Happy October everyone! You all know what that means: the leaves are changing color, the temperature is starting to go down, and it's just about time to start bundling up. That is, of course, unless you live somewhere like I do, where the temperature is still in excess of 100 degrees, and we are doing everything in our power to stay cool until the end of November, in hopes that it will cool off then.

On a serious note, our heart and thoughts go out to anyone and everyone that has been affected by the wildfires here in southern California over the last month, due to this extreme heat. You men and women, and your families, truly are heroes and we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts.

Being that it is October, that does mean that the holidays are around the corner, and my favorite is Halloween. This is a great chance for everyone to become someone they have always wanted to be, even if it is only for one night. Whether you plan to be a fairy, a demon, or a bottle of Ketchup, Halloween is a great time to sit around a big bowl of candy and share a drink with your friends.

Halloween also provides me with an opportunity to speak to you about a topic that I have been saving for quite some time: Drinking Games. Halloween is the perfect time to mix up the means in which you imbibe. Everyone knows how to play King's Cup, and your standard Beer Pong. However, in the course of the last month, I came across a variation of Beer Pong that turned out to be quite fun, so fun that I took the time to build my own table. This version I like to call Battle-Sip. The game is rather simple, and it takes away the advantage that the frat guys have of hours and hours of practice tossing ping-pong balls. The game is basically Battleship, but your pegs are now party cups. The same rules apply. A divider is placed between the two halves of the table, and cups are arranged in the same formations (5,4,3,3,2). Members of each team take turns calling out squares. A hit means you drink, a miss means you don't.

With games such as these, it is important to be safe and play responsibly. For the best results, this game should have 3 players on each team. This game was especially fun for me, and will be for the next month or two because my favorite beer is back for its annual limited time appearance. Sam Adams OctoberFest, as the name suggests, is only around for a short time in the autumn months. To be honest, I can't get enough of the stuff. We are coming up on this writer's favorite time of the year. So until next time friends, remember to take care of each other, be good earthlings, party safe, and as always, keep a drink in your hand, and look to the stars.

-CocktAlien