IN 2011 WE PLAN TO VISIT:

HAUNTED FARM OF TERROR, LENOX TWP.

SCAREFEST SCREAM PARK, LENOX TWP.

OCTOBER 30, 2010 2 PM - HOME STRETCH FRENZY / SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST!

Boo hoo...only two nights left of haunting! But it's been incredible, and we're going out with the biggest bangs we can. THE HAUNT in GRAND RAPIDS has never let us down, and EREBUS in PONTIAC is a legend unto itself!

OCTOBER 30, 2010 2 AM - AND WITH THE MOON SLICED IN HALF

Did you see the moon on Friday night? Where we were it looked like it was sliced in half at a strange angle for most of the night. And earlier in October it looked like a sliver hanging by a thread. My partner tells me the harvest moon this year is totally unique, and won't be seen again like this for many, many moons...

Anyway, it was absolutely perfect for another great night of haunting! We hit DARKSYDE ACRES in JONESVILLE and made an unannounced visit to JACKSON'S UNDERWORLD in JACKSON. Earlier we stated that we call haunts first, and that is still usually the case. But we may make random stops at haunts occasionally, and sometimes we'll see one that's not advertised and stop in if we have time.

OCTOBER 29, 2010 3 PM - FROM THE VAULTS TO MEMORY LANE...

Just going thru some old haunt stuff and found copies of a cool little magazine DEADLY INTENTIONS put out in 2004 & 2005. It's called "DEADLY MESSENGER," and it's so amusing we've reprinted stuff from it before. On the front cover it has"10 Tips On Surviving Halloween," hopefully it will be an inspiration to you as well! Courtesy of Slobber Entertainment, here it is:

1. After you've killed the monster, never check to see if it's really dead.

OCTOBER 29, 2010 2 AM - Now posted:  2010 reviews for HAUNTED BARN & MAZE in IMLAY CITY and FUNERAL HOME in INKSTER.

OCTOBER 28, 2010 7 PM - Now posted: 2010 review of REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS in ROMULUS. It's at a farm...a turkey farm!

OCTOBER 28, 2010 6 PM - HALLOWEEN TV SPECIAL AT 8:30 TONIGHT

WDIV Channel 4 in DETROIT jumps on the bandwagon tonight with a 1/2 hour Halloween Special! From their promo: THURSDAY AT 8:30 P.M.. Local 4's resident Halloween expert, Chuck Gaidica, hosts a frightfully, fun-filled half-hour primetime All 4Halloween special Thursday, October 28 at 8:30 p.m., following NBC

OCTOBER 28, 2010 4:30 PM - BLAKE'S FOR THE HOLIDAY!

Don't forget it's the big Halloween Party this Sunday at Blake's with free prizes and $4 off admission prices! If you've never been on their hayride, do yourself a big favor and git 'yer butt to Blake's! And if you have been there before, you still should go because they've got lots of new goodies this year. www.blakefarms.com

OCTOBER 28, 2010 4 PM - Wow, what a great season we're having! Can't believe it's already coming up to the last weekend...

OCTOBER 27, 2010 11 PM - Now posted: review of KRAZY HILDA'S BARN OF DOOM & COLEMAN'S CORN MAZE in SALINE.

OCTOBER 26, 2010 9 PM - Now posted: partial reviews of DARK HOUSE THE HAUNTED MANSION in BROWN CITY and SAINT LUCIFER'S HAUNTED ASYLUM in FLINT.

OCTOBER 26, 2010 8:30 PM - Now posted: partial review of SHAWHAVEN FARM in MASON which we've been anxious to visit for the last few years! AHHH, FINALLY...

OCTOBER 25, 2010 11 PM - Partial review for GHOSTLY MANOR and THE CRYPT now posted!

OCTOBER 24, 2010 2 PM - AND IT'S NOT OVER YET

We're having an awesome weekend!

We saw a live actor that's not human. (not canine - we've already seen that) We saw the front of a building spring to life. We saw the world's largest Black Hole.

And the weekend's not over yet. What other amazing stuff will happen to us tonight? Stay tuned...

OCTOBER 23, 2010 3 AM - ADDAMS FAMILY MANSION ON STEROIDS / FARMERS FREAK OUT AGAIN!

Can't write this right now, gotta crash. But don't worry, imagery as powerful as we saw last night will last well until after all the Snickers bars are gone!

So stay tuned for some juicy stories, all true...unlike those crazy urban legends that keep evolving. That's a whole different story, and we'll be covering that soon too.

OCTOBER 22, 2010 5 PM - Another wild weekend coming up! Tonight we'll visit three haunts we've never seen, and tomorrow is Ohio night. (See "What's Next")

OCTOBER 19, 2010 - Partial reviews for BESTMAZE and THE BONEYARD now posted. Also "What's Next" just updated...we know it's an ambitious goal to reach them all but we're persistent to a fault!

And remember, persistence is a virtue. It's one of the forgotten values, but never forget the big winners of today were the persistent losers of the past! Abe Lincoln is a famous example...why not you next?!

OCTOBER 18, 2010 - ROCK & ROLL ALL NIGHT CUZ SCHOOL'S OUT FOREVER

A few years ago a friend of mine called me, telling me excitedly that "Pink Floyd is playing live on PBS-TV right now!" I was actually already watching, and after she calmed down I politely told her it was actually a Pink Floyd tribute band called The Australian Pink Floyd who was about to play Detroit.

But they sure sounded like Pink Floyd, and they even looked like them too! Since any major tribute act has to be ok'd by the original artist, there's some awesome tribute bands out there paying homage to the Original Masters. And this one even played at David Gilmour's wedding!

One tribute band even fooled the original artist into thinking he was hearing himself when actually hearing "BIG SHOT - THE ULTIMATE BILLY JOEL EXPERIENCE" who played the Dearborn Homecoming last summer.

Got any members of the "Kiss Army" out there? Tell the truth now...it's nothing to be ashamed of! Are you in the picture at Cobo? Or maybe there's some Billion Dollar Babies reading this that dress up like ALICE COOPER on weekends? Fess up, the truth will set you free...

If that's you, get 'yer butt down to TERRORTOWN in MAUMEE, OHIO (TOLEDO area) for the KISS TRIBUTE BAND "WAR MACHINE" on OCTOBER 22 & 23. Also playing will be the ALICE COOPER TRIBUTE BAND "THE NIGHTMARE" on OCTOBER 29 & 30. Should be rockin' big time!

Of course, none of that matters at all unless the haunt itself is killer...and this one's lethal! And it's completely different yet again for 2010.

If you go to Ohio, we also suggest you try GHOSTLY MANOR in SANDUSKY which comes highly endorsed by us as well as some high end haunt industry people! 

OCTOBER 17, 2010 - OLD FRIENDS, NEW FRIENDS

We visited our old friend KRAZY HILDA'S BARN OF DOOM in SALINE last night and had an awesome haunt experience! Then we made a new friend in STOCKBRIDGE at THE BONEYARD, which is a highly ambitious young haunt. 2010 is only their 2nd year, and they're off to a flying start!

OCTOBER 16, 2010 4 PM - BESTMAZE and SHAWHAVEN FARMS were both rockin' last night! A cool haunt makes its own friends...

OCTOBER 16, 2010 5 PM - SUPER SPUD DANGLING CARROT

Pomme de terre. That's what the French call potatoes, literally translated as "apple of the earth." Since apples go perfectly with Halloween and haunting, why not potatoes too?

No, not French fries...they don't even qualify as potatoes after drowning in sizzling hot oil. We're talkin' Gourmet Potato Soup, made by a master chef that cooks at two restaurants and has a catering service.

It's waiting for you at THE BONEYARD in STOCKBRIDGE which has multiple food vendors to choose from. Of course you don't go to a haunt because of the food. But more and more we're seeing some high-end vittles to tempt the palates of Haunters Hungry for the Good Stuff!

The haunt operator at THE BONEYARD made a special call-back to us, telling us to arrive hungry for the Gourmet Potato Soup! The chili sounded good too, but his promises of culinary bliss only became our dangling carrot as we sat for over an hour in a horrible traffic jam that sealed our fate.

Oh wellski...time to pull out the Ostrich Sticks, an old standby that never cuts you off in traffic either.

OCTOBER 15, 2010 FRIDAY 1 AM - CALL OF THE WILD UNKNOWN

We can't wait! We're hitting some haunts for the first time this weekend, and the anticipation is killing us. If we survive, we'll have all kinds of awesome weird stuff to report on soon!

Now posted: partial reviews of GRUESOME ENCOUNTERS in ORTONVILLE and the REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS in ROMULUS. More reviews coming very soon, stay tuned...

OCTOBER 13, 2010 3 PM - A NICE PROBLEM TO HAVE

The weather should be perfect this coming weekend, so it's off to outdoor haunts. Problem is, there's so many of them that we've never seen before...lots of first timers too. We'll bust our butts trying to make them all, GPS armed and dangerous!

JUST UPDATED: "What's Next"

OCTOBER 12, 2010 10 PM - DO YOU LOVE PINA CO-LOTTAS?!

Here's a new first this season...a primo haunt that now offers BEER, WINE, & MIXED DRINKS! It's at SCAREFEST SCREAMPARK in LENOX TWP. Not sure if they have Pina Colatas, that song just came to mind...but they do have a new drink sensation called HOT APPLE PIE! Yummm...and there's Pumpkin Ale too. What will they think of next?

Hey, some of us are adults...even though we don't act like it during October! So if you feel like enjoying an adult beverage while kickin' back at the bonfire, it shouldn't be a problem. Hey, you're gonna be thirsty right?

And there are live bands playing and scary movies on giant TV's too for your after-haunt experience.

We hit this haunt on our first night out this year and had a great time. (see Reviews 2010) But now they've got even more actors...well over a hundred!

This is the same outfit that used to be at the now defunct/bulldozed Johnny Appleseed's in WASHINGTON TWP. If you remember any of those shows you know what these guys are capable of! www.scarefestscreampark.com

OCTOBER 12, 2010 9 PM - Just added: SCARY SCOTT'S HAUNTED HOUSE in LIVONIA. (See not in FF/HG and Wayne Cty Cities A thru S)

OCTOBER 12, 2010 11 AM - LEO'S HOUSE OF HORRORS has a new location in RIVERVIEW that should give them an expanded audience this year. It's at the Riverview Commons Mall at FORT & SIBLEY. You can go shopping, and then get 'yer haunt fix too!

We had another invitation we always try our best to accept from THE HAUNT in GRAND RAPIDS. Well okay, it's really in WALKER nearby...but how many of you in DETROIT knew where WALKER is? If you've never been to GRAND RAPIDS, you're missing out! (See Reviews 2009 and previous years)

And as long as you're in GRAND RAPIDS, you really should also check out NIGHTS OF FEAR which won a newspaper poll in GRAND RAPIDS last year. (see Reviews 2009) 

OCTOBER 11, 2010 7 PM - Reviews still being written, however some opening statements now appear in Reviews 2010.

Our apologies to PAPP PARK in TAYLOR for not making it there last night. We're hoping to re-schedule them soon!

OCTOBER 10, 2010 11 PM - MADE IN THE SHADE / A SLICE OF AMERICANA ON AN ISLAND

If you've been around the haunt scene for any length of time, you've probably heard of the WYANDOTTE JAYCEES. And you've also probably heard of haunts having problems with their buildings and/or the city inspectors, zoning boards and the like, right? Well, these guys have it made. (See Reviews 2010)

Everybody likes an exotic island. Even better, it's close by and has a rustic feeling haunted hayride that's packing 'em in...then sends everyone down a trail that disappears into blackness for "treats"... (See Reviews 2010 for PHANTOM FOREST HAYRIDES in GROSSE ILE)

OCTOBER 10, 2010 4 PM - DOWNRIVER DELIGHT / ANCIENT CHINESE SECRET

Tonight is Downriver night, and that means we'll be observing a sacred annual haunting tradition that my partner insists on every year! No, not that...keep your mind out of the gutter already!

We're talkin' about the ultra-tasty, fall-off-the-bone tender RIBS AT ZUKIN'S RIB SHACK in LINCOLN PARK. They're even open until midnight on Sunday! And that's actually how we discovered their proprietary "Ancient Chinese Secret" of how they get the ribs so deliciously tender and succulent!

You guys seem cool, so we'll spill their beans right now! One time we ordered really late, and they said when we got there the front door would already be locked. They said to come in thru the rear, which put us going thru the kitchen.

We saw the secret operation in all its naked glory - the ribs are primarily cooked in a PRESSURE COOKER, about 3/4 of the way. The last few minutes is when they singe in the awesome flame cooked BBQ flavor on the grill.

Now you know the inside secret of the premiere rib joint Downriver! But you didn't hear it from us, ok?

OCTOBER 10, 2010 SUNDAY 12:30 AM - WAYNE COUNTY WHIRLWIND

We hit 4 Wayne County haunts Saturday night and saw four totally different shows. We had a great time at all four, and saw lots of wild-eyed excited fans streaming out the exits at all of them!

Pick a haunt, any haunt...THE REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS in ROMULUS, HAUNTED HALLOWS in WESTLAND, FUNERAL HOME in INKSTER, or THRILL KILL in WESTLAND! (Reviews coming soon)

OCTOBER 9, 2010 3 PM - FARMING FROM DAY ONE / HIT THEWOODS, JACK!

We just talked to yet another female haunt operator...and we've seen some amazing things from them many times! But this call confirmed that we'll be visiting the OLDEST FARM IN MICHIGAN soon.

NOPE. Not the TURKEY FARM in ROMULUS, but that place is awesome too. In fact, we're hitting the TURKEY FARM TONIGHT for the REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS which won one of only a handful of Awards in 2009! (see Awards)

Be the first to tell us (see Contact) where the elusive OLDEST FARM IN MICHIGAN is, and win a Special Something we can't identify here! (Clue: the answer is in a review)

And we'll venture thru what quickly became an annual MUST SEE for us in WESTLAND at the HAUNTED HALLOWS which also won one of the few awards last year.

And WESTLAND also means we'll check out the WESTLAND JAYCEES new show THRILL KILL. If we survive, we'll have some horrible stories to tell!

OCTOBER 9, 2010 10 AM - GO BLUE! GO STATE! I'M SO CONFUSED...

Is there a football game or something today? There's umpteen hours of pre-game analysis, do they actually play too? Oh well, it doesn't really matter...I'm going back to bed. (more soon)

OCTOBER 9, 2010 1 AM SATURDAY - NEW KID ON THE BLOCK NAILS IT / CREEPY OLD SCHOOL IN NEW DIGS

What do you do when your yard haunt gets so extreme that thousands are entranced by it for hours on end? And what if local efforts to squelch Halloween only poured gas on your fire and things got out-of-control crazy?

GRUESOME ENCOUNTERS in ORTONVILLE answers these questions and more, in a very effective manor! (Review coming soon)

THE EXTREME SCREAM brings its powerful, Old School Haunt Experience to a new location on DIXIE in WATERFORD. Many Oakland County haunters have clearly never seen a show like this, and it showed in their freaked-out faces at the exit! (Review coming soon)

OCTOBER 8, 2010 6 PM - WORD TO THE STREETS

This email arrived today: "After reading the reviews, I am still wanting to know, what is the scariest, pee in your pants attraction in Metro Detroit?"

I called him back right away...didn't even have to think twice. Hands down, it's DEMONIC DEMONS in DETROIT. You think you're a tough guy? Check out what happened when we went on a whim to DEMONIC DEMONS at "Wayne Cty / Cities A thru S." THAT'LL teach us to try squeezing one more in when we don't know anything about the haunt!

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NOVEMBER 20, 2010 1 AM - GETTING TOO BIG FOR OUR BRITCHES

Whoa...ran out of space on the 2010 reviews section! It's now divided in two sections, 2010 A and 2010 B. Also, all reviews are now alphabetized by cities to make searching easier.

NOVEMBER 19, 2010 11 PM - CHRISTMAS FAMILY FUN WITH A TWIST

GHOSTLY MANOR in SANDUSKY, OHIO is featuring some cool sounding Christmas entertainment this year. From their promo:

NEW for the 2010 Holiday Season, Ghostly Manor has added a Christmas Wonderland 3D Family Walk-Thru!

Families are invited to take a trip to the North Pole and visit Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and their holiday helpers from the comfort of our cozy indoor family entertainment complex.

We are also debuting the "Snow Ride," a brand new movie for the XD 4D Motion Theater with awesome thrills and chills for all of our visitors over 40" tall. (Think it sounds like fun? It is! Check out the video link for a snow and ice-filled sample.)

Of course, it wouldn't be Christmas without our light show! Our Fourth Annual Christmas Light Show will be shining bright for all of our friends every half hour from 6:00pm until midnight from November 26 to January 1, 2011. The light show is FREE for all. (Remember how awesome last year's show was?)

Make Ghostly Manor a part of your family's holiday tradition with family-friendly entertainment, amusements, and lots of good cheer!

NOVEMBER 18, 2010 3 PM - FIREWORKS AT 6 PM TONIGHT!

I just talked to the Wayne County Parks Office, and they said show time for the fireworks tonight is between 6:00 and 6:30 PM.

The webmaster is gone today, but hopefully tomorrow we'll have the email back. We're using a different computer now, and must install each item separately after extracting from a horribly messed up hard drive!

NOVEMBER 18, 2010 1 AM - We haven't got the email for the hotline working yet. Hopefully later today we'll have it back, thanks for your patience during this difficult time for us!

NOVEMBER 17, 2010 11 AM - HELP MR. WIZARD! / FIREWORKS TOMORROW NIGHT IN WESTLAND

FINALLY! We're back on the air after a worst case scenario computer crash that left us on the outside looking in. Incredibly frustrating to say the least...but now moving on...reviews will be posted and alphabetized by cities ASAP.

The WAYNE COUNTY LIGHT FEST kicks off tomorrow at 6 PM with a ceremony that climaxes with a PROFESSIONAL FIREWORKS SHOW! In the past 2 years after the fireworks they let everybody in FREE. Enter off of Merriman onto Hines Drive in Westland.

Last year at the start they had an awesome giant tunnel of LED lights with various chasing patterns. I couldn't help but think back at the cool black holes we saw this season...

The HUMDINGER ULTRA DAZZLE ULTIMATE BLACK HOLE was at TERRORTOWN in TOLEDO, OHIO area. They had SIX of them placed end-to-end for a total of 120 feet of spinning madness! And the way the paint fluoresces is unique and gives an eerie color unlike the original color of the paint! A WHOLE NEW BLACK HOLE EXPERIENCE.

Lots more coming soon...time to test the upload...crossing my fingers!

NOVEMBER 8, 2010 2 PM - ONE LAST HURRAH FOR THE SEASON

We're going haunting this coming Saturday, November 13th! And everybody is invited too, just show up around 8 PM at SINISTER GLOW HAUNTED HOUSE AND MINIATURE GOLF in SHELBY TWP. at 48886 Van Dyke, southeast corner of Van Dyke and 22 Mile Road.

Actors from THREE different haunts will appear, and disappear! And there's special discount pricing too. $8 for the haunt only, or make an evening of it for only $12 and also play the miniature golf and chow down on pizza! Sounds like a deal, and a good choice for the PERFECT CHEAP DATE THAT THRILLS!

The haunt has been co-designed by a top talent in the field, and the glow-in-the-dark mini golf is bedecked in its Halloween Best including a 13 foot mural. This haunt is not a fly-by-night try for fast bucks, you can expect 6,000 square feet of world class haunting!

NOVEMBER 7, 2010 9:35 PM - The "AMERICAN DAD" plot tonight revolves around trying to make the scariest haunted house. It's hysterical!

NOVEMBER 7, 2010 9:30 PM - GOOD TIMES, BAD TIMES

Every year we have some fabulous success stories. Every year we have some horrible disappointments. We love seeing cool new haunts. We hate traffic jams and missing haunts. I'm going to make a list in a bit...

NOVEMBER 7, 2010 9 PM - HALLOWEEN EPISODE OF "FAMILY GUY" PLAYING NOW ON FOX TV - What a wild show! The talking dog is outrageous, and the teenage girl's Halloween costume is a "slutty cat". Ohhh boy....

Later we'll watch the new SIMPSON'S TREEHOUSE OF TERROR special that we taped earlier. The old Super Beta Hi-Fi deck still works great!

They just said "AMERICAN DAD" is a new Halloween episode after "FAMILY GUY." I think these shows were pre-empted by the baseball world series last week.

NOVEMBER 6, 2010 12:30 AM - THE MAN BEHIND THE PNEUMATIC POWER SYSTEM

I was going to call this THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK, but I changed it. Pneumatic power systems are very important to haunts. So the people that operate and maintain these systems are of prime importance to any haunt.

INSTANT PARTIES ARE THE BEST

Some of the best parties I ever went to were ones I found out about the same day of the party. And that's exactly what happened on Friday. It started innocently enough, with an email asking when the full review would appear for the HAUNTED HALLOWS in WESTLAND.

The writer explains they're having a worker's appreciation dinner that night, and it would be nice to be able to read the haunt's Zioptis review to everybody.

Next thing I know, they're inviting us to join them for dinner and to read the completed review to the crowd. Unfortunately, my partner was working overtime at the pharmacy. Fortunately, I brought another awesome gregarious Zioptis creature with me.

She became the littlest actors' friend. She became the bartender. She became ship's counselor. She devoured spicy Italian sausage and cheesecake. She was in seventh heaven.

And so was everybody at this celebration of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Haunt Excellence! In a packed VFW hall in Westland, I got to meet Mike Meyers, the Tree Creature and yes, the PNEUMATIC POWER SYSTEM dude.

The vibe was incredible. Everybody there had given their all to make this Giant Haunt Machine work. Everybody there wanted to be there. Everybody there made us feel like family. The food and music were great too!

When they played "Monster Mash" by Bobby Boris Pickett, all the kids instinctively started dancing...they were so cute! And to think they weren't even born when that timeless song hit the scene...cool.

Our favorite little dancer was missing her two front teeth, and had a darling T-shirt that said "I (heart sign for "love") Vampires." Turns out she was one of the Powerhouse Impact Actors we encountered in the last room of the haunt.

My companion was quick to chat with her, asking all the perfect leading questions for such a sweet little girl. I just sat back, basking in the positive energy flowing between them. Girl-talk can take many interesting forms!

A MILLION THANKS TO THE COOL PEOPLE WITH HAUNTED HALLOWS!

NOVEMBER 5, 2010 12:30 PM - Coming later today: Full review of HAUNTED HALLOWS in WESTLAND.

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AUGUST 8, 2011 - THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS / GARAGE SALE!

We're getting antsy...September is coming soon...that means OCTOBER is already on our mind.

The leaders of the haunt industry are right here in Michigan, which also happens to be the leading market on the planet for Haunted Houses. So what new amazing concepts will be realized this year? We'll travel far and wide, down dirt roads and massive highways...whatever it takes to scope out the primo haunts for you and give the inside scoop!

The webmaster will be installing the new web format soon. In the meantime, we're hobbling along on a crippled ancient website system. What should take about 2 minutes takes HOURS! Horrible.

Even worse, we can't retrieve email from the address given in the "Contact" section. So we've set up an alternative email you can use for now: www.zioptis@yahoo.com

ATTENTION HAUNT OPERATORS - The 6th Annual Motor City Haunt Club Garage Sale is coming soon! From their newsletter:

Haunted Garage Sale
Saturday, September 10, 2011
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
The Motor City Haunt Club's 6th Annual
University of Detroit Mercy
4001 W. McNichols Rd. Detroit, MI 48221
For more information or to reserve space,

contact Meghann at 313.993.1259
meghann@motorcityhauntclub.com
www.motorcityhauntclub.com

We've got some major news to report soon on a big shakeup in the haunt industry...stay tuned!

AUGUST 9, 2011 - CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO FROM A HAUNT GIANT

Just saw this cool video featuring the amazing magic of Stuart MacDonald, the creator of the equally amazing haunt called "THE HAUNTING":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY6APVZZIME&feature=pla yer_embedded# at=47

APRIL 29, 2011 - HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN BASH THIS WEEKEND!

Once again, the cool people at SINISTER GLOW MINI GOLF are running their excellent haunt this weekend. Here's your chance to get an early fix for your insatiable cravings to experience that special feeling again!

Git 'yer butt over to SINISTER GLOW, 48886 Van Dyke, Shelby Twp., MI

(586) 991-0799 or www.sinisterglowgolf.com

We're still having growing pains with the website...hopefully this will get uploaded. Stay tuned...BIG things are on the horizon!

FEBRUARY 10, 2011- THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL / GET YOUR HAUNT FIX NOW

We've had technical problems and haven't been able to post updates/reviews as we used to. We started this website over 10 years ago and have an antiquated system that failed. And the company no longer answers inquiries, so it's time for Plan B.

You'll see a WHOLE NEW ZIOPTIS WEBSITE SOON, still dial up friendly but with lots of new interactive goodies! One of them is a Facebook /Twitter type of social community within the website for haunters only.

Right now the Zioptis website is "static," the new one will be fully "dynamic." There's a huge difference between them, and this represents a total paradigm shift for us. We can't wait!

**EDITOR’S NOTE: We decided not to change the website..the original one is more secure and was finally reestablished.

SINISTER GLOW HAUNTED ATTRACTION OPEN IN FEBRUARY!

Here's your big chance to get an awesome haunting fix off season, actually you'll get TWO chances. The first will be this coming Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011 from 7 PM to 12 Midnight. Location is at Sinister Glow Miniature Golf, 48886 Van Dyke, Shelby Twp., MI (586) 991-0799 www.sinisterglowgolf.com

Only $10 gets you a package deal with admission to the haunt, glow in-the-dark mini golf, pizza, and Monster Energy drinks. Lots of big fun and chow down for only a Ten Spot!

The haunt is new again, and features actors from FOUR different haunts! Wolfman Mac from TV's Chiller Drive-In will host the party, and the live musical mayhem of Creepy Clyde will fill the air. And there's even more, but we can't tell you right now!

Then, 2 Saturdays later on February 26, 2011 the haunt will be open again, same location. And you'll also have a chance to enter a Zombie Contest that night with an amazing prize, a chance to reverse roles and BE A PERFORMER in the haunt itself! Wanna freak out and get patted on the back for a job well done? Get 'yer butt over to Sinister Glow in your Saturday Best Zombie Suit and be ready to give it 110%!

EVERY ENDING IS JUST A NEW BEGINNING / THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE

As you probably know, the REALM OF DARKNESS had a new location last year right off of Woodward in Pontiac. Any move of this magnitude is bound to bring new challenges, but conquering adversities and rising to new heights is the hallmark of this haunt.

So it comes as no surprise to learn there's BIG PLANS in the works at the REALM, which means BIG NEW EXPERIENCES await!

Stay tuned for the NEW ZIOPTIS, my naughty monkeys€¦you will NOT be disappointed!

DECEMBER 2, 2010 - FIREWORKS TOMORROW / GOING OFF-THE-AIR TEMPORARILY

Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village in Dearborn kicks off Saturday, December 4th with a FIREWORKS FINALE! The show is already sold out, but you can still enjoy the fireworks with excellent proximity! It's really easy:

Enter off of Oakwood at the main entrance. Keep driving to the last possible parking lot on the right, about 1/2 mile. You'll see a sign about bus/truck parking as I recall.

Parking there puts you only a few hundred yards from the launch point for great impact! The show is scheduled to end at 10 PM, but in the past we've seen them start the fireworks as early as 9:15. They usually ran about 12 minutes, short but sweet with top quality displays!

We're changing computers again...this one is going bye-bye today. But we'll be back a.s.a.p. with more reviews and goodies!

NOVEMBER 26, 2010 6 AM - BLOWS AWAY BLACK FRIDAY

Wow! If you jump in your car right now and floor it, you can save up to 80% on your purchase at the store. You can get a singing Justin Bieber doll for pennies on the dollar at Toys R Us.

Or at ABC Warehouse score a Snuggie knock-off for only $4.47, or the really spectacular deals with a toaster for $2.98 or a Vege-matic knock-off for $1.99!!!

But that's lame. Follow our advice and you'll SAVE A WHOPPING 100% instead! And it's really easy, just follow these instructions:

1. Grab your wallet and car keys, and hide them.

2. Go back to bed.

See you in slumber land!

NOVEMBER 25, 2010 12 NOON - HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM ZIOPTIS / ALL ABOARD...THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN!

Stuff 'yer face with goodies and enjoy! Yup, I'll personally authorize it!

How many of you had those Lionel trains when you were a kid? You're going to want to check out THE TRAINS OF CHRISTMAS...full details soon.

NOVEMBER 24, 2010 4 PM - WHERE DID ALL THE YEARS GO?

I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember being away at school, and finally making it to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I remember it being one of my favorite days of the year, with the anticipation of food, fun, and family.

What great fun, being caught in that wonderful time between being a kid with no responsibility and an adult with ultimate responsibility. Nobody should miss out on that phase of life, but kids are in such a hurry to grow up nowadays and I feel sorry for them. They don't know what they're missing, and by the time they do they wish they had slowed down to enjoy being a kid.

But I can look back on those years with fondness, knowing that I made the most of them, and happy that I've made the most of my time since then.

Sadly, many people I talk to speak of regrets about years and childhood wasted, things left undone, and aspirations that turned to dust. Where did all the years go they ask?

The only thing in life that's limited is time. When it's gone, you can never get it back. But everything else, for all intents and purposes, is unlimited for a person. There's a limitless supply of money. Of good food. Of great people. Of good times. Of great haunted houses. And great accomplishments.

Yet most people choose to let them slip away, choose to let time get behind them, choose to let their life pass before their eyes without ever really living.

But the key word here is choice because that's what it is. You can choose to live the life you really want to, if you're willing to pay the price. You can choose to live while others slowly die inside, wondering what could have been, but never choosing to take it.

So my Thanksgiving message is this: be thankful for your ability to choose the life you want to lead. And then exercise it before another day passes.

It's been a long time since my school days. But I chose to live back then, and I've been living ever since, stacking up the great memories of a life lived well.

You can do the same. And today is a pretty darn good day to start.

NOVEMBER 22, 2010 12:30 PM - Just added: review of the WAYNE COUNTY LIGHTFEST under "What's Next."

NOVEMBER 22, 2010 10 AM - THE WORST THING AT THE BEST TIME

It never fails. Every holiday season it seems, somebody really close to us dies. Last year my BFF's dad went just before Thanksgiving.

This time it's my dad. He was called Home yesterday, and the entire family was there.

Sorry for the delay with the reviews and awards, but rest assured they will all appear soon. In fact, I just had one brain flash about HAUNTED HOLLOWS in ARMADA which now begins their review.

But right now I need to let some more sadness come out. Real men do cry...and also tell their dad "I love you" on a regular basis, not just when they're ill.