I Have A Mild Obsession...

Created by Oatmeal

Seeing is Believing - The Work of a Paranormal Investigator

I've always had a fascination with the unknown. My interest began with the experiences I had with my best friend in fourth grade. Since then, I've jumped onto the "Ghost Hunters" and "Paranormal State" television programming bandwagon. From these shows and other resarch, I've gathered there is much more to being a paranormal investigator than meets the eye (no pun intended).

Reasons for Investigating

Paranormal investigators must have a special drive that keeps them on the hunt for things that can't be scientifically explained. In the book The Paranormal, Sharon Begley writes, "historically, such times have been marked by a surge in belief in astrology, ESP, and other paranormal phenomena, spurred in part by a desperate yearning to feel a sense of control in a world spinning out of control." So basically, it's an obsession with knowing the human race is still in the driver's seat.

But on the flip side, Ryan Buell, director for the A & E television series "Paranormal State" and founder of the Paranormal Research in Society (PRS), began his career because of his frightening experiences as a child. In the opening credits of each episode, he states:

When I was a kid, my experiences with the supernatural terrified me and I've been searching for answers ever since. When I got to Penn State, I realized I wasn't alone in my quest, so I founded the Paranormal Research Society.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdb3OvFedlo

A Typical Investigation

Ryan and his team respond to only the most extreme cases. Here's how a typical investigation should look:

1. PRS is contacted by an individual (client) who is allegedly being haunted.
2. After filling the team in, Ryan and the rest of the group go to the client's location.
3. The client gives a tour of the estate, highlighting areas where he/she has experienced supposed paranormal activity.
4. Personal interviews are conducted with the client and his/her family to gain a better insight on the anomaly.
5. The team holds a meeting to make sure everyone is up to speed.
6. A psychic is brought to the location to get a "feel" for the entity.
7. Ryan and his team set up all the required equipment they need to conduct their investigation.
8. PRS attempts to document any evidence of paranormal activity in their investigation. (This can include video and audio footage)
9. The team reviews the footage.
10. (Optional) In cases where the team discovers the presence of a demon, a priest is asked to perform an exorcism on the house to cast out the evil spirit.
11. A final meeting is held with the client to clear the air and provide him/her with any documented evidence the team may have recorded.

For a more in-depth look at a PRS investigation, check out this episode of "Paranormal State."

"I Am Six" (Part 1) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_MBE0kBMGI
"I Am Six" (Part 2) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9M8hTIXhLY&feature=related
"I Am Six" (Part 3) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxNq6ea5mEM&feature=related
"I Am Six" (Part 4) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5ynmZXZkiA&feature=related
"I Am Six" (Part 5) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PIMphXwBtg&feature=related

Required Equipment

Paranormalghost.com states that every paranormal investigator should be equipped with the following items:

• A digital camera
• A video recorder
• A thermal scanner with an imager (This is used to check for or verify unusual cold or hot spots in a room.)
• A digital voice recorder (This is for electronic voice phenomena - EVPs - which are strange sounds or voices that aren't heard by the human ear, but are picked up by a recorder.)
• An electromagnetic field (EMF) detector (This is to pick up unusually high levels of magnetic energy, which can be attributed to paranormal activity.)
• A laptop with the appropriate software
• Extension cords

Paranormal investigation is a strenuous task that takes a keen eye and an open mind. So take a minute and ask yourself: do you have what it takes to explore the unknown?

For More Information
If you are interested in becoming a paranormal investigator, or would like more information, please visit the following websites:

The Paranormal Research Society (PRS) - http://www.paranormalresearchsociety.org/
Paranormal Ghost - http://www.paranormalghost.com/
Paranormal Investigation - http://www.paranormal-investigation.com/
The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) - http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/
Paranormal Investigators - http://www.paranormalinvestigators.com/

Into The Blaze

Her eyes simmered like charcoals,

I spotted it instantly.

Once she entered the doorway

Her fiery stare

Engulfed the mood.

My heart began to sizzle,

I could hear it

POP! and FIZZ!

Frying on the grill.

She gripped her green handbag,

Slung over her arm like a traveler.

Her legs, a sharp V in the doorway,
Clearly scorched her surroundings.

Or, I felt like a hooked fish

Squirming and tossing about,

No vacant water available.

Her lips never faltered

From an unwavering smirk

And her smoldering orange hair

Gave off an invisible smoke

I swallowed in desperation.

As she glanced my way
I knew I was done for.

It was perfect arson

Because she was setting fire

To everything she saw,

Burning it to ash,

And in that coursing blaze,

I fell to my knees.

Grace

Soaring above the clouds
past the cliffs, boulders,
canyons, valleys,
I’m flying with Grace-
the Grace who makes
believers believe and seekers seek.

This is the Grace mother knew
as she said,
“When life gives you lemons
make lemonade.”
Her voice still rings;
a telephone with no receiver
on the other end.

The Grace I know
with such an elegant
flow in her style,
her walk,
her attitude.

I remember
the taste of blackberries,
sweet and tart in each bite.
Mother and I avoiding briars
as we gathered fruit
in the summer breeze.

Grace at our side,
keeping the briars
pulled back
as we shoveled berries
into our baskets.

Those days have passed
like flowers in the snow.
I’ve tasted the lemons-
bitter, tangy, sour-
but mother was right:
Grace will give you wings.

What She Told Me

Battered and beaten
Her lonely eyes
No longer look into my soul.
I can’t help but stare
At her mirrored reflections
Of unanswered silence.

These eyes were once full
Of life, of joy, of happiness.
They once pulled back
The ends of tulips
As they brightly blossomed
In the springtime.

Where are those eyes?
Have they disappeared into the emptiness
Surrounding them?
Were they swallowed by the monster
Secretly stealing sunshine?

These lively eyes were
Colored with dark shadows
Like the city walkways
When hustlers and hoodlums
Move with swiftness
On a hot, summer day.

And she’s left desolate, derailed, desperate.
Alone.