Archive through October 21, 2003
MoveCloseDeleteAdmin

TV ClubHouse: archives: Adven's Great Reality Adventure (and what not) (ARCHIVE): HoH #1 (Fear Factor): Archive through October 21, 2003

Adven

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 06:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Good evening, houseguests. Your first Head of Household competition will be based loosely on Fear Factor. What I want you to do is pretty simple: write an account of the scariest thing that has ever happened to you. It can be any length you want, but you don't get bonus points for brevity or length. The only rule is that it must be true and have happened to you. It could be an accident, an encounter with a creature of some sort or even something that suggests the paranormal.
I will be judging the entries and awarding immunity to the winner based on effort and the scariness of the story.
The person granted immunity will be asked to put two people up for eviction and the rest will vote one of them out of the house. After this challenge, three people will be nominated and two will be evicted in the next two challenges.
I would like to keep this nomination and eviction format if we could in order to keep with the Big Brother theme. I know, though, for many of you, selecting friends and people you have come to really enjoy for eviction is extremely difficult (Twig and Reader had to do it for the Bachelor/ette rose ceremony and I know they found it traumatic). So, if you really feel stressed by the idea of nominating others for eviction should you win immunity, let me know and we will simply hold an e-mail vote involving everyone without immunity instead. I would say, though, that getting nominated at this point is a kind of back-handed compliment since the idea now is to get rid of the strongest competitors or those you are not allied with. In other words, this isn't a popularity contest.

Goodnight, houseguests. Enjoy the PB and J. You have 24 hours to complete your assignment.

Reader234

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 06:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
SHOOT...

I dont want to read this I'm having too much fun...

MAK get in here!! Put away the pizza....

Jan

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 06:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Adven, do we mail the story to you or post it here?

Squaredsc

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 06:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
good question jan.

Lancecrossfire

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 06:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I too will wait to hear about mailing or posting.

Adven

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Sorry. Post it here. That way you can find my selection suspicious and possibly mole-protecting.

Lancecrossfire

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I see Adven said good night to us. Hmmmm--I wonder if we should expect an answer sometime in the early morning.

Reader234

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
LOL, spoke to soon Lance...

You know it occurs to me Adven's game keeps getting in the way of our fun... and yet Adven's game is the reason for all the fun...


Which came first the chicken or the egg???

just askin...

Jan

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I don't have a really good story but Miss Wings does. Can I steal hers? just asking?

Mak1

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for calling me Reader! You're one of my favorite 9 people left in the house!

I was busy cleaning up the kitchen, chasing out the last of the ants, putting the tarantulas to bed and scrubbing the toilet. Phew! (BTW, that pbj pizza was really yummy, eh?)

Oh geez, we have to do some real work now. I'll have to sleep on this.(Meatloaf)

Jan

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
but Mak ..will you love me. will you love me forever?

edited to add:well I gotta go away and think long and hard about this one. I've lived a pretty non scary life methinks.

see y'all tomorrow.

Reader234

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
PBJ,

I do not plan on gaining weight on THIS diet!!

Jan, what is that song, I hear it


FOTH

Lancecrossfire

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
This happened on June 2nd, 1999. This was written up during Game I when a couple people asked me about what had happened.


The purpose of the visit to the freezer was to collect sample bottles of sea sediment that was to be packaged as waste with the rest of the lab waste I was there to package. I was there by myself because I was going to be assigned a “helper” from their location—lately 2 of us had gone because the person their who deals with waste is also a research person, and that comes first—and they had been very busy.

The person who was to help me, ironically enough, was a person who had just gotten back from a 2 year educational leave of absence—he was getting his BS. It was his second day back, and had been assigned to help me with whatever I wanted him to do. His name is Steve, and he was pretty sharp, so I figured things would go smooth.

So, anyway, I knew there was a freezer to get waste out of, although no one had told me about it…I figured a small walk-in at about 20F (-7C). Well, turns out this thing is a building!! About 10’ wide, and 20’ long---although the first 5x10 is a cooler that leads has a door that goes to the freezer unit.

So, we go in, figuring we will work as long as we can gathering sample jars. To set the insides, there are wire standup racks on each side, with isle way in the middle. There are 100s of sample jars—about 100mls to 250mls—either glass or plastic. There are some coolers with sample jars in them—like the coolers you’d take to the beach.

Well, we go in, and it feels really cold—the thermometer says –22F(-30C)!!!! So, we close the door because we are going to be in there as long as we can stand it, then head out, warm up, go back in, etc.

Well, about 15 minutes pass, and we are VERY cold—so we decide to head out. We hit the handle to get out and IT WON”T MOVE! It’s a metal bolt sticking out with a round plastic knob---just like any cooler or freezer door like this. My dad as a meat cutter—I’ve been in and out of these all my life.

We aren’t sure what it’s not moving—corrosion, ice?? We can’t tell. So we hit it hard a couple of times—not a budge. Steve kicks it, and on the second kick instead of getting out, the plastic piece breaks off!! We are now left with the end of a long bolt showing----not something to bash your hand into!! I grab the biggest/heaviest cooler and start hitting a corner of it (more plastic on the corners of coolers). I hit it square on 6 times—and put 6 holes in the cooler!

Steve and I next look for an emergency turn-off switch, or emergency alarm---this unit is over 100 feet from the main building, AND set behind a group of other large storage units. We find that there are no emergency switches of any time, so we stop to take stock and plan. Remember, I mentioned that we didn’t try and get out till we were already at the point where we were VERY cold!

I say to him, “This is kinda funny being stuck in here..”

He says, with his eyes opened as wide as I’ve ever seen anyone’s eyes, “NO IT’S NOT!”

I say, “Yes it is…not haha funny, but stupid funny—we are in here looking for frozen mud!”

Steve says, “I’m not laughing!”
I say, “You have to almost laugh at it—we could die in a short time because we were mud hunting---do you realize how little value it is to die for mud?”

He says, “It’s still not funny!”

We figure we should go through a systematic method of seeing if we can get out—we face two issues from the inside—we were already freezing when we decided to leave, and the 2 12” fans are continually blowing the very cold air on us unless we are at the ends of the freezer unit. Issues from the outside----there is great distance and other barriers between us and anyone else. No one knew exactly when we came out there—they just knew that we were working on getting waste items together that afternoon—so no one would miss us for awhile.

We tried the obvious “bang and yell” on the sides to see what the chances might be I someone cam by per chance. This think was built!! Figured someone would have had to bee right there listening for us. (we later would find out that was an accurate call). Next any switches on the cooer unit to turn off or change the temperature? Well, yes, although they were marked 20, 30, 35 and defrost. We didn’t know if the numbers were above or below zero!!! So we tried defrost, remembering that on the outside along with the housed chart of the temperature, there was an alarm a swell—most likely an alarm that if the temp. went too high, it would go off. This we thought, was a possibility!

Well, after a few minutes of waiting, nothing kicked in---later we would learn that the alarm could only be heard if you were within about 1 foot of it!!!! Well, at –30C, it’s getting two cold guys even colder!! We look to the wiring to see if there is something to short out---hey electrocution potential is better than Popsicle for sure!!! At the same time, I ask Steve if he has family, and if so, how long before they called concerned. He figured his wife would call about 7:00-8:00----of course everyone would be gone by then and no one would answer the phone. It was just after 2:00 when we first went in, btw.

We find one junction box above the door, although the cover is screwed on by 2 screws---and no tools in there—only coolers and sample jars!! Can you believe that I have a Swiss Army knife with a number of tools---2 of them being screwdrivers!!! With out that, we could not have removed the cover!! So, I unscrew the screws and remove the plat (hey folks, my hands are getting cold, as I haven’t had them covered the entire time!! We look at the wiring inside the box, and see that it only goes to the light—no wires go into the freezer unit (we could see the conduit coming out of the box for the light—we wee hoping for more! Ok, that was a strike out!! So things are looking a lot worse, because it won’t be long before the cold over takes our ability to have any kind of affect in doing anything. We are looking at the wiring going into the unit trying to find another junction box, or something to yank out and not electrocute us in any event. There was one wire, although it was temperature sensor. Things are starting to not look promising at all…like it’s time to accept that in a couple of hours, we will be dead, and in much less time, we won’t be able to think at all---in a very short time.

Steve is feeling pretty bad about the possibility of leaving behind a wife and two small kids….I don’t blame him at all!!!!

We both notice a plastic cowling over the plunger—the bolt. It’s concave, so it goes into the door!! I get out the knife again, and unscrew 4 screws—this takes awhile because of the shape my hands are in. With the shelving on each side, there isn’t room for 2 people by the door…I take it off, and exposed is tight packed Styrofoam insulation, and some ice throughout the insulation! I use the knife to cut away the insulation, chip away some ice by where the plunger goes into the door, and I finally get down to a think slab of plywood. I’ve cleared all the insulation and ice away from the plunger, and dug as much as I could around the hole where the plunger goes into the wood. Take the cooler to it again---more holes!! We still don’t know if it’s ice or corrosion that has crewed up the plunger…

We just stand there…looking at each other—both thinking we will know what it’s like to freeze to death. I look at my hands---they are swollen to twice their normal size, and in the light appear to be cherry red. For the first time I realize just how much pain they are in! It is hard to move my fingers…and Steve is out of ideas except for pulling the 220 line going into the unit, although it’s bracketed in pretty good, and may not be accessible enough to pull. In any event, it’s likely electrocution from what he knows of electrical systems.

All of a sudden a light comes on in my head!!!! We need something to put on the end of the bolt to increase the surface area—that’s why I had put holes in the cooler—so much force over such a small area! How to do that???---the plate from the junction box!!! I turn it point on point (it’s a 4”x4” piece of metal) and place one end into the foam, and up against the bolt end. I grab the cooler—it is heavy to me now (much heavier than before) and I can barely hold it by the handles. I hit at the plate, and it flies off—without the bolt moving at all!! I try this 4 more times, with the same results. Steve is watching me because there isn’t enough room for him...I look into his eyes and can see that he knows this is our last chance…I remember that look from those parents of the SIDS deaths I told you about. Or maybe I know that time is at hand where I won’t be able to move my hands!!!! And neither one of us will be able to even think of anything…the cold air continues to barrel out of those fans!! I hate losing though…and I know my idea is a sound one—it just isn’t working well.

I figure just a bit longer, and we will be worthless to ourselves…Steve agrees. I pick up the metal piece once again—with an intensity that only death can bring if you let it come to you. I fight through the half pain, half uselessness of my hands to embed the metal into the foam...I push down and leave a dent in my hand a deep dent.

I take the cooler and hit it for all I’m worth…the metal stays in place but movement of the bolt…so I keep hitting it, and don’t plan on stopping till I can’t move. I hit it another 7 or 8 times…and the bolt moves ever so much, and so does the door!!!!!!!!!!!

We rush out, and the metal plate falls to the floor….it’s bent around the bolt head, and the bolt end had gone half way through the galvanized plate!! We go report it to the head guy of the facility, and show him everything I just explained. He is in shock at what almost happened! The bolt still won’t move.

I really believe that 1) without that knife, we couldn’t have done any of this, 2) that I’m really glad I thought of the junction box cover, and 3) that was the last chance for us.

I went back to work the rest of the afternoon, (around 3:30 by now). Steve was a little shaken and goes home. The next day Steve was very shaken and really didn’t want to be there. He helped me, but was very unfocused. The next day he was shaking about the incident…I went back into the freezer to finish the job---with an investigation team present!! Steve quit shortly after that.

I believe that we should have died….I am proud of my efforts that day.

Grooch

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I think you should all email them to Adven and have him post them all at the same time.

It may be more work for him, but then no one can get a come uppperence that I think people may have complained about in the last contest he had.

Zachsmom

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
cool FOTH!


I gotta know right now
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?
I gotta know right now!
Before we go any further
Do you love me?
And will you love me forever?

Jan

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
the foth song or Meatloaf's from Bat out of Hell, reader.....

but will you love me , will you love me forever

let me sleep on it...

now i'm praying for the end of time so I can end my time with you

is that the one you mean?

edited to add: well done Zmom. I couldn't remeber it all

Squaredsc

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
awww bloody hell. i can't think of one scary thing and the ghost i saw once wasn't scary at all.

Jan

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:25 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
not fair Lance. How can anyone beat that!!!! I'm with Squared on this one.

Maybe tomorrow I will come upwith something.

night again all

PS I'm glad you got out Lance. Well done!! you should be proud of yourself.

Squaredsc

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:26 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
damn lance, can't compete against that. im glad you are alive to tell the tale.

Pamy

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lance, they really shortened your story for that episode of the Brady Bunch.

Lancecrossfire

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
No they didn't Pamy--I'm just full of hot air.

And not all of it smells too good.

Reader234

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dh wants to know how Adven will verify. For my story I have pictures. Wonder how to post them tho... (lol Pamy!)

I had thought about posting the url for this website that you stare at a kitchen table, for like 20 seconds than a head comes screaming at you... only I lost the url :(

Lance is resourceful, I want to have Lance on survivor, he could've taught Scoutmaster Lil a trick or two!!

WTG Lance!!

Mak1

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wicked scary story, Lance! (darnit!) I was lol at the part where you started noticing humor in that awful situation. I'm so impressed with the way you never gave up and stuck around to meet all of us.

(Yeah, ladies, I think we need to sleep on it. And I'll love you all until the end of time.)

Reader234

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 07:54 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I think we have a theme song...

and a hero!!

:)

Lancecrossfire

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 08:03 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Reader, in case you meant the hero thought about me, I have to respectfully decline the title.

I am a lot of things (and have been called a lot more), however hero is not one of them. I just consider myself someone who doesn't like to lose.

Hmmm---theme song?? Yes, it could work.

You know folks, one of the problems talked about with BB was that the HG's didn't do anything--they were boring and complained about being bored. But they never took it upon themselves to try and solve it for themselves.

Any interest in a little "self challenge" where we come up with ideas for a theme song and explain why we think it's the most fitting? Maybe Adven would reward us with the winner getting immunity, or the next HOH, or not having to do any chores for a week.

Or maybe he would throw pies at us.