Happy Halloween!!

In honor of Halloween, I decided to actually celebrate it this year instead of just stuffing my face with ghost and witch shaped candy. I like Halloween but never buy a costume or go to a spooky party or haunted house. You know, have a scary good time. So a couple days ago I decided to change that for Hallows Eve 2011.

After work, I headed over to the Crime & Punishment museum for Fright Night, a haunted house which featured the actual retired electric chair from the Tennessee State Department of Corrections. Now, I'm a girly girl, but I'm not afraid of house of horror stuff like other females seem to be. While waiting in line outside (by myself mind you) the other ladies where clinging to each other in nervous anticipation. Asking one of the guys who was working the door for confirmation of what awaited us so they could shake in fear some more. I stood fearless and when it was time, walked in there like a boss. Two minutes later......the screaming I heard was coming from ME. Man, all manner of ghosts and ghouls were jumping out at us. One was even revving up a chainsaw. We had to crawl through a dark tunnel into an even darker room where at any moment, someone or something could leap at us.

Needless to say, I was relieved when at the end of the ordeal, a "corpse" laying on the floor pointed his hand toward the exit door. And there I stood on the sidewalk again, having escaped Fright Night.

But wait......there's more.

Feeling as though my Halloween had just started, I walked myself a couple blocks to the movie theater to see Paranormal Activity 3. Yes, I did this immediately after the haunted house (by myself mind you). Now, I'd seen the first installment and wasn't exactly impressed, as it was like watching Blair Witch Project all over again. But I figured what the heck it's Halloween.

During the movie I was creeped out a bit. There were a few jolts. But for the most part, I didn't consider myself scared. But the audience was a different story. The participation was incredible. They screamed, they jumped, they yelled, they cursed. It helped me get into it more. Afterward, I was pleased that I'd gotten out and enjoyed myself. I just knew that I'd left my frights where I'd found them and that I'd enjoy a good night's rest.

I was wrong.

I wasn't at home 20 minutes before I started to hear sounds that unnerved me. What was that?....a bump? What was that?...is there someone upstairs? What the hell?...did something just land on the roof?

Readers, I tell you this. I DID NOT SLEEP A WINK. As I lay in bed, worried that the Paranormal ghost had followed me home, I vowed that I would never again try to be all big and bad and go to a haunted house and scary movie back to back just because it was Halloween.

Some things just aren't worth it. And now I'm exhausted and have a lot of missed sleep to make up for.

Yep, next year it's back to candy corn and the SyFy channel.