My apologies

I'm sorry for not updating this blog in the past week, but I have encountered too much this month, so I will unfortunately not be updating the blog for the rest of the season.  My nightly activities have affected me too much this season to the point where I cannot write quickly and well, so updating a blog every night would be extremely frustrating and difficult.  Thank you for those who have read and I'll see you next season!

She just sat on his head!

Makeup by Nicole

It was a rather lovely day.  I spent it lounging, stretching, and resting up for the night.  My cold was still all present and accounted for.  I took the precautions that would not kill myself.  I knew it would not be as busy as the night before, but it still had a potential to become hectic for a Sunday night.

The farm was beautiful.  The sun was out.  It wasn't too chilly.  There was a slight breeze.  The members of staff (who showed up) seemed to just be content that last night was over.  You could tell it was going to be an easy-going night.

About a half hour into the night, a rather large, older lady was entering the room as I was peaking around the corner.  Either she didn't know I was there or didn't care if I was real.  When the Chuckie doll came out of the closet, she freaked out, with a horrified look upon her face.  Mouth agape.  Wide eyes.  No sound emanating from her at all.  Then, she proceeded to walk backwards, placing her buttocks upon my head.  She did not stop walking even when she made contact with my head, putting tons of pressure on it, smearing my nose against the wall.  Immediately, I shot up for fear of my head exploding.  I stared directly at her and she wouldn't budge, so I shoved her in and went back to scare the rest.  A few minutes later, a kid karate chopped my neck just because he saw me peaking around the corner.  I spose it was my night to get hit.

If it was my night to get hit, then it was my scenemate, Jess' night to get called names.  There's an emergency light that goes on when she comes out of the boo-box too hard.  All you have to do to turn it off is basically tap it.  When it's a slower night, like tonight, she waits for groups to go by, remaining in character, to turn off the light.  Tonight, there was a lady who was walking slowly and staring at Jess, whom was just waiting for her to go by, so she could turn off the light.  But the lady was staring at her and saying, "Come on, bitch, come on," as the lady's boyfriend egged her on.  For some seriously demented reason, this isn't uncommon.

About an hour or so later, my cousin, Paige, came through.  I was all contorted when she walked by, so I did not recognize her until she said my name.  When she did, I acted quickly and ran up and grabbed her.  Luckily, there was a lot of people around to see me pick her up and pull her into the back.  The looks on the faces of the people walking by were wonderful.  I hope it sent a thought into their heads that that might happen to them, sending chills down their spine ;)

Makeup by Nicole

After that, I took it pretty easy for the rest of this easy night.  It was still nice out when we were done at 10ish.  I came home and rested up before watching the season opener of Walking Dead!  Whoa, is all I can say about that episode.

(End of 8th evening).

Well that was terrible!

Makeup by Georgi.  Snot by Zack.

Congestion was the theme of the day today!  My cold has gotten worse, and it was only going to get worse as the night progressed.  And it was a night of activity with all of the people packed into each attraction.

Our boss sent us to our spots early tonight and hoped that it would be long and late night.  I just hoped I would come out of it alive.

I started sweating profusely pretty early.  There's a little problem with the house.  If you wear too much clothing, you will be warm for the beginning of the night, but then you will sweat quicker, leaving your clothes all damp and disgusting.  However, if you wear little clothing, you risk being cold until you start sweating.  It got so bad tonight that sweat got into both my eyes, not allowing me to keep them open for too long.  I had to hide away for a few minutes just to get my bearings again.  I started to worry that all my makeup would come off and started coming up with what I could do if that indeed happened.  I came up with the idea that I would tie myself up and sit at the dining room table and just act as if I had been tortured.  Luckily, the makeup didn't come off completely.

At one point, I started contorting my body in a way that was not really that difficult, but everyone coming by either thought I was a mannequin or fascinated that I could bend like that.  Then, I would swing my entire body around to stand straight up and spooked a bunch of people.  I got called a contortionist and gymnast.  Some nice compliments for something I just figured out tonight!  I only had one complaint from a little child who said, "You're not scary!" to which I twisted around and had him jump back :).  I would say well worth the sore back, feet, legs, hands, arms, and neck!

There was some difficulty in the first room tonight, so there were a few lulls in the comings and goings of the patrons.  It was nice at one point when we had a ten minute wait, but it was unfortunate to have a continuous stream of people.  It got so packed at some points that an entire line of people would just have to stop because there was too many people walking around.

I have not had a night this enduring and exhausting since my first year at Bates.  Having a cold was worse than the actual physical ailments.  I completely lost my voice towards the end of the night and I was not even talking.  I kept clicking and flicking my body around.  I got home and could not stop shaking.  I downed some cold medicine and curled up in my bed, hoping I would wake up with no physical memory of this night.

(End of 7th evening).

Chills & chills

Makeup by Tom

Last Sunday evening, I had the night off because I had to see a play for one of my classes.  But at night, I went to Eastern State Penitentiary's Terror Behind the Walls.  Eastern State will always have a little place in my heart because it was the first haunted attraction I went to on my own and went with my good friend, Colin, whom also works at Bates with me.  The anticipation of waiting to actually get into the attraction frightened me.  Then, when we were going through, I couldn't believe the sets and how intricate they were.  The actors all made me smile because they were so silly with all their characters and schticks.  The longer I went into it, the more I fell in love with it.  Thus my fascination with haunted attractions began.

I try to tell myself anytime that I'm not happy with going to work at night that I get to scare people at night and that I have one of the greatest jobs.  Yet, I woke up this morning with some congestion that transitioned into a head cold during the night.  YAY!  I tried not to pay attention to it, but boy, is it cold out there on the farm, and especially when you're not feeling well, it all seems magnified.  As soon as I got my makeup tonight, I went to my car and grabbed my clothes and changed in the house because the wind was just a nuisance.

I don't think I spoke any words at all tonight.  I just growled and laughed and moaned and hacked up nasty stuff.  I had not scared people for six days straight, so I was definitely out of it.  I wasn't even ready for the first patrons, I kinda just looked at them as they walked by.  Was not looking like it was going to be a good night.  Then, Jess, my scenemate, informed me her family was coming through tonight.  So, there was at least something to look forward to!  Unfortunately though, they did not come until later and we're in the middle of a group.  I didn't even get a chance to spook them!

I've started reaching out behind the corner of the wall and putting my hand in front of people's faces to get them unexpectedly because a lot of people like to point my little head out creeping around the corner.  There was a particular scare tonight, which was fun.  Three ladies were entering my room and one of them entered with the other two cowering behind.  But there was a gap between the one lady and the two others, so I separated them even more and had the one lady walk to the other scene as I stalked her the whole way.  Good times.

There are a bunch of little kids who come through and either imitate my actions or say "Are you eating the wall?!?  You're a dumbass!"  Do your hear yourself, kid?  I got very fired up at one of these kids tonight and wanted to stalk him out, but he was already scurrying out of the scene like the little squirrel he was.  So, I had the skull in my hand and I just started laughing and banging it against the wall.  I didn't realize how disturbing this image was until someone pointed it out later in the night.  Hooray!  Unfortunately though, the skull's jaw fell of and there's a big dent in the top.  I don't know how much longer she'll last.

Makeup by Tom

I don't know if it was the cold or the cold that affected my head, but I had no concept of time tonight.  So, when Joe came around and told me it was 9 o'clock, I was delighted!  Much later than I expected.  It was yet another early evening for a weekend at Bates.  No complaining there!

(End of 6th evening).

Back in action!

Makeup by Jenna

During the day, it was my hometown's celebration for being a town.  Congratulations Havertown!  I went to the festivities for just a brief moment.  It's always odd going out in public when you know you're going back to the farm at night to act ridiculous.  And then, especially when you look a little off with a mohawk.

The mohawk has no other significance for my scene other than it makes me look a little more absurd than I already do with all the makeup on my face.  Yet, I'm not the only one at the farm to have done it this year.  It helps a little with the insanity factor.

Another swift start tonight.  This time, we were informed that the French nannies would be coming through.  They come through every year and also come dressed in Halloween outfits.  They're always fun to scare and well, fun to look at, as well ;)

French nannies aside, it was actually a nice night for frights.  Before tonight, it had felt a little uncomfortable and more like a job, but now, it's feeling more like an opportunity to act, to go crazy, to let out all of the negative feelings anyone can feel in a day through creeping and crawling around people.  At one point, my scene partner, Jess, turned to me and said, "I love this job."  When the activity started to pick up a bit more, someone got so scared that they knocked one of the skulls down from the wall.  Immediately, I picked it up because I didn't want anyone tripping over it, but then it became a nice prop and now I talk like pubescent British mama's boy to most people entering the room.  Also, I found out I can only maniacally laugh like either Voldemort after he announces he's killed Harry or Bubble Bass, the food critic from Spongebob.  I think I'll stick to the talking.

I'll try to recount some of the memorable quotes that patrons like to share with me.  It's amazing what people do and say when they think no one is watching.  One nice gentleman of about 40 years said, "You're not scary.  You suck at this.  You should get a new career."  I apologize, brave sir, I am just not good enough for you, but let me educate you a little bit.  Yes, we try to be the scariest possible haunted attraction, but we are limited by the regulations set forth due to the sue-happy American public.  And we are also human.  We can't be there at the right moment to frighten or entertain each and every individual.  If you really want to be terrified for your life, then invite one of the actors into your home after hours.

Makeup by Jenna

Nearing the end of the night, I just wanted to be done.  I was getting cold because all of the sweat had stuck to my clothes and the two places I hide are right next to open doors that let all that cool air in.  And surprisingly, one of the break actresses came around and say last wagon was already in the woods.  I'm starting to like the earlier endings, but I know for sure this will not always be the case.

(End of 5th evening).

Hot in hurr

Makeup by Amy

It has been an odd week temperature-wise.  It's October, yet it was T-shirt weather the past few days. Not sweater weather, not cool.  I was already sweating a little bit on the way to the farm tonight.  I'm already a sweat hog to begin with, so it was not going to be a comfortable night of frights.

Latex on mah face tonight!  Check it out.  I only had latex done once last year and it was smaller and less obtrusive.  When Amy was applying the adhesive tonight, my eyes started watering like a little batch.  I don't know what particularly made them water, but as you can see, it was all over the one side of my face.

We started just on time tonight.  I brought jerky and an energy drink with me.  We started with the sun still out.  Which isn't ideal, at all, but understandable for running a business.  It just makes it all less frightening when you can actually see everyone creeping around corners.  It's as if the patrons feel comfortable, and who wants that?

I've gotten this contortion mannerism down where I hold my head upside down around the corner of a wall, so the patrons only see half of my face.  As they come in, I turn my head, so I'm watching them and suddenly, twist my head around and stand as tall as I possibly can.  It's either scared the crap out of people or just unnerved people.  It's quite fun, but I will be needing a neck massage every few days or so.

Between 7 and 8, Joe came around asked how I was doing, but then told me to pace myself because it is going to be a long night.  But, I didn't want to pace myself!  So, I kept going for it and we got one taste of the congo line tonight.  That's when the person at the door just opens the front door and lets everyone in line file through.  It's extremely exhausting and not entirely enjoyable for anybody, but it kills the line and saves us some time.  Other times, we just get lines due to one group that waits before entering every room because they're too frightened.  Lines suck.

There were some nice scares with the contortion action this evening.  There was one particular scare that just confused me.  There was this semi-big guy at the door to my room.  I was peeking around the corner.  He was yelling, "I see you, I see you" at me.  Then, he had his hand on the door knob and was making the move as if he was going to jump in.  He proceeded to come in, I started to twist my head.  I jolted up and then, he came right in as I came up, grabbing my head and pulling me around a little bit.  He let go and I stared at him.    And that was that.  It was an odd interaction.  He wasn't a dick.  He was probably drunk, but not looking for a fight.  I had no idea what to make of it.

Makeup by Amy

When the ticket shed closed, everyone could tell it was dead and it was going to be an early night.  Nice little surprise.  I had still downed half of that energy drink.  A lot of energy.  Dumb idea, I just wanted to get my sweaty clothes off.  So, I just drove straight home, ripped my latex off, and got into my comfy clothes.

(End of 4th evening).  

Home

Makeup by Rob

I got to the farm with plenty time to spare today.  My makeup just keeps getting better and better.  I got mud in my hair tonight and blacked my stupid teeth.  I didn't realize how creepy I looked until I got home at the end of the night.

I changed my wardrobe in my scene because we have two mirrors in our hallway.  It's starting to feel a little like a home.  I've got a creepy little brother in the closet with a butcher knife and chopped up rabbit.  My darling partner in scares comes out of the wall.  There's a quaint dining room table that I like to sit at and just rock back and forth.  Also, the motel itself is very intimate.  You come to know the people in the scenes around you better, as opposed to the other attractions, and there are always break actors and pushers coming through to check up on you.  Oddly enough, in a house of horrors, you feel loved.  The only drawback is the fact that we are the first attraction to open at the farm and then the last to close.  If anything, this makes us closer.  We're all agonizing together.

Tonight was a slow, but decent night.  We had a little bit of each stereotypical person that comes through tonight.  The moms, the little kids, the big, black guys, the group of gay guys, the drunken fools, and as always, the jerks.  The actors coming through our scene always had a person set up to scare for us.  It was like a little gift every time!  Sometimes, they'd know their name.  Other times, they just knew they would flip out.  But by the end of the night, there were very few people trickling through and it started to be absolutely dead.  When a group would come in, I would want to follow them all the way to the next scene, just to keep myself from dying of boredom.

After work tonight, I stopped by the local Wawa to get some gas.  Apparently, one of the workers there did not know about us.  So, one of the other actors had come up to the register, with makeup still on.  The cashier had her back turned to him and then she turned around and was frightened.  I don't know exactly how the cashier reacted, but even when I was being helped by her, you could sense her uncomfortable demeanor.

I returned home and got into my comfy clothes.  One of the best feelings in the world, and I truly mean it, is washing your makeup off, drying your face and head, getting into comfy clothes and just relaxing.  And  luckily for me, Gladiator was on.  Perfect end to this frights-full evening.

Well, I would say opening weekend went pretty well!  See you next weekend!

(End of 3rd evening).