A Halloween Sojourn Page of 2007;
Of
Ann Arbor & Well Beyond it.
From
John…
“Veiled For Your Visual Protection”
Would You Trust This Man With Your Halloween Photographs?!
Welcome, once and again to many -- and my greetings to those new to this
project of mine…
A project to which
I’ll hope this time around will be a finished version of my annual Halloween
Holiday of 2007 & its inspired celebrations retrospective as updated just
prior to Halloween 2008.
This Halloween image
retrospective is in now what could be called properly its 4th
incarnation (there were others but they were not properly of the same caliber
as even these primitive one’s), started out as originally as means of distributing
those images I took over the course of the Halloween holiday (and it akin
manifestations) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Thusly, if you see someone you know
featured here --
THEN PLEASE SEND THIS WEB-SITE’S LINK TO THEM…
This projects
creation and subsequent incarnations (with this
technical note: the fonts used here are primarily Chiller & Tempus Sans ITC) over the years has inexplicitly
garnered me compliments and praise from across the global spectrum and spurned me
on to forge these pages bi-yearly, one version for November of 2007 and anew
for early October of 2008. That and I surprise the living day-lights out
of those I personally encounter by showing I have brain in my skull and can
carry my own, in a intellectual conversation during such events.
And yes, I myself think this project is a “tad odd” but life is as I
have found, can be strange…
Let me thank both my
brother and his wife for allowing me to use their camera -- followed by long time
friend Matt, for helping me getting this page online. Then foremost many thanks
to my long suffering Mother, for having to put up with my “juvenile behavior,”
during every Halloween season.
Also, my best wishes
to one of the Stewart Brothers, who helped me before on previous
editions of this project, as he convalescing periodically from
Kidney Stones.
Given that I expanded
my image procurement to new levels this year (and this year some web movies
featuring a voice that matches my media unfriendly visage), I actively sought
out asked several of the fraternities and co-op’s, about campus and parties I
came across in my sojourning. I left notes earlier to some and then I went
about asking if I could take images of their respective Halloween related
festivities to others as well. While doing this, I often took into account that
given a rather severe form of depression I have been afflicted with during my
lifetime, is a significant limiting factor in being persuasive in allowing me
(especially for those of you of the fairer sex) to collect these Halloween
images. With such an “out of social synergy personality,” many question the
validity of my claims (such as for the
benefit of this soldier in particular in Iraq) that I was taking images for the purpose you now see before you.
Thus, I by personal ethic do not take intentionally images of individuals
without their permission (there are some examples otherwise, but their
generally parts of group images). Also, I by having a rather twisted sense of
humor and outlook (that will needless be said will be likely expressed in
written word here on this site – so don’t take it seriously, it is all in
levity) have gotten myself into quite a lot of misunderstandings with people in
general over the years – and I don’t blame them. I know I have failed many
friends and family over the years because of it. I have become to expect the negative
and generally hold no grudge; save for those you who are hypersensitive and/or
sadistic about it.
So, if you ever
bothered or not to read the above passages -- let me the honor, to send to you
the images and my web-movie of Halloween, in Ann Arbor 2007…
As you can see from the link above, I’m just as terrible at AVI
filming, as I am with web-page design…
There was, and one of
the now former members of the Friars, featured in these next two images below
was there to greet me; and here linked before you -- is something HE WANTED recorded for all of
you to view online (and to this day, still baffles me why, however,
I’m going to exploit anyways)…
“’BO’ With A Cloud 9(‘s), Heaven On Earth Grin”
“(Previously There Was This --) The Welcoming Committee”
“Death By Cell-Phone Signal”
“Flapping About”
She could not hold her pose long enough for me to get that damn
camera to work –
thus, the “fearful” expression before you was when that pose was
dropped…
“Dance Floor Or Sanitarium?”
“Church & State”
“Hyper-Patriotism”
“Geriatric Crusader?”
And only time now will tell if this next Indiana Jones flick was
worth making?
Post note 2008: I saw it and I
thought it was the most expensive made-for-TV-movie ever made…
“Bitter, Bitter, Penn”
“This Was Not Othello?!”
I recalled from this image, from commentary linked above by Michigan
Daily a few days after it was taken…
GOLD MEDAL, earned by completely
ignoring any and all social, political, cultural mores: Anyone who was in
blackface last night - including, and especially, the person who tried to pass
it off by saying he was supposed to be Samuel L. Jackson in "Pulp
Fiction."
“Super- Polacy”
This one is for you Matt – after all, I knew in part what he was
wearing thanks to your Polish Flag showcasing…
“Tin Man / Heart Can”
“You Cannot Candy Coat A Vasectomy!”
“Psychotic Fashion”
I.E.; If I Was Required To Wear Those Overall’s -- I’d Be In A
Killing Mood!
~ Nu Sigma Nu ~
After going to the
N.S.N. for the past two years for their well earned reputation for throwing
magnificent Halloween parties – I left a message to see if I could be re-invited
to this year’s party to what was likely a new generation of Fraternity Members
in charge.
I guess they like this project of mine because, this is a segment of
the message that I received from one of them:
Subject: Nu Sigma Nu Party
Tonight!
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:06:57 -0400
Hello John,
Just got your information and wanted to
let you know our party is tonight.
See you there...I will be in costume as
Dhalsim if you need to find me.
I never saw him – but that alone gives you an idea how damn well
attended (and thusly respected) this party is. I’m still kicking myself for
missing some of the costumes there – but I could not simply get to them with
the time I had at hand (and perhaps wear out my welcome). However, it was a
corpus maelstrom in there; let alone the heat generated so many persons being
there would make any Matrix A.I. digitally drool.
And thusly, these images from Nu Sigma Nu…
“Wolverine Or Hand Ice Skater?”
Hell, I want to know where I can get those blades?!
“Foreign Doctor Exchange”
I hear the survival rate for his guy’s American counterpart is
rather poor to say the least…
“(Is That A) Yea, You have Better Be Taking This Image for Soldiers
in Iraq and Afghanistan (Look, On Your Lovely Visage)”
Trust me my dear, as I told you (and others of your Gender) – I am /
was…
“Silent Enim Leges Inter Arma”
“Zen Poultry”
“The ‘Hello Boston’ Image For 2007”
One of these days I have to get back there for Halloween at least?!
“Gogo Yubari, Indeed”
“Have you no shame Woman?!”
Yet another psychotic Gogo Yubari, trying to conceal her identity
between the covers of Dr. Seuss characters…
“Slash”
I thank this guy for the three shots I took of him. After all, my
sibling Vickie loves these Halloween Slashes…
“Shadowed Photography”
“Sloppy Manwich”
These yodeling jokers strived to look Gay for Halloween – I dare say
they succeeded quite well…
“Between Life & Death”
He wins and yet loses either way…
“Opposites Attract”
“Guysha”
This one for you Mai…
“Court Ordered Sedation; For Compulsive Hamburger Theft”
“The Other Damn Good Reason To Call 911”
My apologies to the Cop Chick here for trying to image her twice
that evening – I lost track…
“My…How Original”
“Mutant King Polygamist”
“Mugatu”
I recall seeing about 10 minutes of Zoolander in a bar in New
Orleans, last May.
Yet one on many films I’ve recalled seeing only about 10 minutes of
for various reasons…
“Guess Where The Nose Hairs Were Transplanted?”
Meet (what I hope is) The Nu’s last candidate for the practice of
cosmetic surgery?
“Smile”
And most of the world cringes with you…
“Wonder Facebook Girl & The Pink Puppy”
I’m guessing
unlike myself – the former is better at navigating Facebook then I am?
“The ‘Ordinary’ People”
“The Regal Filaments”
One lovely dear and I’m not just referring to her entrancing visage.
~ Sigma
Alpha Epsilon ~
For the first time I
have the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon on this site. It took awhile, to get
permission to post these images from SAE; a fraternity that for years I wanted
cover but only managed to get into that Halloween of 2007. These jokers throw a
magnificent party and thus, I had to use ruthlessness and guile just to get in.
I gave my word that these images would not see the light of day until I was
graced with permission to post them. That’s my deal with them and any other
institutions like theirs I visit -- needless to say, I quite grateful they
allowed these images for this site…
“Gothic Fey”
My Marriage (alright, more realistically stalking) Prospect #1 –for
that year!
“Bronzed Aged Fever”
“Cosmopolitanism: The Dark Side”
“Pit Stop Trinity”
Guess who is the future den-mother here???
“Darkness Be My Guide”
“Pet Detective Distracted”
“WE-We-We! All The Way Back To The BDSM Dungeon”
A game of twister anyone?
~
Nightclubbing & Bar Hopping ~
As presented here in no particular temporal alignment…
“The Devil May Care?”
“Victoria / Victor”
“The
Eco of Septimius Severus”
I suspect that this gentleman would not ever have conceived that I was
bothering for an image his costuming; with the intent of a history lesson?
This one is for you Mike – you know why.
“And His (Eyes Wide Shut) Praetorian Guard”
“The Dance Floor Fates”
Thank you my dears for being the first members of your gender
(if I recall true) to allow me to photograph you for 2007.
“Somnambulistic Serial Slasher Scion”
“Guess What You Need To Gather A lot Of To Endure Shipwrecked On A
Island???”
“The Fabled Two Headed Mutant Mexican Centaur”
“Ursidae Out Of The W’ood”
Steven Colbert’s, next nightmare – aside from a writers strike.
“Yes, Despite That Look; She Said I Could Take Her Image”
“Make Way For The White Guy!”
This is a snippet from a group image from the dance-floor.
“One Happy Entomologist”
But does the Fay count as insecti because they have butterfly wings (not
that he gives a damn, I suspect)?
“Of Arsenic & Old Lace”
“Beer, Pistons, Beer, Boarder Guard & More Beer”
I told the chick to the right, that I know somebody who works for
the Border Patrol – all I have to do now is to find him…
“My… How Original”
The damn dirty apes have unionized!
“Elegant Rugby”
“What Has That
Naughty Bastard Santa Done To The Elvin Race?!”
Above linked is the most sincere Christmas Movie I ever made in our
era…
“The Guilty Parties?”
See Mother, you can never be too old for Halloween!
“Twilight Table”
“A Werepumpkin & Queen Mab”
This one is for you, Mss. Platt…
“X-Foliation The Social”
“Liza, I presume?”
“It Is Axel Or One Of The GnR’s Drummers – You Decide?”
“Dark Beguilement”
And then there is this Lovely Dear, as I fondly recalled,
appreciated my candor when I told her that by being “too fat, too crazy &
too broke;” I was thus not hitting on her -- when I asked for her picture
alone as you see here…
~ About
Ann Arbor ~
As I do every yea on Halloween, I nomad about Ann Arbor, searching
for images on the Streets and brief encounters at parties.
Here are but some of the examples of which providence has graced me
with…
“Choda Boy!”
“Stewie Of The Diag”
“Way Too Damn Happy For This World I Suppose?”
“300 – 4”
These guys were men enough to dress as skimpily as the ladies (check that link out -- I found it quite funny / fitting) that cold
night…
“White Trash Flash & Friends”
“My… How Original (x2)”
“Skirting About Town”
Chill out Kilt Fiends – it is a joke…
“Sally & Jack”
Way to popular for too many -- for me to ignore…
“Necro MILF’er”
Or a scion of perhaps?
I thinking about you Adam – wherever you are?
Velma Dinkly, Before Or After The Sex Change Operation???
You’ve Just Got To Love The Japanese Holiday Adaptability – Parts 1
& 2…
“Teletubbies”
Now with twice the gay!
“A D&D For My Sibling Seth”
Featuring this recording on his answering machine that cost him a
job.
“March of the Dominos”
“Midnight Rainbows”
Actually, it was later than that – and let me “thank” that joker who noted this song for this
image…
“For Medical Uses Only – Of Course”
I saw this joker about 2 blocks away and knew I was going to get
this image…
“Redneck Gargoyles”
“All Pulped Up & Ready To Go (this time with a politically
correct Jules)”
I recall the only thing my Grandmother Barbara, did not approve of –
where all those racial epithets in this movie.
And people ponder what kind of influences’ there is to my twisted
sense of humor?
“Waxing Turtles Socially”
God, Help These Wretched, Commercially Compromised Souls…
“Is This Stalking?”
I think she nodded yes to me taking this bus image of her from about
4 meters away?
“Nocturnal Golf”
“Uber-Uber–Caucasian’s”
“Mad Hatting The Innocent?”
As you’ll see below; I made a lot of use out of that Mad Hatter Hat
in 2007.
“The Rabble Is Roaming About Town”
“Resume Builder”
“Death Has A Dignity, All Its Own”
“Slacking Away”
This one is for you Rob.
“Mobster’ing About”
“Something’s Else Is Evil On Elm Street”
I overhead one of these guys bragging about having kewl evil
costumes – but it is not the costumes, so much as the attitude they displayed with
them which earned them those bragging rights…
“Leering Opportunists”
Who unlike myself – get their pictures the lazy way…
“Sisterhood Of Trinity”
“Wayne’s World’ing”
“Modern Medieval Metal Mentality”
I was indeed just thinking of this costume just before stumbling
across her.
It all for you Katie, this time around…
“Sidewalk Games”
Well, some of them at least…
“Primal Vixens”
“Howdy”
“Hash Bash Jedi”
“Spermzilla”
“Washtenaw Avenue Maidens”
Ninja!
How can we have a Halloween without at least one!
“Botanical Death”
Scarecrow???
Either that or the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle?
“Silver & Gold”
Which brings this
Andy Kaugfman film to mind...
“Oz’ed”
“Oni This!”
A damn shame I did not get a better image of this costuming – but it
was too kewl to ignore…
“Slacker Mime”
McJobed, into silence I suspect?
“I’m Just Green from Envy”
“And The ’Green Envy’ Background Cast”
“Follow The Leader…”
“…or follow the Tequila?”
You Decide?!
And last for this
section, however, far from the least – THE COSTUME(S) OF THE YEAR.
It is indeed a fitting one, given that I was taking images with Doumbekchi and
the other soldiers in Iraq & Afghanistan in mind. There is this little
ditty from a group of revelers whose military theme is just what was needed…
“Militaristic Charms”
With a cadre of pragmatically cynical males both on and off the
camera, to keep them safe.
However, as you can see I’m true to my word – I built this webpage
just like I said I was going to…
~
Beyond Ann Arbor ~
“What! People send you their Halloween pictures to you?!”
- “Reno,” Being shocked; while looking at the online 2006 edition of
my Halloween web-page…
Yes, as I do every
year; I send out request for Halloween images outside of my fair city of Ann
Arbor; and those out there in cyber-space delivered. Before you are the
collected imagery from Halloween the world over…
“Bonnie Bat Chick & Demonic Phrenology”
“Lolth
The Web-Spinner”
This reminds me to
thank Mr. Gygax, for all the fun over the decades of wasted youth…
“Gir”
From “Fabulous,” who wrote thusly regarding this page:
“…that was the coolest collection of halloween shit i have ever seen.”
Of course it is – I’m the only one masochistic enough even to create something like this; I’m all alone with this project?!
“Quetzal Fay”
“Night Of The Entrancing Dead”
“Prison Moonshine Is At Its Best – Just Before It Kills You”
Thanks to Dr.
Tommy for the use of this image…
“Medusi; Graced Of The Serpent”
“Ravenous Mojo, The Clown”
“Man Eater”
“Grounds for Divorce?”
I hope for your sake “Mr. Gone,” that “Mss. Gone,” does not see this
web-page???
“Voodoo Cam”
Maman Brigitte & Baron Samedi – saying hello via cyberspace…
“Daughter Of Mysteries”
“Neo Platinum Bombshell”
Tarantino’ized For The 21st Century…
… along with her compatriot; The Half-Baked Potato?
“Funk O’ Ween!”
From Ninja-Skillz-Temple ; comes serenity of kicking ass, 70’s style!
Here is something for you Dr. Narins…
And her commentary on allowing me to use her image:
Ciara wrote:
go for it, but you have to note how much of a badass i am.
;)
Well, if I can be a self effacing cut-up; then you can be a Bad-Ass
woman…
“Fahrenheit
‘ing, The Handmaid’s Tale”
This one is for you Tyler…
“Luna, Stellar & Sol”
Something for the Astronomy freak in all of us.
“Feminized Horus”
Glad to have read that you liked the title, Ms. Feather…
“Scarlet Baset”
Ms. Queen D -- hold’s her court…
“Data Eternal”
Nerd’ly downloaded more times than any Cylon can dare even
comprehend.
This one is for you Luisa…
“Alfred”
Who graced me with the other three images Bat’ett morality trilogy…
“See No Evil”
“Hear No Evil”
“Speak No Evil”
“Way Out Of The Park(ing Lot)”
Hell – there has got to be a law broken even filming this?!
~ Epilogue
~
Ann Arbor has been
truly graced with not only one damn fine new Restaurant which I encourage all
Ann Arborites and Visitors to frequent often, but, also with its beguiling
owner (who’s busting her ass -- so go freaking there and spend as your first
priority, those food dollars of yours); as seen here decked out in my Mad
Hatter gear.
Alas, there was other also who were to bear the burden of my Mad
Hatter adornmentations after her…
These next two
images’ is what I’ve taken to calling “The Orphan Images” from Halloween
2007. The first is one I had trouble figuring out where it best place it
for reasons know both to myself and others. The second is an image I was
granted permission to post from here in Ann Arbor, that because I did not take
it myself, I had no other classification to place it in.
“The Uwe Bol
Actors Appreciation Society?”
Hell, that megalomaniac
would indeed make something like; GHOSTBUSTER’S: The New MILLENNIUM…
“Mary Read(e), of Ann Arbor”
“Full Moon Fever”
Interestingly enough,
Halloween festivities started early (for me, along with others at least) on the
25th , during a rather interesting Full Moon.
As featured mid-way on this site…
“The Then State, Of The State Theater”
And once more from San Francisco, Scott (and once more, his often promoted link)...
Sure this image is
from NY Times regarding Halloween of 2006, but Scott was kewl to have sent that
topless mermaid picture last year (that ironically, I found had no connection
to Halloween ’06) that got me so much heat and praise. That as well as these
two links below this photo of his still works.
www.ktvu.com/video/10205891/index.html -&- www.ktvu.com/video/10206028/index.html
Reminiscing, to say
that Halloween is my favorite of all Holidays would be a gross understatement.
Indeed, I recall back when I was a wee lad of Eight years of age, my Uncle
Richard (AKA Rico), on Halloween Day took me to (the now late apparently) Jacks Joke Shop in Boston to see if
there was costume or mask that I would like to get for Halloween. I found then
as I still do now that I am not found of latex / rubber masks and nothing we I
could not afford at that time – so we promptly left back home. However, there
was significant traffic and everything was rolling at a standstill. The sun was
already starting to come down and it was that day I think my Uncle knew what
fear was -- as I nearly went berserk in his car, ranting and raving that I was
going to miss out on Halloween Trick & Treating. Luckily for him traffic
started moving before he became some real life Urban Legend by being murdered
in his car by some crazed kid to the point you could not see though the windows
because of the blood and gore of yours truly after tearing him to pieces --
like some bad slasher movie scenario.
Fortuitously for him
and later on the Three Son’s in later years he later sired… we managed to get
home in time for me to be costumed as a Clown.
Otherwise, as I’ve
stated previously, I’m still waiting more images from such vectors as out of
Michigan, to out of the U.S. – let alone awaiting approval of some images I
promised to allow to be reviewed before I’d post them. And as I stated
before; I will support this page via my preferred online social network on tribe.net.
However, be forewarned, as of this date they have been having server problems;
so, I’ll include my MySpace Blog
as well for images both past and present and other news related to this
project.
As for myself, with
my negative (and self-effacing & sarcastic) social skills, atrocious vocal
media imprint and one quite unphotographic visage; I have no real plans to
crawl out of whatever social hole I usually re-dig myself into once more till
next year. Especially since, I’ve got to update my plans for a return to
Collage / University life (which for me as of late is difficult enough) -- let
alone figure out how to deal with my current dental problems. Problems
that included an infected tooth that “exploded” in half when it was pulled out.
The funny part for me was that the dentists could not figure out why I was
laughing while it was being pulled out?! I was thinking that this would
be twisted enough to tell you this online, that I was indeed crazed enough to
indeed to go and collect many of these images so soon after that extraction and
the pain that followed.
I have been asked
before to come out to other parties and the thought is appreciated; however,
know that I am limited in what I can do socially – especially since I don’t
drink alcohol. I might for the right occasion for something such as a Masquerade
Ball or Marty Gras party (having lived in the Boston area – St. Patrick’s day
now has me “wary”), to take some images once more only if you ask it of me.
Otherwise, until more such updates and beyond it; God’s Graces…
In Sincerity,
John
Email Address: annarborween at gmail.com
October of 2008…
By the way, if your still here – then give a damn…
“Fraternity White Skull”
There is an image I
took while passing by a fraternity that turned down my written request to take
images inside their Halloween party. I’m not posting this out of spite – I’m
posting it because it is still so damn freaking great!
