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  • Archive for February, 2008

    Falling Under Friendly Fire…


    2008 - 02.29

    “Why I endure under force majeure slander without shame or tact
    I who studied make-up, mime and Buddha who taught two generations to react
    About me the critics lied I ignored them and survived
    in spite of coming under friendly fire
    shot in the fatal cause of rock-and-roll

    I have nothing, really nothing, to deny”

    -from Friendly Fire, The Pet Shop Boys

    One thing in life is certain: the things you say to someone will often come back to haunt you.

    Or eventually be thrown back in your face.

    We all feel the need to vent out frustrations and disagreements. Most of us have our ways: talking to close friends, working out, even blogging. I’ve always been more of a writer, so I prefer to disperse any grievances through words. Be them emails or long, drawn-out journal entries, I find the most therapeutic (and humorous) way to express my inner bitchiness.

    Occasionally, people will tell me “be careful what you write… you never know who may be looking”. So what? If I write something in a message to someone or in a journal, odds are I don’t care who reads it. I’m not out to be the most politically correct person who ever walked the earth. I spent too long trying to please anyone around me… tip-toeing around my words as not to offend or upset.

    In reality, people become offended and upset no matter what. There is no way of expressing your view without someone feeling insulted, degraded, misunderstood, or worried. Everyone interprets things differently. What I may find to be laughable, others may think is dead serious. Guess what, people? Life isn’t that serious. Life is funny. People are funny (and often more amusing than apes eating their own feces, though amusing in the same manner).

    I find much reason to laugh at life and people. Of course, in all fairness, I laugh and poke fun at myself just as much. We are all funny creatures… and often the more serious we try to play ourselves to be, the more humorous we appear.

    The difference between my “humor” and some comments made by unassuming people? My jibes are all meant in playful fun. I’m not out to personally attack someone. I mean what I say and say what I mean. If I think something is foolishness or absurd, I’ll play that up to the utmost level. I may appear to personally attack someone from time to time, but I merely add a little whimsy to the caricature they paint of themselves.

    I don’t go for the throat. I don’t speak of unfamiliar matters. I don’t degrade someone for having a differing opinion. I know and understand humbleness and humility. I accept the world for what it is.

    Still, I’ve found myself the target of many snarky, arrogant, and degrading remarks and comments many times. Words intended to belittle and insult. Sometimes from the people who proclaim politeness the strongest. Negative energies from “positive-only” peoples.

    I’m human, so yes it will effect me. But I don’t allow it to gain a stranglehold over my existence. I vent it out and move on. And often, I simply turn it into a funny, witty anecdote.

    After all, most people are far more humorous than they realize.

    Who Do I Look Like?


    2008 - 02.28

    66% Alexis Denisof (actor)
    64% Philip Seymour Hoffman (actor)
    61% Lance Bass (gay singer, N*SYNC)
    56% Vyacheslav Molotov (Russian diplomat)
    54% Sean Lennon (singer, son of John Lennon)
    53% Jay Hernandez (actor)
    53% Elvis Costello (singer)
    53% Matt Stone (co-creator, South Park)

    What Started It All…


    2008 - 02.28

    I’ve been asked several times, “what made you start being interested in ghosts?”

    It’s hard to say exactly, but I would have to say I owe part of it to Walt Disney.

    One of my earliest memories I can recall is playing with an imaginary friend in my back yard. He seemed perfectly real to me, and I still wonder if he could have been a ghost. His name was Robin, and in a flashback beneath an apple tree, I saw myself walking along railroad tracks with him. He felt the need to prove his steel nerves and stood on the tracks, waiting to jump off at the last second. He was too late. I remember seeing the shadow of the train pass and knowing he was dead.

    All this at 4 years old.

    In the next few years, I was introduced to cable television. The Disney Channel had a habit of playing “The Adventures of Ichabod Crane and Mr. Toad” every autumn, and through this I became familiar with Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. It tells the story of a thin, awkward schoolmaster by the name of Ichabod Crane and his encounter with the ghost of the Headless Horseman.

    A few years later, I bought my first book on ghosts. Some of those earliest books I still have today. It snowballed from there and I started researching my first few real ghost stories around the age of 13. By 16, I was seeking out haunted places on my own.

    Sleepy Hollow still stands out in my mind as one of the most intriguing places I have yet to visit. Yes, the town actually exists. Irving based most of the tale on fact. The characters were each real townspeople, though he changed the names in most cases.

    And most importantly, The Headless Horseman wasn’t a fabrication of his imagination.

    A Hessian mercenary was killed near the town of Sleepy Hollow in the late 1700s. His body was buried deep in the woods of what is now Patriot’s Park. For over 200 years, people have claimed to see his headless apparition riding through the woods… even in the local cemetery. But this is just the tip of the iceberg with hauntings in the small, quiet village.

    Both Old Dutch Burying Ground and Sparta Cemetery have ghosts. Captain Kidd’s bride is supposedly dragged through the streets at midnight. And then, or course, there’s the haunting of Sunnyside… by none other than the ghost of Washington Irving himself. It is said that his apparition has a fondness for punching the posteriors of women visitors….

    For more information, visit my page on Sleepy Hollow or the town’s page concerning its haunted attractions.

    Brothers Do It Better…


    2008 - 02.27

    Police in Philadelphia have finally nabbed the suspected burglars in a string of rooftop robberies. They are two brothers from New Jersey.

    Twin brothers Keyontyli and Taleon Goffney. Gay twin brothers. Gay twin brothers who do porn.

    And they were apprehended after robbing a beauty shop on the 19th of February. How ironic and stereotypical can you get?

    Apparently, they used an ax and a handsaw to gain entry through the roofs of the buildings and plunder the stores. Among the things stolen from a Rite Aid the previous day were cigarettes, money, and condoms.

    Maybe the latter was for a little post-victory celebration…

    Keyontyli is a model. His brother has a long history with the police, including eluding police and drug charges.

    I guess there’s more than one way to become famous…

    Fortunes, Forecasts, and Lucky Charms…


    2008 - 02.27

    Normally, I’m quite a skeptical person with astrology. I know it’s based on generalizations. Not reliable. Often wrong. But I just looked at my overview for this year, and so far I have to admit it’s quite accurate!

    Aries

    New opportunities arise this year, resulting in a positive turn for your career. You will learn to master your energy to meet your goals. You are good at taking leadership, and you’ll make deep, transforming changes and tap into this abundant energy in new and dynamic ways. Even though you may feel pulled to accomplish great things, you will still be able to keep balance in your personal life and your energy alive and renewed.

    Amidst this change, you will be able to remain mentally focused. You may become more methodical and practical than usual in managing your responsibilities. Stopping to think things through carefully will impact you and your surroundings in a very profound and positive way. Seize the opportunity to think things through during the first few months of the year. Even though you enjoy beginning new projects, make the time to relax a bit to complement your natural tendency toward activity, both physical and otherwise.

    As you successfully achieve your career goals this year, it will be important to maintain a watchful eye over the security of your family life. You may find yourself doing some remodeling in your home and you will take pleasure in spending more time and energy enjoying the creature comforts you have created. You will cultivate good relationships through the end of the year, which will reflect positive changes in your life. Your will enjoy socializing more than usual. You will be networking and connecting with different types of people from all over the world and it will feel like a breath of fresh air. As your career takes off, it will be much easier than usual to express yourself with warmth and charm.

    All My Friends are Bizarre People…


    2008 - 02.27

    Much to my chagrin, I had a message waiting for me today. it was from my friend “Camevil”, webmistress for Dead Ohio!

    She created a little video of her exciting weekend activities. As always, with a little interesting music and a lot of wit and humor. I couldn’t help but share…

    At least one of us is enjoying the winter weather…

    An American Perspective…


    2008 - 02.26

    Yes, I know. This image has been around for a few years.

    But so what? It’s still very poignant and worth a giggle.

    Sometimes, Less is Just Fine…


    2008 - 02.26

    Attention! Attention! We are down two gays. Call for backup!

    Well, last night’s investigation was rather interesting. Unfortunately, my friends Bill and Chris were both horribly sick and stayed home. I arrived with another member quite early (25 minutes early to be precise). We chatted with the homeowner and her family briefly before having a walk-through of the home. I took notes and let the psychic do her thing.

    7:00 PM came and went. No one else had arrived yet. The first group members walked through the door at 7:20. Another at 7:30. The final one arrived at almost 8:00 after being lost for 20 minutes. Finally, the show could start.

    I set up my camcorder in the rear upstairs bedroom. We discussed the hauntings and checked different rooms. Things seemed relatively peaceful to me, though I’m not exactly psychic. It was quite a nice smaller home. There were plenty of small rises and drops in the floor from the many additions over the last 130 years. There are a few mysteries attached to the house: the identities of the female spirit, the small boy ghost upstairs, and a possible girl buried in the yard. Murder? A family plot? Hopefully some of these secrets will reveal themselves.

    All in all, I think it was a success. My girl-pal psychic cleansed the house of negative energies and, with the help of the homeowner, seemingly removed the negative spirit. I guess we’ll find out soon enough if everything worked. All I know was that by 11:00 PM, I was utterly exhausted and ready for bed.

    I stayed up a short time to check email and finally crashed. I still feel a bit sore and tired today. I have no idea why. I didn’t fall down the narrow staircase or move furniture. Perhaps from standing in one spot for so many hours?

    I have over 2 hours of video to watch. I know I’ll need to make a fresh pot of coffee to survive it. Though I do love reviewing evidence, watching footage of an empty room can become tiresome.

    The Pause That Doesn’t Refresh…


    2008 - 02.25

    I think it’s finally time to write an update about my personal life. There’s been so much going on lately that even though I still feel a bit boring, my mind is racing a million miles a second.

    First there’s my book. I really need to find some time to get back to work on it. It’s been over a year since Haunted Cuyahoga and the sequel is already overdue. I’m still trying to collect enough stories to fill it out. No matter what happens, I’m still going to have it finished by June. I just can’t delay it any longer.

    I’ve also been in contact with another author who is requesting personal accounts of the paranormal for her new book. I’m submitting a few of my own stories as well as seeking out others to help her. A little press is always a good thing and I do enjoy helping out a fellow writer whenever possible.

    Then there’s my other writing: my blog and beyond. I’ve been pushing myself to post daily on here, which isn’t always an easy thing to do. Some days are better than others. Some days, I don’t feel like writing or going near the computer. I guess today has been one of those days. Though I do love to write, I sometimes need time away from it. Now I’m discussing becoming a regular contributor for something else. As they say, it’s feast or famine.

    I have another investigation to attend with the paranormal group tonight. I’m both excited and loathing it. For the past week, I haven’t been sleeping well, so my energy level is quite low. Still, I’ll pull myself together, put on a smile, and get the job done. Besides, it’ll be good to see some of my friends again.

    Aside from that, I can’t think of much else happening. I’m still single. That can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s just like real estate: when you’ve been on the market for a year, people wonder what’s wrong with you. There must be a fatal flaw in the foundation that keeps the buyers away.

    Maybe I just need a face lift and another open house.

    Time seems to be passing too fast today. I’ve accomplished a lot, but still have so many things to finish. Even my taxes are sitting here, glaring at me. I’m a bit hungry but not enough to actually eat. I’m tired but I’ve already had too much coffee. And naps? I don’t believe in them.

    And then I stop and stare at my Australian flag, wishing I were on a plane to Sydney right now. The 24-hour flight would be worth it. But there isn’t the time or the money in my budget.

    Sometimes, you just have to plow through the matters at hand and put off those pleasurable things for another day.

    Sucks, doesn’t it?

    Deutschland und Geists


    2008 - 02.24

    Ghosts are everywhere. I do mean everywhere. Every continent, every country, and every city. No matter where you are or where you look, you are bound to find a tale of the paranormal not too far away.

    It has been four years since my ghost hunting comrade Daniel has joined me on a paranormal investigation. It’s not that easyhe lives near Köln (Cologne), Germany! I remember him to be a shy, quiet young man. I never even noticed any accent since he spoke so softly and so little. We visited Indigo Lake, not far from me, along with a paranormal group I belonged to at the time. I had even invited my then-boyfriend along… much to my relief, it hadn’t made either of them uncomfortable (Daniel is straight).

    Since I have such a fascination with Europe (in all aspects, even men), I’ve always wanted to tour many different cities and seek out the local hauntings. Though I have been to a few European cities in the past, I never took the time to find any ghosts. I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to ghost stories of Europe, but I know there must me many of them floating around.

    In fact, there are several reportedly haunted locations around Germany. The TAPS spin-off, Ghost Hunters International, even visited a few in recent episodes. One of these has become infamous in literature and on screen: Castle Frankenstein.

    Yes, there really was a “Doctor Frankenstein”. He was an alchemist (and a known grave robber) by the name of Johan Konrad Dippel Von Frankenstein, whose experiments on body parts labeled him as “the blood brother of the devil“. While Dippel was creative, he was prone to failure. During an experiment, he accidentally discovered nitroglycerin and blew up his lab. Though he managed to cheat death, it finally caught up with him when he tested his immortality potion on himself. It was a fatal mistake: the concoction turned out to be poison.

    Though you could say that he has become “immortal” through his legend. Perhaps he was on to something… though not in the way he had intended. Be careful what you wish for.

    The ghost said to roam this fortress is actually his ancestor, Arborgast Von Frankenstein. He built the castle in 948.

    There is also Cochem Castle in Cochem, Germany rumored to be haunted by an unknown specter, as well as Reichenstein Castle in Trechtingshausen haunted by the headless apparition of Dietrich von Hohenfels. Castles are always a popular place to look for spirits, but not the only locations to investigate. I know there are more out there. It’s just a matter of finding them. Unfortunately, I have yet to find any hauntings in Cologne. Perhaps no one cares to speak of these matters in that particular city.

    Very soon, Daniel will have an opportunity to experience Ohio ghosts once more. He just sent word that he’ll be visiting again in May. Perhaps I can stir up a few new spooks for him by then…