Something's Happening Here/What It Is Ain't Exactly Clear

[JSngry]

Ok....back in the 70s I had a couple of "weird experiences", one of which involved a voodoo curse being placed on me & my then-girlfriend...took care of that by going to see a Chango (at the advice of a Hispanic preist, who made it very clear that we should not do this just for entertainment or out of curiosity), which since your wife is a Wiccan, will probably not be a palatable choice since they both more or less work in the same realm, just that the Chango has the whole Catholic overlay thing going on...my experience had a very, uh..."spooky" (yet ultimately positive) outcome which I do not care to go into here. But in South Florida, you should not have too hard a time finding a Chango should you care to. There is a lot of "show business" involved, but such is the nature of this entire realm, as you are finding out.

Other than that...the whole thing about matter/energy/whatever being neither created nor destroyed coupled with the reality (if you believe physics, and why not believe physics) that there are more than just the three dimensions that we consciously experience every day lay open a whole lot of possibilities that we can not, as of yet, explain rationally. This type of thing can even be found in the Old Testament, which mentions a seance (iirc, the expression "handwriting on the wall" stems from this story), and there's that whole cryptic passage about "the sons of God looked upon the daughters of men and found them fair, and took of them wives as they chose." WTF is that supposed to be about? So it's not like this thing is all medieval, Druid-esque fantasy, there is a somewhat "universal" history to it.

Now, is it real? Well, if by real you mean can you see it and know that you're not imagining it, then yes, it is real. As to what it is, really is, I'd not bet good money on anybody really knowing. I do believe that for everything there is a rational, scientific explanation, but I also believe that there are some things that our rationality and scientific awareness are light years away from even beginning to get a grip on. So until it does, we "interpret" what is going on, and if that means anthropomorphizing inter-dimensional vibrational activity in "spirits" and such, hey, so be it. Of course, there may actually be inter-dimensional spirits. None of us can really prove it one way or the other. But I feel safe in saying that acknowledging the likelihood of inter- (or even intra-) dimensional vibrational activity as a by-product of what we know about energy and physics and "believing in ghosts" are not even remotely the same thing.

So where do you go from here? Hell if I know...my experiences were not with the non-malevolent "forces" and I myself have reached a firm conclusion that I know just enough about the "paranormal" to know that what I know now is all I ever want to know. Ever. What I do not know, I resolutely do not want to find out...and there's not too may things about which I will say that. But - if you and Sue and the dogs think you have it under control, and if you are all convinced that three is no danger of this thing ever going bad (and that may or may not be a gamble, if you knwo what I mean...), me, I'd either look to get away from it altogether or just make my peace with it being there and not look to stir up any more shit with it. Because when you do, you are playing "their" game on "their" terms on "their" turf, and no matter how badass any motherfucker might be, them are not good odds for anybody with good sense to take.

[Dan Gould]

Concerning the dogs, any changes in diet lately? It is true that they can sense when things aren't right. The seizure theory seems the most plausible to me. More plausible than "I've got evil spirits that suddenly decided to attack me and my family after several years of next to nothing happening." I mean, it's known now that even plants emit chemical signals to other plants when shit goes down. Dogs are tuned in to each other.

Then again, what do I know?

No changes in diet. I am prepared to accept that Gracie had a seizure - though I really wish we could afford a visit with the vet at least for a consult but since we found a very cheap way to take care of their rabies vaccinations and heartworm tests recently, that's not going to happen unless something else medical pops up.

But I have a very hard time with the idea that Coltrane was reacting to something that took place five hours later, or that he did so without once looking at Gracie, checking Gracie out (which he does all the time because when he's giving her kisses and finds a skin blemish from her allergies, he's all over it) or having anything to do with Gracie when it happened. On top of that, it was a classic extreme submission reaction, from a dog who doesn't submit to anyone.

As for the question of "nothing much happening" for so long before this started, you shouldn't necessarily be surprised. For instance, its common that activity starts or radically increases, when a house undergoes renovations. Something about spirits being disturbed when "their" home is changed. No, we haven't done any renovating but I have a better example of sudden appearance of activity. Patty has a co-worker who has been living in the same apartment for a couple of years. There were one or two "strange" things happening but now Patty is trying to help this lady out because, out of the blue, activity has really spiked, and their activity is much more aggressive than anything we've had (as in, boyfriend being attacked in bed, feelings of suffocation plus bed sheets that are pulled tight around him, other things). And ironically enough, in January, the woman was concerned that the spirit was following her because she told the same story I did - her pants were tugged while she was on a ladder at work. She came to the front of the store and asked if someone had done it because she thought someone was playing with her. But no one did. (And let me repeat that this happened in January, so it doesn't explain what happened to me in December).

[Jim Alfredson]

Well, we believe what we want to believe. That's why something like Scientology can exist. Good luck.

[Dan Gould]

Well I know you're not comparing me to a Scientologist, and I specifically said that I am not the kind of person who wants to believe. I've considered a lot of possibilities and find it impossible to reject the paranormal one.

[Dan Gould]

Well, something new happened last night. All four of us were downstairs, my wife and I were watching TV while she played on her laptop. I was sitting opposite her which gives me a view of the hallway and bottom of the staircase. As I turned back toward the TV I heard footsteps go up the stairs and turned that way thinking "Coltrane never goes upstairs alone when we're all together down here."

Which is when I saw that Coltrane was standing stock-still at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the bottom of the staircase (no other reaction, no submission or anything like that, but it was clear he heard the sound too). I said to my wife "did you hear that" and she said "why did Coltrane go upstairs" at which point I told her he was standing right there and those footsteps weren't his.

:unsure:

I don't know what to think of this - the sound was very recognizable as that of footsteps, the sound of a weight pressing down and then leaving the steps, and it went sequentially up the stairs, about six times. Could the house have made the noise? I guess its possible but we've never heard such noises before and in fact, the construction of the house is not conducive to transmitting footsteps too well. If we were plagued by creaking noises or something I'd be more likely to blame the house. These were f-ing footsteps up the stairs.

And I don't think Fairies are that heavy.

[DTMX]

And I don't think Fairies are that heavy.

But they do wear boots.

[Dan Gould]

Well, the strange things continue. This time, Coltrane, who has handled the job of Chief of Perimeter Security very well, was kind of off his nut giving Perimeter Alerts, including going upstairs to bark, which he has never ever done before. When we let him outside, he did not go to the fence but went to the middle of the yard, paced in a circle and barked. Definitely unusual but I placed no real significance on it. However, my wife did as after the original "weird things" involved the dogs she is very sensitive to any perceived threat to them.

So, she got some more advice from her Wicca colleagues and went about "sealing" the house today - mostly using black salt and incense. I normally just try to be tolerant of whatever she wants to do and I would never tell her not to follow her beliefs. What made me wonder about what she did and what effect it may have was the fact that when she was done, she came into the office and sat down and told me that whatever she did it must have really pissed something off, because now she can hear furious screaming in her head. Not a brutal headache, but the sound of screaming, and not agonized screaming but angry screaming. This subsided after about 15-30 minutes. If you are wondering, she wasn't told to expect this reaction, so there can be no suggestion effect. And when my wife tells me she hears angry screaming in her head, I believe her. She's not interested in freaking me out or making me believe what she believes, and she's never told me stories, ever. She thinks this is very serious now.

And interestingly enough, one of her wands has reappeared. I wasn't accurate before about where she keeps the wands. When not in use, they are in a box with a handful of other objects that she doesn't like to leave out. If it was highly unlikely that I would miss the CDs that were found in the shopping bag, I can say unequivocally that it is completely, 100% impossible for her to miss the wands when she looked for them many times before. There are so few things in that box if it had been there before she would have seen it. And it were right on top when she opened the box.

One thing I want to ask her when she gets home tonight is whether the wand had anything to do with what she did in the house today, and if it did, is it possible the Fairies finally gave one back because they knew she needed it?

Edited March 14, 2010 by Dan Gould

[Dan Gould]

Well I don't know if anyone is still interested but since this functions as a journal of sorts, here's the latest:

Two nights ago I was upstairs in the office, reading something online when I was poked in the right shoulder blade, pretty hard. I was certain it was my wife behind me but of course there was nothing there.

Now, I am sure Paps and others will say that this was a muscle spasm and I can see the argument. At the same time, this very much felt like something external acting against my back, not some involuntary spasm like Peter Graves right before he succumbs to uncontrolled flatulence.

[papsrus]

Well, believe me, if this stuff was happening to me and I was convinced it was paranormal, I'm sure I'd be exploring all options. And if I believed something was pissed off to the point of screaming into my wife's head, I'd be calling in the big guns (whoever they are).

One question: Can you think of anything that happened or anything you, your wife or your dogs did just prior to this stuff starting? Weird that it seems to have just started out of the blue.

[Dan Gould]

One question: Can you think of anything that happened or anything you, your wife or your dogs did just prior to this stuff starting? Weird that it seems to have just started out of the blue.

No, nothing that I experienced, but remember to my wife this didn't start out of the blue in November, she was perceiving things and having things happen (like the disappearing wands) well before the time that it manifested (so to speak) in ways that I've seen with my own eyes.

[Indestructible!]

Dan,

Is there any reason Gracie isn't in your avatar anymore? I also have a Weimaraner (named "Mobley"), so whenever I see your avatar I'm immediately drawn to Gracie's regal face.

I hope it doesn't have anything to do with what's going on at your house!

Cheers,

Shane

[Dan Gould]

Dan,

Is there any reason Gracie isn't in your avatar anymore? I also have a Weimaraner (named "Mobley"), so whenever I see your avatar I'm immediately drawn to Gracie's regal face.

I hope it doesn't have anything to do with what's going on at your house!

Cheers,

Shane

Shane,

Thanks for your concern but Gracie is fine, I just decided to change avatars after snapping a few shots of Coltrane last night. I am still trying to get a shot of Coltrane loving up Gracie when she is fed up and her lip curls back so this current one might be short-lived. (Would love to see Mobley; if we didn't live on opposite coasts we might be able to bring Coltrane and Mobley together )

[Free For All]

if we didn't live on opposite coasts we might be able to bring Coltrane and Mobley together

Add Griffin and you have "A Sniffin' Session".

[Dan Gould]

I was thinking add Miles and you get Someday My Postman Will Come (To The Door & I Will Bite Him).

Edited March 23, 2010 by Dan Gould

[rdavenport]

I was thinking add Miles and you get Someday My Postman Will Come (To The Door & I Will Bite Him).

Or the Prestige sets "Sniffin'", "Scratchin'", "Chasin' cats" and "Humpin' my owner's leg"

Edited March 23, 2010 by rdavenport

[Dan Gould]

I am pleased to report that notwithstanding the "poking" incident that took place after my wife "sealed" the house (and triggered the angry screaming in her head), things have very much returned to normal. In fact, I have to say that within a couple of weeks I honestly began to perceive what I can only describe as a "lighter" atmosphere in the house. Almost a calm, or just some sense of a change to a sense of ... I don't know, a lack of foreboding or any feeling of dread? Its hard to describe, but I have to say its how I felt, the atmosphere was lighter, and nothing has been going on here since then.

But I didn't bring this thread up to report that. I brought it up to report something paranormal but actually sort of pleasing.

Three years ago on July 4th my Father-in-Law died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack. He was mere weeks away from moving to his dream home in Arizona (he died in Wichita). As per his wishes, he was cremated and in the fall of that year his ashes were scattered in a particular spot he had picked out in AZ. My wife and her sister took care of this, and while they were doing it, some pictures were taken of the area. Two of the pictures had what could be called "light anomalies" - it was a sunny day, this was an area with trees, and two pictures had sort of grayish dark areas or shadows. We didn't put too much stock in the pictures simply because, with big trees you simply can't say whether or not these are natural shadows or not, no matter what the grieving family wants to believe.

Fast forward to last month. My wife decided to sell her pickup truck in order to pay down some debts. Her plan was to fly out to Wichita with her sister to buy a replacement vehicle from a dealer who was her Father's closest friend (and she knew would give her a really good deal). So in June she books the airline tickets and informs Patty of this. Patty has saved on her cell phone one of the pictures from Arizona, but she does not keep it on the screen. That's reserved for her dog, Logan. The next time Patty took out her cell phone after Sue told her their flight schedule, her cell phone was displaying the picture from Arizona.

So they are in Wichita and she is completing the purchase of her SUV. They are sitting in the office awaiting the paperwork when Patty pulls out her phone - and once again, "Dad's" picture is on the screen.

Now I do not know of any cell phone where changing the picture on the screen is a simple matter of hitting a couple of buttons, which one could suppose might be done accidentally. You've got to push a button to bring up settings, you have to choose what setting you are changing, you have to find the picture and select it. We do not have any logical explanation for how the picture changed, except what Dad's friend said when they showed it to him - "Bob is just saying 'hi'."

I can't find the pictures on the hard drive but if I find the disc I will upload them.

[Tom Storer]

Just reading through this thread for the first time. The way I see it, you're wondering about five phenomena:

- weird dog behavior

- unexplained noises

- items go missing, "couldn't possibly have been there" but then return

- unexplained sensations (tugging, poking)

- weird cell phone behavior

From a skeptic's point of view, none of these are particularly eerie or even unusual. Except for the tugging and poking, all of them have happened to me at one point or another (not in the details, obviously, but in the general category). In particular, I can't count the number of times I have misplaced something and looked for it frantically, only to have it turn it up someplace that I had inspected--exhaustively, I thought--more than once.

The power of suggestion and interpretation is mighty. Once a hypothesis is there to give a framework, further things that occur are immediately fitted against the hypothesis, and often they could fit the hypothesis, sort of... So, nothing proven, but "evidence" that the hypothesis might be correct...

That said, who knows? Certainly there is much that remains inexplicable.

[Dan Gould]

Thanks for your perspective. In the case of the missing items, I've tried to explain why "exhaustive inspection" doesn't come close to describing the process - particularly in the case of the wand. We're talking about a box with a handful of items in it - literally - and a wand that extends almost the length of the box. Not a big box either, a "letter size" office file box. It is not possible to miss the wand once, let alone multiple times, then find it there again, without understanding that it was not there previously. There would be other explanations - I could be a mischivous ass making shit up - but the normal "I thought I looked there" explanation doesn't cut it.

[papsrus]

It's good to know that a positive vibe has displaced the decidedly negative one(s), Dan.

I was talking to a guy in New Orleans, just chewing the fat at a coffee shop one morning when I was there about a month ago. We got on the topic of spirits and things lurking about in the French Quarter.

The guy was a complete stranger, so I took everything he was saying in the 'spirit' of things, but at the same time didn't doubt his sincerity.

He told me a story about a home in the Quarter that a woman he knew lived in. It was once owned back in the 1800s by a woman who went insane after her husband left her. She ended up killing herself and her small white dog in the home.

The woman that this guy knows who lives there now also had her husband leave her. And she lived in the home alone with -- you guessed it -- a small white dog.

He spent the night there once and kept waking up at the sound of doors opening and slamming shut. He said he asked the woman about it in the morning (they were just friends, he said, and he slept on a different floor from her bedroom). She hadn't heard anything, and pointed out to him one of the unique features of the home which he hadn't noticed until then. There were no doors anywhere on the inside of the house. None.

Lots of stories like that in New Orleans, they say.

Edited August 6, 2010 by papsrus