With autumn upon us, it seems about time for the annual paranormal post.
I don't know why it is when summer turns to fall my mind turns to spooky stuff. It's darker, and longer? Maybe. Anyway, I am a fan - I admit it - of Ghost Hunters. I'm neither gullible nor stupid. I watch with an open mind, but I refuse to accept everything. It's fun, though, and the reality is I've had enough experiences, and heard so many others, that I accept the reality of what, for lack of a better word, could be called ghostly, haunting activity.
On the other hand, the whole "demon" thing? Not so much. Why do they constantly "possess" prepubescent children? I mean, c'mon, possess the CEO of Bank of America, or the President of the United States. That would wreak some pretty cool damage. But, instead, we get 12 year olds puking and floating. More messy than scary.
I much prefer TAPS to Paranormal State and Ghost Adventures. At the very least, the guys at TAPS are more low-key. They have nothing to prove, and seem to be level-headed (for guys who seem to believe in ghosties and ghoulies and wee-scary beasties). The kids at Paranormal State are just that. Plus, a psychic? C'mon. Ghost Adventures are three guys who want to add an element of "fear", which should be something they no longer feel. Footsteps, some banging, maybe a whisper here and there, and these guys scream like a bunch of little girls. Too funny.
My favorite places on YouTube are the sites with all sorts of "poltergeist" activity. Easy to fake, all sorts of stuff flying around, banging walls and floors, two in particular are awesome. Mellowbird, this guy in England, has put up with his home - in particular, his kitchen - being trashed far longer than any sane person would. For example:
Another, who calls himself "NQGHOSTHUNTER" is, surprise surprise, a professional photographer. Like Mellowbird, he has put up with what most would have left behind far longer than should be considered normal, and is now planning a full-length, self-produced documentary on what is "happening" in his house.
I love this one, especially the guy being thrown against the wall. Truly awesome.
There are, of course, the occasional videos from people who insist they are actually filming stuff that is happening in their house. I caught one the other day, and the whole back-story, plus the various videos, made me laugh. If I were the husband in this house, I would be applauding the following, not acting like a ten-year-old at the annual Rotary Haunted House.
I love the ingenuity of stuff like this. It takes some real effort to put together a piece like this, and to be convincingly "scared" by what happens.
By and large, this stuff doesn't scare me nearly as much as, say, the prospect of a Romney or Perry Presidency does; as persistent 9% unemployment; as our stupid, crazy public discourse. That scares me. Stuff that goes bump in the night? It might catch me off guard. But, scared as in truly afraid for my own safety or that of my family?
Not so much.
