The Ghost Hunter’s Quarantine Survival Guide

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It’s a weird time right now. Most of the world is under some sort of “stay at home” order, whether’s it a complete lockdown, quarantine, etc. Movie releases are being delayed indefinitely. TV shows are putting productions on hold. Essential businesses like grocery stores, auto repair, the post office, etc. are still open. But non-essential businesses like parks, hair salons, gyms, etc. are closed until further notice. 

Unfortunately, haunted locations are closed as well. While it may be hard to stomach, ghost hunting is not an essential business. Truly…it’s not. Does it mean that ghost hunting doesn’t matter? Of course not. It’s just not something we need to survive like food, medical needs, etc.

Impacts of COVID-19

All of these new orders are for good reason. It sucks My ghost hunting plans for spring and summer of 2020 are pretty much shot. I truly feel for the ghost hunters who are out there doing fieldwork several times a month. I know there are several teams that go out on a weekly basis (you are rock stars). This current time has got to be hard.

Taking a Forced Break from Ghost Hunting

But guess what? You don’t have to go out there doing fieldwork to be considered a ghost hunter or a paranormal researcher. If you’re truly looking for something to do to help amp up your ghost hunting skills and resume, there are things you can do! I compiled this list based on what I’m currently doing at the moment. Most of these are free.

Research

Is there a paranormal topic you’ve been wanting to learn more about? Do you want to understand why orbs aren’t ghosts? Want to know where the “woman in white” legend came from? This is the perfect time to research a legend or area of the paranormal. If you need an idea of where to start, think of different areas of paranormal research. Choose the one where you feel the most uncomfortable, or you can’t define in more than two sentences. That’s the topic you pick!

Go Through the Evidence That You Haven’t Watched, Listened to, Etc.

I’ll be the first to admit that data and evidence review is something I dread. Especially for longer investigations. For me, I’ve been spending 1 hour each day reviewing my backlog. 1 hour is pretty much my limit right now.

Read a Ghost Hunting Book

This may seem…too simple. For some, it is. For others, especially the ones doing fieldwork, reviewing evidence, networking, planning, etc. reading a book may be on the back burner. Take this opportunity to read about the ways other people are ghost hunting. I’ll take this opportunity to shamelessly plugin my book, The Brave Mortal’s Guide to Ghost Hunting.

Give Back to the Community

If you’re in a position where you can throw a few dollars at a paranormal location (especially if they’re non-profit), it would be a huge help. Many of these locations will be suffering significant financial loss because of canceled ghost hunts. If you’re not able to give financially, spreading the word and sharing content can make a big difference. You can even do live streams on Facebook and fundraise for the location.

Plan Your Next Ghost Hunting Adventure

Sure, we’re not sure how long this is going to last, especially in the United States. But, we can get ahead of the game by already planning our next adventure. Whether it’s mapping out where you’re going to go, your ghost hunting plan, equipment list, etc., planning your next ghost hunt will also give you something to look forward to in the future.

Take Inventory & Tidy Up

I know for me, at the end of an investigation, I sometimes will throw my equipment into some random bag or case, mainly because I’m packing up quickly. I’ve been taking this time to reorganize my equipment and make a list of what I need like batteries, new flashlights, etc.

Watch TV

Yep. Watch some TV. I do sometimes watch ghost hunting shows, but not for anything educational (sorry). Ghost hunting shows are meant to be entertainment. I’m watching them to be entertained, find new locations to check out, and also review their investigation skills and see what I could do better. Watching how other investigators do things, even if it’s on TV, can be valuable. You’ll either get validation for your own methods, get new ideas, or know what NOT to do.

Network

If there was any time to network with other ghost hunters, this is the time to do it. Whether it’s through Facebook or some other social media platform, take the time to meet other ghost hunters. Ask to have an online meeting on a platform like Google Hangouts and chat for a bit. This is also super helpful mental health-wise, as conversing with friends during this time can really help you. Most therapists are recommending that we connect with people for about 30 minutes per day.

Create Content

If you have the energy, definitely create content. This means creating images, videos, memes, videos, blogging, writing, live streaming, webinars, basically creating things that people can enjoy. If you’re a paranormal team, this can drive people to your page and website. If you’re a solo ghost hunter, same deal. Right now, we have to move to an all-digital platform, and creating appropriate content can still drive engagement with your work.

Self-Care

Most importantly, take care of yourself. If you’re not able to do anything on this list…that is okay! If you need to just veg on the couch and just exist…that’s okay. If you need to clean everything, that’s okay. Basically, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to accomplish things. This is a very trying time in our world right now, and we’re not quite sure when it will all be over. People are also on edge and many are feeling angry and need someone to lash out at. If you have to walk away from a discussion, argument, etc., do it! Take one day at a time, and we’ll get through all of this together!

Paranormal friends: What are you doing during your quarantine? Share your ideas in the comments.

The Most Memorable Paranormal Stories of 2019

2019 has proven to be a year of interesting stories. There have been countless news articles and segments about alleged hauntings that caught the world’s attention. But how many of these were legit and how many could be debunked? Let’s take a look back at the past year and see what’s in store.

1. Supermarket Ghost

This story broke in March 2019 and occurred in Wilmington, Massachusettes at a chain grocery store known as Market Basket. A woman by the name of Christiana Bush, who is an employee at the store, witnessed the ghost of an older woman who was dressed in a Victorian nightgown and haircap. Of all departments within the store, Bush saw the specter in the frozen food section. According to Bush, she looked down for a moment, and when she looked up, the older woman was gone. She searched the aisles to find the woman, but to no avail. Bush posted about the experience in her local Facebook group, where the story went viral. It created such a stir that the Market Basket corporation made a statement proclaiming that their stores were ghost free. Perhaps the paranormal was bad for business?

2. Area 51 Raid & Navy UFO Confirmation

Remember the Area 51 raid? Or Storm Area 51? It went viral based off a joke on Facebook and became an identity of its own. But as soon as the story boomed in popularity, it disappeared from the news. Yet, the raid did happen, and apparently a few arrests were made. It was just on a much smaller scale.

We’ll keep this going with some of the biggest news in the UFO world. Back in 2017, the New York Times broke a story of two videos that went public of some weird phenomenon that Navy pilots experienced. One of the videos showed a spherical object that was moving against the wind. Another video emerged in March 2018, making everyone question what was going on, and wondering whether the government was going to call a spade a spade. Well, in 2019, the Navy admitted that the objects captured on video was known as “Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon.” They didn’t want to use the term UFO or “Unidentified Flying Object.”

3. Ghost Baby in Crib

via today.com

I love this story, and you’re going to find out why in a moment. In case you’re wondering, there is only one baby in the photo. Well, one living baby. I’ll be the first to admit that this photo freaked me out a bit. It just looks creepy. I hypothesize that this is very well a case of pareidolia.

This incident took place in October 2019, just in time for Halloween. A Chicago mother named Maritza Cibuls was home alone with her kids late one night. When she checked the baby monitor of her 18-month old, she was shocked to see a second baby in the crib with her son. She kept checking on her son during the night, faithfully watching the monior. The anamolous baby didn’t move at all. She shared the photo with her husband as well as a Facebook group for moms she was a part of. People tried to make sense of the photo, saying it may have been drool, or some sort of stain that only the monitor picked up.

However, when she changed the sheets in her baby’s crib, she saw what happened. When her husband changed the sheets previously, he didn’t put the matress cover on. This resulted in a sticker of a baby’s face showing through the sheet.

4. Paramount Theatre Concert Hall

I chose this story because it had a few of my favorite things in it; theatre and the Lore podcast. This photo was taken in September 2019 by Chad Lawson at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas. Lawson had just completed a sound check before a live episode of “Lore.” If you’re not familiar with “Lore”, it’s an amazing podcast about the creepier history of our existence along with ghost stories, creatures, aliens, and more. Lawson took a photo of his piano after the sound check, and it didn’t take long before his followers on Instagram noticed someone in the mezzanine. Startled, Lawson did some research and found that the Paramount Theatre was indeed haunted.

5. Haunted Furniture

This is a story that isn’t too far away from where I live. In Salisbury, North Carolina, and the ReStore for Habitat for Humanity of Rowan County, there was a dresser and a four-post headboard and bed frame for sale. However, with the price, it seemed that it came with ghosts as accessories. ReStore reported that the previous owner claimed that the furniture was haunted and that it brought about nightmares for the previous owner and his wife. Also, the couple’s dog wouldn’t stop barking at the furniture. ReStore claimed that it was transparent about the haunting because they were a Christian ministry and didn’t want to be held responsible if something happen. Two men came in and paid $1,000 for the furniture.

6. Michigan Nanny Cam

This is another story that broke in March 2019 and occurred in Highland, Michigan. The situation involved Heather Brough, Joshua Higgens, and their baby daughter Lily. The small family lives in a guest house that’s owned by Higgins’ mother, but according to them, their not alone. They believe they have a ghost in their home after they’re daughter woke up from a nap with scratches on her face. After the incident, Heather and Joshua started looking at the nanny cam and were disturbed to see a transparent figure walk by the front of Lily’s crib. Heather also claims that the ghost tried to choke her as she was waking up. However, she told a different version of this story to different outlets. I have my reservations about this case, and Kenny Biddle does a great job of breaking this down.

7. Bertha’s Mussels

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Bertha’s Mussels can be founds in the Fells Point neighborhood. It is a truly a staple for the locals. It is also known for being notoriously haunted. In fact, locals claim that there are so many ghosts that experiences happen one after another. Co-owner Laura Norris claims that she’s had to talk to the ghost and ask for safe passage in order to leave. Melissa Rowell gives ghost tours of the restaurant, and guests often have photos and videos to share with her of the ghosts at Bertha’s Mussels.

8. Wendell

Lori Stokes and her grandson, Matthew, pose outside their Applewhite Road home near Wendell Tuesday. The home will be featured on an episode of “Ghost Brothers: Haunted Houseguests” airing Friday on the Travel Channel. Shawn Taylor | The Wake Weekly

I’ll admit that I chose this story because it’s about an hour away from where I live. In Wendell, North Carolina, Lori Stokes has been dealing with a malevolent presence in her home that attacks not only her, but her 6-year old grandson. Stokes claimed that guests were getting scratched, her grandson got flung from his bike, things were being thrown, and Stokes’ says that she saw a man during the night and her one of her feet was grabbed and shaken while in bed. Stokes had a psychic medium come to the house, and the medium claimed that the haunting was demonic in nature. The TV show, “Ghost Brothers”, came and spent six days in the house. They validated Stokes’ experiences and brought in a medium to help dispel the evil spirits in her home. It seems that the activity in her home has since disappaited.

9. Daisy Marquez

With the wide reach of the internet, it can sometimes be hard to share paranormal experiences and be believed. For Daisy Marquez, she soon faced scrutiny and accusations of hoaxing after she shared that she had been dealing with paranormal activity. She shared a sponsorship video she was working on and claimed that her door opened by itself. Daisy also claimed that she had been pushed down the stairs by an unseen force, and her camera kept cutting off when she was trying to talk about her experiences. She also heard taps on the wall as well as voices.

10. Cobden’s Hotel

This is another story where it’s up to you to make the decision as to whether this is a legit paranormal occurrence or not. Located in Capel Curig, Wales next to Snowdonia National Park. In 1890, a famous cricket player known as Frank Cobden bought the hotel. Today, it is believed that his daughter, Evelyn, haunts the hotel. It became a staple for mountain climbers and hikers during its time. From 1970-1976, Lawrence Pett’s family own the hotel, which has been known to be home for numerous ghosts. Each year during the holidays, the “Christmas ghost” turns off the lights. Pett’s father refurbished the hotel after purchase and also built the bar next door to the hotel. While the hotel has been long closed, Pett and his wife visited and were shocked to see that the bar hadn’t changed since the seventies. When Pett took a photo through the window, he noticed two figures with caps behind the white light anamoly. He believes they are just a few of the countless ghosts haunting the Cobden.

That’s it for 2019! I hope 2020 is the start of a wonderful new chapter in your life. Happy New Year!

Grýla: The Child Eating Monster That Makes Christmas a Little Scarier

Don’t like to read? Then check out the video!

When we think of the holidays, we think of cheerfulness, merriment, and nothing scary. Well, if you find Santa Claus scary, then I don’t know what to tell you.

But not everyone thinks of the holidays as a positive time of year. Many see it as just another day of life. Others see the time as a season of painful memories and feelings. Some folks see it as a time to get children to behave. 

We have Krampus and Frau Perchta. But do you recall the Icelandic legend of Grýla and her Yule Cat and Yule Lads?

Instead of Santa Claus coming to town, Icelanders are treated to mountain-dwelling monsters who come down for the holidays. What is endearing about this folktale is the fact that they all live together in a cave in the mountains. These mountains are known as the Dimmuborgir lava fields.

Yes, these Christmas monsters are a family. They even have a house cat named Jólakötturinn! Yes, it joins in on their reign of holiday terror.

The Legend

Let’s start with Grýla, whose name loosely translates to growler. She is an ogress who has a rather large appetite for eating naughty children. That’s right, kids. If you’re naughty, you’ll get eaten by Grýla. She has this talent of detecting naughty children year-round. When she comes down from the mountains, she knows who to find. She collects them in her large sack and carries them back to her cave. Then, cooks them in a large pot, making a “naughty children stew”, for which she has an insatiable appetite.

She has a husband named Leppaludi who is your typical TV-house husband. He’s depicted as lazy and doesn’t really leave the cave. Leppaludi is also Grýla’s third husband, which I thought was interesting. Apparently, she ate her previous husbands after she became bored with them.

If you’ve been good, and you think you’re safe, think again. Remember that house cat I told you about? Maybe it’s actually a cave cat. The Yule Cat, named Jólakötturinn, is Grýla’s kitty. It roams the countryside during Yule and eats people who haven’t gotten new clothes before Christmas Eve.

The Yule Lads

Let’s not forget the kids! Grýla and Lappaludi have 13 sons known as the Yule Lads. First, I guess we know what Grýla and her husband were up to in the cave during the off-season. Second, the Yule Lads sounds like a name for a street gang of kids. On the 13 nights leading up to Christmas, the Yule Lads come into town one by one. They bring about mischief, mayhem, pranks, and murder. Kids leave their shoes on window sills. If the kids were good, the Yule Lads bring presents to leave in these shoes. If the kids were naughty, the Yule Lads left a potato in their shoes. That’s not a terrible thing.

The History

The legend of Grýla and her family date back centuries. The earliest mention of Grýla can be traced back to the 13th century. You can find her in a compilation of Norse mythology called, Prose Edda. She is described as a giantess that is repulsive and hideous.  Some other early depictions of Grýla have ranged from describing her as a beggar with parasites as well as a troll. What is creepy about her as a beggar is that she would go door-to-door asking parents to give her their naughty children. It wasn’t until the 17th century that she was associated with Christmas. 

The earliest mention of the Yule Lads goes back to the 17th century in the poem called, “The Poem of Grýla.” In the most popular depictions, they were Grýla’s sons. In other versions, they were her brothers. Depending on where you were from, the Yule Lads did different things from harmless pranks to painting the town red…with blood. What is even more interesting is that the King of Denmark wasn’t a fan of using the Yule Lads as a method of scaring children into behaving. They were formally named in 1862 by Jon Arnason. He was a 19th-century author, collected his own folktales after being inspired by the Grimm Brothers. The 1932 poem, The Yule Lads by Jóhannes úr Kötlum, became canon with their names and personalities because it was so popular. You can find it in the book, Christmas is Coming.

Creepy Christmas Kitty

Now, where did the Jólakötturinn, the Yule Cat, come from? As if Grýla and her family weren’t terrifying enough, let’s add in a cat to make it extra scary. And this giant kitty judged you on whether or not you got new clothes by Christmas Eve. The earliest depiction of the Jólakötturinn is the 19th century. But why clothes? Farmers to put pressure on their workers to finish processing the autumn before Christmas. If the workers finished, they were rewarded with new clothes. Those who didn’t finish got nothing. The idea of the Yule Cat being this giant, monstrous beast was popularized by Jóhannes úr Kötlum. Other depictions included the Yule Cat merely eating the food of those who didn’t have new clothes, which is less dramatic.

To tie all of this up in a neat little bow, basically, you should behave yourself and make sure you have new clothes by Christmas Eve. Otherwise, you might get a visit from Grýla, her Yule Cat, and the Yule Lads. Oh yeah, don’t forget to leave your shoes on the window sill!

What do you think of Grýla, the Yule Cat, and the Yule Lads? Tell me what you think in the comments! Don’t forget to follow this page and subscribe to my YouTube channel!