Title: Ghosts Just Wanna Have Fun
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Blog Entry: I find it ironic that in an age of comedic abundance, we find so little humor in life. Comedy is readily accessible to all of us. There are cable channels dedicated to comedy, comedy clubs, movies, sitcoms, etc. However, as a society, I believe, we have forgotten how to laugh. Over 60% of americans are either diagnosed with clinical depression or are on some kind of anti-depressant. Alcoholism and drug use are on the rise, despite the countless programs designed to counter it. There are over 6 billion people on this planet, yet over half of us claim to be lonely. I am not saying that anti-depressants are not useful and I'm certainly not trying to belittle those who suffer from clinical depression. However, laughter is considered to be the cheapest and healthiest form of anti-depressant and I find it discouraging that we have lost sight of that. Laughter releases thousands of endorphins into the body. A natural pain-killer. So why are we so serious? Personally, I find life hillarious. It's all around us. I mean, just look at the duck-billed platypus. Is it a duck - is it a beaver? I don't know but it's damn funny-looking. What about life's cruelist joke - age? At a time when we desire companionship the most we become the most repulsive. Our bellies swell, our hair and teeth fall out, and we become uncontrollably flatulent - or is that just me? It's inevitable. What else can you do but laugh? But rather than exert a hefty gufaw at it all, many of us grow bitter, angry and defensive. This couldn't be any more apparent than in the paranormal community. Case and point #1: On a local forum for a particular paranormal group a discussion took place regarding an evp captured by one of the investigators. The investigator began to provoke the spirit and in a clear indisputable audio clip, you can hear a voice say "you suck!" I laughed heartily. I found that very amusing. I replied "wait a minute - that sounded like Fred" (names have been changed to protect the innocent) implying that what was being heard was not a spirit, but "Fred" talking to the other investigator. I added a little smiley face hoping to make it obvious that I was joking. However, this sparked a whole discussion about how the voice tone and inflections did not match that of "Fred" and an onslaught of defensive gestures rose to a climax while I just sat there and shook my head. They didn't get it. Case and point #2: I wrote a brief satire on how Scooby Doo influenced my early interest in the paranormal. I'm not the world's brightest writer or satirist, but I had fun writing that piece. I posted it on a paranormal website and started to receive positive responses. Ah - they got it. However, within the discussion I commented to another investigator "aw - come on, you know you've always wanted Daphne!", Daphne being the animated diva on Scooby Doo. My comment was immediately deleted out of fear of offending the female population of the community. Or perhaps he was attempting to conceal his secret fetish for cartoon women. Spirits - on the other hand - have a sense of humor. My first experience with, what I believe, to be the paranormal consisted of something or someone tapping on my bed. The tapping began when I was about ten. I would spring from my bed and find my parents or babysitter only to come back to a completely silent room. As soon as they walked out, of course, the chorus of tapping resumed. I am reminded of the Looney Tunes cartoon in which a man finds a singing frog. Excitedly, in his greed for fortune and fame, he rushes out to proudly display his new-found sensation only to hear a half-hearted croak when he opened the box in front of a crowd. Maybe this particular ghost was a Looney Tunes fan. Other spirits will make sounds in one room and as the investigators run from room to room chasing a knock or a shuffle, the spirit, seemingly stays just out of reach. This must be quite the display for the spirit who I can only imagine is sitting unseen somehwere laughing his spectral ass off! As of late, in my current house, I have witnessed the oven being turned on, seemingly by itself, the air condition falls way below 60 degrees or is turned off in over 100 degree weather, and little items like keys and cell phones go missing only to turn back up in the exact spot we left them in. I was discussing with my wife how annoying these events were when my car horn started honking by itself. My wife thought I was crazy as I just started bellowing with laughter. Somehow, I don't believe spirits are floating around arguing over who has rights to haunt which house. I doubt that ghosts are thumping their chests claiming to be the most knowledgeable in the science of the living. It seems to me that allot of them understand how to have a good time, perhaps at the expense of the living - but who are we to judge? So, if you start to feel the pressure of a hard night's hunt and start to get frustrated with competing egos and paranormal debates - why not take a while to sit down and watch the newest episode of The Colbert Report, or Larry the Cable Guy, or South Park - depending on your obnoxiouscidity (is that a word? It is now) tolerance level. So, what's my point? I have no idea, but personally, I'm not going to wait until I'm dead to develop a sense of humor. [SMILEY FACE]
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