Having a Passion for Hauntings

So, me and a very good friend of mine Emily recently took a trip down to Decatur, IL to attend the Lucky 13 Haunting Conference. It is basically a gathering of paranormal groups, investigators, and paranormal fans like me and Em who come together and talk about the paranormal. They had different speakers on many different subjects (one of them sex...go figure!) and lots of stories to tell. We were unable to get onto any of the sold out haunting tours that were happening, but it was still something to experience. Best of all, I was able to meet with Troy Taylor. He's like the king of paranormal. He's traveled all over the country holding investigations and has written over 60 books on the subect. And to my deligtful surprise, he is one of the most down-to-earth and coolest people to talk to. By coincidence, he was staying in the same hotel as us and came into the bar where we chatted a bit. I met so many different paranormal groups..ordinary people/friends who get together and check out haunted places. I met the owner of the Bartonville insane asylum that me and Em toured together back in November. We bounced back and forth our own stories of our haunted experiences and it was excited to have people who have a passion for this as much (and sometimes more!) than I do. I've loved learning about hauntings since I was a kid in front of the television watching "Unsolved Mysteries" while others were tuning into "Party of Five." To do this for a living would be such an experience -- to travel and meet people and hear their stories and try to get them some validation. We had groups with techology galore, others with matching T-shirts, and little ole me and Em, who probably looked outta place, but we soon got comfortable with the atmosphere. There was one other highlight of our weekend and that was the reading we signed up for with the famed psychic Ken Berg. Though I will not say what he told Em (in case she'd rather keep that to herself), I will share some things he saw for me:


1. I will be taking an exciting trip within the next two months and will have a great time

2. There is a change of residence within the next year

3. I will be getting more responsibility at my job but I will not hold that job or stay on that job path by the next year

4. No sudden deaths or health problems within my family for the next year.

5. I will be a mom someday -- he is saying 3 kids

6. I have a fear of rejection

7. A relationship dynamic will change within the next three months

8. I really hold back with men and should put myself out there more. The results will be good if I do.

I think that was the gist of it. I was kinda unprepared because he does a tarot card reading and then you can ask him questions. I would like to do it again and have questions prepared. I would like to learn more about what areas he thinks I would be good at with a career (since I'm stuck on that right now). I know maybe I shouldn't rely on a psychic to find that out but another opinion wouldn't hurt. He had some good insights with not only me but on Em as well. Wouldn't mind doing it again sometime. He's back in October. :)

I've attached a couple articles that explains more about the various speakers and activities that happened over the weekend. He does a really good job at reporting the details of the events and tells it better and with a better memory than I have.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977718294
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977718310

If you are interested in coming with me on future endeavors, I get the ideas from this great website. They have overnight excursions, haunted tours, conferences, and other events. Take a look and let me know if you want to go! Visit http://www.prairieghosts.com/
Later Dayz,

Steph

The Plague

I think a plague has swept through my family. Since Wednesday, I have been sick with the stomach flu and it horrendously sucks. Today hasn't been as bad as the other days but I can't eat much still (which, on a positive note, has resulted in me losing 5 lbs in 4 days). I tried to be productive today and start cleaning out the garage for my birthday party next weekend but once I got inside I couldn't hold a glass of water because both of my arms were shaking so bad....weird? I started laughing at myself because what else could I do except wallow in self pity or laugh? So I started seeing how much water I could hold without spilling for entertainment. I have not been out of the house much except to mull around the yard a bit for the past three days. Cabin fever will start to take hold and soon you will find me huddled in a corner with my shaking hands.......nice thought.
My brother and dad both have fevers, my grandma was in the hospital for a bit this morning with flu-like symptoms, and numerous cousins have it or are just getting over it. I hate this. I hate this. I hate this. I want food to taste good again and want to be able to go farther than my driveway. I've started to make plans for next week in hopes that this illness will leave. I do have a new-found love for Canada Dry Ginger Ale that seems to calm down my stomach. I'm pretty healthy most of the time and haven't been this sick in a LONG time so it just seems to literally STOP my life and I hate my life to stop with something I can't control. But that is just it...just keep taking the medicine, resting, drinking the liquids, etc. is what is in my power to do so I guess there's no use complaining much more about it.....and keep laughing at my shakiness. I just want this to go away.........
Steph

All Good Things Must Come To An End

I know that nothing lives forever (materially anyway), but it's hard not to think that they do. You think the job you have and that you've had for so long will never go away until one day after 20-some years, they pop into your office with a pink slip. The television show that kept you glued to the tv one night a week with new seasons and episodes will come to an end (with a hopefully good conclusion instead of a dreaded cancellation that leaves you hanging). The book series that kept your nose in the book will have its last written word (R.I.P. Harry Potter!). I'm okay with things coming to an end as long as their ending is dignified and not stolen from them. I can accept changes that must occur and are probably a good thing. So things like retirement, or quitting a job (when they are on your terms), or a television show whose contracts are up, or graduating, or moving, or finishing a series of books........but I was upset on Friday when I woke up at 9am to hear that the Kathy & Judy Radio Show on 720AM -- WGN was cancelled -- suddenly and without warning. The day they announced it at 9am was the last broadcast. It was a shock not only to their audience but also other radio hosts throughout the day that knew nothing of this.

I know it was a radio talk show and some people might think I'm a bit too sentimental to get too worked up over this, but this is what I know. I know that these two women had been on from 9am-12pm on WGN radio for over 20 years and at the time of the cancellation, still had 9 months left on their contract. Being both in their 60's now, it was safe to assume that after these 9 months, they would not renew their contract and would have retired. My parents listened to these women and I use to groan when they turned them on because I felt radio was only good for the music until the day I had my own car. No good song was on and I tuned in and listened to the entire broadcast. In those three hours, these 2 women could me me laugh, entertain me, inform me, and open my mind. Since then, on my way to work or school in the morning, I would turn to the station and learn something new. They had "speak your peace" where callers had 30 seconds to gripe about anything, Sex Thursday talks, serious discussion, funny discussion, and the list goes on. They encouraged callers and had such a charisma with each other that you couldn't help but want to be a "girlfriend" (what they called their listeners). They did not deserve this sudden drop. Their last broadcast was a recollection of their best times but it felt too short....unprepared. If they could have finished up their broadcast at the end of their last 9 months, there would have been no surprises. The end would be smooth and full of celebration and best of all....dignified. This move on WGN was shameful and disgraceful and....although I'll probably regret this later because this is usually not me....but deep down I'm hoping that whatever they are replacing them with or whatever new strategy they have (their reasoning for doing this) crashes and burns.....
Sorry this post was kinda negative.....on a good note, I feel a storm coming on....I love storms...
Later Dayz,
Stephanie

Don't Dip the Sandals in the Lemonade

If you are wondering about the title of this blog, the two images I think of when summer is mentioned are flip flops and a tall, iced glass of lemonade. This is my first week of having no work. I'm liking it now but I know by next week, unless I get busy fast, I'm gonna hate it. I like work and the satisfaction it gives me and the routine I have. No, that does not mean I'm totally against spontaneity (in fact, it is a must), but I like knowing what my next day is going to be like -- at least on outline of what it is going to be like. I'm a planner...and I like plans. Summer jobs have dramatically dropped off and it shows in the classifieds with very few jobs (much less summer jobs) to choose from. I do mow a lawn for $30 a week, will do a rare fill-in at the Mary Kay office, and will pray that my textbooks will sell on Half.com (I've sold one!!). I have saved up a good amount of money in case this summer was a jobless summer that would let me travel and bit and maybe work on some personal growth. I've already started this week with summer plans:

• I cleaned out the room, brought up the summer clothes, tied up loose ends at work, and caught up on emails, got my car fixed ($675 later for full brake replacement...ugh), almost got graduation cards mailed out, mom's birthday.....and all that jazz
• Became the designated house cleaner since my parents do not charge me rent or make me buy groceries. If I'm not rushing off to work, I better make this house my work, so I make sure to pick up, vaccuum, and unload/reload dishwasher each day among other little things so show my appreciation

And I've started filling up the calendar with events, travel, and things that I hope to cross off my life list or continue things that I have started and quit:

1. I am heading to Decatur, IL with my friend Emily to attend a Haunting Conference. I'm so lucky to have a friend that is as much into haunted places and the paranormal as I am. We are staying two days, taking a haunted tour, participating in a seance, and meeting some haunted book authors!
2. Las Vegas Here I Come -- and you thought I wasn't spontaneous enough! Within two days of being invited by my friend Traci, I had my flight booked. Do I know what we are going to do? Nope. Where we are staying? Nope. But I'm excited!
3. Weddings -- One in July and one in August of an old roommate and a co-worker of mine which leads me to....
4. Getting in shape!! I have started and quit so many times and I always have the excuse of not having enough time....NO MORE! I've been doing pretty good actually. The bad thing is I walked a lot at work and didn't have much time to eat a lot and that might pose a problem.
5. Turning 23!! On June 13th
6. Cooking -- I am forcing myself to learn to cook meals and be better....this will be tough because I do not find cooking enjoyable yet but hopefully I will get motivated....I need to watch Ratatouille....that always gets me motivated
7. GNO -- Otherwise known as the Girls Night Out that me, my mom, and my aunt have traditionally done for the past four years. We take 3 or four days and head to different places....Shippsewana, IN (Amish country), Galena, Gurnee, etc.
   
8. Horseback Riding -- My life list has learning to gallop and canter a horse. Found a stable at a reasonable price. Will go there the 1st week of June and sign up!
9. READING -- Have wanted to read all the classics that have never made it into my hands. Oh, and I've started a Book Club. Wanted to follow through with that as well
10. Scrapbook and writing -- starting with keeping up this blog and starting to turn the pictures and cards and letters and ticket stubs into something that isn't a pile or a box.
11. Love -- don't want to touch this one too much....I know what the situation is....It's in a very uncertain zone right now and I'm afraid to push it one way or another just yet....so having a bit of faith that circumstances will change somehow before summer is up

Pheww.....wow.....let summer begin!
Steph

Where Have All The Signs Gone?

It is getting nearer and nearer to the end of my first year as an event coordinator. I'm technically a graduate assistant meaning my pay is really crappy but I do get my grad school paid for. I actually really enjoy my job, am learning more and more, getting more responsibility, and love the people I work with. The bad news is that this position is not a summer position, so from May 18th to August 31st, I am unemployed and am not taking any classes. So from going to being really really busy to having nothing......is going to be a change and it's making me a little nervous. I have some summer plans including a couple weddings, two small road trips, my birthday (23!), a concert, etc. But I really do not like the prospect of being unemployed -- I feel so....unaccomplished...lazy...bored. And I like having a schedule. I'm not the free-spirited person that I wish I was (I'm so envious of you people) who can get up with no particular plans and have the best day. My internship and job searches have yielded nothing so far but now that my graduate class is over as of this week, I can devote more time to it.

I do have enough money saved up to get by for the next three months, but somehow I want this summer to be different. I recently read a book called "When They Were 22...." It is a collection of very short biographies (a page or two) about famous people (singers, authors, actors, Noble Prize Winners) and how their life changed when they were 22. I feel as if this job and other factors in my life have changed me in the past year -- I feel older, more independent, and growing into my own. Not saying I still have a lot to learn and a lot to experience. But I feel like this summer should be different. I'm hoping for a sign because my future seems so unclear right now -- but maybe I need the break from the university (among other things......) to stretch myself a bit. Sometimes I feel like my life is too small..........like the town I grew up in....

Where's My Bro-mance?

I just got done watching an episode of "House" on Fox tonight and had to blog about this. I love the "bro-mance" (a recent term where the relationship between to men can go beyond the high-fives to an actual deep relationship without one wanting to jump into bed with the other) between House and Wilson on this series -- in fact, I'm downright jealous of it. They bounce off one another, banter back and forth, can dish it back as easily as they can receive it, anticipate each other's moves and motives, pull the pranks, show up at each other's doorstep in the early AM and can be flat-out honest with each other. The synergy between these two is amazing to watch and can be just as envious. I know this is a television show with writers manipulating the characters and their relationships with each other to their whims but that doesn't deter the jealousy much. I can't remember a time in my life where I was "that" close to anyone and I think to have that kind of person in your life would be truly comforting. You wouldn't be embarrassed to call them at 3am or burst into tears in front of them or be afraid to call them out on something. I do have many great people in my life who I love to be around and maybe......... someday, some of those relationships will go deeper than I could imagine and I can have a sis-mance of my own. Haha....bro-mance does sound better, doesn't it? Until next time!

Get Out the Bats and Gloves

Every day I drive past this small town which houses an area of three baseball diamonds. And from now until the middle of summer, when I drive past I will always see either a baseball practice or game happening. I love it because the sport of baseball is something that is sentimental to me. It was a part of my childhood since I started playing softball in the 4th grade and continued until my last year in high school. There's just something about playing on the summer nights.....its starting to cool off from the hot day, the endless supply of gatorade bottles line the bench, and it's much less political than high school sports. I miss it and watching those kids play as I drive by makes me miss it more. There are memories there of games and teammates and after-game ice cream runs and practices and the coaches that meant more to you than you know. I want to get out of my car and tell those kids to let loose and not worry and enjoy every game and not let one bad moment ruin their entire game because sooner than later you become the person driving by and reminiscing. And hopefully one day, I can be my kid's coach or at least the parent dragging around my fold-up chair and extra gatorade bottle. I will revel in those days. I