Monday, November 12, 2012

Finding Bigfoot: Reviewed


New season of F'ing Bigfoot is officially underway with last night's season opener in Idaho.

I really freaking missed these guys. It seems like forever since the last season ended and Animal Planet has been rather skimpy at reshowing old episodes in the interim. Come on folks at AP--get on that right now! It's gotta be one of the viewers' most loved shows.

The hour before the new episode, they had an adorable heartwarming episode that was behind the scenes of the show. We got to know the characters better and things that go on we don't know about. A little bonus for those of us who waited forever for the new season.
 
The team went up to SE Utah in search of a BF supposedly filmed by some high school kids on an exploration for school. Not real promising when investigating it though.

A local witness teen who saw one in a place that was quite open, showed it to Bobo who declared this Bigfoot was not a rocket scientist, one of the dumber squatches. 

Ranae went camping alone. Then, Matt and Cliff went to check out a promising location a man saw a juvenile squatch.  Ranae used herself as bait, calling out and telling them she was alone and to come visit her. If you can't get a date with a Bigfoot when you're the only female in the woods, is it time to hang up your pumps?

Moneymaker shared a "Castle and Moat" theory -- BF choosing to be in a location that if he runs into someone, he can cross the terrain but the human could not.  Cliff mentioned "nurseries" or areas where BF drop off their young that is abundant in places to hide, water and food. 

The team met Dr. Jeff Meldrum at the university who is considered a specialist in Bigfoot and especially having an extensive footprint collection.  Ironically, he thought the video and the photo of the footprint were all Bigfoot. I wonder if they brought him a Jack Links commercial if he'd verify he's real.  I thought it was interesting the team took Dr. Meldrum's advice on the ideal place to find BF but after decades of searching he's nailed where they are...

Bobo suggests they have a rave.  Cliff is happy that Bobo's dream is coming true; to have a disco party with his BF pals? Yeah, this'll work because BF is totally attracted to huge bonfires with people playing CCR on their truck stereos, laughing and drinking.  You should see what he does when it's lightning bug season!

I give them super kudos for reveling in their ridiculous experiments and I don't know how I could live without being able to make awesome fun memes like the one above.  Keep it up, y'all. Scooby Doo has nothing on you!


Sunday, November 11, 2012

Sunday Evening Movie: The Final Terror

I really loved this 1980s slasher, awesome stars of the era and the woods--great combo!


Saturday, November 10, 2012

Ghost Storm on Syfy Tonight

A storm of ghosts hits the world on this Syfy Original tonight at 9 pm EST/8 pm Central -


Are You Psychic?



This post is a combination of the four main types of fledgling psychics and how to know which one you might be. With practice and focus, one can go from fledgling to full-fledged. That is one of the books I’m working and I hope to shed more light onto this for everyone. For now, look over these types, see if you identify.

“Soul Seer"

They tend to be serendipitous. They end up in the right place and the right time—even if it’s something dramatic like walking past a burning building or standing next to a person about to faint.

They get gut instincts about people but can’t tell you why they feel that way. They just either trust them implicitly or don’t. They sense a person is important in their life but they don’t know why, so they pursue a friendship even if the other person is reticent.

They listen closely for words that ring true and focus on that. If someone tells them a story, certain words, phrases and ways they tell the story makes that soul seer’s senses sharpen and they feel an immediate connection. They are fantastic listeners.

They may have had one or several incidents in which they were with someone upon passing and may have had a visitation afterwards.

They tend to see dark shapes and figures when others aren’t looking in the right direction at the right time, but something inside of them has them looking up at just the right moment, or sensing something and turning to see it.

So, what does one do if he/she is a soul seer? A soul seer has the potential to be more like a ghost whisperer type of psychic, someone who can communicate with those who have crossed over. They not only have the potential so see a soul when others miss it, but also to have the soul want to present itself to them because they can discern their presence. A practicing psychic with this ability would be called a “medium.”

Knowing that one is susceptible to being a soul seer can make his life much better. It’s not some weird dark secret or some crazy madness or perhaps just horrible luck. They are meant to witness things and help people ease with transition. It’s a good thing, although it often comes with bad moments, like happening upon accidents or knowing ahead of time that someone is going to pass on.

On a daily practical basis that “gut” instinct they have about people is a fantastic talent. It can even goad them on to spend more time with someone before they pass on early, or know who to connect their soul with who is worthy of the treasure. If they fight those instincts, they are likely to have constant anxiety and fearfulness and startle reactions.

So, I suggest those with this tendency just go with the flow and let their gut make decisions when dealing with other humans. Let their minds make decisions when dealing with details like finances and choosing a car.

"Tomorrow Tumblers"

They get an invite to an event and feel a sudden dread. They will go to any lengths not to go, even though it is something they would normally love to go to. They are driving home from work and suddenly decide to take surface streets for no “apparent” reason.

The phone rings and they know who it is, they think about someone and they get an email out of the blue from her, they finish people’s sentences and shock them that they knew what was about to be said.

They tend to dream about bad events; earthquakes, plane crashes, tidal waves, hurricanes and then they happen in the near future. They tend to experience déjà vu fairly often and while in déjà vu, know what they are supposed to do next to fulfill a pre-destiny.

They know who is next to die in their family. If someone asks them “guess what happened today?” they answer it right.

What do these folks have? Precognition—the ability to have foreknowledge of future events. The fledgling form they have would be called “women’s intuition” or “déjà vu,” but the fact is that they often avoid calamities by leaving the party earlier than the others before the cops came or deciding against the vacation in Chile and then Chile has an earthquake. They seem like a lot of near-misses, but actually they are signs of listening to that intuitive voice within.

It’s not for the person with this fledgling psychic ability to explain why they “get a bad feeling” about something. Just know that they are damned good friends to have when you’re planning to take a flight. Consult them first.

"Tactile Tuners"

They often times need to touch a person on the arm or shoulder when speaking to them or they feel they have not connected. If a child acts up, they feel that yelling back isn’t going to work as well as putting a steady hand on the child to soothe him.

Without realizing it, in stores with used items like antiques and thrift finds, they touch the objects to decide if they like them rather than just looking at them. Sometimes in the grocery store or other shop, they pick up an item, set it back down and pick up another similar one without realizing why they put the first one back.

Personal space is important to them and when people encroach and get too close, they feel themselves tightening up inside. Being in crowds where they bump up against others they might feel hysteria rising.

Often times, when just sitting around, they will hold an object and switch it from hand to hand, squeeze it, toss it in the air, mess with it without realizing they are doing this.

What I can tell you about tactile tuners is that they are budding psychometrists and healers. They come in two types; senders and receivers. Senders can heal people and also are good at passing information on, such as holding an object and leaving an imprint that affects others who touch it. Receivers are good at getting the information from the object through psychometry.

If you know yourself to be tactile and to get much information from touching objects and people and maybe called it “weird vibes” or “good vibes,” then you are a fledgling. Some things to consider if you have this is to be careful what you bring home that is used from antiques to Goodwill finds to things your friends pawned off on you. Let them pass the touch test first. If you ever find yourself unexplainably uncomfortable in a chair in a large lecture hall, switch chairs. The last person who sat there might have left an imprint. When you know this about yourself, you can understand why you sometimes out-of-the-blue feel weirded out when making contact with an object, a person or a place.

"Creature Comforters"


They love the outdoors and feel more at home there than indoors. The seasons don’t discourage them and as children, they likely would have laid on the floor with the sunlight pouring down on them on a cold winter day and dream of being outside.

There is a natural love of animals but to the point of seeing them as family members and talking to them. As a child, the family dog was likely to be the very best friend of all.

When meeting people in their home, they are more distracted by the pets, wanting to greet each one and get a feel for them by touching. No matter where they go, animals seem to follow them silently as if they are a pied piper. Even the most timid pets come to seek them out.

Sometimes, it seems as if the animal knows what they are saying to them. They are often mesmerized by the talented human. Just a hand to the creature and it seems to calm its restlessness or pain. Subtle changes in the animal do not go unnoticed by this type of psychic. They are acutely attuned to the normal patterns, behaviors and expressions.

Lots of people love animals, but only some can communicate with them. They don’t just love animals, animals love them back in a noticeably unusual way. As these people walk by, dogs on leashes may even pull to get to them and act very excited, the owner telling them that they have never seen their pet get so excited by a stranger.

Pet psychics are actually a legitimate type of psychic. There is as much difference between a true pet psychic and a dog whisperer (trainer) as there is between a psychic and a mentalist. One has true PSI capabilities and the other is trained to appear so.

If you have these features, you can sometimes have the problem with putting animals before people. You also can become consumed with rescue and overwhelmed by the death of a pet. You can’t avoid involvement with animals, as it is your calling, but you can also know that the time you were in the pet’s life, you made the interaction with humans seamless. You can’t ask for more than to be a wonderful interpreter.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Ghost Adventures Drinking Game





Zak and the Boyz are going to Brookdale Lodge in California to find the spirit of a deceased little girl.


Pink's live version of "Janie's Got a Gun" by Aerosmith.


Drinking Game Rules:
1. Stay home.
2. Take a sip for every "dude," "bro," "man," every time Zak thinks he's touched by a ghost, and every time Aaron's mouth drops open in horror.

The drink tonight?

I'm going with hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick and a healthy bunch of Seagram's 7 (don't worry, it's on here in AZ after my radio show appearance).

I will be on a radio show tonight talking about zombies. Listen in online on www.ztalkradio.com Zombie-Palooza at 10 pm EST (hit chat/listen tab).



Madison County Premieres on Chiller!



"Madison County" is a movie premiering on Chiller channel tonight. "A group of college kids travel to a small, mountain town called Madison County to interview the author of a tell-all book on the accounts of several grisly murders that happened there. But when the kids get to Madison County, the author is no where to be found and the towns people act like they haven't seen him in years. They also say that the killer never existed and the murders never happened. However, when the kids start digging around to get their own answers, they find out that the stories may be more real than the townspeople are letting on!"


Why Do I Wake Up the Same Time Every Night?



You roll over in bed and force your eyes open, only to read the blurry red lights of the digital clock “3:15.”

Wikipedia refers to the witching hour this way; “In European folklore, the Witching Hour is the time when supernatural creatures such as witches, demons and ghosts are thought to be at their most powerful, and black magic at its most effective. This hour is typically midnight, and the term may now be used to refer to midnight, or any late hour, even without having the associated superstitious beliefs. The term ‘witching hour’ can also refer to the period from midnight to 3 a.m., while ‘Devil’s Hour’ refers to the time around 3 a.m.” Apparently, the Devil’s Hour is the exact opposite of the time Christ supposedly died at 3 p.m. (I won’t even get into the logic of this for those of us on Mountain Standard Time).


It’s been suggested that this is the time of extreme early morning when more firefighters and police are called. That’s true, but then it takes a whole night of drinking to get into trouble at 3 a.m. It’s also believed that we might be having access to our God figure in that state of mind in deep theta sleep and in between REM sleep. Others think that it’s the extreme darkness that occurs just before dawn that permits melatonin to adjust and create a sleep state that’s in the process of shifting, a time in which we could awaken. It’s also entirely possible that discomfort after hours in our beds is what jostles us awake at about that magical time (especially middle-agers). Whatever the reasoning, any time you’re under extreme stress, you’re likely to wake right around that 3 a.m. hour and not be able to fall back asleep again. Obviously, our bodies are telling us that some sort of stimuli (earthly or unearthly) is creating a dark-of-night awakening.

If this continually waking at 3 am is putting a damper on your life, there’s some things you can consider to get your rhythms back in order:

You can try to go to bed later than usual.

You can set your alarm for 1 a.m. and then go back to sleep.

You can darken your room completely or wear an blackening eye mask.

You can cool off the room more so your body temperature can stay down where it needs to be for the brain to induce sleep state (running a noisy fan is a good option—it also masks outside sounds).

Try and turn the clock around so you can’t see it.

You can try having a light snack with carbs before bedtime to feed your brain.

You can consider taking a Benadryl at bedtime OR try 3 mg of melatonin.

There are conditions such as depression and anxiety that can cause insomnia, as well as chronic medications that can affect sleep. How does one know if waking at 3 a.m. is spiritually related or physically? Look at the clock.

Have you ever had to get up at 7:30 the next morning and you wake up at 7:28? Yeah, our internal clocks are amazing. If you start waking at 2:37 in the morning, you’re likely to continue to do that so long as that number is in your head. You need to consciously remind yourself “7:30” over and over again as you go to sleep. Set the clock. Look at the alarm time several times to visualize that number. Print it into your brain. If you keep waking up at 3:08 every morning, your internal clock has been reset to anticipate that time on the clock. Ideally, just turning the clock around works great. You wake up, don’t memorize numbers on the clock, problem gone. Give it a try some time.

If you ever awaken during this time with a rush of emotion and don’t understand where it’s coming from, it’s entirely possible that your true self or your higher self are trying to communicate. Should you be gathering communications from “the other side” because you seem receptive in the sleep state, once you awaken that sense of someone being there will dissipate. You are in a new brainwave state and are now no longer a receptive receiver.

Scientists tell us that our circadian rhythms in our bodies tell us when to sleep and when to wake. What if those factors weren’t dictated by body temperature, emotional state, or a noisy neighborhood? What if they were affected by a time when our minds are in the sleep state combined with the thinnest veil between our world and the other(s)?

I admittedly have found the time between midnight to 4 am is prime ghost hunting hours. Not always convenient when you’ve been sitting still for the past four hours already and are feeling the body’s need to hit the sleep state. Perhaps our senses are more acute in that need-to-sleep state. I know that a tiny sound when I’m sleeping can keep me up (hyperacousis--sensitivity to sound). A trickle of light will make it impossible to sleep. A sore muscle can feel like agony. Perhaps the combination of our mind running in the deeper sleep state along with sharper senses make us ideal barometers for paranormal activity.

Is it possible too that we might be having spirit visitors while we sleep? Alien encounters? Astral projection of our souls leaving our bodies and traveling around? Well, these are all theories to ponder. And, when you're pondering those, consider this popular story on the internet - a ghost that showed up on camera during a sleep study (more than likely a piece of link that flew by the lens when the air conditioning went on, but alas we may never know, especially when no one provides the source of the video and remains anonymous).




Thursday, November 8, 2012

Must-Have Cryptid DVD and Book


Hunt the Dogman
I have an extensive cryptid DVD collection. One of my favorite weekend things to do is run them back to back in the background while I'm writing my books or if, heaven forbid, I'm just lollygagging around, I can watch them from sun-up to sun-down. I just added Hunt the Dogman to that collection and next I'm adding a book by the same man, Barton Nunnelly, to my collection in my library, as well, The Inhumanoids.

I am glad to add this to my library. I think when it comes to cryptid shows, like Finding Bigfoot, we tend to get most interested in the part where they talk to witnesses and then we want to see them poke around those places in the woods. This documentary delivers. The witness testimonies are compelling and detailed. The setting is creepy and the questions left unanswered are intriguing. I'm glad to add this to my cryptid collection and look forward to future projects by Nunnelly and by Grendel Films. 

Voices in the Wilderness
Voices in the Wilderness by Ron Morehead is a book and audio CD that I was thrilled to get!  There are a hundred aspects of Bigfoot that intrigue me but language and psychic abilities are the two that really make me wonder, as well as the obvious - his origins genetically. 

Ron has focused decades since the early 70s on recordings made in the Sierras capturing some of the most amazing vocalizations and has spent a lifetime wanting to know more about them. This book is fantastic because if you ever wanted to voyage into the Sierras and go through decades of hiking trails, camping, and awaiting interactions, this is the next best thing. My own sighting was in the Sierras in the mid 80s. It's a land that you almost feel you could encounter a dinosaur in and not be surprised.

The accompanying CD I got in the combo book/CD was truly amazing (great price too!). I have heard a good deal of BF vocalizations and some of the sounds in these were eerie familiar to ones from other parts of the country. His accounts written in the book are not only easy reading, but you can't put it down. There are also lots of great photos and you truly think you can smell fire smoke and pine needles as you read through it.  The conclusions with lots of expert input is that we are dealing with a creature much larger than man and with some primitive and unusual vocalizations.

Although Morehead's conclusions lean towards a big stupid beast and mine lean towards something much closer to man, I appreciate the hard work and effort he made into recording the Sierra sounds. My hope is now that he will take that and go to other states in the Midwest and East that have Bigfoot and get recordings from those regions which might just change his view on what Bigfoot is. Either way, this book and CD are keepers and I will likely reread it again on a dark evening when it's quiet and I want to go into the woods and listen in the dark to the voices of the night. I'm always thrilled to see devoted people staying in the field, focusing their expertise, and really adding to the research about the big fella.


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Lost Cities & Ancient Mysteries of the Southwest


If you have watched "Ancient Aliens" or other paranormal specials and documentaries that consider ancient mysteries, supernatural and Chariots of the Gods themes, you've probably seen David Hatcher Childress being interviewed.   He caught my attention because, well, I have a perpetual problem with being attracted to men's brains and if you add outdoorsiness and curiosity about ancient mysteries, you have my full attention.

I decided to start reading his work. It seemed silly that I didn't own any of his books since I pretty much have seen everything he's been on video-wise. "Lost Cities & Ancient Mysteries of the Southwest" was the obvious choice for me because, duh, I live in Arizona.

The author takes us through a road trip scenario, reflecting on history of the ancients, going to sites and looking them over, pondering theories, and gathering witness stories and legends. He's sort of a mix of Nicholas Cage's character in "National Treasure" and Arthur C. Clarke. I was caught up in legends and mysteries I have never heard of. He followed some we have commonly heard of like Marfa Lights and the supposed Egyptian tombs in the Grand Canyon, but he also pulled a bunch of unsolved puzzles like giant ancient man-like prints in White Sands, NM.

This trip log/recording of folklore works for this author and I also appreciate that he doesn't try to convince us of one thing or the other, just reports the supposed pterosaurs and ancient treasures and lets us draw our own conclusions.

Yeah, I got a nerd crush on Mr. Childress. He's smart, curious, adventurous, and he wears khakis. I highly suggest this book and his others. He has documented an enormous ancient history in his books and theories of ancient technologies and more. Here are just some of his titles:

Technology of the Gods: The Incredible Sciences of the Ancients
Yetis, Squatch & Hairy Giants 
The Enigma of Cranial Deformation: Elongated Skulls of the Ancients

And, you can find tons of his books on locations all over the world. I know I'm going to be adding a lot more of his books to my collection!




Overcoming Phobias


In 1990, out of the blue, I got panic attacks. In retrospect, I can see why; I had a toddler and a precarious marriage as well as feelings of helplessness because he was so in control of everything, that I had never so much as paid a bill or been allowed to make decisions. I was a mother without any real training to make it in the world with my child if anything happened with my marriage. I felt very powerless and very overwhelmed with fears and doubt. The conversations within my head were bleak, full of self-doubt and fear.

Within a few months' time, I went from having the worst imaginable panic disorder and fear of being alone, to going back to college, studying for a career, running a self help group, giving lectures, workshops and writing articles about recovery from anxiety disorders, and working full time. 

I used a technique called rational-emotive therapy. It is cognitive-behavioral practice and it's brilliant for everything from depression to addictions, phobias to anxiety. It involves changing your thinking so your emotions also change; if you have rational thoughts, you have rational emotions.

TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH THIS --



I went on over the past 20 years to sponsor over 4 dozen people through recovery. Phobias and anxiety disorders are unbelievably treatable and within 12 weeks a person should have the skills to never face it again. Even though the worst things that could happen to me in my life happened to me since recovery, I have never had it creep back into my life because I built up skills that make for a life of total independence and self security and the ability to handle anything mentally and therefore emotionally. In other words, I do not torment myself with negative and irrational thoughts, thus having negative and irrational responses.

One thing researchers have found is that people with things such as PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder is vital is that they talk about the experience that made them fearful over and over and over again and again until it has the power of a grocery list. Each time they tell their history, they realize they feel less and less scared of telling it and less and less emotionally involved in the telling. 

The same goes for treating phobias.

Let's take a famously haunted house for example.  Four people enter the house to investigate. You assume when activity begins, they all have the same reaction--nope.

They huddle together in a room where they all see a shadow cross the room and hear a moan:

Person 1: Thinks "who is in the room messing with us?" he gets angry and then rushes towards it.
Person 2: Thinks "is that one of our shadows? Did someone's stomach growl?" he feels curious and asks the group to move and see if their shadows move and then asks if a stomach grumbled.
Person 3: Thinks "oh my God! It's in the room! What if it gets me?" He feels scared and he retreats.
Person 4: Thinks "how am I going to handle it if it gets crazier?" He feels anxious and he moves closer to the others.

When a person encounters the thing they fear, they have thoughts. It's the thoughts and mental images that scare them. I know that because in the height of my panic disorder and all the weird feelings in my body and racing mind, I begged my husband at the time not to go to work. "Please don't leave me alone with my thoughts!" I begged. His leaving meant that it was silent and I could torment myself relentlessly with what if's and imagery, jumping to conclusions and focusing on the negative. 

So, when a person afraid of a spider sees a spider:
A. They have thoughts ("what if it gets on me and crawls across my skin?) 
B. Those thoughts create emotions (terror). 
C. Those emotions create actions (running away). 

Over time, unchecked, the person can't even face a photo of a spider or someone talking about it. Their world gets smaller and smaller in order to not feel those creepy feelings (which originate from thoughts that went from "spiders are creepy" to "I can't take it if a spider gets near me!"). 

The more you run, the more you feel there is reason to run. It's like panic in a movie theater. One person gets up to run to the bathroom to vomit and everyone else thinks there is reason to rush out of the theater and soon there is a stampede. 

The only way to stop such a cycle is to turn and face it. All the logic in the world like "bridges can't hurt you" isn't going to stop the illogical reaction to crossing a bridge. You begin by showing the person that as they face the photos of bridges and discussing bridges and realize that they are not going to die or go crazy, it begins to lose its power to terrorize.  Eventually, you work toward having the person watch people drive over a bridge. Perhaps you have them walk a short distance on the bridge. With realistic self talk and repeated exposure, fears can be obliterated.

There is no need to suffer or make your world smaller and smaller.

I found two books that secured my recovery and I consider them the "bibles" and I have advised people going through recovery that with these two books on hand, they should never have issues again (links below). When I discovered them, it was like someone gave me books that had the secrets to happiness and success and why aren't we teaching kids in school this? It's like an instruction manual for the mind. I had no idea what I fed my mind caused such reactions in my body and such terror. But, just imagine biting into a waxy lemon and juice spurting and your mouth waters. That's the power of the mind.  

Just remember, it's not the "thing" you're afraid of that is terrifying, it is what goes on in your mind when you see or experience that "thing." It's the same as watching a horror movie and getting all worked up even though you know it's an edited film. You worry "what if this gets scarier?" Soon, you're hiding under a blanket.

It always comes down to this - you cannot have an emotion without first having a thought. That thought will create either appropriate emotion or out of proportion.

Example: John's friend Mark tells him his decision to vote Republican is stupid. John thinks, "how dare he think I'm stupid!" Now, John is angry. But, he could as easily tell himself, "Mark likes to vote Democrat, of course he sees it that way," and so he lets it pass without incident. It was his unreasonable belief that his friend should agree with him that caused him out of proportion anger and perhaps even made him act on it by saying something nasty back. 

I hope this gets you thinking about how phobias are not organic--they don't just come from nowhere and emotions don't just naturally come from some wellspring inside--they are all the results of your internal dialogue. There are wonderful REBT therapists out there (rational-emotive-behavioral therapy) so if you're going to treat a phobia, do find one. All the talk about your childhood is not going to cure you of an anxiety disorder - but this will.



Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Sex and the Single Ghost Hunter: I'm Keeping My Name


I know I haven't done a Sex and the Single Ghost hunter in a while and mostly because I have put any hopes of romance on hold and have focused instead on other aspects of my life that have more promise, like my career and working my body into rock hard form to do a bikini shoot--a personal goal.

First, I want to say that I LOVE having my maiden name back again. Every time I see it written or hear someone say it, it's like hearing from an old friend. I suddenly feel like I'm me. The real me!

Now, keeping in mind that I was "taken" from the time I was 16 until two years ago. I can be quite confused and naive about this adult single thing. I'm learning lessons, not always ones I want to, but ones I need to learn to make me stronger. Here's just some of the realizations I've made -

Being single is nothing like "Sex in the City" or "Friends." My images of being single for me were TV shows where the person complains about being single, but seems to get some really hot dates all the time and hangs with friends who lament about her lack of lasting relationships. My friends are all married. They don't lament. The delicious dates? Hardly pounding down my door.

In fact, being single is EXACTLY like when you're married and your spouse goes out of town. You eat what you want, wear what you want, leave the dishes in the sink and fart whenever and wherever you want.  After a couple weeks, it loses its "Home Alone" novelty and becomes a lifestyle.

I've learned over and over again that men seem to think that single women are on a shelf and can be taken down and played with when they want and neglected otherwise. I say to them:

1. I am not here for married and taken men to have red-haired fantasies, to talk dirty or send me your naughty pics when you are bored on a Saturday night and then move on back to your partner and never speak to me again. If you have a significant other, I am not interested. That's not negotiable. I'm looking for truly single men, not men who aren't getting some at home.
2. I am not here to promote your books, website, business, or anything else because I know that the minute I do, I will never hear from you again. Don't try romancing it out of me. If I find what you're doing to be genuinely exciting and your efforts impressive, I will promote you. I don't need a thing from you. I simply do that. I do it every single day spontaneously for good folks who never even asked for it. I like to keep Indie growing and have talent seen.
3. I am not here to counsel you and help you through your issues so you can make it up with your ex or go out and find the ideal woman and then never talk to me again. Don't pretend to be all into me and complimenting me, flirting with me, and then have me fix your broken pieces so you can find someone else. If you want a friend, I'm a friend. There is no need to treat me like you're interested in me in any way but a confidant. No mixed messages, please.

A couple simple things I've learned about being alone is that it is exceedingly lonely, but when I look around me, I realize that I created a world, I didn't inherit it. In my childhood, it was my parents' home. In my marriage, my ex had utter control. As I sit in my place, I realize I had my hand in everything, I created it, I own it. This is my world. That's heady stuff for someone who had to share a world for all but the last 2 years of her life.

I'm not sure what the future will bring, but I do know I want to have the love of my life and I want a man to know in his heart I am the love of his life. I never experienced that. If such a miracle occurs, perhaps our worlds will merge into one. But, this time, I am not a young girl, I will continue to make my decisions, own my destiny, and keep my simple name, Sharon Day. It's who I am.


Monday, November 5, 2012

Ectoplasm: What Are Ghosts Really Made Of?


Ectoplasm was made popular in the spiritualist movement in the early 1900s when physical psychic mediums produced material that was said to be the stuff spirits were made of. As intrigued as the concept was, it was found to be a marvelously elaborate hoax in which they utilized cloth, cotton, strings, and other materials to give the appearance of expelling it during a seance.


We've moved on nowadays to realize that there is no ectoplasm and that ghosts do not manifest themselves in such a physical form. We still persist in the concept that a soul can enter the human body and take command (possession).  The assumption is that if ghosts can affect doors opening and closing and create odors and sounds, they can certainly penetrate a human body. I remain skeptical on that POV since if ghosts could command us, our deceased parents and grandparents would be taking command of our personal sinking ships. That said, however, there could be conditions in which one is able to affect a person for short bursts of time, just like they can open a door once during the night and that's all the force they get.

The question this leads to is pretty important to discuss; what are ghosts made of? We know that they are not "solid" as we are and yet they can manage to move objects and touch us. So, how do they perform this task?

It would appear that the logical conclusions is that whatever a ghost is (whether that's a prankster from another dimension, psychokinesis from the living, the soul of a dead one, or the past in a sporadic loop), it is not solid by our interpretation of solid and yet it does affect solid objects, so it must be something happening in a molecular level that, though we cannot see it, has an interaction with other particles in solid objects resulting in rocking chairs moving, doors slamming and people being touched.

Let's discuss one potential means by which ghosts launch into our world and mess with us: The Hutchison Effect. This Canadian engineer (John Hutchison) came up with the concept of extremely high levels of EMF utilized basically to affect objects around the machine. Whether this is genuine or not has been debated hotly and lots of intrigue about where he is and if the Canadian government was stealing his equipment, trying to discredit him, and stop his experiments or what. See this video and you decide - 




Some of the supposed claims of the experiments are objects interacting and melding with other objects, levitation, new metal alloys being made, and poltergeist activity.  Here is a site with more pics and info.  If this truly happened and he did have such accomplishments, then it would seem comparable to stories of the Philadelphia Experiment.

Whether this was successful or not, an urban legend or the madness of a manic depressive with grandiosity, the concept is a sound one. There might be way that using natural forces in our world, we can affect objects. Just look at electricity. We learned to light bulbs and power appliances when we discovered it and learned to harness it. It was, however, always here in natural forms like static electricity and lighting power. So, it might be with the ghost world - we will learn its energy source and how to control it.

Ghosts might not be made of ectoplasm, but what their energy source is and their mechanism for reacting and affecting our world--is quite an exciting scientific frontier. I think our answer will lie in explanations by physicists and if we find out their makeup, we can find out their origin, if we find out their origin, we finally know what a ghost is and, better yet, how to have a back and forth with them with reliability.

I suppose the next question after what are they made of is, what the heck is the driving force behind them? 



Day Dreams: If PSI Was Proven


This is a new series working theories and considering the implications individually and to the world if paranormal concepts are ever scientifically proven.

Today, I wanted to discuss what would happen if psychic abilities were proven--without a doubt. How would we deal with the fact that we not only know it exists, but we know how it exists, so we can now develop them?

The first thing we would likely witness is people either undergoing testing to find out their psychic potential or taking training classes to develop it. Psychics that take their skills to a new level will be sought after by corporations and governments both.

What would this mean for human relationships? Imagine if you knew if your partner was lying? That your child's school bus might run off the road that day? Would you spend your life in constant reaction to every vision that you encounter? Would people become terrified to meet their fates?  Would they make rash decisions based on knowing their boss plans to fire them or their bank is going to go under? Would the population go from being proactive to reactive?

How could we negotiate and get along if we knew each other's intentions and inner contempt?  Would we withdrawal if we knew our partner was not attracted to part of our body? If we knew that our friends thought our chatter was senseless and boring? If it came to our realization that someone we were attracted to was not attracted to us at all?

Of the positive things to result from PSI being accepted is that we might learn more compassion. Imagine if you really could walk in someone else's shoes and know where they're coming from? Imagine if you were needed and you knew to rush to the scene?  People who have trouble communicating, whether they are deaf or in a coma, autistic or speak foreign language could be understood.

To prevent future castastrophes, clear out shorelines before tsunamis, anticipate an attack by another country, therefore ensuring they won't attack in the first place - these are interesting prospects.

This isn't even introducing the very real possibility that psychics could talk to the other side, heal bodies, read objects, and more. If these talents were developed, it could lead to a nirvana-like existence.

Perhaps what is best about today's psychics being unable to be 100% accurate 100% of the time is that we are meant to fill in the blanks. If we knew all these things, there would be no mystery, no decisions that go wrong and make us stronger and more adaptable. It's honestly the obstacles we encounter that make us resilient and intelligent. Without them, we learn nothing.

When my son was learning to drive, he complained about the drivers on the road who did stupid stuff and I told him, "we need the assholes on the road, they make us work our skills and stay edgy instead of complacent." Perhaps not proving how psychic powers work is protecting us from having no mistakes, from living life by warnings instead of waking up each morning and deciding on things based on a whim or a hunch.

After all, serendipity truly is our friend. 


Sunday, November 4, 2012

Growing Up With Ghosts


I am furiously working to get the upcoming book "Growing Up With Ghosts" out in time for the holiday season. This book is a collection of my own and my siblings and parents experiences at the haunted estate where I grew up. It will show not only an era gone by, but what it's like to grow up and accept the natural occurrence of hauntings. I am so excited about this book! I will keep y'all posted on the exact date of release.

Sunday Evening Movie: The Evil

This 1978 film starring Richard Crenna is a surprisingly overlooked horror movie. It missed the general public but is actually pretty cool. An evil haunted building and a group preparing to renovate it, trapped inside with Satan???


Zombie Mall Event Video!


Remember the event in the UK where they had a zombie shopping mall reenactment/interactive play? Here's vids!



Here's behind the scenes- God, I love the Brits!


Spontaneous Human Combustion



Wikipedia: Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is a name used to describe cases of the burning of a living human body without an apparent external source of ignition. There is speculation and controversy regarding SHC - some regard it as a unique and currently unexplained phenomenon, while others feel that cases described as SHC can be understood using current generally-accepted scientific principles. There have been about 200 cited cases worldwide over a period of around 300 years.

A case described from Wikipedia: On the night of July 1 – July 2, 1951 she burned to death in her apartment and the nickname "The Cinder Lady" was given to her posthumously by the local media.



The alarm was raised at about 8 a.m. July 2 when Reeser's landlady, Pansy Carpenter, arrived at her door with a telegram. Trying the door, she found the metal doorknob to be uncomfortably warm to the touch and called the police.

Reeser's remains, which were largely ashes, were found among the remains of a chair in which she had been sitting. Only part of her left foot (which was wearing a slipper) remained. Plastic household objects at a distance from the seat of the fire were softened and had lost their shapes.

Reeser's skull had survived and was found among the ashes, but was 'shrunken' (sometimes with the added descriptive flourish of 'to the size of a teacup'). The extent of this shrinkage was enough to be remarked on by official investigators and was not an illusion caused by the removal of all facial features (ears, nose, lips, etc). The shrinking of the skull is not a regular feature of alleged cases of SHC, although the 'shrunken skull' claim has become a regular feature of anecdotal accounts of other SHC cases and numerous apocryphal stories. However, this is not the only case in which the remains featured a shrunken skull.

On 7 July 1951, St. Petersburg police chief J.R. Reichert sent a box of evidence from the scene to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. He included glass fragments found in the ashes, six "small objects thought to be teeth," a section of the carpet, and the surviving shoe.

Even though the body was almost totally cremated, requiring very high temperatures, the room in which it occurred showed little evidence of the fire.

Reichert included a note saying: "We request any information or theories that could explain how a human body could be so destroyed and the fire confined to such a small area and so little damage done to the structure of the building and the furniture in the room not even scorched or damaged by smoke."

The FBI eventually declared that Reeser had been incinerated by the wick effect. A known user of sleeping pills, they hypothesized that she had fallen unconscious while smoking and set fire to her nightclothes. "Once the body starts to burn," the FBI wrote in its report, "there is enough fat and other inflammable substances to permit varying amounts of destruction to take place. Sometimes this destruction by burning will proceed to a degree which results in almost complete combustion of the body."



I admit that I am a child of the 70s and so spontaneous human combustion was a popular and favorite subject often talked about in the press. When I was a kid and I first heard of it, I was horrified by the thought that I might just spontaneously go up in flames. Even though as I got older, I realized I'd more likely be hit by lightning, I still found the subject a curiously interesting puzzle. Who hasn't gotten "hot under the collar" and wondered if they might pop a vessel or ignite?


The last story above had me wondering. I do recall endorphins rushing in during times of extreme physical danger and I was completely unable to feel pain or even react properly. The fact that these people aren’t rushing to put the fire out could be an endorphin rush, but that doesn’t explain why the usual person (like Michael Jackson during the Pepsi commercial filming) has a primitive desire to run away in a rush when on fire. Is there something else going on chemically in the body that makes the mind believe something that isn’t real or perhaps tempers reaction times?



The fact that entire rooms aren’t taken down to ash by the process is really unusual. As well, the remaining body parts unburned are puzzling. However, the fact that legs and arms (the most often left behind parts—see pictures above) don’t burn is not that surprising to me. In fact, the legs and arms are very muscular and have little body fat. The core of the body would be most likely to burn if this were a wick effect fueled by body fat. Fat, as well all know, burns at a very hot temperature. If you ever saw the “Myth Busters” episode about pouring water on a pot of boiling oil and the huge flash of fire, you’d understand what your body moisture and fat might do in combination. That these bodies burn at higher temperatures than many crematoriums is unusual too. The body fat should fuel a cremation as much as an SHC.



I have to admit this puzzle is so exciting, I can't stop wondering about it. Yes, there is a wick effect from fat burning, but what in the world begins the body fat's burning process and why the hell don't people who smoke in bed and burn, not end up with a limited fire where they are and not the entire house going up in flames? 

The mystery still continues.

Suggested movie:

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Amazing Ancients: Pumapunku



Pumapunku is a megalithic temple/memorial grouping of structures in Bolivia. The unbelievably precise design of this stone complex has baffled people. It is believed to have, in its heyday, been adorned beautifully and perhaps one of the most magnificent ancient sites when in use. It is believed to have peaked in use from 700 to 1000 AD. The stones were cut sharply and precisely and fit together like interlocking pieces.


Adding to the mystery, stones were apparently quarried for this site 10 miles away. It has truly baffled researchers to find the interlocking and unbelievably precision cuts of the stones. As well, a huge section is devastated by a potential past earthquake.


As you can imagine, ancient astronaut theorists find this site to be their shining example of intervention from outside. I used to ridicule such notions, but my view of the universe is now a bit more flexible and fluid. I think there is definitely something to the concept of ancients having a very big hand in this world. I think it will all come to light in coming days/months/years, but how we handle such a realization will say much about us setting aside egos and religions for a healthy view of the universe and the wonder of it all; a humbling of the human species, so to speak.



Medicine Wheels: Spirit World Compasses


(Medicine Wheel in Adamsville Cemetery, Arizona)

In Arizona, you run into medicine wheels from time to time and especially at the vortexes in Sedona. They are beautiful, but they are also symbolic. Two things I've always dreamed of having in a garden are a labyrinth and a medicine wheel. Here's a chart to show you the quadrants of a medicine wheel:



Some who construct them, use rocks for the cross pieces in the color of the direction, like yellow rocks pointing to the eastern quadrant, et cetera.

These are a grounded and sacred place to interact with the spirit world. Some stand in the during the season facing the appropriate direction. It means something different to each culture and even to the new agers and wiccans who have borrowed the concept for their own process. Everyone has a different experience, but for most it is a way of staying focused, a kind of spiritual reset button.

Here is a wonderful site that explains how to construct your own.



Here are prayers that can be said facing each direction:

O Great Spirit of the East, radiance of the rising Sun, spirit of new beginnings O Grandfather Fire, great nuclear fire of the Sun. From you comes life-energy, vital spark, power to see far, and to envision with boldness; with you we can purify the senses, our hearts and our minds. We pray that we may be aligned with you, so that your energies may flow through us, and be expressed by us, for the good of this planet Earth, and all living beings upon it. 

O Great Spirit of the South, protector of the fruitful land, and of all green and growing things, the noble trees and grasses. Grandmother Earth, Soul of Nature, great power of the receptive, of nurturance and endurance, of bringing forth and growing, flowers of the field, fruits of the garden. We pray that we may be aligned with you, so that your powers may flow through us, and be expressed by us, for the good of this planet Earth, and all living beings upon it. 

O Great Spirit of the West, spirit of the great waters, of rain and rivers, lakes and springs; O Grandmother Ocean, deepest matrix, womb of all life. With you comes the dissolving of boundaries and holdings, the power to taste and to feel, to cleanse and to heal. Great blissful darkness of peace. WE pray that we may be aligned with you, so that your powers may flow through us, and be expressed by us, for the good of this planet Earth, and all living beings upon it. 

O Great Spirit of the North, invisible spirits of the air, and of the fresh, cool winds; O vast and boundless Grandfather Sky, your living breath animates all life. From you comes clarity and strength, and the power to hear inner sounds, to seep out old patterns, and bring challenge and change. The ecstasy of movement and the dance. We pray that we may be aligned with you, so that your powers may flow through us, and be expressed by us, for the good of this planet Earth, and all living beings upon it.

 If you don't have the space in your yard to do a medicine wheel, consider a tabletop one made of stones. 

Some people do a smudging with sage or tobacco in all four directions. Others leave offerings for the medicine wheel.  Yet others opt to make a medicine wheel herb garden. The circle is sacred throughout history including the symbolic shape of a wedding ring with no beginning and no end, just an eternal loop. Experiment with the construction of a medicine wheel or visit one if you can. It really does have a rather remarkable feel to it.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Ghost Adventures Drinking Game



It's a Dead Man's Party by Oingo Boingo

Episode: "Dead Men Walking"

Tonight the show is a compilation of the most disturbing prisons and detention centers.

Drinking Game Rules:
1.  Stay home.
2.  Take a sip for every "dude," "bro, "man," every time Zak thinks he was touched by a ghost, and every time Aaron's mouth opens in horror.

Tonight's drink?
I'm going for Kahlua and cream on the rocks. 

Once You Go Indie, You Never Go Back: The Muse




"The Muse" is out now on DVD, download and streaming and can be found here at Twistflix that supports indie films.

The Muse is the award winning film about one hit wonder musician Addison Taylor and his battle with writers block and a strange inspirational force at a secluded lakehouse. Three years removed from the fame and fortune of his hit “Like a Pornstar,” Taylor’s manager suggests some time away at a recently purchased lakehouse and what transpires next is both inspiring and terrifying. Called “beautifully tragic” by Horror Hound Magazine and “an eloquent thriller” by Bleeding Dead reviews, The Muse was awarded Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor at the Indie Gathering Film Festival as well as a Special Recognition Award at the Boston International Film Festival. With creepy chills, beautiful cinematography and amazing original music, The Muse is guaranteed to stay with you long after the final frame.

Y'all know that I am a HUGE supporter of all things independent, whether it's writing, art, music, or other forms of self expression and industry. I am thrilled not only to find this stylish and exciting movie, but also to find Twistflix that supports all these great films. If you, like most of the population, have gotten away from the canned music being put out by record companies and look for the obscure indie music to hit the spot, start doing it with movies too. Support independent filmmaking and independent authors. It's our only future in the arts -- to be free of commercially-driven "pimps" at the record companies, film companies, and publishing companies that want to gives us pretty and empty artists and idols.

10 Most Pivotal Horror Movies



There are some amazing quality horror movies, but some of them, because of the timing or the methods, became a movie that others wished to emulate, that changed forever our perspective of horror.

Here are my top 10 pivotal horror movies:


Nosferatu - Even with crude methods and relatively no makeup, this vampire movie launched horror movies into the public's view. Smart filmmakers saw the audience fascination, hunger, and also reaction to the adrenalin rush and learned much about future revenues.

The Wolf Man - The original The Wolf Man with Lon Chaney Jr changed the horror movie venue by introducing the magic of makeup for true transformations.

King Kong - Mutant monsters, fear of radiation, and the concept of Man not being the biggest baddest thing on the planet, opened up many possibilities for bigger-than-life horror including the introduction of Godzilla.

Psycho - Hitchcock hit us with the concept of an unsuspecting setting, unsuspecting killer, and unguarded moment.  Stalker/killer movies would never be the same.

Night of the Living Dead - Zombies and end-of-world scenarios exploded ever since the introduction of this simple budget movie. It's these indie projects like this, Halloween, Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity that bring the new blood and concepts into the industry.

The Haunting - A classic ghost story concept. Almost no special effects. Just the twist of your mind, a dark house, and unknown motivations of the dead. This set the standard for ghost stories and the use of music, acting, and silences to create more tension.  The concept of unseen forces took hold.

The Exorcist - This movie hit a true horror note with near-hysterical viewers. Such levels of terror had not been experienced by the general public until this gem. It forever changed how far filmmakers can take people into paranormal armageddon.

Jaws - We used to swim at the beach and not think about it, but since the coming of this mid 70s horror film, we have never been the same, even in ponds!  The concept of nature turning on you took hold.

Halloween - Slashers had been around, most notably "Black Christmas," but this simple budget film changed what constitutes a killer and also plagued us with the concept that a killer could be slow, dim-witted, and still manage to get us in the end.

Silence of the Lambs - This elevated horror to the general population. This movie took award-winning actors and won awards for terror executed to perfection.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

More Paranormal Memes


From Seances to Meters: Ghost Hunting's Precarious Evolution

The turn of the 20th Century, the spiritualist movement was at a fevered pitch. People were convinced the way to talk to the other side involved spiritual methods. Tools like table tipping, seances, Ouija, and spirit photography were the rage. Cassadaga, Florida became a town filled with spiritualists where people sought psychic readings, palm readings, healings and more. There was much fraud in the seance arena, cheesecloth ectoplasm and faked photos.

There was money and theatrics to be made and not much has changed nowadays, except we have turned to a steampunk version of ghost hunting--using "scientific" tools to prove ghosts and still incorporating spiritual methods.  

It's a sign of the times that we demand "scientific" method and yet it is still based on the same concepts only "sexed" up with tools to make it look "legit."  We still talk to the spirits and ask them to give us a sign of their presence (same premise as a seance) and still try to capture them in photographs (some trying to pass off orbs as ghosts). Most of the tools used are electrician's tools (EMF meters, K-II, digital thermometer, FLIR thermal imager) and some are outright ridiculous steampunk spiritualist's tools in that they run through radio frequencies to pick up random radio talk or they assign words to different meter readings -- not sure how this is scientifically assigned???

I'm sounding rather fatalistic about ghost hunting, hmm?  Here's the up-side of where we've been: The spiritualist movement taught us something - beware of the explainable and hoaxes. We look back at the parlor techniques and know now how to prevent false belief. We have added debunking to our tool box which is the only way to tell what is paranormal and what is normal. Still, we have a long way to go to evolve in this arena.


The true future of the paranormal is to have intuitive scientists and researchers like David Rountree, Dean Radin, and physicists working to find theories, testing, ways to prove the unexplained does exist and then to find the origins of that paranormal occurrence, track it to the source, be able to confirm how it works and lengthen and strengthen the interactions, whether that means we find heaven or another dimension or simply the recording of time playing in a loop. Whatever it is we find, we can only do so by building better tools, theories, and keeping our minds open.  

We must never assume we know what ghosts are or how they work. With that in mind, we will make new approaches and learn more.