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You Do What? The other side of being a Paranormal Investigator

We live in an ever changing world.
A world that embraces difference and challenge.
A world that is open to discussing different views and beliefs and applauds those that go out to search for the truth.

Well...no not really.

Some things can still be taboo in many towns and cities and it's best not to engage in those discussions.

And so, in many cases, is the topic of the after life and ghosts.



So before you jump out there and buy your T shirts with your team logo, just have a think about your family and your community and where you live and whether you can handle what comes next.

Because, not all people and not all places are embracing of your excitement and your views, and you will meet those that think you are insane, mad, off your meds, hallucinating or just plain stupid.

Are you ready for that?


Get ready to be ignored or ostracised by your friends, work colleagues and family.
To receive abusive messages on line and to be asked stupid sarcastic questions.
Get ready to explain yourself and your views as if you are fronting up to court for murder.

Am I over exaggerating?
In most cases, yes.
The transition from normal to paranormal is smooth and accepted and the world does not stop turning.
But in some case you will wish you never uttered a word about it.

You announce that you want to go ghost hunting and friends applaud your brave decision and want to hear all about your adventures.
Then they go and talk about you on private messenger.
When you have met your new tribe of ghost hunters you fall into a band of merry human beings who are all fairly normal but very enthusiastic about their hobby and you feel accepted and get caught up in the excitement too.

And it is exciting.
But not everyone else outside the sacred circle thinks so.


You spend hundreds of dollars buying gadgets that do nothing if you are not out investigating.
You buy books and go to each spooky movie that hits the theatres.
You become a little obsessed and notice that people's eyes glaze over when you start talking about what you now deeply and passionately love to do.

In your sacred circle of new friends you feel safe.
If you have had personal experiences, these dudes understand you.
They don't think you are crazy.
You meet beyond ghost hunts, they are now your Facebook friends.
You talk less and less to your other friends.

Your new sacred circle embraces you.
You can be yourself.
Ahh...that relief.
You have found your tribe.

But sometimes you have to pay a price for doing what you love.

Some people get lost along the way.
Your friendship circle changes and you spend weekends with your new tribe going away to sleepovers and being out after midnight.
Not everyone wants to wander around in the dark in the middle of winter around an old Gaol or abandoned building.

You ask your old friends but they can only say no so many times and then they just stop calling you and start to not accept your calls.

You partner harps on at you that you should concentrate on doing the laundry, or fixing the car, or buying that bookcase you said you were going to do three months ago, but all your weekends are booked out with investigations.

You miss birthdays and only want ghost hunting gadgets for Christmas.

People start to think you have lost the plot.

After all, ghosts aren't real.

You do KNOW that, don't you?!!!!

The arguments start.

You are spending too much time and money on all of this shit.

Why can't you get a normal hobby like everyone else.

And so the alienation starts.

Again....I could be exaggerating.

But if this is your life scenario you may need to remember that you have chosen to go to 'the dark side' in many people's eyes and you now have to come to terms with balancing that out with your commitments and responsibilities in your normal life.

If you step further and make this more than just a hobby, as I have, you then risk further criticism.

It's 'find a real job'.
'You are wasting your time'.
'You are going to hell'.
People look at you as if they are going to catch a communicable disease!!


Suddenly every day becomes Halloween at your place.

You start to get super serious especially if you are running an investigation team or a business.
You start saving for conventions and interstate and overseas trips.
You tell your partner that they can come too but you will be out investigating every night so they can entertain themselves.

You end up over the years seeing people move on.
Come and go.
You stay firm to your beliefs and passions.

Sometimes you get really mad because you can be overlooked to speak at conventions, workshops and local events even though you know you are worthy of it or specialise in the subjects they are promoting BUT you are the weird one that talks about the paranormal and it would all be OK but they don't want to be associated with THAT SUBJECT.

You struggle to get venues to trust you because some knob head spoilt it many years ago by trespassing or really ballsing it up by doing the wrong thing or your township or city is already inundated with other ghost tours or paranormal groups and you cant even get a start cause all of the sites are taken and we all know just how territorial paranormal groups can be.

You get abused because of  what you charge people to attend tours.
People are saying that you must be making a bucket load of money and its all just a rip off.
You still get abused if you tell people that what they are experiencing is not paranormal because "THEY KNOW" even though they have asked YOU for your opinion.
You have asked everyone to volunteer their time at your events to save costs because you are earning so little money that you cannot afford to pay them and make enough money to cover YOUR costs.

But...
You keep going.
By now the rest of the pack has said "fuck this - it's all too hard".
The real die hards are still at it.

You are one of the die hards.

You have realised la long time ago that it is not about fame, fortune or black T shirts.
There is none of that.
In the end only a few have their moment in the spotlight and it is truly a moment.

You do it because it is now in your blood.
You cannot even think of what life would be like without it all.

You love it and you continue to learn, explore, experiment and investigate.

Beyond everything, years down the track, many grey hairs and sleepless nights, no money in the bank BUT an enormous amount of unforgettable experiences you feel totally complete.

You let the newbies talk and believe that they know it all.
You let them believe in orbs in photos without commenting.
You listen to their EVP's and tell them - yes - you hear it say "I WILL KILL YOU".
You let them see and hear and do not burst their bubbles.

Because, you remember when you started the very same journey.
You remember your excitement.
And you know that in the end it really doesn't matter.

You cannot convince those that will not listen.
And you don't want to anymore.

YOU ARE A PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR.


















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