boo!
Music: Cranes: Give (1990)
Since I could walk Halloween has been my favorite holiday---even better than Christmas (which is my family's big holiday). From the age of seven until I discovered the freedom of the personal motor vehicle, I was a monster obsessed dork (I identified with the kid who collected masks in Salem's Lot). I got pretty good at spirit gum appliqués and putting on make-up, and have a collection of masks and props somewhere in my parent's home. But perhaps no other fact demonstrates my dedication to Halloween than this: I had a subscription to Fangoria magazine on and off until I was 30 years old. Two years ago I auctioned off my collection on E-bay.
Well, I'm sort of bummed Halloween is on a Tuesday night and that I do not live in a neighborhood that welcomes trick or treaters (the older racist people put up huge gates that keeps people from coming to my front door). So I don't get to have fun that way. I guess I will watch Halloween III: Season of the Witch or something like that; gotta work all day tomorrow anyhoo.
But, in the spirit of this most excellent holiday I thought I'd repost some of the photos from the field trip my haunting seminar took in August. We stayed overnight in a fancy pants hotel, the Driskill, which is one of the most haunted places in Texas. Some of us witnessed some things (I didn't), and we did talk to the spirit of a p-oed prostitute named "Babe" on a makeshift Ouija or talking board. Nevertheless, there are some strange things in the photographs from that evening.
Exhibit one: we're in the lobby of the hotel (floor two), and have just concluded our 45-minute tour of the Driskill. Our guide asked us if anyone had personal experiences with ghosts. Meghan did, and was telling us about some creepy experiences she had in South Carolina. Just behind her is Doug, imbibing a beer. If you look up to his right, there is an "orb." According to ghost researchers, orbs are material manifestations of spirits---or possibly just particles of dust on the camera lens. Now, I assure you the camera lens is spotless. If you click on the image to the right you will get a larger version where the orb is very clearly seen. Ain't it just a lil' creepy?
Exhibit two: the class has just completed a séance in which we spoke with the spirit of "Baby" or "bebe." This was a 30-something "lady of the night" who was apparently angry we were there. I asked the class to assemble for a "group photo" before some of us departed, others went to bed, and the rest of us went to Buffalo Billiards across the street. Anyhoo, if you look on the right, just above Yetkin's head, there is a really big orb. What's really odd about this is that this orb seems to have a pattern too it. Is it a ghost, the disembodied spirit of Bebe? Click on the smaller image for a larger one.
Exhibit three: finally, there's this photo of my friend's dining room, which is more ghostly than anything I've ever took. Ok, it's not the Driskill, but still, every time I stare at it I get creeped out. Something's not quite right about the photo, and if you look especially at the left window you'll start to see the outline of a person. It's like those 3D-magic puzzles in a way: you have to stare at it a while before you can see the ghost. But trust me: this is creepy stuff! Click on the image to the right to get a closer look.
Happy Halloween Y'all!