Morning all:

Maybe something is wrong here. It is still early and pitch-black outside; the only light visible are the neighbors’ night-time security lamps. The coffee is still perking and all that I can hear is the cat licking herself—in the form of a very loud slurping. Maybe I ought to take the time to teach the beast proper licking etiquette.

I know that last week I ranted on and on about obnoxious political ads and my apologies to you kind readers. But, exactly how much money is spent on producing and airing these things? And do they actually do any good?

I don’t think so!

I have yet to see an anonymous politician being interviewed on Larry King, face properly pixeled out and voice artificially altered (this way we just know that truth will be spoken here) coming out with a wholehearted and ringing endorsement of the success of political ads:

“Larry, answering your question, let me state unequivocally that these things really do work. In actuality, they truly are magic.

I have discovered that I only need to air a gazillion or so during the weekend afternoon TV sports and I can be home for dinner with the wife and kids rather than be stumping about some godforsaken sauerkraut smelling Moose Lodge……”

Halloween was just right. Cold enough to enjoy sitting around the fire pit downing Marcia’s 15-bean soup (yes, some did pay a price later), but warm enough to not slow down the evening’s stream of kids—100 or so. And, as a bonus, by mid afternoon the rains had the good sense to leave our area and head for West Virginia. No I am not gloating because I to want misery to befall the West Virginians mind you. It is just that they have many fewer people to be affected.

The perfect little family across the street went way over the top this year. Their house, surrounded by grave stones, was shrouded in an artificial fog bank and strobe lighting. Piercing shrieks emanated all night. These were interspersed with the deep bass sounds of a beating heart; to the point that drivers of hooptiemobiles thumping along with their 1800 watt sound systems actually got an inferiority complex and left the neighborhood.

This afternoon I have been volunteered. Starting at One this afternoon Marcia and I will gather with three other couples at one of their homes. As I understand it we’ll sit cross legged in a circle in their living room with a huge pile of sand in the middle. Of course I expect that they’ll have a plastic table cloth properly placed underneath. We’ll then man small shovels and fill little bags with sand and a candle. For this exercise we’ll call these “Luminaria Kits”.

I might have a few of the details wrong. But, in principle this is what I’ll be doing between One and Five.

I hope that they have wine on hand.

Make it a great week everyone; and please do vote – notwithstanding my earlier cynicism.

Cheers,
Dirk