This morning while carpooling with Delegatrix, we were (big surprise coming…) stuck in traffic on 295. Being a woman, I am used to multi-tasking and so I am not surprised by many of the things I see my fellow drivers, especially women, doing while in their cars, and while their cars are moving, I just hope that most of these women are covered by insurance4motortrade when they get into an accident.

In addition, Maryland car accident lawyer on your side is critical to your success. And there is no cost to you for our help until we win your case. Visit marylandaccident.com for more details.

• Talking on the cell phone
• Yelling at the kids in the backseat while gesturing wildly and throwing out empty threats
• Putting on makeup – yes, especially mascara, while the car is moving
• Eating
• Searching for something dropped on the passenger side floor

That list compiled, I wasn’t prepared for what I saw this morning when I happened to glance over into the right lane. A woman driving had the daily crossword puzzle neatly folded and propped up on her steering wheel. In case a road accident happens due to someone’s reckless driving, and you need Personal Injury Protection, consider the attorneys and legal help of getmejustice.com. Her simply having it there is not the thing that got my blood pressure going. It was the fact that she was doing it while driving, and that she never once looked up from the puzzle when she pressed on the gas peddle. If you ever need assistance on a car accident, click here. And this was not your stopped for several minutes in one place traffic, this was stop for 2 seconds, and then ramp up to 20-30 miles an hour traffic, stop and go, stop and go, rinse and repeat for 5 miles. You know, the type of traffic that if you’re not careful, you’re going to rear end somebody. I´m glad I had gotten my insurance already from RhinoSure just in case this lady was going to cause an accident out there. For those of you who’s face got damaged in a car accident and needed revision Rhinoplasty surgery, look for Dr. Daniel G. Becker or visit his website at therhinoplastycenter.com.

Arrgggh! And we wonder why our insurance rates are so high.

It has officially been:

• 17 days since we last played in GoatMan Hollow for a paying audience
• 11 days since the cast and crew wrap party and
• 3 days since I missed the haunt deconstruction due to a Saturday class and Sunday homework

Hopefully, I can redeem myself this coming weekend, as well as assuage some of these withdrawal symptoms by stopping by the soon to be ‘just Mike & Bill backyard’ to help with the final stages of dismantling.

*sigh*

GMH in Hyattsville is slowly fading away. What sad, sad thoughts, these. But at least I have some very fun pix of the cast and crew at our wrap party taken by Randy “Uncle Silas” Philipp. Looks like we really wrapped it up in true GMH style.

	Complete with the “Whose the Best Lucious Contest” between the actual Lucious actor, Michael and a Lucious wannabe, Ashby.
	Let us not forget the shocking revelation of Dr. Fletcher’s new boy “assistant”, Billy. Who would have ever thunk it possible?
Aside to the Doc: just think Fletch, you were afraid I had incriminating pix… when all along it was Randy. LOL!)

All in all it was a grand time, with a grand bunch of folks. Thanks for the memories – here’s to many more!

 

Wanna see something cool? My orthodontist just emailed me the mini video (download) Invisalign made to show the start to finish progression of my orthodontic treatment.

The video opens with a 2D not quite cartoonish model of my soon-to-be-forgotten snaggly, gap-tooth mouth, (looking very much like the animated Polident dentures) from last March when we started the procedure. The mind boggling :03 second video takes you through the “breathtaking” highs and lows of the tightening and straightening process that has been occurring in my mouth these past 8 months. The final glorious vision, before fading to black, or actually, just stopping and holding, is on the perfected smile. That’s a mere 8 more months away!

To see this magical and engrossing video, you will need either Window’s Media Player or WinAmp (http://www.winamp.com/player/) pick the free version.

Kinda cool to watch how my teeth are being yanked and straightened. Who knew masochism could be so much fun to view

For many years there has been the ongoing debate about whether it’s a good idea to allow your dog to sleep with you. This most recently surfaced when Cybersane, Delegatrix and I read and cracked up over an online article on this very topic. This is a behavior question I’ve struggled with since I brought my little Beagle buddy home 9+ years ago. I’ve heard that allowing your dog to sleep with you is a sign of weakness, that it discourages her independence
and that my role as her alpha leader will be eroded if I allow her to sleep in my bed .

Let me set the record straight, my alpha leader status is constantly shifting, depending on the following 4 prevailing conditions:

1. If I have goodies on me
2. Whether or not she is wearing her gentle leader
3. If she is wearing her bark collar
4. If she feels like obeying me or not

If all these conditions are met, then, yes, I am the alpha leader of her 2-person pack. Miss any one of these aforementioned conditions, especially #1, and my status is iffy at best. Which means at different times of her life, Abby has alternately slept with me, and not slept with me. (Aside: During my 4 years of marriage I was forced to choose between her and my ex as
my sleeping partner. Obviously, Abby won the longevity test.)

These days, she’s a regular bed guest, happily burrowing under the covers to curl up behind my knees. She may not always start out in my bed, but at some undetermined point in the night, she decides its more comfortable/warmer/snugglier where I am and joins me. On certain nights, for what I’m sure she views as minor infractions, she has been unceremoniously kicked out of bed. (e.g. snoring/squeeking

– yes, I SAID “Squeeking” –

loud enough to wake the dead, REM cycle rabbit chasing) Speaking of snoring, just like those with spouses whose snores have become too unbearably loud, I occasionally have to shake Abby awake to get her to stop. The great thing about a dog though is while she may give me a dirty look for waking her up, she’s fast asleep in a matter of seconds, not minutes.

So, is it right or wrong that she sleeps in the same bed that I do? I don’t think I really care all that much, anymore — for cripes sake, she’s almost 10, I think she’s earned some slack and comfort. And it is nice to have her snugglies on a cold winters night. My only compliant, is that she’s recently begun shedding her summer wardrobe for a winter coat all over my new flannel sheets!

This third season was the MOST successful season GoatMan Hollow
has ever had, despite pitchfork and torch wielding villagers. It was also the
most dramatic of our 3 seasons for its highest of high’s and its very lowest
of low’s. At one point we weren’t even sure if we would be able to open the
haunt, such was the opposition to us. Eventually our "never say die"
spirit prevailed, and each night we broke attendance records. Every night we
winced as we closed the gates early in a over the top effort to be good neighbors,
as many folks who arrived just after 9 pm were told we were already sold out.
One night, our turn away count was over 200!

This Halloween was especially bittersweet; we were all a bit saddened that
it was the last time GoatMan Hollow would happen in Hyattsville. It is an exciting
adventure that we embark upon, moving the GoatMan and his Hollow to a new and
larger location in Prince George’s county, but it is also good bye to wonderful
times had playing in Mike & Bill’s backyard. It was where we all first
met and came together as a newly born family of haunters. And it was where that
we began the journey that has led us to here and now.

This
year, I was more involved than I had ever been before, and look forward to even
more in the coming year. I cannot express my gratitude for being allowed to
play with this great bunch of folks! In addition to the stuff I did preseason,
during the actual haunt, I worked the front gate and corral areas grouping our
guests into the right sized tours to be scared as only we can. Each night,
with the last tour of the night, I performed a very different role, one not
meant for the guests to witness, but as a signal to cast and crew that the night’s
playtime was over. As the last person through the haunt with the group, I became
the self-proclaimed “Ghost of Haunting’s End”. After 4 hours of hard work haunting,
it was evident that I was a welcome sight to the actors and crew. You never
saw actors run so fast to get back to the house, out of makeup/costuming and
grab some sustenance.

Sunday night, there were 2 defining moments for me. The first occurred as we
prepared the very last group of guests to enter the haunt. Over the production
radio came the confirmation that the set was ready for this group – the VERY
last group to go through GoatMan Hollow. It was a broadcast that was not meant
for all to hear, but as the corral was empty, save for the last 14 guests, we
all heard it. What was especially poignant was the the catch in the
producer’s voice. It really hit home that my role of “Ghost of Haunting’s End,”
was playing out for the very last time this season, at this location.
That night, I received the usual big smiles as the actors saw me, and in the
eyes of many, the realization, that this was it – our playtime was over for
another season. Others were just tired, and hungry.

The
second defining moment felt like something out of “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie
Brown” Once all cast and crew had retreated to the house, makeup taken off,
and dinner enjoyed, the 4 founding producers, myself and 2 other producers snuck
off for one last walk through the haunt. Stopping on a well worn a production
trail, we 7 gathered for a group hug, and just to annoy the pitchfork and torch-wielding
villagers, we shouted at the top of our lungs “HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!” As our
cry went up into the almost silent night, we said goodbye to all that was GoatMan
Hollow in Hyattsville. It was the end of an era. Next weekend is the cast
and crew wrap party, and then we begin the sad task of dismantling GoatMan Hollow
for the last time. Although, where this haunt is going, it will not need to
be deconstructed each year, which is a blessing in itself.

So all hail, GoatMan Hollow, long may her banners wave.