The "Mesmeric Pass", Try It Yourself!

Kids, try this at home! (lol) I read about this years ago and I find bits-n-pieces of related phenomena associated with it from some widely-varied sources.
The "Mesmeric Pass" (named after Franz Anton Mesmer, the pioneering hypnotist) is also referred to in some disciplines as "sealing the aura".
I'm assuming you're familiar with the aura as the energy field surrounding all living things. Various techniques from Oriental reiki to spiritualism incorporate the aura (the Oriental disciplines refer to the energy as "ki" or "chi") as part of their teachings.
Some healing and meditation practices begin with the Mesmeric Pass or aura sealing. The subject lies down and enters a relaxed state. The healer (or whatever they're called) passes a hand over the subject's body, at a distance of 6-8". If the healer can actually see the aura, I guess it's easier. The hand should pass over the very edge of the aura, not too close to the body, but not too far away.
Now what's really neat is that the subject can "feel" or sense the hand passing over their body. In the proper state, the subject can have their eyes completely closed, and still be able to tell where the person's hand is. Try it sometime! It may take a bit of practice (on the part of both individuals) but I'm convinced that anyone can learn it.
Now, here's something related to auras and energy that I read in, of all places, Soldier Of Fortune magazine. (You knew I read SOF, right, I mean how could you suspect otherwise?) There was an article by martial artist and Special Forces instructor the late Mike Echanis. (well, it was a few years ago, he wasn't the "late" Mike Echanis then) on the art of sentry removal. Echanis noticed that in his classes and exercises, often the "sentry" would be unable to see or hear his "stalker", but frequently anticipated his attack. The sentries said they experienced a sensation like a "wedge of steel" at the back of their neck. As a martial artist, Echanis was familiar with the concept of ki or chi. He suspected that the attackers intent (or energy) was "preceding" their actions, and this projection of energy was sensed by their targets. He trained his students to control and internalize their energy, to visualize it moving in a circular motion around them rather than radiating outward. The results demonstrably increased the ability of the students to successfully approach their targets and accomplish their grisly task. He also trained the sentries to maximize their sensitivity to an approaching attacker.
What, you thought all that Jedi Knight stuff about The Force was just made up? :D

Calling Burt Gummer! (again!)

I've often said "Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense."
So, how about an expedition to the desert, with a team of guys, a few explosives, and a film crew, searching for a deadly, subterranean worm? It's true! An expedition from New Zealand is planning a trip to the Gobi desert in hopes of proving the existence of the legendary venom-spitting, lightning-throwing Mongolian Death Worm. Here's the story.
I've only got one question: WHY DIDN'T THEY INVITE ME??!!
;)

An Entertaining and Educational Read

One of the books I find myself opening again and again, is The Supernatural Book of Monsters, Spirits, Demons, and Ghouls.
I consider myself a casual fan of the series "Supernatural". I catch it when I can, but it's no biggie if I miss an episode or have to catch up on the various story arcs. I normally avoid "reference" books or "guides" associated with entertainment. Mainly because they tend to modify or loosely interpret subject matter to make it fit the particular milieu. (that's my two-dollar word for the day, I would try to work oeuvre in there somewhere, but there's no point in trying to be too flashy!) For example, I wouldn't waste my time reading about what the "Buffy" creators have to say about vampires, since the show is a radical departure from traditional lore. Nor would I bother to study what the "Star Trek" writing team have to say about alien races if I'm studying the "grey alien/abduction" phenomenon.
But, the "Supernatural" guide is a surprising departure from typical "fan-oriented" entertainment books. It's amazingly well-researched, and while the series itself may take some dramatic license with traditions, the "Guide" itself is a refreshingly accurate guide to the monsters, demons, angels, and ghosts encountered in the TV series, as well as the actual historical folklore behind them. There are even some interesting appendices listing angel lore, demonological information, even material on hoodoo and the use of herbs, crystals, rituals, etc.
Even if you aren't a fan of the series, if you have an interest in the subject matter, this book is well worth a read.

Another Series of Coinky-dinks...

When I was attending college and living with my aunt, our house number was 1317.
I dated a girl whose phone number ended in 1317.
Another girl I dated had a license plate containing the series of numbers 1317.
I have an uncle who lives in another city whose house number is 1317, and also has the same street name as the house my aunt & I lived in.
Another female friend in a different city also had a phone number ending in 1317.

1+3+1+7=12
1+2=3
"3" has always been a very significant number in various religions, numerology, and magickal systems.
What, if anything, this recurring sequence of numbers means, I don't know.

Synchronicity, Coincidence, or Conspiracy?

Three of my close female friends on the FVZA Forums, plus another female who is no longer on there but sort of started a running subplot involving one of the other two. In the same vein, I should add the mother of one of said FVZA friends, with whom I "flirted" once on a different forum.

A couple of my Myspace friends.

A wonderful female friend who prefers to remain anonymous, but who contacted me regarding my Succubus problem, and with whose help and advice I was able to strengthen my defenses and ward it off, hopefully for good.

My good cyber-friend and fellow Blogger, Autumnforest, with whom I've had the pleasure of exchanging ideas, theories, and some good-natured ribbing.

One of the cashiers at the local store who always has something to say that lifts my spirits and brightens my day.

My first love, who broke my heart as only a first love can.

What do all of these ladies have in common? They're all redheads. Now, without going into a detailed account of how these ladies came to cross my path, I'll just say that I don't deliberately seek out redheads. In the majority of cases, I didn't even know they were redheads until later on.
So, what's the deal? Is there some inherent trait or characteristic that redheads have that somehow draws me to their personality? Is it just a coincidence that redheaded females happen to possess qualities that I admire or to which I'm drawn?
Or, is there some global cabal of redheads who have some sort of intent regarding my life, and I'm just a helpless pawn?
Fans of "Superman" will note the continuing occurence of the letters "LL" in Supe's life. Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Lori Lemoris, Lex Luthor, I even read a story in which Superman was saved from having to reveal his secret identity when the letters "LL" from the "Daily Planet" building fell on two bad guys and ended the threat.
Is this some sort of synchronious pattern in my life? Or is it just that redheads are awesome? :D

Interrupted Dream

About an hour ago, I was having a (non-erotic!) dream involving a devastatingly beautiful woman. I noticed she had a big, light blue "9" tattooed on the left side of her neck. I was just about to ask her about it when the phone rang and woke me up. This is gonna bug me for days now.

Gotta Myspace Page

I started a Myspace page a few days ago. It's nothing spectacular or anything and I'm still fooling around with it. I've already got a few friends on there, y'all feel free to add me! I've got a few requests outstanding *cough* and you can find me if I can't find you.

Coming To A Comic Store Near You!

If you only know me from Blogger, you're probably not aware that I'm a longtime resident of the FVZA Forums. I'm a "token" moderator of the Preparedness section. The FVZA site is dedicated to the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency. The FVZA was charged with protecting and defending the US from the threats posed by, well, vampires and zombies. It's also by far the best
"Zombie Survival" type site I've found. The Forum members are dedicated to surviving the zombie apocalypse, and the members take a very realistic approach to the subject unlike so many other sites which cater to the "I'm gonna get myself a gun and a sword and see how many zombies I can kill before they kill me or I starve to death on the roof" or "I'm gonna go to the mall (or WalMart) and loot every gunstore I can find..." crowd.
Anyway, it was recently announced that the FVZA has inspired a comic book series and there's talk of a possible movie deal.
So, naturally I thought, "Cool! Fame, fortune, money, groupies, product endorsements, free samples from gunmakers, expenses-paid monsterhunting expeditions...", but alas, it appears that "Dangovitch" ("Dango" for short) only signed over the rights to the FVZA name and backstory. So, no Gummerfan appearances in the comic, no action figures, no celebrity status for yours truly. Just as well, I probably wouldn't be able to handle it anyway. (though a guest shot on Leno, Letterman, or MonsterQuest would've been cool!). But, if by chance there's a character who's a bit paranoid, obsessive, well-armed, and named "Gunnerman" or something like that, feel free to giggle!
You can find more info on the FVZA comic on this page.

Ghost Hunters: The Eternal Question

Every time I watch an episode of Ghost Hunters, one question plagues me: Who's hotter, Kris or Donna? This is a source of constant vexation for me. And it's further complicated by other factors. Kris with glasses? Kris without glasses? Dark-haired Donna? Light-haired Donna? Curly or straight?
It's a constant internal struggle with me. Maybe someday, someday, I'll find the answer I seek. Until that day comes, I remain torn.

New Stuff In The Monsterhunter Shop

I changed the shirts & stuff in the Monsterhunter shop. This new design pretty much tells it like it is: "PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR because investigating the NORMAL is just plain boring!"

Weirdness With Amazon...

Okay, if you've ever bought anything from Amazon.com, you know that based on your history, they send you emails suggesting other titles you may be interested in. I've ordered more than afew books in the past. Mostly cryptozoology, paranormal, and even European swordsmanship and zombies. I've never purchased any books of poetry, or anything related to psychology.
In an earlier post I mentioned that I've been having a tough time lately. What's really weird is that I got an email Saturday suggesting this book!
Not only does the Cosmic Joker have a twisted sense of humor, it apparently has a few connections!

Calling Burt Gummer!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090712/ap_on_sc/us_giant_palouse_earthworm_8
Okay, so they're "only" around three feet long, and they're pretty far from Perfection, NV. But, as The Man said, that's "No reason to let down your guard!".

John Keel Is Dead And I Don't Feel Too Good Myself...

With all the hoopla surrounding the death of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, another significant personage passed quietly from this plane recently. John Keel, author of "The Mothman Prophecies", "Strange Creatures of Time and Space", and numerous other books on strange phenomena, passed away on July 1st.
Keel's investigations and pioneering theories had a huge impact on the world of paranormal research. From his theories regarding the relationships and connections between numerous phenomena (from Men In Black and Grey Aliens to Mothman, UFOs, and Poltergeists) to his position that certain areas and circumstances provide "Windows" through which "somethings" can pass into our reality are the bases for a lot of my own personal thoughts. (it was Keel who noted that these various "intelligences" seem to take an almost pornographic or voyeuristic interest in the human sex act).
His thoughts and theories have already filled filled volumes, so there's no way I could recap them all here. He was truly one of the giants. Maybe now he's found his answers.

This has been a particularly rough couple of weeks for me. It's vacation season, so I've been working more hours filling in while people take off. Hopefully things will settle down in a few more days and balance and harmony will be restored to my life. In the meantime, I've been irritable and moody, and I feel like everything in my life is turning to crap right before my very eyes and all I can do is watch.If this really is supposed to be my last Summer, it had better improve before I opt to take an early out.
Stupid universe! What did I ever do to it?

A Silver Sliver In The Sky

Apologies to Emily Dickinson for stealing her flow there.
My route home from work involves driving down the side of a big hill. Actually, the locals insist it's a mountain, but if you've seen a REAL mountain, you know better. Anyway, it affords a nice view of the neighboring city. Two weeks ago, while driving down the hill, I saw something really neat.
I've seen maybe three real UFOs in my life. By UFO I mean something that I can't personally explain, something that "weren't no airplane". This one appeared as a shiny metallic, long thin "something" hovering over the city. What was interesting is that it came into view as I was descending the hill, stayed in view for a few seconds, faded out, and reappeared seconds later in another location.
I looked all in the car for something that might have caused a reflection, but there just wasn't anything there. I still haven't figured out what it was. This was in broad daylight, mind you, not just a "light in the sky"-type thing.
Of course there are some possible "rational" explanations. Maybe some kind of illusion caused by temperature inversions in the atmosphere? Something reflected in a clear sky?
I've been reading about extra dimensions. That theory gets thrown around a lot when discussiong paranormal phenomena, but it's a frustratingly difficult concept to really wrap your mind around.
It's theorized that something (whether organic or artificial) from an outside dimension would appear to us as nothing more than a line segment, and would only be visible when viewed from precisely the right angle.
So did I happen to catch a glimpse of something hanging around or passing through our three-dimensional world? Was I just at the right angle at the right time?
I don't know. (after all, that's what the "U" in "UFO" stands for!)

The Mighty (Geo)Ducks

I thought I'd heard of every weird creature on earth, but I must confess I never heard of geoducks until I saw them on an episode of Dirty Jobs.
The geoduck (pronounced "gooey-duck") is the largest clam in the world. They average 1-3 lbs and around 1 meter long. (that's 3 feet to us!) but there have been specimens reported at 15 lbs and 6 ft long! The geoducks are native to the NW coast of the US and Canada. "Geoduck" comes from a Nisqually word meaning "dig deep", because they burrow over three feet into the sand along the shoreline, so you have to dig deep to harvest them. (yeahh, riiiight, I'm sure that's what they meant!). They are also among the worlds longest-lived animals, with a life expectancy of over 146 years. (assuming no one digs deep and harvests them).
Geoducks are very popular in Oriental cuisine and are also considered an aphrodisiac. (Really?! Wonder why THAT is?!)
A female acquaintence of mine told me that if there's any justice in the universe, when I die I'll come back as one of these. Hmmm...spending my days buried in the sand on the beach, waves washing over me, nothing to do but relax and thrust my mammoth..siphon upwards when I need a meal, not to mention looking like...well, let's just say I took it as a complement!
The geoduck proves beyond all doubt that whoever or whatever created the universe has a sense of humor.






Yeah, of course somebody HAD to go there!

Googling Myself

Since I use the same username most of the time, every now and then I'll Google it just to see what comes up. Of course, I don't do this too often since I'm pretty sure too much self-googling can make you go blind.
Recently I tried it and found a couple of interesting results. In addition to the usual profiles and posts on the various sites and forums I frequent, and blog posts and comments, I found this twitter profile for another "Gummerfan". Wonder if we're related? But the coolest hit has to be this one! Apparently somebody liked one of my old "sig lines" so much, I'm now quoted on a Bulgarian Airsoft forum! Oh well, at least he gave me credit for the line!