May 10, 2013 – St. Petersburg
The paranormal and the technological do not always work well together. There are several cases where glitches have caused issues with the investigation; this is one of them. For the first time in SPIRITS’ history not only did the computer shut down, but no back up document (standard with most word programs) could be found. The actual investigation notes done during the session were lost.
Now, this is most likely just a fluke — one of the joys of living in a modern era replete with gadgets that are supposed to make our lives easier. While inconvenient, this glitch was not something that would stop the SPIRITS. We do believe in maintaining hand-written notes taken during investigations and made as members are walking through a location. These are what most of the individual reports are based upon; the computerized notes do help to centralize the information and allow us to triangulate areas where we wish to return during the actual on-site visit.
It is not the only case where technology has failed us. Though this instance is certainly not proof of any spectral interference, there was at least one case where the question of suicide was asked during an EVP session. The moment afterward, every piece of SPIRITS’ equipment — battery operated or plugged into an active electrical outlet — simply shut down. The power in the house and the room was unaffected; in this case the message was received through technology. The SPIRITS had touched upon a sensitive subject (and we later discovered that, indeed, the persona in question had committed suicide).
Paranormal investigation, itself, is somewhat reliant on technology to provide objective proof that the life energies of the individual might just survive bodily death. Unfortunately, this has not completely worked out. There is no universal equipment that is hailed as absolute proof of a ghostly encounter. People of the future will likely look back at paranormalists today with an air of disbelief in what is utilized as proof. There is still hope, particularly as the turn of the century interest in ghosts has reignited a new generation of tinkerers who are working to solve this issue.
Despite these advances, it may be that this field is most effective with more basic equipment and techniques. Cameras, recorders, EMF meters, video, and a simple pen and notebook are the most effective tools that we have come across. Of this list the pen and paper have proven most reliable and the strongest defense against technical glitches. Perhaps the lesson here is that sometimes the old ways do work best….at least when it comes to the supernatural.
Investigation:
Investigators’ Notes:
When we were typing up the notes for this investigation the computer shut down. Not only did it shut down but the computer could not retrieve the notes made as investigators reported information. This has never happened before.
SPIRITS members’ observations were stated before home owners, each other, and an additional family friend for witness and verification of information obtained. Individual SPIRITS members are emailing responses in for this page.
Kristen’s Notes:
Master bedroom: base emf .0-.3, near alarm clock 3.0+. Threshold into masterbath was .4.
Boys “clock room”: emf 0.0, temp 78
Baseball room: emf 0.0, temp 78.5. My digital recorder shut off by itself at 17 seconds and then again at about 30 more seconds. If the battery is low it gives a low battery warning – which I did not get. I did change batteries and it did not happen again.
Kitchen emf was low, so was the garage. Den was 1.0. Outside was .0-.5, except for near the overhead power lines which was higher.
Discussion of areas for second walk through: Red clock room, baseball room, outside, laundry room
Outside: The Ovilus repeated several words of importance. We were discussing the use of a laser grid; I noted that it was better to detect human activity. At that point the Ovilus repeated “human”.
A second instance we were discussing being outside and it repeated “outside”.
It picked up “rabbit” and “tree” along with default of “apple”. In the baseball room it picked up “mommy”.
Q&A with home owners:
Do electronics act up for you?
Home owners report that television has come on by itself three or four times. Nothing with the computer, but it has always been the television.
Does Peter Rabbit mean anything to you? The Ovilus picked up rabbit several times. Miki picked up Peter Rabbit. Beth, prior to the investigation, did a meditation and got the name Pete or Peter.
A: Sometimes I call him Peter Rabbit.
Q: Do the children sense it? Yes. The child who sleeps in the red clock room notices it. As recent as last night he notices something in there. Last night the child in that room said that “the man in by the window was talking to me.” (Note: sensitives picked up a man in that room, by the window). Last year, the boy in the red clock room said that he was playing with “his friend” who was “that person”.
The son is very much afraid of the dark. (Note: One suggestion was to increase the light in the room).
He started talking about a mean ghost with red eyes in the hallway. This was about the same time that he started fearing the dark.
The Ovilus said “Pluto”. Home owners are big Disney people.
Issues was with the windows.
Since they were babies, particularly the one son, has been seen on the monitor talking to someone, laughing, reaching out to someone. We never knew who.
It’s always been at one or the other window.
In the other boy’s room, there may a female entity related to a male relative. (The meter had spiked when we asked if the entity was related to the male home owner, it responded to the notion of the grandmother). This may match with the family situation (biological father’s mother who committed suicide a while back).
Q: Who drew pictures in the hallway of the family?
Don’t know. Is this in reference to the images? These were of us (home owner and siblings) when we were children.
Q: Does Robby mean anything?
A: No.
Discussion with home owners:
Home owner: Female home owner reports that she is waking up every morning at 2 a.m. with the sensation that she is swallowing something that she should be swallowing. One night she woke up thinking she was swallowing her necklace (she wasn’t). Last night, she woke up thinking that she was swallowing something big. It has been an issue because it’s been going on for a while. She woke up with such an intense sensation that she felt she had to pull the chain out. This started 6 to 8 months ago.
Also reports having a strange dream that she heard the dog barking and somebody banging on the front door. The dog was sound asleep. No one was outside. I thought I saw a shadow but thought it was a car driving by.
Reports the lid of the black trunk open but unknown as to who was doing it. The home owners moved it and put items on top of it. The last time it moved the male home owner was here. Got up to use the restroom, came back and the lid was up. Put the lid down. Three hours later got up again and came back into the room, the lid was open again.
Has felt as if someone was watching them.
Toilets flush on their own two or three times. When family was together the toilet flushed by itself. It has happened four of five times.
The dog was acting up one day and the owners went out to discover that there were vultures sitting on the fence, flying overhead, etc. Couldn’t find anything dead over there. It was very odd.
Home owner pre-investigation form:
1.Do you experience any of the following?
Visual: Seeing a shadow/shadowy figure(s), dark form, dark cloud of gray/black color
Visual: Unexplained movement caught from the peripheral (corner of the eyes)
Physical/feeling: Cold drafts or cold spots found only in a certain location (Barring drafts created by the a/c or heating units, fans, and windows).
Feeling/Touch: Unusually warm spots or drafts found only in a certain location.
Visual: Confirmation of objects moving.
Sounds: popping, swishing, rustling or sizzling sounds
Sounds: thumping, knocking, taps, scratching
Sensation: Feeling watched
Other:
2.If animals are in the vicinity, have they been observed:
Licking at the air
Other:
3. Have you experienced any of the following?
N/A
4. Is there any other phenomena that you have experienced that we did not ask you about? If so, please list and describe:
N/A
5. Do you experience any anomalous health conditions that might impact these experiences? If so, how might they be impacted? (Medication, physical sensations, etc.?)
N/A
6. To your knowledge, did any of the following events happen on the property?
N/A
7. When was the property/location built? Was the location recently remodeled/refurbished? If so, when? Do you have any information on the history of the property?
N/A
8. A time line of paranormal activity is immensely helpful. Please note as much information as possible, including dates, times, events, who was present, and what happened.
N/A
Research: (Since most research relates to names and property descriptions we include only the generalized information below):
History: Incidents in Area:
According to recent crime data, theft, assault and burglary occur within the neighborhood but not on this specific block. [4]
In 2011 there was an auto accident a few blocks North in which a Bellair man died. [5]
Additional Research:
As most of the SPIRITS reported something happening from the house next door we did a property records sweep. Three homeowners from that property have passed away but not on the property.
AG: (female) May 10, 1917 in Florida, died July 08, 2004 in Winston Salem, NC She was Jewish and is noted under yahrzeits (The anniversary of the death of a relative) after this date.
GH: (male) March 10, 1932, died April 23, 1997. Last known address in Largo. United States Navy; interred Bay Pines National Cemetery, Pinellas County.
CH: (female, wife to GH): May 29, 1937 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, died February 15, 2000.
One home owner, not listed, had a series of DUI arrests though is still living. The last property owner, not listed, lost the house to foreclosure in August 2013.