Hello! Welcome to our 32nd JABB and our 2nd Halloween issue! We hope you all have a safe and fun All Hallow's Eve. We'd like to thank the members of the JABB YahooGroup who helped us make this issue. We'd also like to share some big news with you all.... We are now linked to the official TBAA page!!!! You know what that means ... now we can never know exactly who could be reading these, maybe a certain someone whose name begins with J and ends with N.... Anyway, on to the newsletter! (Jenni, why do we care if Jason reads this? Sure he's got a cool mask, but do you think he really has the time between scaring people and running around with a chainsaw?)

Audrey

Jenni

The Night Before Halloween: Andrew Style!

'Twas the night before Halloween and all through the house candy wrappers were crumpled and gnawed by a mouse. The pumpkins were carved; their faces glowed through the night in accordance to an old Halloween birthright. The children did slumber with masks on their beds while visions of death raced through their heads. Their costumes lay ready on the floors of their home where ghosts of the night soon were to roam. The children were all set for the Halloween rush of candy and sweets that'd make all their moms fuss. But out of their dreams they soon would be pulled with a nasty sounding noise that just couldn't be fooled. They jumped from their beds and to the window they ran, like little marathon runners, boys girls, and a man. They opened the curtain to reveal such a site! One that they all expected to be a terrible fright! And what before their cowering eyes did appear but the Angel of Death without an ounce of fear! They looked at this being, a heavenly sight not dressed in black or towering with fright. They looked to be deceived by the stories of old, the ghosts of the past and the lies of the bold. The Angel was mighty, they let out a sigh and if I'm not mistaken, a tear appeared in their eye. The Angel came closer; he spoke towards their ear, "Come closer. Come closer. I want you to hear. I'm not here to take you to God up above or even to remind you of his undying love. Not that they're not great or meant to be told, but I have something for you; something that I scold." The family stepped back, to let all sink in before they approached the angelic being again. "I want you to know that I am an angel, an angel of death." Their assumptions where true; they took a deep breath. Angel boy went on, a look of fear in his face, they all could tell, he hated this place! "I have to tell you, I hate Halloween, it gives Death such a bad name. You must do me a favor, this much I ask, you must throw away all your death masks!! Look at me dear people. What do you see? Darkness and evil do not surround me!" The family stepped back, not sure what to say; this sure would put a damper on their Halloween day! Still the angel pressed on, "You must understand, this isn't just for me, but AOD's all cross the land. This holiday you have promotes such terrible things! You make it appears as if death has wings! Death isn't terrible; it's not meant to be feared. In fact in some places, it is revered! The ghosts of this night all are a fraud!" He said without flinching and gave his head a nod. He stood and he glowed before their window for some time, hoping all would sink in from this nice little rhyme. The family sat watching as another angel glowed. "Fear not Andrew! You've still much to know! Halloween may seem bad and give your name a bad rap but don't try to push it, they're not ready for that. Instead get a costume, one just like mine! You can be an angel and shine, shine, shine, shine! But what I want to do, is for you to change back and go around the neighborhood all dressed in black! The family thought hard about what they'd been told and the angel they'd seen who didn't seem old. They grabbed their masks and dashed for the door, each one running, as though they were four! Monica joined in the sad little race as Andrew tried his best to keep pace. "I can't believe you've done this! I HATE HALLOWEEN! And that Monica, is the scariest costume I've ever seen!" Monica stopped, her hands on his head, "Why I'm not wearing a costume, you'll wish you were dead!" Andrew chuckled as he said with a grin, "STOP! Hold up my friend! It's All Hallow's Eve, Not Halloween! And you humans are supposed to be so very keen! I do hate this holiday, and ya'll won't help me? Why I ought to show you what you ought to be!" They let out a laugh and looked at the being "If I were you, I'd be fleeing! It may not be Halloween, but just wait till you see the costume's we'll pick, you'll hate what we'll be! But you see, we like this angel better than you! And she's sweet to talk to, she knows that it's true!" Andrew just pouted, and thought to his dismay, "Oh how I do HATE this Halloween Day!"

Okay, so we've just established that Andrew really, really doesn't like Halloween. Why should he miss out on all the fun though? We asked our Yahoogroups members how they would convince Andrew that Halloween wasn't all bad. Here's what they said:

Debra: I would tell Andrew Halloween is not bad because you get to tell the little kids it's just make believe and show the kids what the REAL ANGEL OF DEATH looks like (Himself) And you get to tell spooky stories and go to TACO BELL late at night!!

Annie: Ummm....how about because you get free chocolate? :-) (If you go trick-or-treating, that is). Okay, so John doesn't like chocolate but Andrew might!! :-)

Or, maybe because Halloween would give him more chances to educate people about what death really is about, and that it shouldn't be grim and dreary and scary.......

Tara: I would tell Andrew that if he don't like Halloween, then he can celebrate it at a different light. By that I mean that he can celebrate the souls who have passed on to heaven. Because Halloween is a day for the souls to wake or something like that.

Lisa: Show him a pic of my son dressed up as Darth Maul & tell him not everyone dresses up like Death!

Audrey: I'd tell Andrew that Halloween is a very *VERY* bad day and that he should stay indoors, preferable the doors of my house.

Jenni: I guess I'd just tell him that Halloween isn't really a day to make death look mad. In fact, it's quite the opposite. People dress up as ghosts, monsters, etc., just to show they aren't afraid of them. Plus it's always a good time to get to meet people and plus you get to wear really cool costumes.

Speaking of costumes: If you remember last year we asked people what they would have Andrew/John dress up as for Halloween. This year we extended that question a bit further. If you and Andrew were to celebrate Halloween together (provided you used some of the above ideas and managed to get him out the door) what would both of you wear? Here's what our members said:

Lisa: How bout him Tarzan & me Jane... Just a little loin cloth, short & cute....ok, I wont go on....

Jenni: Easy! I'm a princess and he's my Prince Charming. :-)

Debra: Our costumes would be either Mr. and Mrs. CHIHUAHUA (I found out how the taco bell dog is spelled from a dog magazine) A doctor and nurse or a fireman and victim in need of rescue.

Audrey: Hmm. I'm not sure. John and I can simply go as John and I. This way no masks hide our faces and everyone can see us together! But I know at midnight my clothes would fade and my coach would again be nothing more than a pumpkin, but that's just the way the story goes. It will be fun while it lasts.

**Disclaimer: We just wanted to make it known that our Chiwawa is of absolutely no relation to the Taco Bell mascot. Also, just so you all know the correct spelling for our mascot is indeed Chiwawa. Chihuahua is the name of a breed of dogs of which our Chiwawa is a member. I thank you, Audrey thanks you, and Chiwawa thanks you for reading this disclaimer.