Oh lordy, I feel more like a zombie today than I did yesterday.
And yesterday, I looked like this:
It was a day full of the undead with our Zombie Walk and zombie roller derby bout, Aurora Gory-alis.
This was the ECRDA's first ever game as a real live team. We had only played in mixed bag rookie invitationals before this, so it was a pretty big deal for us. We put on our matching green zombie shirts, and went out on that track and played our hearts out.
We didn't win (we're number 2!!), but I think we all had a great time. the amalgamated Grande Prairie Cryptkeepers showed off the skills they picked up at RollerCon, and made for what I was told afterwards a very exciting and entertaining game to watch.
There weren't nearly as many people in the stands as there were the last two bouts, which makes me wonder if it didn't have something to do with the fact it was a Zombie bout.
See, there was a bit of controversy on a local news website where people were cutting down the concept of a Zombie Walk, which was held before the bout. One of the people commenting on the site was having a freakout over how scared and traumatized her kids would be.
Now, I personally don't see why it's such a big deal. Zombies aren't real, you can't actually raise the dead. It's about teaching your kids the difference between fantasy and reality. Yes, we were dressed to look like rotting corpses, but how is that any different than what some people dress up as on Halloween? True, Halloween dress-up is always done after dark – our Zombie Walk was done in broad daylight. But, honestly? I think it'd be way more terrifying to see a horde of "undead people" walking the streets in the dark. At least at 2 p.m., you can be pretty sure that it's just a bunch of people playing pretend.
But, on the other hand, I can see how small children could be scared by such things. I can recall having nightmares for years after seeing a made-for-TV movie during Sunday Night's Magical World of Disney, yes I said Disney, called Mr. Boogedy, as well as it's sequel, Bride of Boogedy.
Seriously, watch at about the 2:10 mark and tell me that face wouldn't have your five-year-old self shitting their pants.
But eventually, I got over it. At least until I had to watch The Exorcist at a birthday party when I was twelve. Didn't sleep for nearly a month after that shit.
It's actually pretty amazing that I'm not more fucked up than I already am.
But, again, it's still understanding the difference between fantasy and reality. Mr. Boogedy doesn't exist, and neither does the pea soup-vomiting, head-spinning, I-need-an-old-priest-and-a-young-priest Regan. Just like Vampires, Werewolves, Witches of the flying on a broomstick variety, and other such monsters aren't really real – but it's still fun to pretend they are. Which is why I watch shows like True Blood, The Walking Dead, and Being Human.
But, like people responded on the site, if you don't want your kids exposed to that sort of thing, don't take them to it. You probably know what your own kids are comfortable with (I would hope, anyway... you're supposed to be their parents!), and if you feel they aren't ready to take part in a Zombie Walk, then don't take them to it.
But don't be surprised if in a few years they're parading down the street with the rest of the living dead as an act of teenage rebellion.
Anyhoo.... yay for roller derby! And dressing up before it's Halloween! Yay!
Skates and Zombies,
Ginger.
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