Picture above: The Undead Jester and the Grim Reapers
This part of my Living History Journal should count for three activities: for attending the Renaissance Festival, for wearing a costume, and for participating in the Renaissance Festival.
P.S. This is one of my favorite sections of the Fall 2012 Living History Journal.
P.P.S. "Photoshoot photos" are shown in the second half of this blog.
P.P.S. "Photoshoot photos" are shown in the second half of this blog.
10/27/12: Details on the costumes are after the pictures!
This was a day of fun... kind of. The plan for me and my sisters was that my sisters would complete their scythes before this weekend of the Renaissance Festival. However, because of our busy schedule with school, they were not able to fully do work on the scythes until the day before the 27th of October. My two sisters each had a total of 2 hours of sleep while I had a total of 4 hours of sleep (because I was the person driving an hour to get to RenFest). We were going to enter the Costume Contest at 2pm, but even after we left our house at 11am, we were not able to get to RenFest until 3pm (Ayeee, traffic).
Another thing that happened is... well... I'll be straight-up honest and not care about who's reading this blog so I can save the trouble of explaining this second problem: My menstrual cramp started the morning we left for RenFest, so my whole body wasn't at its 100% shape. After my sisters and I had some fun at RenFest, I ate some buttery food (I can't really eat too much buttery foods) then I felt sick. We decided to leave early and I rushed out to my car to throw up in the parking lot... fun.
My sisters a week before RenFest:
My sisters the day/night before this RenFest:
My idea to help keep their scythes up:
This is where we took turns sleeping the night before we went to RenFest:
This was how our family room looked like when we left to go to RenFest:
This was me getting in the mood to play my part as an Undead Jester before leaving home:
Yes, that black stuff was make-up. Eye shadow to be exact. I decided that if I were going to wear a costume all day, I might as well make it look good by not showing off any of my light, pale skin. I don't like make-up so I don't wear make-up unless I absolutely have to. And because I don't wear make-up, this was the best I could do with it. As you can imagine, I never really wanted to show my face when I got to the Renaissance Festival. When I ate, I shoved food into my mouth by sneaking food under my mask. When I threw up... well... I took my mask off and threw up in shame.
Coming to RenFest and getting ready:
It took me and my two sisters three hours (instead of the would-be one hour) to get to RenFest. When got there, memories started to rush into my head because the first time we went to RenFest was six years ago when our older sister took us there.
I already wore my jester costume when we left our house, so all I had to do was put my mask on, which I did so immediately. My sisters, on the other hand, had to put their grim reaper cloaks on from scratch. People walked past us like we were "normal" until we pulled the 6 feet long scythes out of my Toyota Corolla. People questioned whether or not the reapers were males or females because the scythes looked heavy. Other reapers said "Why don't I have a scythe like that" when they saw these scythe. THIS really when the fun began.
On the side note: Because I wanted to keep my character as a "creepy and scary undead jester," I did not take as many pictures at RenFest as I had liked to.
I already wore my jester costume when we left our house, so all I had to do was put my mask on, which I did so immediately. My sisters, on the other hand, had to put their grim reaper cloaks on from scratch. People walked past us like we were "normal" until we pulled the 6 feet long scythes out of my Toyota Corolla. People questioned whether or not the reapers were males or females because the scythes looked heavy. Other reapers said "Why don't I have a scythe like that" when they saw these scythe. THIS really when the fun began.
On the side note: Because I wanted to keep my character as a "creepy and scary undead jester," I did not take as many pictures at RenFest as I had liked to.
Pictures of my sisters as Grim Reapers:
Everywhere we went, we were stopped for a picture because of the Reapers and their scythes. The Undead Jester was included for every picture session except for two (this is why I was only able to take two of these pictures...)
There was this one family who saw us in the Magical Garden and thought we were cool-looking. They stopped us and asked us for pictures so we let them take pictures. First they took pictures of their two kids and us, I thought they only wanted the Reapers, so I stood back to take pictures of the whole event. They asked me to join the picture so I went behind the bench that the kids were sitting on and posed with a wave. As I walked back to take pictures of the next group with the reapers, a young-adult guy and girl (late teens or early twenties) walked to the bench to take pictures with us. The girl was obviously creeped out by the reapers because she kept shaking her hair and looked at the scythes with widened eyes. I went behind them and stood on their bench, crouched down and ready for a picture. She slowly looked up and screamed when she saw me standing above them. I jumped down and ran behind their "mom" and laughed.
A random short story happened when my sisters and I were watching a man make something with the fire... (Hah... I have no idea what it was called...):
When I turned around to look behind me, I saw a big man wearing the white version of my outfit. We looked at each other for a bit then he said "Oh. Oh hello." I held my arms out, then slowly scuffled towards him and hugged him. His "wife" laughed then said "Aw, it's like a father and child reunion!"
There was this one family who saw us in the Magical Garden and thought we were cool-looking. They stopped us and asked us for pictures so we let them take pictures. First they took pictures of their two kids and us, I thought they only wanted the Reapers, so I stood back to take pictures of the whole event. They asked me to join the picture so I went behind the bench that the kids were sitting on and posed with a wave. As I walked back to take pictures of the next group with the reapers, a young-adult guy and girl (late teens or early twenties) walked to the bench to take pictures with us. The girl was obviously creeped out by the reapers because she kept shaking her hair and looked at the scythes with widened eyes. I went behind them and stood on their bench, crouched down and ready for a picture. She slowly looked up and screamed when she saw me standing above them. I jumped down and ran behind their "mom" and laughed.
A random short story happened when my sisters and I were watching a man make something with the fire... (Hah... I have no idea what it was called...):
When I turned around to look behind me, I saw a big man wearing the white version of my outfit. We looked at each other for a bit then he said "Oh. Oh hello." I held my arms out, then slowly scuffled towards him and hugged him. His "wife" laughed then said "Aw, it's like a father and child reunion!"
AND BEHOLD! A random Spiderman at RenFest:
Along with this _________ came people who called the Grim Reapers "ninjas" and the other people who called the Scythes "big swords." I was somewhat amused by those people's _________.
A tiring ride home:
I was unable to drive back home because of the nausea I was feeling. One of my sisters ended up having to drive while the other one continued to stay in the back of the Corolla to keep the Scythes from flying out of the car. I fell asleep because the car made my nausea felt worse... my feet were also killing me because I was walking around RenFest while wearing jazz shoes...
About an hour later, I woke up feeling better... but I found out we were stuck in traffic for that entire hour.
Here's a picture of a tired and sweaty reaper that has been "unrobed":
About an hour later, I woke up feeling better... but I found out we were stuck in traffic for that entire hour.
Here's a picture of a tired and sweaty reaper that has been "unrobed":
A PHOTOSHOOT PROJECT
Pictures of the Undead Jester:
Pictures of the Grim Reapers:
12/3/12: Because I had the camera on me the entire time during RenFest, I wasn't able to get any pictures of me and my Jester outfit. I thought I "could" get by with a blog on my costume without any actual pictures of my costume but the night I started working on my blog, something in the back of my head kept screaming "NO. NO-NO NO-NO NO-NO-NO! I NEED PICTURES!!!" So the idea of taking pictures of my outfit was pretty last minute and I couldn't think of any place to take a picture of my costume that would give a scary effect. When I woke up on Monday morning (the day before this blog was due) to go to school, there were rainy clouds and a dark-looking atmosphere and I said "Oh my god! This would be perfect!" Then I left my costume in my car and went to school with my sisters. When we all got out of our classes, we drove upstairs to the top floor of our school's parking garage and took a bunch of pictures as people looked at us and laughed saying "Isn't it a little too late for Halloween?"
11/2/12: After RenFest, I thought that it was a shame that I couldn't take any decent pictures of my sisters wearing their AWESOME costumes during RenFest because of how I was keeping my character as an Undead-creepy-Jester. We planned to do this photoshoot during a night that we wouldn't have too many school-assignments. The Friday after RenFest was the best choice and we spent a good 3 hours outside in the streets from 11pm until 2am. These pictures were taken in our neighborhood and a neighboring neighborhood. I believe we were all going for the "The Grim Reapers are always waiting for your time right outside your door" type of theme when we took these photos. All three of us were actually kind of creeped out by the silence and how the random owls and bugs in the neighborhoods would break that silence. I especially felt bad for the Reaper who has to stand alone while being a couple of houses down the street from the other two people... that must have been creepy like hell.
My sisters were probably annoyed of me always trying to get a "great picture" shot but... I think it was worth it.
11/2/12: After RenFest, I thought that it was a shame that I couldn't take any decent pictures of my sisters wearing their AWESOME costumes during RenFest because of how I was keeping my character as an Undead-creepy-Jester. We planned to do this photoshoot during a night that we wouldn't have too many school-assignments. The Friday after RenFest was the best choice and we spent a good 3 hours outside in the streets from 11pm until 2am. These pictures were taken in our neighborhood and a neighboring neighborhood. I believe we were all going for the "The Grim Reapers are always waiting for your time right outside your door" type of theme when we took these photos. All three of us were actually kind of creeped out by the silence and how the random owls and bugs in the neighborhoods would break that silence. I especially felt bad for the Reaper who has to stand alone while being a couple of houses down the street from the other two people... that must have been creepy like hell.
My sisters were probably annoyed of me always trying to get a "great picture" shot but... I think it was worth it.
"Dressing up for All Hallows' Eve":
After this year's Halloween season and my involvement with the holiday and RenFest, I started to wonder how the custom of wearing costumes on Halloween got brought about...
Apparently, people believed that the barrier between the world of the living and the world of the dead gets weak on the night of All Hallows' Eve. Supposedly, monsters and the dead would cross through the barrier and roam on the land of the living. People of the past would wear clothing resembling monsters or the dead in order to avoid being recognized by the monsters or dead people.
At RenFest, I got to scare a many people. When people talked to me, I'd tilt my head without replying with words. When kids looked at me (whether they were scared or not), I'd give them a slow wave. There was an incident when a group of people were going to walk past me and my reaper-sisters. One of the girls in that group was trying to avoid us by walking on the other side of her group. As that group and our group continued walking, my head followed her to see that everyone was looking at us walking past them... they all screamed, "OH MY GOD, IT WAS WATCHING US."
I was an Undead Jester not because I wanted to hide from monsters or people... I was an Undead Jester because I wanted to roam around and spread terror all over people's faces (not).
Apparently, people believed that the barrier between the world of the living and the world of the dead gets weak on the night of All Hallows' Eve. Supposedly, monsters and the dead would cross through the barrier and roam on the land of the living. People of the past would wear clothing resembling monsters or the dead in order to avoid being recognized by the monsters or dead people.
At RenFest, I got to scare a many people. When people talked to me, I'd tilt my head without replying with words. When kids looked at me (whether they were scared or not), I'd give them a slow wave. There was an incident when a group of people were going to walk past me and my reaper-sisters. One of the girls in that group was trying to avoid us by walking on the other side of her group. As that group and our group continued walking, my head followed her to see that everyone was looking at us walking past them... they all screamed, "OH MY GOD, IT WAS WATCHING US."
I was an Undead Jester not because I wanted to hide from monsters or people... I was an Undead Jester because I wanted to roam around and spread terror all over people's faces (not).
12/4/12: The day of the first set of presentations in Mrs. Q's class
Well... Elizabeth and I successfully made Mrs. Quiroga scream!
Unintentionally! hahaha
After the success the Phams had with RenFest and the photoshoot, we planned that the Grim Reaper Project would be part of our presentation(s) for the Fall 2012 HIST 1301 Living History Journal Presentation at the end of the semester. We showed the Reapers with Scythe pictures to the security team at our school to ask them if we can bring it for the presentation. They just stared at it then asked "Is it real?" They told us there were ok with it as long as it wasn't real.
Later, it was decided by Mrs. Q that only one of the reapers may present the Grim Reaper project. It was decided that Elizabeth would present this mini-project and I decided that I wanted to be a part of my sister's presentation for fun by dressing up as a Jester to hold the second scythe for her presentation.
The plan was that we would come to the school with the scythes then go up the elevators or stairs to our classroom's floor while wearing regular clothes (since the security team told us that we're not allowed to cover our face while walking around the school). Then we would bring the scythe into the restroom so we can change into our costumes to walk to class late. There, the Jester would walk into the classroom silently and slowly, stop in the middle of the room, then point at the door slowly. That's when the Grim Reaper makes its entrance and look at the classroom then Mrs. Q.
We came up to the 4th floor of our school carrying the scythe to the elevator and restroom as planned. We changed into our costumes as planned. We had a lot of those "Woah" and "What the heck" and a lot of laughs once we walked around in our costumes.
Things didn't go with the second part of the plan because we didn't communicate it clearly and it was forgotten. (Note: None of this was communicated verbally. Everything was just improvised and wordless so we can keep our character in front of our class).
We stopped in front of our classroom window then our classmates saw us and screamed "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" We both entered the room then walked to the back of the room and stood there as the whole classroom turned around to look at us and to take pictures while we all waited for Mrs. Q to come back into the classroom.
Here's a picture from one of our classmates as we waited (Credits to Betsy!)
Unintentionally! hahaha
After the success the Phams had with RenFest and the photoshoot, we planned that the Grim Reaper Project would be part of our presentation(s) for the Fall 2012 HIST 1301 Living History Journal Presentation at the end of the semester. We showed the Reapers with Scythe pictures to the security team at our school to ask them if we can bring it for the presentation. They just stared at it then asked "Is it real?" They told us there were ok with it as long as it wasn't real.
Later, it was decided by Mrs. Q that only one of the reapers may present the Grim Reaper project. It was decided that Elizabeth would present this mini-project and I decided that I wanted to be a part of my sister's presentation for fun by dressing up as a Jester to hold the second scythe for her presentation.
The plan was that we would come to the school with the scythes then go up the elevators or stairs to our classroom's floor while wearing regular clothes (since the security team told us that we're not allowed to cover our face while walking around the school). Then we would bring the scythe into the restroom so we can change into our costumes to walk to class late. There, the Jester would walk into the classroom silently and slowly, stop in the middle of the room, then point at the door slowly. That's when the Grim Reaper makes its entrance and look at the classroom then Mrs. Q.
We came up to the 4th floor of our school carrying the scythe to the elevator and restroom as planned. We changed into our costumes as planned. We had a lot of those "Woah" and "What the heck" and a lot of laughs once we walked around in our costumes.
Things didn't go with the second part of the plan because we didn't communicate it clearly and it was forgotten. (Note: None of this was communicated verbally. Everything was just improvised and wordless so we can keep our character in front of our class).
We stopped in front of our classroom window then our classmates saw us and screamed "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" We both entered the room then walked to the back of the room and stood there as the whole classroom turned around to look at us and to take pictures while we all waited for Mrs. Q to come back into the classroom.
Here's a picture from one of our classmates as we waited (Credits to Betsy!)
While we waited, someone suggested that we should wait at the door for Mrs. Q. I decided to walk back to the front of the classroom and Elizabeth decided to continue standing in the back of the room to wait for Mrs. Q's entrance. After we waited for a while, Mrs. Q came in to see the Grim Reaper standing at the back of the room. She widened her eyes and gasped then she said, "Oh, c'mon. I'm not that old ye-." When she turned to walk to her desk, she saw me standing in front of her desk, looking at her. She stumbled back then screamed in shock and horror while holding the podium that was close to her.
MAN I really, really wish someone recorded that! That video would had definitely been included on here and on Youtube!!! Unintentional success bites sometimes!
MAN I really, really wish someone recorded that! That video would had definitely been included on here and on Youtube!!! Unintentional success bites sometimes!
My Other RenFest Visits
For the year of 2012-2013, I created two Living History Journals that consist blog entries about four different Renaissance Festival visits (one of which involved camping at RenFest). The other three visits can be found by clicking the buttons below:
The second visit in 2012
Helping at School Day in 2013
Visiting RenFest for two days while camping over (in 2013)
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