Besides my super-simple QR code costume, I didn't make a halloween costume this year.

I've been too busy looking for a new job, and visiting Disneyland with my family, to put together something awesome.

But! I still had the paparazzi costume in the garage, so I trotted it out again this year to see if I could win some more contest money.

Halloween was on a Monday night in 2011, so I had several nights to find contests.

One of my new favorite contests, One Scary Night, was actually held on the preceeding Thursday, October 27.

I had won in 2010, so I skipped it this year. I don't think they'd let the paparazzi win two years in a row.

On Friday, I went to Auburn Blvd., to Rocky's 7440 Club, to try my luck at their $500 costume contest.

It was pretty fun. I met some very nice people, including Freddy Kruger the bartender and two of the members of KISS.

I felt like I had the best costume in the building, but there was some competition. The contest was judged by audience applause.

The KISS couple won second place, this Hindu goddess won first, and I took home third prize, $50.

Not what I had been hoping for, but I'll take it.

The next day was Saturday, and there were two simultaneous costume contests in town, both with a $5,000 top prize.

One option was the contest at Thunder Valley Casino. Entrance was only $15, but I knew Scott was taking his tauntaun costume, which is a sure-winner at any halloween costume contest. The Exotic Ball would likely have tremendous competition too... unknown competition.

I opted for the Thunder Valley contest. It was 30 miles away, but I'd had a great time the year before, and I was looking forward to hanging out with Scott and Carrie, even if I didn't win anything.

When I arrived, flashes blazing, the casino took notice, and everywhere I went I got a terrific reaction. It was excellent! I stopped for a few photos, but I wanted to get my tickets and get into the party as fast as I could.

Unfortunately, the Thunder Valley contest is judged by a hidden panel, which base their decision on photographs taken earlier in the night. By the time I arrived (10:08 p.m.), the photography stage was closed, I couldn't enter the contest!

Crap!

Worse still, the Thunder Valley employee who turned me away hit me with a parting comment, "Didn't you win last year?"

Well, I love a good party, but I didn't see Scott's tauntaun, and Halloween only comes once a year...

I left immediately for the other contest.

The Exotic Halloween Ball had it's own contest time limit - 11:30 p.m..

I sped.

I had plenty of time to drive there, but I'd have to park, walk to the entrance, buy a $40 ticket, negotiate the security squeeze gate, and slip past 100 camera-phone wielding ghouls to get there on time.

There was no way I was going to make it.

On the way back to Sacramento, I got a text from Carrie.

Scott and her had also missed the 10 p.m. deadline for contest photos at Thunder Valley. This was a real crime, because the tauntaun costume was a certain winner. It's got stilts, fur, Star Wars nostalgia, animal charm, an optical illusion.. the whole package.

They had arrived in plenty of time, but hadn't known about the 10 p.m. photo deadline either. They had been posing for pictures with casino guests for 30 minutes!

They got screwed.

By some miracle I made it to the Exotic Halloween Ball in time to walk the mini stage for pre-judging.

But my rush was for naught. The paparazzi costume didn't win a finalist wristband this year.

Crap! 2011 was a bust!

Thankfully there were some good friends in great costumes.

Rich was Rollercoaster Guy.

And Francois Tau was Buzz Lightyear.

It looked awesome.

Francois had won the contest last year, with a giant stilted Transformer costume.

This year he was life-sized, but the detail and finish was fantastic.

I assume the surface was vinyl, but I really don't know how he made his costume.. and I really don't know how he could see in that thing.

It was too loud to exchange actual building information, but I did catch his first sentiment, voiced like a man about to enter battle.

"I'm carrying 50 pounds on my shoulders!"

Rich and I just smiled and nodded. Yep. We had both been there.

Francois wasn't the certain winner though. This couple's "porn addict" costume had tapped into the sexy theme of the Exotic Ball, and it was genuinely clever and ballsy.

It had been many years since I watched the Exotic Zone ball costume contest from the vantage point of the audience.

Finalists included a sweet Iron Man costume and the dreaded "one nightstand" costume, but I think the audience got it right:

A stilted Predator got third, The Porn Addict got second, and Buzz Lightyear got first place! Congratulations Francois!

I can't wait to get on stage with you next year!