South Pole

1956 - Britain & France begin to bomb Egypt to reopen Suez Canal

1956 - Brooklyn, NY ends streetcar service

1957 - "Jamaica" opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 558 performances

Ex-soldier, drifter Lee Harvey OswaldEx-soldier, drifter Lee Harvey Oswald 1959 - Lee Harvey Oswald announces in Moscow he will never return to US

1959 - USSR & Egypt sign contracts for building Aswan Dam

1960 - Cyclone hits coast of Gulf of Bengal; about 10,000 die

1961 - Hurricane Hattie, kills 400 in British Honduras

1961 - Federal judge rules that Birmingham, Alabama, laws against integrated playing fields are illegal

1963 - Ed Sullivan witnesses Beatles & their fans at London Airport

1963 - J. Edgar Hoover's last meeting with president John F Kennedy

1963 - Leaking propane gas explodes kills 64 at "Holiday on Ice" (Indiana)

1964 - Barbra Streisand's "People," album goes #1 for 5 weeks

1967 - KIMO TV channel 13 in Anchorage, AK (ABC) begins broadcasting

1967 - Nguyen Van Thieu took oath of office as 1st President of South Vietnam 2nd Rep

1967 - SF's Mike McCormick wins NL Cy Young Award

1968 - Linda Eastman moves to UK permanently

1968 - Milwaukee Bucks win their 1st game beating Detroit 138-118 (6th game)

Bust of American President Lyndon B. Johnson

• 1968 - President Johnson orders a halt to all bombing of North Vietnam

Vietnamese Politican Nguyen Van ThieuVietnamese Politican Nguyen Van Thieu 1968 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

• 1969 - George Harrison's "Something" is released in UK

1969 - Race riot in Jacksonville Florida

1971 - "On the Town" opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 65 performances

1972 - Gaylord Perry wins AL Cy Young award

1973 - Tom Seaver wins NL Cy Young Award

1974 - Ted Bundy victim Laura Aime disappears in Utah

1974 - Durch Marines end hostage crisis in Scheveningen prison

1975 - Bob Geldof's 1st appearance with Boomtown Rats

1976 - Javed Miandad, 206 v NZ, age 19 yrs 141 days (29 fours 1 six)

1978 - Iranian oil workers go on strike

1978 - People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South) adopts constitution

1979 - Mike Flanagan, wins AL Cy Young Award

1979 - US DC-10 crashes at Mexico-City, 74 killed

1980 - Julian Nott sets world hot-air balloon altitude record (16,806 m)

• 1980 - Polish government recognizes Solidarity trade union

• 1980 - Senegal routes troops to Gambia due to Libyan threat

1981 - 1st live radio drama in 25 years (Halloween Story on NBC)

1982 - "Rock 'n Roll!: The 1st..." closes at St James NYC after 9 perfs

264th Pope John Paul II264th Pope John Paul II 

Sculpture of Pope John Paul II at the Salt Mines (Kopalnia soli Wieliczka) near Krakow, Poland

Picture of a bust of Pope John Paul II taken at the Basilique Saint-Sernin in Toulouse.

• 1982 - Pope John Paul II becomes 1st pontiff to visit Spain

• 1983 - Paul McCartney releases "Pipes of Peace" album

1983 - Ron Grant completes a 217 day, 8,316 mile run around Australia

1984 - Howard Goodall/Melvyn Bragg's musical "Hired Man," premieres in London

• 1984 - Puerto Rican tanker, San Francisco explodes spilling 2 million gallons of oil as ship caught fire

• 1984 - Indian PM Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her bodyguards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh at her home in New Delhi

1985 - Last day in Test cricket for Zaheer Abbas

1987 - 1st jockey to win 9 races in 1 day (Chris Antley at Belmont)

• 1987 - A pair in Coventry, England ties world record for longest singles tennis match at 80 hrs 21 minutes

1988 - 19°F lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in Oct

1988 - 1st Monday Night NFL game in Indianapolis, Colts beat Denver 55-23

• 1988 - Journalists demand greater press freedom in Yugoslavia

1989 - AR Gurney's "Love Letters," premieres in NYC

1989 - France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island

1989 - Turgat Ozal elected president of Turkey

Musician & member of the Beatles Paul McCartneyMusician & member of the Beatles Paul McCartney 1989 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1990 - Pakistan make 3-0 drubbing of NZ, Waqar Younis 29 series wkts

• 1991 - Palestinians attend US mideast peace talks in Madrid

1992 - Don Keller makes his 18,000th sky diver

Replica of the statue of Galileo Galilei outside of Carnegie Museums of Natural History

• 1992 - Roman Catholic church reinstates Galileo Galilei after 359 years

1992 - Horse Racing Breeders' Cup Champs: A P Indy, Fraise, Gilded Time, Liza, Lure, Paseana, Thirty Slews at Gulfstream Park

1993 - "Wonderful Tennessee" closes at Plymouth Theater NYC after 9 perfs

1993 - 25 people killed during Ghana-Ivory Coast soccer match

• 1993 - Germany unemployment hits country record of 3.5 million

1993 - Rapper Tupac Shakur charged with aggravated assault

1993 - US wins Nichirei International LPGA Golf Tournament

1994 - American Eagle ATR-72 crash down at Gary, Indiana: 68 killed

1995 - NHL NJ Devils agree to stay in NJ

1996 - The Fokker F100 on TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402 crashes into several houses in São Paulo, Brazil killing 98 including 2 on the ground.

1997 - British au pair Louise Woodward, 19, sentenced to life in death of Matthew Eappen 8½ months (judge changes to time served)

Rapper Tupac ShakurRapper Tupac Shakur 

• 1998 - Iraq disarmament crisis begins: Iraq announces it would no longer cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors.

1999 - Roman Catholic Church and Lutheran Church leaders sign the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, ending a centuries-old doctrinal dispute over the nature of faith and salvation.

1999 - Leaders from the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. The event ended a centuries-old doctrinal dispute over the nature of faith and salvation. 

• 1999 - Yachtsman Jesse Martin returns to Melbourne after 11 months of circumnavigating the world, solo, non-stop and unassisted.

• 1999 - EgyptAir Flight 990 traveling from New York City to Cairo crashes off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, killing all 217 on-board.

2000 - The last Multics machine was shut down.

• 2000 - A chartered Antonov An-26 explodes after takeoff in Northern Angola killing 50

2000 - A Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400 operating as Flight 006 collides with construction equipment upon takeoff in Taipei, Taiwan killing 79 passengers and four crew members

2002 - A federal grand jury in Houston, Texas formally indicted former Enron Corp. chief financial officer Andrew Fastow on 78 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to the collapse of his ex-employer.

2003 - A bankruptcy court approves MCI's reorganization plans, essentially clearing the telecommunications company to exit bankruptcy.

• 2003 - Mahathir bin Mohamad resigns as Prime Minister of Malaysia and is replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, marking an end to Mahathir's 22 years in power.

• 2011 - The world population reaches 7 billion inhabitants according to the United Nations

2012 - The New York stock exchange opens after being closed for two days after Hurricane Sandy

1860 - Juliette Low, the founder off the Girl Scouts, was born.   1864 - Nevada became the 36th state to join the U.S.   1868 - Postmaster General Alexander Williams Randall approved a standard uniform for postal carriers.   1914 - The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) joined the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria).   1922 - Benito Mussolini became prime minister of Italy.   1926 - Magician Harry Houdini died of gangrene and peritonitis resulting from a ruptured appendix. His appendix had been damaged twelve days earlier when he had been punched in the stomach by a student unexpectedly. During a lecture Houdini had commented on the strength of his stomach muscles and their ability to withstand hard blows.   1940 - The British air victory in the Battle of Britain prevented Germany from invading Britain.      1941 - The U.S. Navy destroyer Reuben James was torpedoed by a German submarine near Iceland. The U.S. had not yet entered World War II. More than 100 men were killed.   1952 - The U.S. detonated its first hydrogen bomb.    1955 - Britain's Princess Margaret announced she would not marry Royal Air Force Captain Peter Townsend.   1956 - Rear Admiral G.J. Dufek became the first person to land an airplane at the South Pole. Dufek also became the first person to set foot on the South Pole.   1959 - Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine from Fort Worth, TX, announced that he would never return to the U.S. At the time he was in Moscow, Russia.   1961 - In the Soviet Union, the body of Joseph Stalin was removed from Lenin's Tomb where it was on public display.   1968 - U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered a halt to all U.S. bombing of North Vietnam.   1969 - Wal-Mart Discount City stores were incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.   1981 - Antiqua and Barbuda became independent of Great Britain.   1983 - The U.S. Defense Department acknowledged that during the U.S. led invasion of Grenada, that a U.S. Navy plane had mistakenly bombed a civilian hospital.   1984 - Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated near her residence by two Sikh security guards. Her son, Rajiv, was sworn in as prime minister.   1992 - In Liberia, it was announced that five American nuns had been killed near Monrovia. Rebels loyal to Charles Taylor were blamed for the murders.   1993 - River Phoenix died at the age of 23 after collapsing outside The Viper Room in Hollywood.   1993 - The play "Wonderful Tennessee" closed after only 9 performances.   1994 - 68 people were killed when an American Eagle ATR-72, plunged into a northern Indiana farm.   1997 - Louise Woodward, British au pair, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 8-month-old Matthew Eappen. She was released after her sentence was reduced to manslaughter.   1998 - Iraq announced that it was halting all dealings with U.N. arms inspectors. The inspectors were investigating the country's weapons of mass destruction stemming from Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.   1999 - EgyptAir Flight 990 crashed off the coast of Nantucket, MA, killing all 217 people aboard.     2001 - Microsoft and the U.S. Justice Department reached a tentative agreement to settle the antitrust case against the software company.

1517 Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Palace church, marking the start of the Protestant Reformation in Germany. 1846 A heavy snowfall trapped the Donner Party in the Sierra Nevada mountains. 1864 Nevada became the 36th state. 1941 Work on the Mount Rushmore monument was completed. 1956 Rear Admiral G. J. Dufek became the first person to land an airplane at the South Pole. 1984 Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. 1992 Pope John Paul II admitted that the Roman Catholic Church had erred in convicting Galileo of heresy 350 years earlier.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/oct31.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory 

Pictures of Halloween Through the Years (Updated)

Halloween 2020:

No,  I did not dress up in some costume like I normally like to do for this holiday in 2020.  Neither did my son, for that matter. 

However,  my girlfriend dressed up for work in a new witch's outfit,  and she looked really good! So,  I  took some pictures of her. 

Then,  she put her blue wig and witch hat on me and took a picture.  So here are the pictures of what passes for our Halloween costumes for 2020:

My son and I did not get costumes or go trick or treating for Halloween in 2020,  but we did get pumpkins and we carved them. 

Mine is the more conventional pumpkin,  more traditional orange.  His is a lighter color orange,  and he was more experimental with his carving. 

Here are the pictures:

Halloween 2019

Happy Halloween 2019! 

My son was an original Star Wars character this year, and he deliberately made it vague whether or not he was a Jedi or a Sith. He actually has some real skills with the lightsaber, to boot! It was a fun Halloween, even if I did not actually dress up this year. Kind of snuck up on me this time around.

This year, my son decided to do something different. After a few years of wanting to be some of his favorite video game characters for Halloween, this year he wanted to be an original Star Wars character.

He deliberately made it vague whether he was supposed to be a Jedi or a Sith. I could not tell which one he would be, either. But I think it is far to say that he deserves points for originality and ingenuity. And when I get a chance to put the videos up, you will find that he actually has some skills with the lightsaber, and looks like a natural!

Not sure how much longer he will be trick or treating, but he did this year. And that was great, because it is fun for me, as well! I enjoy walking around and watching him go door to door and get some candy, and enjoy dressing up. Halloween is supposed to be fun, and that is what it was!

Halloween 2018

Saying no to working today was not too difficult, because today is a special day, of course. Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays ever since childhood, and it is especially nice these days, when my son and I get to go trick or treating together. Usually, I try and dress up, and of course, he always dresses up for Halloween. That is, of course, one of the most fun and attractive things about this holiday, the opportunity to get all dressed up. And that is especially true when you are young, when you are a kid. And admittedly, I guess I am still just an immature kid at heart, because that is what I still love about it, after all these years.

Years ago, I got myself a Darth Vader costume, which I have donned at least a few times, for different Halloweens. It is an easy thing to be, because you just have to put it on. No make up, and no more expenses to pay.

However, this year I wanted to be something different. I always wanted to go as Indiana Jones, and decided that this year would be the year to make it happen.

As for my son, he chose to be a ninja. Of course, he wanted some real life weapons to go with it, and was bitterly disappointed when I told him that real weapons were actually not going to be part of his costume, that there as no way he was going to get real weapons on my watch. He is, after all, just 11 years old, at least for a few more days. No need for actual real ninja weapons when he goes door to door, asking people kindly for candy.

When I was a kid, I can remember donning some of the Ben Cooper costumes that were so famous and readily available back then. They were cheap (usually around $3), and they were exciting for us kids to look at back then. Of course they were of not surprisingly poor quality. You wore them once, and they would get ripped, more often than not. The masks were uncomfortable, and it would be difficult to breathe.

And still, they were a thrill!

I remember being Spiderman one year, and I am pretty sure I was the Incredible Hulk once, as well. Separate from those iconic Ben Cooper costumes, I was also a pirate once, with a kind of ridiculous beard to complete the outfit. One woman said that I looked just like a pirate, but it took me years to realize that she was being a bit patronizing.

As a young man, I got a Scream outfit, because it was cheap and easy and fun - all rather descriptions of me!

But now, as a father, I wanted to remember my son's Halloweens, to remember how he dressed up, and what he was really into each year.

In 2010, he was the Wolverine. In 2011, he was Darth Vader. In 2012, Halloween was cancelled, because of Hurricane Sandy, although I did set aside a day for him to dress up in a few costumes (see the pictures below). In 2014, he dressed as a cub scout (which he was). in 2015, he went trick or treating dressed as the Grim Reaper, and we went with a friend from his school.

Last year, he was the Blue Team leader from Halo.

Celebrating Halloween privately after it was cancelled in New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy, 2012:

Halloween 2014:

He dressed up as a cub scout for Halloween in 2014, and we went trick or treating together. Great memories!

Halloween 2015:

Halloween 2016:

Halloween 2017:

Halloween 2013 With My Son at Samuel Donald R. School 

Halloween Class Picture in 2014. My son is dressed up as Wolverine, and is all the way to the right. He was in the 2nd grade at the time. These pictures are from the 2013-14 Samuel R. Donald School in Bloomingdale, New Jersey. 

Bonus Halloween Pictures from the old school I used to work at:

This picture was of me and a student in my class. We were both dressed like hippies. From the Deron School 2005 Yearbook, picture from Halloween 2004. 

This was a picture of my son's first Halloween outfit. Originally, I wanted to be Dr. Evil, and for him to be dressed as Mini Me. But I ran out of time, and so got a baby Darth Vader outfit for my son, and used the Darth Vader outfit that I had from a year or so earlier, and we went as matching Darth Vaders. Picture taken from the Deron School 2007 Yearbook, Halloween, 2006.

Halloween Picture of My Brother and Me From Back in the 1980's:

From the 1980's, an old picture from some Halloween, probably around the middle of the decade.

I was supposed to be a pirate. My brother, on the other hand, I have no idea what he was supposed to be.

Funny to see this after all of these years, though. Thought that it would be worth sharing. 

These were some of the pictures which I treasured the most, because they brought back some memories. Above was from one Halloween (not sure which year). Not sure what my brother was supposed to be, but I was obviously a pirate. As for the picture below, my brother obviously was dressed up as an Arabic sheik of some sort, while I admittedly have no idea what I am dressed up to be. However, the jacket that I am wearing brought back some memories, as did the wooden panels of our old house, which can be clearly seen in the background, as can the sofa pattern in the above picture.

Very old Halloween picture (1993)

Yup, that's me back in teenagedom, the one with the white shirt and gray jeans, with a big wig and dressed as a woman. Halloween Party at Bergen Community College (BCC), 1993.

Halloween 1995. I'm one of the four dressed as Hillbillies, the one in the straight red and black flannel shirt. 

Halloween party at Bergen Community College, October 27, 1995. We all dressed up as hicks for Halloween. Come to think of it, I might still look like a hick.

Halloween party at Bergen Community College, 1995. A bunch of us posing for a photo. There is a witch (don't remember who that is, truth be told), the Martian (again, not sure who that was), Condom Man (his name was Anthony), and then the rest of us.

Yet another picture from the Halloween party at BCC in October of '95. Think that we collectively won an award for our matching costumes, and that is what Jenn is holding (if memory serves correctly).

Bonus: Wearing Traditional Polish Folk Outfits

Now, the following pictures were not on or for Halloween. In fact, they are of both my son and I wearing traditional Polish folk outfits from our trip to my girlfriend's hometown back in the summer of 2019. Her father wanted us to try these out, and so we did. But since this was not our typical get up, and also since we were wearing outfits that we had never worn before, or have worn since, it seemed fitting to add these to the Halloween collection, as well.

Enjoy! 

Here are pictures of my son and I dressed up in traditional Polish Folk outfits: