Day: October 31, 2005

I’m presenting my paper at the Wash DC Historical Studies conference this Saturday. I’ve read my paper and the middle portion is boring. Dullsville. I’m working on making an exciting speech, based on the boring paper.
Why boring? I have a lot of so-in-so lived next door to so-in-so who was black/white/ Irish. Going individually, house to house is more exciting when mapping it out and seeing the neighborhood as a whole. The Truxton Circle of 1880 was a sparsely populated area. I say this because there were blocks with no one on them, or sections of blocks that are empty. This changes by the 20th century, but the 1900s+ aren’t covered in this paper. Gonna have to wait a few more years for the 20th century.
I’ll probably post the paper and all the images that don’t want to print on the &^%! printer, after the conference, on the web. If anyone with any editing skills wants to read it, e-mail me and tell me what kind of editing you do.

Some people have their yards done up for Halloween. I don’t. So I’m going to make a sign this year to say “yes, I have candy” because last time groups of trick or treaters weren’t sure if I was a candy house. I know they are definitely going to hit L&D’s house because they’ve got the whole spider webbing and lights going on, and nothing screams “hey kids, candy here” like that. Me. A measly sign.
Right now I debating wording and if I should have another sign for when I run out. As far as the 1 candy for no costume policy, that will be in the “small print”.
Then the other problem is what to use as tape. Duct tape might take off paint and painters tape might not hold. Well it only needs to stay up for 2-3 hours.
Talking with some other neighbors I picked up these miss-matched ideas:
1. Leave your porch light on and all the lights on the 1st floor on.
2. Don’t present the whole bowl to the kids. Some have, in the past, tried to grab all the candy, leaving nothing for the next kid.
3. Remove all tripping hazards in your yard.
4. Yes, your dog is friendly and all the kids love him/her but maybe “buddy” should not answer the door too.
any others?