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    Crawling Out from Under…


    2009 - 11.02

    October is finally over. And somehow, I managed to survive. Sure, I slept away the entire first day of November, but my body was trying to tell me something, aside from all these aches, pains, and utter exhaustion that still floods over me. I feel as though I’ve been thrown in a washing machine with a few dozen boulders. And my throat feels like I tried swallowing a grapefruit.

    Boy, you’re probably thinking, sounds like he sure had a fun Halloween! If only that were so. If fun involves being too exhausted to focus energy on anything for more than 5 minutes, trying to nap and failing miserably, battling the cold weather of Ohio, watching as half the people you know face automobile problems, and ending it with phone calls to police and hospitals, panicked that a family member has been in a serious accident (or possibly dead)… then, and only then, would I say yes, it was fun.
    That does make it sound like I had the worst month ever, though. And I can’t say that. I’ve met and spoke with wonderful people, traveled extensively, made new friends and contacts, and found a few times to smile and laugh genuinely. Still, there have been difficult moments. And some people have been left by the wayside as my time has been horrifyingly limited. I’m still only in the beginning phases of catching up, so hopefully I can, at least in part, make up for the many blunders and changes that’ve happened in these short few weeks. Only time will tell.

    I do need to get back to business here on this blog too. I’ve had one guest blogging offer already, which pleases me to no end. Any time I can have a few people take over for a brief time and post some interesting, amusing, or humorous tidbits in keeping with the intended purpose of this blog, it’s greatly appreciated. As one man, trying to write these posts along with other articles all over and future book projects, it can be difficult finding the time to remember that my own life is often kept on the wayside. I love to write on here, don’t get me wrong, but after a few years of posting far more regularly, I do need a break. There are people out there I want to have some actual time with and trips I need to make or plan. And to top it all off, I have a severely difficult project on the horizon: writing a sequel to my book. It won’t be easy, that’s for sure… but I want to do it and refuse not to do it.

    So, as the weather gets colder and more dreary here in Ohio, we’ll see what happens with my cabin fever as we head into winter. One year of so much traveling and interesting adventures will certainly make matters worse. And when the first snow flies in the coming month or so, I’ll probably have more time for blogging… but long for the world outside that is frozen in place until the spring thaw.

    No Need for Broom Closets….


    2009 - 10.11

    For starters… Happy National Coming Out Day!! I know, I didn’t realize until just now. Sorry! My mind has been elsewhere!

    Well, Salem has been everything I thought it would be. And above all else, the entire month of October is one, long Halloween for this town. There isn’t another city on earth I can think of where zombies, vampires, and other costumes are seen daily on the street. Of course, fighting your way through the crowd is another matter. It’s a madhouse around here.
    I’ll have to update about my entire trip when I get back. I want to devote some time to everything here in the best way that I can, with enough rest for my bones and less aches and pains from hours on the streets. I have so many businesses to talk about… interesting people to mention (beyond Jeffrey Justice, who has been a dear even though he’s run ragged with work… stay tuned for a Supernatural Spotlight featuring him) and photos to share (I know I’ll max out my monthly allowance of photos on Flickr for sure). I’ve been trying to avoid being a tourist, but it’s difficult not to be.
    I’m down to the last 5 copies of my book already, and I’ve only been here three days! Let’s hope they last me through it all. I wasn’t expecting this much. I dropped off two copies at The Magic Parlor yesterday and they both sold within 24 hours! We shall see how long the 10 signed copies there now last. Otherwise, I’ve met some amusing people, had some interesting conversations, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. People are far more receptive about Queer Hauntings than the naysayers would care to believe. And if all goes well, aside from a few radio show/podcast interviews I have coming up thanks to some good people I’ve met, I might even be talking at a university in the coming months!
    It’s all so exciting, wonderful, and yet exhausting. But for now, I’m signing off from the Witch City. It will be a very long week…

    Infantile Behavior…


    2009 - 08.22

    Another interesting week draws to a close. Keeping busy with a plethora of things, checking up on friends, and receiving my first onslaught of negativity from an unexpected (well, expected… but not expected) source. Shocking? Slightly. Crushing? Not at all. I know who I am and what I believe, and this year has been educational about the definition of friendship. If not marching to someone’s drum or telling people what they want to hear makes me a bad man, then hooray for being rotten!

    But it’s an interesting world out there with plenty of views. And while a lot of the news is on the depressing side, there are some things that aren’t so dire and jaded.

    Take, for example, Jose Alvarenga of Paraguay who opened his infant son’s coffin this week to find that he wasn’t dead, as doctors had told him. While it’s good news for the new father, it doesn’t bode well for doctors and staff at the unnamed hospital in Asuncion. If you can’t tell dead from living, perhaps medicine isn’t the proper field for you.

    Then back to the United States, where in Florida sightings of what is described as a “baby Bigfoot” have been reported in the Baker County area. While it might be an orangutan, the mystery creature has an apparent sweet tooth. Among the witnesses was a bear hunter who lost a few jelly donuts too the furry caper. Subsequent attempts too lure the pint-sized furball out in the open with confectionery treats have failed.
    That’s all for now when it comes to abnormal childlike behavior. Bear with me as I struggle with graphics, barrel ahead toward autumn and Halloween, and blaze a few trails in the world, as well as my own life…

    When Life’s Emergency Break Fails…


    2009 - 05.09

    Just a little public service announcement: if anyone else has any bad news to send my way, just feel free to toss it at me now. Seriously, I’d like to get it all over with as quickly as possible! Then, just let me have my Sally Fields moment and be back to normal. Ok? Ok. Thank you.

    Don’t mind me… I’m running on only a few hours of sleep and I think the few brain cells that are conscious are busy trying to figure out how to go back to bed. I’m in desperate need of a shower and the world’s largest martini, so, back into my little corner I go where I can rock back and forth and mumble incoherent thoughts. Luckily, I still have my sanity, somehow. And no matter what, I’ll find something positive and humorous to make all the rotten situations of life somehow tolerable.

    Southern Journeying…


    2009 - 04.29

    It has been a whirlwind week thus far. So much to say, so much to see. I will be waiting until I return this weekend to tell all the details, though. It might take me that long to organize my thoughts and collect together everything from my Dayton trip! Overall, it has been a wonderful experience. Good friends, interesting and wonderful people, unique sights. I’m already looking forward to this fall and enjoying a ghost tour when I return. While I haven’t spent a great deal of time seeking out ghosts in the places I’ve been, one doesn’t need to be surrounded by the dead to enjoy some things! sometimes, living can actually be more fun…

    For those of you thrown off course by my last post, I do apologize somewhat. I’ve been meaning to post a French entry for a while, but recently had a little added incentive. I miss being more bilingual, and being reasonably close to french-speaking areas of Canada, it seemed fitting. I’m sure I shall do that again. Perhaps after an adventure further north…

    In other news, my manuscript hates me. Formatting it isn’t as simple as I would like and I seem to hit pitfalls every time I attempt it! The rainy, dreary weather doesn’t exactly excite any enthusiasm, either. but at least I’ve given it a good try. One way or another, I’ll solve that enigma known as Microsoft Word. Perhaps when I’m home again. Though some things might take precedence over it upon my immediate return. Life is getting quite interesting, and I know more than ever that where this year leads me is a mystery. So many possibilities and probabilities. We shall see, as I always say…

    "Hello. I’d Like to Have an Argument."


    2009 - 03.19

    It’s been another one of those crazy weeks. People disappearing, people popping up out of nowhere, health problems with people around me, and the usual insanity I call my life. And then, I made the mistake last weekend of answering a question on an online forum: do you believe in ghosts? I said more than just ‘yes’.

    In hindsight, it was a bad idea. Many people respond in grunts, syllables, or not at all to statements that they know will lead to arguments or complaints. One-word responses leave little to fight over. But some people just like arguing.

    What followed was a prolonged attack since, apparently, stating that I’m a “paranormal investigator” automatically means I speak on behalf of every parapsychologist, researcher, professor, scientist, writer, ghost hunter, and anyone else (alive or dead) in any way connected to the field. The same old arguments rehashed a billion times flung at me, demanding ultimate “proof”. But, of course, it wasn’t in a polite discourse; it’s the typical heckling of someone who, no matter what is presented to them, remains convinced that you’re an idiot.

    I see we haven’t changed much since the Puritans. Witch hunts are still happening. Different is bad. In only a few sentences stating my opinions, I instantly turned into Frankenstein’s monster. What do you do? If you walk away, you’re supposedly admitting “that they are right”, but if you stand and defend yourself, you’re “absurd”. It’s a lose-lose situation. But it comes from speaking your mind and being a part of this field. Opening your mouth makes you a target of torch-bearing townsfolk rallying to “burn the witch”.

    I hate arguing. Especially when it’s pointless or when someone belittles your words because “they know everything”. Real stupidity comes from believing that you’re omniscient and omnipotent. Only wise people know that they don’t know everything. but I let it go on for a while before stopping and thinking, “what the hell am I doing?” Discussing something with someone who can’t see beyond their own window to the world is the most wasteful thing anyone can do.

    I like letting people make their own informed opinions, as everyone should. Don’t just spit out what someone else told you; review everything and form your own opinion. And if it’s different from someone else’s, big friggin’ deal! Guess what? Everyone has an opinion, a belief, a perspective. Being loud doesn’t mean you know more than someone else; it just means your mouth opens wider.

    Humankind has the capacity to become rabid dogs. People like to gang up with viciousness to feel inflated about their own superiority. But, when the attack is on them, everything is very different. That’s just mean! Well, that’s just human nature. Evil doesn’t come from supernatural demons, it comes from the depths of humankind. Humanity has a tendency to be inhumane. And it circles itself; call it karma if you wish, but the stream of putrid words we sometimes spill out come back at us in a different form. And when they do, we have no right to complain. We did it once ourselves.

    Agreeing to disagree or seeing another viewpoint is a challenge for many people. But we all see the world differently. Every man or woman is the product of his or her collective beliefs, experience, and thoughts. More time is wasted on pointless back-and-forth banter than actual reasoning. In a way, it’s comical. If people could see the humor in it, of course.

    I guess what bothers me most is, being an open-minded person, I expect to be treated as I treat others. I could be cruel and nasty many times, but I choose to let most things slide. I try to make people think and reason, prepare for what is coming, yet it is labeled “non-conformity”. So what? I’m not a conformist. I’m an individual. If I’m the only one not running with the herd, it makes me an independent thinker not an anarchist. Different is good; different brings about revolutionary thought and ideas. If it weren’t for outcasts, nothing would ever change. Ideas are what separate us from our inner animal. If being a non-ape makes me a bad person to somepeople, I’ll settle for that.

    Butterflies are Free to Fly…


    2009 - 03.17

    Spring is a time of growth and rebirth. That is often true of people too.

    Rebecca Muller, the clairvoyant and researcher I’ve had the pleasure of communicating with throughout last year, has done a little spring cleaning in her life. A new home… and new career path. The paranormal aspect of her life has been frozen, “for now”. What does the future hold? That remains a mystery, as it does for most of us. But for the time being, there are other things of higher importance.

    Her absence will be missed. She’s an all-around good soul and Columbus will be a bit emptier without her and her husband. But I wish them all the success and happiness in the world. And who knows; the future isn’t written in stone. Perhaps a few more spooks will pique her interest further down the road…

    A Popularity Contest…


    2009 - 03.08

    It never ceases to amaze me the Google searches people type in that lead them to Spooked! I review them every so often when curiosity piques. Some are just absurd. Others are about people and places I’ve mentioned. Yet two specific search terms bring people here most often: Corpsewood and Chip Coffey.

    Why? Well, let’s review them.

    Corpsewood Manor (yes, that was its real name) is a rural Georgia ruin: the site of a grizzly murder in the 1980s. Because of this, it is allegedly haunted by victims Charles Scudder and Joseph Odom, as well as one of their beloved pets. Some say it was a hate crime, instigated by narrow-minded people not so kind toward a gay couple (or jilted by unaccepted advances). Other evidence insists it was a robbery gone awry. I’ve researched the haunting and it’s included in my upcoming book, Queer Paranormal. The isolated place has become an enigma and a favorite place to investigate for many people. Though I haven’t yet had the pleasure (or terror, depending on whom you ask) of visiting it, a few friends have. It’s legendary. It’s dangerous. And it seems that everyone wants to know more about it.

    Chip Coffey is a psychic, best known for his regular appearances on Paranormal State and Psychic Kids. Loved by some, hated by others, he is often a topic of rumors, speculation, and gossip (after all, people love to gossip). I do tend to mention him a lot on here. Why? Because I like him on a human level. We think alike in many ways and share many viewpoints. He, too, is a survivor. And he’s realistic in his approach to both the paranormal and life. His ability to tell it like it is can be too much for some people to swallow; his fame makes him a prime target for anyone who thinks psychics are a joke. But the more visible anyone is, the more rotten fruit is thrown at them. I’ve refrained from commenting on here about any of his psychic ability, but that’s simply because I don’t know. I’ve never had a reading from him so I can’t judge accuracy. And that’s true with many psychics I know.

    Like FOX News, I try to be “fair and (mentally un-) balanced”. I point out both sides of most situations and beliefs, yet I find humor wherever possible. And controversial topics are unavoidable. But I mention the things, people, and places that intrigue, amuse, and enlighten me. Sometimes, these topics jive with what others find interesting, as is proved by Google. Other times, I’m way off base. But that’s part of the chaos that is Spooked! And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Everything Old is New Again…


    2009 - 02.01

    To most people, the whistle and chug of a steam locomotive is a haunting memory from the past. Specters of a time when steam was king still are scattered throughout the world in museums and (in some rare instances) as working dinosaurs brought back from the railroad boneyard. The golden age of steam is gone. These trains are a thing of the past.

    Or are they?

    On first glance, Britain’s Class A1 Number 60163, named the Tornado, looks like just any other resurrection of the past. In reality, while the plans date back about 5o years, the locomotive itself first took its trial run in August of 2008. It’s a brand-new steam locomotive built in Darlington by Hopetown Carriage Works which took 18 years and £3 million to create. Saturday marked her maiden voyage from York to Newcastle.

    In fact, with booming fuel costs, people the world over are rethinking the use of diesel over steam. In Paraguay, steam has been brought back for tourist trains. Switzerland and Austria added new steam locomotives to some rail lines. A steam line from Chile to Argentina also is in the works. In fact, the Hunslet Engine Company (founded in 1864) is back to producing steam locomotives in Leeds after 35 years out of the locomotive business.

    There is a certain mystique to steam engines which are lacking in cold diesel locos carrying freight to and fro across the US and many other nations. The beauty of the intricate gears spinning in clockwork unison harkens back to the time when travel wasn’t only about the destination, it was about how you got there. Today, we speed along in a hurry to get somewhere while missing everything along the way. We clambor into planes hoping for a quick flight or drive at fastest speeds to get from point A to B.

    But for many of us, the ghosts of steam still haunt us with pleasant longing. We long for excellent meals in dining cars instead of inedible rubbish on a plastic airline plate. Hopefully, with such specters as these rising from the grave, people will start to rethink their priorities. Instead of insane breakneck speeds in automobiles, applying make-up in rear view mirror while texting and risking accidents for that not-very-important instant message, we still might be able to relearn allowing someone else to take the reins as we sit back, enjoy the ride, and have more time to do these daily mundane tasks as scenery flies by our windows. To interact with other people in public transportation instead of closing ourselves into little boxes and avoiding the world around us.

    Dead or alive, we’re all a part of something greater than ourselves. We’re a unique blend of thoughts, history, and cultures. The world isn’t something to be afraif of and avoid; it’s something to embrace, learn from, and become involved with. Perhaps our world would be a better place is we took the time to think about what lies beyond the dashboard and step on board a railway once in a while…

    Scrooged…


    2008 - 12.15

    One week left until Christmas. I can’t wait… for it all to be over, that is.

    Perhaps it sounds rude of me to not extol the glories of the holiday season. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Caroling through snow-swept neighborhoods. Glittering lights and jingling bells. But that isn’t Christmas anymore. It’s a nightmare of rudeness, bombardment by family, and the worst fright of them all: American consumerism run rampant. That’s right: the absurd notion that the holidays mean nothing more than getting the biggest, most expensive gifts.

    The heart of Christmas is dead. In its place is greedy materialism wrapped in a phony red bow. Good will toward men went out the window with George Bailey and Clarence the angel in pursuit of some shred of hope. The little things–the scent of pine boughs, being with loved ones by a roaring fire, and yuletide feasts–are forgotten memories of a bygone era. Simple pleasures no longer exist.

    It’s depressing and infuriating to see people clamber for bargains, trinkets, and gadgets, pushing and fighting over meaningless objects. And that, I’m sorry to inform you, is what all these “deals” are: empty nothingness. Something to be forgotten in another month. Another toy to add to the pile and keep children from realizing they have an imagination. Another gizmo to impress people with nothing better to do with their time than keep up with the Joneses. Piles of junk that will one day line another methane-manufacturing landfill which will serve as the foundation for another useless chain store selling more of what is buried inches beneath the feet of its shoppers.

    Yes, there are things I would truly like to have. But the important things I wish for most can’t be found in glittery wrapping paper beneath a tree. They can’t be bought or sold or picked up last-minute in the final shopping rush. Good company. A sense of belonging. Time. Love. Understanding. Just like that G-scale train set or airplane ticket to Sydney, they’re not bound to appear this year suddenly on the 25th.

    I live in a bitter world of materialism. Not by choice, but by surroundings. There are many good people out there, yet many choose to hibernate through the chaos like myself. I still believe these intangible gifts are out there and I see a peek of them from time to time. Yet they’re the least likely gifts any of us will receive. They require honest effort, not a padded wallet. They come from the heart, not from a cold store shelf.

    The greatest gift we can ever give is care. It can be as simple as the phrase “I’m sorry” said in honesty. It’s telling someone how much they mean to you instead of what they can buy you. It’s setting aside those few free minutes in your day for someone special. It’s giving a hand to someone who needs a little help or politely opening that door for someone. The smallest efforts make the greatest impact.

    Instead, I watch the crowds hurry along with blind eyes in pursuit of plastic treasure.

    Bah, humbug.