Universal Halloween Horror Nights...

The Haunting continues!!

Last Sat I joined the crew for what's becoming our annual trip to Universal Studios Horror Nights.

Taylor and I decided to arrive much earlier than need be since Obama was apparently visiting LA, the Dodgers Playoffs were happening and there were news outlets actually warning you that October 10th 2015 was not a good day to drive in LA.  Oh - and it was also 104 degrees!  YAY!

Luckily we got up there not too much longer than a normal nasty LA traffic day would have been, parked in preferred (Thank you Taylor) and headed in!

Most of my pictures here are "selfies" since my camera phone sucks at taking night shots but I'll throw in some fun internet pics as well.

We parked in Frankenstein.   Oh and FYI - Taylor did a glorious trip/dance/almost eat shit moment right before this picture.  Epic.

I also took this so I would remember where we parked

We made it!

I'm not very good at selfies

Rodeo Clown anyone?

We found a photo booth that was free so of course we partook.

We look so nice!

This is my favorite!

Since it was so bloody hot, we decided to just park it in a bar with air conditioning and wait for our meet time with the rest of the group.

Hard Rock Cafe was the winner and boy was it!  The Cubbie game was on and our bartender was fantastic!

Best way to beat the heat

We just snacked and drank there for a while watching the Cubbies kick ass and enjoying this drunk girl harassing other patrons.  The people next to her were also Cub fans.  We would air high five often.

Entertainment

About 4:45 was time to join the crew at Karl Strauss Brewery.  YAY!!!  Jay of course brought us the most darling little gifts.  They came in Muertos bags that you can color!  I'm about half way done coloring it!  The bag was full of little Halloween goodies that have made their way into my current decor at the caboose.

We had decided to do Early Arrival which gets you in the gates a bit earlier.  The only downfall is you miss the Opening Scare-A-Mony.  We didn't realize that, but oh well.  We're here!  Not only did the Shocks join us but our dear friend Eric from NYC is here too!  Yay!!!

Yay!

Love the Shock boys!

We decided to hit the Halloween Maze first.

It was a bit bizzare doing it when it was still light out, but I really got to see the detail they put in!  The house looked straight out of the movie including family pictures on the walls!  It was really well done.  There were also a couple of scenes being acted out rather than having monsters jump out at you.  Very cool!

After this we took a moment to enjoy the view as the sun went down.

So lovely

Sooooo happy Eric was here this year!

Love this man to pieces!

Our crew!  Blurry but happy!

Now I may be out of order, but I'm going to do my best.

I believe our next venture was Insidious.  Very cool.  Lots of black veiled ladies jumping out at ya!

Took of the web

This had put us downstairs.  So since it was a trillion degrees out, we hit the Jurassic Park Ride.  That drop always takes my breath away!

Web

Then everyone went on the The Mummy ride and I was the mom that held everyone's crap.  I love people watching though!

Getting fresh with a mummy

After this the crew wanted to hit Transformers Ride.  Another one I have to skip.  Danny also shares a bit of motion sickies with me, so he and I both skipped that one.  This gave me a chance to buy some light up head things!  You know how much I love my blinky light shit!

I have new blinky headband!

After this we took quite a walk and then a tram out to an area where a few mazes were.  It was super cool!  The tram of course "broke down" and we got out and walked through an area where monsters and soldiers were scaring you.  It was really neat to walk through the huge sets of buildings.  Totally felt like you were in a movie!  I actually would have loved to stay down there a little longer.


Crimson Peak was down here.  This was my favorite!  It was so pretty!!!

Web

Lots of red monsters coming at ya!  The set was just absolutely gorgeous!  Def a favorite!!  I also got my only scare here!!  I totally fell for a mirror trick.  I was looking up close to see the picture that changed shapes and bam - one of the above read gals jumped out at me!  Nicely done!

The Alien vs Predator was down here as well I believe.  Always a favorite.

Universal Studios Pic

When you walk through the "wilderness" the sounds are so creepy!  I love it!!

Sometime around here we also went on This is the End maze.  This was pretty funny!

Web

This was a lot of fun.  They did it pretty much straight out of the movie.  There were a lot of look a like actors portraying the actors from the film.  I swear the little gal playing Emma Watson was her!  They had a few scenes they acted out which was neat and a little different.  The monsters above were all throughout.  I loved them!  It was in 3-D too, so lots of fun effects.

The Walking Dead maze happened somewhere around here.

Web

This had a lot of references to the latest season 5.  Terminus folks, the wolves.  Very cool!

Around now I believe is when we caught the Jabbawockeeze 10:30pm show.  I was super excited when I found out they were performing at Horror Nights!  I saw them way back when they won the 1st America's Best Dance Crew show.  It was right when that style of dance was 1st coming out.  What I also love about them is they are really theatrical.  Kind of like super cool hip hop mimes!  We got front row seats and they put on a really great show!  Even got to high five a few of them a few times!!

Ssqqquuueeeaaaa!

After we hit all the mazes all we had left was the Terror Tram!  This year they set it up after The Purge movies.  Super fun!

There was even a super peppy newscaster gal welcoming you to the "Purge Party".  You then walked through the area where the Pyscho house is and all the plane rubble.  So rad!

Universal Studios Pic

Universal Studios Pic

Really well done and lots of fun!  But get ready to walk!

After this the crew hit The Simpsons Ride and Despicable Me which Danny and I sat out.  This is always a nice time for he and I to catch up!

About now I was starting to fade.  It was almost midnight.  A couple of the crew were going to stay and hit a few more mazes again but Taylor and I were done.  We still had to drive all the way home!

This year we got Front of Line passes since they didn't offer the VIP like they did last year, but I have to say - it was still rad!  I missed our little VIP buffet and area, but the front of the line was bomb.  I would never hit this without Front of Line.  The lines are INSANE!  We never waited more than 15-20 minutes at most and usually just walked right in.  The regular lines were so long and it was so hot!  Lord.

We had a fantastic time as always!  A huge thank you to Jay who makes this happen and makes it so special!  It's such a true joy to play around these fun Haunts with people who love them as much as I do!  This is one of my favorite times of year and I wouldn't get to do nearly all the fun stuff I do if it wasn't for Jay! 

Horror Nights was for sure another super fun night filled with great friends, spooks and fun!

Fullerton Haunted Walking Tour

So this sounded interesting!  Plus my friend Suzanne was the tour guide - so - let's do it!

My friend Megan from work and I signed up for September 30th for the Tour which was perfect since it was a tiny group.  They get super big in October, but we got a slow night.

We start out at Fullerton Museum and listen to the North Orange County Paranormal Society dudes chat for a bit.  They show us evidence of paranormal activity, etc.

Notice the creepy doll

Now, let me tell you, I don't totally believe in this shit and I don't totally not believe.  I'm sort of in the middle.  I do believe there are all kinds of energies and entities and what not out there but so many people push it to the point of lame.  I get really really irritated with people who obviously do this kind of stuff for attention.  "Oh, I sense a presence!"  "Oh I can feel something"  "Oh I need to rest because feeling all my magical unicorn powers has exhausted me". 

Really?

Shut the hell up.

But there are folks out there who are super laid back about it and these guys were just that.  The explained that they do everything they can to prove stuff scientific.  They also don't freak out and do the "Oooooooo!!!" crap.  They just show you and explain what they saw/heard.  They showed us a few clips here at the museum that were interesting.  A blob of light in a room, some voices unexplained, etc.

Then we were introduced to a medium.  These people are usually so over dramatic I just want to scream.  She was a tad, but actually not nearly as bad as most of them.  What I did appreciate, was she explained how it's not about seeing a ghost or a figure or something huge.  It's usually just little oddities that you most likely would just write off.  Funny thing - this shit happens to me  ALL THE TIME!  I've had plenty unexplainable things happen.  I just never make a big deal out of it.  I think I'll write a separate blog later about all the weird stuff that's happened.  Could be fun!

Anyway - moving on.

So - we head out with Suzanne she starts filling us in on a lot of the history of Fullerton.  How it started.  How Charles C. Chapman was Fullerton's 1st mayor and by the way is related to Johnny Appleseed.  Megan and I giggled figuring we should know this stuff since we work at Chapman.

Suzanne carried with her an iPad and would show us old photos of the city which were super cool!  She pointed out the 1st building Charles Chapman built - The Chapman Building and how it was the tallest in the county for like 3 weeks.

Our 1st stop on the tour was Angelo Da Vinci.  I love this place!

It's super kitschy and has a rad charm to it.  Plus the food is yum!  Suzanne told us about the place used to be where the first Farmers Market was.  Then Steven Peck turned it into this.  He apparently passed away and his wife Cynthia took over running the place.  One day there was a large crash sound.  Only one family was in the restaurant and said no one was around - they all looked behind the bar and there were 3 bottles of Tequila sitting on the ground as if someone picked them up and placed them there.  They were Steven's favorite drink!  Ooooooo spooky!!!!

We headed in and upstairs which I actually had never been.  So cool!

This was arch apparently from the original market (sans the masks of course)

Then we headed up to the 3rd floor where the NOPS dudes were waiting.

1st of all it's rad up here!!  It's like a little fairy house or something.  Anyway - they showed us some more incidents that happened there in the restaurant.  There was a tragic child death on the grounds years ago.  The played for us some audio and there was this very distinct childs laughter.  Not going to lie - that one gave me goosebumps!

Later we trekked down to the basement.  So rad!

It maybe too dark but that's a giant mannequin leg just hanging form the ceiling.

Megan is glowing

Then we went off to Le Potager.  This had one of my favorite stories.  There was this well known woman - Lillian Yeager.  She was rad.  Like one of our first feminists it sounds like.  Anywhoo she moved into this place which is now

First of all the place is darling - I must bring my mother back here!

So we go in and the guy who owns it is there and tells us many stories of incidents that have happened in the store.  Lillian died in the house and it's said her spirit still remains.  My favorite tale was he said he always turns off some lamp, well the next day he came in and it was on.  There was a little tag leaning up against it.  Nothing like they'd ever seen before.  They picked up and wow - look!

The numbers are also the date she died.  What!  Either a rad party trick or spooky tale!  What do you think?  That was neat!  Then he told us about his store partner whom loved to buy Fullerton High School crap for her sons.  She went on ebay and found this awesome vintage pillow - well when you flip it over:

What!!!!  Look at that!  We then got to explore the whole place, wander around upstairs and see everything.  One of the rooms made me feel very disoriented by I swear it was how it was built.  The medium thinks I may have felt something.  Who knows.  The place is adorable, smells of old musk.  I love it!  I will def be bringing my mom back to check it out.  I giggled to myself and rolled my eyes when one of the guests was saying how the smell must be from the other world.  I was like kid - it's an old fucking house.  It smells like one.  Lord.  Earlier his mother had mentioned that she always smells things from the other side.  Especially skunk.  Even the medium raised her eyebrows.  Really lady?  Skunk?  It's probably a skunk!  Sigh.  Sometimes the fellow patrons are as entertaining as the tour.

Of we now went to the Fox Theatre.  I friggin love this place.  Now I've been in here before.  We actually got to rehearse here a while back.  So rad!

The place is in the process of a very long restoration process.  It's super old and super dusty/musky.  I actually had a hard time breathing.  Apparently that could be the spirits fucking with me.  Ooooooo!  It's so beautiful!  The NOPS boys were there again and sharing stories of incidents.  The medium chick also shared some things that happened when her and her medium friends were doing seances.  Well duh - if you do a seance you're going to anger the spirits!  Very cool stories.

After that we finished off in the courtyard where Cafe Hildago and Brownstone are.  Suzanne filled us in on some pretty freaky stories that happened in the courtyard.  Another that gave me goosebumps.  And that was the end of the tour!

We got a free drink voucher - um rad! - at Cafe Hildago.  So Megan and I opted to eat as well.  Everyone had bailed except the NOPS boys, Suzanne and Megan and I.  Megan and I chatted over delicious cerviche, calamari, quesadillas and sangrias.  Suzanne was bouncing back and forth chatting with us and the boys and some other gal.

Best tour guide eva!

Why this is blurry I don't know...

I wish we had actually popped over and talked to the boys more, but it was getting late.  As we left they asked if we've ever had anything happen.  I said "Oh all the time!"  "Why didn't you tell us!?"  they said.  "I don't want to be one of those people" I said laughing.  They still want to know so I said maybe I'll join one of the after tour bar sessions another time.  It would be fun to share all the weird freaking things that have happened to me and get their take on it.

All in all the evening was a blast!  I loved learning all the history, hearing all the spook stories and wandering around on a beautiful warm evening!  All the buildings we explored were so interesting and cool!  Suzanne is fantastic at what she does.  Full of information and keeps things moving!  Definitely check it out if you're looking for history, haunts or both!

Brain is still spinning...

SO this blog is just a spew of stuff, rambles of the mind, long tidbits I suppose?  Maybe it's because I'm currently reading Charles Bukowski.  Maybe it's because I get more forgetful and I want to remember.  Or just share - I mean you're reading it right?  Here we go!

I went and saw my friend Alexander in Caberet over at Stages a couple of weeks ago.  He was our Rosencrans in Slings and Arrows.  We ended up sitting at a Caberet Table right next to the stage so we ended up being a bit of part of the show.  I wasn't prepared for that so I found myself a bit uncomfortable trying to not slouch or look like a dork.  I'm not a huge musical fan but I do usually enjoy this one.  Here's me at our little table with my champagne:

Photo by Brenda

Brenda, Rick and I had gone to dinner earlier and shared a bottle of wine - well Rick and I shared it. Had a perfectly lovely evening with two of my favorite people.  Then we ran into Jill at the show who also sat at our little table.  So pretty much an S&A reunion!  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the show!  The last few productions I've seen over at Stages have not been that great so my expectations were a bit low.  Well Caberet exceeded them!  Our friend was just lovely as the Emcee - here is a shot from the show:

Great shot!

All the little kit kat girls were darling.  The cast was really great!  I did forget how sad the show actually is and was quite touched by the end.  But good job Stages Crew!

I tried again to do some crafting.  I'm attempting to play with photos on canvas and multi media type stuff but nothing is coming out to my liking.  I'm getting super frustrated.  I made a bunch more magnets since that's the only thing I can seem to actually craft but even they are getting all screwy.  The only good part was this adorable photo of Tweaks.  Everytime I set a new paper down she moved to sit on it.

Whut?

Let's talk tattoos.  So I already have one.  It was my 30th birthday present to me from my brother.  My brother is covered.  I like to call him a walking coloring board.  I had always wanted to get one, to see what it's like, to get something meaningful, etc.  Well 10 years ago I did just that.  I was really into astrological stuff back then so I wanted to get a small dragon holding a Pisces symbol.  I'm a Pisces Dragon if you didn't just get that.  One of Shane's artists drew up an original, much larger than I was planning but also much cooler.  He said this way it looked less like a tramp stamp! Ha! OK.  Let's do it!  I remember straddling a chair in the hot afternoon in the little parlor in Seal Beach.  Jason & Shane had shared a few beers (Me wondering if that was a good thing) and we began.  Slayer playing in the background.  I watched another guy getting tattooed in front of me and blood was dripping down his leg.  Yikes!  But Jason said I didn't bleed much at all.  He said I had the perfect skin to tattoo.  It took about 3 hours.  We took a break in between.  When we were all done they told me this type of tattoo is usually done in 2 sittings!  Shane had said I could handle it in one and not to tell me.  Well there ya go. 

It's a bit tough to take a picture of your back but here's what it looks like today:

After my 2012 death dance, I've been wanting to get a tattoo of a Phoenix to symbolize what I went through.  Problem is - Jason moved to Norway.  It will also be pretty expensive.  So - I've been just sort of thinking about it.  When my Papa passed in 2013 I wanted to do something special for him.  I thought a tribute tattoo would be perfect!  I had an idea after seeing the fire helmet on his headstone and started looking for an artist.  I figured if I found one who did the tribute tattoo well I'd go back to them for my eventual much more expensive, much more involved Phoenix.  I procrastinated like the best of them and finally said to myself  - DO IT!  I think it's also part of everything I'm going through (I'm trying to just do stuff and not think about doing it).  So  - Tisha Tattooing was who I landed on.  Jody had referred me to her and I come to find out she tats my brothers ex.  Shane agreed to go with me for support.  I had forgotten what it felt like since it's been so long.  Well - it don't feel good.  The best part of the day was chatting with Shane the whole time.  We rarely get to spend one on one bro sis time so that was rad.  He also took this picture and said he enjoyed watching me squirm.

The shading fucking hurts!

But I love it.  It came out beautiful and I'm so happy to have something now that means so much in honor of my Papa.  Everytime I look at it I think of him. 

Love and miss you every day!

Here's a picture I was trying to take to show the placement of my 2 tattoos.

Yes.  Me in my panties.

I really feel tattoos are a special unique way to express yourself.  I know a lot of people get them now, but I see them more for trendy reasons rather than meaningful ones.  I read a really interesting book called Skin Deep by Karol Griffin.  It's mainly about her life, but she's a tattoo artist and when she talks about tattooing it's so beautiful.  The art of trust that you as the artist and the person getting the tattoo share.  The creative artistry that comes with tattooing.  It's really fascinating.  I'm sure more are coming on this body, but it'll be a bit.

One of my dear friends got married a few weeks ago.  I couldn't be there since it was in Ohio and I can't fly, but some of my friends went and kept texting me pictures.  I love them.

This was the first one I got.  Said "We miss you!".  The groom to be is the angry bald guy on the end. 

They went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and said they found my band

Pre-wedding photo.  Love these assholes.

Shot from the wedding

So wish I could have been there!

Speaking of weddings, last weekend was the weekend of getting hit with engagement announcements.  I went to lunch with Dad, Sumi and his daughter Kati.  Kati who I used to babysit.  I've already been to her older sisters wedding - well guess whose engaged.  Yup - Miss Kati.  That night I went to see my beautiful friend Shannon sing at The Olde Ship in Santa Ana.

Shan singing with South Coast Jazz Project - Awesome musicians!

Her and I have been trying to get together to catch up and it just hasn't happened.  I had yet to meet her live in boyfriend and finally met him that night.  Then about fell off my barstool when he referred to Shan as his fiance.  What?!  Both my dad and Amber who were there with me also were a bit thrown.  Leave it to Shan - no official announcement.  So stoked though!  Can't wait to get to know the guys better.  Then the next night I met up with my friend Lisa whom I traveled to Calistoga a few months ago with.  Guess who popped the question to her on his big 50th birthday party.  So there you have it!  Three more of my friends getting married off.  So happy for all three of them.    I'm also hitting up a baby shower later this month for this beauty:

Seriously like one of the most gorgeous couples I know. 

It's going to be Halloween Themed.  So very excited for that!

But of course, as happy as I am for these awesome friends it sure makes me feel like I'm becoming the odd man out.  Making plans with friends is getting harder and harder.  People have lives with their families and significant others.  I get cancelled on all the time with a "kid" emergency or a spouse screwing up a calendar.  Which I complexly understand. I try to plan months in advance with friends so we can fit me in amongst the hubby/boyfriend/fiance time, the soccer games, the school projects, etc etc.  I mean I totally get it. I do.  It just get's tough sometimes.

I'm at a very strange crossroads in my life right now it seems.  The problem is I have no idea which direction to go.  My creativity is stifled.  I'm not feeling motivated, inspired, anything.  I'm trying. I know it's good to just keep doing it no matter what, which I do, but more often than not I hate the outcome.  I don't feel "good" at anything.  I'm lonely.  It's true.  No I can't tell you if I indeed want a man in my life and/or a family because I just don't fucking know.  I go back and forth too much on yes I want a family and a man to no I like being alone and like my own space LIKE ALL THE TIME.  So I don't know.

I know I just need to ride it out.  I really hope that's all.  This funk seems to be lasting much longer than anything recent and I think that's what's also driving me a bit nuts.  But - I'm still meal prepping with T.  I'm still getting up an hour earlier to do my new morning ritual of journaling, stretching, etc.  I still work out regularly.  I'm still doing the crafts even if they suck.  I'm still trying to give myself little projects to do.  Even if they are as silly as my photo blog which I'm now doing a little 100 days of happiness thing.  You can find that here.  So I'm not hopeless.  I'm not not doing anything.  I'm just baffled.  In the meantime I'm going to just keep trying new shit.  Something will take right?  I will have my first epiphany right?

I almost didn't want to post this blog because I feel it's on the negative side, but I'm going to anyway.  Maybe it'll bring out some answers.  Maybe it'll help someone else not feel so alone.  Maybe no one reads my stuff anymore and I'm just typing out loud to cyberspace.  Hopefully soon my brain will focus and I will say "THAT'S IT!"  

For now I'm going to really try to stop worrying/over thinking/analyzing every goddamn thing.  Back to regular meditation.  Back to trying to teach myself to live in the moment.  I'll report back :)