Difference Between "Ghost Hunters" and Paranormal Investigators

Even as we grow and age, we carry a few hot buttons with us, ones which refuse to respond to tolerance. One of mine is people who hog the fast lane on the freeway, especially if they have, as Sis says, a phone growing out of their ear. Nine out of ten of those are swerving back and forth, and driving about 50 mph on a 75 mph freeway. That's me behind you honking my horn and flashing my lights to try to get you to move your sorry butt over where it belongs. Driving in that lane other than to pass is against the law in every state that I know about. Don't some people read the signs along the freeway? Naw, they're too busy chatting on their phone when they should be paying attention to the ton-plus vehicle they're supposed to be piloting without harming others. O.K., that's two hot buttons: hogging the fast lane and talking on the phone behind the wheel.

I've found that our hot buttons sometimes disappear; I guess we grow a tad more tolerant over the years, especially if it's a trait in people that we can't change. But new hot buttons do pop up now and then, depending on what I deal with. Recently, my hot button has been watching newbie so-called ghost hunters tout themselves as paranormal investigators.

"Got a ghost?" they advertise. "Call us and we'll come running."

Yeah, "come running" and do what? Have they done any reading or research on paranormal entities? Have they studied under experienced researchers — legitimate paranormal investigators who have sometimes spent their lives seriously exploring the other dimension around us and the inhabitants there? Do they understand that some of these entities are souls, once real, living people with emotions? That they carry those emotions over into death? Or that some of those other entities they encounter are things they should be afraid to go near, at dire risk to their physical and emotional well-being?

Don't get me wrong. Once in a while a newer group shows signs of turning into a viable, serious band of true investigators. But most of these newbies have no idea what they are dealing with. All they know is what they've seen on TV. And folks, I hate to bust your bubble, but what you see there has been edited and geared towards getting you to tune in each week to keep their ratings up.

I get requests now and then. Sometimes another group will contact me about going with them on an investigation. I do have some extremely good friends in the paranormal investigative world, people who understand and respect the supernatural. The other requests come from people who grabbed up a few pieces of equipment and called themselves ghost hunters or, worse, paranormal investigators. Guess which requests I turn down?

Other requests are from people who want me to "let them actually see a ghost." Once in a while, I'll even go so far as to meet the person and determine what their purpose is, why they have an interest in the paranormal. Even less frequently, I'll take someone who has never been on an investigation with me, but they need to pass my own muster first. For one thing, they have to acknowledge that it's not Dial-a-Ghost and we have had trips where absolutely, totally nothing happens.

The reason this hot button came to the forefront is the result of some recent activity I've encountered. The entities are getting braver. They're not responding to discipline with the tried and true protective or banishment measures. And it's not just me. I've had contacts lately from others dealing with the same problem. And those of us who have been involved seriously in the paranormal for many years have come to a conclusion: there are newbie so-called ghost hunters out there messing around and opening doors into things they have no ability to deal with. The entities allowed through those doors are feeding on this ignorance and growing stronger on it.

So when you hear a story about someone worried that something followed me home, you probably should believe it. Something, -one, no doubt did. It's going to continue to wreak havoc, hopefully only on that one person, and whoever allowed this thing to materialize probably deserves every bit of that. However, there are others like me who will have to deal with this fallout, also. So that's why you don't see a lot of sympathy or pity for these "so-calleds" here in my blog today.

I'll try to have a more-fun blog next week. I'm waiting for my new doll trigger object to show up from the Ghosthunter Store. Plus Aunt Belle will be here Thursday, and my friend Katrina on Friday. The three of us are going to slip off alone and see what we can get into in the paranormal; see if the KII in the doll will light up for us. I've also got a couple more new toys I want to try out. Yes, we'll probably have a lot of fun. At the bottom of it, however, will be total seriousness and a need to be with other sensitives on our same experience level and with like attitudes and values. To re-fill our well of gifts without distraction. I am so looking forward to it.

I did have a neat experience this past week (Thursday). Sis moved back home to Minnesota a couple weeks ago, so there's no one in my guest room. And no one uses the guest bath unless hub has the master bath tied up. I was checking things out, to make sure the bathroom had plenty of towels and things for when Aunt Belle gets here. I walked in and … heard the commode cease flushing! You know that sound: when the water tank finishes filling up and shuts off.

I stopped dead still and stared at the commode. No, the handle wasn't stuck and it didn't move as I watched it. I was alone in the house at the moment … except for my paranormal residents, of course.

I stuck my hand on my hip and said to Teddy, my master bath ghost, "Quit that! Don't be running up my water bill! It's already high enough, since they raised our rates!"

Teddy didn't answer, but I sensed his embarrassment. He'd meant that as a joke and to let me know he was still around. But I'd rather he appear than run up a utility bill.

Appear? When I was alone in the house? Uh … well, sometimes I do get a bit of a shock when one of my residents materializes without warning. I've never actually seen Teddy, although Aunt Belle and a couple others have. Maybe he would have startled me into a scream? I doubt it, since the man I saw over by the TV later that night when I was alone didn't make me screech.

You never know how you will react until you really see a ghost, though. Even a long-time paranormal investigator like me. 

Boo!

T. M.