Shadow Puppet Storyteller

So Creative

Halloween for a middle-aged adult can still be fun if friends and/or co-workers play along. I cannot imagine working in an industry or profession where the spontaneity of arriving in costume is banned. One of my struggles is overthinking or perfecting the original costume idea. As an example, months ago, I decided that with the popularity of the Netflix drama, Orange is the New Black, that I could easily obtain or modify thrift store separates into orange prison garb. If I was lucky enough to shop the right accessory aisles at the Halloween stores that pop-up, then just an unlocked handcuff would complete the look. Two days before Halloween, however, I suddenly started transfiguring the idea into something "clever."

I spied a tiara in the glass display case at Goodwill, and thought. "I should be a jewel thief." I could wear the tiara and some large jeweled earrings, and maybe a pendant, and just act in complete denial of "the jewels" declaring my innocence! I took it a little further, thinking, "Maybe, I could rub red food coloring on my palms, and be caught "red-handed." (I crack me up.) So, you tell me, at what point did I diverge from easily identifiable, to this fruit salad idea of a costume? The deep psychological question is -- why do I always need to layer on the cleverness? Because even to me, I notice pretty early when the ideas start to muddy the concept, but sometimes it is hard to deny the ego its play date.

I suppose I should bask in the real enjoyment of Halloween, which comes when I get to use my creativity -- usually not to solve the question of what my costume will ultimately be -- but problem-solving for other's costume quandaries. Supplying the last touch of makeup, the needed safety pin, or the way to make kitten paws work on human hands. That's when the most people acknowledge my cleverness and quick processing of others' needs.