The Calico Ghost Walk

Okay, first off, this was something that just honestly couldn't match expectations. I had built them up too high. That being said, it was still fun.

The Calico Ghost Walk had retired, but was brought back for the Halloween weekend. Small groups of around 25-30 people were led on a tour in which the real history of the town was explained, along with reported sightings/encounters of ghosts where they were actually reported. So we walked about town for about an hour and a half, listening to ghost stories. Pretty cool.

We weren't allowed to take flash photography, which really sucked. Maybe as many as half of my photos came out simply flat black. The rest just got the lights that were still on.

So did we see anything? Maybe.

Okay, so at the top of the town, across a bridge, is the school house. Supposedly one of the more haunted places in the town. A few kids (one little girl died there, hit her head on a rock) and even a teacher are supposed to be there. We were there for a bit and I looked back across the bridge to the top of town. There, at what turned out to be a drinking fountain but looked like a box, was the shape of a man, tall, well built, wearing a hat (something like a cowboy hat, but with a smaller brim, like a derby or something) and the distinct impression he was looking at me. My first thought was wow, I saw something! and get a picture. Then I began to think no, it's just a Halloween decoration, that's all. So after several long moments, I tried to get Amanda's attention to see what she could see. But it was gone.

The big problem? One of the dumbasses in our group decided to leave the group and walk back to the water fountain. He and his wife were so big and out of shape they literally couldn't stand for more than a few minutes at a time; they sat down everywhere we went. So it's probable that I actually saw this dumbass at the water fountain. I'm just not sure; what I saw was taller, thinnner and wearing a hat. The dumbass was average height, fat and not wearing a hat. No one in our group was wearing a hat. So I'm left conflicted.

Did Amanda experience anything? Perhaps. At one point walking back, she thought she saw a shadow pass across one of the windows in one of the buildings, but as soon as she tried to focus on it, someone in our group walked past her line of sight and it was gone. At the school house, she thought she saw shadows on the roof, but again, it might have been nothing. That was the location that did give her a bit of the creeps though. And finally, that's the only spot where baby Lorelai reacted. Quiet for hours before and quiet afterwards, she started kicking and whatnot only at the schoolhouse. Kinda strange.

Would I do it again, at Calico or another ghost walk? Sure. Do I want to hunt ghosts for real now? Hell yeah.

Philosophy of the supernatural

Tonight, in about an hour in fact, we leave to go for a Ghost Walk at the Calico Ghost Town. So I've been thinking about what are ghosts and do I really believe in them?

I love Ghost Hunters and various paranormal documentaries are fascinating to watch. But what exactly are they finding when they come across evidence that appears to indicate ghosts?

I've decided that what we call ghosts, spirits, demon, etc., are essentially an ignorant shorthand for something that we have no current way of explaining. Five hundred years ago, it was believed we were ruled by four humours and when they were out of wack, everything from moods to disease and death could be caused. Turns out to not be that far off the truth; when hormones are out of wack, it can create all sorts of issues. Core idea was right, it just needed more scientific evidence and explanation.

Same thing for ghosts I think. I'm not sold of them being the spirits of those that are still hanging around. It's possible, I suppose, for a being to potentially leave behind some kind of energy that might equate as a ghost. Hell, maybe it's a life form in a parallel dimension or some damn thing. I don't know.

I guess I'm an agnostic skeptic that wants to believe.

Nerd King!!!

Got this from the Mullet's livejournal and couldn't resist...I do partially disagree with it though...I fancy myself as a geek, not a nerd. But hey, at least it says I'm a king!

The SoCal Firestorm

Woah. As of the moment I write this, CNN is reporting that over half a million people have been evacuated from their homes because of the fires burning pretty much out of control across Southern California. Over a thousand homes destroyed and over a hundred other structures. Two dead, unknown numbers injured from flame or more likely, smoke.

It's a tragedy on a scale we haven't had in SoCal probably since the Northridge quake, and that was over a decade ago. I fell terrible for these people that have lost their homes, perhaps their jobs, perhaps everything but the clothes on their backs.

I'm pretty sure where I live is pretty safe for now. And really, given 30 minutes, I could get my computer, our important papers, our significant valuables, enough clothes to last us a while and our cats packed up and we could be gone. We'd lose a lot. Of course. But we'd have what is important. Maybe we need to get some kind of lock box to just store our important papers and other items. Don't know.

I'm going to have to see if there is something we can't do here at school, mobilize the community in some way.

Haven't done a LOLcat in a while...and this kitten is just too cute!

Bladerunner: Final Cut

Awesome.

First of all, it's always great to watch movies on the big screen. Even with bigger and better televisions, they still can't beat, let alone compare, to the granduer of the big screen. The silver screen is just so all-encompassing, so immersive. Then add in digital projection and digital sound? Wow. Even Amanda, who doesn't like Bladerunner much, was impressed with how it looked because of the digital projection.

So for the birthday, I took the day off work. I nearly always do that as my own present to myself. We then drove down to West L.A. to the Landmark theatre (very nice by the way) to see Bladerunner with about, oh, a dozen or so other people. Not packed at all on a Monday afternoon. Apparently showings are sold out or nearly sold out in both L.A. and New York on the weekends.

Anyway, the film itself isn't radically different from what you have probably seen anyway. Especially if you've seen the so-called Director's Cut (which Ridley Scott had really nothing to do with) that was released in I believe it was 1992. I own that version on DVD and saw it on the big screen too back in college.

There are some nice little additions and trims and basically it just runs a little better. The effects are cleaned up without being changed like another science fiction director has been known to do...*cough*lucas*cough*...

Really, this film is really only for the hardcore fans of the film, to give us one last chance to see our favorite movie on the big screen. So if Bladerunner is in your Top 10, you need to get down to West L.A. before the end of the month to see it. If not, well, you needn't worry right?

35th annual Knott's Scary Farm

The 35th Knott's Scary Farm showed again why they are the biggest and the best.

Things had been down the last couple of years, but they really picked it up this year. Given my wife's pregnancy (27th week right now, beginning of the third trimester), we knew we would have to take it slow and probably leave early, but we were just glad to go, perhaps, one last time for a while.

We began, as is our habit, with the annual stuffing of the gut at the Pre-Scare Buffet. Seriously, 12.95 to eat as much of their famed fried chicken and drink as much of their boysenberry punch? Yes, please! Several scare-actors wandered over to do their thing and we actually talked with them briefly, telling them we were haunt veterans and that we appreciated what they did. That seemed to go over really well, as they both saw us and recognized us later that night in the park. One of them also revealed that Saturday night was a sellout (40,000 people, or about) but tonight should be nice as only 16,000 were projected. It pays to go on a Sunday.

We walk into the park about 6:20 or so and they are just wide open. I'm feeling too stuffed to hit Ghostrider, but for some reason, Silver Bullet sounds okay...nearly paid for that one. By the time I got off the ride, Knott's had begun letting other people in, so we hustled over to the mine car ride...I mean, Black Widow's Cavern. I haven't been happy with the mine care for 3-4 years, but I was very impressed with the strong retheming this year. A number of animitronic spiders, the giant spider in the glory hole, it all worked. And I don't like spiders. So haunt began strongly and we had high hopes for the rest of the night.

Pyromaniax was something of a let down after Black Widows' Cavern. No theming in the line or the boarding station. Inside, some generic industrial music, some "mutant firefighters," flashing red lights and some animatronic crashed helicopters. Where's the fire? Even fake fire? It's called Pyromaniax, right? Serious let down and Amanda didn't miss anything by not being able to go on it.

From there it was onto mazes. First up was Killer Klown Kollege. First of all, the entrance looked like you were walking into the bathrooms next to the Xcellerator entrance. A bit odd. The maze itself wasn't bad, but I think this clown theme has sort of played out by now. Good scare-actors, good strong theme, most of the humor was actually funny, but it just seemed slightly tired. Not good for a "new" maze.

Okay, strong start, two not so quite amazing attractions, we aren't proving Knott's dominance in this Halloween game are we? It just so happened we hit probably the two most dissapointing attractions right off the bat. It was pretty much kick-ass from there.

Next was Lost Vegas in 3-D...where we suddenly realized that we had left our 3D glasses (all four pairs!) at home. Oh well. The show must go on. The maze had been reworked some from last year and it was an improvement. All the scare-actors really brought energy to their work and really took the maze up to the next level. Some of those undead dancers were kinda gruesomely hot...and that's the kind of creep they should be shooting for in this maze.

Up next was the maze that has been my favorite the last several years, 13 Axe Murder Manor. The detailing on this maze is just incredible. Combined with excellent work from the scare-actors and once again, it's at the top of my list. I just love the Lizzie Borden meets the Haunted Mansion sort of vibe in this maze. Really great theme combined with good scare-actors combined with amazing details makes for a great maze. I hope they not only continue with this maze, but continue to make small additions and changes every year so that it continues to improve.

We had high hopes for The Doll Factory and they were mostly met. The beginning really seemed to just be recycling all the industrial sets they've used over the years. I understand the "Factory" part of the equation, but it seemed forced to me. Once we got to the dolls however...wow, they were creepy. Major kudos to the female doll scare-actors. Fantastic work from them, perhaps the best in the park. The ending in particular was really creepy, with spooky variations on "now I lay me down to sleep" being played on the speakers. I'm hoping that next year they leave out some of the factory stuff and add more creepy dolls...maybe a warehouse full of life-sized dolls?

From there we saw the "Death of Dr. Cleaver," a comedy show that actually was somewhat amusing. More than anything though, it allowed Amanda to get off her feet for a while. After every couple of mazes she had to sit down to rest for a few minutes. She probably ought not to have gone, but she wanted to go and she wanted to go for me. Gotta love her.

We had time before it was time for The Hanging, so we went to Red Beard's Revenge. I love pirates and this maze has awesome potential...but it never has seemed to live up to it for some reason. I really don't know why. Solid design, good details, good scare-actors. But there's something to it that just hasn't let it go to "Maze of the Year" status. And that's just too bad.

After that was The Hanging. Not as good this year. Every year, there are a few jokes that we just don't get because we are too old essentially. Nothing different this year. Last year, they went away from the comedy somewhat and made the show darker and I liked it. Not so this year, back to the full force comedy. And it just wasn't as funny. I mean, the guy they hung deserved it and all, but he wasn't the most timely choice. Not to mention, the overall "Mad Max" theme for the show. Half the people in the audience weren't even born when any of those movies came out. Poor choice there, but for all that, the show wasn't bad.

Gotta mention while I can, the extra details scattered about. The extra ambience around the park was great this year. This illusion in the undertaker's office, the dead-guy rising in the Hearst, the "ghost rider" animatronic, the various decorations were spot on this year. Excellent work there. And while I'm at it, the wandering monsters were all doing great work from what we saw. More than I would have expected for a Sunday night and they had good energy for a Sunday night.

Anyway, after The Hanging, it was off to the new Beowulf maze. Awesome. As an English teacher and as someone eagerly awaiting the movie, I was really happy to see the maze follow the movie which is following the story. Awesome Grendel's, both animatronic and costumed, best of the night. The smoke belching dragon at the end was great too. Best of all? Best scares of the night. The scare-actors really did a great job and really provided the best scares of the night.

Not much left now. We hit the venerable Lore of the Vampire and were pleasantly suprised. The maze has been one of the lamer mazes the last few years, really, since they moved to their current location. But finally they updated and rearranged the maze and it was a very pleasant suprise.

By this point, Amanda was really starting to drag. We decided to skip Dark Realm-Laser Rage and when she saw the long line for The Gudge 2, we decided to skip that also. Neither of us has seen those movies and so half the creepiness (we went last year) is lost upon us. That really only left two mazes left.

Feary Tales in 3-D was good as usual. It seemed to lose something without the 3D glasses, but still cool. I think it mixes horror, humor and just flat-out bizareness quite well.

We did kinda end on a down note; The Asylum just wasn't up to par this year. It began with the facade; it was attached directly to a corrugated steel building. Um, no. Just didn't work and broke the illusion even before you walked in. The maze itself didn't seem to work either in it's new space. Previously, the jam packed nature of it really added to the claustrophobic elements of the maze. It was just too wide open now, stretched out, and it didn't seem to work.

With that, we were done. Amanda was tired and her feet hurt and we had done everything we really wanted to. Well, aside from the Sierra Sidewinder coaster, but that'll be better when Amanda can join me on the ride anyway.

All told, improved from last year. I'd also say that even those mazes that didn't quite live up to expectations aren't beyond redemption. If Lore of the Vampire can be redeemed, maybe even killer klowns can be too. I'm very pleased to have gone and if this is it for a while, it'll be a nice set of memories to hang onto until our children are old enough to either pawn off on grandparents or even join us.

GO!

Bon Voyage, Good Luck and Godspeed

Tomorrow is my birthday and tonight is Scary Farm. But I'm depressed right now.

Last night was the bon voyage party for Eric & Lalena Hutton and their house. By next Saturday, they will be driving off to their new place in Sacramento. And last night we found out that John & Soni Barrett are leaving within weeks for North Carolina.

Now, we've known John & Soni for a few years now, but it was only recently that we started getting close to them. Mainly, I think, because they have two kids and we have one of the way. They were pretty much our only friends that had children and so were the only ones that could really understand what it's like to have a child on the way. It was going to be nice to have another couple that we could talk to, hang out with, because they could understand what it's like to be a parent.

Eric & Lalena on the other hand, I've known them for something like 8 plus years. First working with Eric, then meeting Lalena because of gaming. Both of them were in our wedding. They are both irascible sorts at times, but the despite any grumpy exteriors, they both have hearts of gold. They were the social glue that kept so many of us in touch with each other, if for no other reason than because they so often offered up their house for parties. And now that glue is gone. We've known them in gaming and we've known them outside of gaming.

And now four friends are gone.

We understand the whys. We understand their reasons. And it's not like we can disagree with them, even if it was our place to do so.

But understanding the reasons why doesn't stop the sadness of seeing our friends leave us, not knowing if we'll ever see each other again. I'm just glad I was able to hold back the tears until I had already left.

Queen Mary Haunted Shipwreck

This will be our third year in a row attending Shipwreck. We're excited! Leaving work as soon as possible, going down to Long Beach, buying the tix, going to the Yardhouse for a happy hour dinner, then going back to the Shipwreck to enjoy their mazes and the haunted ship herself...I'll say more after we've gone!

Okay, it's now the Sunday afterwards...so how was it? Very cool. Much improved over last year. They opened a half hour late, then they were letting press in to a few mazes while temporarily stopping the public from going through; which sucked and made us a bit angry. But once things got started, things got rollin'. They rearranged the mazes this year, one of which was new (the Manor of Mayhem) and another was refurbed (don't know which one). We hit Revenge of the Reaper first; good, but not great. Nice and long, but without a consistent theme as near as I could tell, which hurt the overall feel for the maze. Next was Blood of the Buccaneers, which was good. It uses the 3D effect but isn't really a 3D maze. Excellent theme; the sort of nautical theming is something that they really should utilize more considering there location. Next up, the mazes in the ship. In the past, these have sometimes been questionable; they just didn't seem to utilize their excellent space. The interior passages are crammed with nooks and crannies they never seemed to really take advantage of. Until this year. Decks of the Doomed, Corridors of Carnage and Haunted Hull of Horrors are all inside the ship and were packed with scare-actors. Then it was back outside to the House of Hallucinations, an excellent 3D maze that really relies upon nothing more than the neon 3D effect and the scare-actors. The new maze, in the dome, the Manor of Mayhem in the Dome of Doom, was very well done. The maze itself felt like an actual maze and featured several "animatronic" effects.

Shipwreck did several things very well this year. It was well staffed with lots of scare-actors packed into all sorts of spaces, several of whom really knew what they were doing, taking unusual angles and approachs to get people like me off-guard. They also made excellent use of...wait for it...darkness. Who would of thought of that? Seriously, too often scare-actors rely upon the suprise of the corner; a lot of these guys and gals were just hiding in dark spots right in front of you. The mazes are all long and confusing; any number of times you think the maze is over, but it keeps going. Not to mention when you do reach the end, it's a suprise then too.

Maze of the year for Haunted Shipwreck? Manor of Mayhem.
Most in need of improvement? Revenge of the Reaper.

Overall, I'd recomend taking a trip down to Long Beach this year to check out the Haunted Shipwreck. It's much improved not only from last year, but also from the year before (2005) and it was good that year.