Ghost text is changing the caption to gray italics

I'm using this script:

form1.page17.table1.Table7.Row3.DateField6[0]::enter - (JavaScript, client)

this.fontColor = "0,0,0";

this.font.posture = "normal";

form1.page17.table1.Table7.Row3.DateField6[0]::exit - (JavaScript, client)

if (this.isNull)

{

  this.fontColor = "153,153,153"; // a gray colour

  this.font.posture = "italic";

} 

form1.page17.table1.Table7.Row3.DateField6[0]::prePrint - (JavaScript, client)

this.format.picture.value = "";

form1.page17.table1.Table7.Row3.DateField6[0]::postPrint - (JavaScript, client)

this.format.picture.value = "";

form1.page17.table1.Table7.Row3.DateField6[0]::ready:form - (JavaScript, client)

this.execEvent("exit");

this.format.picture.value = "null{'" + this.assist.toolTip.value + "'}";

That I gratefully found at this blog: Adding Ghost Text to LiveCycle Designer forms on the adobe.cookbooks.com web site.

I can get the ghost text to work just fine, however when I just used it in a TextField, it changes the caption to the gray italic text. What is causing this and how do I correct?

Thanks,

MDawn