Even Ghost Hunters Get the Blues...

I don't know why, but lately I've just been feeling a bit funky. Not in some 70s disco-type manner, either. Just sort of 'eh'. Listless. Frustrated. Irritable.

One possible cause would be my birthday. In exactly one week, I turn 29. My Thirties are looming on the horizon and that "christ-I-haven't-accomplished-hardly-any-goals" depressive mindset is sneaking up again. It'll be another day, like most others. Little fanfare. Cruddy weather. I think what makes this one more poignant to me is my former friend, Chris. He committed suicide 16 days after his 29th birthday. Whoever said that your 20s is the best part of your life was obviously in a drunken stupor through them all. Though they haven't all been bad, April 15th means that chaotic decade of my life is almost at an end.

Secondly, I've once again been on the push to quit smoking. An absence of nicotine makes for irritability. I haven't quit outright, knowing what a nightmare I would be while going through withdrawal, but I have cut very far down. I'm averaging between 4 and 6 cigarettes a day... down from 20-25. I started almost 8 years ago. No, it wasn't "peer pressure"... simply curiosity. Now, I can't stand the habit, but I hate chewing any gum, let along nicotine gum. The patch makes you reek of ammonia... the nicotine water is ridiculously expensive and difficult to find. Medicines? Forget that. Even more absurdly priced. It's sad that they want people to quit but make all means of quitting outrageously expensive!

Lastly, I've been thinking back to my earlier college days of "finding myself". During these times, I'd go on my own version of a Walkabout, crossing the country and trying to figure out where my places in the world was. I traveled far and wide... and it made me feel alive. Meeting new people, seeing new places... I've never been content with limiting my world to my own back yard. Yet, for the last 4 years, that's basically what I have done. I feel disgustingly stagnant. Trapped. Lost. I'm still searching for that life I've always wanted, even if I ever find out exactly what it is. I want that average, relatively-normal relationship... the feeling of making an impact on the world... "living the right life."

This year is proving to be one of the most chaotic and unpredictable I've ever had. In the coming 8 1/2 months, I'm still trying to keep optimistic about the progress with everything. Still, there are times when even I have my doubts.

Blame it on planetary alignment or not doing enough to facilitate change. Either way, I'm hoping for a new awakening and enlightenment soon...

Supernatural Spotlight: Karen Laven

Of all places to run across a paranormal author: I first heard about Karen Laven on craigslist.

Everyone who knows me knows how much the paranormal intrigues me. Therefore it was no surprise when a family member sent me information from an ad on craigslist looking for Ohio ghost stories. On a whim, I wrote to the author and introduced myself. I heard back almost instantly.

Though Karen may be a shy, quiet person, she is a very accomplished writer. She began as a journalist and photographer in Buffalo, NY made the leap to books after moving the the northern Kentucky/southern Ohio region several years ago. Her books are diverse in topic, though I find myself very partial to the paranormal ones.

Her first ghost book deals with a fascinating city, Cincinnati. It is quite a fascinating place, both paranormally and historically. Personally, I've always been intrigued by the subway tunnels running underneath the city... for a subway system which was abandoned just as it was being finished...

'Cincinnati Ghosts' is already available at many bookstores. 'Dayton Ghosts' and 'Ohio Ghosts' are still being written and are expected to be released this fall.


And if you happen to be familiar with Ohio and have a personal tale of the paranormal to tell, be sure to check out her site. She is actively seeking new stories. Her deadlines are quickly approaching so be sure to get them submitted very quickly!

Can You Hear Me Now?

Last week, the Blackpool Gazette reported strange activity in a Lancashire home. The house on Windsor Avenue in Thornton has been the center of paranormal activity for decades. Previous residents told reporters of strange and terrifying phenomena as far back as 1971.

Frank Jones and his family moved in 20 years ago. Though they believed the stories were exaggerations, they soon learned that everything was true. Loud noises and bangs, strange smells, and floating mists were just a few of the nightly experiences. The family nicknamed the culprit The Thing.

Fleetwood Spiritualist Church was called in and "cleansed" the property of the entities. Everything went quiet... at least until five years ago when his son and wife passed away in a three-month span of time.

When Jones arrived home one evening, he noticed the scent of perfume accompanied by cigarette smoke. He immediately attributed the smells to Sadie, his wife. Just moments before entering the house, he received a missed call though his mobile phone didn't ring. It came from inside the house, though no one was home at the time.

Ever since, he and his family members have received text messages on their phones sporadically. They are generally statements and phrases which were commonly used by Sadie in life. No number will appear to trace the messages, though.

Sadie was very attached to her mobile phone. She was even buried with it. Though I'm sure by now the batteries are dead...

Everybody Wants to Get Stoned...

With all the excitement yesterday, I completely forgot to post an entry. But oh well, such is life sometimes...

I did have an interesting evening at a metaphysical shop with Bill and Evie. We attended a little gathering which takes place regularly on Thursdays discussing a variety of topics. There were several interesting people (interesting in a good way, though). We gabbed endlessly until finally approaching the topic for the evening: stones and crystals.

We each picked a stone from a bag. I picked amber (though from the flat, lightweight shape I pulled out I honestly thought it was accidentally a potato chip) and we all discussed the meanings attached to the stones. We then traded stones with the person next to us to see if we could "sense" anything about the person from holding it. Some people had a lot of success, but I wasn't too great at it. Then again, much of these things are relative... and meanings can be found in a plethora of symbols and images.

I've always liked rocks and minerals and once had quite a large collection. I sold it off many years ago, though, and have since forgotten the meanings behind many of the stones. It's still interesting to me, but I'm not quite sure how much belief I put into the power of crystals. I'd have to see these things more to form an opinion of it.

I did, however, have an uncomfortable moment when the owner of the shop was chatting with us. Her home was investigated by the paranormal group I belong to and we were supposed to return after sorting through the evidence. The owner said that two individuals contacted her, said the photos we thought were definitely paranormal in nature were easily explainable and that there was no worthwhile evidence gathered.

Interesting, since I never knew anything about it. What an excellent flow of communication we have! Perhaps this is part of the mounting disgust I have with everything lately. When dramatic domineering becomes the main focus of everything, I have a bad habit of becoming apathetic. Then again, it's not as though my opinions are of any consequence anyway. I'm slowly realizing that instead of getting wrapped up in melodrama, I'd rather concentrate my efforts on worthwhile endeavours with worthwhile people... you know: actually learning things, experiencing life (and death), and engaging in activities which aren't controlled by the Great Puppetmaster.

But I digress...

The two hours flew by before any of us knew it. I'm sure I'll return out of sheer curiosity... if not just to have more odd conversations with amusing people. It takes all kinds in this world... and sometimes, the oddballs are the best company to be in...

The Nature of the Beast...

Convicted child molester Gene R. Morrill, 57, of Ipswich, NH was sentenced to 20 years behind bars last week for soliciting sex with a minor over the internet. He didn't realize the young boys he was chatting with were actually police detectives from Stafford, Virginia. He also faces similar charges in Prince William County.

During his questioning, a possible explanation for his behavior came out. He was molested as a child himself. Not by a family member or neighbor... by Bigfoot.

Though he was determined to be mentally competent, Morrill remains convinced he was raped by a Sasquatch in his early years. The courts failed to lend a sympathetic ear, though.

Makes me wonder if we should add Bigfoot to the list of sexual predators... but then where would we list for his address?