A little history
Jack-o-lanterns aren't an American original, you know. As old Irish legend has it, Stingy Jack was a drunken trickster who was too sly for the Devil and too cruel for God. When he died, Jack was denied entrance into both Heaven and Hell. Instead, his soul was doomed to roam the frigid darkness of the earth, armed with only a hollowed turnip, lit by the glowing radiance of an ember.
Our Irish ancestors brought over the custom and adopted the primary use of the ever-abundant pumpkin. So abundant, that in 2003, the U.S. produced 805.3 million pounds of pumpkins. That's equal to the weight of roughly 3 million Vespa motor scooters, 161 million small laptop computers or 1 billion cans of beer. That's a lot of pumpkins.
Pumpkin Scouting
Tip: You're looking for an able-bodied pumpkin with a herculean stem.
I took my search straight to the heart of the season at the Free-State Farm pumpkin patch, 1431 N. 1900 Road, where I had myself an adventure. Among picking out a couple plump pumpkins, I climbed a hay fort, took a hayrack ride and ate a caramel apple. They sell pumpkins for $.35 a pound, about$ 5 for a medium-sized one. But for the purposes of our limited budgets, Dillions, 1015 W. $23^{rd}$ St., will sell you one for $3.99 and give you another for free. That's about the best deal in town.
Tool yourself
Tip: Specialty tools are optional.
You can actually find everything you need in your kitchen. I, however, went for the big saw, medium saw, goop scoop and all — one of those carving kits that just about every supermarket sells. If you're looking for all the gadgets, you'll find the best set at the best value at Super Target, 3201 Iowa. Pumpkin Masters Pumpkin Carving Kit comes with 16 patterns, two saws, one scoop, one poker and a drill for $3.99. Like an uber-nerd, I made full use of every single utensil. But you can easily get away with just a saw. I found an E.Z. Pumpkin Detailer Saw, "flexible and break resistant," at Dillons, for$.99. You'll also need a steak knife to carve out the lid.
Hollow Jack
Tip: This step can result in loss of blood. Sober operation and supervision required.
When you cut out the lid, angle the incision so the lid won't fall in. Use your large carving knife and cut at a four-inch radius from the stem. De-gooping the 'kin is D.J. Gumowski's, Chicago junior, favorite step. "It's the gooiest experience ever." Gumowski hasn't carved a jack-o' since high school, but promises he'll revive the tradition this year. I used a kitchen spoon and my hands to scrape out the goods. You'll want to make the interior walls about an inch-and-a-half thick.
Take a stab
Tip: Skip the store-bought patterns and print them off the web or make your own.
After using a creepy clown face pattern from my kit, I found printable ones on the Net. You can find some spooky ones at www.jack-o-lantern.com and they're free. Position your pattern on the smoothest side of the pumpkin and use masking tape to secure it. Use a pin or the poker from your kit to trace the pattern onto the pumpkin. The rounded multiple-pokes poker worked nicely for me. After you transfer your pattern, use a saw or steak knife to slice your design. Do this at a 90 degree angle so the candle light will shine straight through.
Preserve and light up
Tip: Coating the edges with petroleum jelly will keep your pumpkin from shriveling.
Be sure that there is a flat surface at the bottom of your pumpkin. You wouldn't want the candle to tip over and burn your porch down. I found a 100-piece set of tealights at HyVe, 3504 Clinton Pkwy, for $2.99. At four hours of burn time a piece,
Jack O' lanterns are a sure way to scare up some festive fall spirit with the coming of Halloween.
you can get 400 hours or 16-and-a-half days of burn time of this deal. Or, if you're most interested in just one or two, go buy a votive candle. You can find these for less than a buck almost anywhere. At Super Target, I also found Pumpkin Masters Pillar Candles, a set of two candles that burn for 12 hours a piece for $3.99. To preserve your pumpkin even longer, store it in the refrigerator when it's not on display. I know you all have plenty of room in there.
Pumpkin Smarts
Did you know..
- Pumpkin seeds can be roasted as a snack.
- Pumpkin is a fruit, not a vegetable.
- Pumpkins are 90 percent water.
- A pumpkin is really a squash.
- Cinderella's chariot was made out of a pumpkin.
- Pumpkins were once used as a remedy for freckles.
Damage control
Swimming in debt
It may seem far off now, but as college students we will soon be out on our own and many of us could find ourselves in debt, be it from credit cards or loans. In any case, if you are ever in this situation, there are some important things you can do. First, stop using credit and deal only in cash and checks. Second, consider paying off your debt in a form that has a low interest rate.
This could end up saving you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Third, track your spending to identify what is frivolous. Last, seek the advice of a financial adviser to plan. Whatever you do, be aggressive and smart.
Source:www.youcandealwithit.com/money_04.html
Stephanie Lovett
minute fix
Make New Friends,but Keep the Old
If after fall break you've realized you've lost touch with hometown friends, don't despair. You can reconnect. Set up regular "dates" you won't back out on. Call each other after watching a favorite television show to talk about it. Or start a long-distance book club and discuss your latest novels - email and most evening and weekend phone calls are free. Make plans to meet up in your hometown during the holidays for some face time. But be realistic, it's not possible to maintain lasting friendships with all of your old classmates.
8
Jayplay 10.28.04
— Misty Huber