halloween weekend

1.  friday, i went to kings dominion again.  we were successful this time.  we took a pretty big group too;  thirteen people in all.  they were open from 7 pm to 12 am for their annual "Halloween Haunt" festivities.  basically, they transform certain areas of the park into "scare zones" by placing fog machines, scary decor, and  creepy actors dressed up as zombies, ghouls, etc. to scare park guests.   they also transform various attractions (bumper cars, arcade, certain rides' queue lines) into themed haunted houses/mazes.  the one we visited was meant to look like a back hills' slaughter house with deranged zombie butchers wielding butchers' knives and chainsaws.  it was mildly amusing.  i even got startled at one point, when at the very end, right before the exit, a guy jumped out with a fake chainsaw.  i almost took a swing at him.  and, of course, most of the rides were open as well. 

on the way there, i realized i hadn't been in over 2 years.  i guess absence makes the heart grow fonder, because i started to get really excited (like a little kid).  i should mention that that park has a special place in my heart.  when i was thirteen, i had a really bad fear of roller coasters.  i decline to use the word phobia because that has a pathological connotation.  i can't blame it on being some kind of medical issue.  i was just a wimp.  i was always the kid who waited outside the ride exit and watched everyone else's stuff while they enjoyed themselves. 

sometime during 8th grade, i decided i had enough.  girls started to make fun of me (btw, for any 8th grade girls out there who may be reading this, not cool).  around this time, i was also really into the game "roller coaster tycoon"   for those of you who don't know, its kind of like sim city, but with amusement parks.  yes, i realize that its kind of like being really into mario brothers despite having an irrational fear of italian plumbers, but i was a weird kid.  anyway, i guess my interest in the game piqued my interest for the real thing, so i decided one day that i would conquer my fear once and for all.

i invited a friend from school, asked my dad to drive us, and went down to kings dominion that saturday.  when we got there, i immediately noticed the size of the coasters.  looking at animated depictions of roller coasters on a 17 inch computer monitor cannot do them justice.  the second thing i noticed were how loud they were.  (a small aside, i also kind of don't like loud noises.  another topic for another post.  stay tuned)  just as i started to doubt the whole thing and run back to the car however, i was pulled by my dad and friend into the line for "the grizzly."  my friend was actually really cool about the whole thing.  i had told him previously about my fear and my goal, and he totally understood that we would play it slow that day.  he was very encouraging and didn't tease me at all.  the same thing goes for my dad (who i took my first ride with.)   yes, there is nothing like having your dad next to you to calm your nerves.  anyway, the car pulled up to the station, we got in, buckled our seat belts and heard "all clear."  i was shaking as the train rolled up out of the station, onto the first hill.  i guess my dad noticed, because he grabbed on to me tightly and told me the best way to get rid of the anxiety was to scream on the way down. that helped.  as we crested the hill, with my heart pounding out of my chest, i let out the most terrified, primal, relieving screams of my life.  as soon as i got my wits about me, i realized i was enjoying myself.  needless to say, it was one of the greatest moments of my young life.  overcoming a fear and enjoying yourself while doing so.  i still remember the look on my dad's face as i told him that it was fun.  i enjoyed it so much that we rode every single other coaster in the park that day.  since then, i've been a roller coaster fiend.  i cannot get enough. ask my family.  i consider a family vacation to be a waste if we havent been to at least one amusement park during the week. 

so, on friday, as i rode some of my old favorites, all of those happy memories came back to me.  fun times.

2.  for halloween, i actually didn't have a costume planned until 6 pm that evening.  our football team had just lost to duke (leaving us with a dismal 3-5 record), so i decided to dress up as al groh, the head coach, and wear a sign on my back saying "I NEED A JOB" (cuz he sure as hell isnt staying here one more season). here's a side by side comparison.

pretty good, no?  i got a couple death threats from people that night, but as soon as i showed them my back, they got it and laughed.  the only bad thing about the night was that it started raining pretty heavily later that evening. 

other things i noticed. 

1. where the wild things are was a very popular theme.  i saw at least 2 max's and a couple 'wild things'
2. sometimes simple = best.  6 guys dressed up as tetris blocks during the football game and one by one descended the "hill" (an all grass student seating area) until they all stacked together at the bottom.  i think they won a 100 dollar prize or something. 
3.  its best to stay in, at small gatherings during halloween.  bars/clubs were packed.  literally, i could not move because people were so close together. 
4.  dressing slutty and then calling it "cute" doesnt change the fact that you look like a ho.  also, if your tube top says 3XL, try another costume.  just because they make it doesnt mean you should wear it.  you don't see oprah wearing spandex do you?   i hope you all get swine flu.

all in all, an enjoyable weekend.