My 10 Favorite Halloween Costumes

The time has come to decide what you will be for Halloween.

Personally, I will be sporting my handy tiara, thus indicating my superiority to the world without having to actually get all dolled up. My choice is not just laziness, however. It is also a product of my perpetual costume-block. I can never think of what to be for Halloween. So I decided to celebrate here the times when I actually did triumph on Halloween. In other words, a list of my favorite Halloween costumes.

1. Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz - I'm pretty sure I was around 5 years old. Which is why my tap shoes covered in red glitter were so bad ass.

2. A ghost - A bit more compelling than the classic white sheet. I sewed myself a black dress (the sleeves didn't ever quite work) and slathered pale makeup all over my face.

3. Groucho Marx - This one was pretty much Sam's idea as she went as Harpo. She was also responsible for handling the greasepaint to fashion my eyebrows and mustache.

4. Dead Beat Poet - I got myself a black turtle neck and pants and wrote Beat poetry all over them. And then I made myself really pale. And then nobody got it.

5. Raggedy-Anne - My little brother was Raggedy-Andy - which I'm pretty sure is on some list of his, probably the one of things he holds against my parents.

Well, that's a pretty paltry list. I could only remember five. You know what? It's okay. Because if there's one thing we're about here at The Point of Babette, it's appropriating things and making them our own. So, here's the rest of the list, only these are costumes that I only wish I'd thought of.

6. God - On the 4th season of Buffy, Oz goes to a Halloween party dressed exactly as himself but with a name tag that reads "Hello, my name is God."

7. A one night stand - When I was in college a guy came to our Halloween party with a lamp shade on his head and a cardboard table on suspenders. I've always thought it was pretty impressive.

8. Three-Hole Punch Version of Jim - He works at a paper company. It's brillant.

9. The Ghostbusters - On my first trip to the New York Public Library, I found myself in the security line behind three guys dressed as the Ghostbusters. I only hope they found their way to basement.

10. Homicidal Maniac - This one, Sam suggested. In the first Addam's Family movie, Wednesday arrives for trick-or-treating dressed exactly like she always dresses. When asked what her costume is she says, "I'm a homicidal maniac, they look just like everyone else."

Well, those are my favorites. What are yours? In the meantime, here's wishing you plenty of creativity and a Happy Halloween!

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"Leave [Jane Austen] Alone!" Or Buy the Point of Babette a Camera

So. You've seen this. (And you should also see this.) You're no doubt weary of all the Britney gossip and even more weary of the people capitalizing on her downward spiral. You should be. After all, media outlets are closing in on another famous victim...

Jane Austen.

They just won't leave her alone. Her work is canon, but there's this. And this. And this. And there's this, too.

Now, someone could open the Jane Austen Thrill Ride, and I think I could cope. However, Stephanie grimaces (sometimes growls) whenever she witnesses another exploitation of her favorite early 19th century author. "Leave Jane Austen alone!" she says.

I think the world should listen to my roommate... and invite her to be a guest on the Maury Povich Show and on Jimmy Kimmel Live. That's why you should buy the Point of Babette a video camera.

Picture this: Stephanie stands in front of a Persian rug, her eyes red. (Strangely enough, her eyeliner is in tact. Perfect.) "How bloody dare you!" she cries. She offers her audience a venomous glare. "After everything Jane Austen has been through! She didn't get married at a time when many women had to get married to secure themselves financially! She was clever when it wasn't necessarily appropriate for her to be that way! Leave her alone!" Stephanie pauses to wipe her eyes. She curls her fingers into fists and screams, "Just leave her alone! More, more, more! That's all you people want! Why do you think she called her novel Sense and Sensibility? Because you people--"

Wait, that doesn't make any sense. You know what I'm getting at here. Stephanie says she wouldn't make that video... but I think she would. We only need a video camera.

So, send us your donations. And leave Jane Austen alone!!!