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December 21, 2015: 

If you missed the post on Dad and the "cat and mouse" photo....I was cleaning out closets this break. I went through the study closet, which has some of Dad's paperwork from his estate and a few items. I was looking through the framed things I had of his and discovered this framed photo of a cat holding a computer mouse. The irony is that I made a series of pieces called "Cat and Mouse" (one of which won an art award) that ran along the same premise. I was very surprised because this indicates that Dad and I have the same sense of humor (Lordy, the sense of humor of a civil engineer!! That's just what I need). I have absolutely no memory of this piece at his house or coming home with me. It must have been sitting in the closet for quite literally years. To find it now isn't necessarily supernatural (I tend to do cleaning over the breaks when I have time for a deep cleaning of the house), but the timing is also really... startling.  

Remember that Dad was more communicative after death with me than in life. I had three incidents that happened within the first year after his death, two of which happened while I was with Mom talking about him. (Incident one, shortly after his death: Mom and I were in the study watching Perry Mason on DVD (I have the only DVD player). I was talking about pulp fiction and how I love The Shadow pulp, how Dad listened to The Shadow pulp translated to radio (many of the shows were modified plots) and I sent him several of the pulp reprints that I have. I also mentioned that Mom's love of "Perry Mason" was based on the pulp fiction from Gardner (yes, it was a pulp series of novels first). At that instant, a figure that i have of "The Shadow" from the 1994 movie (don't judge me) actually jumped off the shelf onto the ground. I saw it from the corner of my eye. That figure has been sitting on my self for years. It's in a corner-type set up. It had never fallen before. It has not fallen since. The pugs were lying down, there were no vibrations, and nothing else fell. The second time was the Monopoly car that came out of nowhere (I inherited his car, a Saturn, which was on the recall list. It was horribly managed and I was VERY frustrated. I was talking to Mom on the phone about a letter they sent me and how stupid this was. I turned around to get something out of a cabinet and heard a noise behind me. I turned around to find the Monopoly car -- a little metal piece -- sitting on my counter. I was alone in the house. There was no where for this to come from. I went out into the garage and found the game set that I have. It was under boxes and sealed shut with humidity. I got it open and do you know what was gone? Yep, the car figure..... The third was a gold Sacajawea dollar coin that fell in front of the refrigerator and slid under one of the drawers. I had to pull the drawer (crisper) out to find it. Both Dad and I are descended from Merryweather Lewis (who, ironically, committed suicide).  

The SPIRITS did sense him as present in the house for a time (near the Stark antiques that I inherited).

If this is a communication it's the first strong one since then. But, it does make me smile. And the cat has the same look that my Dad had. (Yeah, I'm serious). 

Anyway, his image is below (left). Two art pieces that I made about 5 years ago are next to it. Just so you see that I had the idea a while back....

Sept. 9, 2012:

Read Sept. 8 post first.

And here is another odd thing. Yesterday I heard someone saying something from the living room/other side of the house (as I posted). I am still not investigating or getting too excited over it but there was a follow up today. It's not ghostly, but...the tree next door fell onto my neighbor's yard right around 9 a.m. This tree has been an issue for a while and I had the branched over my house taken down in July when another branch fell between houses (this is a 70 year old tree so when these branches fall, they t'aint twigs). It's strange that I heard her yesterday and the branch fell today. The woman appears to be a former home owner and widow who lived here for quite some time on her own after her husband died. Don't know if she's trying to let me know things (need to correlate any possible events with the house) but it was really odd. We are SUPER lucky here -- the branch didn't hit neighbor's house dead on (though there is damage and a near fire from down power lines) and everyone is OK, but it was odd.

Sept. 8, 2012:

Since my last post I bought and moved into the house next door. The SPIRITS came and did an investigation. While I expected nothing, they found a former home owner residing here.  

This a.m. pugs got me up at normal time (6). I fed, walked them. Did email and did grading. It was near 7 a.m. -- or just after. I turned off computer and TV (the one in the study) and went to the kitchen to get a drink, then did some house thing (dusted off something). Was walking back down the hall calling to the pugs that it was time to go back to bed. That's when I heard this voice almos

t echo after me the above statement. It was odd because I couldn't quite make it out and I wasn't really listening for it, but I know the final word dealt with sleep, it was a female voice, three words. Syllable, syllable (I assume verb), two syllables (sleeping or to sleep). I paused for a second thinking that I had left the TV on and I was hearing a bit from Baynews 9, which I had on earlier. I realized I had turned off the TV, but went back to check anyway and it was, indeed, off.

The voice seemed to come from the living room if I had to guess. It was odd! I did get the pugs and put them to bed and went back to bed myself. I was really out -- very tired -- and slept nearly 1 1/2 hours longer than I thought I would!

This house does seem to have a female presence possibly dating back to a prior home owner from the 1960s (did research it). I don't encourage or discourage, as long as she doesn't but the pugs. She seems to be mainly in the living room if she's to manifest at all (peripheral vision movement, stray sentence every once in a blue moon).

Feb. 7, 2011:

I got up last night because of the pugs (sigh) and went back to bed.  Upon going back to bed, I had a dream that I found my mother talking on the phone to my deceased grandmother.  We both knew that she was dead.  I never heard the phone ring but Mom did (i.e., possible psychic connection that the phone was being used to channel communication).  The odd thing is that I could see and hear my grandmother, but Mom could only hear her through the telephone.  

Grandmothter Louise looked very good, perhaps like she had when we first met her.  She wore a regular outfit that, a couple of times, looked like it would change into almost evening attire when she turned to follow Mom as they spoke.  Mom put me on the phone and by that point Louise was saying that she had to go (she'd been keeping up with me).  After the phone conversation, the regular dream elements kicked in.  I was running late to teach (usual panic that I was up at the wrong time for the wrong teaching day).  I was also going to do implied nude modeling for some sort of visual performance (I don't know on that one.  I love the "implied" part!). I did try to call Mary and Verna to let them know what happened and I kept having a hard time with the phone.  The numbers were worn down and it was hard for me to hold onto. I think that I finally got ahold of Verna.

I don't know if it was a normal dream or something more.  Louise was the first ghostly encounter I ever had (I've told the story enough with the aroma and the thoughts that she was OK).  The first months after her death, she did show up in surreal dreams. However, I do have a series of dreams that I can remember back to 16 y.o. where a character seemed more than the flat dream state, and Louise sort of fit that.

Weird.  Maybe it's because of the house?

Otheriwse, in the past month I did see what looked like an Irish setter running through the living room and a white mist that went down the porch stairs.  Could just be tricks of the mind, but interesting,nonetheless.

November 27, 2010:Anyway, I did want to share an odd story.  Verna and Mary heard it, but I figured since things were quiet it might be a nice time.  About 6 weeks ago, I can home to discover that the copper fountain I have in my art studio was no longer running.  The reason:  the pump was missing.  The a/c adapter plug was still in the wall, but the pump was totally gone.  I suspected the pugs and went out into the side yard.  No luck.  I looked for that thing for at least 3 weeks -- cleaned the art studio, including the floor, cleaned the garage and my closet, and there is no place else to hide the pump.  Understand that I actually scrub the deck concrete and porch weekly, as well as wash my floor about 3 times during the week (try having pets like this and not doing it).  I could NOT find the pump.  I finally took the fountain apart and threw out the water (no mosquitoes).  I also threw away the plug figuring I'd have to get a whole new set, anyway.  (I had a back up pump that didn't work and, in fact, fell apart.  Not the same brand, though).  Fast forward to last week.  I had run a bunch of errands and got home.  I took the pugs out, including one of the fosters, Bella, who sleeps pretty much all day on an old bed pillow in the corner of the room.  I was home for about an hour putting things up, checking email, etc.  The phone rang and I went to get it, and out of the corner of my eye I saw this black thing on Bella's pillow.  I went over to it and...low and behold, it was the missing pump.  What gets me is this:  the examination of the pump.    The reasons:  There was no grit/dirt in the pump.  I have pulled an mp3 player that the puppies grabbed out of the side yard.  Things are SO DRY that the thing, missing for hours, was already filled with grit and dust (the side yard does not have any ground cover and is used by the pugs).  This had more holes and areas that SHOULD have held dirt than the little mp3 player.No teethmarks.  Verna mentioned that her puppies have taken the remote without leaving marks behind.  I thought about that for a while and, yes, I thought it might be possible.  However, I looked at the mp3 player again and found teeth marks on it and the earplugs were chewed up. Pugs are not so delicate (poodles are so dainty!  Pugs clog along) and they have big mouths designed to scarf down food -- any and all food.  Yet, there are no teeth marks that I can find on the pump or its cords.I had purposely looked for the pump for weeks.  While not a large item, it is also not small, particularly with a long cord that plugs into the a/c adapter.  I had done super-cleaning here lately, getting rid of things that no longer really identified with me, or that I didn't need (we're talking garbage bags of stuff donated to charity, and at least 2 St. Pete ally dumpsters full of thrown out items).  I'm also a bit neurotic about the floors (even though they look terrible) because they hold odors if I don't clean them.  If the pugs took it, WHERE could they hide it that weeks of cleaning/looking did not find it?  And since I finished the cleaning about a week before I found the pump, I know it was not something that just suddenly fell out of a pile of things that I was throwing/giving away.Lastly, how could they sneak it by me?  A pump is pretty obvious with the cords.  I guess it is possible as I'm easily dis-tractable, but I know for a fact that nothing was there when I got home.  The closet door was closed, so that would mean that they'd have to pull it out somewhere else within view and put it on the pillow.  The pump is black, the pillow is white, and it's pretty obvious when seen!Now, this is not a momentous thing by any means.  However, the fountain belonged to Peggy -- the older woman that pushed on the door several months ago.  Both Verna and Laurie picked her up and described her to a "T".  Yet, I called Verna immediately after discovering the pump on the pillow and she didn't detect anything over the phone.  It also begs the question -- if Peggy took the pump, why did she take it and return it after all this time? Or did the pugs take it and Peggy returned it?  Or did the pugs take it and the pugs returned it?Dec. 27, 2009:

For a number of years I had an entity that followed me in my car.  I know that sounds strange, but it was not an unfriendly haunting.  I think that he identified with me because he was a fellow artist when he died tragically.  He was on the way to his sister's wedding rehearsal when kids in a stolen van hit his car and he was killed.  I never met him -- I only read about the accident in the newspaper and was DEVASTATED, which is a strange reaction for me.  I inadvertently drove by the spot where he was killed (it was in downtown St. Pete), saw the cross and realized what it meant.  After that time, I had the feeling of someone behind me in the car (I was almost afraid to look in the back mirror) and I would feel a pressure of someone sitting behind me (this was a Mustang at the time). 

Susan, a former SPIRITS sensitive, got into my car one day and told me that she felt someone in the car -- she got the name JC (the man's name is Jason).  For years, he was sensed by others and described by 5 or 6 different people!  I even had one person see him sitting in the car waiting for me after a paranormal investigation.

The Mustang, named 'Paranormal One', eventually became too much for me to work with.  I traded him in for a Miata -- in sort of an unexpectedly sudden opportunity.  I happened to be out, saw the Miata and  stopped with the intention to simply look look at the car.  Yet, the deal was so good that instead of looking, I bought the car who became my little 'Sugar'.  However, when I traded in the Mustang for the Miata, the cars "found" each other again.  During my 3 days of "testing" the Miata, I took her to a mechanic that had been recommended to me by a friend.  There was one spot open to park at his shop -- and low and behold, it was behind a Mustang -- MY former car that I had just traded in for the Miata!  That was strange as I had never been to the shop and never expected to see my old car again.  Someone told me that what had happened was that I traded the cars so fast that the ghost "lost me" -- this was his way to find me again.  Either way, it was a very surreal experience.

I still felt the pressure behind my back in the Miata after that. This was even stranger because, unlike the Mustang's cramped back seat, the Miata had no back seat at all!  I had people identify a man waiting for me in this car as well.  As before, the pressure in my back was in the same spot when it showed up in 'Sugar'.  There was no rhyme or reason to when the pressure manifested, either.  It often happened in two locations -- on Haines Road, or when I crossed the Howard Franklin Bridge.  I do not know the significance of these two streets.. Having just had my physical 2 weeks prior to this entry, I am in decent health, and I have not had problems with my back.

I always wondered what our bond was; Someone who knew his sister and had met him in life said that he would have liked me -- and that I was very much like his beloved sister.  Maybe it was the artist bond that connected us, or that he died (at the time) at my age.  He had just sold his first work and he felt so good about it, as reported by those who knew him.  Maybe it was the tragedy I felt for his sister -- that he should die prior to her wedding, which had already been postponed the year before due to another family tragedy.  Maybe it was that he was so excited for his sister to marry -- that empathy is quite an attractive quality to find in others. Whatever it was, he was a gaurdian for me I'm quite certain.  

For a while, the pressure had stopped.  About two years ago, I tried to "talk" with Jason as I do not wish to bind him here.  If he wished to move on, it was okay with me.  If he wanted to stay, his company would be welcome.  Sure enough, the reports of his presence dropped down.  I didn't feel the pressure in the car often after that.....Until the past month.  I'd noticed a mild pressure in the car, again, when on the bridge or coming down Haines. But....the biggest nudge I'd felt, perhaps in the history since this started, came yesterday. While driving over to class (I am teaching a special mini-session), I was feeling pretty good because it was the last day to teach for four days.  Excited for the break and feeling a bit of holiday spirit coming on, I turned on Christmas music on one of the local stations. In a rare moood, I started to sing with it.  All of a sudden, I felt this strong pressure against my back -- like someone leaning into the seat.  After a moment, I looked in the mirror and smiled.  I said, "Thank you, Merry Christmas to you, too."  The pressure stopped.

....So, was this a visit from my friend?  This was one of the few times that I had the pressure sensation with the idea of a definite message with it (beyond "I am here").  It was delightful to experience, and very comforting to know that I have one spectral friend, a person I never met in life, who thought of me enough to share a little...holiday spirit.

Just thought I'd share.

May 25, 2008:  11:10 p.m.

Post investigation.

Uhm, OK.  As I sit here....I am putting up images onto the art site (deviant art and my own).  I kept hearing my door (the door by my desk) acting as if it was being pushed against (it sometimes does this if there is extreme wind flux as well; however, I closed everything up and as far as I can tell, this should not be happening)....this happened for about a minute.  I looked and counted all of my pugs.  They are all here.  (The pugs sometimes sit against the door, making it make similar noises).  I had just finished listening to the EVP from tonight on my recorder (nothing much, but three spots...one maybe breath, one may be ajumple of voices, and I'm not sure on the others).  Anyway, I looked at the door and finally said, "Please stop pushing on the door.  The investigation is over."  Since I said that out loud, it has stopped.  Will add to my other site for documentation. No reaction from the pugs.  The only reaction they had was when they heard themselves barking on the EVP.

4-8-08, 2:18 a.m.

Pugs (Odysseus, Achilles, and maybe one other) jumped off the bed and started to bark.  Reasons unknown.  Elder pugs did not bark; tried to see where they were looking and it was at the foot of the bed and at me (as I was yelling at them for waking me up!)

May 15, 2008:

Woke up this a.m. to find a book of mine on the floor.  I was not there when I got up to turn on a/c and use restroom at 3 a.m.  The book was “Goddesses” and sits on the edge of my bookshelf, though I am not certain where I had it shelved.  It was about 2 feet away from my exercise bike.  Could have fallen, I suppose.  However, it’s been up there a long time and has not fallen; I put it on the edge of the shelf, just to see what might happen, and it’s still pretty steadfastly there.

May 19:

This is my side of an IM conversation describing what happened here 2 nights ago (May 17).  I wanted to get the initial reactions down; curious to know what others think (hence, no transcribing).  Has anyone seen an "orb" like this?  I can assure you that while I was "winding down" I was NOT lying down nor was I asleep.  I was sitting up on the bed, petting the pugs.  I also had the radio up as I loved the song (which is by Serg Tankian (SP?) -- not a slow song, I assure you).  This would be one of the very very few visual things that I've seen in my life, if it is, indeed, something at all.  I tend to be skeptical as I've had migraines since 2000, though I rarely get visual disturbances from them.  There are only one known "visual" issue that I have -- little specks of light that "zip" across an area.  I always recognize them as migraine-related and they are highly identifiable from my POV.   This was NOT that at all.  I've never seen anything like it.  This was not a night with a migraine, either.  I'd like to hear from others who have "seen" orbs to see if there is any comparison.

I plan to have an investigation here with my own group Sunday, May 25.  

Relating to events, Saturday, May 17:

Brandy Stark: I will say that I had one other odd phenomena here.

Brandy Stark: I was listening to the radio in the dark.

Brandy Stark: I swear I may have actually seen an orb.

Brandy Stark: It was not light phenomena (My migraines show light tiny dots -- white -- that zip around).

Brandy Stark: This was a small tennis ball sized ...I dunno, colorless (though I thought "light white") not glowing....round ball that was about waist high.

Brandy Stark: It moved in front of me heading towards the rat cages.

Brandy Stark: It was almost like solid air?  

Brandy Stark: I don't know how to describe it.  I followed it for about 2 seconds with my eyes, and that was it.  It wasn't moving incredibly fast, either, which is why I don't think it's migraine related.

Brandy Stark: Maybe at the pace of someone walking at a moderate stride.

Brandy Stark: Yeah, this caught me off guard, but no reaction from pugs.

Brandy Stark: Or rats.

Brandy Stark: So, I dunno.

MN: any physical symptoms on your part?

Brandy Stark: No.  I wasn't expecting it.

Brandy Stark: I did not "feel" anything but calm, other than realizing that this was a bit strange.

Brandy Stark: No panic, no excitement.  Just ... "Huh, will you look at that?"

Further details:

I can say that it had a definite sensation of motion -- I felt as if the ball, itself, were swirling a bit (or rotating).  It moved in a straight line but vanished a few feet short of the rat cages.  I only saw it manifest for maybe a total of 4 feet of movement (maybe 2 or 3 "strides"?).  There was no jigging around -- straight line, no bouncing.  However, I felt that it was independent of my eyes.  I have noticed with the mini-lights from migraines that they tend to stay to the corner of my eyes.  This was dead set in the center of my vision and my eyes moved to follow it....

However, I posted a soundfile from my room made about 3 weeks ago when I got my new digital recorder.  I can explain the noises at the very end of the recording (I did say "stop that" very softly to the pugs) but NOT the noises that occur right before hand.  It sounds like a whisper or a statement, but I can't make out the words.  The recording was also made right next to the rat cages (actually recording my "singing rat", Patch). 

April 4, 2008

This morning I got up at 6:30 to take the pugs out.  I came back in and went back to bed at 7:30-ish.  I turned on my "white noise" (ocean sounds) that I play every time I try to sleep (I have used it for years as a way to let the pugs know that it's time to go to bed; it's sorta a trainer for them AND for me).  Anyway, as I was lying on my left side, I swear to you that I heard someone whispering something in front of me, as if they were standing a short distance from the bed.  I remember that I had been resting, but wasn't near the gray state of sleep yet.  I even thought to myself -- I am too awake for this to be "gray state"...did I hear something or was it just the clock? 

I thought about getting up to write it down but with the pugs any additional movement is chaos -- they all get up with me.  I stayed in bed and thought that I'd remember it.    Naturally, I don't know what was said now.  I knew that when I heard it I only heard one to two words of the phrase and the rest was too soft for me to make out.   I do remember that the phrase was something in the negative (not a negative phrase, but a "negative statement" -- i.e., I do not want to do this, or something like that).  It was very strange.

So....here are the options:  Audio ink blot (hearing things).

Stress: (I am scheduled to see a neurologist for my headaches in April).

Clairaudience:  In the past I have had the following over the past 16 or so years.

Around 1998-99 I came home from work to let the pugs out and to eat lunch.  I came in through the back door into the dining room and I heard a man's voice say "Oh, honey, you're home" (Yes, I thought that was strange, too).  TV was off, I was home alone except for the pugs.  I don't think that I'm their honey.

When I was with a USF film crew investigating the Williams house, I heard whispering behind me.  A few minutes before I had an unexplained spike on the meter which I could NOT get to replicate.  After about 2 minutes of trying to get this to replicate, I heard the whispering behind me.  I turned and the only thing behind me was a chair, above which was the image of John Williams (the original builder of the house and one of the pioneers of the St. Pete area).  I snapped a shot with the digital camera and got a huuuuge colorful (not colored) orb in the area of the whisper, under the picture.  I never disproved or proved that it was an orb.  I couldn't replicate it, but there was also daylight coming in from a window near the chair.  (I THINK that I have that investigation up on my site: https://nocache.homestead.com/starkimagesWilliamshouse2.html)

I took dups of the chair (but left out the image of J. Williams above it as the original orb image didn't show it). 

I'm trying to think if there were others....those are the major ones that I can remember.

So, I don't know what it was, but it was strange!

Brandy

March 24, 2008

I will say that for a couple of days I have felt a cool breeze blow around me (once in the bathroom.  Geez, I HOPE not...) and I can't tell if that's just this funky weather or what.  We have had another cold front come through and strange rain, pollen is up as well.

Actually, last night was also a strange series of dreams.  I dreamt that I moved into a haunted house with Mom and that this place was filled with negative entities.  The worst part of it was that this thing was just dark and I remember Mom saying, "Well, isn't this what you wanted?  A haunted house?"  At one point, we found a piece of plucked flesh that looked as if it was torn from the body of an animal.  It had the eye still in place and as I was looking at it, the eye opened -- it was a blue cat's eye in this torn flesh.  That freaked me out enough to wake up....and when I did, my eyes, in real life, fell upon a reflection from one of the blinds of a diamond-shaped "cat's eye" -- honest to Jove, down to the elongated pupil -- that was on the kitchenette cabinets directly across from me.  This was filtered light that came through the blinds by the kitchenette window -- that freaked me out even more.  But I was so tired, I tried to shake off the dream and go back to sleep.  Sometimes I can talk myself into better dreams....not this time.  Apparently, the dream continued but now I was staying in a haunted house owned by another.  It also had a dark entity in it that was causing blindness -- one character, who reminded me of a real life Peppermint Patty from the Peanuts (ugh, I have NO IDEA on that!) had her eyes to explode out of her head (literally bursting open) while others simply went blind.  Three of the people I was with, as I was the 4th, had this happen (1 explosion, 2 blindnesses) and I was the only one with sight left to see.  I was very upset sitting in the hospital, waiting for the others' prognosis, I had the sensation that I was next.  

Not a very good night for ghostly dreams, let me tell you.  I have NO idea what the eye thing meant, though I've never really seen the "eye reflection" image in my room before (it's not to say that it wasn't there.  I do get patches of moonlight that reflect in here so it's not really supernatural) but to wake up from a dream where I was being stared at to see the eye made of moonlight and shadow staring at me from the kitchen cabinet area -- well, that was fun.  I outta go into writing "B" horror movies!

3-27-08 

This was really weird.  Two or three years ago, I had a toga made of silk cloth that I got for my MA graduation.  I wore it to Dragoncon a couple years ago and when I returned I couldn't find it.  It was missing for three years.  I have looked for it for YEARS and YEARS and YEARS.  I have cleaned that closet out every 6 - 8 months and had not found it.  This includes the clothes, everything.  I normally redo it to go through outfits, and put it back into a semblance of order.  I have not found the toga.

Today I went in and sitting in the middle of the closet floor was my toga.  I have no idea how it got there, unless it was wedged under something and the pugs found it?  It is the strangest thing I have encountered in a while and it sorta caught me by surprise!  Eventuallyh, we may have to try for another hunt here, as well.

8- 11-06

Night after night, the puppies bark at my door. It's almost always after 12 a.m. (it's going on now). I have no idea what they are barking at. Ih ave taken pics of the door....but this is pretty consistent and long lasting barking (particularly tonight).

I don't know what to do with it....I also found them barking at a hole in my sheet, and at a dried leaf one day. However, the puppy barking seems consistent with time and location....

I have a full bag of ghost equipment, but the issue is 1)  I have just finished rennovations on the deck (the area that the door leads to).  It's an area of high traffic for me and trying with digital or 35 mm cameras, I feel I get "false positives" with the orbs or rods.  The room (now an art studio) leads to the outside and I suspect gets quite a bit of dust because it's an actively used exit (into a fenced yard for the pugs).  2)  This house has strange EMF levels.  I have an ELF meter but find them to be pretty useless except for massive cases of EMF or a haunting (I think I've only had it work one time on an investigation on an actual "ghost"...otherwise ELF meters tend to register a/c, power conduits, etc.)  There may be a tube of wires running beneath the deck as well, which also alters my readings.  I can try to see if I can get a base reading and maybe put the thing on its siren mode at night to see if there is some correlation. 

In the past, I have had dreams that there was someone on the deck looking in and wanting to come in (I do sage this area I'm in because I sleep here; I also do white light out here and have placed many blessed and religious items around the room.  I've had sensitives come here and say that they can "sense" a barrier around my room, which is fine!)  It's usually male....

I also had a sensitive out here who was telling me about the "old lady" in the house (she an extremely mild haunt; mostly curious about who comes in here and is otherwise not an active presence).  She suddenly turned to the door (leading to the then-deck) and said to take a picture; there was someone peeking in. I did and I got a big old orb.  The odd thing is that the door to the deck was partially open (maybe a foot or so) and the orb is in that space that the door is open; not overlapping with the door, not in the room, etc.) 

The elder pugs did this for years between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.  Now the puppies are doing it.  The only problem with the puppies is, as I said, they are 10 months old and they bark at odd things.  I am not kidding when I said that they barked at a leaf on the ground in here (It was out of place, so good for them for seeing it) and at a hole in my sheet (it tore when I was making the bed but I wasn't about to switch the thing out just then).  In other words, I am not sure how reliable they are.

I wonder if the elders are "immune" to the presence because it's been here so long they just don't care (they both grew up here).  I also wonder if the entity is seasonal or transitory....I guess I need to start tracking that on my paranormal log again, eh?

We'll see where this goes....

5/29/06

Well, on and off now, the pugs have been barking at something outside my door.  Let me augment that...it's not all the pugs.  It's Odysseus (not to be confused with Odyssey).  

The interesting thing is that I started to keep a log of phenomena on my Ghostly Images site.  Years ago, Iliad and Odyssey started to do the same thing at about the same time.  It was usually Odyssey who started it and Iliad chimed in.  Odysseus looked directly at the vicinity of the door.  

First, both Odyssey and Odysseus are black pugs.  Perhaps, since black pugs are already linked to a recessive color gene in pugs, they have more sensitivity?  I have been on a few pug lists that debate if black and fawn pugs have different personalities (black pugs are usually a bit more active/hyper).  Of course, Odyssey and Odysseus are both exceptionally bright boys (even Mom remarks at their intelligence) if I do say so myself.  Odysseus, of all the pugs, seems to be the most sensitive to paranormal phenomena.

Secondly, I've had folks (of the sensitive type) tell me that someone walks on my deck.  I've had dreams of someone walking on my deck at night (an old man).  And during an investigation here at the home, sensitives pointed to my door, told me someone was looking in, and to take a picture. An orb showed up (an orb is usually defined as being "condensed spiritual energy) INSIDE the partially open door.  T'was a large orb, too.

This has happened now on and off for 3 weeks, and Odysseus has been barking for the past three nights in a row.  I do not encourage or discourage him (as far as I know) so he's not being trained to do it.  (That's all I need is for this boy to learn THAT trick).  I do not know if there is something that his puggy mind sees and is afraid of (shadows cast by the TV?) but it's odd that it happens at the same time each night.  I'll keep documenting it for now.

The older pugs do not participate in it. Perhaps it is because they are immune, don't care, or are just ornery (not really.  Both are quite charming little dears, you know). 

Just thought I'd share.

12/15/05

Hey, all.  Well, the SPIRITS had their holiday party yesterday.  I got back some of the pictures today and for the third or fourth year in a ROW I've shown up with orbs around me.  Now, the thing is I don't know who is coming with me on these parties (but at least I'm not going stag!).  If you start at the top of the page you'll see a party from 4 years ago of Odyssey (my pug) and myself with and orb.  (One, yes I take my pugs with me to parties.  They are very popular!  There were two images that the hostess took at the party and both times I was the only one with orbs around me.  Only one image is posted; the other was a group shot and the orb was next to Ody and myself).  

Further down is an earlier SPIRITS part in which a 35 mm disposable camera caught me with orbs (there were actually two images, but only one is on line and I think I was the only one with orbs around me at this party). Again, there were two pictures taken and both had orbs near me.  (I took down one; I need to find it!)

Last year, orbs showed up at home (near the Christmas tree and over the group who came over for brunch).  I have a close up of the orb by the tree but, because this was a mixed group who came to lunch and not all are comfortable with ghosts (one was a new widow) I've opted not to post the group shot.  The one by the tree was when Mom and I (and the puggies) were alone.

This year, I took Iliad (my girl puggy) with me to the SPIRITS party.  Once again, I have two orbs with me.  I think I'm the only one to have orbs (and I think this is out of all the pictures taken at the party...but they are still possibly being processed and there could be others who have attachments this year.  It's a much bigger team!)

Each of these images comes from seperate locations (Tampa, Pinellas Park, St. Pete, and now Valrico).  Pugs are present for some, but not all.

Is it co-incidence?  If so, why do 3 of the 4 parties have multiple pictures of orbs with me alone?  Does anyone get a sense of who is with me?  Just curious.

Anyway, here is the URL (which I copied and pasted directly from the page): https://nocache.homestead.com/starkimagesghostlyimages.html

Would appreciate any thoughts.  Please ignore the food in my hands.  As you can see, both Iliad and I are quite intent on it!  (She is begging so hard her tail is straight!)  

Veni, Vidi, Volo in Domum Redire.  (I came, I saw, and I wish to go home!)

Brandy 

12/17/05

Tonight was the SPIRITS holiday party (now we get a break!).  One person hired a psychic to come in and give readings so I went in for one.  The odd thing is that the first thing she said is that I'm VERY intuitive, very powerful, but that I turn it off.  (I know I do it as I want to be scientific -- objectivity is needed for investigations).  She said that I've had experiences (I have) but that I keep shutting off the ability.  (She is not the first one to tell me this).

In the meantime, I asked her about animal spirits. I've been seeing movement near the floor of my home late at night.  She said that they are surrounding me...I attract their energy (I had a SPIRITS sensitive tell me tonight that I have a very powerful earth energy).  She said I have animal spirits with me out the wazoo -- many cat-like creatures, and birds and others.  She said I may need to do a cleansing since there are so many.  She also said I had a boy with me from the 1900s, lost, who needed help.  He knew I could help him.  And I ended up being the only one at the party who had orbs in photos with me again this year (this is the third or fourth year in a ROW where this happens -- and it's just me with orbs).

So, anyway, other tidbits included opportunities that were coming up for the SPIRITS, writing again (a column for a small periodical that would take off in 2006), meeting my Significant Other in EIGHT FREAKIN' YEARS (Sigh)....the art taking off again in 4 years....(sigh)...and needing to adjust my job schedule somewhat (which I've been thinking anyway).  

So, how odd is that?  It was a lot of fun...and I hope that some of it, at least, is true.  (Except waiting for another 8 years.  Oh well).

Vale,

Brandy 

Sept. 6, 2005

I have some funky orb images that show up from Dragoncon this year. I also have the usual funky images! Here's the site: https://nocache.homestead.com/starkimagesDragonconExp.html 

What do you think of the orbs?  The odd thing is that when I got home, the next day I was working out in the garage when a strong aroma of flowers was all around me.  I don't know why or how (my machine was next to the garbage can and it sure wasn't flowery.  Just not enough room around here!) 

July 15, 2005

Wel, I'm in this art show that has been vexing me.  It's propeganda art trying to get folks interested in the arts locally.  I have thought and thought about it....and out of no where, the idea of "Let your Inner Muse out" came to me.  The idea of paper designed for poetry came with that, and it snowballed from there.  :)

I have been having some strange things happen on my deck.  I swear I see someone looking into the back door from the deck, but when I look directly no one is there.  I have gotten orbs back there before.  I've had dreams of someone on the deck (I also caught a peeping tom out there once).  Sensitives have also felt someone there.  The last time this happened was when I was starting on the paper art.  I had a feeling that someone was just staring in, wondering what in the heck I was doing!  (I always put my art on the deck to dry, so I guess s/he saw).  It's very very odd.  Sensitives also note that the eerie feeling on the deck does not come into my main bedroom/art area.  It's where I do my work and sleep and I work hard to keep it protected....

Brandy 

Sensitive's reply:

It's a male on your deck.  He is slight in build, maybe almost 6ft tall, early 30's or looked older than his age,very quiet timid guy I would say has accounting type or bookish type energy around him.   

He's the type that has a pocket protector with a pen in it in his shirt pocket.   He has on dress pants and a short sleeved collared starched shirt.  He wears glasses and I would say had brown hair.   He is very curious over you for some reason and peeks in from time to time and I don't think he realizes you know he is there, as I don't feel he would want to bother you or anyone.  

I believe he might be a student or a teacher you knew that is now in spirit.  

He's harmless, just curious.   He was very curious in life, so in death.   I don't feel he ever married but I feel a strong mother influence with him. 

I am not surprised you don't recognize this guy as I feel he was very non descript and unnoticed in life and also apparently in spirit.   But I did some thinking about it and this morning I woke up with the name Dan going around in my head.  I don't know if this is this name or another reading I worked on also while I was off yesterday.  

Anyway he is harmless.   You must have done a good job as you said with your protection circle because it seems to be keeping out those spirits you don't want near you.   

Always use your free will to control entities you haven't givem permission to be near you because you also attract them for some reason.  

--

Kathleen 

May 4, 2005

Sorry to be so quiet as of late; a lot of stressful things going.  I'm up to a couple of art shows, and I had to curate an art event that I hadn't expected earlier this week in addition to what I'm already doing.  

It's final exams week, which is always stressful because the students are coming out of the woodwork (you'd be surprised at what I'm getting this week) and things are totally nuts.  I've had 30 e-mails from students wanting their grades alone!  One had a death in the family, one suddenly has surgery scheduled for the exam date, and on and on it goes.

I have a bad sinus infection on top of all of it -- doctor's appt got me antibiotics which have not helped it.  I'm going to an acupuncturist (well recommended) on Friday to see what they can do.  Since I get these on a yearly basis (or more) I feel that medical science hasn't really done much to help me.  So, we'll try it this way and see what happens.

BUT, now that the life's story is out of the way....ghost stuff.

For the past two weeks I've been seeing movement out of the corner of my eyes close to the ground.  I thought it might be the pets....but they were sleeping and not moving around.  (I also thought it might be a side effect of the antibiotics, though it's not happened before, or perhaps some stress....)

I had some of the SPIRITS here the other night before a ghost hunt and the sensitives did confirm my thought that there was someone here; a male energy on the deck (which also confirms the dreams I've had in the past of an old guy on the deck, standing outside my door).

The pugs, on occassion, also looked toward the deck's door as if someone was there.  However, not all of the pugs reacted in unison, so I didn't know what to make of it.  (I'd hope they'd all react the same to a strong presence!)

Today was an odd day...Noticed as I was getting changed to give a final exam this afternoon that two pugs(I had mine and my mother's with me at the time, as I was "pug sitting" -- a total of 7) were looking intently at the doorway (which was open at the time).  For some reason, their behavior was enough to draw me out. (One of the two pugs that was looking was Odyssey, who is one of the more sensitive pugs...if that makes sense). I took the camera with me and took 4 shots, asking whoever was out there to be in the pictures.  I had the idea that this is not what it wanted (to be voluntarily in the pictures), so I turned the camera and took a picture to my far left (the open area of the deck).  At the end of the deck is a nice dark white orb with nucleus.  It's shaped somewhat like a eart or butterfly (not dust as far as I can tell).  No time to really look at images or type info down as I had to go for the exam (students do not like it if one is late) so I called a friend and told her on my way out the door, just so someone else "witnessed" the event. 

Jan. 28 - 30, 2005:

Friday morning I had a horrible time trying to get warm.  I was cold all day.  I wore a sweatshirt, thick slipper/socks, and medium thickness pajama bottoms.  I took a hot shower, and even went out for a 2 -3 mile walk.  Still cold for most of the day.  Been feeling very stronlgy "down" but I don't feel as if it is originating with me.  Took pictures that night and scared myself a bit; in three of the images are orbs; one picture has a very dark textured orb.  Wondering if Jason is back, or if this is someone else.

Saturday I had trouble warming up in the morning, and Sunday I had minutes of feeling very cold, but these were fleeting.

I'm a bit concerned because it's not that cold in Florida, and this was the same bone-numbing chill I'd associate with a post-investigation of very high activity.  One sensitive said that Jason popped into her mind earlier this week, and she thought he was back.  She theorized that my schedule and sadness over the death of Granny Chu, combined with copious amounts of stress and mass quantities of making art, has attracted him here again.  She aslo suggested he was earth-bound and drawing energy from me.  It's hard to say for certain.

Jan. 26, 2005 

On my way home from USF, I felt someone kicking the back of my seat again.  Pretty strong kick.

12-31-04

I got into the Micanopy Hotel (Bed and Breakfast).   It's reputed to be haunted, and was checked by Andrew Nichols, the Parapsycologist in Gainesville CC.  First, they are willing for us to do an investigation.  I suggested summer, and they thought that was fine.  June, July, or August (not around the holidays).  Room rates for Fri, Sat, and holidays range from $189 - $89, on other nights the prices drop $20 each 

(cheapest room is $69).  We could probably get two people to a room, 

splitting cost, and there is one room that has a triple bed.  Dorothy's room 

is one of the oldest rooms, dating back to the original structure (1845, 

cost -- $119 to $139) and the Pink room is the room with 3 beds (cost $139 - 

119).  I don't know if they'd give us a price break or not for being off 

tourist season.

I spoke with one of the owners.  Here's the story:  Inez was the daughter of 

the house's original (I think) owner.  She was 1 of 6 siblings.  When the 

parents died, there was a long struggle for the house between the 6 

siblings.  Inez finally won.  One tradition has that she got the house, 

moved in, and died the next day.  Another says that she died elsewhere and 

returned to the house as a spirit.

Reported investigations include Nichol's original (he says it's haunted) and 

possibly some other groups.  Information includes leaving a video camera on 

in one room, leaving the room, and recording phenomena.  I'm not sure of the 

rest.

I took pictures of the hotel as I came in, and also after I spoke with the 

owner about doing an investigation.  I was amazed because the "before" shots 

show nothing; the after shots (post Inez discussion) have a couple of orbs.  

I didn't take the rest of my ghost hunting equipment as both Mom and the 

neighbor were shopping a little ways away, I didn't know how the owner would 

react, and I didn't want to scare off any of the guests already in the 

rooms.

I was excited because after I spoke with the hotel owner, I had the feeling 

that Inez would show up.  I kinda let my intuition guide me a bit...for 

example, I was certain she'd show up near the stairwell, and she did.

Now, some of it could be dust.  I don't have anything else to validate the 

experience at this point.   But, I thought it was a nice start to things, 

and for some reason I think it is her.

Dec. 18:  In response to a question via e-mail:

First, I am so sorry for the loss of your pet.  Trust me....I understand.  

When I lose a pug it is utterly devestating.  I dread that now; my pugs are 

older (8, 9, 11) and it makes me cry just thinking about it.

In all honesty, the west is VERY slow in studying animal consciousness.  I 

think there is a reason for that...we are taught that God made nature, then 

he made man to command it (see Genesis; Adam's naming of the animals is 

significant).  We consume animals...we kill them and displace them.  We 

don't want to know that they can think and feel.  (Sorry, not meaning to 

sound harsh, but it's true).

I have gone over to vegetarianism because of this.  I just can't eat meat 

anymore.  I feel that animals know enough that they will die.  If this was a 

natural process (nature balancing itself out) that would be one thing.  But, 

we have thrown nature out of balance and we consume mass quantities of 

animals; unnatural amounts.  And we do it because we WANT to.  We aren't 

even HUNGRY (hunting is also something a bit different, if it's for 

survival).  The sacredness of animal death is gone (Tribal societies often 

pray thanks to the animal for its death and it undergoes sacred rituals 

after death).  Even (in theory) world hunger could be abated if the 1st 

world countries consumed 50% less meat....that says something.

Now, all of that having been said, I do believe animals have a soul.  It may 

not be quite like the human soul, but it exists.  The basic idea of a soul 

is the animating life's breath that comes with birth and ends with 

death...humans gotta breath, animals gotta breath.  We move, we think (I've 

seen the pugs thinking...as odd as it may sound), and living is different 

than being dead (cold, rotting, etc.).

I have actually studied the idea of ghosts in animals...I have a paranormal 

pugs page (www.starkimages.homestead.com/paranormalpugspage.html -- I just 

expanded it to a second page).

The general concensus is that animals reincarnate.  They go on, rejoin 

universal energy, and reincarnate from it.  Depending on the animal, the 

reincarnation may be immediate or it may take time.  Various people believe 

that animals come back as the same creature...it depends on who you talk to. 

  (I have asked my pugs to come and find me again...)  If there is no pet 

reincarnation, then there must be aspects of pets in Heaven.  If Heaven is 

all that is good, then my pets are good.  They make me happy.  If they 

aren't there, then either am I.

I think the possibility of a ghost or spirit with an animal depends upon the 

level of consciousness the animal has.  Why aren't we beseiged with mosquito 

ghosts?  Why don't all animals produce ghosts?  Perhaps animal contact with 

humans is what helps the animal to define itself as an individual and 

conscious being (staying in the wild might not permit that; more survival 

instinct).  That may be the case with your squirrel, too.

I actually would like to post this picture, if you don't mind, for Jan.  I 

think it brings up an interesting quetion and I'd like to see what others 

have to say.

(I think the possibilities are higher that it may be a "hello", but as you 

can see from the above, I'm biased).

We got the holiday card, by the way.  I plan to open and pass it around at 

the holiday get together this Sunday.  :)  Many good things are starting to 

happen; let's hope it's an upward trend for 2005.

Thanks.

Brandy

December 17, 2004:

Doggone it, I'm remembering dreams again.

The first one scared me to death.  We were doing a ghost hunt (and I think 

it was at a place we'd done one before).  I know Denise and I were there 

(and there were others of you, but memory fades as to who was present).  

During the investigation, which was, evidentially, the ghost of the 

homeowner's mother (or an older woman, mother-in-law) the ghost actually put 

its dead body in the backseat of someone's SUV-like car.  It had to be 

Denise's because the two of us got into the car to return the body to the 

cemetary. I was completely unnerved.  The body was positioned as such that 

it was seated in the back seat, arms crossed, with one arm extended up, the 

hand supporting the corpse's chin.  The body also had a slight smile on its 

face, though the eyes were closed.  It was a newly dead person, so the body 

was in pretty good shape...still...uhm, ew!

What was funny is that Denise was so calm and matter of fact about it.  She 

told me that the ghost didn't mean us any harm; it was just giving us proof 

of some sort.  We were going to drive the dead body back to the cemetary and 

put it back in the grave.  That was that.  The last part I remember is that 

we were driving it back to the graveyard (I can't remember who was driving, 

I think I was.  I remember looking into the rear view mirror at the body and 

still being unnerved about it.  I noticed fine lines of decomposition around 

the lips and that unnerving grin).  I woke up with a start.

Nov. 30, 2004:

I am sorry to say that fellow SPIRITS co-founder, Lee, died last night after a prolonged battle with lymphoma.  He was a very nice man and our original sensitive. 

What is odd is that last night I was awakened at 1:11 a.m.  I had gone to bed at 11:30, after completing my fourth and final "masked cat" piece (custom order statue).  I was awakened by this long loud screeching noise....like a stick being dragged across a chalk board.  I have lived in my home for 14 years; I've never heard a noise like that.  I jumped out of bed because I thought someone was trying to break into my window (near the bed), though it was closed (and, at this point, now tightly locked).  My heart was pounding and I saw that the outside sensor light was on, but there was NOTHING and NO ONE in sight.  No animals, no human, nothing moving or swaying...I don't know what the noise was.  I did eventually calm down and got back to sleep.  I woke up on time (a bit tired).

Today, I got the e-mail that he had passed on last night.

So, was the mysterious noise Lee, who came to say good-bye?  (He always promised that he would stop by on his way)....or was it just co-incidence?

Nov. 2, 2004

Tonight when coming back from Eckerds, I felt something sitting behind me (in the car) again.  I had the distinct sensation of something pushing against my back.  Now, I'm in a Miata.  Nothing should push against my back.  I even felt behind me; there was nothing behind the seat, and it was well away from the back of the compartment.  This lasted several minutes.  As far as I can tell, it's not a back spasm.  I don't know how it could be...but I definantly felt pressure against my back for a good part of the bridge ride.  When I got over the bridge, the sensation stopped.  But, cold patches of air were circulating on the passenger side of the car.  STRANGE.

Ghost?  Hallucination?  Fatigue?  Madness?  Hm.

10/17/04

Car was freezing when I got in it tonight.  Temps outside were in the 70's.  The car windows were rolled up; it was so hot when I parked the car I was sweating.  In the 3 hours since, the car cooled so much that it felt as if the a/c was running when I got in.  Is this something that can be explained?  If so, I'm not sure how.  The Miata is unusually hot for a little car.  I do not use a/c unless under extreme cases and this was not one of them -- windows only for me.  I parked in a spot that was not particularly shady; and the car has not been that cool before or since.  I replicated parking in the same spot under similar time and circumstances and it has not happened again.  Hm.

9/8/04

I went out to walk today around noon.  My school schedule is already being affected by the LAST hurricane -- for the rest of the term I must teach my class for 15 minutes longer on Fridays.  Also, we had a Tuesday off; it is no longer off.  I have to trek in Oct. 12 to teach.  

In the meantime, with the new hurricane new wrinkles develop.  I have gotten notification that Eckerds is closing for the second time in two weeks.  A student told me that UT is closing (need to get the official word on that).  That leaves SPC and HCC; not good.  By law, I believe, we have to make those classes up.

I'm very concerned about this one.  I keep hoping and thinking "Texas" -- I have nothing against Texas  but I don't want it here! Maybe a nice empty part of the area, or maybe turning around and heading back out to the Atlantic to disappear? -- but this nagging hunch says it's gonna climb up this way.  If so, it's a bad bad one.  We will be sufering major losses; I have students who are still without power after 5 days from Frances -- a low grade hurricane.

However, the pugs are back to their nutty behavior (which I attribute to the storm).  Floridians and St. Petersburgarians/Tampanians are very very very nervous and tense.  For the second time in a month, Mom and I went hurricane shopping last night; we're going out again tonight for canned goods.

I figured I should walk, despite the heat, because I may end up inside all next week.  Warm, yes, but sun is good when storms threaten.  While out, I found a new tennis ball which I brought home for my babies (Ody, mommy's little genius, loves 'em).  Then I saw this odd glimmer on the ground.  I actually passed it the first time as it was so subtle; I almost didn't go back thinking it was a bottle cap or something.  I looked again and this time it appeared to be a washer.  But there was something funky about it.  So, I took the three steps back and scooped it up.

What I saw was a circle attached to a cross with two bumps on it.  It was a copper color (closer inspection shows that it is copper-coated).

At first glance, I thought it was an ahnk pendant that someone had lost (I taught about Amarna and Egypt today, so that was on my mind). But, the top was too round for that.  Then I thought, with the two bumps, it was part of a gay pride pin or something -- a connector piece.  Then, I saw light etchings on the piece.  Then a figure.  I stopped for a moment and realized I was looking at it upside down.  The cross was actually a cruciform; the round part was a "crown of thorns".  I realized what the two bumps were:  this was likely the remains of a rosary ring.  

So, it seems that I have found Jesus.  On the cross.

Interesting.

I let Mom know (she was ecstatic, of course, and thinks that God is trying to tell me something.  I don't doubt it, but I didn't think I was that Westernized.  Must be the Roman in me).  Understand, I teach compar. Religons -- I study modern and ancient World Religions.  And I know Religions have a sense of humor...(I'm not mocking ANY religion).

But, what I do hope is that it is a good sign for the hurricane....Fingers and toes crossed.  I will take any protections offered.

8/28/04

Today while packing my art for Dragoncon I felt a very very strong cool breeze next to me on my left hand side.  Considering this is Florida, it's got to be at least 88 degrees outside with VERY intense humidity, and my art is stored OUTSIDE on a screened in deck, this cool breeze was really funky.  Mom sat on the porch steps to my right; I mentioned feeling a cool breeze; no comment from her.  I asked if her a/c was on (it was) but if she had left anything open -- a door or window...nope.  I looked to verify and could not find an origin for the breeze.  I don't know where this cool breeze came from, but with luck it's wishing me well for the Dragoncon Art Show.   The SPIRITS have speculated I have an artsy ghost hanging around me.  Hm.

8/3/04

Well, it's been an interesting week.  Last Thursday, July 29th, I came home to find one of my fish jumped the tank.  It was my 12 year old Pleco named Perry.  He's never jumped before, and I can't fathom how he got out of the tank.  He is a huge fish!   I did manage to get him back in the tank in time to save him; he is still swimming today.

Sunday, August 1, I came back from grocery shopping to find that 12 of my fish were dead, and more were dying.  The filters had failed (I have two) and the water, which was being treated for Perry's open wounds from the jump Thursday night,, was stagnant.  Even as I began to pump air in and get water out of the tank, more fish died.  It was horrible.  I've NEVER had anything like this happen EVER before in 12 years of tank ownership (with many of those years having multiple tanks).  Out of a once-stabilized tank of tropical fish, I was only able to save 4 fish -- Perry, my 6 inch bala shark, a kissing gourami and a single giant zebra dano.  The rest, who showed no signs of other distress, were gone.

It concerned me because, according to Feng Shui, fish are guardians.  When they die, they are sacrificing themselves to negative energy.  In addition, 2 of my mother's fish had died, my hermit crab (one of two) died two days before Perry jumped, Iliad jumped off the bed and twisted her leg, and I wasn't feeling well again...so it was a strange and horrifying week.

In addition to that, two hematite rings I wear (grounding, protection from depression) broke...the newest one that I bought to replace the first one that broke shattered when I was touching the fish tank.  

After enough distress, I finally decided to cleanse my area using sage smudging and the Feng Shui bell technique yesterday afternoon.

Here is where this entry picks up:

Here are a couple of unusual things that have happened post-cleansing.  

4 involve the pugs:

  Yesterday while I was exercising on my bike in the garage (where a 

bright red Firebird is also parked), Odyssey did something odd.  He very 

carefully put his front paw in one of the holes in the Firebird's 

bumper (it's not a hole, but  design in the bumper, but I don't know how to 

describe it) and for the first time ever, he raised himself up to see 

over the hood (not sure it was successful; he's a little boy).  On and 

off over the past year, I've found myself looking at the car with the 

idea that someone is looking back.  Could be some form of discomfort 

(exercising in a garage) or instinct (usually people sit behind the wheels 

in cars, and my bike is at the front of the garage at the front of the 

car).  But, there have been some odd things with this car.  For 

example, one day the Firebird wasn't in the garage, but the Camry was. I had 

the distinct impression of someone thinking  "This isn't MY car" while 

biking in the garage.  Strange, but then again...exercise does put one 

in an

 altered state so I'm never sure how much to invest in these 

experiences. 

Yet, yesterday Odyssey's curiosity was strange.  I've been working out 

in the garage for a year, and this car has been here longer than 

Odyssey has (he's 8, the car is 10 or 11)  boy, and he's never shown this 

curiosity before.

That was, I believe, before I cleansed my area.

After I cleansed the area I wanted to lie down for a while.  I had 8 

pugs (I was pug sitting for Mom yesterday) and myself attempting to 

sleep.  It didn't work well -- I had two phone calls...and out of nowhere, 

Dovie, the 10 year old puggess who is visually impaired and a 

bit...well...eccentric for a pug, stood up and started to bark.  I have no idea 

why; she was near the door, however, and I figured she heard a noise 

from outside.  She eventually settled down again.

In addition, I had TWO good things happen.  A surprise gift from a 

neighbor for my trip to Italy, which was so sweet, and I met with a former 

student when I went to replace my phone cord.  I found the last phone 

charger for my type of phone in the store (though it's a car charger, 

it's doable!) and the student, who worked there and was very 

complimentary of my class, recognized me and I got an educator's discount.  That 

was really neat.

Last night (I was back down to my 4 pugs), between 11:15 and 11:30, 

Lilo, the youngest of the pugs and the petite boy, burst out barking not 

once, but twice.  The lights were on the first time Lilo barked; I 

looked outside and found nothing.  I felt unusually tired last night and so 

opted to go to bed a bit early, so, the second time, the lights were 

off.  He scared the wits out of me; in 2000 I had a peeping tom break 

into the deck and I saw him.  I think he had been in there at least one 

time prior as I found things moved on the deck the weekend before; since 

then, I take late night pug outburst seriously.  (Of course, the pugs 

didn't bark once when the peeping tom was here -- *I* saw him!).  I 

again turned on all lights and looked around; I found nothing.  I don't 

know what he was barking at!

I felt extreme fatigue yesterday.  Though I have been sleeping, I've 

been having a series of nightmares and uncomfortable dreams -- usually of 

failing to get a job, forgetting that I promised to teach a class, or, 

in one instance, being thrown to these giant angry shark-whales....  

I've been waking up at night, too.  Last night, I conked out early, 

despite the barking outbursts -- around 11:45 -- and woke up at 8 a.m.  I 

did wake up once last night -- sweating, despite having the a/c on 78 

(which, for me, is cool--I normally keep it on 80).  I got up, changed to 

a lighter night gown, and went back to bed.  I had no nightmares; only 

one dream -- I dreamt that I went to a mall where they had a new age 

store of sorts.  I had gone in and they had a sale on semi-precious gems.  

In this dream, I was again searching for amethyst--said to enhance 

psychic abilities and also hematite (a cleansing, grounding, reducer of 

negativity stone).  Two weeks ago, my hematite ring broke.  It's said that

 when the ring breaks, it has done its job of protecting the wearer 

from a huge bout of negative energy.  A friend gave me a replacement ring; 

last weekend the ring broke when I put my hand against my fish tank.  I 

have not replaced the ring yet.

It's odd because I had a dream two weeks ago about buying an amethyst 

ring in a similar store to last night's dream.  Methinks that two dreams 

is a sign of some sort.

The fish are doing great, and my other hermit crab is fine.  No more 

deaths so far. I dunno.  Very strange.  I feel more rested today than I 

have i a long time....

Anyway, just thought I'd update.

7-16-04

Last night Mom told me something that had happened to her.  She said that Thursday morning she couldn't find her car keys.  She had to use a spare key -- a single key without a key chain.  She drove to work, put it in her purse.  She and a co-worker had to go to a lunch meeting. She drove.  She had to use the spare key.  She got to the rest. and went in with him.  After the meeting, she had to dig and dig to find her spare key (one little key in a huge purse!)  When they got back to the car, she discovered that her REGULAR key was sitting in the ignition of the engine.  The car was still locked.  She could not explain how her regular key got into the ignition when she was certain that she had been using the spare key for all of her driving. 

So, I tried to give her a rational explaination.  She had probably just misplaced her regular keys in her purse, forgotten that she was using the spare key, and had instinctively used her regular keys to start and drive the car to the rest.  She got distracted as she got out (a lot going on) and forgot to pull them from the ignition.  WHen she came back from the lunch meeting, she remember that she was using the spare key and went to look for it.  That's when she discovered the other keys in the ignition. 

She rather dismissed that idea -- she was certain she drove with the spare key all day.  When I suggested a ghost, she scoffed and said "I knew you'd say that."  Okay, then.

Denise got the idea that whatever was going on in the main house was something attached to Mom; I thought this was an interesting story.

Two other tidbits from here, then I'll let you all get back to your regularly scheduled lives.  One:  In one day, I blew three light bulbs.  This happened right after I finished the chair.  I turned on the bathroom light -- out it went, -- the fan light -- off, then the outside light --blip and fizzle.  So, that was kinda cool.  I think it's the SLI-der stuff again with the art.

The other thing;  Yesterday I broke my hemotite ring.  I wear it as a "grounder" and to "ward off depression" -- which is what it's supposedly good for.  This ring lasted MUCH longer than my other hematite rings...a year and a half to two years.  When it broke yesterday I was only a little surprised...I had seen a crack forming in it.  It was strange; last night I had a dream...but it was not like most of my other dreams (nightmares!)...it was very positive.  Mom and I were hosting some sort of summer camp and we had all sorts of friends here at the house.  We had plugged into a program for councilors and we had this nice young man come out (he was my age or so).  We got along fabulously, and my friends kept trying to push us together....and I also dreamed that the group went on a trip to the local downtown area.  We went into a store where I was looking at rings to replace the one that I broke.  Instead of getting a hematite ring, I was attracted to amethyst rings (psychic enhancers, so they say).  Odd thing is that it was in the shape of a jade ring that I've seen and used to have.  Anyway, very strange things.

7-10-04

Well, this was odd.  Mom had to do an orientation at work today, so I had the house to myself.  Because of the indoor nature of summer, I ended up cleaning the floors (too many puggies in one house for too long makes a rather doggy-smelling home).  I swept the floors and noticed that Mom had left the windows open.  I was surprised because I thought the a/c was on.  In fact, I felt a cool breeze (as if the a/c was on).  I closed the windows and kept cleaning.  I got upset because the pugs were panting so hard, and I was sweating as I cleaned.  Understand, though, that Mom keeps the a/c on at 83 in the house; I get 80 in the apt.  Therefore, it is NOT unusual for me to sweat as I clean.  Besides, I had done an hour and a half worth of exercise and gone out to spray the front lawn for weeds for another 40 minutes in the blazing hot Florida sun.  No wonder!  Still, it seemed odd that I was THIS drenched with sweat (heck, even at 83, the a/c pulls out the humidity and it's remarkably cooler than outside) and that the pugs were huffing as hard as they were.  Yet, I felt the breeze again.  No, no fans were on...but I did go to check the thermostat.  It was 87 degrees in the house, with no vent -- the a/c was TOTALLY off.

I laughed at myself and turned the air on -- immediate difference in temperature, and several fans went on.  I finished up and started to do a few other tasks.  When Mom got home around 2, I told her the story, laughing a bit that she had "fooled" me (she has a thing about the a/c).  Well, imagine my surprise when she said that she had also had the same thing happen to her!  Her explaination was that the unit (which is brand new, I might add, as of April 2004) may be malfunctioning.  It's an outdoor a/c unit, big boy...and if it's malfunctioning, this is the first time it's happened.  Granted, new equipment has a greater chance of falling to a bug, I guess, but it's still odd. 

I tried to broach the idea of a ghost...uh, NO go with her.  But, INTERESTING considering what's been going on the past couple of days, no?

7-8-04

Well, I finally got the inspiration for the chair..."Come into my parlor [chair]," said the Spider to the Fly"...it's a combination of dream catcher and spider web chair made from found objects.  The pillows are made of screen stuffed with batting and "sewed" with wire.  The "web" is made from wire rods and thin metal wire, augmented with found objects.  

After a series of days, I'm nearly 2/3rds done with it.  I need to add materials to the front and back of the chair (I will be making one more web for the back of the chair, and wrapping wire around the front bar; possibly hanging some "spiders")...I hope to finish it this weekend.  It's close.  I am making myself stop for tonight because my hands, shoulders, and back are starting to hurt from being hunched over the thing for so long. (I"m also supposed to get pictures of me working on the chair; I most have shots of the pugs looking at the chair as I take pictures of it...I shall have to hope that Maternal One can work my digital tmrw to get this done!)

The chair will be displayed locally and will be placed in a catalogue.  It will ultimately be auctioned off for a fundraiswer for chairity, including the make-a-wish foundation.  

Now, you all must know that I love paranormal investigation.  It's been most unusual today because for most of the day I've heard popping sounds near me.  This started earlier today when I was sitting alone in the classroom after HUM II.  The students had an exam and had left; I was grading for my office hour.  Twice I heard a thud/pop coming from the back wall of the classroom.  I've been in that room twice a week for 2 months; this has never happened before.  I dismissed it as possibly coming from workers moving things.  

When I came home this afternoon, post lunch, I started to feel kind of tired and a bit down.  It may relate to end of the semester fatigue, or the uncertainty I've felt lately about a lot of things.  But, I noticed that the "pops" were back in my apt., this time coming from the area of the kitchenette.  This is rare; it's near a window area that has been featured in my dreams as a portal, upon which twice in one night the verticals slammed back violently and loudly enough to wake me and my pugs up (window was closed; I got up to check, pugs were in bed with me.  I have no reason for this to happen), and an area where orbs appear in photographs.  I noted it, but didn't take it too seriously.  I figured it related to the heat, or the a/c...

I started to work on the chair tonight.  Because the paint is dry, I brought it in (very humid to try to work outside today).  I had Mom's pugs with me, Murr was in, and my puggies were sleeping as I worked.  They were remarkably well behaved (that is, in itself, paranormal).  I finished up the first and did the second side of the chair.  I wanted to take pictures of the chair to document how I was creating it over time.  While inside, a light orb appeared by the chair.  I did not notice it on the camera until I downloaded the images later.

After I worked on it, I feared for the safety of the chair inside (new things may be "marked" here if I'm not careful to remove them)...so I took it to the deck.  I noticed a few more pops as I moved about (also heard them in the garage where I keep most of my art supplies).  

The pugs were being very cute, as per usual.  Since I was taking pictures of the chair, they had to get into the act.  As I snapped pictures, I used a standard ghost hunting technique.  I asked if there was an entity that had been hanging around me for the day to be in certain pictures (inviting it to be in certain images, but not all).  Towards the end, I placed the cushions back into the chair and I invited the "person" to sit in the chair, and to show up for me on the camera as a bright big orb.  (Yes, there are days when even I think I'm crazy, but since my only witnesses are the pugs and I kinda felt like trying it, what the heck?  I was not invoking or evoking anyone or anything -- I never have.  My home is my "down" place to get some rest and quiet).

Much to my surprise, orb images appeared in certain images.  There appears to be a group of 3 - 4 orbs, one of which is the predominant orb (darkest) with three lighter orbs around it.  Granted, my chair was on the deck, which I swept 8 hours before.  I had just let the pugs out.  Could be dust...but I just found it odd.  I'd imagine that dust would be in EVERY shot; not selective.  But, it could be misremembered information (I thought I noted which pictures I'd invited the entity to be in...oddly, as I type this, I heard a thud above me from the roof....could be an animal skittering across, though.  Strange time!)

Happily, the orbs appear in pretty decent shots of the chair, so I can send them out together.  I also caught a couple with the pugs being cute.  My fav is the profile shot of Jasper.  His tounge is sticking out; does he not like the chair?  (Jasper has 5 teeth and a "wry" tongue -- a tongue that is distorted and hangs out because the teeth are not there to hold it in.  Still, it could be his opinion on my art!)

So, now that I've taken all of your time, check out the images below.  Let me know what you think (other than noting my descent into madness).  Understand, there is more to do with the chair, but I am pleased with its progress.  I just hope it's cohesive.  I think the final touches (the web in the open spot on the back of the chair, the wrapped wires on the front bar) will just make it....:)

7/2/04

Saw Denise (SPIRITS) today.  She mentioned that she sensed an older woman with white hair and slightly hunched back with her hands on my shoulders...comforting me.  She saw the image constantly through the day....Louise?  The Homeowner?  Other?

6-10-04

This morning while I was preparing to ride my exercise bike (about 6:30 a.m.), the pugs did something rather odd.  I was eating cereal as I rode.  The pugs love it when I do that and always flock around the bike to beg.  Iliad suddenly broke away from the group and started to bark at a specific corner in the garage.  She stood silent, then barked again.  I called to her and she ignored me.  Eventually, she returned to the group. Next, Lilo broke from the group and did the same thing.  He intently barked at the SAME spot that Iliad had focused on.  He did not come when I calleduntil he finally returned on his own.  He was not gone as long as Iliad.  Odyssey and Jasper did not leave my side.

I got off the bike, left the garage (where it is stationed) and returned to the computer to get my camera.  I went back out to the area and was planning to take some photographs.   My mother wandered by and came out to talk to me for a few minutes.  She is not a believer in ghosts, and does not share my interest in the garage.  I waited until she went, feeling a bit foolish and hoping to get pictures of the garage before any more time elapsed.  I took three pictures.  The camera had trouble functioning; it was slow and delayed.  It denied me the ability to have live display.  I initially thought it was the batteries, but when I downloaded the images this afternoon I had no problems with the camera.

Of the three images, there is a light white orb hovering over the car, slightly askance to the area that held the pugs' attention.  All three images have the orb.could there be some substance to the idea that I feel as if I am being watched in the garage?  I find my eyes wandering to the area of the car often, sometimes feeling as if someone sits within it.  Other times, I think that someone crosses in the doorway in front of me.  

Very unique.

6/3/04

While on my exercise bike I thought I caught movement at the edge of the garage entrance door (not the garage door, but the doorway into the garage) as I peddled along reading.  It was a fast movement, as if someone leaned in front of the edge of the door to my left very quickly to peek in, then pulled back out of my sight.  The odd thing is that I have a table for my art blocking that particular spot with JUST enough room between it and the door frame for a person to stand sideways and glimpse into the garage.

For some reason today, too, I started to announce how much time I had left on the bike...that was odd for me.  It's just me in the garage surrounded by a pack of pooped out puggies.  Yes, they slept through the whole thing.  This is why I have no idea if they are acclimated to these phenomena or if I just imagine it.  I am experiencing a time of stress trying to balance teaching four very active summer classes with my art, then home duties.

The second odd thing to happen was as I got off the bike to do 250 laps on the rowing machine.  Florida is notoriously hot right now.  I walked at 7:20 a.m. and it was already 82 degrees outside according to the radio weathermen.  I had errands to run, so I started other exercises later; the bike I started at 11:30, finished at 12:30.  The rower was next, then I could retreat inside to cool off.  

To keep the place a bit cooler, I have a small 12-inch fan set up on the dryer by the doorway.  It's an old thing, but works well at creating a strong breeze directly on my upper torso, arms, and head, as I bike.

The rowing machine is behind the bike, facing a different direction.  It's much lower a seat than this bike, and hovers a scant few inches above the ground.  While the fan was still on, I have not been able to feel the breeze as I'm on the rowing machine in the past.  And, the fan blows the air that is already in circulation outside:  hot air!  

As I sat on the rower, I started to feel a distinct very cold breeze, as if someone had opened the door with the a/c on.  It circulated around me, on my right hand and arm, and leg.  This was very much cooler air than I thought the fan could produce.

Once again, I felt hurried to work on the machine and almost obligated to announce how much time I had left.  I did not announce anything, though, since I was trying to pop back into the house -- where the a/c was -- in case I was suffering from heat stroke or was starting to overheat.  My only other thought is that I was warming up and exercising so that ANY breeze, even a deflected or mild breeze, might be picked up by my body as being much cooler than it really is.  I'm not sure.

3/23/04

Tonight Mom and I gave a little party for the pugs; Granny turns 15 April 9 (pretty doggone good!)  Jasper turned 10 in Jan., Crescent and Odyssey had Feb birthdays and Dovie, we think, has a birthday in March.  It went well; pugs had a meatloaf cake and we non-pugs had a caramel cake....and the pugs were very hyped!  I have images for those interested to see them on my Pug Images Page, about half way down the page (under the sleeping pug and Granny stories).  http://www.starkimages.homestead.com/pugimages.html

After the event I was busy downloading images.  I took a break to write a couple of e-mails to the SPIRITS group.  As I finished typing the last sentence, my hands suddenly grew very very cold...Jasper, who was sleeping at my feet, suddenly jumped up as if he had been poked (he's a heavy sleeper; this was not normal activity for him).  THe cold stopped after a second or two.  I got up, got the camera that had finished downloading and took 6 pictures.  I started with the computer area, and asked for anyone present to please be in the pictures.  I had a sudden urge to take a picture facing my window (the same window where we've gotten other activity and that lines up with other possibly paranonormal activity reported 2 houses away).  I got a single orb image right beneath my hanging sculpture.  I did dust Tuesday and had done the floors Wed. a.m.  This was about 9:30 p.m., a good 12 hours after I had swept and washed the floors.  Now, it could just be a refraction of light, but I've taken images from where I stood to the window before and gotten NOTHING. So, I dunno.  But, it was odd.  The room was cool, not cold, and the fan was off.  I had a sweatshirt and pants on, but the sensation of cold then not cold was quite distinct on my hands.  I had a secondary chill on my legs, which I have often experienced on investigations.  (Don't know why).  I have also had this sensation in the garage when exercising (when I captured other orb images).  

I did have a harder time getting to sleep, a wee bit concerned about any visitors and until about 12:30 I had the feeling of being watched, but the pugs were so deeply asleep I figured it was  probably OK.   I did hear a loud "pop" around 12:30, and the sensations of feeling watched stopped.

3/13/04

Last night, Mr. Spock, my sugar glider, woke me up.  He was barking furiously; usually this is a sign of agitation or alarm.  I got up to check on him and could find nothing wrong.  He had water and food, and the pugs were up on the bed with me.  When I checked on him, he was staring at the direction of the bed.  He has now "barked"  4 times since I've gotten him.  I still don't know WHY or what upsets him.

I went back to sleep...and had a very intense anxiety dream.  I was teaching and needed to give an exam but could not find the review sheets or exam.  In the meantime, I had brought my hermit crabs with me to the campus and they were missing.  A student gave me a hermit crab that was the size of my outstretched hand, very spider-like, and told me it was mine.  I knew that it was not, yet through the dream it continued to grow in size.  It eventually vomitted up snail and hermit crab shells coated in slime:  it had eaten all of those creatures.  I did not like this creature, and when I found my original hermit crabs (then lost them again) I feared for them because this huge monster creature would probably eat them the second I looked away.  Meanwhile, I was running all over the campus trying to get copies of the review sheet out while my class, which knew I was there, sat and waited.  It was very frustrating for a dream and I was glad to wake up from it.

In addition, the popping sounds in the apartment are still going, but we in Florida are having a continued cycle of cool mornings, warm afternoons, and cold nights.  I have noticed that last night I was very very cold; the house is much colder than the outside.  Last night, however, I could not get warm.  I have been very chilled inside...

3/5/04

Today, while cleaning the fish tank, I felt another blast of cold air on the deck.  This was early afternoon (around 12:30) when I was cleaning the fish.  Because of the amount of water needed, I go to an outdoor spout on the deck to fill up buckets with water.  I had just gone out to refill the first bucket when I felt a very strong cold standing in the corner next to the spout.  Granted, it is an area where two walls meet, and it is a screened in deck.  It could be that it was a pocket of cold air trapped by the two concrete walls.  However, as soon as I "found it" it seemed to dissipate as I touched the air...I went in and got my camera and went back out.  The cold spot was totally gone and the camera did not pick up anything.  Hm.  Could be natural phenomena, but it was odd for the deck.  I clean the fish tank every 2 weeks and that has never happened before (and I've had this tank for 12 years!)

2/10/04

The exercise bike saga continues.

Well, once again I was exercising on the exercise bike.  It was around 2:30 in the afternoon.  I felt the same cold that I have felt out in the garage.  The air was warm, registering around 87 degrees near the window, 76 by the floor.  The floor itself was 73 degrees.  I got the EMF meter, and on the 0 - 3 scale, it registered around .2 - .6, but continued to fluctuate (which is unusual).  I initially had the washing machine going, and I did stop it.  I also registered the exercise bike; the only EMF it produced was when the digital display turned off.  I set the EMF meter on the table next to the bike.  There it produced 3 strong jumps from .2 - 1.0; I attempted to use the needle as a way for the potential entity to communicate.  That was iffy at best (No strong results).  

I took pictures of the garage (again.  Ugh, what a horrible thing to look at!)  Of the 56 images, only one showed up with a strong orb.  Images taken before and after it were blank.  However, I saw as soon as I took the shot that there appeared to be an orb, and took a picture immediatly afterwards...to have it have nothing unusual show up in it.  I will include three SMALLER images that I took in the garage (I have "shrunk" them for ease of attaching).  I have another series of images taken in the garage on my Ghostly IMages site.  I am wondering if there IS the possiblity that something is present.  

If you note, the orb image has the same dark circle in the center as the other orb shots taken over a period of time (the past 3 months).

I also set the camera to "movie" mode and recorded a few Q&A sessions with the EMF meter.  I actually CAPTURED a spike on one of the movies, but I am having trouble downloading it.  This is on the canon camera.  I tried using the digital card but it says that the file is read only.  I think it would take a direct download, but when Pygmalian was in a naughty mood he actually chewed up several of my cords that I kept on the desk (He was out for a "running session")  He destroyed my camera's ISP cable, and I think it's a specific type of cable for the canon.  Does anyone else have experience with these cameras?  Can I download the images in any other way?

1/22/04

Hey all.  I had another "episode" in the garage.  I was doing the bike again.  It was nearly 52 minutes (51:32) into the workout (60 minutes total) when I felt a cold chill run up my leg again.  I got off the bike and noted that, yes, the floor itself was cold.  But, the temperature of the floor had not changed during the work out...so why would I get chilled at that point?

So, I came in and got the camera, asked anyone present to stay there for the picture. I took 4 pictures.  The first one was blurred.  The second had nothing; the third was this image...the forth had nothing.  So, what do you think?  Do I have friend, is it syncronicity?  Ideas?  I had to finish the workout (not going that far without finishing up and burning off the calories).  

1/13/04

Hey, all.  Just a few quick updates.  Classes have started, so I'm kinda getting tired....whew!  (I am taking 1, teaching 6, so it's a heavy load).

I rec'd some pics from the SPIRITS holiday party, Dec. 13.  They were taken with a disposable 35 mm camera.  The only two pictures that I was in orbs appeared, and  ONLY in my two pictures did orbs appear (the rest of the film was normal).  The images were NOT taken in sequence (so it's not dust on the lens).  (Picture postings below, and I'll try to attach images).

This is what happened to me the year before when I went to a (non-SPIRITS) party.  The image is still up at the opening of Ghostly Images.  Ody and I posed for one picture, then there was a group shot.  The hostess that year took about 25 digital pictures.  Of those pictures, only the two with me in them had orbs.  And the orb image was next to me.

Ditto this year.

So, do I have my own invisible date?  Are these resident ghosts that come out when I'm there and hang out (yes, these are over 2 years, 2 different locations).  

I do a lot about the dead, granted, and talk about ghost hunting, death, ghosts...perhaps I have attracted them?  Or is it all just a co-incidence?

Pictures are at the very bottom of the Ghostly Images page.

My next question:  Do birthdays relate to who, of the living, can see ghosts?  I was reading a Dictionary of Superstitions...when it got to the month of May, which happens to be my birth month, it said that babies born in May will either be sickly or rebellious.  It's also a bad time for marriage, cats born in May will grow up to suck the breath out of infants...and evil spirits can abound.  (UGH!)

I was born on May 30th, the old Memorial Day.  (I get to stay home and get paid to do so once every 7 years...lovely).  It is a day we honor the fallen dead of battle.

The Romans also celebrated the dead in May, with the paterfamilias throwing beans over his back and banging pots to ward away the dead.  (It's complicated).  That usually happened in mid-May.

I've been fascinated with ghosts since childhood.  I didn't know all of this, initially, about May and ghosts but now that I do, I wonder if there is a connection.  Are there others with May birthdays that find similar interest?  Hmmm...

Last question...I have a Sugar Glider named Mr. Spock.  A couple of times in the middle of the night, Spock has "barked" in alarm.  I can't find a reason why he would be upset.  Now, gliders are nocturnal...and I'm a new sugar glider owner.  However, I think it is abnormal behavior for him.  He has only barked 3 nights in the months that I've owned him (it's a distinctive sound...like a puppy on helium), and each time I get up and check on him to find nothing amiss.  

I'm curious to see if the spectral activities of the home are still going on.  He's the latest pet (I have 4 pugs, a cat (outdoor) fish, and Pygmalian, the poetry writing guinea pig, in addition to semi-frequent visits from 3 - 4 of Mom's pugs and one of her old cats).  Could he be sensitive to ghosts?  Or is it something perfectly natural going on...?

12/31/03

I was peddling my exercise bike at around 8:30.  It had been a long and active day; I wanted to wind down a bit before celebrating the new year.  I read the paper and started in on my next chapter of ghost tales.  Suddenly, I felt a very intense cold next to my right foot and leg.  After a moment, I had chills running up my leg, goosebumps and all.  The chills extended to my right hand, as well.

Since I had 8 minutes left to finish my full exercise hour, I spoke out loud and asked that if anything was present it should leave me alone to finish my work out.  About a minute later the entire sensation went away.  I was fine for the remainder of the session.  However, I did hear what I thought was metal rattling (a sound similar to the metal rods I use in my art).  Yet, the pugs showed no signs of duress...all was settled down at the end of the exercise session (8:39 p.m.).

12/7/03  The latest:  I have had an odd feeling for the past 3 or 4 days.  When exercising in the garage (on the exercise bike) I have felt as if I was being intensely watched.  I thought it was just due to stress, but it was unnerving.  I found myself staring at the doorway often, expecting to see someone standing square in the doorway looking back.

Last night both Zeus and Jasper started to bark at the door facing the deck.  Mr. Spock, for the first time, also "barked"a sign of excitement.  I took pictures of the area and found no orbs.  However, my first statement was something like, "If anyone is there, you need to leave me alone.".implying a ghost.  Odd.

This week I have also experienced a surge of creative expression.  I was outside on the deck taking pictures.  I noticed a small orb appearing next to three dog bone ornaments I had made tonight.  I took three more pictures immediately afterwards and found no orbs.  

I had to go into the garage to get more wire.  I felt very uncomfortable going into the garage.  I took pictures going into the garage; my camera had a hard time working.  It refused to work for part of the time.  I turned around and took several pictures of the doorway.  One image has a light orb at the bottom, the next image, taken immediately afterward, shows nothing.

So, I'm not sure what the heck to make out of this!!

11/18/03:

Denise came by....sensed a male presence in my area; went through Mom's and felt only the older woman (the homeowner) from before.  Mild presence, not much else.  

Just a quick update:

10-13-03

Today I had an interesting experience.  After my whirlwind art craze last night I was a wee bit tired today (and Monday morning classes are TOUGH; I have half a voice and other than having my lecture interrupted by fits of coughing, it went well enough).  

Anywho, I took a nap this afternnon.  Was not feeling too well....I got some tea Susan recommended called Throat Coat.  It's good stuff, but after drinking 3 cups of tea since Friday (as per the recommendation on the package and my desperation to talk today) it has a) become totally noxious and I can't drink it anymore and b) kinda given me an upset stomach.  So, instead of exercise, notes, cleaning, or art, I went to lie down.  I slept for nearly 2 hours, a rather fitful sleep with 7 pugs and myself on one daybed, and with a nightmare about a man who was a compellation of my mother's ex-boyfriends breaking into the house and not leaving at my requests, the cops not taking it seriously, nor being able to reach Mom to ask for help.  (Lovely).  

After a while, I felt like I "woke up" -- I looked at the clock and realized it was two hours later.  I wanted to get up.  Have you had an experience where you keep dreaming that you are getting up, but you don't?  I have had that problem before....and I had that today.  It was like a time loop.  I would sit up in bed, swing my feet to the floor, and stand up, thinking I was up, but would find myself in the next second lying in bed (exactly as I was actually lying in bed).  This happened repeatedly; at least a dozen times.  I remember trying to puzzle out how to wake up; I knew this part was a dream.  I tried willing myself awake, touching and pulling myself up by grabbing the backboard of the daybed (which felt REAL to the touch), and so on, but I kept ending up in the same spot over and over again....stuck in this dream loop and KNOWING I was stuck in the dream loop.  I thought I was actually up for a minute, but then I had a mini dream about a mummy running loose at a wedding (I dunno; too much diet ice cream at lunch??) and I realized I was STILL asleep, then found myself back on the bed sleeping among the pugs.  ARGH, that was IRRITATING. Finally, I tried turning my head (I was sleeping on my back, I wondered if a pressure in the brain from my posture was causing the dream loop...I told you I was consciously "aware" of some of what was going on) and then moving my hand to look out the blinds.  Though the apartment was a dull grey in lighting, pushing the blinds open allowed me to see the sunlight; this time I KNEW I was awake.  I pushed up and got up. At that moment, as I sat up on the bed, I heard another "POP" coming from the corner of the room where the TV is.  It was unusual to hear a Pop at 3:30 p.m. (to my memory).

For a few minutes I was leery that I was still asleep.  I wanted to raise my blood sugar level, in case that was part of the problem, so I made a jelly sandwhich.  I was awake, but did not feel rested at all. 

So, my question for you all:  was this a paranormal experience?  Just chemical imbalance/pressure on the brain?  Has anyone else had an experience like this?  HOW do you get out of it?  It took me try after try after try.  I've had it happen in the past a few times  when I try to take a nap in the afternoon, around the same time, in my apt. area.

Anywho, hope all are doing well.  Jasper is barking at the fish tank (or at the wall)....so I'll catch you later....ah, the enigmatic nature of the pug!

Brandy

10/05/03

Washing the floor in my room, I washed right through a cold spot.  It was in the area in front of the vanity when I felt it.  It moved through very quickly and vanished.  I have also heard more "pops" in the front of the apt, which have now moved with me to the garage.  I heard a pop come from the dryer (which was not on, moving, or disturbed at the time) while I exercised on my bike (stored in the garage).

9/13/03

During a SPIRITS investigation, Denise, the team sensitive, picked up an entity near me.  She sensed a familiar presence, perhaps the entity who has been sensed by others near my car and in my home.  She felt very positive emotions coming from this entity, especially a sense of kinship and love.  It was so intense she had to move away from me, only explaining later what happened.  She supsects he has become a guardian figure for me.  Interesting!

8/19

Last night I was reclining in the bed.  As I lay there, not asleep (it was only 10:30, too early for me to go to bed), I closed my eyes.  I had the TV on but low on volumn.  I was trying to relax a bit and unwind.

As I lay there a minute or two I suddenly heard my name spoken by an adult male voice, as if from a far distance (a tunnel).  It was distinctly in my right ear, which was against the pillow.  It was not a shout or a whisper, but sounded as if someone had stated my name from a great distance.  

I sat up immediatly.  I had not fallen asleep.  I was not near the gray state.  I was quite awake.  I turned on the a/c and became rather restless.  A short time later, I got up and started to take pictures.  The popping sounds started again and I asked anyone present if they would be in the images.  Of 12 shots, I captured one small and light orb in the area of the computer.  It could be dust, could be something else.  I'm not sure.  However, this is interesting as it co-insided with other phenomena that have been happening as of late.

8/16/03

More pops.  Are they increasing?

8/15/03

Today I had lunch with Denise.  She is one of the SPIRITS psys.  She said that getting into the car she heard  my name being called over and over again.  It was a male voice and insistent.  She had to narrow it down to who it was; she got an age ("My (Brandy's) age"), and a name: Jason.  She also picked up pain in the chest and death through a car accident.  

Before we had said more than "hello" she told me about it.  She asked if I knew a Jason.  I told her that I had been allegedly followed by the spirit of a deceased man by the name of Jason.  Three others have picked up on him, two with the SPIRITS team, one outside the SPIRITS.   He is the one often associated with my car.

She said that he was saying "hi", but that she did not have much more time to narrow down what was happening.

I have noticed an increase in frequencies with the "popping" sounds, but it could be a natural explaination.  I do know there are fruit rats in my neighbor's trees....however, the "pops" seem to come from inside the walls, and come from various parts, lower and upper.  It could be that the house is settling.  However, one two occassions, the pops have had a remarkable accuracy.  I have addressed the entity and had a pop happen in response.  Co-incidence???

7/6/03

Well, Sean and I went out for the day.  He dropped me off at home and also heard the popping noises with me.  So, I pulled out my kit and started to investigatie.  Sean assisted.  This is what we came up with.....See images to right.

Sean:   7/6/03 -- approx. 12:15-1:07 a.m.

Heard popping sounds coming from general corner of the area.  Visually looked around and tested with meter, found meter to spike.  Brandy decided to take pictures.  Dogs started to look in same area.  

Shut off a/c and electronic equipment (minus fan) and retested a second time.  More orb shots.   EMF recorded in area of window and bathroom. EMF in kitchenette and wall area possible electronic wiring.

Brandy:  Sean as witness, heard popping sounds.  Tested with meter, and found EMF coming from multiple areas of room.  Turned off electronics (a/c), retook readings.  Some mild readings.  Sean took meter, I had temp.  Temp near a/c was very cold.  Dropped to 69 degrees (rest of room recorded around 79-81 degrees), though several minutes passed since I turned it off.  I took camera --invited orbs into picture.  Of 25 (approx) the first round, two showed up with light orbs. 

We both saw enlarged images from the digital camera.  Pictures were taken; Sean and I agreed there was little dust in the air.  The fan was on a very low speed.  Not sure how particles could move so quickly between shots.

Sean started to measure EMF near window.  He got several spikes (went to top, then dropped immediately).  I came over with camera.  Continued to investigate window area, bathroom. Of an additional 30, two orb images showed up near Sean. One image had an orb, the other did not; though neither of us moved and only second passed between shots.  He was holding EMF and had  gotten readings.  Temperature flux stopped.

Mentioned seeing white image in bathroom doorway before.  Sean took EMF readings, but I think they were related to the wires of the apt.  Sean went in with meter.  Noted an EMF reading of 4 without light; turned on light, dropped to 3.  Turned light off, up to 4 again (0-100 scale).  Image showed up at that time.

Loaded images and examined.  Showed prior orb images.  Possible comparisons of orb images and sizes; several do appear to be the same.  Brandy had a sinus headache, behind her right eye.  The reason for headache is unknown.  I have had several ghost hunts where my head hurts suddenly, intensely and briefly, during the investigation in areas of haunting.

6/13/03

Ah, what a day it's been, and it's only 4 a.m.!  Having spent an exorbitant amount of time cleaning and trying to track down the nest of a small fruit rat in the apt. (yeah, THERE's an incentive to sleep), I started to take some pictures of the apartment.  I had noticed that for the past couple of days I saw some "spark" effects out of the corners of my eye, though I also saw it while I was teaching today.  Since it's Friday the 13th, and it's been a hum dinger so far, I thought maybe the entities might cooperate. 

Out of 28 shots, I got only two images.  What I find interesting is that  I took one picture and my batteries died.  I had intended to aim towards the window where I had gotten other orbs before, but as I came back out to the main room and applied new batteries, I heard a "pop" come from the window area.  One ghost list that I am on mentioned the popping sounds are really "guardians" trying to get our attention.  I had noticed that during times when the popping sounds increased, almost always from the same area, I had mild phenomena out here.  SO, I took a picture in the direction of the "pop" -- my left, top of the window.  I then took pictures across the window area and through the apartment.  I did get chills at one point as I took pictures, though after the orb shot.   When I sat down to put the images on the computer I found it quite remarkable.  Just as I looked at the second picture (the one I took with fresh batteries in the camera) and saw the orb, I acknowledged the image ("Ah-ha!") and the window/wall/roof popped again at that moment.  It has not popped since.  The pops tonight have been very quiet, except for the two mentioned above.

The second image is a light one near my pugs who are sleeping on the bed.  However, I think it may be an area where the paint is starting to come off the walls just enough to show some white underneath, so I discount it as an orb.

INTERESTING.

5/29/03

Well, today I had to take some pics for a newspaper article I was writing. I took the digital and took 8 shots of the subject matter I was writing about.  When I got home, I figured that as long as I had the camera out, I's took pics of my room. I took 2, then I said out loud, "Joseph-Jason-Robert" (all names I have been given for the entity alleged to be out here) if you want to be in the picture, go by the blinds. I took two more pics. The one around the verbal invitation for the image produced two orbs: one is very bright, the other large, and dim, but next to the blinds. The fourth was no orbs.  Hmm.

5/20/03

Well, I've been very very tired today.  Part of it is getting used to summer, PLUS the fact that this week is jammed full of stuff....

So, totally fatigued, working late, and trying to catch up, I finally got things done at 11:30.  I had just turned off the lights and was settling in.  Jasper was hot, so he jumped off the bed.   

Suddenly, Iliad sat up and started to stare at him very very intensely.  It was very un-Iliad-like.  She is a very passive pug.  She pratically GLARED at Jasper, despite the fact he was asleep on the floor at least 7 feet away and doing nothing.  Then, she started barking at him.  Hushed, sharp barks (also strange for her).  Odyssey woke up, and he also started to stare intently, but barked only a few times.  Jasper eventually got up and moved, and the pugs settled down.

Having observed all of this, I got up to get my camera.  I figured the event had passed, bit it was worth a shot just in case.

I took two rounds of shots, one at 11:47 p.m., the other at 11:57 p.m.  I took about 15 shots the first time:  I got one orb image.  Though Jasper had moved from his initial spot, above him and against my bed hovers a very small orb.  It is the only image that appears.  I took multiple pictures of each side of the room.  10 minutes later I repeated the experiment and got absolutely nothing unusual.

Prior to the event, I went out into the garage to put clothes in the dryer.  I noticed a cool breeze as I went out there, but though it could be a "naturally induced breeze", perhaps the a/c cming out of the apt door, that I felt.  I also noticed that the back of the apt. felt unusually cool today.  Other than that, nothing. However, as soon as I discovered the orb there was another loud "popping" sound...the ones I've noticed on and off through the years here.

I will include the orb image with Jasper.   Is this something?  Co-incidence?

On May 16, 2003 I went to a local psychic, recommended to me by a teammate.  I am generally quite skeptical of this, and wanted to test my skills at assessing a cold reading, as well as assuage a sense of curiosity about a few things going on around me, namely the entity that has been sensed by others as following me.  This is the session as transcribed (roughly) from the tape she gave me.  The most interesting aspects were my own possibly psy ability, as well as the description of the male entity, which matches Sandy's description of him, and his rather unusual attitude which others had also picked up.  See below:

Introduction:

Not making decisions, but give information to allow a person to make decisions.  Life is in your hands, etc.  

Not an astrologer, but wants month and day of birth.  5/30 (also her brother's birthday).  

Appetizer part:  will examine your 7 charkas and aura, move on from there.

Strong person.  Glad we're recording this, because I go everywhere.

You have a nice spiritual center, but you feel a bit new to the whole metaphysical thing.  It's not that you were born into a metaphysical family; you've done a lot of exploring.

You're a lot smarter than people give you credit for. What kind of work do you do? 

Me:  A Professor, among other thing.

Do you do any energy work?  Projecting energy?

Me:  I do, white light, mostly to me and my animals.

You've got a healing energy around you.

You've got a lot more growth.  

It amazes me; how can you be among so many people that just don't understand you.  You're much more in tuned that people give you credit for.

Intuition, nice and healthy.  I have to tell you, I'm being pulled into another direction.  You are going to grow in leaps and bounds this year.  Your intuition has grown in leaps and bounds; the whole spirituality picture, learning how to use your own power more effectively, everything's really been cranked up with you and it's going to get better as the year goes on.

You have a lot of positive things coming up for you:  spiritual, emotional, mental; let it happen. You have a lot of positive energy around you.

What are you a Professor of?

WREL and HUM.

That's interesting.  You're in a good place.

There is a trip for you coming up also.  I really feel that you will be guided.  Heading east.  Weather is comfortable for you.  I don't know that it will happen this year, it may be something you think aboutpulled east.  Not as far as China, not an Arab country.  In that direction, but I'm not going to try to decipher it.  Whatever this trip is, I'm going to encourage you to take it.  

Is it Greece?

It might be a stopping point.  It seems like a monastery.  A stopping place.  Some sort of spiritual destination, a sacred space, a temple.  It's east and it's a sacred spot.  Not England.  This is more to an Easterly direction.  Could be India, not China, not Greece, but more like an India.

Me:  Tibet?  

Could be that part of the world.  IF there is an opportunity, give it some thought.  If you take this trip, it will be an incredible awakening for you.  It'll be even bigger and better than where you are now.

I'd like to see you breath more.  You're more fluid than most.  You project a confidence, and it's internal, which is nice.  Still, you need to breath more deeply.

Have you had energy work done before?

Not really.

I'm not feeling a lot of old stuff, which is nice.  Like when we have trauma which some seem to hold onto forever.  You've really let go and moved on.  You don't identify yourself with an event that happened in the past, you sort of get over it. 

Are you aware that you have some physical anomalies?  

Such as?

They're not showing me what they are.  They are not anything that  inhibit your function.  I'm picking up 4 or 5.  Like a rib that is longer than it should be.  It's nothing bad, but a little odd.

Me:  I have webbed toes.  And an astigmatism.

They are encouraging me to move on.  Are there any particular issues that you want me to touch on?

Two things.  Tallahassee, contingent upon someone else.  Or do I stay in St. Petersburg.  I see positive and negative in both.  Is there anything that can help which way to go?

Second question.  I do ghost investigations.  I have some sensitive on the team.  I do not consider myself to be sensitive.  Several have sensed a male energy to be around me.  

Around your home?  Car?  You?

Car, home, and even me.

What is the most important thing?  If you had to chose which one for me to look at which would it be?  

Tallahassee.

I will tell you that September will be a really significant month for you.  OH no, what I'm hearing is that you are destined to move forward for bigger and better. S t. Pete isn't the place to achieve that.  You'll know yourself, though, which is the one and what's for you.  I don't really see you staying in St. Pete doing the work that you are doing and staying here.  You are growing so quickly and your work is growing so fast that you are out-growing St. Petersburg. Career wise, you are moving too fast for St. Petersburg.

You have a very strong connection to Infinite Spirit.  We all do, but you recognize it, and it's stronger for you than average.  Meditate on it, and ask it to give guidance.  Pay attention.  Career wise you'll move on.

You have a very strong creative energy.  You are capable of doing more than one thing at a time.  Right now, though, is a time of strong spiritual influence.  I'm going to encourage you to focus more on spiritual work.  You're interested in spiritual development, personal stuff, and paranormal.  The next five months is a really great time to really focus your attention and energy on spiritual development.  The creative part of you is always with you., you'll always be teaching either by example or as a Professor.

There is some sort of writing, journaling, what are you doing?

I write for the SPTimes.

No, this is something special.  

Paranormal journal?

Is that it?  Something will come of this.  With the energy around you, I would wait until Oct. or so to go forward with it.  An idea is coming to you that "I have all this information, now what do I do with it?"  Wait until October to do anything with it.

Did I answer this question?

Yeah.

What was the other question?

Paranormal Entity.

Are you aware of his presence?

Yes, sometimes.

How do you feel?

Curious about it.

Does it make you feel good, fearful, ?

Describes car, tugging on back of seat, etc., and SPIRITS positive investigation philosophy.

I feel that whoever is around you, tall, slender, with dark hair.  Someone who dresses very conservatively.  A young male, maybe late 20s, 30.  

Do you get a date?

Not yet.

Light complexion, could be English, Irish, with a very light complexion, with very dark hair and very dark eyes.

It's not a spirit guide.  It's not a negative, but different from a spiritual guide.

This feels like an actual.spirit of someone who has passed on who has connected to you.  I feel positive energy, playful energy, but not threatening.  He is not identifying purpose.  He is here for a reason.

I get his name is RobertI want to say Robert.  He's a student of philosophy.  He studied in England, but that wasn't his home.  I want to say that he was maybe from that erabut he studied in England.  I'm having a little difficulty.

Do you feel him right now?  Is he here now?

It's hard for me to tell.  PDK.

He's not being very cooperative.  He's not explaining why he's here with you.  I don't want to spend all this time looking at him.but, put your philosophy into practice.  Communicate with him through meditation.  He will talk to you.  He's here for you, no for me, and I'm somebody he's patting on the head.  Do some meditation.  He's not negative.  But you can get rid of him if you want to.  You can send him on his way.  I would say that you should try to communicate with him; he will tell you, but he won't tell me.

His pants are that style that the waist is a little bit higher.  I don't know what era that was.

Is he young, as a spirit?

No age there.  He's trying to put it in terms that would make sense to us.  He is showing me the early 1900s.  His pants had a waist, with a higher band that went a bit higher, and he wore a "waist coat"like maybe late 1800s, going into early 1900s.  He wasn't a ruffled shirt.  

He's not telling me anything else.  He wants you to do the work.  He's very definite about that:  she's the one.  He's not unpleasant, but you're the one that he wants to communicate with, not me.  He's given all the information to me he will.

I will tell you this of what I'm sensing.  He is wanting to be helpful.  However, you have higher vibrational energies around you.  You are well protected, but you have a lot to learn.  You're potential is enormous.  

The only thing I am hearing from the Spirit is to open up a bit more.  They are telling me that you are very sensitive, but that you chose not to be a part of the experience, you want to be the reporter.  They  re telling me that you are also experiencing it, and you are the one making the choice.  They are telling me that there is a lot of potential that you have.  

Anything with education?  

Was the move career related?  What was that about?

Basically, my mother.  But, I have struggled very hard in St. Petersburg, but to the extent that I want to be recognized I don't know.

You've made progress, but you're not to the full extent.  Whether you move now or later, it won't matter.  If you are going to be working, you will still be doing the work that you do.you will still be on the right path.

Ooh, something really big and significant and positive happens May 26th for you.  

June...July...AugustI will tell you your business, you're exploration businessI guess it must be investigationreally picks up full steam ahead, starting the 4th week of July going into August.  You're going to start having difficulty juggling everythingyou may have to make some choices as to what will get the most of your attention.

I think that the spiritual path will really be cranked up.  Meditate more, you'll really get answers through that.

How do I know that it's something, not imagination?

That's where faith comes in.  You really have to trust feeling.Does it feel right, trust that, that will never fail you. 

There is protection?

Yes, you have a significant energy around you.  One major, very large, that's angelic energy, and then two smaller ones on either side that are working with you.  The spirit, whoever he is.

He does feel very tall to me, and very pleasant looking.  What his purpose isthat's what you got to find out.

You're on the right pathway, though.

5/2/03

Well, Sandy and Denise of the SPIRITS came over the evening of  5/01/03 before the ghost hunt to help me check out the house. 

I've had some unusual phenomena going on here.  Two weeks ago, Ody started barking at nothing around 11:30 at night.  I took pics and nothing was revealed.  A second time he and Iliad started barking.  One orb image showed up.  

Both Denise and Sandy reported having feelings about entities here even before coming to the investigation.  Denise sensed the spirit of an old woman, a man (relative of Mom's) and a dog.  Sandy kept thinking about the "loft" area that used to be in my room that is now an enclosed attic space.

Upon arriving at 5, Sandy sensed an old woman looking out at us from the dining room as we sat on the deck.  She was short(ish).  A male presence followed her as we moved around.

Denise came at 6.  We started at the back, my living quarters, and moved forward to the front of the house.  We had some phenomena! 

Denise sensed a "grandmotherly" figure as she came in.  It was like a grandmother but NOT my grandmother.  That narrowed it down to two folks in my mind.  Denise said she wasn't fat or thin, but was short.  She was a bit hunched over.  I immediately said "former homeowner" but now I wonder if it was Louise or someone related to my antiques in the house (from my great-grandmother).  Still, I've encountered the former homeowner before.  She is the one who didn't like my working late at night in the house.  She, evidentially, enjoys staying in the attic (where others have sensed her) and comes out to the loft area of my apartment.

Denise told me there was a dog here.  I asked if it was light or dark; she said dark.  I had a black puggess named Odie.  She was my first pug and we lived here probably five years with her.  She had to be put to sleep due to a number of problems that piled up at once.  I was heart broken.  She is buried out in the rose garden.

Denise said that the dog liked the "play gently"and that she was happy.  She was associated with a second ghost Denise got:  a little girl.  The little girl stays in my closet and hides.  Sandy thought she might be associated with the funeral home that is two blocks away.  The pugs make her happy, but the little girl is scared for unknown reasons.

The little girl likes to play with the pugs.  At one point, Denise sensed that she asked permission to play with them.  My answer was "If the pugs say it's OK, it doesn't hurt them, and it's not draining."

Denise hear the sound "illy" with the little girl.  It may be her name (Milly?  Tilly?) or it may refer to my pug, Iliad, who is sometimes called "Lee" or "Ily" for short.  Denise pointed to Iliad and said that the little girl liked that pug.  I took a picture of Iliad and got an orb over her.  (Note, pugs oblivious to this, of course).  

The male spirit was the strongest one here, though.  He may be the one that Ody barked at two weeks ago.  

(I did note that my paranormal diary records higher incidents of phenomena in May of last year.  These incidents started in April.  Connection?)

Denise thought his name was "Joseph"I'm wondering if it's the man who "rode" with my in my old car, Paranormal 1. His name was "Jason." However, when I asked, his reaction was to "smile" and that was it. He was the same one Sandy sensed earlier following her.

I asked if he was an artist and he said he didn't consider himself an artist.  (A rather nebulous answer.  It's an answer I'd expect from some artists).   Denise thought he was in his 30s.  He stayed in the corner of the room for most of the interview and enjoyed the attention.  

He considers himself to be protective.  He seems to have a sense of humor.

I asked if he was the voice I heard last week telling me "you to stay" or "today" (see Paranormal diary entry).  The answer was that he talks to me all the time.  (I'm not really receptive, and I've had a lot on my mind.  Heck, I barely "hear" the living!)  He asked that I talk to him, even if I do not know he's there.

In addition, the EMF meter, when placed on a desk, CONTINUOUSLY had spikes and movement. Denise sensed that it was he who altered the energy on the EMF....and Denise would sense him weakening, and he'd drop the energy. She asked him to increase the spike, and it would go up slightly, and then it would drop again to the standard level.  On a scale of 0-3, it hovered around 1.5, reaching the highest point of 2.0 and dropping to .6 or -.2.  It rose at least TWICE.  

When it was set down it registered a -.2.  Though the meter was not moved it continued to spike, drop, and spike again.  I've never really gotten any forms of EMF out here in my quarters, other than in close proximity to the a/c or the refrigerator.  This was abnormal activity not only for the apartment by for the meter.

Notes I made during the investigation: (Trifield meter set to 0 - 3)

6:20 pm:  drop from 2.0 to 1.75

6:22 pm:  EMF to 0

6:24:  Went up to 2, dropped to 1 - 1.5

6:24:  shifted from 1.2 to 1.6

6:26:  1. 5

6:31:  dropped to -.2

Denise got a very strong orb image at this point; the orb was above me and the TV about 8 feet above the floor.

I also asked if the entities were responsible for the "popping" sounds I have heard since moving in here.  Sandy described it as a snapquick and loud.  I have noticed these pops since living here, but that they have been more frequent since last year.  They persist even as I write this report.  It could be the sounds of the house.  Sandy indicated that they were making the noises to try and get my attention.

I asked what they thought of the potential move.  They said it was up to me, but that they liked me and Mom.  They'd be sorry to see us go, and they hated to have to go through retraining another homeowner.  But, the decision was mine.

I asked what happened to the little boy who, I was told, lived here in the 1970s.  He loved the house, but they moved away and he died suddenly and unrepentantly as a young boy.  Denise heard the world "leukemia" pop into mind.  

When we left this area to move into the next, "Joseph" yelled that we did not say goodbye.  We did, and moved into the house. He came in after we were in there for a while to see what was going on.

Both felt a lot of the activity was related to the potential lei line this house is on.  Sandy said that the longer they were there the more activity came through, like hoards of people walking through the room.

In the house, Denise sensed a big man, weighing 240 or 250, with a beer gut. He was balding on top, had a bushy beard.  He was in his 50's or 60's.  He was a relative of Mom's.  I was wondering if it was her brother.  When I asked the name, though, it was far off from Edward (I think she said "Thomas").  Denise did acknowledge that names did not come through well for her.

Also, while we were standing in the house...Sandy mentioned that she was hot. I said that we'd turn on the fan....but before I could move to turn it on, it CAME ON by itself.

Note about fan:  There is a light kit attached to the fan.  I had turned on the light from the wall switch.  This switch powers the fan, too.  The fan, however, was off.  We had been in there several minutes with the light on.  The fan was NOT on.  I had just mentioned turning it on when I saw that the blades were very slowly turning.  I had not moved.  No one reached for the fan.  In order to turn on the fan, one would have to pull on the cord hanging above the lights.  I had not done so.  The blades slowly came on and spun faster and faster.  

I turned off the power to the unit at the switch.  I turned it back on.  Both the fan AND the light came on simultaneously, which it would do if both the fan and the lights were on at the same time when the unit was shut off.

I remember thinking that this is something that Uncle Ed would have done, as it fits with his personality.  (He had a mischievous sense of humor from time to time).  I was immediately struck by this. 

I took pictures but got nothing near the fan. Denise took a picture and got two orb images above me near the fan, one on either side of the room.

Note: 5/02/03:  Compelled to do it, I went online and looked for my uncle's name and the state of Florida.  Research has found an obituary from Feb. 22, 2003, which I believe is that of her brother.  The details I know of him match up.  As Mom and her brother were estranged, we were never told of the death.  I will have to tell her tonight.

While we were never very close, I am stunned.  I wonder if Ed did want to make up with her before he died?  Or if he is trying to do so now?  I am also stunned because I had NO knowledge of this death.  Denise could not have known; I never talk about Ed (as it's not really come up in conversation).  Her description was accurate.  The fan trick made also compelled me to do the research to find out what happened to him.

After the fan incident, I got orbs over my pug Jasper, who followed us into the house.  The orb is bright and appears to have moved from the bed area to hover over Jasper.  He, again, is nebulous to it.   

End of report.

05/02/03:  Addendum

With the possible spectral activity it makes me wonder if that is why I have been having such bad headaches and feeling fatigued lately. 

Last night I did NOT sleep well. Didn't want to go to sleep, but my body forced me to around 12:30 am. Feeling very uneasy. Awoke at 4:50 a.m. drenched in sweat, so much so that even the pillow was wet. Pugs were fine and sleeping soundly. 

I felt "drained" or as if I was being drained and I remember thinking/envisioning "white light" and the sensation stopped. 

I woke up this a.m. at 8:30, still feeling very tired.  The problem is that it's hard to determine if it's me, them, or stress.

Brandy 

4/26/03 

Last night was not a good night. Florida had a thunderstorm unlike anything I've seen or experienced in a long time, including hail and a low rumble of almost continuous lightning/thunder that lasted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. It was a BAD front. Iliad, my puggess, is afraid of thunder and barked nearly all night. I got NO sleep, and on top of that today was the first day I was to start teaching the new quarter of HUM II at IADT. It's an 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. class. VERY early and VERY long. I managed through it, came home and crashed around 1 p.m. 

As I was lying down to get some sleep, I SWEAR I heard a male voice whisper something to me....either "You to stay" or "today"...? It was odd. I am NOT prone to hearing voices, though I have had some odd phenomena lately including several recent orb images. I felt a bit uncomfortable, thought of white light and ultimately went to sleep. 

The pugs were with me. The a/c was not on, and I was not in a "gray" state, though I was starting to relax. What do you think? Subconscious reasoning?  Am I crazy or tired?? Or does the house not want me to leave?  

4/25/03 

The recent updates from my in St. Petersburg, FL (It does have to do with ghosting): Well, my mother has interviewed for a job in state gov't (Elder Affairs) in Tallahassee, Florida. She has about a 95% chance of getting it, and has pretty much been told that she'd get the offer today. This certainly puts me in a bind, since, if she moves up there and decides to stay, she'll sell the house I'm renting from her so that she can afford to buy land/house up there. 

However, Mom has also asked me if I'd like to go up there with her. We're going to take this a step at a time. First, she needs the job offer and needs to weigh it against what she has now. Then, both of us are going to go to Tallahassee to look around. I am also here at least through the summer as I have classes I'm teaching. So, there would be a bit of time. 

Here is what I am weighing: The SPIRITS are doing well. They've grown and expanded rapidly. We've really streamlined and have come up with investigative procedures that are strong, paperwork that is easily accessible, and a better way to keep all informed. However, with such a large team I may not be needed so much to lead it. I might have an opportunity to create a "sister" team in Tallahassee. 

Mom has also agreed that if I do go up there, or if she does decide to buy a house, she/we will attempt to buy a haunted house. This would be a VERY interesting opportunity. 

Tallahassee is also a part of the old south. I have heard already of one 'haunted bar' in the area, and I've not even been up there yet. It's close to GA, and the panhandle which was settled earlier than this area was. 

However, last night I spoke with my former MA advisor about working on another paper (Ghosts in the Middle Ages; she'd be interested in doing it but not until fall). She berated me for not going on with the PHD/graduate work. She seems to think I am a very strong candidate for it, and I'd LOVE to continue an academic study of ghosts through history/religion/literature and art. And, it's more likely to get tenure with a doctorate, though there is a glut out there and tenure is very hard to get. 

Also, Tallahassee has FSU and another university, as well as one community college. It could be that I continue on as an adjunct. I might try to apply to FSU anyway, which Dr. Mandell seemed to think would be better for me than USF. If Mom does move up there, I can stay with her, which would be a huge relief. I'd probably not have much work for a while. (This is all tentative, of course, *IF* I get in to a doctorate program anywhere). 

Art: This is another reason to stay. I have worked hard to create a name for myself, broken into a very tight art community, and been more or less accepted into the group. My things still sell. (Amazing, isn't it?) I recently had a professional photographer come out and take pictures of my works. 

The legislature, however, is again massively plundering the financial situation. The arts are going to have a VERY bad year as the state is cutting budgets like mad. I have heard that the $14 million of grants, etc., has been cut to NOTHING. They act as if the arts are a hand out, not a viable business. It really SUCKS. The arts are also being threatened to be cut as core classes. Another big threat as it would stunt the new generation of artists in the area, and also deny students art skills. 

In Tally there is an underground art group, which would be interesting. I could continue contact with St. Pete, maybe mailing art or coming down every few months. I would love to be able to promote the arts up there, and as Tally is growing, I may be there in time to witness another art bloom. I don't know. 

My art friends say I should not go; I have a good name here. But, is that enough for a future? I have income, but it's still a "weak" income. It is better than it has been, but not enough for me to afford to buy the house or to live here. 

So, there is much spinning in my mind. 

Now, for the ghost story. Tuesday night I was watching the "Tuesday Declassified" show on Sic Fi channel. It had an odd story from California, did not use re-enactments but actual footage of the investigation, and was it an active one. A very angry old ghost who HATED one of the ghost hunters, ultimately following him to his apartment, and who actively manifested through physical contact, blood, throwing objects, etc. It was most freaky!! 

The shows ended and the pugs went to sleep. I remember thinking "This is why we don't do demonology." and working on more e-mails. I was pretty high strung at that point, and felt a bit creeped out by the shows. 

I have been a bit agitated lately and have had problems sleeping. These shows did not help! I worked on e-mails and several other things I had to do. 

Checking in about 11:00 p.m.: Odyssey, my black pug boy, was sleeping on the bed. Iliad and Jasper, my female and male fawn pugs, slept on the floor. Suddenly, Odyssey, from a deep sleep, popped his head up and started barking in the direction of the kitchen window/ kitchen sink. I took a series of 7 or 8 images, and nothing showed up on them. 

I thought it might have been a pug thing, so I let it go, deleted the images, and kept working. About 5 - 10 minutes later, Odyssey, who had settled down and was sleeping again, popped his head up and started to bark again. This time, Iliad also joined him with a few barks. (Jasper sleeps through the "living" visits, much less the dead. He's a bit older pug, so I doubt he'd "sense" much unless it was very strong). They weren't frantic, weren't running, and did not appear scared, but they are NOT barkers. There had to be a reason WHY there were barking. There were no noises that I could hear that might set them off. So, I took another series of images. Of the 7 shots I took, one showed up with a light orb image. My question is: is this dust, or is it "something"? 

The pugs, in the past, have done something similar by barking at SOMETHING out here late at night. I have never been able to identify it in the past. These sudden barking sessions usually happens between 11 and 1 in the morning. They have not done this for a while. 

The orb appeared near a window that I have had several unusual encounters with. At least twice in the past I have had dreams in which the dead are somehow associated with the window. I also had the blinds on that window slam back not once but twice after awakening from one of those dreams. The window behind it was closed, the fan, though on, could not POSSIBLY create a sudden gust of wind to do that, and the a/c was off (too loud). It was as if someone slammed an arm against the blinds very violent and very loud. 

I recall that some believe that the kitchen window may be a weak portal of some sort. I have placed an angel image in the window which has stopped many of the phenomena for a while. 

Additional background: Odyssey has noted at least one other orb when we stayed at a haunted inn in Key West. He stared and stared and stared at the wall and I took a picture. Later, after I got home, a light orb was in one of the images of the wall he stared at. It was the only time he had ever done that that I recall. Odyssey is probably one of the smartest pugs I've ever owned (or been owned by). He is very alert, very sharp little boy. 

I've had orbs show up in other people's pictures, too, when I am not in the house. The one image I'm thinking of was when I went to a party with Odyssey (the party thrower also owned a pug and asked me to bring one of mine). This orb ONLY appeared near me and Odyssey, though the party thrower took pictures of all present. 

I have had orbs show up in images I've taken of some of my artworks when I set up to take pictures in this area. 

Lastly, the house has some sort of very mild presence in it. It's been investigated by the SPIRITS, and the only manifestation I have ever seen happened there: the mist of the living room from about 2 years ago. Some think that this house is on a lei line as at least one other house has activity, and there are rumors of a third house on this block with activity. 

So, could it be that my agitation and the ghost special caused something to check in on me? Someone just passing through? Or, is it nothing at all? 

Date: Mon Apr 21, 2003 8:47 am

I had an odd dream last night that I was possessed. I didn't know it.

This strange woman, young, spiral curled hair cut below the ears and chin line, and brownish skin (not African, not Indian, but island?) knew. She came to me, approached me out of nowhere. She simply told me I was possessed on a very deep level and started to draw the demon out. She knew it would take several sessions. It was like drawing out a

splinter....through my sub-consciousness. Evidentially, the demon was a

subconscious influence.

Anyway, through the dream, once she started, I would find myself suddenly "awakening" in sweats...it's like I'd black out in the dream and "wake up"...each time she was there, and she had pulled a little bit more of the possession out of me. I never knew how she came in the house (she'd appear in the living room) and I'd never remember blacking out, her arrival, or anything that happened during the sessions. She was always soothing and calm.

I was curious to know if there was a charge for the service; so far there had not been. She met up with a friend of mine (Don't know who it was) shortly after I had one of these black outs. The friend had an experience with her, too, and evidentially didn't like her at all. Didn't trust her, either.

Then I noticed she was writing up a bill. Each session was $100, and

there had been 5 sessions. I guess I must have paid her some money...and

I was content to pay her the rest. But the friend, who, for whatever

reason, had a similar experience, had never paid the woman as she never

asked for the help. Like me, this lady had just shown up and "exorcised"

her, then presented a bill. 

I still trusted this lady and didn't seem to mind paying her, but it

aggravated the distrust I felt. 

At that point, I woke up. Odd, eh?

12.25.02 

When Mom and I first put the Christmas Tree up two weeks ago, it stood without decorations for the first week. We put it in the dining room area. I came home late at night, and had to go into the house to walk Mom's pugs. Going through the door, I saw this large looming shadow out of the corner of my eye. What is my first thought...intruder? No. SHADOW BEING! (D'oh). It took me a second to realize that it was the newly installed Christmas tree. I guess it's a good thing it wasn't an intruder, especially if I'd think it was a ghost first.  Methinks I need to cut down how many ghost stories I read.

I also found a couple of other strange phenomena happening. Now, granted, I have been a bit tired as of late. But, I've seen movement out of the corner of my eyes. It seems that one time I saw a small brown and black cat or animal. Very strange. Someone suggested it was because I was so intently concentrating on creating the wire metal cats that were ordered from my art page that somehow I was attracting cat spirits. Interesting theory

The apartment has also been quite cold as of late, but it's hard to really say that these indicate ANYTHING other than a change in weather or fatigue. I also work heavily with aluminum, and there is time that I wonder if that doesn't affect my mind (literally) as at least some cases of Alzheimer's have been attributed to use of aluminum cooking ware. 

Last night I was typing up my El Prado report. It's fairly long, and took a LOT of typing. It's probably going to be 5 pages long. This is what is strange. I had a gut feeling that I should save the document about five minutes before it vanished. I figured that I'd run the save when I finished typing up the section about the investigation. Well, I nearly finished, but saw in the margins a few more notes on the investigation, focusing on how the entity liked to mess with the computer. I had just typed that into the computer, when the document simply blinked off the page, with a warning about an error. I had no back up or rescue document that has come up since. It's totally gone. THAT was strange. BUT, it's a new computer, so who knows. 

Today I had put on Peter Gabrielle CD. It normally plays for about an hour. It got through 7 songs, then stopped. I was on my bike and didn't think much of it, but realized that the CD should still be playing. I came in to check on the player, figuring the CD had a scratch or something...and it was not so. The CD player was turned OFF entirely. I checked other equipment: I did not see signs of any power surges. I turned it back on and it played normally. If there was a problem with the CD the player usually stops, but the unit remains on. Even power surges usually don't stop it. Strange. But, it could be an isolated incident, so I'll keep my eye on it. 

And best of all, I got my nice TRIFIELD METER! Oh, it's beautiful. I'm so excited. I can't wait to use it on an investigation. :) 

November 12, 2002

Sigh. OK....here we go. 

I'll start this by saying that last night Mom and I got into an argument. We are both a bit headstrong, so who knows how this will play out.   Combined with my intense disappointment in the election results, concerns where future budgets will leave my job, and me, it's been a full plate. 

The SPIRITS did an investigation Sunday which, unknowingly, involved a person who was in the occult. The homeowner's son has a dark interest in Goth and Lovecraft/Cthulla. The male members of his family seem to display an intense psy-ability through dreams and ghostly visits. He may also be a psy-magnet creating some intense and negative energy. One person left the investigation early. A sensitive, she saw multiple entities who were less than friendly. We do not involve ourselves with these types of manifestations, and at least one person was so spooked she left the investigation site entirely.

So, with all of that, and not having slept well last night, I was very tired. I decided to get some shut-eye this afternoon between assignments that I have to get done. I then laid down for some rest. I slept from about 12:45 or 1 PM to 2:16 PM. I had five pugs with me (two of Mom's and my three) and was sleeping on my side with pugs lined up from my head to my feet in front of me.  The a/c was on and I was partially covered with a sheet. With all those pugs it was pretty warm. 

I have had these unusual dreams in my apartment, on occasion, that include dream paralysis, but have not had one here since probably last summer, or before. The last time this happened I dreamed I was awake and had to run some errands (getting one of the SPIRITS a birthday gift, as I recall). I dreamed I had gotten up, gotten in the car, and drove to some store...but that in thinking about it, I could not understand how I got to the store because I went the wrong way on the interstate. The interstate was also "wrong".... Too short, too many lanes, or too twisted (curvy). I woke up with a "groggy" feeling but was able to move about OK once I did wake up (It took me three tries, I think). 

In this instance today, however, I woke up around 1:50 or so. I wanted to get a little more rest, as the nap was not the best I'd had. I shifted on the bed a little, and a couple of the pugs shifted slightly giving me more room. 

I fell asleep for several minutes and had a mini dream about confronting a negative energy: an eastern goddess or ghost. She wore a beautiful kimono, but the bottom part of it was a giant rainbow. I knew that she was NOT nice. She flew at me a couple of times, passing through me. I kept my defenses up. The third time she came at me, however, something happened. I don't know if for an instant, I just didn't care about an attack or if I dropped my guard, but the rainbow sank into me. I felt intensely chilled. 

I "cut" to a secondary dream about colored candy on the campus of the International Academy (where I have taught)-- (too many commercials? Skittles candy?)   This was a VERY short dream.

Then, I "awoke" with goose bumps and feeling very very cold. I realized the sheet was half off of me, but that one pug had moved to my lower legs and had his head on my leg. Yet, when I tried to move or open my eyes, I could not. I struggled to move, but eyes remained closed and I was still on my side. Nothing would move. I finally thought I rolled over, and for a second thought I was awake. 

In the next instant, I realized I was right back where I started, still on my side with the pugs in front of me. My eyes would not open, but finally, one, my left eye opened. I could not move, though, nor would my other eye open. I realized others who have experienced this phenomena told me making sounds helped to break the dream. No one was with me, and the pugs continued to sleep, so I called to the pugs. My voice sounded faint, distorted, and far away. I kept calling until finally I found that I could roll onto my stomach, and push myself up with my arms. I finally pushed myself up and looked, through one eye, at the apartment. It was gray and looked almost normal, but when I got up to walk to the door, I walked past a table (which I do not have in real life). It was low to the ground, on the left side of the bed, between the bed and the wall. It was a bright blue color...it did not look right. I got to the door, but my one eye still refused to open. 

The next instant I found myself still in bed and unable to move.  The prior incident was part of the dream. The third time, I struggled, my left eye opened, I got up without calling to the pugs and staggered out to the door. The room was not right. Again, there was a table on the floor, and a mirror on the door (I do have a mirror next to my bed on the wall). I struggled to get my eye open, and it finally did, but as I walked to the door I looked at my reflection. The reflection grinned back at me. The right eye was open, but it was small and pink. 

Suddenly, for the forth time, I was back where I started. I struggled again to get up, and finally I DID. It took me a moment to see if I was awake. I was cold. I felt groggy. I got up and walked to turn off the a/c, then moved to the door. What was interesting is that where the table was in the dream was a bowl that I had left down for the pugs. It was bright blue in color. I had forgotten I even set it there. Both eyes opened, I staggered out the door (no mirror). 

At this point I started to think. My first thought is that I had to raise my blood sugar level (strange, I have never had that thought before upon awakening). For a while, as I shuffled into the house, that was my only thought. I poured a Coke and looked for something sweet, finally finding some Smucker's Sunday Syrup, which I poured onto a spoon and ate. I had two of those and half the coke, then wrote down what happened to log into the computer. 

For a while, the left side of my chest, slightly above the heart, hurt. This area felt tight for the majority of the time that I have spent writing this long entry. 

This has me a bit concerned. Since living here, I have had some very strange dreams, usually related to ghosts. Of the investigations done here, there is a possibility this is some sort of lei line in this area.... There is also a funeral parlor 4 blocks over and one block up from me. However, I don't like this dream at all. 

Is it just stress induced? Or is there more to this dream? 

November 8, 2002 

Strange dream last night. I remember dreaming about ghost hunting, and I also remember dreaming that the house caught on fire. I kept coming in and grabbing pets and bringing them out of the house. The fire was growing, but stayed away from areas of importance. I went back and grabbed the beta bowls. I went in again with a bucket to scoop out fish from the 55 gallon tank (no one dies on my watch!). I also remember deciding to go in again, as the fire had not yet touched the inside, though it continued to spread. The idea of losing everything was not pleasing to me, and I was determined to come in and save paperwork, clothes, and jewelry. It was strange because the house was, once again, partially my house, partially a different building. It was two stories, whereas this one is a single story, yet it retained the original linoleum I had put in my studio (prior to what I have now). 

Today, I came home after teaching and getting art together. I came into the study, and, again, it is cold. Currently, I am very chilled, as my feet and legs are uncovered. 

I decided to take some temperature readings of the study, and the three rooms around it: a main bedroom, bathroom, and the hall/living room. Both the bedroom and the study were closed off from the rest of the house. Both are on the same side of the house, in a line from one another (west side of the house). Both have hardwood floor, though the bedroom is slightly larger than the study. The bedroom also has more windows, though the blinds were drawn across all of them. 

Temperature readings of the floors determined the following: Study: 71 degrees, living room 75, bedroom 73, bathroom (tiled) 73 degrees. The air temperatures: Study: changed on three different readings....1st: 73-75 degrees, 2nd: 71-72.5 degrees, 3rd: 73 degrees. The air temps in the house were 75-80 degrees, bathroom was 75.5 degrees. 

While there are some trees by the house in the neighbor's yard, they cast shade to the bedroom, not the study. 

I noticed as I sat here and worked there were occasional pockets of cold air around my hands, particularly the right hand. I followed a pocket as it moved across the desk. I grabbed the thermometer and got readings on my forearm of 90 degrees, hand went down to 76, nearer the cold air pocket I followed. 

So, is it only the placement of the room? My imagination? Am I looking for something, or is it already here? 

November 7, 2002 

Came home today and went into the main house. I decided to work on the computer.  Opened the door to the study and found it is very cool in here. Granted, this room has always been cool. However, in light of discoveries over the past year, I wonder if there is a supernatural reason why this room is so cold? It is probably 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house. I have been in here an hour, with the door open, and the room still retains is noticeably different coldness. For a while, even my hands were getting chilled. Yet, EMF remains consistent in this room. No other anomalies have manifested. 

Last night I had a dream that we were on a ghost hunt. Could just be ghost hunting on the brain, and the SPIRITS have recently received much attention. Interesting, though. Don't remember much of the dream to record it here, though.

Nov. 6, 2002 

I realized that when I thought about events in the study, things have been going on almost since we've lived here. Even when we set up the computer desk 5 or 6 years ago, I realized then, particularly late at night, I felt watched. Granted, there were several masks from New Orleans on the wall. Still, the intensity of the sensation of being watched was there...I remember feeling very uncomfortable in the study. 

It hit me tonight when I realized that two wig stands currently housed in the study are in front of the same wall that the masks used to be on. I get the same intensity of feeling that I am being watched. Suggestion, perhaps? 

What puzzles me is that during the day I can be in here and feel fine. There are other images in the room with faces (I'm an artist, I have a lot of art). I do not feel watched by any of them. Could these items be catalysts for what is going on in the house? Or am I just tired and these humanoid forms simply cause my mind to conjure ideas? 

Nov. 2, 2002 

Sandy came over today to help put up the desk in my studio area. We worked on it for 8 hours! 

I took a break to let the pugs out. Dovie and Granny Chu were in the house. Dovie came out onto the deck and was visibly shaking (leaving from the house). Dovie is an unusual pug and it can be hard to determine what she is thinking about. Her visual impairment and super sensitivity to sound also distort what may be going on. Yet, despite all of that, Dovie was acting terrified. She was trembling and clingy when I picked her up, a behavior I can only liken to a trip to the vet. Sandy, who is also a member of the SPIRITS team, sensed "someone in the house"....though EMF and photographic (digital) images showed nothing unusual. Sandy sensed a male presence, possibly passing through. 

Interestingly, Sandy also sensed something at that strange bathroom window. Strange phenomena, like someone was watching us from that area. This is the same window that appears to open when Mom swears it is closed. Unusual. 

Perhaps the activity of reworking my studio awoke something's interest? 

(From here down, events are in order, oldest to newest. Sorry. Decided to reverse format!) 

and I'm a bit calmer? 

7/26/02 

I did have another strange dream last night. I have not remembered my dreams lately; this is the first one in a while that I remember with some clarity. 

The dream started in the middle of the night. I drove into an upper middle class neighborhood to an area of well-manicured lawns, orderly streets and brick houses. My "spiritual" grandmother, Louise, a woman to whom I was not related by blood but by choice, lived in that neighborhood. (Not true to real life). She had recently died (in real life, she died August of 2000). We went to visit the house and check up on things and met several of her family members, her sisters (she had no children), at the location when we arrived. 

It seems that, as in life, Louise lived in the house for quite some time. When she bought the house it cost her $20,000. The house was worth well more than that now as the area had grown and property values went up. 

My own mother was planning to move to the neighborhood. When we visited Louise's house the topic came up about my own living arraignments. The family alluded that, if I was interested, the family might be willing to sell me the house for $35,000. While this was still a profit for them, it was well below what the house could sell for. I was elated. I was very interested in buying the house. Even at $35,000 I could more or less afford that on my meager salary. (This was much better than what happened in real life, where the family, once Louise died, more or less cut us out of their lives, which, at the time, really hurt). 

Everyone else left. I pondered the idea of buying the house and stayed behind. While walking through the home Louise's ghost appeared to me. She was a taller woman, very "grandmotherly" looking. She had a kind face, gray hair, and wore a long "grandmother" dress. Louise, in real life, was no taller than I am (5' 3"), and dyed her hair a light honey red-brown. She had beautiful clothing that was mature, professional, but still trendy. Though she did not look like Louise, she was my "grandmother" in this dream.

She was very happy for me and gave me a hug, which I thought was odd as she was a ghost.  I knew this was odd in the dream, but, with a slight sense of eeriness, I was more or less OK with it. After the hug, and despite a bodily presence, she simply vanished. 

I assume I spent the night there or with my Mom in her new home. I remember further discussing buying Louise's house. We talked about the offer of $35,000 and I held out hope that it was a genuine offer on behalf of the family.

The next morning, I drove home. I stopped by the college campus where I teach in real life (also in the dream). I saw a type of flowering shrub that I really liked and that was newly planted on campus. It was a combination between a rose and a hibiscus. It had dark red multi-petal flowers, dark stems and leaves, but no thorns. The leaves were larger than a rose and were shaped like those of a hibiscus plant. 

I was enthralled with it. I went to the Registrar's office to see if I could get the name of the plant. They were not sure, but put in a call to the maintenance dept. for me. No one was there to answer the phone, so they left a message to have the folks call me back. 

I left campus to return home. When I came in, it was flooded with bright sunlight (probably because it was the afternoon). The a/c was on but I noticed it was very warm in there. I went to the smaller window in the kitchen area and noticed that it was open. I was stunned. I had not left it open. It has not been opened since spring, when it was still cool enough to let in a few breezes. I was very upset. 

However, nothing was missing and it was not a part of a robbery. I felt a bit uneasy and uncomfortable. At that point, the phone rang. It was the maintenance department. They had no idea what kind of flower that was, and apologized for not being able to help me. 

That was about the end of the dream. 

What is odd: The window in my apartment, which was open in the dream, has been featured in several other dreams, too. One was a dream that literally intruded upon another dream and, for lack of a better term, "cut it in half." 

To understand this correctly, understand that my dreams take on distinction: "regular dreams" seem flat and 2-D. I have "special dreams", which I cannot yet figure, which take on a 3-D quality, often featuring pastel colors or the appearance of more depth to them. 

I had a "regular dream" which was interrupted by a second dream.  This second "dream" seemed almost like an OBE: the details were VERY REAL, to the point that "awoke" in the dream sleeping on my side, wearing the flannel nightgown, and covered in sheets, as I was in real life. BUT, there was a man behind me. Dressed in suspenders, tan pants, white socks, and a man's undershirt, he was VERY ominous. He was lying on his side behind my back and emitted a very threatening and menacing presence. I knew I had not let him in. I jolted awake from that dream. 

A moment after I awoke, the blinds in front of the SAME window slammed back, as if something had hit them. This is an anomaly. Even when there were breezes, the blinds never moved that violently. Here, there were no breezes, and I remember getting the courage up to check and confirm that the window was closed.  It was fully closed and locked.

I also remember the pugs, who sleep on the bed with me, popped their heads up to look at the window, then settled down. I was not the only one, then, to witness the phenomena.

I was very upset and had a hard time getting to sleep after that. 

A short time after my grandmother's death in Aug. 2000, I had a dream that again featured this window.  My grandmother Louise, was still alive in this dream, but dying.

The odd thing is that she was in a hospital room that seemed to merge her actual hospital room with my bedroom.  The colors were the same, the windows were the same, and the "haunted" small window was next to the head of her bed. 

I went to talk to her, knowing she was dying. She rambled on about sending me something in the mail: a green and gold teacup. Then, she started waving good bye, repeating over and over "bye-bye". I awoke with a jolt from that dream. A short time later I managed to fall asleep. Again, the blinds slammed back on that SAME window, and I bolted upright. Window was closed when I checked it. 

I believe I had a third dream, also involving Louise, in which that same window and the blinds slammed back, though I cannot find reference to the dream in my writings.

I have had the sensation of something creeping up behind me from that window when I work on the apartment computer late at night. The sensations stopped when someone recommended that I put a cross on the ledge; that it might be a portal of some sort and that I needed to block negative entities from coming in. For about 4 months I have had no problems with it until now. 

It concerns me that, though no blinds slammed this time, the window featured in my dream again. It was open and I did not open it. 

Another trouble incident has occurred. Recently, my mother told me that her bathroom window was open. She swore she closed it, and asked me if I had used the house for a shower for some reason. I had not, nor had I been in the house all day. She can be very forgetful, admittedly, so I'm not sure if it is her memory or something is up. 

However, this has happened at least two other times when she swears she closes the window and comes home to find it open. I started logging her in the mornings, making sure the window was closed when she left. If I logged it, it remained closed all day, until she opened it the next morning. This made me thing it was her memory, at least part of the time. 

Yet, when she first moved into the house, I felt very uneasy in her bathroom. As my own bathroom has a shower stall, no bath, and I would sometimes come over to soak in her tub. On several occasions, I felt as if I was being suffocated or that something was falling on me in the bathroom. As a result, I take few baths, though the sensations lightened over time to the point where I didn't' feel much at all in there. 

Mother's bathroom is in a straight line from her bedroom. Her bedroom used to be the study where I kept my "good" computer and would work some nights. When it was the study, I would find myself staring across at the bathroom, feeling as if something was standing in front of the bathroom staring back. The SPIRITS did an investigation and we did find an orb near the area, where, right in front of the bathroom is an entranceway into the attic. The attic held a mild presence as well as an orb image. 

When we moved her bedroom and study back to the way we originally had it, swapping out the two rooms, the sensations of being watched ceased. The day after we finished, I came over to use her computer. I thought I heard a whisper saying "This is (or was) my room" as I sat at the computer. A short time before, I saw the entity directly as a column of smoke in the living room. I have seen nothing since, and most of the activity, again, died down since we moved the rooms back and I stopped working so late at night. 

Tuesday, May 07, 2002. 

When working out in my sculpture garden, I noticed that grandmother Louise's Easter Lily is blooming. I don't think I have ever had a lily bloom before. In truth, I had forgotten that I had planted it there last year. Mom bought it from her church for the Easter service (2001) in honor of Louise, who died in 2000. I find it almost odd, as I have been thinking about her lately and hoping she is helping to guide me. I have recently been signed up to teach summer courses, perhaps partly due to Louise who was a teacher herself. She wanted me to be a Prof. very badly, so my current job is a dream to both of us. 

Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2002 7:32 PM 

Subject: Strange Dream and Falling Glass 

I had a really strange dream last night. I dreamt that Shelley (of the SPIRITS) had found 

someone who lived in an apartment complex inside of her office building who felt he was experiencing haunting phenomena.. I remember that I spoke to him on the phone. I set up the hunt, and we met there. Shelley met the rest of the team, led us to the apt and introduced us. 

I had the Polaroid camera with me. I remember KNOWING where the haunted part of the house was and really wanting to go down to that area (it was a "one bedroom apartment" but it had stairs, the bedroom was like a basement, the rest was located "upstairs"). I know I took 3 Polaroid shots upstairs, but I took 4 downstairs. I set them down, and then started to worry that by taking only 3 upstairs and 4 downstairs, that I was tainting the team's "Cold" reading. (Somehow tipping my hand to the area of the haunting). 

The downstairs was a bit creepy, and I remember we left in haste. The man who lived there was a bit uncertain about us doing our hunt, anyway, and was not making us feel comfortable. 

Once we left, I realized I left all my Polaroids behind, as I had set them down on the counters to make sure I did not interfere with the development of the images (no false positives). I had not looked at the pictures to see if anything had developed. I ended up going back by myself to retrieve them. 

The man let me in a bit reluctantly and I went immediately downstairs. I grabbed the Polaroids, but I remember the atmosphere in the bedroom was really cold and creepy....I felt like I was being watched, and something would pop out at any time. I think that one of the Polaroids also showed a double orb image. 

That was about all I remember, except that I did start to leave! 

In real life.... 

This afternoon I was cleaning the apartment. I had been dusting the furniture and had just started spraying the glass items with Windex when I heard this loud "thunk" -- like glass falling. It took me a moment to discover what it was. I thought it might be something in the closet. Investigation revealed that it was the bathroom light fixture. 

This is odd. It has NEVER fallen on its own before. I have not touched it in MONTHS (I only really deal with it when the bulb has burned out). The fixture itself is the kind that the glass fits inside a rim and is held in place by a screw. Well, I looked at the glass and realized it was pretty dirty. As long as I was cleaning, I went ahead and rinsed it out with Windex and water. I had forgotten it was clear glass. This was so dirty that it almost looked frosted! 

I grabbed a chair and went to put the glass back onto the fixture. The fixture itself is about 8 feet up (odd that the glass didn't break falling down that far. However, it is quite thick.) I checked to see how loose the screw was, but found it surprising secure. To replace the glass without loosening or removing the screw at all, I had to push it far back then twist forward to get it back into place. 

To be sure, I tightened the screw again, though it didn't seem to move much, if at all. 

I wonder if there was someone who was critiquing my house cleaning? Recently, I have spent time cleaned out the garage and my own closet. 

Either way, the glass is clean now. 

May 8th, night. I was working on my article for the SPTimes from 6 to 11:30 pm. Starting around 10:30 I started feeling the insistent presence to hurry up and finish, similar to other nagging experiences I've had in the past. I had not felt that while working late at night since the prior ghost hunt. However, I have been doing fewer articles and the lack of interactions may be due to less work in that room.

I noticed that the verticals were blowing in an agitated manner (which they have done before when I felt the insistent presence). I also smelled a sweet fragrance, similar to male cologne or deodorant. I don't know if it is flowers blooming outside (though I have smelled around the window) or my own fragrances (though I can't imagine anything I have would smell so "male".). 

Iliad, the past few nights, has also been barking at nothing late at night. She barks in the direction of the bathroom and front window of the apartment, though none of the others bark with her. 

I also noticed that the closet and bathroom, but the closet in particular, seems to remain colder than the rest of the apt, despite no a/c being on and the hot summer temps. I do not know if that is due to its placement near an outside wall, or if it is something else. 

Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 12:00:39 

This morning, around 7:45 to 8 am I was awakened by a loud crashing sound that came from my walk in closet. It sounded like a series of things fell off a shelf at once. The sound was familiar, 

and, in retrospect, I realize it sounded like my VCR tapes falling. They have fallen on me three or four times in the past few months as I've worked around them to clean the closet. I was tired, and didn't feel like getting up to look at that moment. 

I got up at 8:15 to walk and feed the pugs. I looked in the closet; nothing fell. I could find NOTHING that fell at all, though I searched the whole apt. I went outside, thinking maybe the sound came from was workers, who had been construction workers at the house catty cornered to me. Nope. NO ONE was there. 

1:00 PM: As I prepare this entry, I again am smelling the male cologne odor. It is stronger now, very condensed. If I get up and move away from the computer, it fades. I do not sense cold. I have a window open, but moving towards it I do not smell the fragrance. 

1/27/02 

I know I dreamed yesterday, and I remembered it when I woke up, but I do not remember it now. However, I dreamed this am again -- another ghost-themed dream. In this dream, I and my mother had moved out of the house into an apartment. I was a teenager for this dream  but was smaller, thinner, with longer brown hair. I had two brothers as siblings (I am an only child in RL). Mom was an only parent, and she was also younger (30-ish), thinner, looong brown hair (Mom's hair has been short my whole life). Anyway, this was not a bad apt., it was more like a condo with a stairwell and 2 floors of living space. It did look a bit run down. It was older, and had a yellow-orange stripe that ran in a random zigzag pattern down the wall the staircase was against. Some 

of the furniture in the apt. belong to us, some of it was there. In the beginning of the dream, I had a friend over, and Mom had one of our new neighbors over. I was talking to the girlfriend (my age) upstairs in my room. I was showing her my exercise equipment (as true to real life). We were talking about diets (typical of me, too). Mom and the neighbor were simply talking about life. The neighbor was an older white-blonde haired woman, maybe in her 50s, who had a similar experience of raising kids alone in her lifetime. She was very nice and it seems that both Mom 

and the neighbor knew each other for a while. However, both were in tuned with ghosts. They sensed things about the apt. which we did not, especially as we had recently moved in. 

It was strange because the neighbor started to talk about the presences she felt in the apt. She had a strange board that she used. It was a white board with grids cut across it. She had a bowl of dirt, water, and manure which she used to dip a sponge into. She would hold it near her lips and chant, as she squeezed the sponge. The brownish fluid would spill across the board and, similar to the idea of I-Ching, she could interpret what a ghost was saying by the way the drops fell on the board. She didn't look too pleased with the results. 

In the meantime, I had shown my friend some of the exercises. She was working on crunches...and Mom called me down to tell me I had to go to Publix, the local grocery store. (Also a real place). I got a shopping list, and told my friend I would be back shortly. I remember kinda 

wandering through the store for a while, getting things. I also realized that I was looking more like me in RL -- my features were changing to take on my own true appearance.

I spent $40 on food, then realized I had only gone part way through the store. I asked the manager to watch the food, as i had a second trip to do, and went through for another $10 worth of food. I left with the $10 worth, and realized I had left some behind with the manager. I was now 

frustrated, this was not like me to make so many mistakes with a simple task of grocery shopping. I went back and got the remainder of the food and finally got all of it home. 

Mom and the neighbor had gone out to a common back yard to sit down. The boys and my friend were inside. I put away the groceries and went to talk with my friend. She was doing automatic writing, and had written "I WANT YOU TO GET OUT" across a board. It seems that there was a ghost of a little boy in my room. He had been murdered or committed suicide in there, and that it was related to a man whose presence lingered with a reclining chair downstairs. 

I called my dream "Mom" in, and the two brothers and the friend and I sat down and discussed what was going on. As we talked, we all realized we were not comfortable in the apt. It also was revealed at that point that the little boy had killed his father, a big brute of a man, in the recliner. 

Both were angry with one another, and remained so in the afterlife. He had gone upstairs to his room, now my room, and killed himself afterward. 

In the meantime, the neighbor outside felt something was wrong. She pulled herself physically into the other dimension (?) and, with the aid of a male colleague, pulled me in. Again, I looked like the girl and I watched from a 3rd person perspective as it happen to "me", then the two boys, and Mom. We all looked frozen in time, all calm. A glittery outline was traced around each of us, and we started to be pulled back, fading at the same time. I remember wondering why Mom was not upset as I watched myself disappear. It was almost as if she was cutting us out of one 

reality. The second reality was very brown, black, and white (similar to the divination water mentioned above). Time seemed strange, objects blurred. 

We went outside and came "back". The neighbor apologized, but said that she had to do it, the child was growing very angry with us and was almost becoming violently obsessed. We had three dogs, one small mutt, two bigger medium-large breeds of mutt. I decided to go back for them. I got 'them out, and we did a brief wandering around the building. I remember I walked through the apartment of one person who lived in a lower level, who had left his door open. He was not too thrilled, but did not kick us out, either. I saw an apt. with a young mother and her baby. Finally, I went back outside. My friend had made it out of the apt., too, and joined the larger group. All sat around the veranda, the three dogs running around the yard. 

My friend and the neighbor sat out with us. Both seemed mystic, but it was the neighbor who looked at me and said that I had someone with me: a spirit of a dog. All fell silent. We heard a crackling sound, like a dog running through sticks and grass. Then, the neighbor spied something in the grass. She went over and pulled up a plate, which was part of the watering or electrical system. It hissed and sputtered, making the same noise we had heard. 

At first, she thought she was wrong and that the sound was caused by the electronics.  Then, the dog running noises started again, moving around a tree and coming towards me. I remember that I had fully taken on my own characteristics. I was "me" again. I was excited. I said "In real life (it seemed this was a movie being made) where I am the actor (in other words, myself, not a character). 

This dog ghost in the dream turned out to be the ghost of my real life deceased dog, Odie.  I remember I could not see her, but I was so excited. I tried to scoop her up....and that was 

So, this dream was bizarre. To go from being the character to realizing it was a movie being filmed, to having a true ghost with my pug, Odie, totally out of nowhere in the "film" was very strange. The fear I felt was real of the boy ghost, the alternate reality (time beyond time, 

perhaps?) was also so real....very odd! 

1/25/02 

I had a strange thing happen. Starting about 1/19, I have had several instances of de ja vu. This seems to be cyclical for me. I don't think it is the due to similarity of situations -- the strongest episodes were very unusual. One was as I did a presentation about ghosts (ironically enough) in the Safety Harbor library. I looking down, focused on the things on the table, and I was not, for the moment speaking. As the meeting leader talked business, I suddenly had the sense: the words the scene, the smell (of a library), the feel...very strange stuff. 

It happened again at home...I think it was an image of certain pugs, one carrying a pink shoe (which I just bought). 

Also, I am starting to remember dreams again. I had a strange dream of an old man, for some reason I think it was the one who killed himself in the garage, who was standing in old tan and tattered clothing. He was stooped, partially bald, but what hair he had was long and stringy. He was pointing to liquid on the deck (possibly where the pugs had pottied -- they have been naughty as of late). He was rabidly upset, pointing at the puddles, and staring at my apartment door window. I felt trapped and did not know what to do. He made no attempt to come into the apt, though I had the door closed and locked (I supposed he could have broken the glass if he wanted to) but he stayed fairly far away from the door...He would creep up and look closer in the window from time to time, but that was about it. 

Fri, 12 Oct 2001 08:20:35 -0400 (EDT) 

This was a strange dream that I had this am. I dreamt that a couple who  are part of my ghost hunting team lived across the street from me in a two  story duplex. (In reality, they live about 20 minutes away!) Their house  was haunted by a female specter who work a black monk-like robe, with a  hood. One could touch the outfit, and pull down the hood; but the ghost had no head. 

Anyway, I went in to investigate and was confronted by the ghost. I did, indeed, pull down the hood and there was no head. I remember feeling a bit trapped as I was in the 2nd floor guest room with a headless ghost. I scooted around her and went downstairs. I did have some research on the home, and figured it was the spirit of the former owner who died or had  been killed in the building. 

Also, I noticed that, in my dream only, this couple also had a skeleton on display from an archeological dig. It was mid-Middle Ages, black plague. The robe the ghost work looked more Medieval, so I wondered if that was the true origin of the ghost. I went back over there and we  discussed the potential origins of this ghost, and then I went back upstairs. 

Things in the room began to slide around me, and it was unnerving. In particular, I remember seeing an ashtray slide across the guest table. I was a bit upset, but continued on. The ghost manifested in front of me again. This time, because I had hit upon her origin (I didn't know which one...it was one of my theories that I had presented this couple earlier) she now manifested herself as a skeleton, complete with skull, dressed in the robe, which was EVEN MORE UNNERVING. She was missing something, her death had not been avenged, or something was wrong along those lines, but she would not speak, and staring at the skeleton scared me out of my wits. I ambled out of the house. I remember coming across the street and just feeling as if I had been followed by the specter. 

What is odd is that I am a ghost investigator, and I have a team. I'm doing interviews about ghost hunting, and I have rarely been afraid of ghosts. This dream scared me badly enough to wake me up! I couldn't get back to sleep for a while. 

Thu, 31 May 2001 09:23:43 -0400 (EDT) 

Over the years that I've lived here I have heard someone say "Oh, you're home", call my name, I've heard "Fuzzy" voices -- someone saying something but one can't make it out, etc. Last night, as I was starting to fall asleep, I swear I heard someone say "Excuse Me"...a male voice. I snapped my eyes open and was quite alone. I had the TV on, but no volume. I promptly turned it up. Pugs had no reaction.... so I don't know if it was just me or if there is something here. I also know that I have never directly seen a ghost (Other than images), but I have smelled one, and I wonder if I have the ability to hear them when my mind is not so cluttered 

Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2001 17:56:08 -0500 (EST) 

OK, all, guess what? I just got through with two weeks of exhausting work and MORE work, so it's time to get all of my e-mails going again. I will have a couple, I suspect, other than this one. But, we'll see. 

First thing: I don't know if this makes sense, but lately, maybe for the past 2-4 months, I have been hearing a lot of popping sounds out in the apt. It's very odd because I have lived here for 9 years and never have had so much popping, if any AT ALL, before. I don't know if part of it is the computer I have in here...but, it seems the popping started several weeks after I brought it here. It's just one or two "pops" that come from the computer area, then sometimes I hear pops coming from the attic or general kitchenette area. Recently, they have also started to come from the ceiling near the wall that one part of my bed is against -- notably, I sleep with my head towards that wall. Last night there were three pops. Two rhythmical, one that came a few seconds later....It's very strange. I don't know if there is or is not a presence here. I don't know if something has come to stay here, or if this is the original presence that may have been here (a man committed suicide in the garage that is across from my apartment door. Both the garage and economy apt I live in are connected to a deck, which leads up to the house of the owner). Perhaps it is just my imagination? 

But, what is odd is that it seems some strange events have happened here on a rather sporadic pattern. I have heard my name called when no one called it. I have sensed very ODD but well-defined warm spots on the deck -- notably on the ceiling of the deck, that extended down directly over me, stopping 2 feet over my head. 

For a time, the bathroom window was continually found open when the other person who lives here swore it was closed. We both started to take note of the window for a time -- she would check it on her way out, and I would person who lives here swore it was closed. We both started to take note of the window for a time -- she would check it on her way out, and I would check it when I left. When we both checked it, it would be down in the afternoon when she came home. When she alone checked it, it sometimes appeared open when she got home in the afternoon. I don't know if it was her own forgetfulness or something else... 

The garage has always been a very creepy area...I do not have a problem going out there during the day, but I hate to go out there at night. Night time I always have the sensation that I am not wanted in there...and last night I went into the garage around 11:30 PM to get some laundry. I had the distinct impression of some standing there just staring at me, wanting me to leave. I simply said, "Look, I am just going to grab my laundry, then go, OK", and it eased off. I don't know if that is my imagination or not....it is a garage and garages are pretty creepy in semi-darkness! 

Anyway, I don't know for sure if anything is up or not. However, as I said, I have never had any memory of popping noises in the apt. Certainly none from the three areas I stated at the start of this note. I have also never heard it this frequently. I don't think it is the weather. I live in Florida, where we do get some temp changes, but it's not that radical. I have had other experiences here -- my first, and so far only, lucid dream, my grandmother's presence when she passed to the other side, odd dreams, art inspiration, writing inspirations, and so on and so forth. I started ghost hunting while I lived here, too. My art career started while I was here, as did the writing portion of my activities. There has been a lot that has happened here in 9 years! 

Mystery at the Dali Museum

From an e-mail I sent out on 3/5/01.  The concert took place at 3/4/01, Saturday, 2:30 - 4:30 pm.

I went to the Dali Museum yesterday to see a chamber music performance.  While listening to the music, as I was quite tired from the night before, I started to close my eyes (with the oak trees blooming right now, my eyes are also very dry!).  I did this periodically to 1) listen to the music 2) moisten my eyes....

The music was really very nice.  It was kind of relaxing in a way...and the musicians really put a lot of energy into their music.

Twice during the performance (which ran about two hours long) I had an odd experience.  I closed my eyes for about 15 seconds at a time.  Two times I had the sensation of air blowing by me...once to my side, once behind me. What I found to be odd is that in my mind eye I saw a figure walking by me.  I got the impression it was male, and it was all dark -- a shadow being.  I was so certain that someone was walking by me that I opened my eyes.... Yet no one was there.  In fact, none of the audience got up during the entire times of the performances.

I had a similar sensation when I heard the drums talk to me at the first Key West Style drum ceremony I went to.  Closing my eyes then, too, I listened intently to the music.  I had the sensation of someone standing next to me, talking to me (in fact, I knew it was a blonde woman, in a blue dress, leaning over my right shoulder).  She was trying to tell me something; I heard my name plainly twice.  Then the rest of her words became mumbled as I guess my mind perked up to listen to her.... I could hear her voice, but not understand what she was saying.  I was so certain she was real, I opened my eyes to turn and tell her I could not hear her over the drums.  No one was there.  In fact, the voice I heard came from the drum 3 people away from me.... It was truly a very strong experience for me...and I think that may have had something to do with my own conscious awakening to supernatural events.

In this experience at the Dali Museum, however, no one spoke to me.  It was as if "he" was simply moving past me, going towards the stage where the music was being played.

Does anyone have any ideas what this means???  As an artist, writer, and a student I am very intently visual.  To stop the visual distractions from taking me away from the music I have found closing my eyes helps....

This weekend I've been in a bit of a funk.  Not sure if it is weather related, exhaustion, family, seasonal (I do seem to do this EVERY freaking year), artistic, biological or what.... Yet, my creativity is on the rise again.  I have had two clear experiences this weekend of seeing an art project which had been troubling me completed -- I know what to do to make it now -- and having a spontaneous burst of creativity due to seeing reflections on a wall.  I started to work on a third project yesterday and got so caught up in it that I literally lost 2 hours of time.  I sat down, looked at the clock, worked on it, looked at the clock again and was stunned to find it was SO late.  I never felt the passage of time! For those of you who don't know me too well, I am usually very keenly aware of time since I live a hectic and pretty filled life!

Yet, other than these bursts of Creativity, my moods are still very down.

I don't know if that might impact my mind, my mental status, or my Brain waves to leave me more open to experiences or what...just something I thought I'd pass along.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Has anyone heard if the Dali is haunted?  So far, I have not.... It is located in downtown St. Petersburg, right off the port of Tampa Bay, and about 2 blocks down from USF St. Petersburg campus....

Medallion Story

This morning I went to a church rummage sale.  It was at the local Catholic Church, St. Mary's Cathedral, which may be the seat of the diocese, I'm not sure. I noticed they had a booth of religious statuettes, rosaries, and medallions.  I was poking through the stuff, remembering my days in an all-girl's Catholic school, when I discovered the dish of small medallions.  They had all been donated, so they were pretty much for sale for whatever people offered to pay for them. 

Here is what I found odd.  These medallions were made of aluminum.  Many of you know that I work in aluminum.  I work with metals, in general, for my art. Aluminum RARELY holds energy of its own and it's not much of a conductor.    One of these aluminum medallions, however, actually caused my

fingers to tingle.  It was the same sensation as when one comes across and unusually powered stone or some really heavy energy in a room.  I was really surprised. I am not Catholic, though I try to remain open to all religions with a positive message and connotation. I tend to have more of a connection with ancient religions.... yet, this one piece spoke to me!

I asked the woman at the counter what the medallion represented.  It's a protection amulet -- which is actually what I was sort of thinking about in the back of my mind when I was poking through the bowl.  Hey, with ghost hunting, one can never be too careful.

The woman had a history about this piece, which she gave me.  It is called the "Miraculous Medal".  As exerted from the paper:

                    On November 27, 1830, the Blessed Mother appeared to Sister Catherine Laboure in the Chapel of the Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity in

                    Paris.  Sister Catherine described her as beautiful in the perfection of

                    her beauty.

                    When Mary appeared as she is on the Medal, Sister Catherine heard the words:  Have a Medal struck on this model.  All who wear it will receive

                    great graces."

                    In a pervious visit our Lady had said"  Come to the foot of the altar.

                    Here graces will be bestowed".  From Mary, Sister Catherine learned a prayer....

                    On the front of this medal is the image of the Blessed Virgin.  From her  outstretched hands are the rays symbolic of graces obtained by those who

                    ask for them.

                    Around the outer edge of the Medal is the prayer:  Oh Mary, Conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

                    On the reverse is the letter M and a bar surmounted by a cross, a reminder of Christ's suffering and death.  Under these symbols are engraved the

                    Sacred heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  There is no

                    wording on the reverse.  The two Hearts say enough.  Twelve stars encircle the whole.

Anyway, I also found a second medallion that I liked:  written entirely in Spanish, made of silver, and small, it's representative of the Mary of Guadeloupe.  When I did research about the Mary image on the side of the Clearwater building, the Catholic organization there likened her to the Mary of Guadeloupe.  With such a strong local connection I got this medal, too.

Lastly, as I was getting ready to leave, I decided to stop by the Church office to have the medallions blessed by a priest.  Like I said, with the ghost hunting, and my own hectic helter-skelter life, I figure it can't hurt anything!  There was a pries who blessed both of my medals for me, a little added protection.

I am quite pleased with my purchases!  I hope that they bring protection to me.

Cape Story.

Earlier this year, (April 2000), ago I got an old cape from a yard sale.  It's heavy, black and soft and it looked like it was made of black velvet.  But, the collar was tattered and the hem was coming out at the bottom. It was $5, but since capes normally cost $90 - $150 at the local Festivals, I figured it'd be worth it.   Yes, I am a bit of a pinch-a-penny, but it is also not something I *NEED* since I do live in hot, muggy, humid Florida, where winters are about two days long.  However, when the hosts of the yard sale told me that they had gotten it from a sale in a New York theater and since I had not put it down since I picked it up, I got it. 

About a month after I got it, a Renaissance Festival came up.  I decided I would wear it to the festival -- a great cape like that can be worn only every so often with the right situations.  Well, when I put it on, I just got this sense of character from it.  I guess it was the collar and the hem, but I sensed it was something that characterized a fallen noble...someone who was once wealthy, had fallen on hard times, but still held a great sense of was something that characterized a fallen noble. I tailored my costume to reflect that type of character, and it seemed to work well.  I wore the cape, boots, clam-digger pants, and a black velvet blouse (or a reasonable facsimile of one).  However, as I completed dressing, and despite my being late, I just felt the costume needed something. I have a pair of black velvet gloves, which covered from wrist to shoulder, leaving the hand free.  I put those on, since my outfit was sleeveless otherwise, and it seemed to just be PERFECT.  This relates to the story further down.

After the festival, I decided I liked the cape enough to get it repaired and refurbished.  I took the cape to the seamstress.  She is the mother of a friend of mine and is very good at what she does.  She grew up in the clothing industry, worked for a dry cleaner, married a dry cleaner, and has done alterations for at least 45 years.  To top it off, she is very personable and friendly!  She has seen a lot and worked with many different garments.  She also helps to restore antique clothing.  She has good credentials!  As she looked at the cape and I explained to her how I got it, she said I did very well.  First of all, it is real velvet, not synthetic.  She did tell me that she cannot find "real" velvet in the market.  It is very expensive and hard to find.  Secondly, she looked at the liner.  It was made of two materials.  One material had been removed...it was the original outer liner.  It was something she called crepe (sounds like grape! I am not sure how to spell it).  This material is not made any more, and during the time it was, it was a costly material.  This was no cheap cape I had!  There is still some of the crepe under the collar and along the seams of the cape.  She said to leave it -- it is very valuable!  Secondly, the remaining liner, originally the inner the collar and along the seams of the cape.  She said to leave it -- it is very valuable!  Secondly, the remaining liner, originally the inner lining, was made out of a fabric that was hand-made and which cannot be gotten any longer -- also very old, and very valuable.  The cape was meant to keep the wearer warm, and must have been well loved to undergo so many changes to it! Thirdly, she discovered that the cape was originally something that either had holes for the arms to go through, or more likely, she thought, it originally had sleeves.  She showed me where these holes had been sewed shut - I never even saw them before she showed me!  The area where the sleeves were sewed shut shows the span of the original owner's back -- very small.

I am 5 foot 3, but am a woman with broad 

shoulders. The cape's original shoulder 

width would fall probably 3 inches short 

on each shoulder for me to wear!

Also, she did repair the collar.  

She got the best velvet out there, 

but it feels so different from the 

original velvet of the cape.  I can 

really tell a difference in it.

It also turns out that the bottom hem 

was NOT supposed to be tacked up. 

The lining was straight, the velvet was 

supposed to flow free, like a train effect.  

She fixed that, too, and it is beautiful 

and gives the cape a very soft flowing 

effect.  I suspect a woman, rather than

a child wore the cape.  It is a lot of

material, almost too much for a child.  

I asked her how old it was.  She 

estimated that it may date to at 

least the 1920's, but guessed/thought

it more likely it was from the turn of 

the century or older.

This is what I find interesting: number 

one, the sleeves...the cape did not seem 

right for me to wear until I added those two 

arm-covering gloves described above.  

Did I pick it up subconsciously?  Or is it 

my sense of items from the 1890's. I have 

always liked this late Victorian era, but 

have not understood why.  As I did research 

on the time period, I found out that the 

Victorian era held many values that I do today, including my stance on ancient studies, alcohol, and technology.  I have found many of my own opinions on academic matters, which I thought were my own opinions, seem to mirror ideas from the Victorian Era.

I had mentioned the story of the cape to a group of people I correspond with.  They suggested I try to get an image of the previous owner, perhaps a form of retrocognition.  The image I got when I

thought of the cape was of a woman in a long dress, wearing this black coat, with a matching black bonnet.  She was coming into an older wooden building, and there was a lot of snow outside.  But, that could be

an image I have of Wynona Ryder in Little Women, for all I know.  It was odd, but that is what I saw.  But, for some reason, I keep thinking "French Canadian" when I think of this woman.

Do you think it possible to be attracted to something from a previous life?  Is this cape something I once owned, which came back to me?  Or is there a sense of familiarity, once again, and camaraderie with a bygone era?

Drum Ceremony.  March 2000.

The sounds of a living rhythm fill my ears and force its way into my mind, as its gentle vibrations run through the length of my body.  My eyes are filled with the vision of a great oak tree, lighting flashing on the horizon behind it.  A frog sits and watches me; its wise eyes filled with the revelations of nature as I, a mere human, attempt to communicate with my own higher self and the invisible beings that surround me.

It is my first drum ceremony.  I do not know what to make of it.  I have been pounding upon a drum for more than two hours; my arm moves under a power that is no longer my own.  It's an odd sensation to be a stranger watching a part of my own body move as a stranger on the outside.  I can see my arm, flying up and then soaring down to the strike a hand-made drum with a sense of force I find surprising.  Do I possess so much strength?  Or do the actions of my arm no longer belong to me?  It is a question I still find myself asking even after all of this time has passed.

During the ceremony, I closed my eyes; we had been at the drumming for at least and hour and a half.  I had finally relaxed enough to get to the point where I didn't even feel like *I* was moving my hand to drum -- it's almost like someone else -- or the drum -- was moving my arm for me!  Anyway, I closed my eyes for a while, listening to the music and drumming.  It's amazing to me that all of these people -- many of who did not know one another -- were able to bring their own drums and just fall into this

rhythm with one another.  It all sounded remarkable -- sometimes one instrument would sound louder than another, even though most of us were seated - just the music of somehow one instrument or two would rise above the others, or sound closer than the others...

During this time with my eyes closed, I thought I sensed a blonde female, possibly the gallery owner who

arranges the circles, standing behind me.  She was talking to me over my shoulder.  I heard the voice -- female -- right above my left ear....(about in the area that some new age authors  say clairaudio reception

takes  place).  I sensed the presence near me.  I heard my name followed by some other words, but I could not  "understand" what she was "saying".  I opened my eyes to turn and ask her  to repeat what she said -- there was NO ONE there.  I identified the origin of the voice -- it had come through a drum two people down from me.

(I am a very visual person -- with my eyes closed I am able to enjoy the other senses more, concentrate better -- but with my eyes open I am able to visually pinpoint where sound is, etc....does that make any sense???)

I was totally stunned, but very excited.

I told the gallery owner about it afterwards, and she said that she had heard some strange stories about the "Medicine Garden" -- where the drum ceremony was held -- from other people, too.  She thinks it was the spirit of the garden!

Towards the end of the ceremony, this young kinda smarmy guy came to the ceremony.  He hit on my friend, myself a  little and another woman or two  at the drum ceremony (trying to pick up chicks???)  At the end of the  ceremony, everyone joined hands to say some parting words.  He squeezed in

between my friend and me, holding both of our hands.  I had his hand and  another woman's hand.... until an insect -- I don't know what kind - flew up and bit my hand that was holding this man's hand -- so hard that I was forced to drop his hand and try to swat this bug with my other hand.  Yet, later, no mark is left from this hard bug bite!  It wasn't a mosquito, I know that -- it was a small black insect, but the bite felt more like a horsefly bite -- very painful!  Yet, my hand is fine, now!

The other thing that was odd tonight was this: at the drum circle there was a huge overarching oak tree -- the tree of Zeus -- which would light up against an occasional flash of lightning.  (Storms passing through North Florida -- just far enough away to show us a glimpse of the stronger lightning, but that was all!)  Anyway, during the ceremony, I was looking at the tree admiring it. I saw something move -- a big tree frog, somewhat rare to see at the time of year, and rarely seen by me in Florida.  (Since 1980 I have seen maybe 4 in person at night). This big old frog climbed out and sat right on the tree trunk, in the light, for the rest of the ceremony.  The drums did not seem to bother it.  I was the first to see it and pointed it out to the group.  When I got home, (a friend went with me; I drove us from my house) a huge frog -- the same type that we had seen in Gulfport -- was clinging to my apartment window -- and for a moment was Illuminated in my car headlights.  When I put the car in park and turned it off, the frog jumped from my window and out of my headlight range-- and I did not find it again. My friend told me that it meant I was blessed (there is an Egyptian Goddess, Nebt, or something like that -- I'll find the entry; I'm tired right now, who was frog-headed.  Or maybe it is in conjunction with other events of my life?  Some of the strange dreams I have had???)

Neat, huh? I'm telling you it was interesting tonight.  I may be hooked on drumming!

Orb peeking in doorway. 5.01.03

Orb over Jasper, post "fan episode"

05.01.03

Orb in my area "Joseph"?

Denise, 05.01.03

Iliad with "little girl"? 

Light orb. 05.01.03

EMF meter registering fluctuations.

Trifield meter    05.01.03

Two light orbs.  Note the non-plussed pugs. Denise.05.01.03

ORB?-->

<----orb?

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