A Gay Ghost Hunter's Snippets of Life… and the Afterlife
Even the undead can be fierce…
Fronk N Dego Films is a sketch comedy team hailing from Columbia College in Chicago. They produce some strange bits for YouTube while making their way through film school.
Their latest production involves a neighborhood overrun by zombies. But they aren’t exactly after your brains. Check out the faux movie trailer, Gay Zombie…
As Abraham Lincoln once said, “…sexual contact is a harp of a thousand strings.“
I’ve been meaning to write about Jeanne Barrack for quite some time now, but I haven’t had the opportunity to write one of my regular Monday posts in weeks. She stumbled across me entirely by accident through this blog… and I’m quite glad she did!
Barrack is a former New Yorker (and I won’t hold that against her), music therapist, singer, and romance novelist. She married her high school sweetheart and, after chasing dreams across the country, settled in the mountains of Pennsylvania.
When we typically think of romance work, images of Fabio carrying a frail, scantily-clad woman pop into our minds. Yet, Barrack has broken that mold and aimed her sights on the paranormal. One of her latest books, The Sweet Flag, tells the tale of a gay ghost hunter and his encounters with the ghost of a gay Civil War soldier.
Make no mistake: this tale is certainly not for the faint of heart. She certainly knows how to get into the mind of a gay man… If you’re looking for something supernatural as well as steamy, this is definitely a must-read!
I have to thank Richard F. for passing along this interesting little tale.
In the tiny village of Rexmont with its one stop sign, you will find a quaint bed and breakfast known as the Rexmont Inn.
The mansion was built in 1875 for banker and businessman Cyrus Rex, where he lived with his niece, Susan Amanda. Cyrus was the namesake for the town and made his fortune selling acre-sized lots to the local miners. He was a “confirmed bachelor” and often traveled to Europe with his “companion” Dr. Andrew M. Gleninger.
The Susan Amanda Room, her former bedroom, is one of the hot spots of paranormal activity at the inn. Visitors and staff have encountered a figure wearing a flowing gown.
But the owners seem to doubt it’s Susan. The ghost seems to be taller than a young girl should be.
Cyrus had more than his share of skeletons in the closet. He was a rather private person, yet the townspeople knew he was gay… and that he enjoyed cross-dressing.
So if you find yourself staying the night in Susan’s old bedroom and see what appears to be a female apparition gliding across your floor, don’t assume it is Susan. It quite possibly could be the spirit of Cyrus Rex, having a little dress-up fun in the afterlife…
Who says drag is dead?
While the inn does not have a website, anyone interested in spending the night at 299 Rexmont Road in Lebanon County can call (717) 274-2669 to make a reservation.
Colleen Leduc pulled her daughter, Victoria Nolet, out of Terry Fox Elementary School last week in Ontario, Canada. She no longer trusts the school system after an incident involving a teacher… and a psychic.
In the city of Barrie, 50 miles north of Toronto, Simcoe County District School Board contacted the Children’s Aide Society to investigate an allegation of sexual abuse against the 11-year-old student last week. What could possibly prompt such a drastic measure, you ask? Why, the word of a psychic, of course.
Victoria’s Educational Assistant recently visited a psychic. She was told that a student of hers, whose name begins with “V”, was being sexually abused by a man between 23 and 26 years old. Mrs. Deluc was called into the school urgently, notified about the information, and handed a list of behaviors her daughter was exhibiting that coincided with victims of abuse.
The only problem is Victoria is severely autistic and nonverbal, and those behaviors are common with the disorder. And never mind the fact that she doesn’t have any contact with males of that age range.
Oops.
The school board claims they were merely “following protocol” and “in all cases this (information) must be reported”. CAS found no evidence of abuse and dropped the investigation, yet Mrs. Deluc is still infuriated. She demands an apology and is considering legal action against the school system.
So a family can be investigated for abuse on the whim of a psychic, yet it takes extreme measures for someone to be diagnosed with a mental disease? That sounds fair to me…
Linda Stauder and Gene Snyder Jr. knew there was something strange about their Milton, Pennsylvania home. Stauder has felt a ghostly presence upstairs on a few occasions since moving in back in 1994.
Now they just might have the mystery solved.
Recently, they were tearing up their backyard to build a deck. As the backhoe plunged into the earth, more than dirt came up.
It was the marble tombstone of a Reuben Cooper. He passed away April 29, 1894.
The couple believe it might be the identity of their resident spook, and the stone might mark the location of his grave. Authorities have advised the couple not to disturb the remains, if they are indeed there. After the deck is built onto the 1830s farmhouse, the headstone will be returned to the exact place it was found out of respect for the dead.
Of course, Stauder has some sound advice for owners of older homes.
“Be careful where you dig.”
Come, Balki! We do the Dance of Joy!
Don’t ask…
As you can probably tell from my Perfect Strangers reference, I’m in high spirits today (no pun intended). I’m psyched. Enthralled. Eager.
Life is interesting.
As promised, though, I’ll be returning to regular posts again. And so, without further ado….
Well, I’m feeling relaxed tonight. Relatively. I’ve accomplished what I needed to work on this weekend, though a bit later than I expected. I would love to discuss things further, but since I have this nasty habit of jinxing myself whenever I open my mouth, it will have to wait a while.
Otherwise, my weekend was interesting. Cleveland Pride was decent. Same people, same setup. I didn’t even notice there was a theme until we were leaving… isn’t that sad?
Dinner plans changed. There was a $10 cover just to walk into Union Station, and since no food is worth that overhead cost, we ventured elsewhere. The second choice of restaurants turned out to be just as unfortunate. They were without power and unable to cook! Finally, we opted for Bennigan’s.
I had a pint of Guinness and a burger, and all was well with the world.
This week is passing extremely quickly. Almost too fast. Perhaps because of the many things that need to be done? I have phone calls to make tomorrow, plans to set into motion, and an immense cleaning project ahead to turn my desk from a disastrous mountain of chaos to a real work station. No wonder I have a difficult time focusing. Too many distractions.
I do have two bright bits of news today to share with you all. I have more good press!
Just tonight, author Jeanne Barrack posted an interview with me on her blog, The Sweet Flag. She’s a delightful woman… and since I haven’t gotten around to featuring her on here yet, I may as well mention her now! Also, Paranormalizer reviewed my blog on his website (and I’ll be adding the tag eventually.. once I figure it all out). A 10 out of 10!! Wow, I’m impressed. That must be a typo. So much for my self-impression of mediocrity!
And here I thought I was the only one getting much enjoyment out of my words. You like me!! You really, really like me! *sniff*
Tomorrow, between frantic phone calls and very important emails, I’ll be returning to my usual insane self. Goodness gracious… after such a slow few weeks, I should be able to come up with some great material for here!
I’m still alive. I swear I really am.
It was an interesting weekend for me, but I will have to wait a while longer before I mention all the details. I’m slightly overloaded with work at the moment, so my entries will be more sporadic than usual. Today’s “Supernatural Spotlight” will be posted later in the week, as will several other things. I’m in the midst of a lot of other writing and have about a dozen phone calls to make, so these things must wait…
For now, I’m taking a brief hiatus from my blog, but only for 24-48 more hours. This week will be a very busy one for me, but in a VERY good way. Meanwhile, be sure to check Wednesday on The Sweet Flag for a brief interview with yours truly.
Never fear. I will return to my regular odd self within a few days!
When it comes to diversity, New York City has everything for everyone.
New York’s gay community gained notoriety during the Stonewall riots, when abused gay men and lesbians turned the tables on the corrupt police force, pinning them inside the Stonewall Inn and forever altering history. Since that time, Chelsea and Greenwich Village have been known to be gay meccas, yet all of Manhattan is quite welcoming of people of all sexual orientations.
In the East Village, you can find one of New York’s many gay bars. The Urge, on 2nd Avenue at 2nd Street, has everything you would expect in a nightclub. There’s a beautiful central oval bar, drag shows, DJs, dancing, and male strippers. And if you believe tales from the owners and patrons, it also has ghosts.
While undergoing renovations, something seems to have been stirred up in the walls. Poltergeist activity has plagued the club ever since. While the spooks haven’t kept the customers away, it is commonplace for the occasional drink to be dumped over by a mysterious force. No one is quite sure who could be haunting the establishment, yet the possibilities are endless.
After all, the building was once a funeral home.
Whether you visit NYC for the shopping, nightlife, or unquiet dead, there’s something for everybody. Just remember that no matter how lively the atmosphere can be, the dearly departed could be right over your shoulder…
As the week goes by, I’ve found myself preoccupied with so many things, my blog has suffered. I do sincerely apologize to my dear readers. Never fear; there will be my regular “road trip” posted tomorrow still! Believe it or not, I have enough stories to last throughout the summer and into the fall.
Otherwise, tomorrow I’ll be heading to the haunted Mansfield Reformatory for an overnight paranormal investigation. The prison is quite notorious for it’s hauntings and was even featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters. Though we’ll be permitted to stay until 6:30 AM, I know I won’t be lasting that long. It should prove to be an interesting night. At the very least, there will be fun and amusement to be had.
The main reason I won’t stay all night is Saturday plans. It’s that time of year again. Rain or shine, northeast Ohio will be having it’s annual Cleveland Pride celebration at Voinovich Park. Though I’ll probably be sleeping through the parade, I’ll be at the festival itself in the afternoon. It will be interesting to see what this year brings… and who I happen to see. And if you happen to be there, don’t hesitate to say hello if you see me. I swear, I really am a friendly person!
Later on, my friends and I will head over to Union Station for dinner, drinks, and perhaps a show. I’m already planning on having a long island iced tea that night, unless there happens to be a decent drink special. By that time, I’ll need a little libation to relax and unwind.
Over all, it’s a crazy few days ahead. But it’s that time of year to let your hair down (which is actually possible for me now that I’m letting it grow out beyond the usual buzz cut… or as my friends say, “turning emo”) and enjoying life. Freedom and celebration will be in the air. And for me, it’s a time of major change.
This summer could prove to be a pivotal turning point in my life…