And now... a post!

Yeah... I took too long to post. I apologize.

So, I've been working Halloween Haunt at Kings Island. Tons of fun, even when the customers are true jerks in every sense of the word. I have already been punched, kicked, hit, poked, pushed, and prodded. And I've come off easy compared to lots of the workers in our maze.

During rehearsal week, I found out that I was extremely allergic to the fake blood they used. Within an hour I was going crazy with itching and burning where the blood touched my skin. Then... I realized... I was allergic to red dye. I have been ever since I was a kid, but I've always avoided things that, you know, I'm allergic to. So then they decided to put red paint on me instead of blood, and I was alleric to that... as well. Needless to say, makeup people get really angry if you tell them you're allergic to fake blood. *eyeroll*

Friday night, Sept 26, was our first operational night. It was absolutely awesome. I was hoarse by time it was halfway over, and totally, shall I say it? speechless by Saturday. I could not speak. That made Saturday night a very interesting night to haunt people. I either had to growl at them or squeak at them. I learned my lesson on how loud to be by the following weekend.

Which was... last weekend. Fridays we have this thing called Wall of Monsters that starts at 7 pm. People are outside waiting to come in, and all the people that are in outdoor attractions go outside to scare people in line, and to pretty much mingle and scare the teeny-bopper girls that are so easy to scare. Well, last Friday we'd had a new thing we could do... going INTO the parking area! As in, past the metal detectors and to the people buying tickets and the like. My friend, Sam, and I saw this, and decided to just haul through the gates to get to the crowds, like everyone else. I mean, if everyone else is running, why not join in?

Within three strides I was down like a rock. My quads felt like they were about to leap out of my skin and run away, like in a cartoon. I couldn't stand, I could not support my weight, and I was about to black out. So I half fell, half set myself down on the ground to keep from passing out as security guards ran over and poor Sam was freaking out next to me. I was doing my best not to sob, honestly. The pain was just unbearable. Even lying down it felt my legs had a match lit to them. Finally first aid showed up and wheeled me away in their cute little park ambulences to the station. They actually had to move my legs for me to get into the gurney, because I had no control over them. I was at First Aid for about two hours before my parents came to get me (and my car).

My quads felt like they were corded steel or granite. No force was strong enough to move them, and they were as hard as could be. I was able to move - albiet slowly and with help - to be able to get to the car (we were driven to it) and get home. After downing a 32 oz gatorade and a large cup of hot peppermint tea... I was able to move my legs again on my own. And get up and down the stairs and the like. Painful, but possible. By Saturday I was moving super slow but was moving, so returned to work. Managed to reinjure myself, and was back to the drawing board by Monday morning, when I used a staff to help balance myself throughout the house so I didn't fall. I, for all the world, felt like Gandalf. After he fell into the caves that is.

So now, over a week later, I'm still stiff and sore, but I'm walking again and able to move between a sitting position and a standing position. (yay!) I'm still in the search for a real job, but that's not suprising, seeing as how I haven't had a huge post saying "I HAVE A JOB!" yet. Files are being shifted around left and right on my computer as we reshuffle between two harddrives due to the fact I've run out of room and my compy doesn't support a bigger HD. I've been doing some writing, but overall (esp the last week, when it's been painful to move) I've been somewhat hermit-ish. More than usual. I have several pictures I'd love to post, including the handle of a Sam Adams beer thing, where it says "Take Pride in Your Beer" and the gerbils are chewing it up with a vengence. Talk about anger management. I found it quite amusing.

I also have some pictures of me with my Haunt makeup that I was testing at home, and a few things from Haunt itself... but I'm not allowed to post Haunt stuff until after Haunt.

However... I have something better. A You-Tube video posted by a patron. Starts at about 1:55 - the Tombstone section. On that, you can see me in costume AND makeup. Such a rarity, what with us not being allowed ourselves. ;) Enjoy and have a great day!

PS. The nutcase behind me is Scott. He's absolutely hilarious and an awesome guy to work with.