My teenage daughter Andrea loves to Cosplay - and for those not "in the know," Cosplay simply means, dressing up in costumes and hanging out with others who also like to Cosplay, at shows and special events.

You may ask, what about Halloween? Doesn't everyone Cosplay for Halloween? Well yes, in a way. However, real Cosplayers wish it was Halloween ALL THE TIME! That's the difference.

They also usually have a favorite Anime, TV series,or video game or comic book character they like to dress up as - as opposed to say, just a generic witch or penguin. (Think of the Star Trek conventions. It's not just teenagers who are into this stuff)! Sometimes role playing as the character is involved; sometimes not.

It all started with my daughter's fascination with Anime, and grew from there. Andrea loves going to the costume shop and buying fake glasses and purple hair extensions and black lip-stick. Then she will hop over to the Salvation Army to search for just the right long black jacket, or skinny black pants to paint purple stripes on. Making the costumes and buying the accessories is half the fun!

The other half involves the social aspects of the event, and of course, the thrill of "looking like someone else." She'll dress as either a male or a female character, and has already amassed a whole collection of wigs and hats.

Andrea's latest goal is to attend a Homestuck Prom. Homestuck is an online cartoon that features trolls - don't ask. She has bought mustard colored material and black lace to construct a "prom dress" (which she will wear with giant horns on her head. Again; don't ask)! Designing the dress is actually a very creative endeavor, I must admit.

So how do I, as her mom, feel about this Cosplay stuff? Besides the fact it can get a little "pricey" at times, I don't always understand the thrill of it. I mean, wearing gray make-up and black lip-stick while sporting a purple cape isn't my idea of fun. However, when I see the happiness in my daughter's eyes as she talks about an event or plans how to decorate a cosplay T-shirt, I can't deny that it's obviously my daughter's idea of fun.

Plus, she's made a lot of good friends, and hasn't fallen prey to a lot of teenage ills, such as drinking or drugs. I truly believe it's important for teenagers to have their own interests and plenty of opportunity to socialize with like-minded friends who share them.

Andrea is always trying to get me to join in. "Oh,you should be so and so....I'll make you a costume!" she'll exclaim. She would be so deliriously happy if I wore horns on my head.

Maybe I'll consider it...as long as I can wear a nice long curly wig underneath those horns!