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40 days


ItsMeBobO

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Today I was tearing down the props after a 40 day run.     I was still working at sunset and over the next hour three cars came by.  I spoke with two of them and both said they had seen the lights in prior years but not this year.  Too busy, blah blah, wanted to see before I turned them off.  I am having a little trouble caring about these post season guests.

For the last few years I have stated pretty clearly on all the places I post about the show that it is open every day in December.  No promises for November or January.  

How do you handle disappointed guests for whom its not important enough to come in December and act short changed when the show is not running in January?

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My show ran perfect after I repaired my mega tree hook head that crashed. Then a news guy came by with his drone a few days ago. He had asked if I could plan for no longer than 28 minute segments. I created 8 show files.

Show started great we was listening to the music and watching the drone screen and the drone climbed to about 119' before he realized it. Then it was difficult to recover but he managed. He asked me to turn off the fm transmitter and all was well. Then it was so cold that the batteries were not lasting the 28 mins. The show files were around 18-23 mins but still couldn't be shot in one run. That threw everything off. I was going to attempt to align audio with the videos but as good as my singing face sequences are it will be to difficult so the drone vids will be silent.

Went out tonight to try and record, its been very cold here. Well the matrix would not run, everything else worked fine for the first show file. Then one by one the pixel props fell out. CCR tree and then the circles. After several attempts to reset I gave up. I will attempt to align the drone video with the drone show files.

Tomorrow is tear down for the inflatables and perhaps the roof outline

Sorry I didn't get to run the MIIP, its on my priority list this year. I think that will keep traffic flowing, I could be wrong but I am hoping. 

All of that and I forgot to answer the question of the night.

I post up on my community and county FB page a type of countdown letting everyone know the show will be ending on such and such night. 

Happy New Year Bob

JR

Edited by dibblejr
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57 minutes ago, ItsMeBobO said:

How do you handle disappointed guests for whom its not important enough to come in December and act short changed when the show is not running in January?

"I'm sorry, but I have to get the display torn down now so that I can start planning next years display. You may not realize it, but if I stop now to run the show for you tonight, then the entire display for next year will already be in jeopardy."

 

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One of the reasons I started experimenting with MIIP is to allow me to run "request only" shows after the primary season is over.  I usually don't get the lights down for a few weeks because of weather and schedule.  The plan is just turn on icicles but have the musical sequences available for requests.  The other use I have for postseason runs is for testing some new stuff.  I usually have more time in the early part of the year versus the last quarter.

  arnold

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I have a few answers for them,,,

”sorry, the lights are tired.” Then refer them to your website or videos

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21 hours ago, ItsMeBobO said:

.....How do you handle disappointed guests for whom its not important enough to come in December and act short changed when the show is not running in January?

agree with saxon ----

tell them you're sorry that they missed it & give them a link to your videos. They may watch them next December. Probably have McD's wrappers in their floorboards.. 

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It's part of this hobby so it really doesn't bother me, we have folks coming by October 1st wanting to know when we will have Halloween set up then November 1st wanting to know when Christmas will be set up.  IMO it's pretty cool that folks are so engrossed into our shows, makes you feel like you are doing something right.  We do run something on the fourth of July but mostly to test new props, this past year was my P10 panel.  Needed to know how it would look in the picture window and what it would look like from the street.

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In my pre-show days, I always believed in lights from Thanksgiving through New Years.  Since starting a show, and realizing that several people in my neighborhood leave their lights on through January 6th, that's what I do also.  So far, I've never had anyone stop and complain about missing my show.  I got lucky this year, with both health and weather, and my lights are down, over two full weeks earlier than last year!!  This year, I also had NO GFCI trips, and only one computer restart issue (after a power outage).  My best year yet!!! 

Monica

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  • 2 weeks later...

January 6th is when 3 Kings Day ends and most of the folks I know that put up lights that leave them up through that date are of Spanish descent.  And since the neighborhood I live in is primarily Spanish folk, that's how I found out why they leave their lights up 'til the 6th of January.    I used to start tear down on or around January 1 or 2, now when I do a display it runs through the 6th of January and usually starts Thanksgiving night or the beginning of Thanksgiving week.

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We have missed you Orville !   I watched every episode of your tv show.    I agree there are dates like 3 kings to hold the show open for.    Maybe it wasn't clear in my original post.  This year I was having a little trouble smiling as I did for the entire month of december at all the wacky and funny comments people make.    While I did tell them sorry and come in December next year,  I really was silently thinking something else.   My darker thoughts did not break through to them but they did here.  

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1 hour ago, ItsMeBobO said:

I watched every episode of your tv show. 

Me too.  It's actually pretty good.  Surprising, even.  Orv's done an excellent job hiding his sense of humor for years now.   When's the show coming back?

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On the other side of post season

I just received a late Christmas card. Better late then never it said.

Inside was a note.

To the owners of the Frosty House (there son calls my house) Thank you for joy you bring to the area and surroundings. Your light show is our favorite  part of Christmas. it wouldn't be a great Christmas with out your fantastic show. All your time and hard work is much appreciated.

It makes such a big impact on our kids imaginations. When my son decorated his ginger bread house this year he was determined to make it just like your house, He had all the trees starting with new one (rgb mega) and Frosty and his back up singers.

He says he wants to light up his house when he gets bigger just like you. So in 3 to 5 years maybe you can have an apprentice. Thank You!

Just though I would share this late Christmas card as isn't this why we do it.

 

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