Evil drop needs to be drop-KICKED

Okay correction: Cameron can sew too... he just doesn't want to. :-P And he can sew perfectly straight lines! Let's give a round of applause to the girly man! hehehe :-D

Anyway.. today I took a stab at sewing the back drops for the camp snoopy christmas show. CAN WE SAY PAIN IN THE BUTT! To make a long story short... drops are evil and should die forever and ever. >:o I don't think I've ever been this fruestrated at work in my life! I'm just glad this day is over. Hopefully next time it will be better.

Re-hire

Yesterday was the build re-hire. It was cool seeing some familiar faces waiting to apply... Vyrus, Pigeon, Panhead, and Jabberjaw to name a few, as well as some waiting to apply for the first time. I can't wait to work with those who deserve the job... this season's gonna rock! It's still up in the air who got the jobs and who didn't, so it will be fun going to work after the fourth of july and checking out the new crews.

Today was interesting at work because I got sent to help out in the props warehouse since there wasn't anything else for me to paint. I painted bombs. ROFL. :-D (note: FOAM bombs, not real ones! bwahaha) Then I was taught how to use the farm's industrial sewing machines because aside from Yolanda, we're the only two people who know how to sew on props! So I'm gonna be helping with sewing in addition to working props and paint. PHEW! Just call me the jane-of-all-trades! Maybe next I'll learn lighting. ;-) lol. So tomorrow I get to do some heavy duty sewing in a haunted room. yippe for me!

It's starting!

The first signs of Haunt build are starting to appear. A random gargoyle sitting here, maze wood being uncovered and moved over there, and rumors of someone getting their rehire card already. I'm getting more and more excited as each day goes by. Yesterday I went to see my mask maker starting on a mask for haunt. I don't have a specific character planned or anything because I don't know where I will be working this year but a couple friends and I are going to be learning how to make masks from him. I am really looking forward to it because I am always up for learning something new and making masks just sounds like such a fun thing to do. And it will be nice not having to share someone else's old icky smelly mask. lol. I think everyone is beginning to catch the Haunt excitement. There's only three more months yet and I expect any time now people will be airing out their haunt boxes and showing up for sliding practices and get togethers. The monsters are awakening from their slumber and will walk the earth again soon enough!

Back in the saddle again

Welcome to my Haunt blog. I decided to make a second blog because my other one (All the Spit and Sweat) seemed like it should be for my "normal" life outside of Haunt. Knott's Scary Farm's annual Halloween Haunt is a BIG part of my life so I decided that I needed a completely different blog devoted to it. As many of you know, I finished working at the hospital at the end of May and started back up again working at Knott's Berry Farm. I started working there a year ago as a scenic painter, then worked as a monster for the Haunt, then was placed in the Props department for strike and Christmas set up. They kept me on the books as a casual employee (WOO HOO!) so now I'm back helping out the paint department until it's time for Props to start up. Right now we're not doing any Haunt stuff yet, and a lot of the stuff we are doing I won't be able to give you much information on because of our non-disclosure of information contracts, but I still feel entitled to share my warm fuzzy feelings with you about it all. :-D

Being back at Knott's has been a total breath of fresh air for me. I enjoyed working at the hospital, but being in the sunshine and fresh air and being back around all my friends was just what I wanted. I love my job for so many reasons. The main reason I love it so much is the people there... everyone from the countless employees who always smile when we pass, the cook who always gives me tons more food than I ordered, all the way up to the head honchos in management. They make Knotts a great place to work because there is no blue collar/white collar separation... at least not to me. I am free to walk into my boss' offices and chat with them if I want to, or sometimes they sit with us at lunch. They make the place inviting. And I LOVE the entertainment crews that I work with. The carpenters are so warm and friendly.. seeing them every day makes me smile. And my coworkers on the paint crew are SO great! Dave, Vera, Tim, Joe and Carmen are never too busy to stop and help me or show me how to do something. I'll be the first person to say that I am by no means a seasoned painter, but with their help I am improving every day. I want to learn as much as I possibly can, and working with people as talented as them has helped me so much. And I can't forget my props family. I love Cameron and Yolanda soooo much, and Dave is a total sweetheart. Emily and Ryan are funny as hell. I'm really looking forward to working with them soon. Cameron has a lot in store for me. He wants me to learn sculpting and woodworking and probably a million other things. But ya know what, I'm up to the challenge. Cameron is a great guy and he loves to tease me, but I'm ready and willing to do what it takes to earn my place on props.. to prove I belong there. I'll take whatever he can throw at me with open arms! rawr... bring it on Cam! :-D

Did I mention I work at a THEME PARK?! That has to be one of the other obvious reasons why I love it there! I work in the early morning so it's incredibly relaxing walking through the park with no guests running around yelling, smelling the fresh cut grass, hearing tractors or carts in the distance, the sun peeking over the clouds. It's like being in a dream. On Monday I was walking backstage and looked up at Ghostrider.. and it dawned on me... I WORK AT A THEME PARK! It had never really sunk in because no one is there when I work and I am usually in the scene shop. How funny is that? :-) Anyway, I really enjoy being there. My bosses are friendly and treat me right and I am liked and respected. I don't think it can get much better than that.