Okay, yeah, Halloween was weeks ago, but I’m already planning my costume for next year.

In 2013, I was Ada Lovelace for Halloween.

I even won a costume contest! Thanks Take Back Halloween! Bonus: my Ada costume also gets worn again on “Royalty Day” during “Fairy Tale Week.” Add a crown and boom, instant queen.

This year I was Admiral Grace Hopper. Yes… I got the idea from Take Back Halloween again. They’re a great resource that I recommend for any young girls who need to dress up as their personal hero for a wax museum project.

I even issued a Halloween challenge to students during the morning announcements on the day of our Halloween parties. (My brother-in-law’s favorite part was the awkward six seconds I wasted in the beginning.) Not every class participated, but the ones that did were really excited. If you ever wanted roving bands of seven- to nine-year-olds screaming someone else’s name at you during a Halloween parade, this is how to achieve that. (Also you need to rethink your life goals. Just saying. I sure am.) Students and teachers reported back with information about compilers and the famous moth story. (Which I guess turned up on Jeopardy this week as a piece of trivia!) What a blast!

Next year I’m planning on being Margaret Hamilton. Perhaps just for an excuse to trawl thrift stores for totally fab late sixties fashions I can totally deck myself out in. Groovy!