No, just NO!

If you thought costumes for 2020 couldn't get any worse than what was shown in yesterday's post, now comes this:

The Sexy Hand Sanitizer costume at Yandy, a company known for making really skimpy women's costumes. It seems like every year, costume makers find ways to make everything sexy and that nothing can escape this. Who would have imagined hand sanitizer costumes going skimpy like this? And with an almost invisible skirt! Everything for women has to be made this way, so think the costume designers. And as I pointed out yesterday, there is this one:

I don't want other one, but if I did, I would want the one below. Saying it's just for men is stupid! I have always believed humorous costumes were intended as unisex. Many are labeled as such, but the packaging and the pictures on Internet sites almost aways show a man modeling the costume. And stores often place unisex costumes in the men's aisles. I say, if you want the non-skimpy one, get it. It's your right to wear what you want. I feel chilly just looking at the one on top, which looks like nothing more than a bathing suit.

The sexy hand sanitizer came up last night on Saturday Night Live's Weekend update segment:

And Yandy also has this:

Banana Bread Boredom? No, just no. Would anyone even get what this is supposed to mean? And it just goes to show, anything can be made into a costume, and a sexy one at that. I can't seem to find one that's labeled just for men. Would anyone even come with "Banana Bread Boredom" as a costume idea? If you really want to, here's an idea:

And yet another at Yandy is a sexy mail-in ballot. Again, JUST NO! 

If I want to do any of these (I and certainly don't) but if I did, I'd just make my own, since I can spend less than $30 to $40 to so. And I can find a way to avoid the sexy angle. A ballot costume could be easily made from large white poster board, which you can get at Dollar Tree. 

I was at least glad to hear that Yandy won't be making "sexy" coronavirus costumes. But they are still making sexy costumes based on other events that have occurred during the pandemic. Yandy doesn't appear to have made a sexy toilet paper costume, but this homemade one comes awfully close. Now is anyone going to try to "sexy-fy" the hand wipes bottle costume? That could be weird!

Upon further Googling, I came across this:

Now this one is more covering and is designed for women (the site sells another is designed for men). It's a little too pricey, but I'm glad to see it exists. 

Really Scary Ideas for Costumes in 2020

Something I'm hoping not to see this year. Then again, with most celebrations canceled for Halloween this year, there's a good chance there won't be too many, except maybe a few Facebook or Instagram posts of those who might do this. And in my neck of the woods, I never seem to see any costumes that are projected to be the most popular each Halloween, anyway. In 2009, I did not see one person as Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett or Billy Mays (the Oxi Clean guy). And there was not a single Hillary or Trump to be seen in 2016. Nor any Caitlin Jenners either. Yet I still do wonder about the following.

In a normal year seeing a costume such as this might not seem bad, but how would dressing as a Corona Beer bottle seem this year, what with the beer having the same name as the virus?

But it can be worse...

Both these costumes are for sale on Amazon.

 

And wouldn't you know there are hand sanitizer costumes for sale? And toilet paper rolls and disinfectant wipes (both of these are for sale at rastaimposta.com): 

And even before Covid hit, someone made this group costume including a container of Lysol disinfectant wipes (click the link to see how they got this idea and how it was done):

Yahoo came out with a list of the most controversial costumes for the year, which not surprisingly includes the Karen masks and the Corona-19 bottle pictured above, as well as political costumes, something I don't want to get started on. I would not expect to see any political costumes where I live, anyway, since I never seem to see these in a normal year. 

And this list from Yahoo ranking the "best worst worst 2020-themed Halloween costumes."  A lot of the stuff on this list isn't surprising either. Also, many of them I wouldn't expect to see in my neighborhood.

I'm usually one to avoid topical pop-culture based costumes. Many were hoping for the virus to end before this year is over, but that is obviously not happening, but even if it had, I certainly would not have chosen any costume based on the virus. It's got to be the worst choice for a costume in any year.

Humor Reading Challenge 2021

I will once again be offering this one. 

Choose a level from below.  You may go up a level, but not down.

Cartoonist: 1-5 books

Humor Columnist: 6-10 books 

Comedy Writer:  11-15 books

Stand Up Comedian: More than 15 books 

Guidelines for the Challenge:

• Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2021. Books must be started on or after January 1 to count. Re-reads are allowed as long as they are read during the specified time frame.
• Books may cross over to other challenges in which you are participating.
• Any book (fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, graphic novels, poetry collections, plays, picture books) labeled as humor counts. As such, all book formats (paper, audio, electronic) may be read.
• You do not need a blog to sign up. You may keep tract of your progress on Goodreads, Amazon or other similar sites with a shelf dedicated to this challenge. Or sign up on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc. 
• There will be no checkins, nor do you need to post reviews.
• Sign up below in the comments. I have decided not to use linkys this year.

My Books:

1. Boyfriend Material--Alexis Hall
2. Bitch--Elizabeth Wurtzel (reread)
3. Crank--Ellen Hopkins
4. The Dogfather--Susan Conant
5. The Gatecrasher--Madeleine Wickham
6. Too Much and Never Enough--Mary L. Trump
7. Ziggy, Stardust and Me--James Brandon
8. The Happy Ever After Playlist--Abby Jimenez
9. Fudge-A-Mania--Judy Blume
10. My Man Jeeves--P.G. Wodehouse
11. The History of Theatre--David Timson
12. Untamed--Glennon Doyle
13. Kiss My Cupcake--Helena Hunting
14. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo--Taylor Jenkins Reid
15. Xingu--Edith Wharton
16. One to Watch--Kate Stayman-London
17. The Worst Witch--Jill Murphy
18. Junior High Drama--Louise Simonson
19. Furiously Happy--Jenny Lawson
20. Chasing Harry Winston--Lauren Weisberger
21. Monster High--Lisi Harrison
22. Heartstopper, Volume 1--Alice Oseman
23. Girls Like Me--Lola St. Vil
24. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You--Ally Carter
25. Fortune and Glory--Janet Evanovich
26. Check, Please!: Hockey--Ngozi Ukazu
27. The Corona Chronicles--Terrance T. Toth
28. The Roommate--Rosie Danan
29. Same Beach, Next Year--Dorothea Benton Frank
30. Everybody Fights--Kim and Penn Holderness
31. Way Past Bedtime--Tara Lazar
32. Drive Me Crazy--Erin Downing
33. A Map to the Sun--Sloane Leong
34. Moldilocks and the Three Scares--Lynne Marie
35. Wings--Cheryl B. Klein
36. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Volume 1--Shiro Amano
37. Everyone in This Room Will Someday be Dead--Emily Austin
38. Kyle's Little Sister--BonHyung Jeong
39. If You Ask Me--Betty White
40. TTFN--Lauren Myracle
41. The Chocolate Touch--Patrick Skene Catling
42. Peanuts Holiday Cookbook
43. Vampires Never Get Old--Zoraida Cordova (ed.)
44. Let's Pretend This Never Happened--Jenny Lawson
45. Stick Dog Craves Candy--Tom Watson
46. Dancing Naked...In Red Fuzzy Slippers--Carmen Richardson Rutlen
47. Mooncakes--Suzanne Walker
48. Anxious People--Frederik Backman
49. Let It Snow--John Green
50. Construction Site on Christmas Night--Sherri Duskey Rinker
51. One Last Stop--Casey McQuiston
52. I Would Leave Me If I Could--Halsey
53. Super Santa: The Science of Christmas--Bruce Hale
54. Chez Bob--Bob Shea
55. The Perfect Christmas--Debbie Macomber
56. Pete the Cat's 12 Groovy Days of Christmas--Kimberly Dean
57. The World According to Garp--John Irving
58. The Teaberry Strangler--Laura Childs
59. Shop Till You Drop--Elaine Viets

Challenge completed on December 31

Creativity Reading Challenge 2021

 Another I will be bringing back for 2021.

This challenge is about reading books on creativity, art, crafts, writing, film making, photography, cosmetology, DIY, cooking, music and any other topic that helps you live a more creative life. 

Challenge Guidelines

• Runs January 1 to December 31, 2021. 

• I won't be creating different levels. Read  as many books as you want.

• Books may be nonfiction, memoir, how to, self help, coffee table books, instructional, picture books, and even fictional if they are about people who are creative.

• You may include books of any format including traditional books, ebooks or audiobooks

• You may reread books. 

• Books may count towards other reading challenges in which you are participating.
• Sign below in the comments. I have decided not to use linkys this year.

My Books:

1. Bitch--Elizabeth Wurtzel (reread)
2. Ziggy, Stardust and Me--James Brandon
3. The Happy Ever After Playlist--Abby Jimenez
4. From Scratch--Tembi Locke
5. The History of Theatre--David Timson
6. SLAY--Brittney Morris
7. Twelve Angry Librarians--Miranda James
8. The Last Days of John Lennon--James Patterson
9. The Hare With Amber Eyes--Edmund De Waal
10. Junior High Drama--Louise Simonson
11. The Library Book--Susan Orlean
12. Chasing Harry Winston--Lauren Weisberger
13. Check, Please!: Hockey--Ngozi Ukazu
14. Hello, Summer--Mary Kay Andrews
15. Feng-Shui--Ernest J. Eitel
16. Touched by the Sun--Carly Simon
17. Orange Cat Bistro--Nancy Linde
18. Geisha, a Life--Mineko Iwasaki
19. A Street Cat Named Bob--James Bowen
20. Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan--Howard Sounes
21. Of Love and Shadows--Isabel Allende
22. Waging Heavy Peace--Neil Young
23. If You Ask Me--Betty White
24. Crying in H Mart--Michelle Zauner
25. Let's Pretend This Never Happened--Jenny Lawson
26. Bel Canto--Ann Patchett
27. Girls Like Us--Sheila Weller
28. One Last Stop--Casey McQuiston 
29. Finding Yvonne--Brandy Colbert
30. The World According to Bob--James Bowen
31. A Gift From Bob--James Bowen
32. The World According to Garp--John Irving
33. Shop Till You Drop--Elaine Viets

Challenge completed on December 31

To Dress or Not to Dress for Halloween...

That is a question I have been pondering. With parties being discouraged because of the pandemic, no potluck parties allowed at work, and bar celebrations likely cancelled, it almost seems pointless. Though I keep expecting to see Facebook and Instagram posts of people's disguises for the year. And I keep looking at costumes on sites like Amazon and am tempted to do something. If I decide to, I have a solution: wear one those I still have in one of my drawers. As I said earlier, I still have the accessories for the Tropical Depression costume, though I'm not sure if I still have the hat.  I also still have the tie-dye I wore for our 60s party at work in 2018. That would be an easy one to redo.

Same for the bumble bee/lady bug and genie from prior years, and last year's magician costume. I don't seem to have  the skirt with dice I wore for our 50s party in 2019, though. Right now, I'm looking at either the tie-dye dress or Tropical Depression.

I honestly don't know why I kept all these. Perhaps I was planning to donate them to Goodwill or something, but never got around to it, even before the pandemic hit. I usually don't like repeating costumes, but will probably do so this year, given the current circumstances. And I have the resources to do so. 

Usually, I will be searching the Internet for costume ideas, then looking at thrifts stores for clothing that will work, even using what I already have on hand at home. But I have only been to the Goodwill once since its reopening and was uncertain about Halloween then even as I saw the displays of cowboy, hippie and other costumes made from second-hand clothing, and as I saw other customers buying stuff for costumes. I have been uncertain since this summer and was even suspicious about the rest of the year's holidays as the pandemic hit in mid-March. I guess keeping the previous years' costume elements was a good thing for this year.  I'm hoping next year will be better and I will find something new to create.

Before and After

 Today a gardener came to clean up parts of the yard at our house. One of the areas was the one with the tree where our Biden-Harris is posted and where I placed my homemade scarecrow. The area is so much cleaner now that I just had to post some before and after pictures.

Before:

    After:

Quiz: What Classic Halloween Costume Should You Wear?

 Click here for the quiz.

I agree with some of this. I don't really scare many people😊

You Should Be a Ghost

You are seen as shy and introverted. You like to blend in... or disappear.
You see Halloween as the day you can sit back and enjoy what other people are doing.

You don't scare all that easily on Halloween. If anything, you tend to scare people.
You don't try to be scary, but you do tend to lurk around and catch people by surprise.