Spirit Box Funnies

Have you had any really amazing successes with a spirit box?  Let me know down in the comments, or head over to Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State Facebook page to share your story! 

Pressing Questions: Familiars

If I were a witch and had my own familiar, I'd totally be the type of witch who'd baby-talk my little demonic helper!  In fact, my son once told me that our black cat, Ichabod, was my familiar and I baby-talk to her all the time.  I'm not sure where he learned what a familiar is...but it makes sense to me!

Anyway, according to a Wikipedia article on familiars, the image above is of a witch and her familiar spirits, taken from a publication that dealt with the witch trials of Elizabeth Stile, Mother Dutten, Mother Devell and Mother Margaret in Windsor, 1579.

Happy Friday, everyone! 

Aaron...Just Do It

It's been a trying week, and its shaping up to be a trying weekend for many along the East Coast.  So...here's a little funny to hopefully brighten your day!  Poor Aaron. I'm not sure which is worse:  the abuse he takes from Zak, the fear he feels from his work, or the many, many memes that document both, lol. Keep fighting the good fight, Aaron.  Just do it!

Tax Season is Ghost Hunting Season

Happy Tax Day! Today is the last day to file your taxes, although the date seems a little later than usual this year.  The reason that Tax Day isn't April 15th this year is because the 15th falls on a Sunday and the following Monday is Emancipation Day, a recognized holiday in D.C. So, today is your last chance to turn over all your paperwork to the IRS and hope for the best!

Hopefully, this year you'll have (or have already received) a hefty tax return to spend on what else: new ghost hunting gadgets! The last leftover remnants of winter seem to be finally leaving the tri-state area and many paranormal investigators and ghost enthusiasts are experiencing a renewed interest in some hands-on field work!

While it may be fun to start a new season of ghost hunting/paranormal investigation with a few new high-tech goodies, remember that quality over quantity is key when it comes to equipment. Much of what is marketed towards the paranormal community is not based on good science, and is often downright useless, especially if you're not using it correctly. Do your research, make good choices, and of course, have fun! Get out there and collect some data. 

Let me know if YOU plan on spending your tax return on anything ghost related! Feel free to post down in the comments, or join us over on Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State Facebook with your ideas!

*Lots more You Know You're a Ghost Hunter When...sayings!*

Friendship Goals: Paranormal Edition

To quote Homer Simpson, "It's funny 'cause its true." Well, obviously most paranormal investigation teams these days are NOT wearing unlicensed nuclear accelerators on their backs, but the sentiment does hold true. When you're out in the field, searching for the unknown, you want to know you can trust the people you're with! 

More Ouija Demons

Ever since the movie, The Exorcist, came out, the Ouija Board has been synonymous with demons. Many believe that there are plenty of low-level, evil, demonic entities just sitting around waiting to be contacted through improper use of the board. This is the second Ouija-related Friday Funny of the month, and I cannot promise it will be the last! 

Oh, and if you want some tips and tricks on using the Ouija board for yourself, or are simply interested in hearing MY thoughts on the whole Ouija debate, please check out my article: Ouija Boards ARE Dangerous! Stay spooky ya'll! 

Friday Funny: Another Spooky Kitty

There is no shortage of paranormal cat memes. I hope this one brings a smile to your face today. Happy Friday! 

It was...Awiens

Awww....this isn't a Friday Night Funny; its a Friday Night 'omg that is too adorable for words.'  Hehehe, there are several different versions of this meme floating around the web, and aside from being adorable, it IS funny. Anyone who has ever watched the show Ancient Aliens, or anyone who has ever had an inkling of interest in UFOlogy for that matter, knows the man who made this all possible: Giorgio Tsoukalos. Giorgio's penchant for conveniently using the excuse of 'aliens' to explain unsolved mysteries, and his wild mane that seems to get higher ever season has made him quite the internet sensation, both in and out of the paranormal field. I've included a comparison shot just in case you aren't familiar with him, lol. Stay spooky...and silly! Also, if you're itching for more cute kitty paranormal memes, check out my blog, Ghost Story! 

Monday Meme: Equipment--How Much is Too Much?

This is another one of those, "It's funny because it's true" memes, lol. I seriously think that some of these tech guys I've met over the years have little to no actual interest in the paranormal, but rather are thrilled with a field that incorporates the potential for so many unique gadgets. I can't make fun, though. I legit have four different voice recorders that I bring along on investigations.

It's a real struggle, though. One part of me wants to be completely and utterly prepared for anything. Too much data is way better than not enough, and you never know what is going to happen while you're out on an investigation. The other part of me tries to be more realistic. I'm at a point physically where I just can't carry a whole lot on me anymore...and honestly, I don't end up using half of it when I do. I feel like I spend more time trying to keep track of equipment than really observing and experiencing the location. Still...all those gadgets ARE just so much fun!

What do YOU think? How much equipment do you bring on an investigation? Join me over at Facebook and share your thoughts!

Food and Drink and Ghosts

Well, yeah. That's about accurate. I could even do without the food and the drink (I'd gladly accept them, though)...but give me the ghosts! I will choose a haunted restaurant, theater, hotel, etc. over a non-haunted establishment any day. 

On another note, I absolutely love the 1959 version of The House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price! This classic tale of horror can be found pretty easily, but here's one YouTube link where you can watch it for free! There'll be food and drink and ghosts...

Friday Funny: Ghost Stories

Who doesn't love a cute cat meme....especially one about ghost stories! With September finally here, its officially Halloween season, and I'm definitely ready for some good ghost stories. What about you?  If you have any awesome spooky tales you'd like to share, feel free to head on over to Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State Facebook and let us hear what sends shivers down YOUR spine.

The Wednesday Meme: Photoshopping Evidence

I usually do a Monday Meme, but I thought this was too good an image to wait, lol. And, it asks a very valid question in the paranormal community: "Why do some people fake evidence?"

There's no real right or wrong answer. People are weird and they do weird things, sometimes for no explanation at all. However, I've personally found that there are a few more prominent reasons why people tend to fake paranormal evidence.

1. Some do it for attention and prestige. They want people to ooh and aah over their great captures, and luckily for them, there are PLENTY of gullible folks out there in social media land that blindly accept any and all potential paranormal evidence as the Holy Grail. Just check in at any Facebook paranormal group and you'll see hundreds of "Great capture!" and "I see it, too!" comments on well-known ghost app photos. Other people may have an even more invested reason to fake evidence---those that run haunted tours or public investigations may believe that more people will be willing to spend their hard-earned cash at a location that is more likely to result in the capture of paranormal evidence. I won't name any names, but many of us can probably name at least one example where this has happened in recent years...

2. Sadly, some do it to mock us in the paranormal field. People like to feed off that gullibility that I mentioned in reason number one, and then get their kicks by proving everyone wrong. So, they manufacture 'evidence,' pass it off as real, and after an appropriate amount of oohing and aahing, drop the hammer and let everyone know they faked it. Unfortunately, these types of people often succeed in blemishing the paranormal community's reputation. I've seen countless articles about photos and videos being examined by paranormal 'experts,' only to be proven fraudulent later on. While we know that there really is no such thing as a paranormal 'expert,' it gives the impression that all of us in this field lack the scientific aptitude to come to logical conclusions.

Thankfully, there aren't too many people out there actively faking evidence. More often, you'll see people submitting fraudulent 'evidence,' mainly ghost app photos, simply out of ignorance. They may have found the image online and are looking for opinions, or they have been the victim of an innocent prank by a family member or friend. And, the majority of bad 'evidence' being submitted is still just ol' fashioned misidentification of natural phenomenon!

Oh, and a quick pet peeve:  'Photoshop' is a brand name. Not every image that is digitally altered is 'Photoshopped, ' especially those that are the result of smart phone apps. Therefore, I prefer to just use the term 'digitally altered' (despite the name of this post) IF in fact it was digitally altered. Well before digital photography was a thing, there were ways, such as the burn and dodge technique, of altering film images. 

Seven Lives to Go?

It's been awhile since I've really done a Friday Night Funny post! I'm not ready to make it a weekly thing, but I can't help sharing some paranormal humor once in awhile, especially when its this freakin' adorable!  There has been a lot of negativity as of late in the paranormal community and even in the world as a whole.  I've actually left several Facebook groups this month alone because I've been so sick of seeing people fight over silly things, letting their egos get in the way, and backstabbing the crud out of others in the community. General d-baggery is at an all-time high and its hurting the integrity of paranormal study.

Sometimes we all need to just take a deep breath and chill out with some precious lil' kitty pictures!  The paranormal community is filled with wonderful, caring people who will overcome this short period of negativity with no problem, though. Unlike this little guy, we've only got one life---live it to its fullest and make it count!