Ahhh, October!

Other people are taken by Thanksgiving or go crazy over Christmas, but I fall over Fall; Autumn has a certain allure for me; I am enamored with October.

I don't know why. Maybe it's the transition from Summer to Winter, the change in shadows, leaves, and weather, maybe it's the first nibble of coolness in the air foretelling larger, windier bites, or maybe it's because this is the time of year we traditionally tell each other weird tales.

For some reason, ghost stories seem spookier in the Fall. Strange happenings seem stranger, and the just plain odd seems just plain odder in October.

So, in keeping with this weird wonderful month I'm going to take a look at the weird and hopefully wonderful videos that are being offered up for free at the iTunes Store.

First up: She's the Mistress of the macabre, she's the Diva of the Devilish, she's the Princess of the Paranormal, she's cool, she's hot, she pale, she's stacked, she is none other than Elvira.

Ms. E has been vamping it up since the early 80's and she still looks pretty good for an old ghoul, but apparently it is time for her to pass the black dress and cleavage to someone with firmer...um..assets. After all, even Elvira can defy gravity only so long. What better way to find and new Ms. E than to create a new reality show and call it The Search for the Next Elvira. (Dun, dun, dun, DUUUUuuuuuuuuH!)

Now, I'm no fan of reality shows, but watching these extremely strange contestants audition to become the next Ms. E is a hysterically good time. I particularly loved the Asian Elvira wannabe, her halting monotone monologue gave me goose-bumps. It was the weirdest thing I've seen to date and the stuff nightmares are made of. You've got to check it out. You can get the first episode of The Search for the Next Elvira appropriately called Odd-itions from Hell for free at the iTunes Store.

From adult humor to pre-teen sitcoms with a Harry Potter twist, I take you now to Wizards of Waverly Place. It's corny and it will have Ron Weasley quaking with embarrassment, but the younger crowd may like it; it is from Disney after all.

A family of wizards have taken up residence the big city. Life among the Muggles (they don't actually use the term) is OK except that the three kids, Alex, Max and Justin, have to exercise their new wizards skills or risk losing them. Of course they can't let anyone know they are wizards, where would be the fun in that?

The first episode of this half hour show, Crazy Ten Minute Sale, is typical kid-sitcom fare; kid get into a situation against the parents wishes, kid tries to get out of the situation, but fails and gets caught, kid learns lesson and life goes on. There not much magical about Wizards, but, as I said, the younger crowd may like it. You can test the free episode out on them if you'd like. The price is right. [Editor's Note: While the show is still listed in iTunes' free section, clicking through shows it as costing US$1.99, a change since Vern downloaded and watched the free show earlier in the week. -Editor]

OK, now for something really weird. I've always had a passing interest in psychic phenomenon. I've had some things happen to me that are just outside of any reasonable explanation I can find, so I'm open to the possibility that there are some people who are very sensitive and can perceive things most people can't.

So it was with considerable interest that I watched the video podcast series called The Street Psychic. Talk about strange.

Peter Serraino, The Street Psychic

Peter Serraino is a late 40's, early 50-ish, skateboard riding, heavily tattooed guy with a curly blonde mohawk and horn-rimmed glasses. He lives in California (of course) and his mission in life is to use his psychic abilities to help others. He talks to people on the street, giving them facts about their lives and offering predictions and solutions to problems that they sometimes don't even realize they have.

I try never to judge a book by its cover, so I watched a few episodes of The Street Psychic and I've come to the conclusion that it's a fun show.

Is Peter the real thing? I don't have a clue, but his eccentricities and pseudo-mystical ramblings are amusing to watch and listen to. I'm not dismissing Mr. Serraino's paranormal powers, if I saw him on the street I'd want him to 'read' me, but there's absolutely no way you can watch any of the 4 episodes currently available and conclude that he is the real McCoy; which is OK.

Watch anyway, it'll give you a tale to tell when you are gathered around a campfire with some friends later. Download The Street Psychic from the iTunes Store today. (He knows you will already.)

That's going to do it for this week. Make sure you check out the Discovery Download for this week from Meiko. It's laid back little ditty called How Lucky We Are and it would be right at home if played behind something from Nelly Furtado first album. Whoa Nelly!, or maybe a cut from Carla Bruni's Quelqu'un M'a Dit album. It's good and it's free; and nice combination.

More free stuff at the iTunes Store: