Author: MAÔ

The efforts to make work more efficient have led to technologies that, while promoting productivity, can also distract us from it.

I’m looking at you, email.

As new tech emerges, in the forms of VR, AI, and whatever else is coming, keeping mindful of how you use it will be just as important as what it’s used for.

It’s been a time-sucking couple of months. I thought I had managed to be better prepared, but I was incorrect. As happens frequently enough.

So here we are, again, after a bit of a delay. Newly committed to trying to post daily, in the same vein as those I try to emulate.

We’ll see how it goes this time.

Growing up in Central Florida, I was young when I started attending Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights. As it was in line with my interest in scary movies and the like, it was a popular event every year for me.

Haunted attractions have become increasingly popular over the past few decades, captivating thrill-seekers and horror enthusiasts alike. Among these spine-chilling experiences, Halloween Horror Nights stands out as one of the most celebrated events.

One contributing factor in its popularity is how the scale of an attraction can immerse a guest in the experience. As society embraces new forms of entertainment, the demand for immersive experiences has grown exponentially. Traditional haunted houses have transformed into elaborate, multi-sensory attractions, providing visitors with an unparalleled thrill. 

Additionally, haunted attractions (referred to as haunts) often tap into nostalgia and embrace popular culture. By incorporating iconic horror movie franchises, such as “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th,” and “The Exorcist,” these attractions create a sense of familiarity and excitement. Fans of these movies can live out their favorite scenes and encounter their beloved characters, further enhancing the overall experience.

Fear is a universal emotion that has evolved over millions of years to help humans survive in dangerous situations. From an evolutionary perspective, fear triggers a fight-or-flight response that prepares our bodies to either confront the threat or flee from it.

When we encounter a threat, our amygdala activates the hypothalamus, which then triggers the release of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare our bodies for action by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. This physiological response helps us react quickly to potentially dangerous situations.

Yet the relief that comes from a frightening situation passing is where the enjoyment of fear stems from. This is why we see scary movies, visit haunted attractions, and seek out the spookier side of life. Especially this month.

A number of people in US – and around the world, I would suppose – find themselves absolutely enamored with Halloween. Partly it has to do with the season – an Autumnal shift from the heat of summer to cooler days and colder nights, foilage turning shades of brown and umber, and the promise of approaching holidays. Family, friends, and so much more.

For many, though, it’s spooky season. A great time to take a date to see a scary movie, go with friends to haunted attractions, or find a terrifying tale to read at night. It’s been a particular interest of mine for as long as I can remember. In so many ways, this season represents some of the most interesting thoughts we have life, death, and rebirth.

A reflection of humanity in how the harvest played out, and something we celebrate even today.

The horror film has been around for almost as long as film itself. The first horror film, “Le Manoir du Diable” (The House of the Devil), was released in 1896. A three-minute silent film, by early adopter of special effects Georges Méliès.

From then, horror films have come a long way. The 1930s saw the release of some of the most iconic horror movies of all time. Films such as “Dracula,” “Frankenstein,” and “The Mummy” all set the tone for the genre, and introduced horror to a mass audience.

The 1940s saw the introduction of some of the most beloved horror icons. Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Count Dracula in “Dracula” was a defining moment in horror cinema, as was Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the Monster in “Frankenstein.” These and other horror films, mostly products of Universal Pictures, set the tone for the genre for years to come.

In the 1950s, horror shifted as filmmakers incorporated science fiction and the supernatural. Films such as “The Creature from the Black Lagoon,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” and “Them!” all combined horror with science fiction elements, creating a new breed of horror film. It was a sign of the times, as the nuclear age inspired those films’ scientific elements.

The 1960s saw the emergence of a new style of horror. Hammer Films released a series of horror films, such as “The Curse of Frankenstein” and “The Mummy,” that featured a darker, more Gothic style. 

The next shift occurred in a similar fashion to other genres of films in the market. A new generation of filmmakers, inspired by those of previous generations, pushed boundaries. 

Movies such as “The Exorcist,” “Halloween,” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” all featured intense suspense and gore, and walked the line of what was considered acceptable in horror films.

These films set the standard for horror films that followed, and paved the way for an entirely new genre of movie. The success of these films showed Hollywood that there was an audience for horror films that continues to be explored even now.

Now entering October, and it’s officially the “spooky season”. Movies and I have always had a rich relationship, and of all the genres of films I’ve gravitated toward over the years, none were as significant as the horror film.

There are certainly reasons for this, though some likely swim beneath the surface of my understanding, and I can focus only on the principle points.

For starters, horror is generally clear-cut. You have the monster/villain, and the victims. Depending on the type, maybe the victims are a massive group – think Tokyo in Japan’s Godzilla films. Or it’s more individualist – as in the mother and son of The Babadook or the Jewish shomer in The Vigil.

From this group of possible victims, one will likely emerge as the hero. Jamie Lee Curtis’s Laurie Strode in Halloween and Adrienne King’s Alice in Friday the 13th; perhaps Winona Ryder’s Mina in Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Jason Patric’s Michael in The Lost Boys; and of course, that’s just scratching the surface.

If you Google search “horror movies” you’ll get suggestions like: “200 Best Horror Movies of All Time” and “Essential Horror Flicks”.

The history of horror is closely tied to the history of morality storytelling and cautionary tales.

Little Red Riding Hood? A thinly veiled warning about what you’d probably call stranger danger, but that grew out of an older fable regarding young women protecting their innocence.

Or the tale of Frog and Scorpion. The moral most clearly expressed is that vicious people will act viciously, even if not in their best interests.

We know that the villain in horror is going to lose (though that trope is always certain in modern filmmaking). But we watch hoping that the hero will come through relatively unscathed.

There is a plethora of horror films, and many ways to make them. This month, I’ll be diving into little bits and pieces of the horror film, and many things Halloween, just to satisfy my own curiosity. I hope you enjoy coming along with me.

Thinking about yesterday, it sounds as if it’s an out to underperform. But it isn’t.

Your best will change day to day. And consistently giving your best, you’re bound to improve. What takes thirty minutes today could take twenty-nine tomorrow.

So, don’t use it as an excuse. Go out. Do your best. And try to do better tomorrow.

Sometimes it can be a challenge to really feel like you’re accomplishing something. It feels as if you’re letting someone down, or yourself.

But as long as you’re doing your best, at that moment, whatever shortcomings you may have, that is all you can do. If you can say that you gave it everything you had, then you can at least be assured that whatever the outcome, it isn’t because you failed to do your best.

Thinking about how a number of jobs can be performed at a computer terminal, it’s amazing to think how much can be done from anywhere in the world. Now, maybe companies don’t necessarily approve of that.

If you think about it, the corporate mandate is really to work the full set of hours you’ve agreed, typically forty. But what many are discovering is that the work doesn’t always take the full eight hours.

So, the question is, are you paying the employee for the work? Or for their time?