It is amazing that people can make a bucket load of cash from being in pursuit of things in life. Sure you have bounty hunters who chase the bail jumpers and criminals. And then there are all those nutty weather people who chase tornadoes, and twisters. But chasing ghosts? Now that is special. Ghost hunting isn't just an A&E special; it has become a profession and serious passion. Proving the afterlife is a serious task. So let's hear about the progress.
Redditor u/MaxBuddyRoo wanted to hear why it may not be the best idea to chase the spirits by asking.... Ghosthunters of Reddit, what was your scariest experience yet and why?Dial tone...
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They ain't gonna reply now. This is prime ghost hunting time.
Red Seeker
Not scary, more funny but my wife is an aspiring (extremely) amateur ghost hunter and she once thought it a great idea to download a thermal camera app on her phone to maybe locate cold spots of a spirit she's convinced inhabits our residence. She was super excited to see how intensely cold our dark closet was and that's where it must reside, no amount of argument could convince her a smart phone, no matter how smart, will not read heat signature. until I told her to turn off the lights and suddenly everything, including us read just as cold as the dark closet.
8 years old living in the hills of Appalachia....
Since there are no true ghost hunter responses, here is my ghost story (if you even call it that).
I was roughly 8 years old living in the hills of Appalachia in Tennessee, near Norris Lake. We had a two story house: the basement with garage, fireplace/wood storage, utility room with laundry. Second story had the kitchen, living room, 3 bedrooms and one bath. My dad was a single parent working at the metal factory. My sister was 3 years older than me and at a different school. We were the only 3 people living in the house. One day near summer time, she had school and I didn't. I unfortunately had to stay home by myself.
I was in the living room. I just made and ate some microwave food and walked into the living room to watch cartoons. As I lay on the couch, I notice this... for lack of better description, formless... semi transparent white thing enter the room from the basement. It moved fast and it noiseless. It did not interact with anything in the room. I froze and couldn't move. It circled around the ceiling 5-6 times before retreating to the back hallway.
I told my sister when she came home but she didn't believe me. I don't remember bringing it up with dad. That was the only time I've had anything close of an encounter with a ghost. Even then, I still blame my alone child mind. It could have been anything. It wasn't enough of an experience to make me believe. I still don't believe. I want to, but nothing has given solid proof that they do. I have even been into some pretty interesting places.
As a police officer, I was called to an abandoned psychiatric facility. Two kids were seen going in and never came out. Went inside. All the equipment had been removed and it was just graffiti and vandalized doorways left. Never found those kids, but also never found a ghost.
Had a 911 call from abandoned house oncd, which happens apparently. No phone line, no power, nothing set up, and the address was correct. Could have been a dispatcher messing with me but I believe it was just a disturbance in the existing taps to the property.
A Police Story
The only rationalization I can come with is police officers deal with a lot more than any normal person would: people hyped up on drugs, deaths, murders, car chases, shootouts, and they have access to places that are usually off limits. One day it could be reassuring an old lady that the mail man is not spying on her and the next you could be going to a call where a 16 year old daughter is sitting criss cross applesauce, in the middle of the her bedroom in the dark dressed in her mother's wedding gown where she reaches into her own eye socket and plucks her eye out, putting the dangling orb in her hand and squishing it like Korean popping boba. So it's no doubt always being on edge, always expecting this could be the day you die could easily create a higher experience for the paranormal.
"We are watching you"
My team was investigating the Burlington County Prison in NJ. Unnerving place. Has a huge painted eye over the door into the cells that says "We are watching you" over it. Has mannequins in cells. Very weird vibe. We are science and IT and photography types. I battle myself and everyone, despite having had paranormal experiences personally, that it is impossible to capture evidence of these events. I don't think we have any means to adequately measure these experiences in science and think they're purely personal.
Anyway, we had everything. Sound recorders everywhere. We had full spectrum cameras. We had an X-BOX laser grid that accurately mapped any moving, dense matter in a room in a 3D comp program. We had a ambulance, the Black Betty, that we ran everything into and converted into a home base. Pretty cool stuff. Anyway, we spent hours investigating the location and there was nothing. No experiences. It was dead.
So we decide to pack up. We are split up. I'm on the first floor with another member. Two members are on the middle floor. And another member is going into the basement to turn on the lights. We collect everything before we turn the lights on. Right as I turn off the last audio recorder, my friend gives the okay to switch on the power.
RIGHT as the lights go on, and we no longer have any recording or listening abilities, we hear a massive, earth shaking crash. This place is a museum. Huge cases filled with objects from when the prison was active. This crash shook the floor. It sounded like a huge display case was pushed over and smashed. I could feel it in the ground below me. I could hear glass smashing and scattering across the ground. I could feel the physics of it all. The sound of broken objects filled the whole prison. It came from below us. "F**K. Someone just broke something really expensive.
We are never going to get to come back here." As we went down, the two people in the middle floor were rushing up. "What happened up there?" "Nothing. What did you guys do?" They couldn't understand why we thought it came from the middle floor. But that is where we heard and felt it. They heard and felt it come from our floor. They searched our floor, we searched their floor. The guy in the basement came upstairs in a rush, having heard the massive crash come from the middle like us.
For whatever reason, we all felt this happen on different floors. We all were certain we heard/felt the crash from the floor below/above us. We looked EVERYWHERE. There was nothing. Not a broken case. Glass. Window. Nothing outside. I searched for an additional hour just because I couldn't imagine something that massive sounding, that physical, just not leaving a trace. Really broke my brain. I cannot for the life of me understand how this happened.
And left no evidence. I personally think the Prison was f**king with us. Because right before this happened, when were finalizing the investigation and saying things like "If you have something to say, now is your chance. We are going to leave soon." I joked to everyone and said "Watch. Once we shut everything off something crazy will happen." Well... I was right. It was utterly perplexing. The park rangers came in and looked too. Found nothing. They called a week later to confirm nothing was broken. WTF.
So Vanilla....
One time a few friends and I were camping out overnight in a local campground and started telling scary stories. It was like 3 am and we were pretty tired so as we were about to go to bed but out of nowhere a bunch of crows started cawing like crazy for 10 minutes and we had no idea what was going on. We decided to try moving our tent to a different location but the noise seemed to be everywhere. Eventually, we just said whatever and tried to go to sleep. The noise quieted down but then around 4 am I heard this really strange whisper in my ear.
I assumed it was one of my friends but everyone looked asleep. I saw that our tent entrance was unzipped and when I went to close it I looked out and just saw this slightly glowing figure way out in the distance above the lake. I swear it was like some lady in a wedding dress but I barely got a look. I was so terrified that I just zipped up the tent as fast as possible and went to back bed. It sounds pretty vanilla but I am so scared to look out of a window or something in the middle of the night and just see her again hovering all still like.
Be Seen....
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Why on every ghost hunting show are the hosts so hostile like they're gonna whip some ghost butt? "Show yourself! I know you're here!" Like every ghost is some malevolent super force instead of the guy who worked at the deli and just got stuck in this dimension.
Out of the Graveyard.....
I go Ghost hunting with my dad and neighbor, one time we went to my great nan's grave, I had never met her. As soon as we arrived, all 3 of us started to feel pretty weird so we sat down for the investigation by the grave. We set up all the voice recorders and EMF meters and started talking.
Once my dad introduced me I felt like something was touching me. My dad jokingly said "why not give him a hug?" But when he said that I felt arms around my waist, my whole waist went cold and tight but after a few seconds it stopped. We decided to leave after that although we kept hearing someone walking behind us, until we left the graveyard.
Queen Mary
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My family and I like to go to haunted places and ghost hunt. We mostly do EVPs and sometimes we'll take pictures.
Mostly the scariest thing is actually catching voices of ghosts answering back. We've gone to places like The Queen Mary in Long Beach, The Cosmopolitan (and all of Old Town in general) in San Diego, and The Menger Hotel in San Antonio and have caught some really interesting things.
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- Police Officers Share Their Strangest Experiences With The Paranormal - George Takei ›
- People Describe The Scariest Thing They've Ever Experienced In Their Life - George Takei ›
- People Describe The Most Unnerving Thing They've Ever Experienced - George Takei ›
- People Describe The Scariest Thing They've Ever Experienced In Their Life - George Takei ›
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
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What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
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Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
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Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
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Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...
The old wives' tales.
They are the stories of legend.
I think we all need a big DEEP Google dive though.
Where did they originate?
WHO ARE THE OLD WIVES!
You don't hear about them as much anymore.
It's like science and logic are suddenly a thing.
But they sure are a good way to keep your kids and their behavior in line.
Redditor the_spring_goddess wanted to discuss the tall tales we've all been fed through life, so they asked:
"What is an old wives tale that people still believe?"
"Wait an hour to swim after eating."
What a crock!
So many summer hours wasted.
I want revenge for that one.
Say Nothing
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"An undercover cop has to tell you he's a cop if you ask him."
LonelyMail5115
"Pretty much most advice when it comes to cops are old wives tales. I’m not even a cop but most of the advice you hear is pretty off."
I_AM_AN_A**HOLE_AMA
Say Something
"That you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing."
Severe_Airport1426
"I really think this one is important and should be the top regardless. As it’s a piece of advice that needs to be relearned and the only way to do that is through awareness."
crappycurtains
"This used to be true. I think they changed it after some guy named Brandon went missing back in the '80s or '70s. You used to have to wait 24 hours if the missing person was an adult because they had 'a right to be missing' and then everyone realized that was stupid and stopped doing it."
AlbinoShavedGorilla
Body Temps
"That drinking ice cold water after eating oily foods will solidify the oil and permanently remain in your body. I informed my coworker that if your body temperature ever reached that point, you’d have bigger problems than weight gain."
chriseo22
"Oh, I have a cousin who 100% believed this. One of those guys who believed every early 2000s internet rumor and old wives tale. One night I chugged a big glass of ice water after dinner and he started freaking out and saying my guts were gonna harden."
"I sarcastically told him to drive me to the hospital if that happened. Obviously, nothing happened and the next morning I said something like 'Thanks for being on standby in case my guts filled with hardened oil.' He just walked off muttering under his breath."
apocalypticradish
Arms Down
"When I was pregnant, I was told by young and old alike that I should NOT raise my arms above my head or exert myself in such a manner because it could cause cord strangulation to my unborn sons and daughters."
Fatmouse84
10 Years Actually
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"Chewing gum stays in your stomach for 7 years."
"I remember accidentally swallowing a piece of gum when I was a kid in like 1995 and just accepting my fate like welp, gonna have this in my stomach til high school I guess."
Gecko-911
I was so afraid to sallow my gum when I was young.
This tale is haunting.
High/Low
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"You can tell the sex of the baby by how you carry."
LeastFormal9366
"Pregnancy certainly wins awards for the most old wives tales. So much absolute BS was repeated to us by everyone we talked to."
IllIIIlIllIlIIlIllI
The Cursed
"If you’re a woman and you wear opal jewelry but opal is not your birthstone (October), you’ll never be able to have children, or will be widowed, or just generally have bad luck or something. You can counteract this by having a diamond in the same piece of jewelry as the opal, though."
"I have a nice opal ring that my parents gave me years ago, and I’ve had other women give me this 'advice' unprompted more than once when I’ve worn it. I have absolutely no idea where it started, but I’m pretty sure this little chunk of silicate rock has no concept of what month I was born in, let alone of how my reproductive organs work."
SmoreOfBabylon
Stay In
"Going outside with wet hair will make you get pneumonia. Or an earache. Or maybe arthritis. Depends on which old wife you listen to."
"Jokes on them - I haven't blow-dried my hair in decades and usually leave the house with wet hair in the morning. On winter mornings, the tips of my hair get frozen. No ear infections or pneumonia or arthritis yet."
worldbound0514
Dreams and Facts
"You never make anyone up in your dreams you've seen everyone in your dreams somewhere else before and never make anyone up entirely."
"How would you possibly prove that to be true? My partner adamantly believes this and tells me this 'fact' whenever I have a dream about someone I've never met before."
mattshonestreddit
"My late wife used to tell me that before she met me she would have dreams of standing at an alter on her wedding day but could never see the guy's face, no matter how hard she tried. After meeting me the face was filled in with mine. Don't know if it's true but one of those things I like thinking of every now and then when I miss her."
Darthdemented
Cracked
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"Some people still believe cracking knuckles causes arthritis."
Choice-Grapefruit-44
"There's a doctor (Donald Unger) that cracked his knuckles a couple of times a day for 60 years, but only on one hand, just to prove it. Both hands remained exactly the same."
MacyTmcterry
I love my knuckles.
Do you have any tall tales to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.