Spirits, Apparitions, and other unexplained stuff

[NA4BH]

Where I sit, the door leads to the garage. Occasionally I see faces looking in at me through the window, when I look they are gone. A couple of mornings ago I was getting ready to head out to work, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was looking into the mirror and didn't see anything, but turned around to look anyway. When my son was 3 years old he told us about my grandmother coming to visit him the night before, the only time he ever was in contact with her was when he was just over 1 year old. HE KNEW HER NAME (we never told him her name). Tonight I had a friend over and he asked where the music was coming from. I said, you hear it too? It is older big band type music, nothing "modern". My children will call me (they each have their own residences) and tell me that Grandma or Grandpa came to visit last night. "They" are not menacing or scary, but we all tell them, "Glad you came to visit". Do I live on top of an ancient burial ground? Do any of you ever have unexplained instances?

[K7SGJ]

Yes. Yes.

[n2ize]

Me.. Never. I occasionally get sleep paralysis which can cause you to see, hear, feel some weird shit and causes many people to believe they are experiencing a menacing supernatural phenomenon. But it's just the brain is a semi waking state keeping the body paralyzed and causing hypnapompic and hypnagogic hallucinations.. Other than that, strange faces, weird sounds, cold spots, touching sensations, nope... never experienced anything like that anywhere. Even when I was in college and I used to pass the time studying in the "blue chapel" which was supposed to be haunted I never experienced anything strange. No bumps in the night here.

[KG4CGC]

I saw a few ghosts in the 90s.
One very interesting one was in 94. One day I was laying in bed, both feet at the bottom beside each other. It was like someone put a hand on each side of my feet, not touching them, and pushed down and let back up on the mattress real quick. Kind of like a quick slap.

Ever do that to anyone when you were a kid? Or push down real quick right beside them to get them to do a little bounce?

[K7SGJ]

Me.. Never. I occasionally get sleep paralysis which can cause you to see, hear, feel some weird shit and causes many people to believe they are experiencing a menacing supernatural phenomenon. But it's just the brain is a semi waking state keeping the body paralyzed and causing hypnapompic and hypnagogic hallucinations.. Other than that, strange faces, weird sounds, cold spots, touching sensations, nope... never experienced anything like that anywhere. Even when I was in college and I used to pass the time studying in the "blue chapel" which was supposed to be haunted I never experienced anything strange. No bumps in the night here.

I'll bet the spirits see you in their windows, and are scared shitless.

[n2ize]

I'll bet the spirits see you in their windows, and are scared shitless.

That's right, bring on the ghosts, spirits, demons,and even the devil himself.... They are all scared of me. That's why they don't hang around here. :)

[K7SGJ]

That's right, bring on the ghosts, spirits, demons,and even the devil himself.... They are all scared of me. That's why they don't hang around here. :)

I once heard that violin music will keep them away.

[n2ize]

I once heard that violin music will keep them away.

I think they avoid RF as well.

[K7SGJ]

I think they avoid RF as well.

No, I think that's what makes them glow.

[n0iu]

Did you buy any "spooky fish" from this pet store in South Park lately?

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100806014642/southpark/images/thumb/1/19/SPIBGPS.png/200px-SPIBGPS.png

[N2NH]

The building that I lived in when I was in Harlem was like this. The elevator always seemed to be on the 6th floor. When summer vacation began one year while I was in grade school, about this time of the year, I decided to experiment. I went to the Basement and pressed the button. After 30 seconds or so after it arrived, with nobody inside, the elevator went to 6 and stayed there. Did this three times. Got in the elevator the next time and with nobody inside the elevator suddenly left for 6. When I got to 6, I pressed Lobby (1) and stayed in the elevator. It went down three times and three times it came back up. You guessed it - empty. I did the same thing with the same results on the 6th floor and everytime it arrived, it was empty too.

Years later, I was listening to a radio in the penthouse which was next to the elevator motor room on what would be the 7th floor. The elevator didn't go there, you had to climb a flight of stairs to get to that apartment or the roof. On the full moon every month at midnight, the elevator would go to 6 and the door would close. In the quiet of the night you could hear footsteps go from the elevator to the stairs and stop at the bottom step. Then they'd climb. They'd stop half way for a few seconds, then resume until they reached the top.

From the peephole, I could see the stairs were empty. Nobody was there. When they reached the landing, they tried the West Door to the roof undoing the latch. Then they'd undo the latch to the East Door and walk out. The footsteps on the tarpaper were distinctive. They would circle around the courtyard railing, go to the edge of the roof and after that, nothing could be heard.

The electronics of the elevator was replaced 3 times and this still happened. It underwent numerous inspections of the relays and buttons, the entire electric system and all was found to be okay. My friend even came up one month and heard what I heard. He was really spooked when he looked out the peephole and there was nothing there.

Every month this would happen. The first time, I hadn't looked out the peephole and called the cops instead. They came and with their guns out did a full search of the roof finding nothing. The cops who came said that this happened a lot and they wanted to catch whoever it was.

But there was never anyone to catch.

[n2ize]

The building that I lived in when I was in Harlem was like this. The elevator always seemed to be on the 6th floor. When summer vacation began one year while I was in grade school, about this time of the year, I decided to experiment. I went to the Basement and pressed the button. After 30 seconds or so after it arrived, with nobody inside, the elevator went to 6 and stayed there. Did this three times. Got in the elevator the next time and with nobody inside the elevator suddenly left for 6. When I got to 6, I pressed Lobby (1) and stayed in the elevator. It went down three times and three times it came back up. You guessed it - empty. I did the same thing with the same results on the 6th floor and everytime it arrived, it was empty too.

Years later, I was listening to a radio in the penthouse which was next to the elevator motor room on what would be the 7th floor. The elevator didn't go there, you had to climb a flight of stairs to get to that apartment or the roof. On the full moon every month at midnight, the elevator would go to 6 and the door would close. In the quiet of the night you could hear footsteps go from the elevator to the stairs and stop at the bottom step. Then they'd climb. They'd stop half way for a few seconds, then resume until they reached the top.

From the peephole, I could see the stairs were empty. Nobody was there. When they reached the landing, they tried the West Door to the roof undoing the latch. Then they'd undo the latch to the East Door and walk out. The footsteps on the tarpaper were distinctive. They would circle around the courtyard railing, go to the edge of the roof and after that, nothing could be heard.

The electronics of the elevator was replaced 3 times and this still happened. It underwent numerous inspections of the relays and buttons, the entire electric system and all was found to be okay. My friend even came up one month and heard what I heard. He was really spooked when he looked out the peephole and there was nothing there.

Every month this would happen. The first time, I hadn't looked out the peephole and called the cops instead. They came and with their guns out did a full search of the roof finding nothing. The cops who came said that this happened a lot and they wanted to catch whoever it was.

But there was never anyone to catch.

Interesting story. But, as a skeptic I suspect there was probably some kind of natural explanation for all this. The problem is that nobody really has the time nor compulsion to test the phenomenon under controlled and unbiased conditions. As long as the ghosts ain't hurting anybody then live and let them live their own afterlives. :)

[NQ6U]

C2H5OH is the only kind of spirits I've ever encountered.

[KG4CGC]

Selective barometric pressure in the shape of shoe prints on tar paper.

[WØTKX]

I'd figure out the music and make a play list. :yes:

[K0RGR]

I've had a few weirdies. Last summer I was in the back yard and climbed the steps to the patio, walked across it to the back door, when I saw a reflection in the door of someone climbing the stairs behind me! When I turned around, nobody was there, there was nobody in the yard, and no place for anybody to hide. Very, very, very strange - there are quite a few odd noises in this house we haven't explained yet.

I lived in a townhouse many years ago, and one early morning, I was awakened by the front door slamming loudly, followed by heavy footsteps running up the stairs. I waited for someone to appear at the top of those stairs, but nobody ever did. I always suspected it was a strange sonic effect in the townhouse complex, but nothing like it ever happened again.

I grew up in San Jose, and a friend's father worked at the Winchester House. He firmly believed it was haunted, and would not discuss what he'd seen, but he told us that there are many areas of the house where he would not go because of 'weird things'. If you've ever been there, it would be easy to imagine it filled with ghosts.

[NQ6U]

I grew up in San Jose, and a friend's father worked at the Winchester House. He firmly believed it was haunted, and would not discuss what he'd seen, but he told us that there are many areas of the house where he would not go because of 'weird things'. If you've ever been there, it would be easy to imagine it filled with ghosts.

I grew up in the Bay Area as well and have toured the Winchester House a few times. There's definitely a weird vibe there, although I don't know how much of that is in the head of the beholder.

[N2CHX]

I have many times, yes. It's the reason I started doing paranormal investigating. I don't really believe in a god (I consider myself to be an agnostic atheist) but I do think there is something more to our existence than we know of ATM.

That's all I will say for now.

[KG4CGC]

A couple of years ago I was walking the dog in broad daylight. Having said that, I saw a light run up a tree and it bent the branches that it contacted. It wasn't a bright light, just bright enough to see in daylight. I looked around for anything that could have caused a reflection. Cars, car mirrors, glass storm doors, anything. I saw nothing. It was a cedar tree and the light run up the outside of the branch area and like I said, the small limbs pulled down as the light made contact until it got near the top and seemed to disappear into the interior near the trunk. As the light moved off a branch, it would pop back up. The whole thing took all of a second, if that long.

[KG4CGC]

Five years ago I was invited to a birthday party at a home in the country. Small party. I was on the deck on the end away from the grill. The burgers were cooking impossibly slow and the fire just didn't look right. The burgers also looked like they were being mushed down into the grate. I took 2 steps towards the grill and a spatula came out of nowhere fly towards me. It barely nicked my thumb and did a 90º turn away from me to my left and into the yard.
I walked inside and asked the hosts if they have ghosts. The chimed right up and said "Oh yeah, that's Poppop. Why?" I told them what happened and they told me he had been messing with everyone all day. Setting small fires in the field where they guys were walking earlier in the day. Play little pranks on the daughters and grown grandchildren. Apparently he died a year earlier and it was also close to his birthday too.
I asked them if he used to smoke or drink and they said yes. I then asked for his favorite drinking glass and poured him a healthy shot of bourbon and made him a cigarette and took it out on the porch railing and told him that it was for him. The shenanigans ceased.
When it was time for me to leave I could feel him riding out in the truck with us until we were off the property.

[N2CHX]

Awesome stories!

I think I've told the story about the haunted transmitter site, so I won't post it again. I have quite a few others. This thread makes me miss all that. Haven't felt or seen anything in a while and haven't done any investigating either.

[WØTKX]

I spent quite a bit of time at "The Nutmeg Inn" in Meredith NH a number of years ago, as I was dating the owner for a few years.

Charlie, ghost of a caretaker who was also with the underground railroad, made his presence known. Frequently.

[NQ6U]

Despite the smart-ass remark I made earlier in this thread, I have had at least one experience that was not easily explained away. I think I posted about it here some time back, but I can't find it and there are probably newer members who haven't read it yet, so here it is again:

From my bedroom in the two-room house I used to live in up in northern California, I would sometimes hear footsteps coming from the main room, always between midnight and 1AM and only when all the lights were off and there was no one the room. My bed was right by the door so I could roll out with a flashlight and take a look within seconds of hearing the sounds but they always ceased the instant I turned on the flashlight. I have never believed in ghosts, but I can come up with no scientific explanation for what was going on either. Someone once said that carbon monoxide from a leaking furnace can cause auditory hallucinations but I used to hear them even on summer nights when I hadn't had the heat on in months. This was many years after I stopped using hallucinogenic drugs, BTW.

Here's the kicker, though—when I first started a long-distance relationship with the woman who's now my wife, she would come up and stay with me over a weekend from time to time. I never mentioned the footsteps to her because I didn't want her to either freak out or think I was nuts. Until, that is, the night I got home after working a 6PM-2AM shift as a rent-a-cop and she asked me if I ever heard noises in the place. I didn't want to lead her at all so I just asked "What kind of noises?"

"Footsteps," she said.

[N2NH]

C2H5OH is the only kind of spirits I've ever encountered.

Years ago, I drank over half a bottle of Irish Mist (from Ireland). It was pretty old so the proof was probably a bit higher than what was on the label. It went down smooth and before I knew it, it was gone. My wife figured out something was up so I told her. I also said there was a spirit inside the bottle. She nearly spat laughing. Then I read the label which claimed there really was a spirit in the bottle.

She got quiet and read it herself.

[n2ize]

Despite the smart-ass remark I made earlier in this thread, I have had at least one experience that was not easily explained away. I think I posted about it here some time back, but I can't find it and there are probably newer members who haven't read it yet, so here it is again:

From my bedroom in the two-room house I used to live in up in northern California, I would sometimes hear footsteps coming from the main room, always between midnight and 1AM and only when all the lights were off and there was no one the room. My bed was right by the door so I could roll out with a flashlight and take a look within seconds of hearing the sounds but the they always ceased the instant I turned on the flashlight. I have never believed in ghosts, but I can come up with no scientific explanation for what was going on either. Someone once said that carbon monoxide from a leaking furnace can cause auditory hallucinations but I used to hear them even on summer nights when I hadn't had the heat on in months. This was many years after I stopped using hallucinogenic drugs, BTW.

Here's the kicker, though—when I first started a long-distance relationship with the woman who's now my wife, she would come up and stay with me over a weekend from time to time. I never mentioned the footsteps to her because I didn't want her to either freak out or think I was nuts. Until, that is, the night I got home after working a 6PM-2AM shift as a rent-a-cop and she asked me if I ever heard noises in the place. I didn't want to lead her at all so I just asked "What kind of noises?"

"Footsteps," she said.

They probably were not footsteps at all. Most likely some other type of sound that resembled footsteps, possibly coming from a source that may not have even been in the house... perhaps some kind of vibration from machinery somewhere nearby. Or, even more likely, animal activity.That would explain why it stopped every time you turned on a light. Animals tend to cease whatever they are doing and freeze when they see a light come on. That would also explain why it only happened when all the lights were off and it was dark.

I have heard voices that were there even though nobody was around. usually it would be a voice calling my name. A couple of time I even answered it. But it only happened when I was very tired and on the threshold of sleep. Obviously an auditory hallucination as the dream world started to become active. During bouts of sleep paralysis I have also heard footsteps. Usually rapid hard thumping footsteps as if someone were furious and coming up the stairs towards me. Again, an auditory hallucination caused by being in that semi-sleep state.

In general i am extremely skeptical of the paranormal. Furthermore, other than anecdotal stories I have seen no tangible evidence that the paranormal even exists. I think just about everything that people interpret as paranormal has a naturalistic explanation.

[n2ize]

I have many times, yes. It's the reason I started doing paranormal investigating. I don't really believe in a god (I consider myself to be an agnostic atheist) but I do think there is something more to our existence than we know of ATM.

That's all I will say for now.

If you are agnostic you are an atheist. Agnosticism is a subset of atheism.

[NQ6U]

They probably were not footsteps at all. Most likely some other type of sound that resembled footsteps, possibly coming from a source that may not have even been in the house... perhaps some kind of vibration from machinery somewhere nearby. Or, even more likely, animal activity.That would explain why it stopped every time you turned on a light. Animals tend to cease whatever they are doing and freeze when they see a light come on. That would also explain why it only happened when all the lights were off and it was dark.

I have heard voices that were there even though nobody was around. usually it would be a voice calling my name. A couple of time I even answered it. But it only happened when I was very tired and on the threshold of sleep. Obviously an auditory hallucination as the dream world started to become active. During bouts of sleep paralysis I have also heard footsteps. Usually rapid hard thumping footsteps as if someone were furious and coming up the stairs towards me. Again, an auditory hallucination caused by being in that semi-sleep state.

In general i am extremely skeptical of the paranormal. Furthermore, other than anecdotal stories I have seen no tangible evidence that the paranormal even exists. I think just about everything that people interpret as paranormal has a naturalistic explanation.

A repeating auditory hallucination was my first assumption, but if that were the case then it was one which was shared by another person who was alone in the house at the time. As far as animal activity goes, it would have had to been something pretty large to make the noises I heard, large enough to be easily seen if it had been in the room whether it was moving or not. Machinery might have been a possibility, although there was not much in the immediate area that was operating at that time of night. I just asked my wife what they sounded like to her and she described them as "old-fashoned men's hard soled dress shoes being walked heel-toe, heel-toe."

I tend to be skeptical as well and am not claiming that what I heard what a ghost, only that it was an unexplained phenomenon which I personally experienced and the existence of which was independently confirmed by someone else without any prompting from me.

[W9JEF]

If you are agnostic you are an atheist. Agnosticism is a subset of atheism.

Simplistic pontification, no basis in actuality.



Agnostic theism is the philosophical view that encompasses
both theism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theism) and agnosticism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism).

An agnostic theist believes in the existence of at least one deity,
but regards the basis of this proposition as unknown or inherently unknowable.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_theism#cite_note-Smith1979-1)
The agnostic theist may also or alternatively be agnostic regarding the properties
of the god(s) they believe in.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_theism

[KG4CGC]

I saw a blind cat's simulacrum walking through a room full of people as it was sleeping in another room one night a someone's house.
I saw a horse and pony ghost that was coming straight at me and another person that just switched directions a foot in front of us.
I saw a grey blob (had a dog shape), about dog sized, run through the front yard and a neighborhood dog was chasing and barking at it. The front porch lights were on and I could still see it. The dog chased it into the woods and then walked back to where I was standing like it was a normal thing.
In the same area as the horse (mare?) and pony ghost on a particularly strong Samhain night with a full moon, I went out back of the factory I worked at to take a smoke break. Within 30 seconds it was like a bunch of people standing around me, I could just start to see them. I realized that they all wanted to smoke. That one kind of gave me the heebie jeebies and I went back inside. That side of the factory had a tree line and forest just 20 feet away from the door I was at. Two sides of the building was surrounded by forest, FWIW.

[N2CHX]

If you are agnostic you are an atheist. Agnosticism is a subset of atheism.

http://www.atheismresearch.com/

[n0iu]

If you are agnostic you are an atheist. Agnosticism is a subset of atheism.

This reminds me of the insomniac agnostic atheist who was dyslexic who stayed up all night wondering if there was a dog!

[AC8KF WALT]

worked the maryland house of corrections for a decade. 1200 maximum security inmates and few will known ghosts. hunted cells, tiers, towers and other areas. most officers didn't notice them or where scared to death of them. me? i was the crazy white officer who enjoyed and looked forward to interaction with them.

[W3WN]

I once heard that violin music will keep them away.I thought that's what attracted them to (or back to) the castle.

Hey, I saw it in Young Frankenstein, so it must be true. Would Mel Brooks lie?

[WØTKX]

Vewwy vewwwy SCARY!http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/S39vrIgOJTg/maxresdefault.jpg

[N2NH]

...In the same area as the horse (mare?) and pony ghost on a particularly strong Samhain night with a full moon, I went out back of the factory I worked at to take a smoke break. Within 30 seconds it was like a bunch of people standing around me, I could just start to see them. I realized that they all wanted to smoke. That one kind of gave me the heebie jeebies and I went back inside. That side of the factory had a tree line and forest just 20 feet away from the door I was at. Two sides of the building was surrounded by forest, FWIW.

We used to see a lot of ghosts near Ground Zero for a few years after the World Trade Center was attacked. At night, they'd walk the streets with an empty look in their eyes. You'd see them, hear them, they'd walk aways then they weren't there. I'd look at every angle, every possible place they could go, I had to, security was my job. They just weren't there. Nothing was there.

[N8GAV]

I have never seen a ghost,UFO, or anything like that, but I keep an open mind. Who knows whats out there.

[n2ize]

We used to see a lot of ghosts near Ground Zero for a few years after the World Trade Center was attacked. At night, they'd walk the streets with an empty look in their eyes. You'd see them, hear them, they'd walk aways then they weren't there. I'd look at every angle, every possible place they could go, I had to, security was my job. They just weren't there. Nothing was there.

yeah, I've experienced the same thing in Manhattan. :snicker:

[n2ize]

Simplistic pontification, no basis in actuality.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_theism

There are many different subsets of theists and atheists. Yeah, agnostic theism is a subset of theism. But in general agnosticism (in the common sense of the word) is a subset of atheism. There are a lot of subsets of theism and atheism. Agnosticism as the word is generally used is a part of atheism. Agnosticism is also a convenient was of avoiding the label of atheist which is considered somewhat extreme in our society.

[n2ize]

A repeating auditory hallucination was my first assumption, but if that were the case then it was one which was shared by another person who was alone in the house at the time. As far as animal activity goes, it would have had to been something pretty large to make the noises I heard, large enough to be easily seen if it had been in the room whether it was moving or not. Machinery might have been a possibility, although there was not much in the immediate area that was operating at that time of night. I just asked my wife what they sounded like to her and she described them as "old-fashoned men's hard soled dress shoes being walked heel-toe, heel-toe."

I tend to be skeptical as well and am not claiming that what I heard what a ghost, only that it was an unexplained phenomenon which I personally experienced and the existence of which was independently confirmed by someone else without any prompting from me.

Well it was certainly a phenomenon that hasn't been explained. My guess is that there is some natural explanation but at this point we'll probably never know for sure. So, for now we'll have to label it... unexplained phenomenon...

[n2ize]

I thought that's what attracted them to (or back to) the castle.

Hey, I saw it in Young Frankenstein, so it must be true. Would Mel Brooks lie?

And then I remember seeing an old Tv show... "One step beyond" or something similar where the strange solo violin music would begin in the dead of night and the apparition would appear.

And no, Mel Brooks doesn't lie.

[N7YA]

If you have experienced it, then there is no need to "believe" in it. You simply experienced it.

I know i am not crazy, drunk, hallucinatory or have any deeply seated wishes to run into anything like that. I have no need to make up stories so i can be more interesting at the company party or feel like i am special...thats just goofy and nobody would care that much. I have a good grasp of physics and always look for alternative explanations such as rain, wind, house settling, something not being set down solidly and falling after the fact, dust on the eye film that moves out of time with my eye movements and looks like shadows, white noise that could be interpreted as voices, headlights, etc, etc, etc....i have see them all. After exhausting ALL possible explanations that i can come up with, then i am left with the unexplained. And thats how i label it.

Keep in mind, just over a century ago, if you were to say that a man would soon fly through the air on a device under its own power, they would have wanted to lock you away. Much less saying man would venture into space only a few decades later. Skepticism is a good tool to keep in the box, as long as it stays flexible and healthy. A closed mind is what gets you in trouble. Many skeptical people of the closed minded variety also suffer from the same condition that affects the folks who make shit up, they want to make a loud show denouncing claimants so their contemporaries will view them as sane and level. They want to belong to a club as much as the overactive imagination people. Another mistake overly skeptical people make is comparing all paranormal claims against Hollywood movies or campfire stories. The movie or story is silly, or over the top and impractical, therefore, so is the claim someone is making about what they truly feel they experienced...and who didnt see the movie.

For thousands and thousands of years, people have experienced full bodied apparitions, plain as day and solid as i would be standing in front of you. Then they just fade away....thousands of years. Thats not even going into the millions of other credible witnesses and regular folks (many of which were devout skeptics themselves) thoughout the centuries who have had experiences that defy all of their years of reason and intelligence. Teachers, pilots, soldiers, engineers, police, managers, clergy, politicians, sea captains...all have reported these things. Simply writing them off as crazy, drunk, repeatedly mistaken, subject to hallucinations or making it up for attention is lazy and insulting at the very least. Why would otherwise upstanding people be so moved to make claims that would leave others questioning their stability?

Imagine you are a level headed man with a family, no mental history or drug use. Good job, well respected and of sound mind. You find the perfect house for your family and go through the difficult process of buying it. You and your family are excited and move right in, you absolutely LOVE the place, but find yourself listing your dream home 8 months later because nobody, including the pets, can stand to be in there for any amount of time. The dream home you fell in love with has become your nightmare, a heartbreaking nightmare, but you have to bite the bullet on a half million dollar investment and sell low because you need to get your wife and kids out of there. They are terrified every time the sun goes down. This is a scenario i use as an example, but one that is experienced with regularity around the world and is rarely talked about. Are they just making this up for attention? Dont you think they tried to figure out what was causing the disturbances to the point of questioning their own sanity. Why would everyone, including the pets, have the same experiences in the same direction at the same time? I have heard of this happening too many times in the real world. These people desperately want answers. How many questions from friends and family do they have to answer about why they are moving out so quickly? Do you think they enjoy this?


Being skeptical is fine. And of course, many things can be explained away, and should be, as natural events, overactive imagination, just saw a scary movie, etc. But many cant. I know I have had experiences. I believe Kelli and Bob have too, as did others on here who, understandably, are not speaking up. I know they are not crazy or making things up. I also trust their judgement when it comes to double checking all possible explanations. We all know them. They are obviously not stupid.

If you dont believe in ghosts or spirits, no problem, i will never try to convince you. Its important to know that fact, i will never try to make you believe anything. Its not worth it if you havent experienced it yourself. There are a great number of former hardline skeptics who have had startling experiences that shook them to the core, where they KNEW they encountered something that no skeptic on earth could explain. Prior to that, nobody could convince them of anything whatsoever. Thats why i simply have to resign myself to quietly trying to figure out what the hell i experienced, and let skeptics continue on their path without any hard feelings. Maybe they will change their mind later, maybe not.

What Bob described sounds like a classic visitation. He wasnt the only one who experienced it either, thats what sets this apart.

[PA5COR]

I removed all spirits when the wife and me divorced by emptying all alcoholic beverages into the gutter.

All jokes aside, I can maybe remember shreds of a dream 1 or 2 x in a year in the morning, the rest is a black hole from the moment I close my eyes to waking up.
Never had any experience as described above by members, so I must be the real Dutch sober and down to earth man we are described as....
I was raised Christian Reformed Lutheran and got out of the church asap, if I believe there is more as the eye meets? the word believe says it all, not seen proof of it myself, so nothing that can be proven.
But then, those are my experiences not someone else, maybe you are more sensible to it as I am, or maybe I'm not interesting enough to be visited...

My bad.,

[n2ize]

If you have experienced it, then there is no need to "believe" in it. You simply experienced it.

I know i am not crazy, drunk, hallucinatory or have any deeply seated wishes to run into anything like that. I have no need to make up stories so i can be more interesting at the company party or feel like i am special...thats just goofy and nobody would care that much. I have a good grasp of physics and always look for alternative explanations such as rain, wind, house settling, something not being set down solidly and falling after the fact, dust on the eye film that moves out of time with my eye movements and looks like shadows, white noise that could be interpreted as voices, headlights, etc, etc, etc....i have see them all. After exhausting ALL possible explanations that i can come up with, then i am left with the unexplained. And thats how i label it.

Keep in mind, just over a century ago, if you were to say that a man would soon fly through the air on a device under its own power, they would have wanted to lock you away. Much less saying man would venture into space only a few decades later. Skepticism is a good tool to keep in the box, as long as it stays flexible and healthy. A closed mind is what gets you in trouble. Many skeptical people of the closed minded variety also suffer from the same condition that affects the folks who make shit up, they want to make a loud show denouncing claimants so their contemporaries will view them as sane and level. They want to belong to a club as much as the overactive imagination people. Another mistake overly skeptical people make is comparing all paranormal claims against Hollywood movies or campfire stories. The movie or story is silly, or over the top and impractical, therefore, so is the claim someone is making about what they truly feel they experienced...and who didnt see the movie.

For thousands and thousands of years, people have experienced full bodied apparitions, plain as day and solid as i would be standing in front of you. Then they just fade away....thousands of years. Thats not even going into the millions of other credible witnesses and regular folks (many of which were devout skeptics themselves) thoughout the centuries who have had experiences that defy all of their years of reason and intelligence. Teachers, pilots, soldiers, engineers, police, managers, clergy, politicians, sea captains...all have reported these things. Simply writing them off as crazy, drunk, repeatedly mistaken, subject to hallucinations or making it up for attention is lazy and insulting at the very least. Why would otherwise upstanding people be so moved to make claims that would leave others questioning their stability?

Imagine you are a level headed man with a family, no mental history or drug use. Good job, well respected and of sound mind. You find the perfect house for your family and go through the difficult process of buying it. You and your family are excited and move right in, you absolutely LOVE the place, but find yourself listing your dream home 8 months later because nobody, including the pets, can stand to be in there for any amount of time. The dream home you fell in love with has become your nightmare, a heartbreaking nightmare, but you have to bite the bullet on a half million dollar investment and sell low because you need to get your wife and kids out of there. They are terrified every time the sun goes down. This is a scenario i use as an example, but one that is experienced with regularity around the world and is rarely talked about. Are they just making this up for attention? Dont you think they tried to figure out what was causing the disturbances to the point of questioning their own sanity. Why would everyone, including the pets, have the same experiences in the same direction at the same time? I have heard of this happening too many times in the real world. These people desperately want answers. How many questions from friends and family do they have to answer about why they are moving out so quickly? Do you think they enjoy this?


Being skeptical is fine. And of course, many things can be explained away, and should be, as natural events, overactive imagination, just saw a scary movie, etc. But many cant. I know I have had experiences. I believe Kelli and Bob have too, as did others on here who, understandably, are not speaking up. I know they are not crazy or making things up. I also trust their judgement when it comes to double checking all possible explanations. We all know them. They are obviously not stupid.

If you dont believe in ghosts or spirits, no problem, i will never try to convince you. Its important to know that fact, i will never try to make you believe anything. Its not worth it if you havent experienced it yourself. There are a great number of former hardline skeptics who have had startling experiences that shook them to the core, where they KNEW they encountered something that no skeptic on earth could explain. Prior to that, nobody could convince them of anything whatsoever. Thats why i simply have to resign myself to quietly trying to figure out what the hell i experienced, and let skeptics continue on their path without any hard feelings. Maybe they will change their mind later, maybe not.

What Bob described sounds like a classic visitation. He wasnt the only one who experienced it either, thats what sets this apart.

The problem is that after centuries of people reporting stories of ghosts, demons, etc. all we really have is anecdotal evidence as opposed to hard evidence.. It doesn't mean that the people reporting these things are crazy, or are lying. I am sure that in many cases they have experienced something or other. I think that in many cases what was experienced probably has some natural explanation. Also, we need to account for the fact that a person doesn't have to be crazy or on drugs or anything in order to experience hallucinations. Often out minds play such tricks on us. For example I have seen "aparitions", felt and sensed evil demonic presences, heard voices call my name, actually saw people enter my room and walk towards me and then vanish, etc. However, in my case all these events always occurred when I was tired, or on the virge of falling asleep and, particularly during bouts of sleep paralysis where I was well aware of my surroundings, my eyes were open, yet I felt, heard and saw some pretty amazing, and sometimes rather frightening things yet I was unable to move of call out for help.. It is possible that at least some of these events may have truly been supernatural but due to circumstances, i.e. being tires, usually lying down, having been sleeping and/or close to the point of falling asleep, I attribute them to nothing more than my mind playing tricks on me in that twilight zone of sleep and waking.

On the other hand I have been in places that people claim to be haunted and experienced nothing unusual. In college one of my favorite places to be alone and study was a small chapel called the "blue chapel". I spent many hours in there alone. The bluish stained glass windows cast a dim bluish light throughout the small one room chapel in a very old building giving it an eerie sort of appearance making it an ideal "haunted" place. In fact it is listed as a well known "haunted location" and many people report having felt sudden chills, cold spots, sensations of not being alone, being watched and even being touched by unseen entities. Yet, in all the time I spent there alone not once did I experiences any sort of event that could be deemed or even resemble strange or possible supernatural.

As a skeptic I have a natural inclination to doubt such things as ghost, apparitions, demons, or other supernatural phenomenon actually exist. At the same time I cannot say for certain they don;t exist. I do agree there are unexplained phenomenon and most people are probably sincere about what they claim to have experienced. But my skeptical mind leads me to suspect that in most cases there is probably a natural and rational explanation for said phenomenon. At the same time I cannot say that there is definitely no such thing as supernatural phenomenon, I just have not seen any tangible evidence for it. Indeed there may be supernatural events, In fact that is the main problem, virtually all of the "evidence" that we have is anecdotal. I might be more convinced if there were actual controlled, unbiased studies providing evidence for the supernatural. Unfortunately such studies don't exist. And unfortunately many of the so called "studies" that do exist have been done by paranormal researchers who are biased towards misinterpreting things as definitely being supernatural and are thus not particularly convincing nor particularly scientific.. What we really would need are actual controlled scientific studies performed by actual scientists to detect and measure such events in a manner that is truly scientific, reproducible. and designed to rule out any misinterpretations.

In conclusion I think that many people who claim to have experienced the "supernatural" are sincere individuals who truly did experience something that is not easily explained and is thus deemed to be supernatural. However, if what they experienced is indeed supernatural is generally unverified and all we have to go on is anecdotal evidence. However, as a true skeptic I try to keep an open mind to all possibilities despite the fact that I have doubts about the supernatural.

[N2NH]

Here's something. Years ago, being a transit buff, I remember the first New York subway was opened in 1903 (IRT). My friends father worked for NYCTA (the subway system) for 40 years retiring after that. We got to talking. I had noticed that the tokens for the 75th anniversary had 1904-1979 inscribed on them. He said that was crazy, the subway opened in 1903. I agreed but mentioned that that same year was in books about the beginning date for the first subway. My ex-brother-in-law also an ex-subway worker (Yard Supervisor) remembered the subway opened in 1903 and was stumped as to why it's now 1904 everywhere.

We don't know why there's a discrepancy, but there is. Temporal paradox? Ya got me.:shhh:

http://i59.tinypic.com/mal0dc.jpg

[KG4CGC]

Here's something. Years ago, being a transit buff, I remember the first New York subway was opened in 1903 (IRT). My friends father worked for NYCTA (the subway system) for 40 years retiring after that. We got to talking. I had noticed that the tokens for the 75th anniversary had 1904-1979 inscribed on them. He said that was crazy, the subway opened in 1903. I agreed but mentioned that that same year was in books about the beginning date for the first subway. My ex-brother-in-law also an ex-subway worker (Yard Supervisor) remembered the subway opened in 1903 and was stumped as to why it's now 1904 everywhere.

We don't know why there's a discrepancy, but there is. Temporal paradox? Ya got me.:shhh:

http://i59.tinypic.com/mal0dc.jpg

That's the US government at work.
Before 9/11, when used vertically, we used to hang the flag with the blue field on the other side. Then afterwards I started seeing it hung the other way, everywhere and no one except me and 2 other people remember that it used to hang the other way. What happened?

[N2NH]

That's the US government at work.
Before 9/11, when used vertically, we used to hang the flag with the blue field on the other side. Then afterwards I started seeing it hung the other way, everywhere and no one except me and 2 other people remember that it used to hang the other way. What happened?

At one point, I came up with about 7 or 8 temporal anomalies for NHE. She agreed after thinking about it that something was definitely going on. I just hope one day I don't wake up speaking German and living under the reign of Adolph IV.

[WØTKX]

I wanna wake up as a Neanderthal dancing in the woods with faeries, trolls, and unicorns.

[K7SGJ]

I wanna wake up as a Neanderthal dancing in the woods with faeries, trolls, and unicorns.

I've got some shrooms that should do the trick for ya.

[n2ize]

Here's something. Years ago, being a transit buff, I remember the first New York subway was opened in 1903 (IRT). My friends father worked for NYCTA (the subway system) for 40 years retiring after that. We got to talking. I had noticed that the tokens for the 75th anniversary had 1904-1979 inscribed on them. He said that was crazy, the subway opened in 1903. I agreed but mentioned that that same year was in books about the beginning date for the first subway. My ex-brother-in-law also an ex-subway worker (Yard Supervisor) remembered the subway opened in 1903 and was stumped as to why it's now 1904 everywhere.

We don't know why there's a discrepancy, but there is. Temporal paradox? Ya got me.:shhh:

http://i59.tinypic.com/mal0dc.jpg

The ghosts cast a spell changing the year in everyones mind. :lol: besides, everyone knows the NYC subway system is haunted. People on 3rd avenue in Manhattan can still hear the old ghost trains on the long gone 3rd ave. el passing by. ;)

[N7YA]

The problem is that after centuries of people reporting stories of ghosts, demons, etc. all we really have is anecdotal evidence as opposed to hard evidence.. It doesn't mean that the people reporting these things are crazy, or are lying. I am sure that in many cases they have experienced something or other. I think that in many cases what was experienced probably has some natural explanation. Also, we need to account for the fact that a person doesn't have to be crazy or on drugs or anything in order to experience hallucinations. Often out minds play such tricks on us. For example I have seen "aparitions", felt and sensed evil demonic presences, heard voices call my name, actually saw people enter my room and walk towards me and then vanish, etc. However, in my case all these events always occurred when I was tired, or on the virge of falling asleep and, particularly during bouts of sleep paralysis where I was well aware of my surroundings, my eyes were open, yet I felt, heard and saw some pretty amazing, and sometimes rather frightening things yet I was unable to move of call out for help.. It is possible that at least some of these events may have truly been supernatural but due to circumstances, i.e. being tires, usually lying down, having been sleeping and/or close to the point of falling asleep, I attribute them to nothing more than my mind playing tricks on me in that twilight zone of sleep and waking.

On the other hand I have been in places that people claim to be haunted and experienced nothing unusual. In college one of my favorite places to be alone and study was a small chapel called the "blue chapel". I spent many hours in there alone. The bluish stained glass windows cast a dim bluish light throughout the small one room chapel in a very old building giving it an eerie sort of appearance making it an ideal "haunted" place. In fact it is listed as a well known "haunted location" and many people report having felt sudden chills, cold spots, sensations of not being alone, being watched and even being touched by unseen entities. Yet, in all the time I spent there alone not once did I experiences any sort of event that could be deemed or even resemble strange or possible supernatural.

As a skeptic I have a natural inclination to doubt such things as ghost, apparitions, demons, or other supernatural phenomenon actually exist. At the same time I cannot say for certain they don;t exist. I do agree there are unexplained phenomenon and most people are probably sincere about what they claim to have experienced. But my skeptical mind leads me to suspect that in most cases there is probably a natural and rational explanation for said phenomenon. At the same time I cannot say that there is definitely no such thing as supernatural phenomenon, I just have not seen any tangible evidence for it. Indeed there may be supernatural events, In fact that is the main problem, virtually all of the "evidence" that we have is anecdotal. I might be more convinced if there were actual controlled, unbiased studies providing evidence for the supernatural. Unfortunately such studies don't exist. And unfortunately many of the so called "studies" that do exist have been done by paranormal researchers who are biased towards misinterpreting things as definitely being supernatural and are thus not particularly convincing nor particularly scientific.. What we really would need are actual controlled scientific studies performed by actual scientists to detect and measure such events in a manner that is truly scientific, reproducible. and designed to rule out any misinterpretations.

In conclusion I think that many people who claim to have experienced the "supernatural" are sincere individuals who truly did experience something that is not easily explained and is thus deemed to be supernatural. However, if what they experienced is indeed supernatural is generally unverified and all we have to go on is anecdotal evidence. However, as a true skeptic I try to keep an open mind to all possibilities despite the fact that I have doubts about the supernatural.


Well, perhaps you are right.

[kb2vxa]

This is the US flag I much prefer, the civil aka peace flag, the one you're used to seeing is the battle ensign. With either one the Code dictates that from the side viewed it is to be displayed with the field on the upper left. The Code also dictates that as a sign to others if there is trouble at the location it is to be displayed upside down.

As far as spooky, unexplainable stuff is concerned, I've had some totally weird experiences and the strangest one of all is a bit too long and involved to relate here. The next strangest one happened when I was a child and I have no memory of it, mum told me about it the next morning. She got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, passing my door she heard me talking with someone, but she didn't hear the other person. She looked in without turning on the light, (the hallway light was enough) and I was sitting up in bed talking in some unknown language (she knew it wasn't gibberish) to someone unseen and unheard at the foot of my bed. A minute or two later I slid back under the cover and went back to sleep, meanwhile I gave no indication that she was watching.

No, I never talked to my dead grandmother on a toy telephone; that was Billy Mumy in The Twilight Zone, Long Distance Call, 1961.

[AC8KF WALT]

most folks are too busy to take notice. we pass by and interact with them everyday.

[HUGH]

We used to own an oak-framed house which was about 600 years old. Just before the start of the 19th century it had been the village school with one class upstairs and another downstairs at one end. When a "new" school was built it became the village workhouse where you were sent if you had no money and no job. Residence involved doing punishing menial tasks, accomodation was spartan and uncomfortable and food was scarcely adequate so many inmates expected to end their days there.

When it was quiet, there was definitely a presence of many people, not sinister or threatening, but somehow curious. Noises could, of course, be explained by the massive oak frame responding to temperature changes so we learned to ignore the footsteps on the undulating floors. Our two daughters were teenagers at the time and commented that they often had nocturnal visitors who would peep into their bedrooms and then leave again, hence my description of "curious". I think anything sinister was possibly cancelled out by the building being a school for young children for several decades.

I worked out that the "presences" had eclectic musical tastes so I ensured there was usually some kind of music being played for them (and us of course).

[n2ize]

Well, perhaps you are right.

:lol::lol:

[n2ize]

We used to own an oak-framed house which was about 600 years old. Just before the start of the 19th century it had been the village school with one class upstairs and another downstairs at one end. When a "new" school was built it became the village workhouse where you were sent if you had no money and no job. Residence involved doing punishing menial tasks, accomodation was spartan and uncomfortable and food was scarcely adequate so many inmates expected to end their days there.

When it was quiet, there was definitely a presence of many people, not sinister or threatening, but somehow curious. Noises could, of course, be explained by the massive oak frame responding to temperature changes so we learned to ignore the footsteps on the undulating floors. Our two daughters were teenagers at the time and commented that they often had nocturnal visitors who would peep into their bedrooms and then leave again, hence my description of "curious". I think anything sinister was possibly cancelled out by the building being a school for young children for several decades.

I worked out that the "presences" had eclectic musical tastes so I ensured there was usually some kind of music being played for them (and us of course).

I have heard there is nothing so awesome as a good ol' English ghost. Some of the best ghost stories come out of the UK. And some talented, well cultured ghosts with good taste in art and music. I welcome them to our July 5th outdoor concert. Just had to put in a plug. :)

[K7SGJ]

I have heard there is nothing so awesome as a good ol' English ghost. Some of the best ghost stories come out of the UK. And some talented, well cultured ghosts with good taste in art and music. I welcome them to our July 5th outdoor concert. Just had to put in a plug. :)

Did you spring a leak??

[kb2vxa]

He leaks all the time, just oozing with... oh, never mind.

Interesting post Hugh, just as interesting your avatar is a gargoyle. There are many stories, movies and such about gargoyles. Even Doctor Who had adventures with stone "angels", look them directly in the eye and whatever you do... DON'T BLINK!

[HUGH]

He leaks all the time, just oozing with... oh, never mind.

Interesting post Hugh, just as interesting your avatar is a gargoyle. There are many stories, movies and such about gargoyles. Even Doctor Who had adventures with stone "angels", look them directly in the eye and whatever you do... DON'T BLINK!

Wife bought me that, he sits on a small iron pedestal, looking after the garden. Probably gargoyles were to ward off evil, we also have a small dog to do that. If you include rabbits, cats badgers and squirrels, the pair of them do a fine job.

[KG4CGC]

One of my old work places has a forklift driver ghost. Same building I described earlier where the people surrounded me on my smoke break.
3rd shift said they could hear the forklift moving, pallets of goods being stacked and a voice talking over the noise. They would go back there to see who was on the forklift and WHY. They started walking through the warehouse and nothing. Next night, same thing. Happened often. It was my friend Matt who was killed one morning on his way to work by a drunk driver. He was the forklift driver and materials mover.

[HUGH]

One of my old work places has a forklift driver ghost. Same building I described earlier where the people surrounded me on my smoke break.
3rd shift said they could hear the forklift moving, pallets of goods being stacked and a voice talking over the noise. They would go back there to see who was on the forklift and WHY. They started walking through the warehouse and nothing. Next night, same thing. Happened often. It was my friend Matt who was killed one morning on his way to work by a drunk driver. He was the forklift driver and materials mover.

It's a question of how you can, if you can and if you want to, put a restless spirit to rest. You knew him, maybe his choice of music might help so he knows that you know he's there.

[KG4CGC]

It's a question of how you can, if you can and if you want to, put a restless spirit to rest. You knew him, maybe his choice of music might help so he knows that you know he's there.

In the 90s, Matt once told me that he wanted to come back as a cat at my house. I have told the story of when Amber showed showed up. I could see his face in her eyes and I still can today. She even makes the same expressions Matt made when he was still with us. One of her most endearing characteristics is that she talks as if she were human. Always has. She is very expressive and communicative.
I realize that there is a lot of projection on my part going on here but some things were different. When she came in, she already knew where everything was. She didn't explore. She just made herself at home. She walked straight to where the food was, ate and walked straight to the bedroom and hopped up on the bed and took a nap. She was only 6 to 8 weeks old.

Today she expresses herself in a most definitive tone and she will tell you what she wants and you will understand without question. She is also not afraid to scold me if I'm, not getting the picture. A lot of Matt's personality, I see in this cat. Maybe it's because I want to. I mean, I didn't put it all together right away. But anyway. Here's that old thread.

https://forums.hamisland.net/showthread.php/14438-Look-What-Just-Came-Over?highlight=Amber

[KG4CGC]

Soooo, is that it? No more ghost stories?

[N7YA]

There are plenty, but most folks dont want to be ridiculed.

[KG4CGC]

There are plenty, but most folks dont want to be ridiculed.

Who is ridiculing who? Tell me! I will rain Hell Fire upon them and eat their roasted liver!

[K7SGJ]

Who is ridiculing who? Tell me! I will rain Hell Fire upon them and eat their roasted liver!

And onions, don't forget the onions.

[NQ6U]

And onions, don't forget the onions.

Or fava beans and a nice Chianti.

[N2NH]

And a Harvey Wallbanger with an Ouzo chaser too.

Here's one. Not a big one, but...

One night in late summer, we were sitting in my ex-GF's Jeep at a park in Brooklyn. I mentioned that one of the hams on the local repeater was talking about a ghost in this playground we were next to. When the sun set behind the hills across the bay, one of the baby swings started moving. There was no wind, and nobody was near it. I wanted to see what would happen next but she got spooked and took off.

[n2ize]

I found this on a call in show. Here a caller not only describes experiencing ghosts but even explains how to catch a ghost.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfICzdAkEkc

[N7YA]

That looks like Jason Hawes on the right. The guy from Ghosthunters. I quit watching reality ghost shows.

[NQ6U]

Soooo, is that it? No more ghost stories?

I seent Bigfoot.

[KG4CGC]

I seent Bigfoot.

Taint a ghost.

[NQ6U]

Taint a ghost.

Okay: I seent the ghost of Bigfoot, then. How's that?

[K7SGJ]

Okay: I seent the ghost of Bigfoot, then. How's that?


Ya know what they saw about bigfeet.....

[KG4CGC]

Ya know what they saw about bigfeet.....

BIG SHOES!

Bushtit.

[VE7MGF]

you sure about taint being a ghost?