random notes, news, ramblings
  February 17, 2012Subject: Empty Haunted Houses? I really, really, REALLY miss visiting the spooky websites others built, it was fun. OK, alot of them (including my own) were sometimes goofy, but so what! Each one despite its flaws was unique and different looking from all the others. So many sites have disappeared, and too many of the classics that have been around for over a decade are like sad ghosts. Their pages are filled with dead links, X'd out images, and it's obvious nothing has been updated in years. There's nothing sadder than a haunted house without spirits. It's no longer a haunted house, just a dilapidated old house that should be torn down. It's hard for me to believe that I've been working on this site for almost 15 years! Things sure have changed. I made a vow a long time ago to Optimize for No One, mainly because you can't please everybody. I doubt I'll ever design my pages to be viewed on a cell phone screen or other mobile device. I'm too old and blind to put up with that BS. So here I sit in the crypt continuing to use Notepad as my html editor and creating graphics with a hodgepodge of graphics programs which hopefully will still run in the future (doubtful and frightning). I'm stubborn and I like my Retro way of doing things - are there any others out there who feel the same? It does my cold dead heart good when I stumble on a halloween or horror related website that has creative, useful content to offer other than the cookie cutter sites with little to show than links to YouTube, Twitter, Facebook feeds, or massive amounts of ads that bury any hope of digging up the content. To all you "retro" webmasters and webmistresses out there writing your html code, updating, creating original content and refusing to join the herd - my heads off to you. Keep up the good work. Create for yourself. January 21, 2012Subject: "January Doldrums" Restless, unmotivated, drifting on the mirror like smoothness of eternity waiting for the January doldrums to end. December 3, 2011Subject: "BLAH HUMBUG!" I'm hiding in the Frightbytes® crypt waiting for this Christmas madness to end. November 3, 2011Subject: "The Ghost of Halloween Past" What do you mean it's all over! Halloween ends when I say it ends (which means NEVER!). Have no fear, work will continue on Salems Marsh Asylum and other projects for Frightbytes® October 13, 2011Subject: "Where Are All The Crazy People" Do I have to get out my butterfly net to catch you? The Asylum needs victims - I mean patients.....please send your photos to me. You need to be locked up! October 4, 2011Subject: "Ugh...." ...my brains are rotten. Have spent over 3 weeks producing 4 new pages for Frightbytes® Salems Marsh Asylum. With any luck will have them live this week, that is if enough of my brains remain intact to upload new episode. August 21, 2011Subject: "Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun..." ...but I'm too busy. Missing my X-box time. Nothing relaxes me more than shooting, sawing, stomping or performing other acts of extreme violence on fantasy bad guys and monsters. Late September can't get here soon enough. Going insane waiting for Gears of War 3. August 6, 2011Subject: "Farewell Cruel World" Horribly disappointing day. Many sites I've had in my links directory for years & years are gone. Blown away like dust. It felt like a scene at a mass suicide as I jotted down the site names to be removed. The Bone Garden Estate is one, but I refused to delete it from the links list. It's still there but won't take you anywhere. They started about the same time I did - somewhere around the 1998 time frame - Yes, the last century. Another favorite was a U.K. website called The Headless Horseman. Who knows what caused these sites to disappear without a trace. Only one left a farewell note - simply stating R.I.P. and the sites date of birth/date of death. I buried about 25 sites and wonder who's next? Maybe you? Maybe me? July 2011Subject: "I Hate Blogs" I hate blogs, I hate bloggers, here I sit creating my own version of a blog. Something must be wrong with me, perhaps it's the low oxygen level down here in the crypt. Seriously, Rants & Raves is here mainly to keep anybody who's even vaguely interested in Frightbytes.com abreast of new stuff on the site. |
 December 27, 2011Big Christmas thanks to our new sponsors: Halloween Costume.com, Halloween Costumes.net, Costumes.net, and Halloween Costumes Ideas.com. If you have a great halloween or horror product or website please consider advertising with us. December 3, 2011Frightbytes.com has a new sponsor. Thank you SPIRIT HALLOWEEN. November 12, 2011Subject: Salems Marsh Asylum New Episode New episode starts shedding some light on the patients and a sneak peek of what's to come. October 25, 2011Subject: Halloween YouTube Video Look what you can do when setting your Haunted House lights to "THRILLER" CLICK HERE. (Thanks to Sue's Haunted Mansion for turning me onto this link.) If you want to see the full length version of Michael Jacksons THRILLER video you can view it on YouTube by clicking HERE. October 13, 2011Subject: "Wish All Teachers Were This Cool" (email received from a 6th grade teacher) I'm contacting you because I want to eat your brains LOL. Actually, I want to let you know that your website has been very helpful to me! I am a sixth grade teacher and my students and I are working on a project for Halloween, and I'm sure you've already guessed what it could be related to. Yes zombies! We have been using your page, Frightbytes Link Directory and have found it to not only be resourceful in our zombie project, but has provided a whole bunch of great ideas for us. Thanks! October 5, 2011Subject: "Despite My Rotten Brains" Salems Marsh Asylum has been updated and uploaded. The poll results that asked if the story should be continued was very favorable - 99% of you said "yes" only 1 person said "no". A curse shall be placed on them immediately. The polling has ended at this time. September 10, 2011Subject: "Tooting My Own Horn" It's not often I get to do this. Mostly being out here in internet space all I hear are chirping crickets and maybe the whisper of a passing tumbleweed. When somebody actually takes the time to write me it reminds me of how good it felt (at times) to be alive. Anyway, I'm posting an email sent to me - and "no" I didn't bite them! TOOT TOOT! Hello Ghoulish One, *wrist out, palm up, awaits bite* ;-} I'm by way of being a long-time fan. I visit your site regularly, and truly enjoy your efforts. I've been doing the self taught computer thing since '99, however I'm but a t-baller compared to your pro player status. I admire, and am quite envious of your work. I'd offer my second born for a fraction of your knowledge and talent. (I kind of like my first born, so you can have my second... well heck, take 'em both! I warn you though, in their 20's and scarier than anything even you can imagine.) August 21, 2011Subject: "Episode 3 of Salems Marsh Asylum" The better than expected feedback about my new web series has me all fired up. Literally -- my shroud is burning. Putting together ideas for Episode 3 and hoping to post it online early September. August 21, 2011Subject: "Episode 2 of Salems Marsh Asylum" Surprised myself - The Asylum story is proving to be way too much fun to create. Episode 2 is finished and available here at Frightbytes.com. People are giving me the thumbs-up (you're lucky to still have yours!) to this new story. Thanks to all you boils and ghouls who are voting in the poll.  This could be you. Send a photo of yourself, a loved one, even a pet. You'll be part of the Asylum. Find yourself in a strait-jacket behind bars. Please, please, pretty please send a picture. Once you go in, you never come out! August 12, 2011Subject: "Dodged That Bullet" The poll asked if visitors would like to see a FORUM area be put up. Only had that poll up 24 hours. Nobody voted either way. In the end I'm happy NOT to do it. It would be a pain in the butt. So thank you for NOT caring. Nobody needs forums anymore. We have Facebook and Twitter. RIP forums. August 10, 2011Subject: "The Salems Marsh Asylum POLL" People are actually participating in the poll. So far getting positive response and if trend continues there should be more episodes coming. For the first time at Frightbytes® a story is being presented "byte by byte" in episodes. Creating the graphics takes much longer now than it did in the past - blame it on Flash. Anyway, thanks for voting in the poll and leaving your comments. Please keep it up a little bit longer. To vote in the poll you'll want to view the introduction of Salems Marsh Asylum by clicking HERE. At the end of the episodes you'll be given the chance to place your vote and even leave comments. |