2E • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 OMAHA WORLD-HERALDLIVING

TODAY’S SOLUTIONS

ANSWER

AVIAN CARGO

DIMWIT MUSCLE

She wanted her sister to find aguy to go out with, so she gave

her a —

MANDATE

ladybug, you’re set.In an online survey by

Pet360.com, four out of 10 petowners who responded saidthey were dressing their beastfor Halloween this year. Forabout $10 to $30 you can turnyour dog into everything fromYoda to a cop.

Along with pet insurance andbirthday parties for pups, thegrowth in costumes for dogs isanother sign they are becom-ing more like members of thehousehold.

“More people consider themlike their kid,’’ said Kristi-na Johnson, a manager atPetSmart in central Omaha.

Another sign?More than 200 dogs showed

up Saturday for the annualGrowl-O-Ween, a Halloweenparty for dogs at MidtownCrossing that benefits the Ne-braska Humane Society.

If you ever wondered what adachshund looked like in a Bat-man mask, the party providedan answer. Same with a huskydressed like Tinker Bell anda toy poodle impersonating aunicorn.

Mike Gritzuk of Omahaturned up with his 4-year-oldEnglish golden retriever, asweet-natured guy named Bud-dha who is known as cuddler.

Last year Buddha traveledback a few million years andwent as a dinosaur. The yearbefore that he decided to gocute and slipped on a bumble-bee outfit.

This year Buddha glammed-up and dressed as MarilynMonroe, going all out witha blond wig, red gown andnecklaces.

Because Buddha has a soft,beautiful coat, people think he’sa girl and say how beautiful heis. Gritzuk figured it would befun this year to just play along,and let Buddha dress the part.

Gritzuk dresses Buddha forHalloween because he’s partof the family, and because ofhow people react to dogs incostume.

“People really get a kick outof it,’’ he said.

Contact the writer: 402-444-1122,michael.oconnor@owh.com

Dogs:Dressed up for Halloween along with the familyContinued from Page 1

ZURI Pembroke Welsh corgiAge: 2Costume:Wonder Woman, because she’s sassyand strong-willed.Owner: Emily Vereen, Papillion

BRUCE WAYNE DachshundAge: 8 monthsCostume: Batman, because he fearlessly runstoward danger, like bunnies in the backyard.Owner: Kim Phillips, Omaha

MYIA HuskyAge: 2Costume: Tinker Bell, because she’s bossy.Owner: Sandra Borg, Fremont

WINNIE Toy poodleAge: 3Costume: Princess unicorn, because she prancesaround like a diva.Owner: Erika Frieden, Omaha

BUDDHA English golden retrieverAge: 4Costume:Marilyn Monroe, because everyone thinkshe’s a girl because of his beautiful coat.Owners:Mike Gritzuk and Jill Oseas, Omaha

SOPHIA HavaneseAge: 7Costume: Bumblebee, because she looks sweet butsticks up for herself.Owner: Celann LaGreca, Omaha

Looking foreasy DIY dogcostume ideas?

» Skeleton:Use white fabricpaint to draw abackbone andribs on a blackT-shirt.

» Underdog:Use red T-shirt,a square ofwhite felt fabricfor the “U” andblue fabric forthe cape. Cut“U” from feltand attach toshirt with fabricglue. Attachcape aroundneck withVelcro.

Source: petmd.com

DIY DOGCOSTUMES

MATT M I L LER / THE WORLD -HERA LD

Sue Lively was the Grinch and dachshund Bob was helper Max at last Saturday’s Growl-O-Ween at Midtown Crossing. Four out of 10pet owners who responded to an online survey by Pet360.com said they were dressing their pets for Halloween this year.

NEW YORK (AP) — GeorgeR.R. Martin knows all the signsof Boba Fett Syndrome.

Named for the minor “StarWars” character whom fansdemanded to know more about,Boba Fett Syndrome is mostacute for any book or film seriesthat has reached the level ofphenomenon, when minutiaebecomes major. For Martin, thishas meant not just the usualdemands for the next “A Songof Ice and Fire” fantasy novel(don’t ask, he’s still workingon it), but constant letters andemails asking for informationon everything from dragons toAegon Targaryen’s war againstthe Seven Kingdoms.

Martin’s new book, releasedthis week, is “The World of Ice &Fire: The Untold History of Wes-teros and the Game of Thrones,”300 pages of back story andoriginal artwork by the some ofthe world’s top fantasy illustra-tors. He agreed to the compan-ion volume in 2006 and expectedit would take just a couple ofyears. Naturally, it took longer.He intended to write some brieftext to accompany the draw-ings, but ended up setting downsome 300,000 words, more thanenough to make his editor’s“head explode.”

“It was bigger than I antici-pated,” he said during a recenttelephone interview, acknowl-

edging that “The World of Ice &Fire” might have delayed stillfurther the next “Ice and Fire”novel. “I start these things that Ithink won’t take much time andthey grow and grow.”

Martin said “The World of Ice& Fire” offers material alreadyin the “Ice and Fire” series, ma-terial he has long worked out inhis mind and on paper, but hadnever released, and material heinvented entirely for the book,such as the section dedicatedto lands on the other side of theNarrow Sea. (Fans of TyrionLannister, be advised: Martin in-

cludes little about the characterhe has called his favorite. He’ssaving that for future books).

Martin, 66, has completedfive of seven planned novels:The most recent, “A Dance WithDragons,” came out in 2011,the same year the Emmy-win-ning HBO adaptation “Game ofThrones” first aired. Martin saidSunday that one challenge iskeeping track of so many char-acters and events spread outover thousands of pages. Likea filmmaker hiring a continuitydirector, he works with longtime“Ice and Fire” experts Elio M.

Garcia Jr. and Linda Antons-son, who run the fan site www.westeros.org and are credited asco-authors of the new book.

“They displayed, right away,an almost obsessive knowledgeof my world. In fact, I had toalter my world because of thatobsessive knowledge,” Martinsaid, noting that they had caughterrors in his work.

Martin loved comic booksand writing as a kid and by highschool had won an award for asuperhero story. He has beenpublishing books since the 1970sand began his “Ice and Fire”series in the 1990s, intending towrite a trilogy.

During his telephone inter-view, Martin said some of hisfondest early memories wereof reading illustrated versionsof “Treasure Island” and otherclassics and that he wanted “TheWorld of Ice & Fire” to have asimilar appeal. He admires theKindle, but prefers reading onpaper and thinks the new book issuited for its hardcover edition.

“My feeling was ‘Let’s make ita coffee table book and let’s fillit with some great fantasy artby some of the top illustratorsin the fantasy world,”’ he said.“We’re at a time in publishinghistory where you can have youstories in many different ways.But I’m still an old fart. I love aphysical book.”

‘Thrones’ fanatics ask; author answers

THE A S S OC I AT ED PRE S S

“Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin in 2013. His latest bookgives the backstory his ardent fans have demanded.

TODAY

For the kids: BaseballoweenBash with haunted house,mascots, treats and more, 5 to8 p.m. Free. Werner Park, 12356Ballpark Way, Papillion. www.wernerpark.com.Celebration: Dia de losMuertos celebration with livemusic and art, 10 a.m. to 2p.m. University of Nebraskaat Omaha, Weitz CommunityEngagement Center, 6401 DodgeSt.Talk: Artist talk by Orly Genger,6:30 p.m. Free. Joslyn ArtMuseum, 2200 Dodge St. 402-342-3300 or www.joslyn.org.Boofest: Boofest openhouse with space viewing,presentations and more,6:30 to 10 p.m. Free. BehlenObservatory, a few milessoutheast of Mead, Neb. astro.unl.edu/observatory/bdirections.html.Omaha cemetery tours:Howard Hamilton will giveHalloween-themed tours ofOmaha graves. A bus willtransport tour guests, but thetour involves outdoor walking. 6p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. $20.For reservations, call 402-672-9162.

FRIDAY

Treats: Trick or treat withmore than 40 stores handingout treats, noon to 6 p.m. Free.Nebraska Crossing Outlets,21209 Nebraska Crossing Drive,

Gretna.Spooktacular: ZooSpooktacular with free-flyingbats, animals and more, 5:30p.m. $7 for zoo members, $8 fornonmembers. Omaha’s HenryDoorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S.10th St. www.omahazoo.com.Haunted: Garage of Terror, 6:30to 10 p.m., free will donation.3320 S. 152nd Ave. Circle.Costume ball: Vampire Ballparty with costume contest, food,readings and more, 7 p.m. $40for general admission, $30 forJoslyn Castle members. JoslynCastle, 3902 Davenport St. 402-595-2199 or www.joslyncastle.com.Trunk or treat: Halloween trick-or-treating, 5:30 p.m. St. LukeUnited Methodist Church, 118thand Burke Streets.Halloween Safe Night:Enjoy a community event withhayrack rides, trick-or-treatingand a spooky tent. La VistaCommunity Center, 8116 ParkView Blvd., 5:30 to 7 p.m. 402-331-3455 or www.cityoflavista.org/2014halloween.Omaha cemetery tours:Howard Hamilton will giveHalloween-themed tours ofOmaha graves. A bus willtransport tour guests, but thetour involves outdoor walking. 6p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. $20.For reservations, call 402-672-9162.

Contact the writer:402-444-1040, connect@owh.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

and was rushed to MidlandsHospital in Papillion where hespent several days in a med-ically induced coma. A pupiltest suggested he suffereda brain injury, and he wastransferred to Bergan MercyHospital in Omaha. A neurolo-gist confirmed he had sufferedan aneurysm, which led to astroke. He died Oct. 2.

Sarah Zach said it’s com-forting that her husband’sheart, kidneys and liver weredonated.

“We lost a great person, butwe potentially saved severalother lives. … It feels betterknowing we were able to helpother people in the process,”she said.

Zach called her husband,

who worked as a truck driver,a fun-loving “jokester” witha big heart. She said she isthankful that Madilynn, thecouple’s daughter who turns 1on Tuesday, took her first stepsand said “dada” before herhusband died.

“All we can do is tell (Mad-ilynn) the type of person hewas, how kind he was and howmuch he loved her,” Zach said.

The fundraiser at GretnaMiddle School, 11705 S. 216thSt., starts at 9 a.m. and ends at4 p.m. Food trucks from Voo-Doo Taco, Hawk’s Pizzas andother eateries will be on sitefrom 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There isno admission fee, but donationsare encouraged.

Contact the writer:402-444-1071, katy.glover@owh.comtwitter.com/KatyGlover14

Memorial:Fundraiser will helpwidow, baby after man’s fatal strokeContinued from Page 1

OUT THEREIf you thought Daniel Radcliffe was only good at portraying teenagewizards, you should see him rap. Apparently, the British thespian isobsessed with learning complicated hip-hop songs, and he proved iton “The Tonight Show” by rapping the entirety of the very fast, verycomplicated “Alphabet Aerobics” by hip-hop duo Blackalicious.

Watch it: bit.ly/1tNVgi5

We’re fans of puppets singing, which explains why we like theMuppets, “Avenue Q” and The Rock-afire Explosion, the animatronicband from Showbiz Pizza. Anyway, our love of musical puppets is alsowhy we can’t stop laughing at Glove & Boots’ cover version of Mr.Big’s “Just to Be With You,” which features their Fafa the groundhogand Gorilla jamming the acoustic ballad with long wigs in a shot-by-shot remake of the original video.

Check it out: bit.ly/1p2iy2w

If your smartphone is anything like ours, it’s full of photos. Organizingthem (and deciding which to keep) is a pain, and that’s where Fliccomes in. The app lets you quickly decide what photos to keep andwhat to delete with a flick left or right.

Download it: bit.ly/100rA46