MUSKOKA AND ALGONQUIN GHOSTS -

BEING HAUNTED BY THE PAST - THE SHADOWS OF THINGS TO COME - AT CHRISTMAS WE RECALL AND PREDICT - HUMBLED BY FRAIL MORTALITY TO BE ANYTHING MORE THAN CHEERFULLY RECEPTIVE

I HAVE ONLY RECENTLY BEGUN WORK ON A YEAR LONG (OR LONGER) SERIES OF FEATURE COLUMNS ON THE PARANORMAL, FOR A WONDERFUL PUBLICATION KNOWN AS "THE GREAT NORTH ARROW," PUBLISHED IN THE CHARMING VILLAGE OF DUNCHURCH, ONTARIO. THE SUCCESS OF THE LESS -THAN- YEAR-OLD PUBLICATION HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL AND AS ANY WRITER DREAMS OF, IT WILL BRING LOTS OF READERS AND PLENTY OF FEEDBACK. SO FAR, IN JUST UNDER ONE YEAR, I HAVE HAD A FABULOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NICE FOLKS WHO RUN IT……AND MY MANY ASSOCIATE WRITERS. THIS IS KIND OF A THROW-BACK (IN TIME) MAGAZINE, BASED ON OLD AND TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY VALUES, FROM THE ONTARIO HINTERLAND. IT IS A PAPER THAT BRINGS FOLKS TOGETHER, WITH A SHARING OF INTERESTING STORIES, COMMENT, HISTORY, SOCIAL EVENTS, POLITICAL NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS. BUT IT IS MOST OF ALL, THE KIND OF PUBLICATION I REMEMBER FROM MY OWN DAYS AS EDITOR OF THE LOCAL PRESS HERE IN SOUTH MUSKOKA. IT WAS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND MOST OF THE PUBLISHERS THEN DIDN'T MAKE A BIG WHACK OF MONEY……BUT BEING PUBLISHER AND EDITOR WAS A LIFESTYLE……A WELL RESPECTED WAY TO INVEST THE YEARS OF YOUR LIFE, BRING LIGHT TO THE ISSUES OF HOMETOWN LIVING.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PARTICULARLY FUSSY WHERE I CONTRIBUTE EDITORIAL MATERIAL, AND I KNEW I WOULD LIKE THEIR EDITORIAL STAFF BEFORE I WROTE MY FIRST FEATURE COLUMN. THEY HAVE A VERY RELAXED AND FRIENDLY APPROACH TO THE INDUSTRY, ONCE AGAIN A THROW-BACK TO THE DAYS I STARTED AS A CUB REPORTER. YUP, AN OVER-ENTHUSIASTIC ROOKIE-WRITER FOR THE MUSKOKA LAKES AND GEORGIAN BAY BEACON, OUT OF A TINY OFFICE IN THE VILLAGE OF MACTIER…..NOT FAR FROM THE SHORE OF BEAUTIFUL GEORGIAN BAY. I LOVED THAT JOB FOR WHAT IT DIDN'T HAVE……PRESSURE……OUTRAGEOUS DEMANDS ON MY TIME……NO TIME FOR A COFFEE WITH FRIENDS AND NEWS SOURCES. GADS, THERE WAS NO PRESSURE EXCEPT ON PRESS DAY. IT HAD EVERYTHING A ROOKIE WRITER NEEDED TO INCH INTO THE BUSINESS. WHILE I DID GO ON TO BIGGER PUBLICATIONS, MY APPRENTICESHIP IN MACTIER ALLOWED ME TO WORK UP TO THE DEMANDS OF A LARGE CIRCULATION PAPER……WITH MANY MORE PAGES TO FILL.

FOR THE SECOND YEAR OF THEIR PUBLICATION, I'VE BEEN PRE-WRITING SOME "GHOST" RELATED FEATURE ARTICLES, AND I'VE ALREADY GOT SIX DONE IN ADVANCE. ONCE I GET GOING ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS, NOT ONLY DON'T I WANT TO STOP……WELL, FOLKS, I CAN'T TURN IT OFF AS I MIGHT LIKE. I'M VERY SUPERSTITIOUS. I WAS A LONG TIME HOCKEY GOALIE, AND I HAD MORE RITUALS IN NET THAN YOU WOULD BELIEVE. I HAD TO TAP THE GOAL POSTS TWICE AFTER EACH SAVE, THREE TIMES BEFORE A FACE OFF. I WON'T BORE YOU WITH DETAILS BUT I WAS A RIGHT NUTTER OUT THERE, AND IT SPILLED OVER TO BASEBALL AND GOLF. BUT I'M NOT ALONE. AS FAR AS WRITING GOES, I HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH AN EDITORIAL PROJECT UNTIL I GET SOME INTERNAL SIGN…….LIKE A COLLAPSE INTO MY COFFEE…..THAT GIVES ME REASON…..I DARE SAY, "PERMISSION" TO QUIT FOR AWHILE. IN FACT, I'M ON HIATUS RIGHT NOW FROM THE SERIES, BUT THE BLOGS DON'T COUNT THE SAME. THEY'RE CASUAL PURSUITS AT MY DISCRETION. FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESS, I HAVE TO WEAR A DIFFERENT HAT……OF A DUTIFUL PUBLISHED AUTHOR. I LIKE THEM BOTH, BUT WRITING FOR PRINT IS HARDER ON THE PSYCHE, THAT'S FOR SURE.

WHEN I SET DOWN TO WRITE ABOUT GHOST STUFF, THE PARANORMAL, SUPERNATURAL ETC., AS EXPERIENCED BY MYSELF AND FAMILY, THERE IS ALWAYS A MYRIAD OF UNEXPECTED INTRUSIONS, THAT MIGHT THEMSELVES, BE SIGNS (WRITING TIPS) FROM BEYOND, CRASH LANDING UNCEREMONIOUSLY IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.

I've had story-lines tremendously affected by the mood of the moment, and when I get seriously entrenched in thought-to-print work, particularly involving the paranormal, I will start being influenced by all kinds of strange occurrences, around me, above, below, in my ear, or tapping me on the shoulder. I have an idea Dave Brown for example, and aN historical buddy, Charlie Wilson, tap me on the shoulder regularly, as I work on some of these lengthy writing jags. I was very close to both academics, and even wrote Dave Brown's biography. Dave was a career outdoor education teacher and a book collector. Charlie was a bank employee with a strong interest in American history, the Civil War being his favorite choice of study. It started years earlier, shortly after their respective deaths, that I would talk to them as normally, as if they were sitting in the armchair beside my desk. Not on the phone. I didn't need that any more. And long distance wasn't a problem either. I'm saving a bundle from the old days, when I talked to them several times each week. The long distance charges were unreal. Now I just casually speak to the gents, and while the answers are a little thin and vapor-like, things pop into my mind I simply can't blame on anything or anyone else……knowledge about something I knew very little about before I got the message. As if Charlie and Dave were taking turns at dropping hints and information, to help me hurdle-over an obstacle. This may seem a ridiculous exercise, to some, but if you believe in the possibility of communication with those who have passed, all I have done, over time, is validate my own beliefs. I suppose it's a little bit like the fellow who complains to a friend about his brother thinking he's a chicken. The partner says, "So why don't you tell him he's not." The answer, "I would, but we need the eggs." I keep talking to the deceased, including members of my family, because a/ it makes me feel good, and b/ because I get some really neat responses, in various forms. As I don't look upon those who have passed as scary ghosts, out to harm me, it's kind of a harmless pre-occupation, on my part, to every now and again……exchange a few words to let them know I'm still in this mortal coil, laboring away, …….and could use some motivation.

I'm so used to hearing my name being called out, and getting touched on either shoulder…..or having the sensation that someone is just then grabbing my hand, that I suppose the other side gets fed up trying to cut through the party-line of my busy little mind…..to toss out some reminder about something of mutual interest. When I get really intense with a project like this, I'm bombarded by "signs," and it gets humorous after awhile…..because I have to stop and ask them to "hang on guys……one message at a time." I don't hear voices and directives from the nether world, telling me to "be a golf pro," or to begin training for the winter olympics. They don't tell me to make a peanut butter sandwich, or ask me questions about their other friends still on planet earth. It's always very subtle, even the taps on both shoulders, and on the top of my head. They're not conversations or lectures, but flashes of ideas and word associations, that make me think of times and discussions we had in our relationship. I can always differentiate who is sending what vibe, and although I'm not always very swift on the up-take, I can usually figure out the symbolism attached to the tweak. Sometimes I have to ask my wife, Suzanne, why, for example, I can't get the name "witch-hazel" out of my mind. Seeing as it kind of drops there for no apparent reason, I have to ask her if it rings a bell in her family history. Sure enough, she'll tell me about something her mother used to say or do that involved the word or words I've been thinking about. "Will you please talk to your mother dear…..she's driving me crazy," I respond.

The reason for writing this, is that my belief in the existence of another plain, and the very real potential of "those who have crossed over,' being able to communicate with those mortals left behind, seems to enhance my work on a project by project basis. Not many writers or paranormal researchers would find this anything but crazy on my part. I've never been good at compliance anyway. So it doesn't bother me, that my critics think I've lost the marbles I was born with……because most interested in this kind of thing, would never confess to having casual relationships with the deceased. It's more in fashion apparently to be scared to death by these taps on the shoulder……as hands from the grave, versus a pat of affirmation from an old friend. That I could maintain friendships and family links when most of my cronies are in the great beyond, makes them suspicious I'm a charlatan. But folks, I'm not making a dime off my editorial contributions. I do it for sheer enjoyment. As well, I make no claims to be clairvoyant, or a medium, and have no aspirations to become anything more than a good writer, who can attract a curious reader…..or baker's dozen. The fact that, while writing about ghosts, I may have them hunched over my shoulder, reading the screen, isn't unsettling in the least. I'm glad I've got their attention. I need all the inspiration I can muster, here, there and anywhere else it might be held in reserve. So maybe you'd like to grab up a copy of The Great North Arrow this Christmas, and over the next year, to catch some of these spirit-enhanced feature columns. They're not spooky. Why would they be? Ghosts are for Hollywood and old country castles. Mine are more of a spiritual advisory board. I will re-run some of the revamped columns at a later date, on this blog-site, as I have promised exclusivity for the Arrow publisher on all first run columns.

Dave Brown just now, suggested it's "coffee time." I heartily agree.

And by the way, have a Merry Christmas, from our family to yours.