This Halloween significance

It occurred to me tonight, this Halloween night, that this weekend marked a couple of things regarding this year. The significance is just a bit heightened by the bottle of Shiraz that I'm just now finishing. So please to being indulgent.

Saturday came the first day of snow in the Boston area this year. Damnation! Not even November and snow appears. Not just a few flakes, I was impressed that enough snow to accumulate came forth. It was soon vacated by the rain that came late in the night. But it serves to remind me of what I'd been hearing on the street for the past couple of weeks: It is going to be a long winter, longer than last. As if last winter wasn't bad enough, what with record breaking snowfall, all-time low temperature records, and a city-works plow that shoved a full drift of snow into my parking space. Boston, according to my Sandy Eggo sensibilities, has 3 seasons. This past year it has been 8 months of winter, ending in June; three months of summer, ending in August; and 2 months of autumn; which ended Saturday. Sort of. More on that in a bit.

There is no spring. Or, at most, it lasts about 1 week. The week where it oscillates between painfully cold and uncomfortably hot. They lied. 4 seasons my ass! But I don't really complain. Except in the winter. That's where I eat all of my words of the time I used to complain that the wonderful and sublime Bay Area had bad weather. Hey, I was from Sandy Eggo. It's all relative. I realized that for the past 4 years. I repent. Take me back there. Please. please.

Winter marks the entrance into hibernation here. Oh there is still activity, but, well, let me put it this way: I may never have gotten into MMORPG were it not for the winters here. There's a certain amount of effort required to intentionally be uncomfortable via going out when it actually hurts to be outside and it's icky and gloomy and the days are shorter and... well, I've been known to be a sunworshiper.

But to my credit I'm making the best of it. This year I all but swore that I would. A good bit of luck helps. I pulled another 3 nights of out-of-the-apartment shenanigans. I have a buddy that goes to the drum and base Thursday nights at the Phoenix Landing and despite all laziness I end up there, liquor up, and cut loose. Just a little though. (No, your opinion of me is still consistent.) Next night ChikiMiki informed me that The Love Makers were playing in Boston. He had introduced me to them and I was quite looking forward to seeing them. They play a kind of 80's style new wave, something I don't think many are doing. Sadly, due to a mis-communication in timing, we arrived as they were playing their last song. Bummer, especially knowing that we broke a couple laws in the attempt. We went to a club down the street where he knew some people would be at a private party. It was neat being in an area where everyone was dressed up in costume. We had to stop and buy some Jason masks just to not feel so guilty. Saturday, after it snowed (and believe me I was tempted already to just stay in and vegitate in front of the b00bt00b) I made my way to a Halloween party, the first one in years. I still think Halloween in San Francisco is the best, but it's great to see people out here getting together and having some fun for the event; I'd always had the impression that it just wasn't that big of a deal out here. Good ol' Deb was nice enough to post some pictures.

And tonight, as I came home tired and weary, I bump into one of my downstairs neighbors dressed in a quasi lady-bug outfit. I feel guilty that I hadn't yet fully helped her with her storm windows. But she's there with a friend carving a pumpkin on the porch. And it so happens that two neighbors from next door are doing the same. We all spend some time in front of my house, sipping wine, chatting about this and that, pulling passing-by-neighbors into conversation, inciting people to go out and scout some kids for us to give candy to, three bowls of candy. We had three customers total for the night, a disadvantage of location. Despite my complaints of the snow and the cold, tonight was exceptionally nice. Perhaps the last good-weathered night of the year. Perhaps. It dawns on me that I cannot for the life of me remember the last time that I waited candy in hand for trick-or-treaters to pass by. Especially with nice impromptu company. I appreciate that. I need to keep appreciating the little things like that. I think I do. I'm lucky this year. Compared to the last few years, I feel extremely so. I hope I'm due for a few more lucky years.

To round off the night I call a couple of friends. One is still at work on the best coast. The other is out and about with friends to watch a movie because her class was cancelled. I wish I could join them. Would be the perfect ending to a surprisingly spirited weekend, despite work kicking my ass.

Maybe someday.

But till then, a bottle of Shiraz signing off.