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

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

That's about how I feel about it, too, honey.

Dress up? *yawn* Not when that's what I do for a living, no thanks.

I do have a good buddy, my hair-dresser while I lived in KC, who does BeetleJuice for the biggest HH in KC. He rocks at it and still enjoys it so I say, "Go him" and that's about it.

I don't think it really means you're old; just jaded. *heh*

You want a sucky gig for Halloween...I did a Statue gig for a private Halloween party one year and it was horrible. Everyone was in such a toot about their own lousy costumes that a statue didn't mean diddly. And I was sick, damnear fainted which is not a good thing. I ended up doing a female Thinker just so I could get through it.

I'd not even buy candy this year if it wasn't for Bruce's grandkids.

[wifeofset.livejournal.com]

I..*hangs head* I punched a guy in a haunted house once. The sign going in said, "our actors won't touch you, don't touch our actors" and he not only touched me (brushing his hands through my hair) he had a bit of a grip on the back of my neck.

*shudder* I'm not particularly creeped out by the "ONOZ! someone pops out of the dark!" problem but people touching when they're not supposed to was just ewww

[bigblued.livejournal.com]

Want to come over and help decorate this weekend (weather permitting)? It's how I get my fix these days.

[butterflybill.livejournal.com]

I can crossdress all year around, so I don't have to wait for Halloween any more.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

See - he touched you first - I can understand that. I can also understand that some people have a strike reflex - you learn how to judge that to a hair if you do this for a living.

It's the people who go to the park with the sole intention of beating up the performers. The ones who try to cut you out of the crowd and where you can't get your back to something. The people who throw stuff off the train at the actors, or who go into the haunted house with pockets full of pennies to throw in the actors' faces. The ones who climb up onto the floats to get at you (I kicked a guy in the chest once, and security will swear it was a dance move). The ones who bring tasers. THOSE are the ones who pretty much stepped on my fun.

[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.

[cozit.livejournal.com]

I don't remember a haunted house at Great Adventure! Though I'll admit I only went a couple of times in years near when it opened (pretty sure it was just opening then) and again in high school, and after my first year of college...

I like taking the kids trick-or-treating... and socializing with their friends' parents at the same time. But I'm kinda blah on the scare thing (actually I've been "there" for *years*... shortly after high school, I think... just not my thing I guess)