In my youth I spent a summer on a remote, L-4 shack, Forest Service lookout which was a 7 mile, 4,000 ft elevation gain hike from the nearest dirt road. On the dirt road it was another 45 miles to the nearest town. At night the light from my Coleman lantern would reflect back from the 360 degree windows rendering the outside of the lookout an impenetrable darkness to me while becoming a beacon of light on me for anything that may be outside. On those nights I was glad that I was raised without television exposure to imagined monsters and that I had never (and still have never) seen a horror movie. At night I could relax with my dime store novels and trusty German Shepard by my side and with my "non horror exposed" imagination focused on the novel and not any imagined horrors lurking outside. I felt safer there than I ever have in a populated environment.
Man, what a fortunate youth you were! Thanks for the image.
Long before the computer phrase ‘garbage in- garbage out’ was common, we were also raised with highly censored media. My parents were very young adults when immersed in WWII (dad was sent to Pearl Harbor the week after the gruesome attack) and no doubt both had vivid imagery seared into their memories and fear structures.
Not habituated, I didn’t own a TV until in my 40s. I just never saw much of quality when visiting other homes. Meh!
I don’t seek out horror now, with the exception of loving all the cliches of vampire movies. David Bowie is still so vivid because of my lack of numbing exposures. (The Hunger ‘83)
So the ‘monsters’ in my experiences are real and there are actionable defenses: elusiveness, strategy, police, lawyers, and last resort- weapons.
I too have felt right at home camping solo; until I got stalked two years ago. I hate that creep for what he destroyed for me.
I think this time of year can be such a perfect opportunity to examine the backrooms and dark attic recesses of our minds and memories and, as you said, turn the old trinkets over in our hands and ask questions about them. Separate ourselves from our experiences and actions and reactions (when we feel safe to, ofc) and look at it with curiosity. What is this old hellraiser contraption and how has it shaped my life? How do I feel about it now versus then? Can I put it away or do we need to let it sit out on the old haunted dresser for a bit longer? (I may have just watched “the cabin in the woods” last night, so monsters are on my mind.)
In my youth I spent a summer on a remote, L-4 shack, Forest Service lookout which was a 7 mile, 4,000 ft elevation gain hike from the nearest dirt road. On the dirt road it was another 45 miles to the nearest town. At night the light from my Coleman lantern would reflect back from the 360 degree windows rendering the outside of the lookout an impenetrable darkness to me while becoming a beacon of light on me for anything that may be outside. On those nights I was glad that I was raised without television exposure to imagined monsters and that I had never (and still have never) seen a horror movie. At night I could relax with my dime store novels and trusty German Shepard by my side and with my "non horror exposed" imagination focused on the novel and not any imagined horrors lurking outside. I felt safer there than I ever have in a populated environment.
Man, what a fortunate youth you were! Thanks for the image.
Long before the computer phrase ‘garbage in- garbage out’ was common, we were also raised with highly censored media. My parents were very young adults when immersed in WWII (dad was sent to Pearl Harbor the week after the gruesome attack) and no doubt both had vivid imagery seared into their memories and fear structures.
Not habituated, I didn’t own a TV until in my 40s. I just never saw much of quality when visiting other homes. Meh!
I don’t seek out horror now, with the exception of loving all the cliches of vampire movies. David Bowie is still so vivid because of my lack of numbing exposures. (The Hunger ‘83)
So the ‘monsters’ in my experiences are real and there are actionable defenses: elusiveness, strategy, police, lawyers, and last resort- weapons.
I too have felt right at home camping solo; until I got stalked two years ago. I hate that creep for what he destroyed for me.
Ugh, Ali, I'm sorry to hear about the real monsters. I hate to be the company in that misery.
Beautiful.
I think this time of year can be such a perfect opportunity to examine the backrooms and dark attic recesses of our minds and memories and, as you said, turn the old trinkets over in our hands and ask questions about them. Separate ourselves from our experiences and actions and reactions (when we feel safe to, ofc) and look at it with curiosity. What is this old hellraiser contraption and how has it shaped my life? How do I feel about it now versus then? Can I put it away or do we need to let it sit out on the old haunted dresser for a bit longer? (I may have just watched “the cabin in the woods” last night, so monsters are on my mind.)
A classic in the genre. Agree with all of this.
WOW!
💀
🙏🏼🥰