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So how many of you have overheard your neighbors comments when you start putting your show up?


Orville

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Well I started putting up lights on the house yesterday, 10/01/2018, mainly for Christmas, but may run some Orange-Red-Green and Purple animation sequences only using the pixels I have.  But as I was stringing up the one side of the house I heard the following commentary: {We have a host of new neighbors {5 new homes in the area I'm located at sold} over that last couple years and none have ever seen one of these light displays like we do.}   So I'm hoping it goes well and no dislikes or GRINCH's among them.

 

Anyway back to the comments:

"Why is that fool putting up lights now?"  "Isn't it way too early to be putting up decorations and lights?"

Before I could come down from the ladder and explain the type bulbs that are in use are computer controlled and take more time because I have to run cat5 cable, power cords to each controller, as well as setting my my older CTB16PC controllers with cat5 cable runs, extension cords and get everything else in place.  All takes a little more time than someone that can just hang a light strand and plug it in.  They went back inside their house.

Of course, I get back to work and they come outside again, and then make another comment:

"Some people just ruin the Holidays for others because they want to put up lights way too early for the Holidays, and then turn them on too far ahead of time."   {I'm sure they were thinking Christmas}, as I am not planning a musical Halloween show this year, just some RGB animation effects only for Halloween.

Actually I wasn't even going to do Halloween any longer or at all this year, but decided to heck with that, so next year in 2019, my Halloween musical display WILL be returning. 

Just too late for doing it this year for both it and Christmas, especially by the time I got everything I was going to use in my displays.  So focusing mainly on Christmas this year as the priority.   And I still have a lot of work to do yet.   Hopefully I'll get MOST of it done, don't think I'll get it all.

So what kind of idiotic comments do you folks hear from your neighbors, when you start putting up your goodies to get it ready for showtime?  Or do you even get any from anyone?

 

Edited by Orville
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I am hanging lights for Halloween. Like you, some will magically change from Orange, Purple to Red and Green (and other shades).

So far, none of my neighbors have offered to help ? (especially with the ladder climbing)

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I always get the "it's too early" comments but the ones that normally say that are the lazy people who refuse to put lights on their house. To them I just smile and wave but as they drive away I give them the have a nice day your number one salute ?????

Edited by GriswoldStyle
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Most of our neighbors instead ask when your going to start putting up xmas, my wifes patients ask everyday around this time of year has your street started putting up xmas? We have one new neighbor on the culdesack so we may get some comments, but they did say they like to decorate for xmas, but they also said they like yard work which has yet to happen LOL.

 

We haven't started putting up yet, but the sheds are getting emptied and check of lights and props are beginning. Pretty soon the trim of bush's and tree's before the lights go up. This week I'm pressure washing the driveways and sidewalks, dang I hate wet feet.

 

Keith

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I actually had a group of neighbors stop by and ask if they could help today, since I am late for show start. I was setting up some of my faces. We went to my shed and they carried them out front. Told them I hope to be up and running by Friday night. I still have a bunch of singing faces left but we couldn't get to them yet.

My SD really appreciates it. When I had surgeries I actually set up in Sept and since they were up I just had to turn them on.

JR

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Because I am at work when everyone else is at home, most of my set-up happens all day Mondays and Tuesdays. The only comment I've ever gotten is "When do you put up your decorations? One day nothing is up, and the next day the whole house is decorated!"

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My across the street neighbor, first thing out of his mouth every year  "Need Help?"  They love it!  and are always willing!

 

 

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My neighborhood has gotten used to me starting to put things up early (I'm going to start this weekend).  I get a lot of positive comments that they are looking forward to seeing the show again.  

No one's offered to help yet, though.  ?

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1 hour ago, jfuller8400 said:

My neighborhood has gotten used to me starting to put things up early (I'm going to start this weekend).  I get a lot of positive comments that they are looking forward to seeing the show again.  

No one's offered to help yet, though.  ?

That's the one thing I miss about my OLD neighbors that moved away, when I would start working on putting up lights on the house, they'd come over without my even asking and start helping, they'd even bring ladders and then their wives would bring cold soda or lemonade and even food while we put things up.

This year, I'm all on my own getting things done, and it's quite a feat with my vision issues what they are, blind as a bat practically, and on medications high blood pressure, migraines and pain killers for other muscle pains in shoulders and back.   So it's a bit hard going for me without all that help I used to get, but I'll get it done, just takes me a lot longer than most folk.   And I'm not even supposed to be climbing on ladders at all, but if I don't do it, won't get done.

My one neighbor saw me putting the lights on the house and he said getting ready for the holidays again?  I said, yes, working on it.  And got a lot to still get done for just Christmas this year.   said he's waiting to see how it's going to look with the new RGB lighting, he's never saw lights like the LOR Controlled ones where you can control each individual bulb on a light strand.   So he's really excited to see how they work this year.

Well back to checking over a few things online and then back to work on sequencing in about an hour or so.    Won't get nothing done outside this evening when the sun starts setting {when I put up the outdoor decor due to the HBP medication, can't be out in full sun :( } and that's because got Church on Wednesday evening.  So Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening hoping to get the rest of the lights up at least.

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I've had a couple people ask if I'm doing the lights again this year.  Other than testing a few things in the driveway, nothing visible yet.  The lights on the eves and roofline will go up later this month as they get used for Halloween.  I can set up everything except the pixel tree myself, although it's handy to have someone to help for some other stuff - just speeds it up.  For the pixel tree, I assemble it in the driveway and then walk it over to where it goes and stand it up.  That takes three people and about five minutes.  I have had my next door neighbor help with that move a couple times.  My neighbor across the street loves the show.  She sits in her living room with the stereo on and the drapes open to watch.  Last year I asked her if I could put a WiFi camera on her porch pointed at my show.  She was happy to have it there (and using her power).  It was nice for me to be able to see what was going on from anywhere...

 

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Best comment ever was last year from across the street; "I have the coolest neighbor!" She even posted that on her Facebook page.

BUT - I moved last month. So we'll see how it goes here.....

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Why so early? Is the comment I hear most.

Others, do stop, ask questions and truly understand the work it takes.

The last, most often, statement I get is:

Can't wait, we love your show every year and look forward to seeing it!

 

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I haven't ever had anyone offer to help!  But my older grandchildren love to help, so that's a plus. The only one who ever complained was my next door neighbor many years ago---my wife's aunt!  Oh well, I just told her to go in her house, close the door, close the curtains, and come out again on January 2nd when it was all over.  She never complained again. She passed away a few years go, but we got along great!  Ha ha.

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this will be the second year in this neighborhood, last year I had cars slamming on the breaks in front of our cul de sac trying to see what in the world I was doing... I would here things when I would pick up my kids from school, wife would here things from other parents not know it was us who did the lights...

As soon as we moved in my wife was telling all the neighbors in our cul de sac, get ready for christmas lights.. they would all laugh and joke... 

Had a great year last year, had neighbors coming down to watch my house, one lady from england face timed with her family back home showing my display, so yes I have gone international..lol ... several brought chairs and a radio to listen to.

Last year I started mid september to setup as I had to redo all my extension cord bundles(about 8 miles worth, and over 500 channels), this year I just start a few days ago, but a lot of people have been asking why I hadn't started yet and if I was still going to do the light show?  

Now all my friends and family think I'm nuts, even the ones that see how much work it takes to setup it all up. But i don't care , because once it's done and I hit play the first time its all worth it.  

People have offered to help, but I usually turn it down saying it's ok i got it.  I'm very picky on how everything must go.  My zip ties go a certain way, plugs are angled, etc.  but once the kids are old enough, they are gonna get to work.  

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On 10/3/2018 at 12:18 PM, Orville said:

That's the one thing I miss about my OLD neighbors that moved away, when I would start working on putting up lights on the house, they'd come over without my even asking and start helping, they'd even bring ladders and then their wives would bring cold soda or lemonade and even food while we put things up.

This year, I'm all on my own getting things done, and it's quite a feat with my vision issues what they are, blind as a bat practically, and on medications high blood pressure, migraines and pain killers for other muscle pains in shoulders and back.   So it's a bit hard going for me without all that help I used to get, but I'll get it done, just takes me a lot longer than most folk.   And I'm not even supposed to be climbing on ladders at all, but if I don't do it, won't get done.

My one neighbor saw me putting the lights on the house and he said getting ready for the holidays again?  I said, yes, working on it.  And got a lot to still get done for just Christmas this year.   said he's waiting to see how it's going to look with the new RGB lighting, he's never saw lights like the LOR Controlled ones where you can control each individual bulb on a light strand.   So he's really excited to see how they work this year.

Well back to checking over a few things online and then back to work on sequencing in about an hour or so.    Won't get nothing done outside this evening when the sun starts setting {when I put up the outdoor decor due to the HBP medication, can't be out in full sun :( } and that's because got Church on Wednesday evening.  So Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening hoping to get the rest of the lights up at least.

Maybe a pleasant greeting and introduction to your new neighbors could incite extra help where needed? Lots of positive thinking headed your way, Orville.

I wonder what the Grinch next door will think this year when we start our lights up soon. One thing that's irked me is the general lack of Christmas lights I see in my area. We used to drive just in our 10-minutes-across-town neighborhood and see plenty of nice displays of static lights. It seems that lights have dwindled over the years. (Or maybe our animated display scared everyone else :P )In all seriousness, it makes me sad when people give up. It's like they've lost faith in the joy of the season. I've never heard anything negative in the few years we've done this, but I do know some people nearby don't like it. Oh well, more for me to enjoy on their behalf!

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2 hours ago, lightingnewb said:

Maybe a pleasant greeting and introduction to your new neighbors could incite extra help where needed? Lots of positive thinking headed your way, Orville.

I wonder what the Grinch next door will think this year when we start our lights up soon. One thing that's irked me is the general lack of Christmas lights I see in my area. We used to drive just in our 10-minutes-across-town neighborhood and see plenty of nice displays of static lights. It seems that lights have dwindled over the years. (Or maybe our animated display scared everyone else :P )In all seriousness, it makes me sad when people give up. It's like they've lost faith in the joy of the season. I've never heard anything negative in the few years we've done this, but I do know some people nearby don't like it. Oh well, more for me to enjoy on their behalf!

I started doing my animated lighting display in 2008 because our little town (approx. 1000 full-time residents) had almost no Christmas lights out during the season and I wanted to restart things if I could for all of us.  As it happened, a family with a little girl was coming almost every night when I first started.  It turned out that she was terminally ill and they had spent all their money and savings on her health costs so they couldn't afford to do much for the holiday.  I made a special Christmas show just for her and it was the best thing I have ever done.  Made all the work worth the effort.  It worked for the town as well and the next year there were quite a few houses with at least some static or random blinking lights around.

I did my last show in 2013 due to health issues making it almost impossible to put the lights and display stuff out.  I had a few people offer to help but never seemed to show up so I couldn't depend on the help.  Sad but it happens and I certainly understand that we all have lives other than lighting or doing things for others.  I can understand Orville's "plight" all too well.  I just can't climb on the roof, raise my mega tree, or even haul the display stuff around the yard by myself anymore.  I spent a week in 2014 trying to get some things out without much success before I just had to give up and not do the display.  Being is such a small town has the disadvantage of not having a lot of people around who can help with things as well.

I miss the display and still have all my stuff to do it but now am in the position of having to sell my house since I am on SSI and can't afford to keep it.  Not really sure what I am going to do with stuff though. 

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I have had one complain when I was testing a mega tree last year a week before black friday.   It's funny,  I get people that stop and tell me how great it is,  but I never hear anyone say "I wish I lived next door".

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8 hours ago, lightingnewb said:

Maybe a pleasant greeting and introduction to your new neighbors could incite extra help where needed? Lots of positive thinking headed your way, Orville.

I wonder what the Grinch next door will think this year when we start our lights up soon. One thing that's irked me is the general lack of Christmas lights I see in my area. We used to drive just in our 10-minutes-across-town neighborhood and see plenty of nice displays of static lights. It seems that lights have dwindled over the years. (Or maybe our animated display scared everyone else :P )In all seriousness, it makes me sad when people give up. It's like they've lost faith in the joy of the season. I've never heard anything negative in the few years we've done this, but I do know some people nearby don't like it. Oh well, more for me to enjoy on their behalf!

Believe me, we've always introduced ourselves and welcomed the new neighbors to the neighborhood, but, don't really know how to put it, but a few act like you're the invader although they're the ones that moved into the neighborhood, and others because I don't speak Spanish and they either don't want to or can't speak English becomes and then that becomes an issue.    And the thing that gets me with the "language barrier" is many times I know there  isn't one, because I hear these same folks talking in English to family members or friends that don't speak Spanish when I've been outside working on something and they think I can't hear them.

I've never understood that attitude, as I could care less what nationality you are, don't care what color you are {for all I care you could be purple with little gold glittery speckles shimmering all over your body}, doesn't matter where you're from, I'll always try to be friendly and get along with anyone.   It's actually rare for me to not get along with a lot of folks I've met in person.   However, online, that one can get to be quite tricky, since the written word can get misconstrued or contorted from what one is trying to say and the way others may take it in a way not intended.  Believe me, been there and done that more times than I can count.

So the new neighbors are already quite aware of what I do, since immediate next door neighbor who speaks both fluent Spanish and English, has actually told the neighbors in Spanish what I set up and do for my displays.   He and his family are all looking forward to seeing the new display set up this year since I haven't been able to do one for almost 5 years or so due to we didn't have power in our home for that long stretch.   But I have no idea how many of the new neighbors are looking forward to it or may complain about it.

Will just have to see if there are any "GRINCH's" now in the area, we never had any before, so a first time for everything.   However, the maintenance staff and office personnel know what I do when I had done it in the past, and they are really looking forward to see the new set up this year for Christmas.   They were all disappointed I'm not really doing a Halloween display this year.  Just didn't have the time for both with sequencing the new RGB lighting I'll be using this year.  And I probably still won't get done all the songs I needed to update to them.  So may have some partially finished sequences that I can still use, just not look as good as I'd like in this years show for Christmas.

But I'll have lights on the house and my handicap ramp for Halloween, I'll set them to just be Purple, Orange, Red and Green using animation files this year, that's about the best I could for Halloween 2018.  No music at all this year for Halloween, but at least there's something up and running, once I get the rest of the lights and controllers mounted and everything connected, working on that as I can in the early evening, just too dang hot here in Florida at the moment to be out in that, at least for me.  Got one more port {strand of RGB lights} to get along the roof and controller up and connected, then the rest is all pretty much ramp and ground work, so that won't be as rough to get done.

Hoping to have at least all the RGB lighting up and secure by middle of October, once done and connected, I'll start running their animation files.

Well back off to check out other areas of the forum and do a  little more reworking on my sequences for Christmas, then back outside to get the last section of the roof lights up.

 

Edited by Orville
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5 hours ago, Dcroc said:

I have had one complain when I was testing a mega tree last year a week before black friday.   It's funny,  I get people that stop and tell me how great it is,  but I never hear anyone say "I wish I lived next door".

Now that reminds me of the commercial with the guy moves in next door with all his wind chimes, existing neighbor thinks they're great and sound wonderful, then about a week later, they're complaining it's Hell.    Thinking same thing may happen if someone said that about a display, then actually was able to move in next door to the very display and then you hear that about a week later.????

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Orville

I think it has a bit to do because folk are more mobile.  I grew up in a small New Jersey towne, where you were greeted at the start of a school year with: "Oh, I taught your Grand mother and Mom" We had block parties with all the neighbors (8 families)

I sorta know some of my neighbors here in Calif. I've been here 35 years. A few have died over the years. Now days, most are rentals. The newer regulars, both work (it takes that, just to pay the rent around here) with kids in day care. At most, I mostly recognize the car as it drives by.

 

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