It's costume time again. 2 weeks til All Hallow's Eve and I am, par usual, costume-less. This isn't really surprising or nerve-wracking as i have never been much of a planner when it comes to costuming, yet something always comes together. Being that this Halloween is also my Golden Birthday (31 on the 31rst) i really should be getting my act together. Maybe ill stop by a thrift store today. Probably not.

Anyways, this entry is more about my prediction for this years "hot costume." While the "sexy" version of the nurse, cat, witch, candlestick, or really anything skimpy is always available to the finer sex, usually male costumes tend to trend toward some new pop culture phenomenon each year. For example, last year i would say that Heath Ledger's Joker took Halloween '08 by some margin. If "The Office" parodies the popularity of a costume, it's a pretty good bet that that's the hot trend of the year.

This year here is my prediction. I was tempted to go with "Balloon Boy" including the balloon itself, mostly because of the seemingly perfect timing of the event (right around the time responsible people start thinking/looking for a costume) and the tinfoil nature of the balloon itself. At least in the household i grew up in, my mother could make pretty much anything out of tinfoil--and i am more than confident that if i said, "Mom, I want to be the Balloon Boy's balloon!" that she would be able to fashion me to look like the stove popped popcorn maker in no time. But that's not where my money is. This year I think the popularity of two pop culture trends will combine to form one monster (hehe) costume.

Trend #1: Zombies. Everyone these days loves a good undead. Like hipsters love pirates, movie lovers and Gen X'ers have been taught that if it eats brains, the comedy reins. There are always a few zombies in the crowd during Halloween, but with the popularity of the recent "Zombieland," look for more than a few this year.

Trend #2: Michael Jackson. Our man Mike is really a holiday treat. He has so many iconic costumes; the glove, the white shirt black pants "watch me spin" outfit, and for the seriously hard core you could even rock the "Remember the Time" Egyption garb. I mean Magic Johnson is in the video for god's sake. But, while he lends us variety, i predict only one Michael costume to rise to the top of the costume heap.

Verdict: A "Thrilling" Halloween. It's as easy as 1 + 1 = 2. Zombie love + dead Michael love = The Zombie King of Pop. And AMAZINGLY, Michael prepared us for just such an occasion by popularizing his infamous red leather suited zombie thriller michael:

Get ready for a whole lot of herky-jerky dance floor zombie action.