Halloween is Here.

I love Halloween! I love the Trick-or-Treaters, the candy, the decorations, the candy…

I admit to being a great big chicken.  I believe in ghosts and would never be caught dead (or otherwise) anywhere where ghosts have been seen.  I do like watching Ghost Hunters and shows like that.

If you are into haunted places, here is a list of Haunted House and Places organized by state. See if any are located by you.

http://www.haunted-places.com/

http://theshadowlands.net/places/

http://www.hauntedhouses.com/

http://www.fortunecity.com/roswell/shelly/43/haunted.html

http://www.ghosts.org/haunted/haunted.html

http://www.hollowhill.com/places/places.htm

http://www.hauntedtravels.com/

http://www.hauntedhouse.com/search/Haunted_Attraction_Directory/

Robbin’ Hood?

I’m growing a little weary of the portrayal of Barack Obama as some sort of Robin Hood figure, robbing from the rich to give to the poor.  He says he only going to raise taxes on people making over $250K a year, giving much needed relief for the middle class.  Really?  He also voted to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire. So that means our income taxes will actually go up. If Obama allows the Bush tax cuts to expire, how many taxpayers would pay more taxes?

100% of AMERICA

Besides, when did it become a crime to prosper in this country?  Many people, including people in my own family, have said that people making more money can better afford to pay higher taxes.  Here’s a news flash… they already DO!  They pay a higher percentage and much more in taxes than you and me.

If you make $25K a year, you’ll pay $3,750.  If you make $50K, you’ll pay $12,500.  If you make $100K, you’re paying $28,000.  And those wicked people making $250K?  $82,000 per year in federal income taxes alone!

I’m nowhere near that income bracket, but I still think it’s wrong to punish people who have worked hard to get ahead just to “spread the wealth around”.  Not to mention that raising taxes on businesses will end up costing middle class people jobs.

There are a number of hot button issues in this election, but that one has been bugging me for a while.  Do the research, read up before you head to the polls.

Halloween Candy

Every year it’s the same argument.  Which type of candy to kids prefer – chocolate candy bars or other flavored canides like Skittles and Sweet-Tarts.  While I concede that kids like ALL candy and will take whatever you offer them, I say kids prefer chocolate.

This Halloween, I’m going to have two bowls:

A) M&M’s, Kit Kats, Snickers, and Twix bars.
B) Skittles, Sweet-Tarts, Tootsie Pops, and Jolly Ranchers.

I say in this scenario, the chocolate choices will be picked 2-1 over the other bowl.  I can only go by what my kids do, but if I offer to buy them a treat at the grocery store, they will go for something chocolate every time.  Feel free to weigh in, I’ll find out for sure this Halloween.

Furry Flying Vermin!

I hate moths!  They are creepy, come from nowhere, and are impossible to kill.  For some reason they have popped up everywhere around me in the last week.

First, in the house, there is one in my basement that I have been unsuccessful in tracking down.  I’m in the process of taping and mudding so I can’t exactly squish it when it lands.  There is one upstairs as well.  It’s making the cats crazy and sending my daughters into fits of screaming.  I have vaulted ceilings in my living room and it roosts up on the ceiling where I can’t reach it.

Lastly, there’s two living in my Jeep.  Those of you who have been in a Jeep know that there is not a tremendous amount of room in there.  So when this stupid moth starts dive bombing me as I’m driving… someone is going to die.

I can’t think of a good reason for keeping moths around. Moths, and particularly their caterpillars, are a major pest in many parts of the world causing severe damage to forests, fruit farms, and clothing.  And they attack you when you step outside of your house at night if you have the porch light on.

I hate them. I hate them! I HATE THEM!

Tape & Texture

I’ve been working on my basement and trying to get it finished.  I’ve got the walls up, the bathroom roughed in and the drywall up.  Now it’s time for tape, mud & texture.

I know nothing about this process.  I’ve done lots of other building projects over the years, helping out other people, but never “mudding”.  We started the process over the weekend and it’s going alright so far.  It’s a long and tedious process if you don’t know what you’re doing… and I don’t.  I found a tutorial or two online and I’ve been trying to follow that advice.  I’ve also enlisted the advice of a couple of neighbors.  They were glad to offer advice, but no one wanted to get dirty. LOL.

Hopefully the process won’t take too long.