Better yet, don't look up if you're in Freiburg, Gremany!
I bet when it rains, this guy turns into a real douche...
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Where Gay Art Meets the Paranormal...
Art is one of the trickiest subjects to clearly define. What one person sees as art can easily be seen as vulgar, junk, or absurd by an observer. Yet it comes in many forms. Personally I view art in a wide range and admire many forms of artistry. And when this creativity turns its scope toward the supernatural, it piques my curiosity even more. Paranormal themes fit quite easily into artistic pursuits since they tend to involve some imagination and vision on the part of the creator. And every once in a while, they cross boundaries with overtly sexual themes.
I never did let the Puritanical views of most of my fellow citizens cloud my openness to explore these arenas. I can admire anything that is well-crafted, from most innocent to what some people might find frighteningly disturbing. There are always exceptions. (I just can't bring myself to consider most John Waters camp movies as anything remotely appealing and artistic.) But today I'm going to share with you some of the interesting things I've stumbled across with very adult themes and a good amount of talent (even if it's not what everyone sees as such) and originality.
You've been warned...
I never did let the Puritanical views of most of my fellow citizens cloud my openness to explore these arenas. I can admire anything that is well-crafted, from most innocent to what some people might find frighteningly disturbing. There are always exceptions. (I just can't bring myself to consider most John Waters camp movies as anything remotely appealing and artistic.) But today I'm going to share with you some of the interesting things I've stumbled across with very adult themes and a good amount of talent (even if it's not what everyone sees as such) and originality.
You've been warned...
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Don't Go Into the Light!
There's an old saying that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. A pessimist generally twists this to say that "the light at the end of the tunnel is usually an oncoming train." And just last week, a band of ghost hunters found themselves face to face with such a calamity in North Carolina.
While investigating Bostian Bridge near Statesville--the site of a railroad disaster over a century ago--a real freight train barreled across the bridge, killing 29-year-old Chris Kaiser and injuring two others. The engineer noticed the group gathered on the last remaining stuccoed brick bridge in the region and blew his whistle while attempting to bring the train to a stop as quickly as possible. Kaiser pushed his girlfriend off the tracks before being struck and thrown into the ravine.
On August 27, 1891 Train No. 9 approached the bridge. Hugh K. Linster, the baggage master, was retiring from his work on the Richmond & Danville Railroad that day and asked a passenger for the time to check the accuracy of his new watch. It was 3:00 AM. At that very moment, the train jumped the tracks, careening into Third Creek far below and killing some 22 people and injuring 26. On the 50th anniversary of the wreck a stranded motorist looked on in horror as she witnessed a train plunge into the creek and erupt into a fiery inferno. Several people who found themselves on the tracks at the time of the accident on the day of that fateful disaster claim to have witnessed a uniformed railroad worker asking them the time.
With the growing popularity in becoming the next Jason Hawes or Zak Bagans, more people than ever are setting out in pursuit of real ghosts. This has also led to an increased number of accidents and arrests for adventurers and trespassers. Too many of these individuals fail to exercise a certain amount of common sense. As the North Carolina case shows, the most important rule is always have an escape plan. When we watch horror movies we always yell at the stupid teenager who runs upstairs and hides in a closet from her attacker. It's like shooting fish in a barrel! Entering a train tunnel or walking onto a bridge that is still in use is just as foolhardy. If you see a light coming down the tracks, never assume it's an ethereal one.
Now I don't discourage people from visiting allegedly haunted sites. In fact, I encourage people to form their own opinions of belief in ghosts and find out for themselves by visiting public places and businesses with rumors of paranormal activity. Seeing is believing, after all! However, what I mean by this is to stay at a haunted inn, take a nighttime ghost tour, or take a hike in a haunted park. Don't stand in the middle of railroad tracks or a haunted stretch of roadway. Odds are you might become the next ghostly tale... and none of us would like that form of experience.
While investigating Bostian Bridge near Statesville--the site of a railroad disaster over a century ago--a real freight train barreled across the bridge, killing 29-year-old Chris Kaiser and injuring two others. The engineer noticed the group gathered on the last remaining stuccoed brick bridge in the region and blew his whistle while attempting to bring the train to a stop as quickly as possible. Kaiser pushed his girlfriend off the tracks before being struck and thrown into the ravine.
On August 27, 1891 Train No. 9 approached the bridge. Hugh K. Linster, the baggage master, was retiring from his work on the Richmond & Danville Railroad that day and asked a passenger for the time to check the accuracy of his new watch. It was 3:00 AM. At that very moment, the train jumped the tracks, careening into Third Creek far below and killing some 22 people and injuring 26. On the 50th anniversary of the wreck a stranded motorist looked on in horror as she witnessed a train plunge into the creek and erupt into a fiery inferno. Several people who found themselves on the tracks at the time of the accident on the day of that fateful disaster claim to have witnessed a uniformed railroad worker asking them the time.
With the growing popularity in becoming the next Jason Hawes or Zak Bagans, more people than ever are setting out in pursuit of real ghosts. This has also led to an increased number of accidents and arrests for adventurers and trespassers. Too many of these individuals fail to exercise a certain amount of common sense. As the North Carolina case shows, the most important rule is always have an escape plan. When we watch horror movies we always yell at the stupid teenager who runs upstairs and hides in a closet from her attacker. It's like shooting fish in a barrel! Entering a train tunnel or walking onto a bridge that is still in use is just as foolhardy. If you see a light coming down the tracks, never assume it's an ethereal one.
Now I don't discourage people from visiting allegedly haunted sites. In fact, I encourage people to form their own opinions of belief in ghosts and find out for themselves by visiting public places and businesses with rumors of paranormal activity. Seeing is believing, after all! However, what I mean by this is to stay at a haunted inn, take a nighttime ghost tour, or take a hike in a haunted park. Don't stand in the middle of railroad tracks or a haunted stretch of roadway. Odds are you might become the next ghostly tale... and none of us would like that form of experience.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
You're Not Hallucinating...
In case you hadn't noticed, the blog title image has changed. Why? Well, before any rumors get started, I have liked the past images created by Cullan Hudson and think he does wonderful work. Unfortunately, the image wasn't saved in a format where I could alter it. And why would I want to alter it, you ask? Well... let's just say that I've created a new title image for me trip to Australia. But you will have to wait until late October to see that.
The new image features a house from my book Queer Hauntings and a spot I stood outside of this summer (it's closed for renovations). The tower you see is atop Villa Montezuma, once home to the famed medium Jesse Shepard. I thought it would be fitting, considering there is reason to believe Jesse may have been gay (though there are arguments both for and against it, as with many obscure people from the distant past). San Diego is home to several other haunted places, including a gay-owned inn which I will hopefully be writing about in the coming month. That's right... August is over and autumn approaches!
Lately with so much excitement happening in my life, it's been difficult to focus on the dead. A tidal wave of change has been sweeping over me. Some thoughts and individuals have started getting buried six feet under as life moves in different directions. Other haunting images and people from the dark recesses of my mind have reappeared awakening ideas and feeling long dormant. And still there are new, wonderful people and happenings brightening my present and future. Surrounding yourself with positive, cheerful people helps me feel more positive and cheerful. What has happened has happened. The past cannot be altered, we can only ensure a brighter tomorrow.
Still, it will only be a few more weeks before we notice the chill in the air and feel our slow march toward winter approaching here in the Northern Hemisphere. In two months, children and adults will be dressed in costumes collecting candy and partying with friends. The smell of barbecue and beach breezes will be replaced with wood smoke and decayed leaves. Skeletal trees will remind us of the inevitable death which awaits us all. It's the one time of year most people enjoy a good ghost story or creepy legend.
The countdown is on to All Hallows Eve. And there are plenty of ghostly stories dying to be told. I'll be doing my best to keep up with the blog, writing about some of the hauntings I have yet to write about or have encountered in my travels as well as talk a bit about some Australian ghost stories leading up to my trip. November is still in the planning stages, but if I'm traveling then too I might talk more about other tales from wherever I might be. In the mean time, sleep tight... and pleasant nightmares....
The new image features a house from my book Queer Hauntings and a spot I stood outside of this summer (it's closed for renovations). The tower you see is atop Villa Montezuma, once home to the famed medium Jesse Shepard. I thought it would be fitting, considering there is reason to believe Jesse may have been gay (though there are arguments both for and against it, as with many obscure people from the distant past). San Diego is home to several other haunted places, including a gay-owned inn which I will hopefully be writing about in the coming month. That's right... August is over and autumn approaches!
Still, it will only be a few more weeks before we notice the chill in the air and feel our slow march toward winter approaching here in the Northern Hemisphere. In two months, children and adults will be dressed in costumes collecting candy and partying with friends. The smell of barbecue and beach breezes will be replaced with wood smoke and decayed leaves. Skeletal trees will remind us of the inevitable death which awaits us all. It's the one time of year most people enjoy a good ghost story or creepy legend.
The countdown is on to All Hallows Eve. And there are plenty of ghostly stories dying to be told. I'll be doing my best to keep up with the blog, writing about some of the hauntings I have yet to write about or have encountered in my travels as well as talk a bit about some Australian ghost stories leading up to my trip. November is still in the planning stages, but if I'm traveling then too I might talk more about other tales from wherever I might be. In the mean time, sleep tight... and pleasant nightmares....
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Life (and Death) Travels on...
As has been the case for a while lately, most of my time has been spent working and sleeping. Mustering the energy to write is not a common occurrence lately, but I tell myself each and every day that it will all be worthwhile soon...
To anyone who has been a reader of this blog, there is no question that I have a variety of interests outside the paranormal realm. Sometimes they overlap. My days of ghost hunting on a regular basis have passed, but I still find a thrill in seeing a new haunted locale or exploring the haunted side of a city or town. And I often have been guilty of making plans inside my head, only for things to fall through and the great ideas never to come to fruition. Because of this I tend to stay quiet on things now until I am sure they will become reality.
Well, a new adventure is looming on my horizon. I have had time to work toward it and discuss it with some people involved in the expedition, so I feel confident now in coming out and saying it. In a few months, I will find myself experiencing summer. Going to the beach, playing tourist (yet in my usual not-so-touristy manner), and exploring a couple haunted spots. How is that possible when December is winter, you ask? Well... it all depends on what hemisphere you're in...
Australia has been a dream destination for me for the past 17 years. I'm a proud "aussiphile" and love the history of the "land down under" and its people. Add to this the fact that one of the most fabulous friends anyone could ever ask for (and someone I've had the pleasure to have know for six years) happens to live in the capital city and there's little confusion why I've chosen for my first true selfish chance at travel, I choose to travel halfway around the globe.
Now, by "selfish" I do mean "a trip done solely because I want to go there. No ulterior motives. No visiting a place because someone else wants me to go there. I've had some remarkably wonderful adventures in various places lately and I can't say I regret a single trip I've taken. But this time, I'm doing it all for me. A wise man told me this summer that "I care more about other people than I do about myself" and he was right. I think I'v earned the right to treat myself for a change, instead of neglecting the self and trying to please everyone else. And it's also the roughest trip planning I've had to date. I'm working harder than ever to scrape together the money for it. Past travels have come from easier-earned income. I am really toiling away to chip away bit by bit to make this fantasy come true.
Likely, I will be there for two weeks before Christmas, but if I can extend it longer I will. Timing is everything. And I have a lot of things coming up in the near future which made an earlier trip out of the question. I have interviews to sit through and a presentation at a library in early October (which will be educational and dealing in part with my book Queer Hauntings, but will include a lot of things not from the book; I hope it's as entertaining as I'm intending it to be). I'm hoping to write more here too about some other places I've encountered to add to a sequel (hopefully I can interview a few business owners and gather together enough to write about them on here) but I will see how much time I manage to have. And I still have to figure out all the accommodations for my Aussie adventure (Yes, of course I'll be blogging from Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne!) but I still have some time. I will gladly take suggestions on places to see, haunted spots to peruse, and cost-cutting methods. Since my camera take insanely-large videos, I hope to be able to set up my webcam and laptop and perhaps have a few video posts while I'm there so that you can see and explore Australia along with me.
So, stay tuned for new things on here... and my greatest adventure to-date.
To anyone who has been a reader of this blog, there is no question that I have a variety of interests outside the paranormal realm. Sometimes they overlap. My days of ghost hunting on a regular basis have passed, but I still find a thrill in seeing a new haunted locale or exploring the haunted side of a city or town. And I often have been guilty of making plans inside my head, only for things to fall through and the great ideas never to come to fruition. Because of this I tend to stay quiet on things now until I am sure they will become reality.
Well, a new adventure is looming on my horizon. I have had time to work toward it and discuss it with some people involved in the expedition, so I feel confident now in coming out and saying it. In a few months, I will find myself experiencing summer. Going to the beach, playing tourist (yet in my usual not-so-touristy manner), and exploring a couple haunted spots. How is that possible when December is winter, you ask? Well... it all depends on what hemisphere you're in...
Australia has been a dream destination for me for the past 17 years. I'm a proud "aussiphile" and love the history of the "land down under" and its people. Add to this the fact that one of the most fabulous friends anyone could ever ask for (and someone I've had the pleasure to have know for six years) happens to live in the capital city and there's little confusion why I've chosen for my first true selfish chance at travel, I choose to travel halfway around the globe.
Now, by "selfish" I do mean "a trip done solely because I want to go there. No ulterior motives. No visiting a place because someone else wants me to go there. I've had some remarkably wonderful adventures in various places lately and I can't say I regret a single trip I've taken. But this time, I'm doing it all for me. A wise man told me this summer that "I care more about other people than I do about myself" and he was right. I think I'v earned the right to treat myself for a change, instead of neglecting the self and trying to please everyone else. And it's also the roughest trip planning I've had to date. I'm working harder than ever to scrape together the money for it. Past travels have come from easier-earned income. I am really toiling away to chip away bit by bit to make this fantasy come true.
Likely, I will be there for two weeks before Christmas, but if I can extend it longer I will. Timing is everything. And I have a lot of things coming up in the near future which made an earlier trip out of the question. I have interviews to sit through and a presentation at a library in early October (which will be educational and dealing in part with my book Queer Hauntings, but will include a lot of things not from the book; I hope it's as entertaining as I'm intending it to be). I'm hoping to write more here too about some other places I've encountered to add to a sequel (hopefully I can interview a few business owners and gather together enough to write about them on here) but I will see how much time I manage to have. And I still have to figure out all the accommodations for my Aussie adventure (Yes, of course I'll be blogging from Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne!) but I still have some time. I will gladly take suggestions on places to see, haunted spots to peruse, and cost-cutting methods. Since my camera take insanely-large videos, I hope to be able to set up my webcam and laptop and perhaps have a few video posts while I'm there so that you can see and explore Australia along with me.
So, stay tuned for new things on here... and my greatest adventure to-date.
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." - Mark Twain
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