Fall Book Challenge- Oct. update

How was everyone's Halloween?  Mine was a DISASTER!
I wasn't getting any trick-or-treaters, so when I finally got 3 older trick or treaters and they asked how much they could take, I said whatever, take as much as you like. Oh they did.  I was a hero for like 30 seconds.
Of course minutes later, the parade of kids came though and I ran out! I had to turn away a little princess (seriously, she was like 5, I turned away a 5 year old princess).
I then turned out the lights and hid.
Ethan comes out of the office and sees the lights out and wrappers all over the coffee table.  Ethan: "didn't you learn anything from The Wire. You NEVER get high on your own supply."
(hanging head in shame)

 I tried- I mean I wore cat ears and orange and got the good candy like Reese's and Kit Kats!

Anyhoooo, since today is November (I can't believe it), it's also time to check in with Megan's Autumn Reading Challenge.

 

5: Read a book that does not have "the," "a" or "an" in the title.
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
This was excellent! Jeannette's novel about her tough as nails grandma's life staring in the 20s. She the kinda gal I look up to.

10: Read a book that has been featured in Oprah's Book Club.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

10: Read a book that takes place in the state where you currently live. If you do not live in the U.S., read a book that takes place in the country where you live.
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman
Ehhhh, this one slowed me down & I usually like Laura Lippman.

15: Read an epistolary novel, which is a book written in letters, emails, diary entries or other documents.
Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger
Quick read- I didn't hate and I didn't love.

15: Read a book first published in 2013.
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

15: Read a book with something spooky in the title.
Notes from Ghost Town by Kate Ellison

20: Read a book with "air," "water," "earth" or "fire" in the title.
Red Water by Judith Freeman

20: Read a book on which a television series has been based.
Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman

25: Read a fiction book that has someone’s first and last name in the title.
Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

30: Read two books by the same author.
The Tao of Martha and Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster

35: Read a fiction and nonfiction book about the same topic.
We Were Soldiers Once... and Young by Harold G. Moore, Joseph L. Galloway and 
The Things They Carried  by Tim O'Brien

Dang, only 30 points! I guess I should have started from the bottom up. So I also read the Dinner and How to be Lost in Oct, but they didn't fit in my categories. Oops!
Off to the library!

Happy Halloween 2013

Happy Halloween to all!
The candy bucket is filled and waiting by the door for trick-or-treaters (a little lighter thanks to me, but ‘tis All Hallow’s Eve)!
Yesterday was the office’s Halloween party, complete with a haunted house, BBQ lunch, and costume contest.
Well, guess what, we won most original (oh there were prizes)!
Can you guess what we were?

Nope, here’s a clue:

Still no, it's OK. I hadn't heard of the TV show until a few weeks ago.

I yea, I broke character for the pic on the right. Julie's mom was a prostitute and is now a crime fighter. She doesn't smile.

Anyway, my motto is to always BRING IT for a costume party. So here are some off my favorite costumes of year’s past:

Crazy cat lady and Snookie doing the Ouija with Dolly Parton.

Enjoy!

Kim's List of Halloween Movies

Yesterday I let Ethan take over for as a pre- Halloween treat for you dear readers. You also might have noticed, but from here on out, I  am going to refer to my husband by his name (which I rarely use, I'm nicknames only). I've decided that referring to E as "the hubs" is played out and annoying.

Anyhoo, E gave you his top 5 scary movie list, so today is my turn. Hands down, Hocus Pocus is the best Halloween movie, but, the discussion E and I had was regarding the best scary movies, sooooo Hocus Pocus is out.

Here are my top 5 scary movies (for Halloween) in no order:

1. The Shining (1980)
The acting is spot on, the music, and those girls at the end of the hallway- eeks.

2. Paranormal Activity (2007)
Ethan thinks this was stupid and not scary; however, it creeped me out (probably the way it was filmed, it was just so realistic).  After watching it, I needed to use the bathroom in the middle of the night (3 am-ish - close to the time referenced in teh movie). I was so freaked out still, I ran back to the bedroom and did a sliding belly flop back into the bed taking most of the covers and Ethan's legs with me. He wasn't pleased.

3.  Exorcist (1972)
A classic. IMO, this is the best possession movie made, even with the newer Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Conjuring, Mama (which I haven seen yet).

4. It (1990)
With a top scary movie list, you have to have something by Stephen King and who isn't afraid of that creepy clown?

5. Scream (1996)
I was in high school when this came out, just as the characters in the movie, so it was very realist to me. That ghost face mask (shudder).


It seems they just used to make horror movies better back in the good ol' days. What about you? Will you watch horror movies- if so, what are some of your favorites?

Ethan's Favorite Halloween Movies

Hello, Pink Droppers, this is Kim's husband, Ethan.  I've been granted reprieve from Kim's "be seen, not heard" instructions, and thus I'm going to showcase the five movies that will get even the grumpiest lil' pumpkin in the Halloween spirit, in no particular order:



Alien (1979)

So you're in deep space, years from Earth.  Would you pick up a hitchhiker?  No?  What a hitchhiker that gestates in your sternum, killing you when it hatches?  Still no?  What if said hitchhiker grows to a seven-foot tall, acid-for-blood killing machine?  Definitely no?  Well then you haven't grown up in East Tennessee, as that would be some tasty roadkill.  Ridely Scott's slow-building masterpiece tells the story of the doomed mining freighter Nostromo, who are awakened early from their hypersleep to investigate a strange signal coming from a nearby planetoid.  This ill-fated field trip brings back an unwanted organism that picks off the Nostromo crew one by one.  More psychological horror than gore, the film uses silence and dread rather than gore to keep the viewer on edge.  Throw in a haunting, metallic soundtrack, and you have a world-class creature feature.



The Thing (1982)

Kurt Russell (don't laugh) stars in this 1980s cult classic as a member of a U.S. research team in Antarctica that stumbles upon a malevolent alien life form frozen in the deep Arctic ice.  Of course, this extraterrestrial popsicle can slowly consume humans, and upon completion, forms a perfect walking, talking, and (slightly more) psychopathic version of you.  Of course, there's also a massive Arctic storm going on outside, so no one can get in or out.  Fun!  Much gorier than Alien, but features some amazing special effects and makeup (remember kids, this is WAY before CGI and all that newfangled computer stuff). 






The Blair Witch Project (1999)

This entry might raise some eyebrows, but bear with me.  One of the most original horror films for its time, this is one of the first films to feature the now-overused "shaky cam" filming method (I'm looking at you, Cloverfield).  The premise is simple: three film students head to the wilderness around Burkitsville, Maryland to investigate the local legend of the Blair Witch.  They disappear without a trace, and the "found footage" from their camera makes up the film.  Personally, I think the scene where the three students are sitting in their tent at night, lost, tired and scared, and suddenly they hear a baby cry in the distance is one of the best scenes.  Ever.  If that scene does not give you goosebumps, you need to check your pulse. 

Fun fact: This film was made for $750k, and grossed more than $248 million!





The Shining (1980)

Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece of insanity really needs no introduction.  Based on a Stephen King novel, the movie revolves around Jack Torrence, a writer who takes the job of winter caretaker in a old, massive Colorado hotel to work on his writing.  He takes along his wife and young son, and they soon encounter the ghosts occupying the property.  Not a gory film, but rather a study of a man's slow descent into madness.  Highly recommended.





It (1990)

Features Pennywise the homicidal demon clown (yes, really).  Pure nightmare fuel. 


Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spooktacular Halloween Treat!

For our Saturday night Halloween party, I decided to make bloody eyeballs (made with peanut butter and chocolate of course).
Disclaimer, they took a while, but are super tasty and cute!

Step one, mix 1 c. melted butter and 4 c. melted peanut butter (I used chunky) and 6 c. Rice Krispies and 5 c. powdered sugar.

"Heaven isn't too far away.... whoaaaa...." Warrent

Step 2: Mix together and roll into balls. (This requires a sous chef for sure)

Step 3: Chill balls (15 min) & melt lots of white chocolate (chips or bakers bars). Do not be a cheapskate and try to add water to the melted chocolate to thin it out. It will separate & ruin the chocolate & you'll have to go to the grocery store again :)

my ghetto homemade "double boiler"

Step 4- 6: Roll balls in melted chocolate. Add a Reese's pieces on the center for the pupil while the chocolate is still warm. Chill again for 15 min.

Use red food coloring and toothpick for the veins.

Yum, they taste like a Reese's Cup! The only thing I noticed is they need to be chilled or eaten off a toothpick, if they start to warm up (i.e. sitting out at a party for an few hrs), the food coloring will get on people's hands!

Costume Disaster

As Frankenstorm approaches, I spent my weekend preparing for a Halloween party of course.
Water, flashlights, pshhaw.
My costume was going to be Joan from Mad Men.

I have the figure, and some of my work clothes would have worked. I just needed the red wig. Easier said than done!
I couldn't find a "Joan" wig, but I did find a long, red wig. I mean how hard can it be to style a wig right?

Red wig before:

Hair Cut:

UGH- HORROR!

Anyways, a last minute decision was made and I copied E and went as a lumberjack with him.

I made the eyeballs and those turned out to be a success! More to come on that treat.

Kimmy Doppelgangers

I read on article on yahoo about a Pippa look-alike that was making big bucks as a Pippa poser at parties/ and events in the UK. (Sorry, I couldn't find it again to link to)
This got me thinking, I get a LOT of "you look like...." , I need to cash in on this. I couldn't find the article and I have no idea how to get a look-alike agent, so maybe I'll just parlay it into a rockin' Halloween costume.

Doppelganger #1: Liv Tyler
My cool costumer idea: her character in Lord of the Rings
Sidebar: I also think this is where I can make $ as a Lord of the Rings impersonator head fairy. Surely there are some rich nerds obsessed with Lord of the Rings ;)

Doppelganger #2: The T-Mobile girl

Someone at my office thinks I look just like her. The costume would be easy, just a pink dress, but I don't think anyone would get it.

Doppelganger #3: Anne Hathaway

I don't think I look like her, but I could be a nerdy princess a' la Princess Diaries for Halloween.

Money to be made on this look a like- zilch.

I actually already have a costume already, but it's a secret. Let's just say say today involved cutting, super gluing, and styling a red wig ;) More to come on THAT!

Halloween Treats!

Who's excited for Halloween?! Lots of scary movies & Halloween specials on TV are getting me in the mood.
I started looking online for some fun party treats.

Kitty Litter Cake

Seriously, it's chocolate, but I think I won't be invited to anymore parties if I bring this!

Peanut Butter Eyeballs

I had these at a party before & they are delish.

Or what about a red velvet cake in a brain mold!

Now I have to plan my Halloween costume & I'm all set :)