Halloween 2025

Saturday Morning at TCU

Saturday morning I awoke refreshed. I woke up early, like it was a workday—which I suppose the TCU campus tour essentially would be, at least a little. I took a shower and wanted (well, needed) some coffee. For some unexplainable reason, our hotel had nothing complimentary unless I brewed it myself. So that’s exactly what I did. Lame.

In the lobby, I settled down in front of the TV and flipped it over to The Weather Channel, wondering if I’d see any mention of last night’s crazy storm. Apparently, a tornado did indeed touch down near where we were staying—hence the ominous sirens. Crazy. It really was one scary night out.

By morning, the weather had mellowed into a calm, gray overcast. I’ll take that any day over yesterday’s white-knuckle drive. Honestly, it might have been the perfect campus-touring weather.

Hotel experiences are always something. I know many people will disagree, but I truly enjoy them. I like sitting in the lobby and people-watching. I met a lady from L.A. whose daughter was going to TCU and really liked it. I told her we were there for a tour. She asked if the Dodgers had won. I had no fucking idea. She seemed to want to chat, while I just wanted my coffee and a little quiet time to myself.

We arrived at TCU, and I was immediately wowed by the stadium—and how they managed to make it look like it had always been part of the campus architecture.. Even after that brutal storm, the place was gorgeous. Truly stunning, actually. I could imagine how incredible it would look without branches and debris scattered everywhere. It felt like we were taking a leisurely stroll through a park.

Funny thing: our campus tour guide turned out to be from our own town! Small world, right? That made his stories more relatable for Teegan. It was also a much more immersive tour—we walked the campus more than we had on any of the others. And might I reiterate—the campus is fucking beautiful. Man.

Out of the four college tours we’ve done, I’d put TCU at the top of the list. A big part of that might just be the weather, though. Our previous visits were either freezing, soaking wet, or hotter than hell—it’s always the weather.

I did feel a little pang realizing this was probably our final campus tour with Teegan. I’ve really loved these trips with him and Yvette. It’s been exciting to see college life from different perspectives across the state.

Heading Home

On our way out of town, we stopped at Trader Joe’s. I found a few treats for a great price. Lola had to have In-N-Out Burger, so we went there next. The chaos inside that place—and not knowing what the hell was going on—gave me a full-fledged panic attack. No joke. I actually had to splash water on my face to calm down.

I let Yvette drive home. I’d done my duty. We grabbed some Chick-fil-A and made our way back to our own little town. It was a wild trip, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Sunday morning, I slept in. When I finally woke up, I wasn’t thrilled to find that one of the dogs had left me a “nice” surprise. After cleaning up that mess, I ran to the store to grab what I needed for breakfast: chorizo potato tacos. Yum, yum, yum.

Weekend Wrap-Up

We spent the afternoon watching some football at my in-laws’ after feasting on some caldo. The Eagles beat the Giants. I hate them both, but I really despise the Eagles.

The rest of the afternoon was spent running errands together—which I actually enjoy. I also needed to fix the wall shower mount, which ended up meaning replacing it. Easy task. I was presented with two options: drill into the bath tile or use the adhesive that came with it. I’ll try the adhesive first. I’m in no rush to risk breaking the tile.

That’s basically my weekend. I’d say it was a lot.

Monday. The Halloween week!! What a week to be alive and kicking. What a week to be above the grave. The spookiest time of year.

Work was actually consistently busy, which made the day just fly right on by—and honestly, I’ll take that any day. Nothing drags worse than a slow Monday. I had some good conversations with folks across campus, and the universal consensus was clear: everyone’s over this weather and ready for a change.

Yvette was off taking care of Nile’s, so I didn’t see her until that evening..

After work, we had Noah and Nadia over for some burgers. I figured since the cold weather was moving in, we might as well fire up the grill one last time. Burgers are easy, delicious. I mean, who doesn’t love a burger?

I had fun outside cooking. Flipping patties. The company was great, the food hit the spot, and the evening turned into one of those unexpectedly perfect Monday nights that make the week feel a little lighter.

On Tuesday, the cold actually moved in a little earlier than expected. One moment it was sunny, and the next it turned cloudy and windy. You can practically watch the weather change here in Texas. Oh well — I wasn’t dressed for the cooler temps, but I had to adapt.

That evening was all about trunk or treat with Alaya. She dressed up as Stitch from Lilo & Stitch, and of course, she was absolutely adorable.

I’d never been to a trunk or treat before — they’re pretty chaotic! Considering it was hosted by a high school, this one was a huge affair. So many damn people. Alaya cleaned up on candy and even scored a balloon animal. She was a happy, happy little baby. I love this stuff.

Halloween Day!!! 🎃

Hard to believe it’s been two years since I proposed to Yvette — dressed as a clown, no less. Yep, a fucking clown. Halloween has always been special to me, but ever since that day, it’s taken on a whole new meaning. Now it’s not just about spooky costumes, scary movies, and pumpkins — it’s about one of the happiest moments of my life.

I still smile thinking about how ridiculous that proposal was. Silly and not exactly romantic — but totally me. I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s one of those memories I’ll always carry with Yvette and the kids. Funny to think it all happened before we even knew Alaya would be part of our little family. Life moves fast.

As usual, I showed up to work in my traditional Halloween “uniform”: a black shirt and one of my spooky buttons. This year, I went with the pumpkin one. I’ve had those buttons for at least eight years now, and somehow I’ve managed not to lose a single one — even though I only wear them once a year. Honestly, that’s the real Halloween miracle.

Campus was alive today — a witchy wonderland down in the UC basement with food, black lights, door contests, and more; a costume contest in the library; and trick-or-treating all around. Watching the students laugh and show off their costumes just filled me with joy. There’s something about seeing people fully embrace the fun that makes my soul shine on Halloween.

I picked up some lunch, and Yvette and I had a little picnic outside the UC, people-watching as students walked to and from classes in their spooky and cute Halloween costumes. Yvette was in total Halloween mode and started talking about maybe throwing a Halloween party next year. I thought that was a damn good idea.

The rest of the day at work was filled with the joy of Halloween. It’s always such a fun day to be on campus — everyone’s energy just feels a little lighter and a lot more playful.

After work, it was trunk or treat and trick or treat adventures.

I was Yip Yip from Sesame Street. A bit of an obscure character, apparently, since no one I’ve talked to seems to know who he is.

How?! He’s been around since 1972! I mean, I guess I sort of get it. He doesn’t have much interaction since he doesn’t really talk. He’s not cuddly like Elmo or the others, but I’ve always thought he’s damn unique.

As a kid, the Martian segments always cracked me up — especially the one where Yip Yip encounters a telephone. Still hilarious to this day.

First up was the Boo Bash on campus. It was a simple little blast. Alaya scored big.

After our little campus walk, we headed to the south side of town—apparently the place for trick-or-treating. We had no idea what we were getting into, but wow, it was packed. Some of the houses were even giving out adult treats, such as beer, spiked punch and Jell-O shots. What a treat.

Only three people recognized who I was dressed up as, which was a bit disappointing. Everyone else thought I was Cookie Monster. I mean… I kind of get it, but still. It felt good when someone said “yip yip”.

We wrapped up the night with some takeout and handed out candy to the last few trick-or-treaters. Yvette and I ended the evening with one of my favorite Halloween traditions: watching Trick ’r Treat. Perfect way to close out the night.

Happy Friday!! Happy Halloween!!!

Horror Season 2025

Mandy

Fucking Mandy. This movie. This movie holds a place in my heart. 2018 — Jesus, that feels so long ago. I love this film. It’s been a few years since I’ve watched it, but it still lingers. It’s deeply atmospheric.

Director and writer Panos Cosmatos first caught my attention with his debut, Beyond the Black Rainbow. I was eagerly waiting to see what he’d do next — and I wasn’t disappointed.

Mandy is very much a psychedelic rock opera of madness. Conan the Barbarian on acid in an ‘80s fever dream.

The story itself is fairly straightforward — if you ignore all the subtext, symbolism, and cosmic dread leaking out of every frame.. It’s a revenge flick — drenched in horror. Lots of horror. But really, the film is all about the visuals and sound design. My god, the colors are everywhere. The imagery burrows into your mind and stays there for many moons afterward. I cannot stress enough how visually stunning this film is — unlike anything I’ve seen before or since.

Per IMDb:

“The enchanted lives of a couple in a secluded forest are brutally shattered by a nightmarish hippie cult and their demon-biker henchmen, propelling a man into a spiraling, surreal rampage of vengeance.”

A murder-revenge rampage — and what a ride it is.

The King Crimson intro sets the mood. You know you’re in for something transcendent when King Crimson shows up.

We start with a couple living a tranquil, happy life on the outskirts of civilization. He’s a lumberjack; she works at a convenience store. One night, their peace is obliterated by the arrival of a deranged religious cult. The titular Mandy is murdered, and her partner, Red, descends into a blood-soaked revenge trip. Lots of drugs. The viewer is dragged along for the trip — a blood-soaked fever dream to the very end.

Nic Cage is at his finest here. One scene, in particular, is unforgettable: he completely breaks down, chugging a bottle of booze in his tighty-whities and unleashing a primal scream of grief and fury. It’s raw, unfiltered, and unforgettable. For my money, this is the best Cage yet.

Jeremiah Sand — what a disgusting and outstanding villain. A narcissistic failed musician turned cult leader, convinced he’s a prophet of God and everything is his. He’s so grotesquely self-absorbed it’s almost mesmerizing. His song is atrocious — and the fact that you can buy it on iTunes is the funniest kind of blasphemy. He is at times pathetic and almost laughable but also shudder worthy. New Age hippie trash.

And then there’s the satanic LSD biker gang, The Black Skulls. My god — are these beings even human? I honestly don’t know. Not since Hellraiser have such demonic creations graced the screen. They’re frighteningly grotesque, straight out of a nightmare. Mad max meets “cenobite” aesthetic. The chainsaw fight scene? That’s cinema. Pure, deranged, chainsaw-to-chainsaw.

The Chemist and the Tiger. “You exude a cosmic darkness”. What a line. What a scene. What a vibe.

This movie demands multiple viewings to fully absorb all the tiny, twisted details baked into it. Enjoy the ride. Hallucinogenic, nightmarish, and weirdly beautiful.

All Hail the Cheddar Goblin!!!