An excerpt of the poem Halloween by Robert Burns.

Upon that night, when fairies light
On Cassilis Downans dance,
Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze,
On sprightly coursers prance;
Or for Colean the route is ta’en,
Beneath the moon’s pale beams;
There, up the cove, to stray and rove,
Among the rocks and streams
To sport that night.

Among the bonny winding banks,
Where Doon rins, wimplin’ clear,
Where Bruce ance ruled the martial ranks,
And shook his Carrick spear,
Some merry, friendly, country-folks,
Together did convene,
To burn their nits, and pou their stocks,
And haud their Halloween
Fu’ blithe that night.

The lasses feat, and cleanly neat,
Mair braw than when they’re fine;
Their faces blithe, fu’ sweetly kythe,
Hearts leal, and warm, and kin’;
The lads sae trig, wi’ wooer-babs,
Weel knotted on their garten,
Some unco blate, and some wi’ gabs,
Gar lasses’ hearts gang startin’
Whiles fast at night.

It’s that wonderful time of year again, Halloween! A time of magic, mystery, fun, and all manner of good-natured tomfoolery!

As a kid growing up, Halloween meant going trick-or-treat.  We had costumes, oftentimes homemade, which were pretty cool.  I remember a tiger somewhere in there.

We got to harass our neighbors for food that wasn’t good for us, we got to play tricks on other kids at school, we got to have parties with other kids, and we could get away with some things that we couldn’t at other times of the year.  It was a time for scary stories, for scary movies, and for a generally boo-riffic good time.

As I got older and went to college Halloween was still a time for parties, but of a more adult nature. And now instead of going to other people’s house getting treats, parents were bringing their kids to mine.  I went through many bags of mini-size candybars, candy corn, and other not-so-healthy goodies.

Then there are the Halloween TV specials.  “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is a annual favorite.  Other shows that I have enjoyed watching, either by myself or with others (and/or their kids), included the Halloweentown series on the Disney Channel and A Disney Halloween, among others.  There have always been the classic horror movies as well, such as The Mummy and Frankenstein.

So no matter what memories you may have of Halloween or how you choose to celebrate it, I wish you all a wonderful All Hallow’s Eve!

On Wednesday, October 5, 2011, the world lost a true visionary.

It was with great sadness that I heard of the passing of Steve Jobs, after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer.  He was a impresario in the world of computers and technology, constantly pushing the boundaries, always coming up with “one more thing.”

Seldom has there been an individual that has shaped the course of the technological world in the way that Steve has done.  While everyone may not agree with the way in which he guided Apple, Inc., there can be little doubt in anyone’s mind that his vision of the future has left an indelible mark on the fabric of society.  From the garage of a small house came the seed that sparked a revolution in computers.

What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.
– Steve Jobs, 1991

I wish his family and his wife Laurene my condolences in the time of their loss.

For those of you who know me outside of my blog (or those that have been following me on Facebook) it will not be a huge surprise that I am engaged.

On June 10, 2011, I asked my girlfriend, Lisa Nicole Vickers neé Shaw, to marry me.  We are now officially engaged!