Paranormal Investigators of Cincinnati

In Search of Ghosts and Goblins - Bar Monet

2011-10-22T13:41:00.001-04:00

Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. While we celebrate it today with fabulous costumes, parties and going door to door asking for candy, the early days of this secular holiday is said to have originated as a darker Celtic custom where bonfires would be lit and people would dress in costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. This custom occurred during a timeframe where people concluded their fall harvest to prepare for the “dead” of winter. This annual fall celebration of “All Hallows Eve” would give way to new customs by the Catholic Church in 609 A.D. in honoring martyrs, saints and souls on November 1^st and 2^nd.

The idea of ghosts and goblins wandering the neighborhoods isn’t lost on us today. Every year we see them in all shapes and sizes prowling the street and asking us for tasty treats. The children recreate those ancient customs happily, but what about real ghosts? Are they any more active on Halloween than any other time of year?

The answer to that question is a mixed bag from most ghost hunters. Some will say that the energy level is higher and prime for more activity and others will say that it hasn’t been proven to be any more active than any other night during the year. Others also believe that the new moon and the full moon also contribute to the amount of paranormal activity that is experienced on a given night. So if you believe that Halloween and the Full Moons are the most active time, Halloween 2012 will be the real test! Next year, we will see the moon at its fullest (98%) on Halloween. Perfect for ghost hunting!

The PIC Team (Paranormal Investigators of Cincinnati) had the opportunity to investigate the Bar Monet at 837 Willard on a very early Saturday morning in October. Employees of Bar Monet have seen very strange occurrences over the years so they were very anxious for us to come and spend some time there. We were fortunate to have our medium, Dan Dunham with us that morning. Dan always provides invaluable insight to our investigations and that insight allows us to get a better idea of how to conduct our investigations. On this morning, Dan picked up the presence of two spirits at Bar Monet – one male and one female. Both spirits were very quick to move away from us as we investigated each area of the bar. After all, this was the first time that their “peace” was being intruded upon. We were actually talking to them and not to each other!

After spending about two hours at Bar Monet, we sat down and reviewed eight hours of audio and dozens of digital photographs. We were pleasantly surprised to find that one of our digital images picked up a face in the background of the bar. The image is in the distance and a bit grainy, but you can pick up the features of a squared jawed man with a mustache. His head appears to be peeking out behind a curtain near the men’s restroom. Our audio recordings of Bar Monet did not disappoint either. We picked up two EVP’s that appear to be speaking in the background and not in direct response to our questions. Sometimes EVP’s can be gathered as you are carrying on other conversations and not when posing questions to the spirits. Some say that these conversations may be “residual” – meaning that it is contained energy that is repeating itself over years or decades of time. Think of it as a film loop that keeps repeating itself.

The spirits at Bar Monet seem to be pretty content in living amongst those who frequent this bar. They are having some fun with the employees and patrons when they fling a few glasses and turn on the jukebox, but this is their way of reaching out beyond the grave and mingling with the Covington natives of today. Far removed are the days where old Celtic traditions drove away roaming ghosts. Nowadays, the lines of communication with the dead are open and embraced by the willing spirit seekers who are unafraid to attempt to communicate back with them.

Special thanks to Robbie Howard for spending time with us at the Bar Monet for this investigation!

Scarefest Convention

2011-07-10T10:13:00.000-04:00

The Scarefest Convention is back in Lexington the weekend of September 23rd - 25th. If you have never been to the convention and you have even the slightest interest in paranormal or horror movies, it is time for your first visit - Lots of seminars, lots of celebrities from your favorite movies and paranormal TV shows.

If you go and you have an iPhone, this year offers a brand new Scarefest iPhone app dedicated to the convention! In this app, you will find the latest updates in celebrities that will be attending, how to purchase tickets, lists of seminars, information about the convention center and much more! Download it today - it's FREE!

I am volunteering this year. The event is in its fourth year and is really a fun day. If you have a chance to attend, I highly recommend it!

Ernst Mansion

2011-04-17T19:09:00.000-04:00

The Ernst Mansion in Covington KY is the next investigation for our team in May. While there are no confirmed reports of activity happening at this historic location, we will be performing a basic investigation and leading a group of people through the basic techniques of ghost hunting. It's not always as glamorous as the paranormal television shows depict on a weekly basis. There are some locations that are very active and some where we leave with no evidence of paranormal activity.

This will be a fun evening for us and for the folks who will be learning what it means to ghost hunt.

Post Interview with Spirited History

2011-03-19T11:39:00.000-04:00

Last night our team had the unique experience of participating in an interview on the Spirited History radio show on Para-x. What a great time it was for us! This was our first interview and it was very easy to simply talk about some of our adventures and share some of our EVP's.

If you missed the broadcast, it will be rebroadcast via podcast in the near future. I will add a link to this blog post when it is released.

Interview with Spirited History - tonight!

2011-03-18T17:44:00.001-04:00

We are very excited to appear on the Spirited History radioshow on the Para-x Network tonight. Our investigations have taken us to some very old locations. All have their own stories to tell outside of the spirits that reside in them.

Tonight's broadcast starts at 9pm EST. Join us!

Ghost Photography: Do you see what I see?

2011-01-22T11:16:00.000-05:00

Photography has been a vital way of capturing our life’s history for almost 200 years. As a young girl, it always seemed like I had a camera in my hand. Whether it was my mother’s old Kodak Brownie, an Instamatic or an 8mm movie camera, I was always comfortable taking pictures. Just in the last 20 years we have all witnessed major changes in how we use our cameras. With the digital age of photography, we now have instant gratification and are no longer dependant on the local “fotomat” or drugstore for developing film. New advances in digital picture quality allow us to take near perfect pictures with the definition previously available only to professional photographers.

For a ghost hunter, a camera is one of the most important pieces of equipment that we can carry during an investigation. The types of cameras can range from basic film and digital still cameras to high definition video cams with infrared capabilities to thermal cameras that detect changes in temperature to produce images. Each of these cameras increases the possibility of catching unexplained events in action and can validate whether or not the activity is paranormal in nature. The most popular ghost hunting shows on television today utilize several different types of cameras in their investigations for this very reason.

Unexplained images can appear in photographs at any time and not just in an environment that you already suspect is haunted. If you travel or visit friends, most likely you are not aware that the place that you are visiting could be an area that has paranormal activity. So what should you look for when analyzing pictures? One way to look at pictures is to pick out the images that do not appear to fit with the scene of the picture. For example, shadows can sometimes appear with bright lights and sun, but not normally in a family photo where the level of lighting is low. Shadows that routinely appear in photos in an environment where paranormal activity has been reported could be a preliminary indication of a paranormal presence. Another trick is to view your photos from a different angle. By turning them upside down or sideways, it will give you a different perspective on the picture than what is expected to be seen. It is always a surprise to see a face, abnormal lights and shadows where you know there were none originally.

It’s important to remember that while any camera can pick up paranormal images you must take into account the conditions of the environment where you have placed the camera. Things like air vents, camera straps, hair, rain, dirty lenses or cigarette smoke can all create unexplained shadows, light orbs, mists and unclear pictures. It is important to take this into account when you are reviewing your pictures for the first time. If you feel certain that there was nothing in the lens area during shooting, you may indeed have caught something.

The fun thing about photography is that any photo you have in your possession whether it is 2 days old or 40 years old can be reviewed for evidence of paranormal activity. By using simple techniques, anyone can look past the ordinary to discover something extraordinary.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-04T15:53:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays from all of us at Paranormal Investigators of Cincinnati!

The PIC Team Credo

2010-10-27T20:58:00.001-04:00

Paranormal Investigators of Cincinnati (PIC) provide a confidential and thorough investigation of paranormal events that occur in your home or business.

We will take the time to listen to your stories, experiences and concerns regarding the activities that you have witnessed at your location. We are here for you and you can count on us to handle each investigation respectfully and professionally.

We provide a detailed analysis of our investigation including historical information about the site as well as any audio or video recordings that may be collected during our visit.

Most importantly, we do not charge for our service. Any additional expense that may come up during our investigative preparation or in our analysis is covered by the PIC Team.

Halloween is upon us!

2010-10-27T20:23:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhh tis the season that every ghost hunter adores! Halloween!

Ghost hunting in itself is popular but throw in the "holiday of all holidays" for spirits and it is a frenzied madhouse! Everyone wants a piece of the action and some of the most prized locations are investigated on this night.

If you can't get your fill of ghouls and more ghouls, check out The Scarefest Convention in Lexington, Kentucky from November 5th - 7th. It is a showcase of horror stars - past and present - as well as the most interesting paranormal experts available. I had an opportunity to volunteer at this event last year and what a fabulous time it was! Even though I have been ghost hunting for several years, I am always learning new things and new techniques. It is a wealth of information and just downright entertaining. I stood face to face with Kane Hodder last year and I must say.....he is just as intimidating without the mask! Anyway....check out the convention. It is the best in the U.S. and you won't be disappointed!

The PIC Team has a few things in the works that we will be able to report on in the next week or so. We still continue to investigate homes and businesses in Covington. Such a historic area you just don't know what you will find! It will soon be the holiday season so we will be wrapping up 2010 in style before we take a break for Christmas.

Check back often for our next report!

The Down Under - Covington, Ky

2010-09-06T11:49:00.000-04:00

The historic City of Covington has many stories to tell. Founded in 1815, the spirit of the city grew significantly during the 19th century as German immigrants moved here creating diverse and distinct neighborhoods. This growth opened the door to new manufacturing and local merchants who situated themselves within the first commercial center of the city – between Third & Fourth Streets near Greenup and Scott Streets. With close proximity to the courthouse and the post office, the businesses, public market and retail stores in this area flourished as the city grew. Today this area is still very diverse with multiple restaurants and bars all overlooking another historical landmark, the Roebling Suspension Bridge.

The historical energy of a growing river city is a ghost hunter’s dream. There are two types of hauntings that can exist in this environment – Residual and Intelligent. A Residual haunting is like a movie clip that is replayed over and over again. The spirit entity cannot interact with a person. It performs the same action – like walking through a room – over and over again with no reaction to someone else in the room with it. This type of haunting can also manifest itself with a certain smell, such as cigar smoke, or with noises, like footsteps in a high traffic area or people talking. An Intelligent haunting is one where the entity will respond to you when you ask it a question or seek a response. These are the most fun for ghost hunters because the response can come in any form. It can come in audible sounds, moving objects or even temperature changes. Most often an intelligent haunting can be picked up on video recorders or on audio recording devices such as an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena). Question and answer sessions with an intelligent haunting can aid in discovering more about the spirit and the location that is being investigated. Since everyone has access to some kind of recording device, it is the quickest method of investigation for anyone who may want to research unusual events that occur at their location. As a ghost hunter, it is always a win-win situation whenever one of these types of hauntings exists.

Our next paranormal investigation took us right into the historical business center of Covington - The Down Under Restaurant & Tavern located at 128 Park Place. The lot, which sits on the corner of Park and Court, was initially used as a horse livery in the 19th century. The current structure was built for The Union Light, Heat and Power Company in the early 1900’s. After 1950 it was remodeled for additional office space and a bar/restaurant moved into the basement of the building where the Down Under now resides. Since the building has been used for a variety of purposes throughout the years, there are bound to be residual and intelligent spirit energy at this location. Amy, the owner of the Down Under, provided us with many stories of apparitions, voices and unexplained sounds that she and her staff have experienced over the years.

On the early morning of August 8th, our investigative team included Rita Volz, Jayme Cundiff, Laura Stupak, Robin Ahrens and Reverend Dan Dunham, medium. Dan has been on several of our investigations and always provides some interesting “behind the scenes” information that our cameras and audio recorders fail to pick up. Dan sensed a lot of residual energy at the Down Under specifically in the back rooms and entry ways. As our investigation progressed, Dan was able to identify a specific male spirit that was associated with an occupation connected with horses or automobiles. This corresponds to the location’s original business of a livery back in the late 1800’s. Dan states that this male presence is one that died there and it feels at home at this location. We were unable to pick up any audio recordings from this spirit and historically, we were unable to find any newspaper articles about a death at this location. This isn’t unusual based on the type of news coverage that was reported at that time.

We used a variety of devices to capture paranormal events that morning. We placed several cameras and audio recorders throughout the restaurant. Temperature gauges and motion detectors were also used. While we are still researching the hours of audio and video we collected that morning, our preliminary findings lead us to believe that the Down Under undoubtedly has spirits who reside there. Some of those spirits want to be there and some that are trapped there because of past events that hold them to the site.

The Down Under is a unique establishment with lots of history. Experience it for yourself and who knows, you may have someone sitting right next to you and not even know it!

Upcoming investigations

2010-03-22T19:29:00.002-04:00

What does the Spring and Summer hold for PIC? Lots of interesting investigations that's for sure! We continue to accept more investigations in Covington Ky and continue to contribute to our column in The Village Breeze. We are actively working on a few new locations as we speak and will have more to report on in the next month!

If you would like for us to investigate your location, free of charge, please contact us at ghosthunters@paranormalcincy.com.

The Village Breeze

2009-12-17T21:13:00.005-05:00

The latest edition of The Village Breeze is in circulation in Covington, Kentucky. I don't think they have an online edition as of yet but you should be able to find a copy of this newspaper in any establishment in downtown Covington.

Our new column is called "The Ghosts of Mainstrasse Village". We will be writing of our paranormal investigations about every four months or so. It is very exciting for us to be involved in this local publication. The City of Covington is filled with so much history and it is a great walking city to explore on a nice afternoon.

Our next investigation will be at the La Cherie Bistro at 522 Main Street. La Cheri is a fabulous place to grab a quick bite to eat for breakfast or lunch. Check out their menu on Urbanspoon!

More to come on La Cherie in the near future!

Tis the season

2009-11-16T21:08:00.003-05:00

We have once again entered the last few months of the year and things have been very busy around the PIC team! After sharing our investigation results with Rosie's tavern owner, Diane, we were allowed back for a follow-up investigation.

This past weekend we spent another three hours in Rosie's with additional recording devices on hand to gather more credible information than our first visit. We also were very fortunate to have Dan D. with us for our follow-up. Dan is a medium and is very attuned to the paranormal energy that surrounds all of us. With his assistance, we were able to isolate the particular entities that inhabit the areas of the building - the bar area and the apartment areas.What a wealth of information he was able to share with us on our walk through! We are very fortunate to have Dan in our midst and we look forward to working with him again in the future.

Our review of the audio and video are ongoing and we expect to have that completed by the end of the holiday season so we can provide all of the additional information to Diane.

More news.....we have been asked to write a column for a local paper in Covington called The Village Breeze. In this column we will discuss each of our investigations and talk a little about ourselves and what we do as a team. Look for the next issue to be released sometime in December! We are so excited to be participating in such a fine local publication.

One last thing.....follow us on Twitter! @Paranormalcincy

Comings and Goings

2009-10-10T11:29:00.008-04:00

A few months have slipped by and we have lots to update.

Let's begin with Scarefest! Wow.....what an event that was in Lexington! There were above average crowds on Friday and Saturday! I must admit there were a few of the horror celebrities that I would not know if I passed them on the street. However, I am now educated and really enjoyed a few of them. In particular, Gunnar Hansen (from Texas Chainsaw), who had a great dry sense of humor. A real charming guy outside of the movies! As with Gunnar, the celebrities and vendors all had high praise for the volunteers at the event. Take a look at the following video produced by Infernal Dreams! A great time and I look forward to volunteering again next year!

Our latest investigation took us to Rosie's Tavern on Bakewell Street in Covington Kentucky. The building itself has been around since the early beginnings of Cincinnati and Covington - late 1700's. As the years progressed, the building was used primarily as a boarding house on the 2nd and 3rd floors and a tavern on the first floor. During the prohibition years in the early 1900s it became part of the local grocery chain called Kroger. Once prohibition ended, it became a tavern owned by several different people over the years. Covington Ky also has a lengthy history of gambling establishments. This building was reported to contain slot machines as early as the 1950's when it was the Tiny Mite Social Club - Tiny's for short.

We spent approximately 3 hours in the building and managed to walk away with two credible EVPs from the basement. We were able to hear other voice noises on the recorder but nothing that we could isolate as a word or a phrase. We are meeting with the owner of the establishment this week to review our findings. It was a great opportunity for us because all members of our team have been visitors to this tavern at one time or another.

We are currently working on our logo for the team. We have found that a refresh is in order and we have a few rough drafts created that might just do the trick!

We are looking for another investigation opportunity! We have a few new members who are able to join our team and we would love to put their investigation expertise to good use!

If you know of anyone who would be interested in our FREE investigation, please contact us by the email on this site. We pride ourselves on our professionalism and our research in regards to every location we investigate.

Scarefest 2009

2009-07-30T21:05:00.006-04:00

Just a reminder to everyone about the largest horror and paranormal convention in the United States! Scarefest will be held in Lexington, KY on September 11th - 13th.

As always, we have a great line up of celebrities from horror films and paranormal televisions shows! Chip Coffey will be there as well as the gentlemen from Ghost Adventures!

Lots of activities going on that weekend so please check out our website for more information!

SCAREFEST

Mansfield Reformatory Investigation

2009-07-01T20:03:00.017-04:00

Last weekend's trip to Mansfield proved to be a good one for our team. All of us were able to pick up at least three solid Class A EVP's. There were many sounds recorded that we could not explain and we did not hear them as we walked through the prison.

The prison itself is quite large and there are a lot of rooms that are segregated enough to be completely void of any other outside noises (passing cars, etc). There is a lot of props left from the filming of Shawshank Redemption.

Overall it was a very good night for us. I am still reviewing video from the evening and I am still trying to figure out how to upload some of the EVPs to this blog. Once I have it together I will post all new EVPs on the right side of this page.

Aliens on the moon?

2009-06-27T08:28:00.002-04:00

I haven't ever posted anything about UFOs or aliens on our blog to date. It's not that I don't believe that life exists outside of the planet Earth but I just haven't really been that engaged in the subject.

With NASA gearing up for a return trip to the moon, there have been a lot of articles posted out there regarding the new rocket, the experiments, etc.

I came across this article that was particularly interesting to me so I thought I would share it with you.

NASA bombing of the Moon may create conflict with ETs or UFOs

Our next adventure!

2009-06-22T19:53:00.010-04:00

The Mansfield Reformatory!

Built in 1886 in Mansfield Ohio, it has held over 150,000 prisoners in its lifetime before closing its doors in December 1990. It is 250,000 square feet and is likely one of the most statuesque prisons ever built. It was so grand in structure that Shawshank Redemption was filmed at this location.

Our team has the honor of being four of 100 people who will participate in a ghost hunt there this weekend! As you can imagine, we are all thrilled at our prospects. We have heard many stories about this place and we hope to capture something paranormal during our trip!

Stay tuned!

Bartonville Insane Asylum

2009-04-14T20:12:00.010-04:00

We survived Bartonville!!!

Despite the very chilly temperatures, we had a great time touring through this very old institution. As I said in my earlier post, Bartonville has a very interesting history. It is located a few miles outside of downtown Peoria, Illinois. The asylum used to take up 1100 acres in Bartonville, but is now contained to about five acres total. (if that!) Don't let the pictures fool you. There are a lot of retail stores and restaurants around this building so it is not as isolated as it appears. The building is 60,000 square feet, no windows and has several floors which are partially blocked off due to unstable infrastructure. According to the current owner, he would like to open it up as a haunted B & B and maybe some retail establishments. I know that there are a lot of folks out there who just love staying at haunted hotels and B & B's so this will be a winner for him for sure!

Of course I would be remiss if I failed to mention our hosts for the evening. Renowned Ghost Hunter Patti Starr and the infamous Medium Chip Coffey (Psychic Kids and Paranormal State) led us through the building and shared some of their ghost hunting wisdom (and stories!) with us. Patti and Chip have worked together for many many years and brought a lot of useful information to us regarding their shared experiences.

Our team collected lots of pictures, analog and digital recordings from our six hour ghost hunt. We will be processing that information and hopefully will have something to show for it! Once we have something I will definitely updated the site with any fun EVPs or pictures we managed to catch.

If you have not been to Bartonville, they are open for tours at any time. They do charge a nominal fee for this privilege but all proceeds go to the Save the Bowen fund which has been set up to aid in renovations of this historic site. I highly recommend Bartonville for your next ghost hunt!

Scarefest - 2009

2009-03-01T12:43:00.004-05:00

Scarefest 2009 will be held in Lexington Kentucky on September 11 - 13th. If you like the paranormal or enjoy horror movies this is the place to be in September. Chip Coffey will be in attendance again this year as well as members from Ghosthunters International.

Bartonville Insane Asylum

2009-02-16T19:09:00.005-05:00

Our team is up for the time of our lives on April 11th when we travel to Bartonville, IL to visit the old, abandoned insane asylum. This is a journey that most of us have wanted to take in our pursuit of the truth. Are there really such things as ghosts?

A little background history for your viewing pleasure - Bartonville Insane Asylum

I have included a video on the right side of my page. It is a teaser youtube video from a team who have already investigated the sight.

We will have the good fortune of teaming up with two of the most knowledgeable and most experienced ghost hunters living today - Patti Starr and Chip Coffey. Chip Coffey has recently worked on the television series "Paranormal State".

More information coming on our journey to Illinois. It should prove to be an eventful evening!

Scarefest

2008-09-13T17:50:00.008-04:00

This weekend a few member of our team attended Scarefest in Lexington Ky. Presented by Ghost Chasers International (aka. Patti Starr), its targeted to those folks who love paranormal stuff and horror movies. Interesting combination wouldn't you say? Of course, we went down to mainly partake in the paranormal side of things but were quite surprised at the other vendor booths and seminars dedicated to the best the horror movie industry had to offer.

I am not a horror fan myself. I love a good suspense/thriller but just can't handle the blood and gore movies. For those who do really dig that type of thing, there were a few celebrities who were more than willing to sign pictures and paraphernalia for you. Some of them included Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest), Sid Haig (House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects) and Kane Hodder (portrayed Jason in Friday The 13th) just to name a few.

I was there to learn more from some resident paranormal experts. There were many seminars available over the three day event and all offered something unique to everyone. The biggest thrill for me was listening to Chip Coffey (Paranormal State and Psychic Kids) talk about his psychic abilities and field questions from the audience.

He drew a large crowd in his seminar and the Q & A session was lively.

The event overall was well organized and the seminars ran like clockwork. I was also thrilled (completely an understatement!) to see an ad for our investigative team in the program! What a fabulous way to get the word out! Thanks much to Pattie Starr for awarding us that opportunity!

As far as future investigations, we have two possible cases coming in the future - one is an abandoned house here on the east side of Cincinnati (if the owners are willing!) and one occupied home in Louisville Ky. I have stories on both of these houses and we are more than ready to tackle both!

Stay Tuned!

Alcatraz orb

2008-05-27T21:43:00.008-04:00

In our excursion to Alcatraz I managed to snap a picture that contained an "orb". I am skeptical of orbs since they can manifest from dust particles, light, etc. What leaves me questioning this one is the fact that I did not see any other orbs in any of the other photographs while I was at the old prison. The place is not a dusty old cavern of a prison, but I guess dust particles could appear just about anywhere. This shot is taken in the old Dining Hall.

Close up shot.

PIC - our new name!

2008-04-20T19:06:00.004-04:00

A little change of pace for this old blog. As you know we have been doing a little ghosthunting since October 2007 and we are now ready to move forward with the name of our team so we can put our best foot forward!

Anyone who is interested in having us investigate locally in the Cincinnati area can reach us at ghosthunters@paranormalcincy.com. Our investigation of your unexplained phenomena is free of charge.

More to come!

Investigation update!

2008-04-14T19:43:00.000-04:00

As some of you recall, my very first ghost blog was about our visit to a co-workers house. It appears that the female spirit is no longer occupying the house since our visit. I have learned recently that spirits should never be asked to leave a home or they will do so and that will be the end of that.

Well, that is what happened the day of our investigation. My co-workers husband told the spirit to run when we arrived. Methinks that this urging to run - from someone who the spirit respected greatly - and our little visit could have contributed to the spirit vacating the premises. I was also told today that all of the pictures that were taken of this spirit have mysteriously disappeared from the house. Neither my co-worker nor her husband can find them. This is very odd indeed. I have asked her to let me know when she locates the pictures again.

Something just didn't feel right when we were in the house that night. I am not claiming to be sensitive to a ghostly presence but I just had a feeling in my stomach that she was simply not in this home.

If I hear more about this case, you will hear it first here.

Ghosthunting and beyond!

2008-04-14T19:19:00.001-04:00

Ok....with one seminar under our belt (this past weekend) we are now looking forward to more advanced seminars and ghost hunting with a local group. We have both managed to compile a nice set of tools that will really get us started in the right direction.

We successfully completed round one of training with Patti Starr - Ghost Chaser International founder. I think we both found her experiences to be quite enlightening and she had our complete attention. We ended our day with another walk through a nearby graveyard (which supposedly was rich in EVP activity) but it was so windy again I just ended up picking up a lot of my voice and sounds of the wind. So if I did manage to get a mumbled EVP I wouldn't be able to rule it as something viable with the surrounding noise. I am wondering if we should just choose a calmer day for these outdoor type of investigations or if there is a better way to record during such a windy day?

I think one of the biggest things that I have learned from our seminar is that self-promotion is the key. If we want to investigate more often, then we have to make sure that people know that we perform ghost hunt investigations.

The next thing that has amazed me is just how many ghost hunting groups there are in this area. We were brainstorming a bit on a "name" for our humble little ghost hunting group and as I Googled all of our choices..........even the ones we didn't like were already claimed by other area groups. This is a bit of a bummer and a bit of a set back because in order to promote what we do, we should have a name to promote. However, since we are in the early stages, we do have lots of time to ponder something more unique.

Future activities for us include - a trip to Alcatraz during our vacation in May and a ghost walk through Sonoma. While tours through Alcatraz may not reveal much, I have heard that there has been ghostly activity in the historic prison - especially in solitary confinement cells, etc. So one never knows if we will actually see anything or not.

I will also have another shot at the nursing home again - this time at night and with more time to wander around. I intend to arm myself with simple tools and do a few walks around the facility to see if I can nab another EVP. Methinks that the old spirits that inhabit this place are likely not to have seen the likes of a ghost hunter before so I am hoping for some interesting EVP activity.

So as we move along with our ghost hunts, I will post more in the near future! There is definitely more to come!

Things are happening!

2008-03-16T20:12:00.000-04:00

Slowly but things are happening on the ghost front! We will be attending a few seminars on ghost hunting in the next few weeks which should sharpen our paranormal skills just a bit. It doesn't hurt to learn from other folks who have been doing this for awhile.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Ghost updates

2007-11-10T07:20:00.000-05:00

Since my weekend in Kentucky we have not been out on another ghost hunt. I am still convinced that the EVP I received in the nursing home is genuine since I simply cannot explain it away. I would like to go back down there but since I want to walk around during the night it will be a bit tricky. I don't want to cause any unnecessary commotion with the employees who work there because it would certainly give them something to talk about. However, I would like to determine if there are any hauntings continuing in the home.

I also reviewed (again) the recording session of me and my friend in the cemetery. As you recall, it was her daughter that was murdered in this particular cemetery. There is one point in the recording where I ask her to speak to her daughter to see if she responds. At the moment that she asked "Are you here" a white bird screeched as it flew crazily out of a tree. Both of us turned at that moment and looked in the direction of the bird and the tree. I thought it was odd but said nothing. As I listen to the recording again....I hear the same thing again. The flight of the screeching bird nearby and then back to the silence of the cemetery. I now consider this to be a very odd coincidence since it happened at the moment the mother asked if her daughter was there. The tree was approximately 15 yards away so we weren't close and the mother spoke slightly above a whisper. Could this have been a sign from her daughter or perhaps the fearful flight of the man who murdered her and then took his own life? I will never know for sure but I it is very very coincidental.

I will post the recording from this session in my next blog entry.....................

Ghostly commercial?

2007-11-04T18:45:00.000-05:00

Haunting ghost in video of a European car commercial believed to be the ghost of someone who was killed near around where this was filmed. See if you can see the ghost.......

http://www.care2.com/news/go/527173

Weekend update

2007-10-28T13:38:00.000-04:00

I was able to record three separate sessions this past weekend as I visited with relatives out of town. One session was recorded at the nursing home where I spent most of the day, the 2nd was recorded at a grave site visit of an old departed friend and the last session was recorded in the cemetery where a young woman was murdered four and a half years ago. In all three sessions, I was very familiar with each subject. In the last session, I had the opportunity to be with the mother of the woman who was murdered at the location in the cemetery. We have been friends for many many years and I was surprised with her ease in discussing this tragedy.

Ok....as far as the EVP sessions. I had success with one of them this weekend. Much to my disappointment both cemetery visits yielded no unexplained voices or conversations. My three and a half minute session inside the nursing home however gave me one EVP that I could not explain away.

My session in the nursing home was brief. The room (sun porch) was very quiet but could be quite "echoey" if you spoke too loudly since the room was linoleum, brick and windows. The nearest person to me at 7:05 am was a housekeeper two rooms away. Everyone else was either at church service or at breakfast. I was completely alone in this room and there was no heating unit turned on nor were there any electronic devices (tv or radio) on in this room or nearby rooms.

Speaking in hush tones, as to not alarm the housekeeper who could have easily heard me in this room, I requested communication with anyone who wanted to speak to me. In the following .wav file, you will first hear me whispering followed by the noises from the housekeeper tidying up the room two doors down. My DR was set on the highest sensitivity so it would pick up absolutely everything that was happening. The recording is 35 seconds long and the EVP occurs at the 32 second mark. It is best heard with a headset. I will disclose what I heard in a paragraph following the actual wave file so you can come to your own conclusion.

http://www.archive.org/download/CH_EVP_102707/sunporch_102706.wav

I only hear one word on this recording at the 32 mark. I consider it to be a Class A EVP - meaning it doesn't take a whole lot of guessing to understand what is being said. I hear the word "tension". I listened very closely to ensure I wasn't hearing "Attention". Not sure if this means my presence was an irritation to their permanent retirement at this home or what but I do hear a distinct voice.

It looks as though my friends and I will have future opportunities to go back to this location if we decide to pursue in-depth investigation. More opportunities at the nursing home and at the cemetery location are open to us.

Latest ghostly visits

2007-10-26T10:04:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, my friends and I walked through one of the larger and older cemeteries on Cincinnati's westside. We walked several acres of the cemetery hoping to pick up an EVP of even maybe a photograph that might indicate someone was with us.

It was an afternoon walk - breezy, bright sunny day. I recorded about an hour's worth of our walk and was disappointed in not picking anything up. I cannot rule out that something was not recorded but because there was the sound of the wind and crunching leaves under my feet as I walked, it was very difficult to pick up anything other than the sounds of us talking to each other. I did stop from time to time and asked if someone was willing to speak to us so I could avoid the other background noise that I knew would be present. Still no luck. It is worth mentioning that I'm using software on my PC to listen to the digital sound files and I have a Pioneer "Can" headset (envelopes the entire ear) so I am really able to hear most sounds if there are any.

We all used digital cameras that day and to this point my images didn't display anything unusual. I did have what some people would refer to as an "orb" appear in one photograph but I have a hard time giving any credence to "orbs" because they look too much like a light reflections from a camera lens. Orbs are circular transparent light images. We have all probably seen these in our photographs from time to time especially when shooting with bright sunlight or with a bright flash.

This weekend I will take a solo journey to a 55 year old nursing home in Western Kentucky. It is a place that I have visited for the last 24 years. (now I am feeling old) I am very familiar with the environment and know all of the "nooks and crannies" of the building. My mother and I will only be down there for one day but I am going to take my digital recorder (DR) with me and perhaps a compass, just to see if I can pick up anything. My hopes are not high on this one because I will not be able to spend the night here. I would prefer to walk the halls during the night while everyone is sleeping and there is far less activity than there would be during the day.

However, I do know areas for which I could go that will be a bit more quiet than the rest of the building. So my plan is to just sit and observe for a few minutes - and keep my questions to a minimum. In the years that I have been going to this nursing home, I have seen many "characters" who have lived there and I think they would be the types of souls that would linger at this home - just because they loved it there. It is an opportunity that I won't pass up.

Til next time...........

Tombstone image

2007-10-17T18:53:00.000-04:00

This was kinda fun. Yesterday I went over to the cemetary to visit my grandparents and I thought I would use up the film that was left in my camera.

This might just be the way the granite is carved and shadows on a gloomy day but since I am starving for some kind of ghostly image right now...........I'll take it.

Papal blessing through fire?

2007-10-16T13:55:00.000-04:00

Here is an image that was posted today in the Daily Mail. I am very hesitant to believe such photographs as "ghosts or apparitions" because if you stare at a raging fire long enough you will see lots of images. In a time when Pope John Paul II is missed by most Catholics and Theologians, I am not surprised that images such as these are made public.

Interesting video - Wakefield UK

2007-10-16T13:44:00.000-04:00

I came across this article in the Wakefield Press recently. Apparently a group of seniors in an amatuer video club were out taking some pictures and came across this ghostly image. Members of their club believe that there was a Roman settlement in that area at some point in history.

The image is stagnant when it appears and does not move when joggers run through it. If you right mouse click on the image you can pull it up full screen to see the image more clearly.

http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/video.aspx?VideoPath=WEEO/ghost.wmv&VideoID=7728&ArticleID=3373004

Welcome!

2007-10-11T18:43:00.001-04:00

You are just in time for the grand opening of our newest blog - Paranormal Investigators of Cincinnati. As some of you may know, some friends and I are just beginning our journey into the realms of the paranormal and the unexplained.

What can you expect in this blog? Well....not quite sure yet. I would certainly love to post some pictures, video or audio of our ghostly experiences. We are just getting started and I am hopeful that one of our adventures will be fruitful in its results.

Our first experience was at the home of a co-worker. She and her family had experienced a female ghost in her house for several years. Unfortunately, the night we showed up.......she quickly vanished and we left with nothing - no pics or sound. My co-worker said that she was partial to men so that may have been the problem. All three of us are women.

So stay tuned for more things to come. If you have any ghostly experiences to share, please share them! There is always plenty of room for a good ghost story!

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