Daily Forty-Niner; October 29, 2021

biweekly digital print edition

DAILY FORTY-NINER EST p 1949

Vol. LXXV, Issue 36

www.daily49er.com

Friday, October 29, 2021

GUESS WHO? See page 10

2 NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM ON THE COVER Visual by Ulysses Villa

Daily Forty-Niner 1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203 Long Beach, CA, 90840

Editorial Office Phone (562) 985-8000

Ashley Ramos Editor in Chief eic@daily49er.com

Sai Zin Phyo Lwin Business Manager business@daily49er.com

Business Office Phone (562) 985-1740

Leila Nunez

Multimedia Managing Editor multimedia@daily49er.com

Kevin Caparoso

Community Engagement Manager managing@daily49er.com

Editors News Editors Lauren Ramirez news@daily49er.com Arts & Life Editor Christal Gaines Emory arts@daily49er.com Photo courtesy of Cole Calhoun

Escape to the world of ancient history, mythology and murder Fans of ancient Greek and Roman history are encouraged to check out the Getty’s True Crime in Ancient Times virtual event.

Opinions Editor Gisselle Palomera opinions@daily49er.com Sports Editor Thomas Murray sports@daily49er.com Design Editor Gisele Robinett design@daily49er.com Copy Editor Fernando Haro Online Publisher Eunice Barron Special Projects Editor Lillian Li Photo Editor Jorge Villa Video Editor Reyn Ou Social Media Editor Hikaru Tamashiro Podcast Editor Jeremy Taylor Podcast Host Aziza Gomez

Assistants News Assistant Hannah Shields Arts & Life Assistant Christina Merino

By Hannah Shields News Assistant

T

he Getty Villa Museum will host a week-long virtual event, “True Crime in Ancient Times,” from Nov. 2 to Nov. 6 for their 2021 College Night.

Every year the Getty hosts a night filled with art, music food and exclusive tours free for college students. It is also open to the general public.

This year’s college night will be a week-long virtual event focusing on different themes such as murder, monsters, theft, forgery and many other true crimes from Greek and Roman history, according to the Getty’s website.

Guest speakers will cover true crime topics from ancient Rome, such as the murder of emperor Commodus, Greek curses and many more.

Emma Southon, a historian who received her doctorate at the University of Birmingham, will host the True Crime in Ancient Rome panel discussion and focus on why bad behaviors of ancient Romans and major changes in Roman history involved murder.

Vacation With An Artist (VAWAA) is collaborating with the Getty by presenting Clarissa Shanahan, a synesthete and figurative painter who will host “The Art of Drawing a Criminal.” The workshop will be available for two days, on Nov. 2 and Nov. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. Guests will learn how to illustrate a “most-wanted criminal” with Shanahan.

Guests can also join the True Crimes Against Mummies virtual discussion on Friday, Nov. 5, with Egyptologist Carol Redmount to learn more about mummies, murder and looting at the Egyptian archaeological site of Hibeh.

For guests who are interested in ancient Greek history, they can play a recent role-playing adventure game called A Twist on Homer’s Od-

yssey on Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 4 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m.

Seven Thebes, a small independent group of gamers created this game and it is similar to “Dungeons and Dragons.” Players will take on the role of Homeric characters and join Odysseu’s son, Telemachus, on a quest to search for his father while encountering dangerous beings.

At the end of each day during the virtual week, there will be a trivia challenge where guests can either team up or play solo to compete through five rounds. Winners will be given a free copy of the book, A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to Forum, and a mystery prize.

The Getty’s week-long virtual event requires prior registration to participate, and attendees can do so at http://www.getty.edu/education/college/true_crime_in_ancient_ times/events.html

Opinions Assistant Sofie Parker Sports Assistant Matthew Brown Copy Editor Assistant Steven Matthews Special Projects Assistant Johan Alfaro Photo Assistant Tin Huynh Video Assistant Erik Zamora Social Media Assistant Krystal Ordonez Podcast Assistant Cindy Aguilera Public Relations Assistant Jason Coronel Web Assistant Vidyadhari Raghunadha Naid

Business Advertising Manager Ramsha Shaiman Hasan advertising@daily49er.com Advertising Executives Angela Martin Purva Rao Graphic Designer Aaray Amano Webmaster Zenil Vaghasiya PR & Promotions Manager Kate Michel Distribution Manager Darlene Malolos Distribution Analyst Jacob Patrick Mitchell Creative Director Wendy Rangel

Advisers Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson Advertising & Business Jennifer Newton Adviser Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.

Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Daily FortyNiner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.

ARTS & LIFE 3

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

Alcohol Beware!

How to stay safe on Halloween As students prepare for spooky events, it is important to keep in mind all the dangers that can occur and to remember that safety is a priority.

By Daniela Gonzalez Contributor

E

very year, b e f o r e heading out to trick-ortreat, children are reminded of ‘stranger danger.’ Parents are warned to look out for tampered candy and drivers are told to be extra cautious of pedestrians roaming the streets.

Although many college-aged students have long since traded their buckets of candy for alcoholic beverages at house parties on Halloween, there are other warnings to also be aware of.

Throughout the years, there have been reports of crimes such as thefts, vandalism, and spiking of drinks on Halloween.

Alcohol-related incidents, injuries and deaths are especially prevalent.

Long Beach State Police Department Captain John Brockie said that his team sees a “definite uptick” in calls on Halloween related to alcohol and drug use.

“Sometimes people partake a little too much and we get medical calls because they are intoxicated and to the level that they need medical assistance,” Brockie said.

According to a 2019 study by the American Addiction Centers, men ages 20 to 24 consume an average of four drinks on Halloween night, while women in the same age range consume an average of 2.9 drinks. Over 15% of people in this group were reported to have blacked out while celebrating, which occurs as a result of binge drinking.

These statistics are a cause for concern as it can take just two to four drinks for someone’s blood alcohol concentration to reach above the legal

DANIELA GONZALEZ | Daily Forty-Niner

As Halloween approaches, it is important to stay cautious and adhere to safety tips.

driving limit of 0.08%.

According to the “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” campaign by the United States Department of Transportation, during Halloween night between 2015 to 2019, there were a total of 126 people killed in drunk-driving crashes in the U.S. The campaign also reported that on Halloween 2019, drunk-driving fatalities among adults ages 21 to 34 reached new highs at 62%.

It is important for students to be aware of all the dangers surrounding alcohol consumption on Halloween. For those who have plans to join in on the festivities, Captain Brockie provided a few tips for CSULB students to stay safe.

Celebrate with known

and trustworthy people To best ensure one’s safety on Halloween night, students should only be going out with close friends or family they trust. It’s really not safe to go out alone, especially if one is not familiar with the place or people there.

“You need to actually know the people you are going out with,” Claire Pupping, a fifth-year studio art major at CSULB, said.

If students plan to go out in a large group, it is recommended that they implement a buddy system to ensure that no one is ever alone.

Keep an eye on your drink Captain Brockie says that students should not accept

drinks from people they don’t know. Drink spiking is very common, and with all the alcohol consumed on Halloween, it is important to be aware of the fact.

Students should only accept and consume drinks from friends or family they trust or drinks that they opened and served themselves.

Students who go to an event and choose to not drink, should keep an eye out on friends and be aware of the symptoms of drink spiking.

Plan ahead and be aware of your surroundings If students know that they will be drinking on Halloween, they should make sure to plan ahead. Students who are out

with a group of friends, can either make plans for someone to be the designated driver or they can arrange for someone they know to pick them up.

Another thing they can do is to use a rideshare service or take public transportation.

“If you plan to drink you can easily get an Uber or Lyft,” said Natalie Cabral, a firstyear fashion merchandising major. “Not only for your safety but for the safety of others.”

Driving sober during Halloween night can be dangerous as well. Obscure costumes, people running across the street and drunk drivers are a big issue. Students should be cautious and report drivers they believe are drunk.

Resources: While these tips can help students stay safe on their Halloween ventures, it is important to note that danger is unpredictable, and it can arise at any moment. Prior to heading out to the festivities, students should be aware of the many resources available on and off-campus, in case of concerns or an emergency.

Emergency: 9-1-1 CSULB University Police Department Non-Emergency Line: 562-985-4101 Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): 562-985-4001 Sexual Assault Crisis Agency: (877) 943-5778

4 ARTS & LIFE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

Long Beach State students prepare for Halloween

By Kaitlyn Rowell Contributor

H

alloween is j u s t around the corner and s t u dents at Long Beach State are gearing up for the spooky festivities.

Many students don’t have exact plans set out for Halloween night but plan to celebrate in the days leading up to All Hallows’ Eve. A popular activity this year has been Universal Studios’ annual Halloween Horror Nights, which started on Sept.

9 and is running through Sunday, Oct. 31. The event was canceled in 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions, which made it a highly anticipated affair for this fall season.

First-year student Andrea Manreza said she attended the event on Saturday, Oct. 23 with her old dance teammates.

They wanted to attend a week ahead of the holiday in order to make room for other potential plans on Halloween night.

A few students said that they’ll be staying home for the night, either to spend time with their families or to bingewatch their favorite Halloween movies.

One student who opted for an at-home celebration is third-year student Amber Martin, an exchange student from the U.K. This year, Martin said she is looking forward to enjoying some stop motion animated films such as “Coraline” and “Paranorman”.

Martin said that if she were back home, she would go want to go out and get dressed up for the holiday, go to an escape

After the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lack of festivities, many are ready for this year’s Halloweekend.

GISELE ROBINETT | Daily Forty-Niner

After the year of the pandemic, CSULB students are ready to celebrate Halloween this year.

room and then to a bar with some friends.

“Due to being in an entirely new country it’s kind of nerve-wracking to head out and celebrate,” Martin said.

Also planning many different Halloween events is Aquila Jacquette, president of the Black Business Student Association, a senator for the College of Business and director for the Hispanic Students Business Association.

All of these organizations will be hosting events during the week of the holiday, and she will be at all of them.

The first event Jacquette will be attending is the BBSA Bowling Night on Tuesday, Oct. 26, on the first floor of the University Student Union.

Other Black-led organizations will be in attendance such as the CSULB Black Student Union and the National Society of Black Engineers.

“The event is a social for students to come and celebrate an early Halloween, there will also be candy,” Jacquette said.

“But we are also working on promotion as we are getting rooted again on campus.”

On Thursday, Oct. 28, she will be attending the Halloween Party hosted by ASI also at the USU. Followed by the HSBA Amigo Mixer on Friday, Oct. 29 where there will be a pumpkin carving event.

Jacquette will end her Halloween festivities by driving down to Rancho Cucamonga to take her nieces trick-ortreating since they couldn’t go last year.

ARTS & LIFE 5

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

Long Beach State community ready to honor loved ones during Dia de Los Muertos

By Isaiah Zuniga Contributor

D

ia de Los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is a traditional Latin American two-day holiday that celebrates the lives of family, friends and loved ones who have passed. Some create alters to commemorate, while others see it as a day of remembrance.

The holiday dates back 3,000 years to the Aztecs who believed that once someone passed, they were sent to the Chicunamictlán, which translates to the Land of the Dead, where the soul will complete nine levels over the span of several years.

Once the soul has finished the nine levels, it will be sent to the Mictlán, which is the final resting place.

The holiday is celebrated from Monday, Nov. 1 through Tuesday, Nov. 2. The first day is known as El Dia de los Inocentes or “Day of the Children”, which celebrates the lives of children who have passed. The second day is known as “All Souls Day”, where all that have passed are celebrated and remembered.

“All Souls Day” was a tradition brought from Spain and would consist of a picture of the person who had passed and marigold, which is similar to the alters that are created in the modern-day.

With the holiday arriving soon, Long Beach State’s students and faculty prepare for the twoday celebration.

CSULB Chicano studies professor Antonia Garcia-Orozco said she will make her “Introduction to Chicano Life” class create a virtual altar for the holiday as an assignment.

Since her class is entirely online for the fall 2021 semester, they are unable to display an actual altar in her classroom like they did before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Garcia-Orozco said the assignment is used to help the students understand the meaning of the holiday.

“It doesn’t just need to be people you know, it could be people you admire, heroes, idols, athletes or role models,” she said. “The idea is to share happy thoughts and happy memories.”

Garcia-Orozco said she was always intrigued by the holiday, even though her mother didn’t

“

celebrate the holiday when she was young.

“My mom didn’t like to celebrate any of these indigenous holidays, but I was always fascinated,” she said. “One of my aunts from Michoacán, she would always talk about it and get so excited.”

She now celebrates the holiday each year, in remembrance of her father. She visits his gravesite and celebrates by hiring a trio of Mexican musicians to play his favorite music and bringing his favorite alcohol, Castillo rum.

Garcia-Orozco explained that you don’t have to go all out each year to celebrate the holiday, but the celebration of life is most important.

“It’s a different way of thinking about the cycle of life,” she said. “It’s more important to understand that life is not permanent and that there are other plains of existence.”

She said the holiday is met with criticism by those who don’t understand the meaning of the holiday and assume it celebrates death.

“Some people say ‘isn’t that a little creepy that you’re celebrating death?’” she said. “I say ‘no’, this is not a celebration of death, this is a celebration of a life well-lived.”

Melony Lara-Benitez, communication studies major in their fourth year at CSULB, will also be celebrating the holiday.

Lara-Benitez, whose family is from Jalisco, Mexico, says some of their family traditionally celebrates the holiday, whereas the rest have tried to do away with it.

“When I was younger and first heard of Dias de Los Muertos, I made sure that we did something every year,” they said. “I want to make sure that a practice as special as that doesn’t get lost.”

Lara-Benitez said that they try to keep the family tradition alive by creating an alter each year of family members who have passed away.

They weren’t able to create an alter this year, as they normally would, but will elect to buy one this year from the small business Alma’s Oilcloth & Chucherias, which specializes in traditional artensanias (handicrafts) from Michoacan, Mexico.

“When I’m not able to make an alter, at the very least, I share my culture and inform people of its history through social media,” they said.

This is not a celebration of death, this is a celebration of a life well lived.

Antonia Garcia-Orozco Chicano studies professor

”

GISELE ROBINETT | Daily Forty-Niner

The holiday is used to celebrate the lives of family, friends, colleagues, etc.

6 ARTS & LIFE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

“Long Beach, in our opinion, is the perfect home for the Oktoberfest or any other cultural event” Jim Ritson

Event Organizer

Long Beach celebrates first Oktoberfest Get ready to don your lederhosen as Long Beach hosts its own party with traditional German food, authentic beer and live music.

By Hannah Shields News Assistant

L

o c a l restaur a n t owners teamed up to put on the city’s first annual Oktoberfest in Downtown Long Beach, which started Friday, Oct. 22, where authentic German beer was served and live Polka music played.

This traditional German event held its first successful night in front of the Scottish Rite Event Center in Downtown Long Beach. Live music was performed by Festmeister Hans und Die Sauerkrauts, a Polka music band that originally played for the Oktoberfest hosted by the Alpine Village in Torrance.

Jim Ritson, one of the three organizers of the event, said he heard that Alpine Village, the main L.A. County Oktoberfest, would not be holding their event this year. He said this was a good opportunity to host

one in Long Beach.

“Long Beach, in our opinion, is the perfect home for the Oktoberfest or any other cultural event,” Ritson said.

Ritson is partnered with Brett Gallo and Eric Verduzco, where the three friends run a local restaurant called the Bamboo Club. The partners have worked together since June to plan Long Beach’s first annual Oktoberfest event.

Fellow colleagues and friends were asked to volunteer to help run the festivities.

Live music is provided during the festival. Throughout the festival, the band engaged with the guests through dancing and contests and comedy. Guests laughed as they were invited to waltz in front of the stage or do the chicken dance from their seats.

Cardboard cutouts were propped in a corner for guests of all ages to pose and take pictures with. Pretzels the size of dinner plates were sold, along with traditional German beer such as Paulaner Golden Oktoberfest and Hofbrau Dunkel Bier.

The Long Beach Oktoberfest will be presented the weekend of Oct. 22 and Oct. 29. Friday and Saturday nights are for guests 21 and over from

HANNAH SHIELDS | Daily Forty-Niner

Roxy Ditto performed with Festmeister Hauns und Die Sauerkrauts at the Long Beach Oktoberfest.

5 to 10 p.m. Sundays are open for the kids and adults of all ages from noon to 5 p.m.

Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased on the website. Children ages 15 and under are granted free admission.

HANNAH SHIELDS | Daily Forty-Niner

Picture cutouts create a fun photo opportunity for guests at the Oktoberfest in Downtown Long Beach.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

ARTS & LIFE 7

Long Beach students share their most memorable Halloween stories

By Christian Lopez Contributor

A

fter the COVID-19 pandemic impacted last year’s Halloween festivities, Long Beach students are eager for this Sunday, Oct. as they prepare to create new memories.

And in the spirit of Halloween, they reflected on some of their favorite experiences.

Film major Jessica Ocampo recalled the fun times she had trickor-treating in the back of her father’s pickup truck while growing up in Northern California.

“He would invite all the kids in the neighborhood,” she said. “He owns a daycare too, so he would invite kids from the daycare and he would ride us around from house to house.”

To make it a more comfortable ride, Ocampo’s father would put hay bales for the kids to sit on. Kids would dress up in their costumes and ride in the back, making it feel like a parade float, she said.

“People would be exhausted from walking, and we were just like ‘hop on the trailer and go to the next house,” she said.

Unlike Ocampo’s experience, business management major Paris Caldera had an encounter she would never forget.

Caldera grew up in Burbank where one Halloween she came faceto-face with a man who was chasing trick-or-treaters with an active chainsaw.

Surrounded by a circle of candy, the man would let children try and run up and grab candy before revving the chainsaw. The blade had been removed to prevent injuries, but the noise scared the children and many were too intimidated to grab the candy.

“I was a kid,” she said. “I was like ‘I’m not gonna die today.’”

Caldera wasn’t the only student to experience someone taking horror up a notch on Halloween.

Greg Sklar, a business and information systems major, auditioned one year to be a scare actor for Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.

He said that he had never acted before so he wasn’t very good, but there was one man in the group who was “absolutely phenomenal.”

During the audition, three cones

representing three different guests that needed to be scared were placed for the actors.

Sklar said he saw the man walk up to the first two cones where he put on a scary face. During the final audition cone, he surprised everyone by bending backward crawling.

“He stopped for a second, turned around and went into an exorcist crawl,” Sklar said. “He did a full circle around this third cone while keeping like dead eye contact with it.”

Sklar said that this action was enough to elicit shock from even the most experienced actors.

“We were shocked that that was even humanly possible,” he said. “He was bending in certain ways that like, he looked like he actually needed an exorcism.”

With all the elements of hanging out with friends and staying out late, mixed in with a scary environment, Halloween has always produced stories for kids and teens to tell. Now that restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic have been lessened, it is likely to see more people out creating Halloween memories.

8 OPINIONS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM

Let “Halloween” rest in peace Halloween Kills did not do justice to its dedicated fanbase

By Sofie Parker Opinions Assistant

I

’ve watched John Carpenter’s Halloween every October for the past 10 years. As a kid, I would trade Halloween candy with my brothers after a long night of trick-or-treating while the film played in the background. The movie is revered among horror fans, myself included, for its heart-pounding suspense and chilling ending.

Unfortunately, the newest addition to the franchise, Halloween Kills, does not do justice to the original.

The 11th installment of the Halloween series is similar to the sequels that came before it- it focuses more on excessive violence and gore than on plot. It’s true that the 1978 Halloween essentially launched the slasher genre, but it did so while barely showing a drop of blood on screen.

Michael Meyers in the original Halloween was terrifying because of what he represented: a reminder of a small town’s tragic past, returning once more to prey on its innocent residents.

Because of this, back-to-back kills weren’t necessary to keep audience attention--the prospect of the masked killer purposefully stalking his victims built up enough suspense and excitement to keep the film’s momentum going, with violence included only when necessary to forward the plot. In contrast, Halloween Kills is a bloodbath, with almost 30 people murdered by the end of the movie.

Filmmaker attempts to make a connection between events in the movie and current social issues also fell flat. In an interview on SiriusXM, Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays main character Laurie Strode, drew a parallel between the movie’s premise of a community banding together to take down a serial killer and Black Lives Matter.

Curtis said that the movie “takes on what happens when trauma infects an entire community. And we’re seeing it everywhere with the Black Lives Matter movement.”

However, this connection feels forced, and does not come across in the film.

Overall, Halloween Kills had big issues, and failed to add anything meaningful or necessary to the franchise. With another film, Halloween Ends, already scheduled for release in 2022, the brilliance of the original is being overshadowed by redundant sequels.

Although I love Halloween as much as every other horror movie enthusiast, I think it’s finally time to let this series die.

“

Halloween Kills is the latest addition to the Halloween film series.

ASHLEY RAMOS | Daily Forty-Niner

It’s true that “Halloween” (1978) essentially launched the slasher genre, but it did so while barely showing a drop of blood on screen.

OPINIONS 9

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM

Skip dressing up as an authoritative figure and opt for a costume that does not have a negative connotation for Halloween this year.

GISELE ROBINETT | Daily Forty-Niner

By Kelsey Brown Contributor

Uniforms are not costumes

H

alloween is the one day of the year where you can tap into your innermost desires and be anything you want, without any limitations.

So when people use the holiday as a chance to dress up as sexy authority figures— cop, soldier, etc—I can’t help but question their judgement. Out of everything you could be, why choose to be a person working in a problematic profession that perpetuates violence and results in the loss of lives?

There are plenty of reasons why you shouldn’t show up to a party in a cop costume. If the roots of policemen in America as slave-catchers isn’t enough to defer your costume choice, I’d hope last year and the constant conversations of the injustices faced by Black people in America at the hands of police would make you think twice about the costume.

At this point, I have to assume you’re racist if your idea of a cute costume is to cosplay as an oppressive force in America responsible for over a thousand deaths in 2020 alone, according to Mapping Police Violence.

Beyond the ignorance of glorifying a violent profession, the reality is that sexualizing any authoritative uniform costume is problematic. You shouldn’t what to dress up as a sexy soldier when this year there has been over six thousand reports received by the Department of Defense about allegations of sexual assault that occurred during service.

By sexualizing uniforms of authority figures—whether it be cops or military—we’re mocking those victims who were forcefully sexualized and assaulted due to the unequal power dynamics. We are diminishing the systemic violence that both entities play in our society when sexualizing cops or military personnel. For those who have been victimized by these institutions, seeing a cop or military costume could be triggering.

George Floyd, who died because of an unjust cop, and Vanessa Guillen, the U.S. soldier who was murdered at her base, are the realities of what violence transpires from both systems. It’s not a costume, it’s a profession that inflicts real-life harm.

There are so many other harmless things you could be. The beauty of Halloween is the ability to get creative and pretend. If you need your costume to be rooted in reality, there’s an endless laundry list of unproblematic jobs to dress up as: an astronaut, a race-car driver, a doctor. Or be some magical creature: a fairy, an elf, a vampire. Be peanut butter and jelly with your best friend, be a cartoon, be an animal, an inanimate object.

Just please, don’t show up to the party as a cop or a soldier. It’s not cute.

Christina Merino, Arts & Life Assistant

BOO!