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Sunday, August 3, 2008

Ghost Hunting Etiquette 104


Transparent apparitions of delicate pasts tell tales of heartache, woes and sorrows. Aimlessly pacing an endless hall of regret and earthly desires. Ghosts penetrate our oblivious and simple understanding of the normal realm. Causing confusion, fear and unrest, these creatures of the paranormal world infiltrate our natural concepts of conscious comfort with their disquiet disruption of earthly logic.
When entering the ranks of a professional ghost hunter, one must attempt to reconcile fears and preconceived notions of the paranormal. Enter into the domain of the supernatural with a clean slate of expectation. Every experience with the unnatural will be as unique as meeting a new acquaintance at a party. Individuality is just as vast on the other side as it is here in the living world.
Just as we would be cautious of the spirits’ intentions in the haunted home, we must be cautious of who we invite along on the quest. Your paranormal team members must be chosen with the implicit expectation of honesty and integrity. Choose wisely when interviewing members of your investigative posse, unfortunately there are many unsavory characters in the living realm that may cause more upset in a client’s home than the unwanted invisible guest.
Stealing, damaging or disrespectful tendencies must be vehemently avoided when forming a quality paranormal team. Formal background checks with police officials is highly recommended when considering any new investigator. Having the new recruit sign an official bond agreement stating personal responsibility of obligation would be advised.
Beyond the tedious, but necessary, paperwork and formalities, the selected newbie should be extensively trained in the safety, technology and protocol requirements. Establish basic parameters and guidelines for basic ghost hunting procedures. Mental and emotional stability should be factored into an initial interview, someone who has a history of paranoid schizophrenia or anxiety attacks may want to rethink their paranormal investigative intentions.
Taping down equipment wiring throughout the house and performing an extensive tour of the home’s geography are both essential safety factors.
Be sure to inform your newest detective in the basic knowledge of your chosen equipment. It would be a shame to have been in the midst of a visual paranormal breakthrough and have had the camera’s lens cap on. Run through the usage, storage and maintenance of your equipment.
Establish an organized guideline of your investigative procedures. It’s embarrassing and time consuming to simply wander into a home and not know what to do next. Have specific goals and efficient plans for your ghost hunt, proficiency may be the key to your success.
Additional insurance in case of accidental damage by you or your team should definitely be considered as well as coverage for team members in case of injury.
Dishing out cash for vast quantities of batteries is a simple reality you must face, it may be prudent to suggest that there be a monthly contribution from all members to compensate for these and other necessary costs. Wholesale stores may sell batteries in bulk for less.
Other considerations while stealthily hunting the elusive entity in closed quarters would be noise control of the team. It may be wise to suggest team mates wear slippers rather than shoes that click or squeak, causing unnecessary noise pollution. Any accessories, such as jewelry, should be removed if they have a tendency to produce a jingle. Check clothing before progressing through the home for audible friction, some fabrics when rubbed together can cause quite the disruption, so no eighties windbreakers, sexy leather pants or funky corduroy please. Stay in the investigative fashion with good old breathable and quiet cotton.
Outside attire should be considered if scouting the grounds will be necessary. Warm jackets and gloves will hopefully prevent any teeth chattering that can override catching any of the all important EVP (electronic voice phenomena).
Brimmed hats should go due to the visual impediment they may cause. One’s line of sight is considerably reduced by the need to hide one’s bad hair day. Often times, there are reflective buttons and clasps as well that may cause confusion when light is reflected, allowing members to inadvertently assume an orb was captured. Keep this in mind as well with clothing choice, the less reflective items visually, the better.
An important point to consider, make sure all of your team members have had sufficient food, water and rest. Low blood sugar, dehydration or excessive fatigue can lead to the discouraging failure of a ghost hunt. The last thing you need is someone fainting from hunger or having mild hallucinations from exhaustion when trying to prove yourself professional paranormal scientists. It goes without saying that any member that arrives at the location intoxicated or under the influence of drugs should be escorted home.
Possibly having the homeowner convey discretely to the neighbors that there will be strangers parading in the dark with flashlights in their home at an odd hour would be a definite consideration, unless you would like a minor visitation from the boys in blue.
Politely asking your client to find a babysitter for their pets while you are conducting an investigation would be wise. The less disruption in the home, the better. You wouldn’t want Casper the friendly feline being responsible for ominous shadow in the basement nor would you want him jumping out of a closet and causing near heart failure for your poor team members.
All in all, your ghost hunt should contain elements of intelligent investigative skills, respectful scientific approach and an open mind willing to spelunk the mysterious caves of the paranormal.



Copyright 2008 Danielle Lee All Rights Reserved

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