Hope you had an awesome Halloween.  My story is a little more intricate, funny, and bizarre … just what you’d expect!  So… read on, and enjoy.  You’ll read about: What I’ve done with my hair after nearly 2 years of not cutting it… hippies… parties… and you won’t believe my costume (I can’t believe I’m posting this)!

I was at my redneck neighbor’s place hanging out, and was inspired to what my costume would be. Masha had just lent me “Don’t Mess With The Zohan” (I totally recommend seeing it- it’s friggin hillarious!), which I really liked. I was also considering cutting my hair which was pretty lengthy (like in this picture)

I had long hair!

I thought I’d cut it and send the pic to my parents for their anniversary.  Masha had invited me to this party, and I didn’t know what I was going to wear, and there was little time to decide.  She said “Why don’t you go as Zohan!  I mean… you loved the movie, you’re toned like him, you can do a great Israeli accent (being from Israel and all), and you were going to cut your hair anyways!” She made a certain kind of sense.  “I was only CONSIDERING cutting my hair!  But.. ok… you’re right! I’ll do it.  Got a hair dryer I can borrow?”  -  The plan was to get a hair dryer, get a hair cut, get some white jeans (the cut-off daisy duke style thing would have been too cold), and a fake beard.

My original costume plan...

So… this is a picture of the Zohan.  I bought the DVD that had this cover on it, and I took it to Regis’ hair salon… a fancy salon at the mall.  I figure, since I hadn’t cut my hair in nearly 2 years (starting on January 1st, 2007, when I started my journeys), so I might as well go to a nicer place than Supercuts.  My last few trim-ups had been saved for when I was in Florida, and got to see Cymonne… she’s so frigging talented (and was the stylist I used exclusively for my shoots when I was living in FL).  So… I brought the DVD to the salon, and told the british guy with the dreads that “I want THIS!  Can this be done?”  (as I showed him the bright red box with the picture of Adam Sandler sporting “The Avalon”). Yes, it can be done.  The guy did a wonderful job!  I already felt Zohan’ish… now I just had to haul ass back home.  I went on 2 dates with this nice girl, and this night (Thursday), she had invited me to the most interesting show on earth (That’s what it’s titled).  I had to get more client work done if I wanted to go out and play. Not only is this girl pretty, polite, and fun to be around, but she knows how to get me away from my computer!  She invited me to “The most interesting show in the world” – a traveling show that Maxim Magazine, and Dos XX’s were bringing to town, featuring Jim Rose’s Twisted Circus.  There were fire jugglers, Italian Burlesque dancers, a 7′ tall Russian hoolahoop dancer in drag, an out of shape lounge singer with pierced nipples, sexy dancers, a guy that can catch a (covered in fire, with knives emerging from it) bowling ball on his head while a live king scorpion is crawling around in his underwear…. yeah… it may’ve not been THE most interesting thing I’ve ever seen… but that title was definitely not a false advertisement.  This was totally interesting, entertaining, and there was free Dos XX’s.  Additionally, I bought us some Jello shots, because that went to save some children’s hospital — there’s a reason to drink, right?  So 1 night, this girl sees me in my long hair, and the next day I show up like this:

My haircut - WITH gel.

I got really good feedback from everyone about the new do. The evening was fun… only downside is that I now reeked of cigarettes.  So.. Friday, I went with her to lunch, and to check out a costume shop.  She tried on a few outfits which made me drool (this dress from “300″ *whistle*).  I kept putting on random nick-nacks (like odd hats, glasses with a beak “What? Is my pecker showing again?”, picking up weapons – like an axe “Excuse me.. I’d like to Axe you something!”), and finally found a beard.   I left there, and went to the Goodwill store to find some white jeans.  I found white pants instead… for $5, it’ll do.  Hairdryers were promised to be by 3 girls.  At 5:40 I just confirmed with Mary (one of my neighbors, which was going to the same party) that I was riding with her, and that we’d go for a jog beforehand (good luck keeping up with her! She runs like the wind!  I just got some new running shoes.).  At 5:45, my friend Spyce from Asheville, NC asks what I’m doing.  I mentioned that I may go to a club with the girl, though she’s got friends in town, and that may be awkward… or I may go to this party…. probably the party.  In all reality, I felt like working… but it’s Halloween, and I already cut my hair, and got a beard.  Spyce tried to talk me into going to Asheville.  She didn’t try hard, it wasn’t necessary.  She said she’s going to 6 parties that night, and that people in Asheville throw great parties.  I said I had to work- she said it was a 3 hour drive, and I can leave in the morning.  I called my client (funny enough, it’s Couch 36), and said “You’re adventurous- what do you think? Local party? Or go meet some strangers, couch surf, and hit up 6 parties in Asheville?”  “Adventure, of course!”  “I knew I could cound on you!”  — I do try to work with like-minded people… makes the process more fun.  I told Spyce I’m coming, and she was a bit surprised, but happy.  I drove and drove…. enjoying the golden sunset light on Georgia’s vast road-side tree supply.  Red leaves that glow like fire in the setting sun…. yellow leaves… green leaves… all with the eye-gasmic saturation that evening light can cause.  Around South Carolina, it got dark, and it was just a drive.  I arrived at 10:15.  I was supposed to be there earlier, but the drive didn’t take 3 hours, it took closer to 4.

Spyce introduced me to a few of her friends, and I quickly went to change pants and shirt, and try to add my beard.  The funny thing is… no one in Asheville (except one person) knew who The Zohan was…. They’re all artists and hippies, and no one there would watch such a mainstream movie.  Spyce tried to warn me about that when I walked in.  She made some alternate suggestions, which I refused… but then when my beard did not stick properly (grrrr!)  and we were already running late, I said “Sure!  Let’s try it!”   To see my costume, you have to click this link… I”m not letting you cheat and see a tumbnail.

Ori’s Halloween Costume — FrontSide Ori’s costume – Backside

So… now I’m in Asheville, hanging out with people I’ve never met, through one person I’ve spoken to for less than a week on Google chat, and I’m dressed like this.  Adventure!  So… we squeeze into a car.  I was given a bottle of wine to hold on to.  We drive to the 1st party– there’s no one there.  I mean… really!  The house is empty.  We walked in… which is weird enough, but the decor of this house made it even stranger than just walking into someone’s house when they’re not there.  There were bodyparts made from various platics, a harmonium (I think that’s what it’s called… a piano that plays on accordion-like air movements through pedals), guitars, and all sorts of strange decorations.  Clearly, more than 1 person lives in this wooden house.  We walked out, though some people went to use the restroom.  We split up- some people had to catch the Zoom-mobile (a bus that takes you to certain parties), while the rest of us went to this street that the party’s supposed to be at.  We weren’t even sure of which house… we get to the street, and one house has a lot of cars.   Heck.. it was more like, once we passed that house, there was no more parking.  We figured that was the place, and drove around the block till we found parking.  The amusing thing was that the parking was on the backside of the house, and we had to crawl through the bushes to get in.  So… we didnt’ actually know who’s house this is, who’s party it is, or anyone there… so, I guess I just crashed a party of strangers, while hanging out with my new stranger friends.  Works for me.  I started digging into that bottle of wine.  Oscar the Grouch came in.  Unicorns came in. There was a bon fire.  There were decorations that were definitely not store bought!  For example, the giant skeleton with a demon-head that was the backdrop for where the band was to play.  Oh yeah… there was a band!  It was a Duo, but they made a very big sound.  The 1st song, the girl with fire red hair, and matching boots played the Ukilayle, and the guy that looked a bit like Slash (from gnr) with a farmer’s beard played the electric guitar.  He also had 2 pedal-operated drums.  They switched out instruments… there was a fiddle… the girl would play guitar.  They both sang.  I danced with Scarlet Ohara.  She was a good dancer, an animated person, and was also digging the music.  Having a dress lets you have more flexibility in dancing I guess.  I was in a situation, and I was going to make the most of it.  After a few tunes, I Went into the kitchen, and met more strangers.  I swapped jokes with some girlscouts.  I found myself hitting a vaporizer with Medusa, a unicorn, a magic bunny in a hat, and a few elves.  I suppose it’s only Halloween that you see all those creatures before hitting the vaporizer, eh?

I had a really good time.  The music was awesome, the people were so pleasant.  Definitely a change from the Atlanta crowd.  After a long while, we hit up another party, and another, and another… they sort of blur together after a while.  I really liked that 1st party with the band.  The rest all consisted of beer, a few puffs, random strangers, bon fires, and massive DJ setups.  Great music in Asheville.  Oh yeah… one party had a hot tub, but it was outside, and I was way too cold.  Another had a stripper pole.  Being in a dress, I had to try the stripper pole.  Because of my fitness level, I was able to take a step, grab the pole, kick off the ground, and spin around 8 times in the air.  The girls were jealous…. I even had a fancy landing.  If I ever want to become a stripper, I guess there’s a future in it for me.  One girl who lives there had an amazing routine… it was really fluid, and beautiful.  She was as one with the stripper-pole.

After a while, I was basically exhausted (around 4am).  So, I started to sort-of nap… this party was the last one we’d be at, but we’d be there a while, since Spyce had to get “Good to drive”. I did want to leave sooner, but… Spyce did say we’d be out all night.  She was right… it was 7:30when we got in the car.  I took a 3 hour nap downstairs, and then her roommates drove me to my car.  They too were a trip.

All in all, it was one of those bizarre adventures that was fun because it was totally unplanned, a new experience, and completely improvised (even the costume that I thought I had planned so well).  To make things even better, the drive home was just stunning.  Mountain ridges on all sides, some close, some far… as the winding road took me through a non-stop landscape of color-changing trees.  Nature is such an artist.  I called this new girl to see if she’d like to go on a tree-watching drive the next day… maybe, if she recovers from this bachelorette party.  I stopped off in Greenville, SC to pick up my Ipod that I had forgotten there 2 weeks prior (actually, forgot it in Hendersonville, NC, but it was transported down).  I guess I’ve been traveling a lot lately.  Florida, SC, NC, Bahamas..  I just haven’t blogged much.  I think the politics thing got me blogging more, so now I’m making more of an effort.  It’s like going to the gym… you can fall off the wagon.

If you have some exciting Halloween stories / pictures- Comment!  I’d love to see what others did.