I think that I can safely say this has been the best Halloween of my life.

Its also my first adult Halloween, so that probably explains it. We just had such a blast. Cody and I got all dressed up, which was awesome in itself. I went as a doll. A tutu, sash, pretty makeup with big fake lashes. It was all very charming. Cody went as a wizard! He had the this wig. We were all covered in fake wizard hair by the end of the night.

I think that we just ended up in the middle of the perfect party storm. Awesome venue, great music, incredible amount of friends hanging. Its super rad when you get to party with all your close friends, see them play music, get drunk and laugh. And the icing on the cake is you get to do it all in a super radical costume. It was just... perfect. It makes me want to wear costumes to every single party.

Now we're just living in the aftermath. I think my brain was broken for the next couple days. We watched the final few episodes of The Pacific and now we're in withdrawal from not having any more episodes to watch. I cant say enough to recommend The Pacific. Its just about the best show ever. I spend 90% of the last episode quietly crying because its hard to watch. Its not really glamorized. Its a very stark, violent portrayal of war with no gloss on either side.

So its been on my mind lately, the treatment of veterans from the world wars and the way we treat the soldiers coming and going right now. Regardless of why they're fighting, who they're fighting or the people who sent them to fight, soldiers deserve honor and respect.

Every year I wear the poppy, go to the ceremonies and say the words. I know that if we forget the horrors of previous wars, we forget every single person who died in them.  But as I've been walking around town the last few days, seeing the Vets handing out the poppies, its hit me a lot harder. Its up to this generation to honor the veterans, because soon there wont be any left. Its a huge responsibility to keep those traditions alive. It would be such a shame to forget. Especially because with the war in Iraq, there is so many new veterans with new problems. And we need to care for them, as human beings, before we get involved with the politics behind it all. I don't want to be the kind of person who mistreats another person just because they're involved in this new war. I refuse to be someone who lets all the sacrifice and anger and death of every single war go to waste.

So this year, what will you do to show your respect? Or do you even care. Will you stop to talk to the old man on the corner selling poppies? Will you bow your head with respect and sadness on November 11th?

Or will you forget.

I think that I can safely say this has been the best Halloween of my life.

Its also my first adult Halloween, so that probably explains it. We just had such a blast. Cody and I got all dressed up, which was awesome in itself. I went as a doll. A tutu, sash, pretty makeup with big fake lashes. It was all very charming. Cody went as a wizard! He had the this wig. We were all covered in fake wizard hair by the end of the night.

I think that we just ended up in the middle of the perfect party storm. Awesome venue, great music, incredible amount of friends hanging. Its super rad when you get to party with all your close friends, see them play music, get drunk and laugh. And the icing on the cake is you get to do it all in a super radical costume. It was just... perfect. It makes me want to wear costumes to every single party.

Now we're just living in the aftermath. I think my brain was broken for the next couple days. We watched the final few episodes of The Pacific and now we're in withdrawal from not having any more episodes to watch. I cant say enough to recommend The Pacific. Its just about the best show ever. I spend 90% of the last episode quietly crying because its hard to watch. Its not really glamorized. Its a very stark, violent portrayal of war with no gloss on either side.

So its been on my mind lately, the treatment of veterans from the world wars and the way we treat the soldiers coming and going right now. Regardless of why they're fighting, who they're fighting or the people who sent them to fight, soldiers deserve honor and respect.

Every year I wear the poppy, go to the ceremonies and say the words. I know that if we forget the horrors of previous wars, we forget every single person who died in them.  But as I've been walking around town the last few days, seeing the Vets handing out the poppies, its hit me a lot harder. Its up to this generation to honor the veterans, because soon there wont be any left. Its a huge responsibility to keep those traditions alive. It would be such a shame to forget. Especially because with the war in Iraq, there is so many new veterans with new problems. And we need to care for them, as human beings, before we get involved with the politics behind it all. I don't want to be the kind of person who mistreats another person just because they're involved in this new war. I refuse to be someone who lets all the sacrifice and anger and death of every single war go to waste.

So this year, what will you do to show your respect? Or do you even care. Will you stop to talk to the old man on the corner selling poppies? Will you bow your head with respect and sadness on November 11th?

Or will you forget.