"A person should always choose a costume which is in direct contrast to her own personality." ~Lucy Van Pelt, from It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, 1966

I love an excuse to dress up, but I am frightfully bad at Halloween costumes. The question “What do you want to be for Halloween?” has always filled me with a sense of dread, even when I was a kid. I never aspired to come up with a clever costume. It just feels like so much work, too much clunk, and then you have to explain it. I often just throw something together at the last minute, though it’s been years since I’ve really bothered at all.

“Oh, I get it. You’re a…”