Friday, December 31, 2004

Early One Morning...

I'm up early this morning. Usually, my husband is up at this time before I am. I'm drinking coffee, watching the news.

I must remember today to ask my husband about the blinds in the bathroom: I keep finding them open (which is unusual because we both enjoy privacy).

I'm looking forward to tonight: ringing in the new year with people that I've known now for years and whom I like.

My dreams were quiet last night, nothing of interest to anyone.

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

The Next Nine Days...

What a busy schedule:

January 3 - television appearance (gawd, I found out it's national)
January 5,6 - readings, regular schedule
January 7 - Tarot party
January 8 - all day investigation / readings up North

When I return on the 8th, I have to prepare a report of another investigation.

Today...

After two days of shopping constantly, I found an outfit for the television show with much, much help from my husband. It's simple: black calf-length skirt, green sweater and funky 1920s'-style shoes.

So far this week, one person has asked if she can be my assistant at investigations and a parapsychological group has asked if I would be interested in working with them.


My husband and I really enjoyed shopping together today and visiting with a favourite uncle.

Thursday, December 23, 2004

Television!

Well, I don't know how they heard of me but I was invited to do a live, call-in show on a well-known television station. Wow.

I am very, very nervous about this but I do get to buy a new outfit :)

Apparently, my rating on Blogexplosion leaves something to be desired. 5.50, I think. Jeesh, I hope I haven't bored you to death. Err...wrong choice of words??

It was a matter of curiosity for me to try the Blogexplosion phenomenon. I'm not sure how I feel about marketing one's blogs so aggressively. Sure, there are link directories, etc. and I don't really have a problem with submitting my blog to those, but actually participating in a blog-viewing plan? Ah, well. I have met some fantastic people so, for that reason alone, it was worth joining.

I suspect that you would like more details about the readings that I give daily but I can't provide you with much: I promise people confidentiality and I would not want to risk a client recognizing him-or-herself in an entry on the offchance that my blog would be stumbled upon. No apologies here.

If, however, you think that there should be more information about ghosts, then I will do my best to provide you with experiences that don't affect copyright of any sort.

At any rate, to the people who "blogmarked" me, I thank you. You like me, you really like me :-)

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Happy Holidays!

OK, I haven't posted as often as I said I would but things have been busy: clients and botanical products and stuff.

Now, things are settling down for me since I booked the rest of December off for myself (I can do that cuz I'm the boss).

In January: readings resume from Monday to Friday and then there will be an investigation up north in the second week. My husband and I are going to treat it also as a vacation.

Ghostly events to report? My sister has told me that my niece's noisy toys are going off by themselves. (Still, she went ahead and bought her another such noisemaker for Christmas: Tickle-Me-Elmo). That house is never devoid ghostly activity. In fact, during her pregnancy, a toy on the nursery shelf (Ernie, I believe) started talking.

In our home, my husband and I can hear conversations in the basement WHILE in the basement! In fact, we keep thinking that the other one is speaking!

Also, the other day, hearing my husband yell, I ran frantically up the basement stairs to the main floor and asked my husband if he was all right.

"Yes!" he shouted back down from the top floor (we have a lot of stairs and a very tall house). He thought that I had yelled.

There's nothing much else to report except the footsteps that I can hear from the basement when I'm the only one in the house.

Everyone keeps asking me if I intend to watch the new show called "Medium" in January and the spate of supernatural-inspired movies that are upcoming...I might but I'm not exactly excited. I guess it would be the same for my husband: coming home after work and watching shows/movies about computers.

For me, a movie can seem compelling for different reasons: the pairing of actors/actresses, the script is based on a familiar novel or the director is one of my favourites.

At any rate, I look forward to the new year for many reasons and I hope that you do, too.

Thursday, December 16, 2004

Sunday's Radio Show

It went really well: there were callers queued before I even got to the microphone. We took about 40 calls which has to be some kind of record.

The host said that the show gets better all the time.

Each time I appear, the questions seem to be clustered, coincidentally, into one of several categories. Last show: job and finances. This makes sense given the time of year but my family, avid listeners that they are, have told me that they prefer the questions about love and relationships. I have no control over this, as I've tried to explain, since calls are taken on a first-call, first-answered basis (as it should be).

My readings, in person, are usually about one hour in length and pretty comprehensive. Not surprisingly, then, the show is a change of pace.

Gothic Requests

I've added many books to my Christmas wishlist this year and I think that my husband has endeavoured to find me some. There's little in the way of fiction, mostly the meta-gothic: criticism, history, etc.

I have had trouble with motivation today: I can't seem to wake up and start doing things.

I scheduled only one client today and this appointment isn't until 6:00 p.m. I feel rather selfish because I am now booking into the second week of January when I could have given some of the day to clients. It's Christmas, however, and, so, Merry Christmas to me.

Back soon.

Sunday, December 12, 2004

Radio

I'm leaving for the radio station soon. Once I get there, the time goes by so quickly. A one hour show just flies by.


Saturday, December 04, 2004

Tarot and Such

Last night, I did a tarot party and it turned out very well. I severely limit the number that I do. This is done in addition to my regular schedule of weekday readings and only on Fridays.

I apologize, dear readers, for not posting much lately but I have been so terribly busy. My writing has also preoccupied me.

I will write more and more indepthly this week, I hope.

Sunday, November 28, 2004

In The Closet

My husband and I went to a party last night at which so many people came up to talk to me about what I do for a living and about my website.

We had lots of fun. A friend of mine who writes for a monthly Canadian magazine asked so many insightful questions and really was interested in what I had to say. Bless him!

Why have I hidden this for so long? He mentioned there were, of course, those who would scoff and I burst into laughter: aren't there always? I laughed not because this was news to me (as, indeed, it was not) but because I was acutely aware of how little I cared that people scoffed.

I was in a room filled with some of Canada's most privileged, educated people. Everyone there held at least a B.A. and, yet, there were no signs of pretension.

I suppose that some people might feel superior to me when they find out what I do because they assume that I cannot be intelligent, that I cannot hold views contrary to their own experience and be taken seriously.

Many people are pretty silent when they discover that I hold a respectable degree and that I will be seeking another one shortly (as soon as our renovations are done).

We all have to come to terms with who we are: in my twenties, I was uncomfortable with who I am and now, in my thirties, I have never been happier. Maybe so many people struggle with direction because they feel compelled to follow only conventional and acceptable paths. I chose to follow my intuition.

Last night, I saw how comfortable I am with, well, me.

Saturday, November 27, 2004

Radio

I have been asked to make another in-studio radio appearance for December. I love doing the show! (This makes 5 times this year)

I have been booking parties left, right and centre. This is in addition to my 10 am - 6 pm weekly schedule of readings. 'Tis the season.

Thursday, November 25, 2004

Nanowrimo

Well, dear readers, as you probably already know, I chose not to attempt to complete my novel in a month. I love the process and I want it to take as long as it needs to in order for me to produce what I know is now brewing.

What started out as a challenge to keep writing was fantastic: I am writing and really enjoying it. I chose the quality-versus-quantity approach in the end.

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive

This movie was based on the book, Black Hope Horror: The True Story of a Haunting. I wish that I could comment on the film's fidelity to the book; however, it has been about 14 years since I read it. It certainly seemed to faithfully depict what I recall of my reading.

The book itself was gripping and hard to put down.

I enjoyed Patty Duke's performance.

Saturday, November 13, 2004

Another Tarot Party

Last night, I did a tarot party and it went very well.

I have had to turn down requests to do parties because I don't really want to give up my evenings and weekends as these are for family. So, perhaps, once a month but no more.

I am exhausted today but it doesn't have to do with the readings. I try to stay up so late and then wake up very early. That's the problem with being a night person and an early riser.


Friday, November 12, 2004

Graveyard Story (1990)

I find it hard to believe that this movie was made in 1990. The low-budget, elevator-style music and stiff performances convinced me it was much older.

The supernatural was not the star of this movie.

It was nice to see Dundas, Oakville and Hamilton.

Monday, November 08, 2004

Morning Readings

Though I'm having trouble waking up, early morning readings are good for me. It forces me to get the day started and it helps me to be organized. Still, I am exhausted.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

The Dead Will Tell (2004)

This made-for-television movie, featuring Anne Heche and Jonathan LaPaglia, delivered an interesting take on an old theme: haunted object leads to the solution of an old mystery.

I won't say that I didn't enjoy it. Every actor was strong and the script, though it seemed to leave little room for emotional development in the main characters, twisted and turned often enough for good surprises.

Not quite gothic (there weren't many genre characteristics), it was thoroughly a good ghost story.

Saturday, October 30, 2004

Big Bad Bessie

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I was making tea for a client, opened up the carton for the first time and it MOO-ed. How embarrassing to discover that such cartons do not, actually, contain milk but saltwater! So, there was no milk for my client's tea. Aargh!

As my husband put it, we could have used milk much more than the $5.00 in downloaded music. Ah, well.

The clients had travelled such a long distance for their readings and, here I was, unable to make tea. Thankfully, they were very understanding.



Friday, October 22, 2004

American Haunting

This up-and-coming flick, being filmed in Romania, seems as if it will be an irresistible combination of supernatural and Donald Sutherland.

This goes on my look-for list.

Readings

I couldn't sleep last night or the night before. I am haunted by the figure of a woman in the midst of a horrible tragedy. She came to see me two days ago and her plight was so harrowing that it still pangs me.

I try to remain distant from the emotional edges but it is difficult to do so. It seems unnatural to not engage. I held her hand and hugged her and that was all that I could do and maybe that was what she needed. She was too hysterical for an appointment and we just sat together, both of us painfully aware that there were no words to soothe her in any of the minutes that passed between us.

Of this I am convinced: People feed each other spiritually.

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Cemeteries in New Orleans

Cool breezes blow through the walkways of 18th-Century buildings, the clacking of horse carriages echo off the brick walls and the white facade of the St. Louis Cathedral rises above it all. Throw in paranormal activities, voodoo practitioners and creepy graveyards, and it's enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.


This would definitely be worth the trip! At this time of the year, there must be several thousand articles written about Ghost Tours and ghostly phenomena. New Orleans has to be among the most fascinating of venues:

Every October, thousands of travelers descend upon the Crescent City in search of horror and hauntings. Costumed guides lead visitors through crumbling cemeteries, the drumming of voodoo rituals thump through the walls of homes and reported sightings of ghosts come from every crack and crevice in the French Quarter. This is a city that takes no shame in its macabre attractions and history of horror and death.


Apparently, the religious history and aged cemeteries are among the main attractions.

The roots of these burial rituals are traced back to Africa. It all ends in the cities of the dead where histories of mystery, danger, disease and horror lie encased in massive crypts. Behind the rusty iron gates, the ghost-white tombs lie adorned with crosses and angelic statues that exude both beauty and mystery.

Since the city was founded in 1718, the dead in New Orleans have never been content staying in the ground. Corpses buried on the banks of the muddy Mississippi river once washed into city streets, and those buried within the city often broke from their coffins and rose to the surface during floods and heavy rains.


If ever I get the opportunity, I will visit in October.

Saturday, October 16, 2004

Tarot Parties

I was hired to do a series of parties for the same organization and tonight I did the first one.

It went well and everyone was pleased. I think the fact that it was hosted by a Wiccan really enriched the night. I'm not Wiccan but I am very familiar with the ritual objects, etc. The host was very dedicated to Wicca.

People always assume that I am Wiccan because of what I do.

I think that the people in attendance were impressed by the fact that I actually do readings for a living, Monday to Friday.

Thursday, October 14, 2004

An Interesting Day...

I also received my new "Gothic Tarot" deck. Jeesh, I think it was an impulse-buy because I am disappointed. Not that the weathered angel statue aren't great and not that they weren't chosen appropriately for each card, I just expected more I guess.

I suppose that I was hoping for more of a literary angle.

I received, too, my Gypsy Fortunetelling Deck (also an impulse buy). You see, a few years after beginning the tarot (almost 2 decades ago!), I grew restless for different methods of divination. I stumbled across plain-card reading (as well as a host of other methods). THAT's what the Gypsy Fortunetelling deck is: plain-card reading.

I suppose that I was hoping for there to be something more to it, more history associated with it.

They are, however, both interesting decks.

Ghost! Magazine


New Print Edition Posted by Hello


Today, I received my first copy of the first issue of "Ghost! Magazine". At first glance, it is obvious that I will enjoy it. It's published with the Ghost Investigator in mind and includes nifty little features for the savvy ghost hunter. Also, at first glance, it seems that not all of its features are very interesting to me (even as an investigator) but time will tell. Besides, no publication can be everything to everyone, right?

Definitely, I will be blogging more about this magazine in the future and will give an indepth review once I've had an opportunity to peruse it. I like what I see!

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Gwyneth Paltrow's Home

Apparently, according to Phil Kemp on this site, there is rumour that the London house bought by Gwyneth Paltrow and husband is haunted.

Well, in my opinion, all houses are haunted but I would be interested to hear the tales told by all previous owners including Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes.

Monday, October 11, 2004

The Call of Carnivale

I have it on good authority that this is an excellent series concerning the supernatural. I've had the pilot episode recorded for quite some time and I just don't seem to find the time to watch it. I think I should. I will.

If anyone has watched this show, let me know what you think.

Saturday, October 09, 2004

New Ghost Movie To Watch For

I always keep an eye out for a good ghost movie. The last one of note for me was "The Others". I haven't seen any since that have truly frightened me, so, when I get word of an up-and-coming project, hope springs...

Delpy Haunted by Lost Child Ghost 'Legend'
Fri, Oct 08, 2004, 08:10 AM PT

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Julie Delpy experienced a blast from the past when she reunited with Ethan Hawke for the recent "Before Sunset," and now she's going to be haunted by the past again for her next project.

The 34-year-old actress has signed on to star in the eerie ghost thriller "The Legend of Lucy Keyes," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film is based on the real-life story of the Keyes family in Princeton, Massachusetts whose four-year-old daughter Lucy disappeared in 1755. Her loss drove the girl's mother, Martha Keyes, to the brink of insanity. She eventually died 31 years later. To this day, witnesses insist that they still see the ghosts of Lucy and Martha restlessly wandering Wachusett Mountain.


Haunted Inns and Hotels

Sometimes, it seems as if there are just too many guides of this sort. If you'll excuse my choice of words, it is an idea that has been done to death. At any rate, according to the Arizona Republic Online, dated October 9th, there is a new title:

Ghosts that supposedly reside at hotels in Arizona are the subject of a new book by longtime ghost hunter Debe Branning. Sleeping with Ghosts! - A Ghost Hunter's Guide to Arizona's Haunted Hotels & Inns, features stories of murder, mayhem and love at haunted establishments throughout the state. Branning relates her experiences with hotel spirits in Douglas, Bisbee, Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Kingman, Yuma and Jerome. Branning and her ghost-hunting team, the MVD Ghostchasers, have been tracking ghosts in Arizona for more than 10 years. The book is published by Phoenix-based Golden West Publishers.


Honestly? I will probably read it.

Friday, October 08, 2004

World's First Sports Stadium Publicly Declared Haunted

Follow the above link for the full story. Here's a snippet:

(PRWEB) October 8, 2004 -- On Saturday, September 18th, 2004, Rochester Paranormal had been invited to conduct a private tour and investigation of Frontier Field in Rochester, New York, for the purpose of discovering whether or not, there might exist conclusive evidence as to the potential presence of any apparitional phenomenon.

Rochester Paranormal has achieved one of the highest success rates of any private research team within the United States, regarding their consistency for acquiring apparitional and anomalous evidence based on the combining theory and talents of Psychic Paranormal Researcher Director J. Burkhart & Psychic Medium Ms. Lee.


There is, apparently, photographic evidence on the official website for the Rochester Red Wings Baseball Team.

I checked out the photos and I would need more evidence than these offer.

Congrats, at any rate, to Rochester Paranormal for its investigation.

Ohio's Ghost Tours Offer Eerie Experiences

The above-linked Ghost Tours are something I would love to try.

I know that I have had a lot of fun going on ghost walks in different areas: Fort George, Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal...

My favourite, however, is that of Ottawa:

Haunted Walks of Canada was founded in 1995. It offers unique historical walking tours with a ‘ghostly’ theme in Kingston and Ottawa, Ontario. Our tours appeal to all age groups and are conducted in the evening when the lights are low and the atmosphere is just right for a good ghost story. The Haunted Walk captures the unique ‘darker history’ of each city by presenting it the way it was meant to be seen.

The Haunted Walk offers several different walking tours through the quiet streets of the Nation's Capital. We are Ottawa's most popular walking tour company and this season, we are expanding with several new tours. Whether you're interested in chilling murders, or misbehaving ghosts, you can join us in the daytime or in the evening by lantern-light.

For information: (613) 232-0344



Thursday, October 07, 2004

Spooky Sleepover

If you happen to be in Sheffield, then this would be a great opportunty:

GHOST-busting volunteers are being sought for a spine-tingling challenge - a spooky sleepover in one of Sheffield's most haunted buildings.

The Cavendish Centre for Cancer Care wants 30 fearless fundraisers to sign up for the eerie event.
They will sleep the night inside the turret house at Manor Lodge on Manor Lane - rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of Mary Queen of Scots.
The Haunted House Sleepover, on Saturday October 30, aims to raise at least £2,000 for the cancer therapy centre on Wilkinson Street in Broomhall, Sheffield.
Volunteers will get into the spirit of things with a creepy ghost walk around the medieval Manor Lodge site before being bolted inside the turret house with little more than torches, flasks, and sleeping bags for protection.
There will even be a series of spectral readings from literature students at the University of Sheffield, performing their own material and reciting scary prose.
Each participant will have to sign an eight-clause disclaimer agreeing not to leave the sleeping area unless escorted by staff and confirming they are "fully aware of the elements of risk involved" in the event.


...and it's for a great cause! If anyone does do this, please let me know.

Catching Up...

For international clients, I decided to start doing my readings by telephone.

As always, my last guest spot on radio went very well and generated tons of calls.

I have bought too many books recently (which I will review here as time permits).

I expect to be writing a good update very shortly, so stay tuned!


Thursday, September 30, 2004

Today

I had two clients today, back-to-back. I was supposed to have three but one has rescheduled for tomorrow.

My appearance on radio last week has really increased my client traffic, as it always does, and the waiting list is now longer than ever.

I am glad that I decided to read only from Monday to Friday again.

I have decided that this blog will be devoted to all things paranormal in my life. I look forward to writing, in particular, about my experiences as a psychic and investigator.


Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Ghost Mag

The online magazine is now in PRINT format and is entitled, "Ghost!"

Subscription details: 19.95 US/year.





Thursday, September 16, 2004

I'm Back!

Oh, I bet you didn't even realize that I was gone.

I don't know why I disappeared for such a long time. Life happens and then you deal with it. In this case, I was so busy with dealing with others' lives that I hadn't had time to do some things in my own life.

My readings are going extremely well for me. I read from home and I couldn't be happier about this situation. I am booked up constantly.

I will be catching you up very shortly.

Saturday, February 14, 2004

Haunted Mansion

Last night, I dreamt that we bought a haunted mansion. Obviously, not all dreams are premonitions! It was in a horrible state of repair but my husband and I loved it. I communicated with ghosts in the dream but only about the house.


Thursday, February 12, 2004

Tarot Card Reading

Of my last few readings, one from yesterday stands out. She was a young woman, 20-ish and full of life. It was quite refreshing to hear her written list of questions for me. Most people ask exclusively about themselves and very close family or friends but she asked dozens of interesting, impersonal questions such as: "Is Michael Jackson guilty?" The questions about herself were very good, too: "What can I do to improve myself?"

She was not in crisis, not unusually frightened about the future. This is quite a departure: usually, people are afraid of the unknown (and this is why scammers and fraudulent psychics get me very angry) and come looking for something that only a psychic can give.

I want people to walk away feeling empowered. I never tell them what to do or what to believe. When she left, there was a spring in her step and digital recording of our session in her hand.

Saturday, February 07, 2004

How To Spot A Fraud

Recently, I was reminded of a particularly bad "psychic" experience. For ten dollars, a lady read my tarot cards. She forewarned me of much trouble ahead in my life. Then, she explained that someone was working "magic" against me. For 75 dollars, she could remove the spell on me and provide me with a protection spell.

This is definitely a sign of fraudulent activity. This "fortuneteller" gives us all a bad name by drawing the customer in with a cheap rate, then trying to scare the bejeebers out of him/her and offering protection at an exorbitant rate.

Another sign? Anyone who claims to be 100% accurate is definitely someone to avoid. No psychic is always accurate.

I have read that refusal to be taped is another red flag. I know some psychics who do not wish to be recorded and I don't understand why. A digital recording is provided with my readings. I have had clients bring in their own recorders, too.

So, those are the three major signs, the situations that should raise red flags.




Friday, February 06, 2004

Free Online Ghost Stories

I must check out this site as soon as I get some time.


Interim

At the moment, my blog is slow because I have been sifting through hours of audio recordings and video tapes of the past investigations. I need to finish transcribing them. I will definitely post anything interesting. In fact, so far, I have found an as-yet unidentified male voice on one of the digital voice recordings. You never know...

Also, I am working on an article that I have not finished.

So, bear with me!

Monday, February 02, 2004

Who Wants to Live In a Haunted House?

Besides me, I mean. Today, I trampled through knee-high wet snow and stood waiting outside for the owners of a private residence to arrive. (Did I mention that the temperature was sub-zero?) I kept telling myself that it was all in a day's work.

Wet, cold and shaky, I ended up walking through a house that a couple wanted to buy. They had heard that it was haunted but wanted to see what I thought. They are a very nice couple and I wanted to help them.

"Yep, it's haunted," I concluded.

"There's nothing dangerous here," I added. "If you don't mind the occasional event, I don't see a problem."

"That's just it," the wife said. "I don't want to live in a haunted house."

The owners were quite open about the troubles with their ghost. A man asked me, "Are you the one they brought to sense the entities?"

"Yes, I am." Put on the spot, but, wotthehell, I am not ashamed of what I do.

"So," he pressed me. "Do you sense anything?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Nothing too serious, though."

Unfortunately, the house had a terrible ambiance about it. The wife was "creeped out" by this and I don't know if they will take it.



Sunday, February 01, 2004

Investigation, Private Residence - Redux

Unfortunately, the walkabout had to be cancelled due to some pretty strange conditions. First, the people who are about to move in have been told that the place is haunted.

They, themselves, are moving from a haunted home. The home they are leaving had a very gloomy, sad atmosphere: very heavy. While there, the woman would be poked while sleeping and her bed would shake of its own accord while she was in it.

They have had several problems merely leaving the place. On one single day, they lost the first place into which they were going to move. Then, they couldn't rent a truck because all companies were booked solid. Then, the person who was supposed to help them arrived only to have the car break completely down. No truck, no moving car, the need to be out by midnight and the intended destination yanked away from them. What a horrible day!

Anyway, they did get a second lead on a house and that is what they wanted to have investigated. I don't know if it will happen (I am, of course, willing).

There is some feeling of guilt on my part. Months ago, when they came for a reading, they asked me about moving. I said that I saw them moving in January (not March as they expected) and that it would be extremely difficult. They ended up having to move unexpectedly (January) and it is extremely difficult for them. Of course, it is not my fault but I still feel bad. On the one hand, I feel sorry for them. On the other hand, it demonstrated accuracy on my part.


Saturday, January 31, 2004

Orbs

Let's talk about "Orb Photography". I am a skeptic in this area. I honestly have never seen anything in a photograph that could not be explained by snow, rain, dust, reflected light, lens smears, etc. This is not to say that it could not happen. Frankly, I would just need to be hit in the face by it to be convinced.

Unfortunately, it is the hot topic where media are concerned, often seen as the potential for smoking-gun evidence of otherworldly phenomena and, let's face it, who wouldn't want to be the one lucky photographer to catch something uncanny on film or memory stick?

The media would be bored stiff by the necessary hours of listening to and watching various recordings. I am actually behind in doing this so my week ahead is well-planned now.


Investigation, Private Residence

Early this morning, I was requested to do a private-residence investigation. Someone is about to move into a house and the owners have told him that it is haunted. I requested that no details be given to me.

I will be doing this tonight.

This has been a busy weekend but this is one of the benefits of being a freelance sensitive: I am under no obligation to be exclusive to one group. So, I generally reserve private investigations for myself or, in the case of another one coming up, work with another psychic of my choosing. I don't think that I could have it any other way.

This way, too, I also own my files: they don't have to be stamped by anyone and can't be claimed as personal or business property by anyone else.




Friday, January 30, 2004

Tonight's Investigation

It was the best I have ever been on. I had unprecedented access to a closed historical site. What is more, the operators were more than open-minded and did their best to ensure a great environment. I barely noticed the equipment being used.

Anyway, I PROMISE to blog more about this but I need to finish writing an unrelated article that I swore I could deliver by next week.

Sleep, Sleep...Where Hides Sleep?

I have a huge investigation~~probably the biggest one that I will ever do~~and it's fewer than 12 hours away. I cannot sleep. I have tried everything, including counting sheep.

I realize that stress is here involved but it really shouldn't be. I mean, it's just an investigation, right? I've done so many already. It's not as if my ability to "see" things is suddenly, without reason, going to fail. It's not as if I don't enjoy these events.

I don't know what it is: perphaps I am excited about the investigation?

I need sleep!



Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Still Recovering

I am still exhausted after the last investigation and I have a few days to catch up on my sleep, etc. Sometimes, they really take it out of me. I was searching for a helpful article on the subject but failed to turn up anything very useful. If anyone has any leads on this, I would be grateful. If any psychics out there have any advice, that would also be very much appreciated.


Monday, January 26, 2004

More about the last investigation....

Sometimes, it is easier to deal with the dead than it is with the living. While my nascent investigative career is very interesting, it also tests my ability to navigate group dynamics. (Though I have been providing readings for 15 years, it has only been since the latter 6 months of 2003 that I have charged for readings/investigations.)

This last group of investigators: Burke, the "audio guy"; Ben, the "video guy" and Christina, the "reporter". As we went along the walkabout (def. a walk around a purported haunted property to gather psychic impressions), I have to deal with Burke. He makes me feel like a ventriloquist: every time I open my mouth to say something, he speaks. He is actually supposed to be there to record what I say and what the owners say. Sometimes, I feel like walking out of the room to centre myself (as, in fact, I have done.) I find it difficult to deal with the domineering personality.

I have done my level best to be flexible about things and this is the only sticky point for me. I shall have to say something soon.


Sunday, January 25, 2004

Post Investigation

Well, my eyes were half-bloodshot yesterday afternoon and now, after many hours of investigation, they are completely red. I cannot believe that this is normal.

Anyway, as I said, there were many hours of investigating in this third and final stage of things. Equipment gets set up rather quickly but then there is the waiting. Waiting to see if anything happens. People get impatient, tired, bored.... I only got tired. And cold. The temperature must have fallen to -40 C. with the windchill.

I have several hours' worth of recordings to sift through: my job is not over, not by a longshot. There are video and audio data as well as maps, etc. to sort. Then, there is making sure that everyone gets copies of everything, that our files are the same. Everyone contributes to the report and this report gets a stamp of approval from the owners of the property. The report is subsequently published in written form. Everyone is happy. This is the way that things are supposed to go.

I know all of you will be waiting for some details, any details, to justify the time you've spent coming to my site. I can only urge you to be patient.

I also know that most people want the chairs-on-the-ceiling experience to happen. I understand this wish. I think that I would be out of a job if this kind of thing always happened. It doesn't. Sometimes, most times, you just hear the sounds of the plumbing or the whrrrrr-ing of machinery. On the one hand, you arrive hoping to contribute something to a body of knowledge; you leave realizing that the body of knowledge is smaller than the head of a pin. Nobody knows anything. On the other hand, you really love your job.

Saturday, January 24, 2004

Off To Work I Go...

Well, I'm off to my investigation. It is the third and final stage of an investigation of a large property.

Recap:

On my last investigation people became intensely frightened without cause (this is why I prefer not to have non-investigators on site). I ended up reassuring people about perfectly ordinary, explicable events. My attempts to explain the Reticular Formation and pattern recognition fell on deaf ears though. It seems people want to be right about such things. I actually felt bad having to let them down.

It was -38 with the windchill and my double layer of clothing kept me almost comfortable. There was little heating anywhere that we went.

I was able to pick up the salient historical facts about the property, including particularly bad accidents, a hanging and other suicides as well as descriptions of previous owners and their names (that is, surnames).

Continuation:

The next part of the investigation involved speaking to local residents and asking for anecdotal histories. Everybody wanted to recount the sometimes-gruesome tales but not one person stated a belief in the supernatural or owned up to a belief that the place was haunted.

Interestingly, this is how the conversation would go:

"Do you believe that this place is haunted?"

"No, I don't. But someone hanged himself from those rafters over there. I have heard doors shut by themselves. I've heard footsteps..."

So, the direct approach is useful in getting a conversation started. Nobody wants to admit to a belief in the supernatural but most people want to speak about it.

I picked nothing up because there were too many people around for me to relax enough and I wasn't really there to get impressions.

The Final Stage? Upon my return or soon thereafter...Wish me well. It is -25 degrees Celsius outside.


News Item: The Bassetlaw Ghost Research Group

In all my experience, I have never encountered any objects thrown at me or at anyone on an investigation. This is not to say, of course, that it does not happen. I think that I am fortunate in this respect.

In my one city with which I am familiar, there was a story of a haunted house. The house was on a very busy street and is now boarded up. The information that I gathered those many years ago: a "poltergeist" made the life of a teenage boy and his family very uncomfortable. The ghost did not, apparently, mind performing in front of peoole. There is one report, verified by I don't know whom, that the boy was transported to the ceiling while still sitting in his chair. It would not surprise me, if this did happen, that the child might have sustained bruising, scrapes, etc.


I have added a "Dear Ghostie Gurl" section, kind of an "agony aunt" of the paranormal....



Coming soon: More New Features!


Friday, January 23, 2004

What To Take On An Investigation

Some of these items are good if you are not the only "tool" of divination/detection. All of them are good ideas for a kit.

Flashlight
Digital/SLR Camera
Digital Voice Recorder
Notepad (Weatherproof)
Pen (felt-tip, not ballpoint)
Handheld computer
Extra batteries for everything
Tylenol (cold, damp or dusty areas can cause headaches)
Lip Balm (there is more time outside than one might think)
Hand Sanitizer (plastic containers, not foil because of time involved in removing wrapper)
Comfortable Shoes (preferably waterproof or hiking quality)
Extra Sweater (esp. in winter or after midnight)
Extra Socks (sometimes you muck through puddles, etc.)
Mittens & Gloves (mittens go over gloves in extreme cold)
Scarf (in winter)
Pendulum (or other tool(s), including (but not limited to) EMF readers, etc.)
Mini Toolkit (in case malfunction of equipment)
Tape Measure (you just never know)
High-calorie snack (replace some calories after long time)
Bottles water (2)

What Not To Take On An Investigation

Friends
Spouse/Mate
Children
Pets
Cellphone Turned On
Favourite Book

As you can see, there isn't much that you shouldn't take with you. Taking your friend, spouse, child or pet might be really fun, but it would be too distracting. While they might appreciate the gravity of the situation, there tends always to be a certain amount of whispering. Taking your favourite book to while away the long hours of equipment reading, etc. is just wrong because it sends the wrong message to the owners of the property and to anyone else for that matter.


Wednesday, January 21, 2004

The Non-Fictional Ghost Story

Initially, I considered using this space to discuss my readings in the "personal accounts" genre. Unfortunately, there is one problem: I rarely read anything in this area. First, I read these accounts for at least two decades and, obviously, after a period of time, there is not much left to read. Secondly, the thrill is not there anymore. I believe that it is because I now investigate hauntings and because I am so accustomed to haunted areas/phenomena.

What I can do, however, is share titles of books that I have enjoyed (sometimes more than once). I have many shelves' worth sitting right beside me so there is no excuse for not doing this.

Spirit vs. Ghost

To me, this is an interesting point and people ask me often. I disagree with Sylvia Browne and probably most of the "psychic community".

Sylvia Browne states that there are, at least, three realms: ghosts, spirits, angels. She defines them as follows: a ghost represents a deceased individual who is unaware that he/she is dead; a spirit represents a deceased loved one or relative who may visit you. An angel, however, belongs to an entirely different "phylum" of entities; these are beings that never incarnate as humans but which can take any form (including human) that is needed to help humans.

Well, I disagree with Sylvia Browne on this front: I believe that a ghost is a spirit and a spirit is a ghost. Angels are another topic altogether: I suspect that these are ghosts, too. It is simply based on my experiences and on my intuition. (What do any of us have in this area but our experience and intuition?)

I also believe that a poltergeist is simply a ghost, though there may be a connection to teenagers, too. A poltergeist is simply a noisy ghost, one that is not seen.

An apparition is simply a ghost, one that is seen.

Tuesday, January 20, 2004

Gadget Gurl

I just bought a Digital Voice Recorder with USB connectivity. I am so pleased with it! It will make my life so much easier; in fact, investigations will be automatically recorded and stored on my computer. No transcription will be necessary.


Next Two Investigations

I think some of you out there are reading this blog surreptitiously because there are no new links to me! Thank you to the sites that have b*linked to me.

At any rate, my next two investigations are on the block and they promise to be pretty intense. Well, the latter does, anyway. The first one, this upcoming weekend, will involve lots of whirring of equipment for hours on end and is merely the third and final stage of an investigation of a particular property.

The second one is a historical site that has never been professionally investigated. There may, in fact, be media coverage afterwards, I am told.

Recap:

On my last investigation people became intensely frightened without cause (this is why I prefer not to have non-investigators on site). I ended up reassuring people about perfectly ordinary, explicable events. My attempts to explain the Reticular Formation and pattern recognition fell on deaf ears though. It seems people want to be right about such things. I actually felt bad having to let them down.

It was -38 with the windchill and my double layer of clothing kept me almost comfortable. There was little heating anywhere that we went.

I was able to pick up the salient historical facts about the property, including particularly bad accidents, a hanging and other suicides as well as descriptions of previous owners and their names (that is, surnames).

Continuation:

The next part of the investigation involved speaking to local residents and asking for anecdotal histories. Everybody wanted to recount the sometimes-gruesome tales but not one person stated a belief in the supernatural or owned up to a belief that the place was haunted.

Interestingly, this is how the conversation would go:

"Do you believe that this place is haunted?"

"No, I don't. But someone hanged himself from those rafters over there. I have heard doors shut by themselves. I've heard footsteps..."

So, the direct approach is useful in getting a conversation started. Nobody wants to admit to a belief in the supernatural but most people want to speak about it.

I picked nothing up because there were too many people around for me to relax enough and I wasn't really there to get impressions.

The Final Stage? Tune in next time, my friends...

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

The Missing

I honestly don't know where Spalding Gray is. Even if I did know, who would believe me? Stop looking at me like that! I just don't know.

It is reported that he was depressed over the holiday season and grave suspicions loom. I do have impressions but I would rather not record them here.

Monday, January 12, 2004

Digital Voice Recorder

I have decided to break down and purchase a digital voice recorder. I realize that I need one: I have been in denial about this. I am presently researching all models available right now and I have come to one conclusion: I need one with a USB terminal in order to connect it to my PC. That is one spec that I can't overlook.



Saturday, January 10, 2004

In Your Neighbourhood...

Who are the people in your neighbourhood? Well, according to my "ghost-dreams", more than I thought. Last year, sometime in the middle of 2003, a blonde ghost came to my dream. She pointed to the ground and said that she was buried there. Unfortunately, it is a cemented area. My impression is that she was buried some time before the cement was poured.

In discussing this with my husband, I indicated the difficulty in dealing with such a situation. First, would this be a crime scene? Secondly, if so, what made it a crime scene? Thirdly, is there actually somebody missing and, if so, does her description match that of the girl who appeared to me? Finally, but not least of the concerns, who on earth would believe me?
If There's Something Strange...

Last night, I went on an investigation and discovered quite a few things about myself. First, apparently, I am a natural in front of the camera. (I had always avoided cameras in the past.) The group with whom I worked was quite happy to discover that I spoke to the camera as if it were an actual audience and that I did not display any signs of nervousness. It was very much a surprise to myself. It kind of felt like a "Pilot Guides" episode, but for ghosts...

As I spoke, I was very much aware that this footage would be archived and available for public consumption, since the owners of the property were quite happy to share the results of the investigation. I was undaunted. In fact, at all points where everyone was frightened (including myself), I was also undeterred from my purpose. I did not mind going into areas that put me off or frightened me (this is just how I always am.)

Secondly, thankfully, having gone in "cold" to the investigation, I was, according the owners and the liaisons, 100% accurate in the impressions that I received. (The owners had done research about the property and all of the names that I mentioned were actually historically accurate. The liaisons were told about the experiences reported by the owners, so they knew, too.)

I did two "walkabouts" while the audio-visual guys set up all their equipment. Each walkabout included my blurting out impressions.

I ended up explaining, whenever there were multiple interpretations of events, what my particular beliefs were and why. Also, I had to explain to people why I could receive impressions about a place which, according to the equipment, did not seem to have activity: there is a difference between getting an impression of a ghost and "seeing" the past. I do both.

Now, I am preparing a report of the experience.

I have been forewarned that I will, at some point, be barraged with media coverage since there are some very big investigations coming up in the future. Furthermore, I have been asked to represent the company as a psychic and to consider some interesting business propositions.

All in all, it was a very positive experience for me, though the other investigators thought that we had not spent enough time there. They were also concerned that they had not accompanied me on the two walkabouts. I was, however, told that the investigation should proceed as I thought best. Frankly, the equipment hinders my ability to pick things up (the noises, the whispering) and the others were only interested in one area (which, in my opinion, was the wrong area.) At any rate, we discussed it all and I am confident that we can come to some compromises in the future.

Over and out.

Tuesday, January 06, 2004

New Investigation

I have been contacted about an investigation this month. I do not know what the owner of the property has reported (and this is good) but it is a series of unused buildings. I have already made a few notes about my immediate impressions and I will record these tomorrow.

I will definitely look forward to my dreams over the next little while and I promise to record these, too.

Monday, January 05, 2004

Rune for the Day

Hagall:

  • link to the primal forces in the universe

  • rewarded faith

  • occasional frustration

  • unpredictability

  • need to understand precise limits




  • Sunday, January 04, 2004

    Rune for the Day

    Peorth:

  • closely allied with all things hidden

  • finding lost possessions or lost inner knowledge



  • Saturday, January 03, 2004

    The Reluctant Psychic

    Usually referred to as a gift, being psychic can seem like anything but a gift. A friend of mine recently said, "Most psychics I know never wanted to be psychic." This is so true! She pointed out that she knew me for a year before I let her know. (Now, she hands out my cards every chance that she gets and is a regular customer of mine, refusing to allow me to give her a reading free-of-charge.)

    As a teenager, I had access to reams of information that frightened me and caused me stress. Moreover, there is the sense of alenation that teenagers normally experience coupled with just one more thing preventing me from "fitting in." I never spoke of it.

    Even as a young adult, only close family and friends knew about the so-called "gift." Still, prescient dreams caused me stress as I helplessly watched them play out second-by-second in real life. They protected me, buffering between my self and harsh events, by giving me foreknowledge. The events still hurt but at least I could see them coming. Also, I often foresaw even minor air crashes and world events.

    Now, I mostly consider it to be a gift. The dreams don't plague me and I am happy if I can help someone. As mentioned before, my dreams now feature ghosts who want to reach out to people I know or come into contact with and offer details that I could not have possibly known:

    "My name is Joe. Tell Lily I saw her and I understand why she didn't come into the hospital room. Tell her it's ok."

    "Ok," I reply. I wonder, who is Lily?

    The next day, I have a client named Jane come to see me. I have never seen her before and I know nothing about her. She hasn't said anything but I somehow know that she has lost her father recently.

    "Was your father's name Joe?"

    "Yes..."

    "Is your mother's name Lily?"

    "Oh, my god. Yes!"

    "Your father asked me to tell your mother that he saw her in the hospital and he understands why she wouldn't go into his room at the end. She needs to know that it is ok."

    That is often how things go. In fact, it happens with such regularity, that I now know when not to expect to see people: no ghosts came the night before!

    Rune for the Day

    Thorn:

  • protection

  • helping hand of fate in bad times



  • Friday, January 02, 2004

    Rune for the Day

    Is:

  • signifies rest for the purpose of regeneration, restoration



  • Motivations Behind Investigations

    The reader may be wondering: just who does go to an investigation? I think I can help. There are several categories and subcategories, let's break it down. (Caveat: the categories are broad and the lines sometimes blurred)

    First, there are the curious:

  • those who want to believe and want to be convinced

  • those who don't want to believe and don't want to be convinced

  • those who wonder what it is like to be in a haunted place


  • Secondly, there are the skeptics:

  • those who could believe and would with their own idea of evidence

  • those who could never believe and no evidence would be enough


  • Thirdly, there are the investigators:

  • those whose methods and equipment are completely electronic or digital

  • those whose methods and equipment are not concerned with science: pendula, dowsing, psychic impressions

  • those whose methods and equipment and beliefs combine both kinds of data gathering

  • those who believe and require only psychic impressions


  • Any team member could belong to more than one of these categories: someone who wonders what it's like to be in a haunted place can also have a lot of electronic or digital equipment just as someone who could never believe and for whom no evidence would be enough could also have a lot of "scientific" equipment.

    But, regardless the motivation, everyone wants to be there. Everyone brings his/her own agenda and keeps it secondary to the goal of the team involved: gathering data that can (1) be analysed as to category of experience and (2) be repeated (or verified independently). For example, if at a particular site, I get impressions of a family of five that died in a fire, I need to be able to provide details and to have this verified through historical documents.

    At any rate, this is a sketchy outline of who could be expected at an investigation.

    Cancelled Investigation

    Unfortunately, I am afflicted with a flu bug that is buzzing around North America at the moment. Being sick is the worst state in which to conduct an investigation. Gathering psychic impressions takes a good deal out of me and my body is already weakened.

    There should be more very shortly!

    Thursday, January 01, 2004

    Pending Investigation

    I am looking forward to the investigation tomorrow night. I use only my mind so I will not have to lug cumbersome equipment to the site. It will be cold, too. The group that I'm accompanying this time has received much media exposure in the past but this event will not be televised (thankfully).

    Of course, my voice will be recorded and everyone will look to me for information. That is the difficult part for me: having people stare at me while I gather impressions. I am growing accustomed to it. (At the last investigation, the digital voice recorder was working well but it did not record my voice!)

    I have to remember how to "ground" myself, to shut out information when I am done, to shake the tensions that I pick up in other people because it is not mine. I have been taught well how to get rid of energy after an investigation but recalling such information in the midst of everything is sometimes difficult.
    Rune for the Day

    Ansur:

  • communication

  • poetry

  • learning

  • personal magnetism

  • social skills