Dammit, now I gotta write something!
For starters, this is a good primer to help keep that creative side o' my noggin' in functional mode.
I've never had the traditional "day/night" job scenario because most of my work has either been at odd hours or field work, which usually happens outside of the 8-5 boundary. In 2004, I left the comfort of State College, PA and my life as an Instructional Paraprofessional/Bar Staff for more money in good ol' Pittsburgh, PA (a hometown I hoped to only visit again at that particular time). The day job paid the rent. The night job paid the other bills and for food and beer. The rest was put on that ever-growing debt mountain that I'd need to get out from under a few years later, but I digress.
Truth be told, these are the two best jobs I ever had. I never woke up one morning (each morning 6:00 a.m.) during my entire year at State College High and said, "Man, I have to get to work. This really sucks." I never missed a shift in the Brewery when I was scheduled, and I ended up working 4/7 nights each week (which included almost every weekend). A lot can be said about having great bosses and co-workers, and in many ways I wish that student loans and life did not catch up to me as fast as they did.
Since then, I spent eight years as a field rep for the Boy Scouts of America (great co-workers, too much emphasis on being a part of a "growth organization" and not enough work on behalf of the volunteers to sustain me) and transitioned to a position as a Therapist/Consultant for a behavioral health firm. Currently, I love the challenge of my job and the flexiblity of the hours I keep. It also helps hone my skills through the creative writing exercise better known as "technical writing." I'm actually not bad at it, and enjoy putting together the treatment plans for my clients. However, the sheer amount of unnecessary and redundant paperwork is enough to make me want to go and paint seashells on the beach despite the fact that I like the rest of what I do.
Flash forward to the "raison d'etre" of this blog.
As far back as second grade, I've had an interest in magic, creepy stuff, and a combinaiton of the two. It has always been some form of a side pursuit: first as a hobby, then to an avocation, and finally to a business that I hope to someday replace everything else I do for monetary gain.
I've been working hard over the last decade or so to combine the two and make something of it other than "cute little spooky magic tricks." I did my time as a clerk/demonstrator in a magic shop. I've done my share of birthday parties. I've toured haunted attractions all over this country and in Canada. I've even had the chance to revive the three wonderful years of putting on a fundraiser haunted house w/ my Boy Scout Troop as a cast member and guest actor at haunted attractions.
Now, I'm designing and scripting magic for haunted attractions and seasonal entertainment.
Some of it I use myself, some has been created for other people. I've designed general effects for "any actor" as well as specific pieces to go with particular performers, characters, and sets. I've put my material into book form and have begun touring and teaching.
In my first year, I was fortunate enough to be asked to present at a laid-back gathering in Southern Indiana called Ironstock (http://www.ironstock.com) and that gig snowballed into a last-minute request to cover a workshop at the Midwest Haunters' Convention(http://www.midwesthauntersconvention.com) .
All of this because of continued affiliation with my hauntmagic home: Castle Blood (http://www.castleblood.com) . It has been a fun nine years, with a few added surprises that have already happened this year and more to come this summer into fall.
But then I'd have less to write about later on...
Chris Handa
a.k.a. Scrye
P.S.--I have no idea how to do all the cool Html/hotlink text stuff. I'll edit that part when I have time to figure out how the heck all of that stuff works.
I've never had the traditional "day/night" job scenario because most of my work has either been at odd hours or field work, which usually happens outside of the 8-5 boundary. In 2004, I left the comfort of State College, PA and my life as an Instructional Paraprofessional/Bar Staff for more money in good ol' Pittsburgh, PA (a hometown I hoped to only visit again at that particular time). The day job paid the rent. The night job paid the other bills and for food and beer. The rest was put on that ever-growing debt mountain that I'd need to get out from under a few years later, but I digress.
Truth be told, these are the two best jobs I ever had. I never woke up one morning (each morning 6:00 a.m.) during my entire year at State College High and said, "Man, I have to get to work. This really sucks." I never missed a shift in the Brewery when I was scheduled, and I ended up working 4/7 nights each week (which included almost every weekend). A lot can be said about having great bosses and co-workers, and in many ways I wish that student loans and life did not catch up to me as fast as they did.
Since then, I spent eight years as a field rep for the Boy Scouts of America (great co-workers, too much emphasis on being a part of a "growth organization" and not enough work on behalf of the volunteers to sustain me) and transitioned to a position as a Therapist/Consultant for a behavioral health firm. Currently, I love the challenge of my job and the flexiblity of the hours I keep. It also helps hone my skills through the creative writing exercise better known as "technical writing." I'm actually not bad at it, and enjoy putting together the treatment plans for my clients. However, the sheer amount of unnecessary and redundant paperwork is enough to make me want to go and paint seashells on the beach despite the fact that I like the rest of what I do.
Flash forward to the "raison d'etre" of this blog.
As far back as second grade, I've had an interest in magic, creepy stuff, and a combinaiton of the two. It has always been some form of a side pursuit: first as a hobby, then to an avocation, and finally to a business that I hope to someday replace everything else I do for monetary gain.
I've been working hard over the last decade or so to combine the two and make something of it other than "cute little spooky magic tricks." I did my time as a clerk/demonstrator in a magic shop. I've done my share of birthday parties. I've toured haunted attractions all over this country and in Canada. I've even had the chance to revive the three wonderful years of putting on a fundraiser haunted house w/ my Boy Scout Troop as a cast member and guest actor at haunted attractions.
Now, I'm designing and scripting magic for haunted attractions and seasonal entertainment.
Some of it I use myself, some has been created for other people. I've designed general effects for "any actor" as well as specific pieces to go with particular performers, characters, and sets. I've put my material into book form and have begun touring and teaching.
In my first year, I was fortunate enough to be asked to present at a laid-back gathering in Southern Indiana called Ironstock (http://www.ironstock.com) and that gig snowballed into a last-minute request to cover a workshop at the Midwest Haunters' Convention(http://www.midwesthauntersconvention.com) .
All of this because of continued affiliation with my hauntmagic home: Castle Blood (http://www.castleblood.com) . It has been a fun nine years, with a few added surprises that have already happened this year and more to come this summer into fall.
But then I'd have less to write about later on...
Chris Handa
a.k.a. Scrye
P.S.--I have no idea how to do all the cool Html/hotlink text stuff. I'll edit that part when I have time to figure out how the heck all of that stuff works.
posted by handa at 7:58 PM
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