A Halloween "Make it Work" Moment+Some Awesome Costumes

Tim Gunn is my life coach, even though we have never met. The Project Runway mentor's "make it work" advice shines through in pretty much any situation. Is the clock ticking and you don't feel ready to go to work because you're exhausted? Make it work. Have you opened the fridge only to find a few random ingredients and don't know what to do with them? Make it work. Is it Halloween morning and you realize that you don't have a costume but kinda care that it's Halloween? Make it work.

That's exactly what I did yesterday. I made it work.

As you might recall, I have a full on 18th-c pirate costume that I wore to Adaptacon a couple of years ago at UMF. As a part of this ensemble I wear a pirate-themed shirt.

I wore this shirt on Halloween with a pair of jeans and a sweater. It was a make it work moment that made me feel a little more Halloweeny than I would have felt, and that worked for my day at work.

You might be wondering what other professors wore to their respective classes on Halloween. Let me show you a few examples.

Kelly Rivers (faculty at Pellissippi State CC) as the Grammar Police. Not shown: a large red pen, badge, and handcuffs.

Kelly's colleague Margie McCrary, who sported the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies look so well. (jealous!!!)

A few of my students wore wicked cool costumes. One of my students went as Wednesday Adaams (I failed to get a pick); another was a vampy Little Red Riding Hood. My two favorites were Supreme Court Justice Ruth B. Ginsberg and The Phantom of the Opera.

Gail Bello as SC RBG

Cheyenne Candow as The Phantom (that mask is actually glued to Cheyenne's face!)

I gotta give these people props for not only making it work, but really entertaining us. That's probably my favorite part of Halloween--seeing people's creativity. Maybe next year I'll get a little more creative--or actually put some thought into wearing a costume. How about you? :)