Exciting

Do you know what sucks? Trying to start your own legitimate business. Especially when you are trying to fund it, and figure it out yourself. Why do they make it so convoluted? Give me one website that I can download ALL the required forms so I can fill them out, then you(government) can start making money off my business. I'd almost prefer doing it all under the table. I don't have to pay taxes on the income, and there is much less paperwork to worry about throughout the year when I do it illegitimately!

Why am I so frustrated? Well, for a while now, I have been attempting to start my own production business. Things are slowly coming together; I have my distributors, the beginnings of a website, a good business name, and most importantly - customers! I want to get this thing going, but there doesn't seem to be any site that helps you complete all your business license, DBA, sellers permit, zoning permits, etc yourself.

Legalzoom, while the closest to the solution, charges ridiculous fees in order to help you complete these forms - and tries to justify these fees by saying "you could have spend thousands more if you used a lawyer". Who in their right mind, would hire a lawyer for a small-business license filing!?! You'd have to be independently wealthy to begin with! But, as easy (and expensive) as it is, Legalzoom still doesnt help with the city level permits that are required. What is even worse, these city permits all use paper processing! Talk about a carbon footprint!

I just need a little advice and someone to talk to if I need to know what the heck I am doing - and I don't want to pay for it!

Other than that, I think starting my own business will be exciting and an excellent learning experience. We'll just have to see what happens!

Was I Right?

See, Halloween really IS just around the corner. Many of the stores have their Halloween items up, ready to sell. I noticed this year, fog machines are even CHEAPER! if that can even be possible. You can't even fill your car up with the $30 you'd use to buy a fog machine! Makes me wonder what the heck they are putting in there to turn a profit... don't be surprised if they don't last all the way through Halloween night!

The Tustin Haunt is coming along nicely. Today I received the final renderings of a graphic animation we will be using to create a ghost train. It really looks fantastic! The entire train glows an eerie blue and looks extremely realistic.

Also, we completed more of the facades for the Western Town. Next thing to do is paint them and distress them.

My costume is slowly coming together piece-by-piece. Right now, I am waiting on my foam latex appliance that will cover my face and make me look dead. If you have the chance to purchase from HauntedProps.com, don't they are liars.

I noticed that "HAUNTWORLD.COM ANNOUNCES AMERICAS BEST HAUNTED ATTRACTIONS 2008"

And it is pretty much bull considering they are rating haunted attractions that haven't even opened for the 2008 season yet. Oh well, now I know being awarded that means absolutely nothing. I should make up my own award and give it to haunted house attractions that are really opened and are good.

Until next time, which probably won't be for a while, keep up the good work folks!

Halloween Around the Corner

I can say, without a doubt, that Halloween is my most favorite "Holiday."

Now I know what your thinking... Halloween in August? Why are you already talking about Halloween? Well, you see... I am an avid Halloween enthusiast. I have been making haunted houses for 13 years now, each a different theme, each special in its own way. You think AUgust is early to start planning for Halloween? I have been planning since November 1st of last year, and that still barely gives me enough time to get everything built.

I really started the building of large things this weekend. My crew and I started with the Undertaker's building facade. We are having a western-themed haunt this year, which means we have to build a western town. Let me tell you, it's a fairly pricey project - which is why we are turning to the businesses within the community to help support our free haunted house.

Find out more about my haunted house here: www.tustinhaunt.com

There you will find out the history and also pictures of previous haunts. We also have the times and dates of operation so perhaps you too can come and enjoy the community haunt we put on.

Hope to see you there!

One Week of Adventure, Pirate Adventure

I started on Tuesday at the Pirate Dinner Adventure, and have already completed a week of training with them. I guess it is training, but more along the lines of memorization - which is less than exciting. I am memorizing it fast though, at least I think I am.

Being trained as an audio technician, I am performing duties such as powering up the outside and house sound systems, wireless mic pack preparation, sound check, running preshow (lights, sound effects, winch operation and audio), and running the show audio. After the show, I de-battery the mic packs, fish things out of the "moat" and turn off all the equipment that is supposed to be off.

Have I learned much from this job yet? Yes! but now what I had expected. Its mostly about the way things operate in a semi-professional theater. Most interesting to me is the fact that the mentality of the production as a whole is, "If it works, it's good enough."

I don't know if any of you reading this have ever encountered business mentality of this manner. Instead of accepting methods that increase efficiency and effectiveness, they stay with the ways that they have been doing things because it "works." This inability to adapt to new ways has been driving me crazy.
I see blatant simple ways for the technical aspect of of the show to be made easier to run, but when I make suggestions, i get the same response, "this is the way we've always done it."

It is at this point that I want to slap the people that have been there for a while and say "wake up, change is GOOD!"

We'll see if I can't get some changes started. In the meantime, has any had an experience at work, or otherwise that is similar to what I have experienced? People not wanting to try something new because it is different than its been in the past?

Officially Unemployed-No-Longer

Happy Saint Patrick's day everybody! I hope you are enjoying yourselves, perhaps at a bar, drinking some green beer? Perhaps you're at home with your family eating corned beef and cabbage?! Yum! I have some exciting news for you on this day of green!

I got a call today from Gary at the Pirate Dinner Adventure. While I missed the call itself, I had a message on my phone saying something to the effect "If you are still interested in the job, give me a call."

I waited a couple minutes to call back because I screen my calls, but don't want people to know. Unfortunately, I missed Gary and had to leave a message. At about 6:30, I got called back and talked to him a few minutes. He let me know that if I wanted the job, it was mine. I said I would like the job - but not to eagerly, you never want to seem like you want it too much.

So tomorrow at 4pm I start my adventure with the pirate dinner adventure. I am not certain what to expect. The people may hate me, the duties may be boring, and I may regret it all - but that is an experience to be had tomorrow. Tonight, I celebrate my being Unemployed-no-longer.

Job Searching - A Full-Time Job

Whether those of you who know me realize it or not, I have been out of real work since before Halloween.

HALLOWEEN!?!? That's like 5 months of not working!

Yes, it is true. Aside from the fact that my money has completely ran out, it has been for the most part - relaxing and enjoyable.

Now that I have been looking for jobs in my area of interest/expertise, it has become fairly clear to me that I may need to find a new career. But first, I want to make a list of all the places I applied to and the result of these applications. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the list of unprofessional offices.

Fratelli Studios - Haunted House production company - No response, even after several emails.
Swank AV - Hospitality Central AV Production company - canned email response, emailed regional director, but no job
Shipwreck Productions - Haunted Attraction Production Company - No response
Knotts Berry Farm - Theme Park - Interviewed but no response, impossible to follow up due to 100% phone block from HR (what a joke)
Home Depot - Hardware Store - Canned Email Response, No response

Well, the list could go on, but the point has been made. There seems to be a trend to not reply or respond to requests for employment. How the heck does anyone get hired around here!? I have a college degree from a UC, and can't get a job at home depot?!?!? C'mon! I well enough educated that I could BS my way through that job if I needed to!

I have had one bit of "Luck" in my job search. The Pirate Dinner Adventure in Buena Park had a Technician position open, so I sent them my resume and I immediately got a reply!

Wow, a reply immediately!?!

I know, I was very excited too! I went in and met Gary Salisbury, a grumpy looking guy who turned out to be extremely friendly and fun to talk with. We chatted about my experience and what the position entailed and then continued by talking about all the down sides of workng there. I think the biggest negative is the fact that it is only a part-time position with no medical benefits. But at this point in my life, all I really need is a job that is consistent and interesting.

I was invited by Gary to come watch the show and have dinner. I was even able to bring a guest. At this point I am thinking, that if this is how their employees are treated - sign me up now! After the show I talked with Gary some more, and it seemed as though he liked me. If not, he is just a really friendly guy.

I expected to hear whether or not I was to be hired or not, but as the conversation ended, he let me know that he's still looking at some other people. I was very disappointed to hear this, but what else could I do.

Now I am just waiting to hear whether or not I have the job. Gary let me know he would have his decision sometime next week. But, as it seems he was not in any hurry to hire me, I don't think I made the cut. Looks like its back to the classified ads...

Has anyone else had problems with finding a job... even a basic one? I feel like I am alone on this.

A Fine Day With The Dentist

Well, today was a fine day. At 2:00 I had a dental appointment for a cleaning. Now, I don't mind the dentist - or the oral hygienist for that matter, but there seems to be a common practice between all dental offices that I find somewhat... annoying - for lack of a better word.

I think this is probably annoying to anyone who has gone to the dentist. You come in, they're very friendly, ask you how you're doing. Then you sit down in their super-recliner chair, and they continue the conversation... with their fingers and sharp tools in your mouth. Now, I am not opposed to talking with fingers in my mouth, its the sharp picks and tools they are using. The best way to end the conversation is to say "no" to something - even if maybe you'd answer yes on another occasion. "So do you have a favorite food?" "No." "...oh." The excessive conversing ends there.

I have one other somewhat related issue with the whole teeth cleaning ordeal. I am not certain if I am the only person who feels this way, but maybe someone else can back me up on this. So, you're sitting horizontal to the floor, mouth open, fingers and sharp things in your mouth, when you start to notice a small pool of saliva building in the back of your throat. Your natural instinct is to swallow. Good luck! I don't know if it is actually possible, but I have never been able to swallow with my mouth open. Not water, not soda, and not saliva. I try to hold off the feeling that I need to swallow as long as I can, but my instincts take control and force me to make a very awkward, attempt at swallowing with my mouth open. I just end up closing my mouth and swallow while the hygienist is still working. Oh well, at least I don't have to see them for another 6 months.

Healthy teeth are important, at least in American society. I am happy to say that I have relatively healthy teeth. No new cavities were discovered at this cleaning which is good because I don't have the money to pay for X-rays or a filling, or anesthesia for that matter - ouch!