Thrift Shopping and Sneers

I decided to check out a few stores on my way home today, including Walgreens and a few thrift stores. Walgreens has a few new items and select overstock from the past year at 50% off. My wife and I are both hoping they'll get some of the four foot skeletons in, so we'll have a pair this year. The folks over at Halloweenforum.com have been keeping the community up to date and they shared some information regarding full-size, poseable skeletons at nice prices, so we may be looking at one of those instead. This weekend will be our first big trip out to peruse this year's haunted stock.

At one local thrift store, I came across what turned out to be a very nice bargain: an animated chainsaw with sound. The sound is very nice for being a replica and I think I made an enemy of the saleswoman when I activated it—but such things seem to be the norm. Perhaps those snide remarks, sneers, and the general disdain directed at home haunters should be expected, but I encounter it far more than I would like. Is it quite this bad in other areas or does living in the Bible-belt intensify things? After all, Walmart already has Christmas items out but that seems to be perfectly acceptable.

But I digress.

The chainsaw cost me a whopping $2.99. After I made it back home (with the saleswoman's reminder of, "you better be careful drivin' home with that toy" still fresh in my mind), a Google search showed the prop to be a Gemmy brand chain saw that retails for around $40.00.

A home haunter's thriftiness prevails, and if I frighten only one person this season with that chainsaw, I know it will bring a crooked grin to the Hermit's face.

A hearty thank you to Kelly for following along. May your pumpkins burn bright this season.

HaunTopic News and the Zombie Craze

The first Zombie Tag of 2011 in Johnson City, TN
©Johnson City Press

The Hollow has been...well, hollow for some time now. I've felt the pressures of getting a new semester started in college as well as other issues sorted out. Fortunately, most things have been set into motion once again and I hope to contribute more frequently to the blog. Another issue I've run across is the discovery that there are so many wonderful resources already in existence for the Halloween and haunted attraction industries, that I feel lacking in providing something that hasn't already been covered. I'm working on trying to come up with something unique. I think more often than not, Facebook, Twitter, and podcasts are the main source for news and information.

Speaking of podcasts, I have been asked by the crew from HaunTopic Radio to assist in gathering news and information for the show and I'm excited to be doing so. I hope that some of you might remember my article on HaunTopic Radio from June and for those that do not, feel free to check it out here.

If any blog followers are "haunters" and would like to share any exciting news and information from the world of haunting (whether it be pro or home) or Halloween, please drop me a line and we can see about having your news featured on the show.

Also, one of the classes I am taking this semester is a course on collective behavior and I'm considering writing my paper on the zombie craze (*edit* after consulting my professor, the "zombie movement" is considered a fad, not a craze) that has been sweeping the world the past several years. I am most interested in people participating in group events such as zombie walks/run, zombie tag, etc. If you have participated in such events and would like to share your experiences, I'd love to read or hear them (by Skype etc..) In addition to including the information in my paper and presentation, I would like be glad to feature these stories on the blog. 

As always email any information or news to hallowdean@gmail.com.

It's been too long for thanks and so I'd like to give a shout out to r_l_anger_jr, rickyelvikingodark, Haunted Lawns, wickEd, and Jason Nickols for taking the time to follow this little blog.