Hi, everyone! Although it's only the middle of July, new Halloween shirts are already making their way into Etsy shops. While this surprised me at first, I figured it's the same logic behind my having received the Fall issue of Cottage Journal Magazine already. It allows us to plan fall/Halloween decor in our homes and at work. Then, we're ready to buy or make these items, it's closer to the actual holiday. Well, I won't pretend I have a handle on the reason behind early advertising of seasonal/holiday decor. But some of us enjoy meticulously planning for fun :)

The Etsy group I'm in is currently participating in a 2025 Halloween design challenge. One of the earliest subniche challenges was for Halloween Dad Jokes. Coming up with bad jokes and puns is a skill of mine (I must admit), so this challenge was enjoyable for me. The uploaded photo is of one of these shirts in my Etsy shop. The text is, "If you go out with Dracula, I guarantee your date will SUCK." I also love vintage/retro graphics, and Dracula and the unfortunate young lady in the graphic fit the bill. I also gave Dracula an obnoxious green coloring that hearkens back to classic horror movie posters. Dracula's hand also has an uneven green shading, which was deliberate...I swear it was...moving on.

While creating these designs and listings, I've been sheltering myself (namely my ears) from the frequent thunderstorms during the Florida summer. Even indoors, I need to put in foam earplugs and sound cancelling earphones (the kind I have is called Decibel Defender). I also need to go to a room with no windows. This is the hyperacusis aspect of having autism spectrum disorder, and it is my least favorite symptom. It's not as simple as being merely afraid of thunderstorms and being able to outgrow "my fear". It's a neurological reality that's here to stay. With this being the case, I make sure I always have foam earplugs on hand. When you can't prevent something (such as storms) from happening, the best thing you can do is be prepared.