It's been one heck of a week here. Converting to a new front end computer system at work this week means that I've put in nearly 55 hours this week (with at least a few more to go). Still, while I've been at the desk doing my best to get a newspaper out every day, it seems the world has been going on without me.

This week, both my wife and son have gotten their Halloween costumes together in my absence and now I'm feeling the pressure to choose something for myself as well. It has been a tough go of it so far this year, I think at least in part do to the fact that last year's costumes were SO good. I got such great response as Mario, that I figure there is no way we're gonna beat that.

We tried for a few weeks to think of a group costume that all three of us could be together again... but the closest we came were the Rubbles (Betty, Barney and Bam Bam) from the Flintstones. I, however, figured that being Barney would be kinda boring and Heidi told me that being Fred Flinstone when she was Betty just wouldn't make sense...so we put the kabash on that idea.

Since then we've gone through plenty of thoughts, but in the past few days Heidi has bought Miles a pirate costume and bought herself a Greek Goddess costume. This is both good and bad news.

On the good side, it now means I can be whatever I'd like to be...I don't have to try and be a sea monster or a greek warrior to match their costumes. On the bad side, it means that I have to come up with something creative, inexpensive and likely homemade (considering their wer both store bought).

I still have a week to get it all together (Heidi co-worker is having a party early, next weekend) so I'm sure I'll figure something out, but for now I have to decide between one of the many ideas I've already come up with or something completely new. Here's what I got so far:

• Vanilla Ice
• All 3 Jonas Brothers
• A Rubik's Cube
• A Keg of beer
• An Assassin Monk (think Altair from Assassin's Creed)
• A computer mouse
• Slash (complete with Guitar Hero guitar)
• DJ Lance Rock
• A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle

There's been plenty of other random neural firings, but that's all I can remember for now. Wish me luck!