Was That You?

It started about six months ago, in a small, church and private school located in the San Fernando Valley. It started by pulling the clothing and hair of the fourth grade teacher who would arrive in the mornings to prepare for her class earlier than her colleagues. It would creep in the stairwell, (see photo above) and in the little hallway area outside of the girls' restroom, sometimes slamming the stall doors shut or making other knocking or scratching noises on the walls. Her classroom was at the top of the stairs and she could hear it sometimes during class...so could the children.

It's attention turned to a couple of the fourth grade girls in the class, pulling at their clothes and hair. One girl even said it "chased" her up the stairs, but would go no further than the fourth or fifth step.

In June, a visitor, who claims to be sensitive, was going through this area on a tour of the campus. He said there was something there and described it as being "prickly," that whatever it was, wasn't very nice.

Every evening, when the little school isn't in session, two churches inhabit the buildings. One of them, could be described as...intense. On Friday nights, they hold service which includes a great deal of screaming, wailing, crying and writhing on the ground, even an occasional snake.

A couple of the teachers offered it flowers and a blessing one morning. They say it's presence is much weaker now. I wanted to find out.

Mr. Blackwood and I ventured over a couple weeks ago at night. The buildings and grounds were completely empty. We set up a camera outfitted with an external IR illuminator and a couple of digital voice recorders with the new mics. Set out the Mel Meter, the Natural Tri Field Meter, settled onto the floor and talked to it.

About half an hour into our vigil, Mr. Blackwood, who was sitting to my left, poked me and pointed toward the stairs, his eyes wide. Something was breathing in the darkness, a few feet away. We inched up the stairs, clutching a temp gague and an EMF detector...nothing.

We resumed our place on the floor. Minutes after, we distinctly heard footsteps followed by a shuffling sound near the doorway that opens up into this area from an anteroom. We ventured toward the doorway, into the empty anteroom. Again we sat, asking, "Was that you? Could you please do it again?" Whatever it was, granted our request.


A few days later I saw the teacher and told her about the footsteps and the shuffling. "Oh, the kids say that is what they hear. Footsteps and that walking/shuffling sound. They think its coming after them."

So what exactly is there? Why did it manifest only six months ago? Did someone bring it with them or manifest it? Maybe we will never know, but for now, I'm rather determined to get some answers.

All Hail The Queen

I recently watched some footage captured by a paranormal research organization I highly regard, the American Paranormal Research Association. It has been one of those few pieces of possible evidence that I cannot explain away, nor can I forget about it.

A.P.R.A founder, Brandon Alvis, was kind enough to elaborate on the story behind this footage., captured on the RMS Queen Mary, in Long Beach, California. "The video was collected by myself and my wife in the winter of 2008. We were conducting an EMF sweep of the changing stalls, when the footage was taken. The only people present in the First Class Pool was Melissa, a security guard and myself." It was almost three months before they discovered the footage.

Alvis' constant striving to adhere to a policy of presenting the, "cold hard facts, to prove or disprove," of course led him to look for an explanation from experts in various fields. “Upon reviewing the video I sent a copy to multiple Engineers, Medial Doctors and other various professionals from technical industries, given the situation could not explain the footage presented. One Medical Doctor did mention the way the "eye" of the figure is reflecting should not react in that manner, if it was a living person. He said the way the human eye reacts to IR light is in two ways...the pupil and the cornea. The reflection of the "eye" of the figure is reacting in only one way ... the pupil, he said when the human body dies that the pupil becomes completely dilated... this is how the "eye" of the figure seems to be reflecting.”

________________________

You can visit A.P.R.A at http://www.apraparanormal.com/homepage.html or visit their You Tube channel to watch their new documentary series, A View From The Other Side http://www.youtube.com/user/apraparanormal

You can do your part to help support continued paranormal research on the historical Queen Mary by signing this petition, graciously spearheaded by Bob Davis, founder of Planet Paranormal Investigations

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/queenmary

Hollyweird

Thanks to the Ghost Hunters Of Urban Los Angeles organization, I participated in an investigation of the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood. The building itself houses the theatre, the Hollywood Wax Museum and the Snow White Cafe, all of which have their own fascinating stories to tell, paranormal and otherwise.

This building has been home to a variety of businesses over the years. Before the Wax Museum moved in, the building was home to a luggage company, and the museum's current Operations Manager, was told that the luggage company might have been a front for organized crime. "And during the 1920s," he said, "the basement of the building was used as a speakeasy, so who's to say who might be buried beneath us that we're not aware of."

The Embassy Club was opened in February of 1930. A new, exclusive club where the celebrities would not be mobbed by unruly fans. The Embassy featured a rooftop promenade and a glass enclosed lounge with a sweeping view of the Hollywood Hills.

Membership was restricted to 300 of the proprieter’s closest friends including Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, and Sid Grauman. As the years went on the Embassy was run by Bruce Cabot who brought in Delores Del Rio and David O Selznick and Mary Pickford hosted all of the Motion Picture Relief Fund dinners here. Soon after, Embassy owner Brandstatter allowed the public entry ensuring it’s failure.

The Stella Adler Theatre moved into the location in 1993. Students, teachers, staff and guests have claimed to experience numerous, possibly paranormal phenomena.

In Studio C a smoking man wearing highwater pants and suspenders has been spotted numerous times, especially during classes. They say he looks a lot like a waiter, on his break. People report finding him upon entering the theatre. Fearing they have taken him by surprise they apologize and say "...I didn't know anyone was in here." The man does not respond but instead, vanishes. Apparently, the man isn't always quiet. In a small hallway that runs alongside Studio C, the man was spotted again and informed passerby, "I've got to find the Freedman party."

In the back hallway, near the freight elevator unexplained banging is often heard as well as footsteps when there is no one around. The freight elevator call button also goes off when no one is present to push it.

In the front main theatre, the Gilbert, which used to house the old ballroom, there is frequent knocking on set walls, the crying of a child has been hard many times not just in this room but in many places in the theatre complex. At one point so many things were going on that a psychic was brought in, who stated that the spirit of a little girl as well as an evil spirit could be found in the two dressing rooms to the rear of this main theatre. People have also said the dressing rooms evoke a feeling of "bad energy."

A few years ago some renovations took place. At this time a wall was knocked down to reveal what could be considered the crown jewel of the building, a hidden speakeasy, frozen in time, as it were. It is a small room, complete with bar and a revolving secret bookcase that, when spun, reveals an escape ladder. In here, visitors have experienced unexplained severe drops in temperature and have described a variety of "weird feelings."

Real Ghost Among Reel Ghosts?

My dear friend, Tess, who I've mentioned before, came across an interesting discovery while viewing The Innocents.

This is a marvelous film, and I like it all the more because during my second viewing, I noticed a Glowing Thing!

It's in the scene where Miss Giddens goes upstairs in a nightdress with her hair down, hearing spooky noises. Just after she comes past a square pillar with her candelabra, there's a loud echoing clatter. Then the camera angle changes to a long shot down a hallway, to an open area at the end. I don't know what it's called in architecture -- it's the area where a hallway or passage widens out into a sort of landing, with balustrades. And there is indirect light coming from off-camera on the right side.

Very quickly, on the right, there's a small white glowing area that moves and then disappears. If you slow it down and zoom way in, you will realize it's a human head, which glows whitely, catching the light that comes from off-camera. Some shadowy facial features are faintly visible, but only very faintly -- my guess is that it's a man from the development of the chin, but I can't really see anything else distinguishing.

The motion of the head is of someone bent slightly forward who straightens up, and then moves back out of sight. It's very creepy, in part because it looks so furtive and unintentional. In fact it reminds me of blurry film footage of "real ghosts" that you might see on a TV show about the supernatural, the kind of thing captured unintentionally while people are filming something else altogether.

Since it's so difficult to see this thing -- even to see that it is in fact a person's face -- without zooming in and slowing down, which of course one couldn't do in 1961, I wonder whether it was a crew member adjusting something on the set rather than an intentional ghostly actor.

Perhaps the filmmakers saw it later, but left it in because it added to the ghostliness. Or, maybe it really *was* intentional. But I'd be surprised if so -- it's just so small, and goes by so quickly, unless you view the scene with technological enhancement!

What would be the most fun is if it's neither an actor nor a crew member, and is apparently a Real Ghost™! Maybe I just started a rumor...

At any rate, it's a Glowing Thing and it's completely awesome.

After she told me this, I immediately got myself a copy of the film and watched Tess' Glowing Thing. There is something there.

Pay attention to the area slightly left to the center of the screen.

Screen shots from youshotandywarhol.

Tess is the proprietress of a magical store - please visit - http://www.midnight-muse.com/

Boyle Heights Paranormal Project Interview

A couple weeks ago I was reading through posts at laeastside.com. I finally come to a story about the Boyle Heights Paranormal Project. I pause. A Paranormal team? In East L.A? Its like someone proposing you eat cantaloupe with prosciutto. It doesn't sound like they should go together, yet ends up being one of the best things you've ever had.

I’m immediately hooked. On a personal level, this is my neighborhood, or at least it used to be. I grew up in El Sereno. We had El Cucuy, Bloody Mary and La Llorona, stories about Lincoln Park and White Memorial. My Dad went to Cathedral, rumored to have been built upon a burial ground, (hence the mascot name of The Phantoms), but I could never get anyone to actually talk about it. These neighborhoods, the collective culture generations of residents have created on the East Side is relatively unknown to anyone outside of it. Here is a group that is not only interested in the paranormal in relation to this part of Los Angeles, but in preserving, documenting and sharing the history that has been made here. The team is even working on a documentary featuring local people recounting their own experiences. At this point I’m not simply hooked, I think I may be falling in love.

On Friday night the team hosts a Meet And Greet/Website Launch Party at the historically haunted Linda Vista Hospital in Boyle Heights.We arrive only forty five minutes into the event, only to find out they have been over capacity for some time and have had to turn people away. We are able to get in just in time for their standing room only presentation in Linda Vista’s chapel.

BHPP founder, Richard Berni welcomes the crowd with "Tonight is about us thanking all our friends, all our family and the fans...” We are treated to a wonderful presentation on the history of Boyle Heights, a short talk on the history of Linda Vista and a slideshow of possible photographic evidence captured by the team. One of the most impressive photographs was taken right here, in the boiler room. A wet footprint, with defined toes. There are audible gasps in the room.

We wander the rooms of the hospital, take photographs, pet the resident cat and talk to other attendees. The party is winding down. Berni assembles four of his team members, Dawn Gomez, Director of Investigations, Tatiana Santana, Media/Investigator, Joey Martinez, Occult Specialist and Toulina Gresham, Researcher, in the chapel and we talk.

I cannot help but abandon my pad of pre-written queries and get the most intriguing question out of the way. “What exactly does an Occult Specialist do?” Joey Martinez, who fills this role is eloquent and soft spoken. “Mostly research,” he explains. BHPP founder Berni later adds more about this unique position, “Joey is a student of parapsychology and utilizes this when we come to a case where there is evidence of a use of a Ouija board, or some kind of Satanic worship. With his insight to the occult and local knowledge of the habits and trends of local teenagers, were are better prepared to see the case from a different perspective. The occult is something that BHPP does not delve into, but agrees that it is there, so we acknowledge its existence but do not give it to much energy.”

They are delighted by the support from the community, both local and paranormal. Friends and family’s attendance at the night’s event was expected but a packed house, with some guests even turned away was a big surprise. All this attention, including now well over 1,000 fans on Facebook, seemingly overnight, has been pulling in an almost unheard of fifteen to twenty calls a day for investigation requests. An average team is lucky to get that many requests in a year. So, how do they choose? “Residences come first,” says Dawn Gomez, “Places like Waverly come second. We want to help people. The people come first.” Again, I am struck with the genuine concern, appreciation and gratitude each one of these investigators displays. I, am not so nice. Waverly comes first.

Each member of BHPP came to the team already having personally experienced some unexplained, possibly paranormal occurrence. As much as I’d love to hear every story, I shelve this topic in lieu of a similar one. I think every Paranormal Investigator has at least one moment from a past investigation they’ve done that they’d love to relive again. There is no hesitation from Gomez and Tatiana Santana. Theirs was just this past week in the boiler room of the structure we are now standing in. The sounds of walking, the shuffling footsteps the growling captured on EVP. Toulina Gresham, nods in agreement.

When it comes to preparing for an investigation BHPP does as much research as they can. Borders is a favorite research place, You Tube is used a lot, as well as the all important personal accounts of others. Martinez explains how crucial It is to consider a witness’ mental stability, possible drug abuse etc. Gomez adds that they do everything to make sure various accounts “match up” and is sure to inform clients that some questions will be personal. They try to “delve deep,” as any good investigator will.

Once possible evidence is captured they make every effort to debunk it, revisiting the locations when possible. They present their findings to the client and will release any possible evidence only after obtaining permission. They make it evident that a client’s privacy is paramount.

“We’re going to find the truth,” says Martinez.

All heads in the paranormal community should now be facing East.

Team photo by Eddie Ruvalcaba. Footprints at Linda Vista photo is property of BHPP.

Boyle Heights Paranormal Project

The Boyle Heights Paranormal Project hosted a party to remember last night, in celebration of the launch of their new website, at historic and some say haunted, Linda Vista Hospital, in Boyle Heights.

The team could not have been more kind or appreciative hosts to the droves of fans that showed up. So many, that some were turned away. More on the event, the creeptastic locale and my interview with this unique and wonderful team, coming up soon. In the meantime, I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Visitors are welcome to redistribute and share the photographs, but please, do give a link back to Blackwood http://www.merricatblackwood.blogspot.com/

Many thanks.

A Call To The Twilight Zone

I lived in the OC for awhile. I'm sure everyone in town knew me, being the only brunette around. As long as we're in the hair confessional, let me also inform you that I am a hair snob. Needless to say, I have a four part-series dedicated to the topic with three variant covers.

I've been getting my hair cut at this place since they opened, maybe six years or more ago. My stylist is amazing. Oddly enough, on a quiet day the store feels like a scene out of Steel Magnolias, where everyone crowds around the chair and we converse. Not so much about potlucks and husbands, but OC things like boob jobs and bikinis.

I am always asked for stories about my recent investigations, but this time, the staff had a great story to tell me. A brother of one of the stylists is psychic, I am told. An empath, actually. About a month ago they decided to rent a van and go with the psychic brother, Billy, to a place in Chatsworth. It has been said that a long time ago, a girl died near an open field with a dirt road next to it. Most nights the girl can be seen walking near the side of the road. On the nights close to the anniversary of her death, she will follow the final path she walked and "relive" her death.

They set out with minimal information. Someone had the name of a shop near to where this field and road were. As they enter the town of Chatsworth and make their way in the direction they thought was correct, they use a cell phone to call 411 to get an exact address of the name of the shop and a possible cross street.

You know, when you call 411, (this is the number you call in the US to reach the operator to get general information; ie: addresses, phone numbers, the time), you will be put in touch with an operator that is probably somewhere in the middle of nowheresville, hundreds or thousands of miles away from where you are calling from.

The phone rings. The operator answers. The person with the cell phone gives the name of the town and the name of the store. He also asks for an exact address and phone number for the store. Instead of giving those, the operator begins to tell them they don't need that information. He tells them to: "Turn right here." They do.

"Do you see the mailbox in front of the little store with red paint? Turn left there"...and so on.

The "operator" then asks odd questions. Do they have a piece of string? Can they stop the car now and get out to get a small stick?

In the end, the "operator" leads them exactly where they want to go. The connection dies.

They are near a field and it is the golden hour, sun is setting, shadows creeping in. They sit there for a short time, maybe twenty minutes. It is rapidly getting darker. The driver starts the engine again and they inch very slowly along the dirt road. The driver, she cannot see what the others can. They see a white figure walking slowly along the road.

It is a female figure and she is walking toward them. The car engine is turned off as they all watch the girl in white advance. Suddenly, she is gone. Seconds pass, maybe 3, maybe 5.

The girl in white is there. Her face staring directly into the passenger side window. Then she is gone.

Photo by http://www.jorgebernal.info/