Paranormal And Other Normal

In going through the pile of Canadian UFO cases from 2007, I came across several which were detailed compilations of many events. Some were observations of UFOs and lights, some were of "creatures" and "shadowy" beings that unnerved witnesses, and some were classic hauntings. Some UFO witnesses were clearly multi-Fortean, covering all kinds of mysterious phenomena. Basically, if something weird was going to happen, it was going to happen to them.

This crossover between different types of Forteana led me to alter my investigation style and strategy shortly after I first began my studies back in the 1970s. I kept encountering UFO witnesses who also had ghost encounters, or poltergeists, or who dowsed or read tea leaves, or whatever.

Back then, the "nuts-and-bolts" hypothesis of UFOs did not allow for spiritual phenomena, and this was primarily responsible for the rift between American and European ufology. (This exists in some fashion still today.)

But my realization of the link between Forteana quickly made me adjust my style and allow some tangential investigations. This is why my first commercially published book, Unnatural History, covered a wide spectrum of Fortean events in Manitoba, including UFOs, ghosts, sasquatch and lake monsters. I research all these ostensibly disparate phenomena that have been reported in the province, and have amassed a large amount of material. My files cover many cases, and my clippings do as well.

(Actually, I find it rather odd that current paranormal investigation groups haven't tapped into my files, nor the works of Roy Bauer, Jim Nickels, Randy Rostecki, T.G. Hamilton, and others.)

However, with life getting rather busy and family responsibilities upon me, I had to over the years focus more on a single genre within Forteana, namely the UFOs. This is not to say I abandoned my studies into hauntings and paranormal events, simply that I devoted more time in one direction.

This leads me to the point of this particular post: I have renewed my activity on two fronts - media and paranormal investigations. In regard to the former, I have just partnered with Chris Reid (formerly of CJOB radio) to co-host a weekly show on the paranormal on CJUM FM, Wednesday nights beginning June 25. (cjumfm.com)

The second part of this is that completely by happenstance, I learned of a series of hauntings that have been occurring in a certain building in Winnipeg (which I cannot name). I was invited to make inquiries and just this morning had a tour of the building accompanied by two of the witnesses, both professionals in their fields. The case involves not only doors rattling, cupboards opening of their own volition, stairs creaking, and other poltergeist activity, but also spectral images of old women in turn of the century garb, black showy figures, the voices of children laughing and running up and down hallways and also voices saying "Help Me!" in otherwise empty rooms. Our investigations will be continuing, although I am keeping this out of the public eye at the request of the building's tenants.

Oh, and yes, I'm still working on the UFO Survey. I just found about 40 more cases that need entering.

Sigh.