# Got to be careful



## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

I was in Michael's yesterday, I was talking to the assistant manager and was approached by this guy who said he was also a haunter (I guess he saw me looking at the Halloween merch), we got to talking and I came to realize that there was something hinky about this guy. Said he was building a set, a pirate ship of some kind, made grandiose statements about the features, but when I asked him whether or not he had any PGEs or FCGs, he didn't have a clue about what I was talking about. 

Now, in my opinion, any TRUE haunter ought to be knowledgable about acronyms and other terminology. When this guy had no idea what I was referring to the conversation was over, I just made an excuse and left.

Gotta be careful about fakers. Oh, yeah. The guy reeked of alcohol and definitely looked like someone who was COMPLETELY out of his element in a place like Michael's.


----------



## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

The Archivist said:


> Said he was building a set, a pirate ship of some kind, made grandiose statements about the features, but when I asked him whether or not he had any PGEs or FCGs, he didn't have a clue about what I was talking about.
> 
> Now, in my opinion, any TRUE haunter ought to be knowledgable about acronyms and other terminology. When this guy had no idea what I was referring to the conversation was over, I just made an excuse and left.
> 
> Gotta be careful about fakers. Oh, yeah. The guy reeked of alcohol and definitely looked like someone who was COMPLETELY out of his element in a place like Michael's.


What is a PGE? I know of the FCG...probably the most famous haunter's prop on the internet, but can't for the life of me think what a PGE is. I respectfully disagree that a true haunter must know these bits of terminology...perhaps those of us who are avid haunters AND use the internet to search for ideas and motivation should be familiar, but we are still a minority in the world. How often do you see new members sign up in this and other forums who are completely flabberghasted that there is a community of haunters out there who like to share ideas? It is a daily occurance, and that tells me that acronyms and terminology that we use here are still uncommon in the world at large. So anyway, be careful not to assume that just because someone has yet to discover the world of internet haunting that they are not a true haunter.

Ok, I'm off my soapbox now.

oh yeah...one more thing....

"The guy reeked of alcohol and definitely looked like someone who was COMPLETELY out of his element in a place like Michael's"

......sounds like Ironstock to me,


----------



## GothicCandle (Mar 26, 2007)

dave the dead said:


> What is a PGE? I know of the FCG...probably the most famous haunter's prop on the internet, but can't for the life of me think what a PGE is. I respectfully disagree that a true haunter must know these bits of terminology...perhaps those of us who are avid haunters AND use the internet to search for ideas and motivation should be familiar, but we are still a minority in the world. How often do you see new members sign up in this and other forums who are completely flabberghasted that there is a community of haunters out there who like to share ideas? It is a daily occurance, and that tells me that acronyms and terminology that we use here are still uncommon in the world at large. So anyway, be careful not to assume that just because someone has yet to discover the world of internet haunting that they are not a true haunter.
> 
> Ok, I'm off my soapbox now.
> 
> ...


yeah, sorry archi, but I agree with dave.


----------



## Frankie-s Girl (Apr 5, 2009)

Up until 3 years ago, I had no idea what a FCG would have been. I thought I was all hot sh!t for building a witch with a fog machine cauldron and a few stones in my yard and *gasp* using a GREEN floodlight in our outdoor light. 

I didn't have any idea that there was actually others that built stuff, and I was sooooo amazed at what others had done with their yard haunts. 

I've come a long way since then, but fact is, we all start at the beginning at some point, so he may have not even imagined that there were others 

The guy probably was into Halloween, but the reeking of alcohol and weirdness would have had me backing away slowly.


----------



## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

Sorry folks, I was on my soapbox. I sincerely apologize for any grief or momentary anger. Dave, a PGE is a Pepper Ghost Effect (think Disneyland Haunted Mansion Ballroom Scene). One of these days, I'll find the list I found on another site of all the Halloween Words (something like a dictionary) and update it.

Again, I'm sorry


----------



## GothicCandle (Mar 26, 2007)

The Archivist said:


> Sorry folks, I was on my soapbox. I sincerely apologize for any grief or momentary anger. Dave, a PGE is a Pepper Ghost Effect (think Disneyland Haunted Mansion Ballroom Scene). One of these days, I'll find the list I found on another site of all the Halloween Words (something like a dictionary) and update it.
> 
> Again, I'm sorry


No offense...where did you get your halloween list? cause if no one uses a word/acronym then it can't really be understood and from what I have seen no one but you understands "PGE" sorry.


----------



## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Its all good Archivist. I hesitated to even reply for fear of sounding preachy and really didn't want to come off like I was upset at your first post. It is just that I still meet folks out in the real world who are really Halloween lovers, but have no clue about this type of resource.

I would have been put off by the alcohol smell too...."dude, leave me alone and let me shop for my Halloween!"

as for PGE....I had figured out the pepper's ghost, but "effect" was throwing me off.


----------



## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

smelled like alchohol.....hmmmmm.....was that me?! I forget all my halloweeen acronyms (or HA as we haunters call it) when I am drunk. I was at michaels this weekend!

I wouldn't have got the peppers ghost thing either. I have only seen one yard haunt with the setup, and it was the good ol HHG in SC, CA.


----------



## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

DC, you I'd recognise. This guy was CLEARLY out of his element.


----------



## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

Devils Chariot said:


> smelled like alchohol.....hmmmmm.....was that me?! I forget all my halloweeen acronyms (or HA as we haunters call it) when I am drunk. I was at michaels this weekend!
> 
> I wouldn't have got the peppers ghost thing either. I have only seen one yard haunt with the setup, and it was the good ol HHG in SC, CA.


You know you spend way too much time here, when you know what "HHG in SC,CA" means........


----------



## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

OK, I've been haunting since 1976 and for the life of me had no idea what a PGE was either, lol.



> The guy reeked of alcohol and definitely looked like someone who was COMPLETELY out of his element in a place like Michael's.


Hey, I wasn't anywhwere near there that day!!!!


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Sounds like he was some out-of-luck homeless guy just looking for a little human kindness. We see folks like this somewhat frequently in this area, particularly if we go down to DC (and I will not hold it against anyone if they don't know that means "District of Columbia"). Regardless of how they ended up that way, whether bad luck or bad choices, they're still people and, if nothing else, merit some compassion.

Acronyms are merely verbal shorthand, not a tool to make others feel stupid or left out.


----------



## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

I think we need to nurture all folks who are fans of Halloween. The more the merrier. I didn't know squat about lots of the prop types folks here build. That's why I fell in love with the forum. I've got a lifetime of future prop projects now, and a great group of people who are haunt/Halloween fans like me. 

Now I might not have wanted to chat to long with the that guy if he was obviously tanked up though, even if the topic was Halloween.


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Spooky1 said:


> Now I might not have wanted to chat to long with the that guy if he was obviously tanked up though, even if the topic was Halloween.


Last time I talked to and gave money to a tanked-up guy on the street, he said "God bless you, ma'am" so many times, I figured I'd earned years off of my Purgatory time


----------



## pixiescandles (Oct 18, 2007)

wait halloween stuff is out at your michaels?


----------



## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

> Last time I talked to and gave money to a tanked-up guy on the street, he said "God bless you, ma'am" so many times, I figured I'd earned years off of my Purgatory time


Now that was me..........


----------



## Kaoru (May 6, 2009)

Had no clue what these terms meant till I meet Terrormaster. I'm still a newbie in some terms that are used, but yeah I'm thinking you went by pure instinct versus knowing what certain terms meant though.


----------



## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

pixiescandles said:


> wait halloween stuff is out at your michaels?


They've had stuff out since July. Assistant manager is a small yard haunter, and he gave me a call when they were about to put stuff out.


----------



## Zurgh (Dec 21, 2009)

Most people would find a construction worker, fresh off a jobsite,(dirty overalls, lightly dusted with grit, sweaty, sun-baked/burnt, bad case of helmet head hair, possibly splattered with odd bits of unidentifiable crud, maybe bloodied knuckles/fingers/elbows) an odd sight at a Michael's. But there I was, making a quick stop on my way home from work, to pick up some art supplies for one of my kids school projects. picked up some foam skulls, too. Noticed a few odd looks and double takes from staff and customers alike. I have also gone to fabric stores like this and had similar response. I kind of find it funny.....
But if that guy was giving off the creepy vibe, and a bit tipsy, and a bit of a blowhard/know-it-all (with an obvious lack of any knowledge about what he was talking about) then I would have reacted about the same. Or you met my brother....


----------



## Evil Andrew (Nov 6, 2009)

The Archivist said:


> Gotta be careful about fakers. Oh, yeah. The guy reeked of alcohol and definitely looked like someone who was COMPLETELY out of his element in a place like Michael's.


After Senator Craig's incident at the Minneapolis Airport mens room, the police cracked down on the rest of the politcians. Looks like some have started cruising Michaels - HA !


----------

