Not that into Halloween anymore

[wendyzski]

Most of you know that I worked professional haunts for a number of years. I put in 8 years at Fright Fest and a little over a year at the Jeckyll & Hyde Club here in Chicago. Plus I still go to TransWorld every year I can manage to ooch in on someone else's ticket, and check out the latest techy scare-toys.

When I was a little kid, Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ had a year-round Haunted House. (till it burned down and killed a couple of people). There was one place where you could choose one of two paths in the cave-like area. When I was 8 or so, I used to hide behind a stalagmite and wait for the house to close, then I'd go and try to scare the actors while they were on their breaks.

But somewhere along the way I lost something. I'm just not that into Halloween any more. I can get my dress-up fix from renfaires and cons, and after so many years of seeing rubber rats, fake blood, and cobwebs-in-a-bag, the LAST thing I wanted to do was look at them again when I got home. Plus, I'd seen the really good stuff already, so it takes a lot to impress me now. I'm totally jaded when it comes to haunted houses - I know so much about the psychology of the scare that I can walk through and pretty much point to where the scare will be and sometimes even count it down. I keep meaning to go to one of those "make it through and you get a prize" houses, cuz that's a piece of cake now. It would pee on their cornflakes though - haunters hate it when you smile and wave at them - it makes them cranky.

Not that I wouldn't jump at the chance to work a haunt again - getting paid to make annoying children pee themselves and large black men scream like little girls and hide behind their girlfriends can't be beat. Only reason I left was that I couldn't stand to see people that I was responsible for be abused and assaulted any more. Think that most of your fellow human beings are nice people out to have a good time - go work a corporate haunt. That'll learn ya. I kept going even after someone tried to set me on fire my first year. But when one of your kids ends up with a concussion or a cracked rib (yes, these happened) or you learn that someone stepped into the line of fire and took a rock to the shoulder for you (how long were you in PT, unclevlad?) - that's the kind of thing that drove me out of the biz.

Now Halloween is a huge adult thing, and I hardly ever even play. I live in apartments, so no one every trick-or-treats. I used to enter costume costests, only to have my lovingly constructed historical gowns lose to a chick in lingerie or a guy dressed as a shower. Even the stores started putting the X-mas stuff up weeks ago. The only good thing remaining is that I can get my candy corn fix more easily.

Meh. I guess I'm old now.

Comments

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

oo - that could be funs. Let me know when (and where, cuz I forget)

[bigblued.livejournal.com]

I have to goto a Windycon mtg on Sun so decorating will be Sat. I'd like to aim for the 10a-2p block to maximize the warmer* hours of the day. Outdoor goals would be lights and cheesecloth. If we get done with that, or get too cold to work outdoors, I have fake pumpkins that need carving.

*high of 49

You know what, I think I will make a social thing of it and post it on my LJ.