It's Not Nice to Steal

Back here on the original Orange Orb at blogger.

A comment: Don't steal my stuff. Linking to my content is great, but if you do, please cite the source. You know, something like "Written by the ever insightful and charming Regan Lee at Orange Orb" or some such.

Don't just rip off the post. I've had a lot my words just copied onto other sites, without any links or citations at all. I know this has happened to just about everyone who publishes on-line. And it sucks.

It's wrong. Knock it off.

Orange Orb Moves

I'm posting the Orang Orb over  on WordPress now. So please, check it out! I'm not gone, or have been abducted (not recently) just over on another platform. Links and mentions welcome.

Orange Orb Blog, on Word Press. 

Orange Orbs on the Brain

Reminder that  The Orange Orb blog is still here and alive, just over on WordPress! 

Orbs on the Brain,  oil pastel on paper, Regan Lee May 2020

Emma Woods: Upcoming Book, YouTube

Emma Woods has a clip describing her paranormal life on YouTube. There's a link on her video to another video regarding her sleep-walking, or more correctly, sleep note-taking which is interesting.

From her blurb:

I am one of many people who have had anomalous experiences throughout their lives that cannot be explained in conventional terms. My own experiences fit patterns that, in our culture, are often explained as “paranormal”, “UFO” or “alien abduction” experiences. I have an agnostic view of these cultural explanations; I am neither a “believer” nor a “skeptic”. However, I think that the underlying experiences giving rise to these explanations are both real and anomalous, whatever their origin. Although most of my experiences occur when I am alone, there have been other people present for some of them. Several of them kindly allowed me to post audio of their witness testimony in this video. Look out for my upcoming book on my anomalous experiences! [Emma Woods]

I'm looking forward to reading her book.

My Ego

I always give credit to those that inspire me. If I read an article, someone's blog, book, or even a social media comment that motivates me to comment, rant or rave, I give a nod to the source.

I find it both amusing and slightly annoying when I read something on, say, a blog, a day or two after I've written about the very same thing, and no credit is given. No "I saw this on Regan Lee's Orange Orb blog and got to thinking .  . . " just an obvious riff on what I recently wrote about. There are a specific few blogs that do this consistently. But, since I am disliked by some (aren't we all?) as well as considered uneducated and even mentally unbalanced, no surprise there.

It's my own personal button-that-hates-to-be-pushed, this. It's a cousin to being called a liar. For whatever reason, or reasons, I hate being accused of lying when I most certainly have done no such thing. I've felt this way since I was a child.

The UFO Trail: Security of Budd Hopkins Archive Called into Question, David Jacobs Shares Responsibility

Jack Brewer on his UFO Trail writes on ethics, trust, Hopkins, Jacobs, abductees, witnesses, and so much more. All in one post. Important and sadly, on-going. It seems to me -- has seemed so since Emma Woods exposed David Jacobs for the sloppy and unhinged individual he's become -- that all this, this, unethical bullshit, isn't brought out enough.

The UFO Trail: Security of Budd Hopkins Archive Called into Question, David Jacobs Shares Responsibility: This blog has previously explored issues central to the ethics of UFO research. They include how abduction researchers have dealt with in the past and continue to deal with witness confidentiality. The story of the leaking of Larry Warren's audio-taped session(s) to Charles Halt continues this exploration. Let's begin with a summary of some of the players and what was stated on recent podcasts. (Jack Brewer, The UFO Trail)

Besides all that, is this interesting bit about Bigelow, a nefarious player in UFO Land, one that I've never trusted. How he is lauded by some, including George Knapp, who I do respect, is beyond me.

… a series of events during the 1990's in which John Carpenter, a Missouri social worker, hypnotist and MUFON director of abduction research at the time, provided data from case files of some 140 possible abductees to controversial ufology philanthropist Robert Bigelow. The 140 subjects were neither asked nor informed about the transactions that included a reported $14,000 in cash payments made to Carpenter. (Brewer, UFO Trail.)

I don't know the whole story and all the ins and outs -- who does? Who really knows? I'm not taking sides, (not much, David Jacobs doesn't count) for example, Peter Robbins part in what Brewer writes about. Always so damn difficult when you respect someone in this realm, and hear other things that conflict with your own values …



And we're not talking about theories here, ideas and philosophies on what UFOs are, if Reptilians really exist, if abductions are literal events or if there is a UFO-Bigfoot connection. Those things matter of course, very much so, but those don't carry the same onus of responsibility. Theories are speculation, ideas pulled from personal experience and or study. Treating witnesses as only grist for researchers is reprehensible.



Witnesses come first. They (we) are to be respected. Everyone cries out for "credibility" but what about the credibility of the researcher?

Stalled Emails, Evil Empire

(See previous two posts below)

   

     My friend "Carol" with the life time of UFO/alien/general strangeness events, has mentioned to me several times that something -- some force or forces, energies or entities, vibrations -- like to keep us apart. Stop us from getting together to share high strangeness notes as it were.
For example, we, decades ago (decades ago!) would get together, along with others in her family as well as friends, to talk about these things. Then, suddenly, nothing. It was like we both had amnesia and forgot about each other. And yet, in typical Trickster ways, her husband and I (often along with my husband Jim)  would run into each other constantly, often two or three times in the same day.
     Not long ago however we did Carol and I did connect, and talked about this installed amnesia, this barrier seemingly placed by "them" and we decided to not let this happen again.

     Little things seem to happen to trip us up, but we're not letting them win. For example, as I wrote in my previous post, it took me almost half an hour to realize I was on the wrong street when visiting Carol. Since then, Carol has sent me at least two emails; they have not gone through. The address is correct, her email, my email works fine, etc. Yet emails sent from Carol to me are not coming through. Today Carol referred to "The Evil Empire of the short and gray." Indeed. Screw the little spindly bastards.

     If, of course, short gray spindly things they be. Carol has seen them, I have not. I have sensed them, I have "seen" them during a trance like state, others have sensed them in proximity to me, but I can't say I have seen seen them, if you know what I mean. I also think that the experiences we've all had -- Carol, myself, my husband, other friends of mine -- where we've felt without a doubt the presence of a very high intelligence, is not the grays, but something to do with what we call "the grays." But that's another path to follow another day.
   

Revisiting the Tempest in a Teapot: McMinnville UFO Photos Faked. Again.

UPDATES: lots of comments at the Bragalia blog, to be expected, but one thread I find interesting concerns the boy on the ladder photo. Which, according to some, was not taken by Trent... and so, this iconic story continues as the mystery it is. Nothing proven to debunk or that shows definitively, that the Trent photos were fake.

Were the famous McMinnville UFO photos fakes after all? The iconic snapshots nothing but a hoax? Does this mean it's curtains for the annual UFO Fest in McMinnville, Oregon? Speculation from The Bragalia Files: MAKE-BELIEVE IN MCMINNVILLE: FAMOUS 1950 UFO PHOTOS FAKED? says it could be so.

After all this time, it's almost impossible to determine if the photos are of a genuine UFO, or simply fakes. The evidence presented by Bragalia is only speculation surrounding the facts: a photo of the Trent's little boy, on a ladder under the wires where the spaceship was seen, and photographed. The fact the Trents were "repeaters" -- repeat witnesses. But that last bit; the "repeater" label, doesn't prove anything either way. Many UFO witnesses (myself included) are "repeaters." Some of us have had encounters going back to childhood. Granted, Bragalia comments: "As Jerry Seinfeld might say, “not that there’s anything wrong with that” but then puts a judgement on how a witness should respond to a sighting. Referring to Mrs. Trent, Bragalia writes:

...but when you combine her prior UFO interest and prior sightings, her later sightings, her family discussions about UFOs- with the fact that Mrs. Trent reported being the first to see the photographed UFO- it is Mrs. Trent who should have been given more attention when investigating the photos. Paul finally got his wife a photograph of one of her coveted UFOs. She was certainly one darn lucky “repeat witness.”

Then there's the note, sent to Paul Trent, with Bragalia's oddly gender specific observation that it's in "male writing." This note was no doubt written by a close friend, Bragalia tells us, since said friend used his initials. From that we are to infer note writer and Trent were close friends, and the note itself? Hints that the whole thing was a hoax.

Finally, we have the over the top classist assumptions about the Trents and the community of McMinnville in Yamhill County Oregon. Phrases like "farming folks", "farm boy" and this description of "simple farm folk" pulling one over on them there city slickers:

“Fun” during those times, in that kind of place, may have encompassed playing around with a new camera, wanting to outwit the city folks, involve the family in some UFO entertainment and satisfy a wife’s saucer interests.

The Trents never were paid for their photos, or anything else concerning the UFO images. When the Trents wanted the photos returned in the 1970s, this was because, Bragalia speculates, they wanted the "accrued value" of the images.

 This is not the first time Bragalia, as well as his associates, have attempted to expose McMinnville as a hoax. I wrote about that for UFO Digest in 2007. Revealing a third, "lost" Trent photo, we were promised, sort of, a revelation. Turns out the whole thing was a hoax. Er, that is, not McMinnville, but the third lost photo. McMinnville, at the time of the Trent sighting, was an active place for UFO sightings. More than fifty years later, that area is still a little hotspot for UFO sightings. Whether or not the Trent photos were fakes, well, we still don't know to this day. This recent speculation is just that, interesting, but certainly not proof in any way that McMinnville was a hoax.

Further reading:

• The Trent Tempest
• The Trent Trickster Three
• Still a Mystery, and a Big Question: The Trent Farm/McMinnville Oregon Case
McMinnville, Oregon UFO: Festivals and Hoaxes Saucer Gossip: A Bit of History and Silliness About the Trent Case

Metal Boxes=Dock Floats

Thanks to "terry the censor" who sent me the following links:

Beach-goers bewildered by mysterious debris
http://www.thesiuslawnews.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=5233&page=72

Strange boxes spark UFO rumors
http://www.southlincolncountynews.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=2942&page=72#

This entire "strange box on beach" mystery has shown us, once again, how silly things can get. Because there was recent UFO activity in the area (and that part of the coast is active, UFO wise) the illogical and melodramatic conclusion was that the boxes had some connection with UFOs. Various players: artists, UFO "reporters" who are, seemingly, of the hoaxing kind, debunkers who hurl insults and paint anything to do with UFOs as a pathology, and so on.

"le sigh," as skeptic Renae Holland recently commented on an episode of Finding Bigfoot. (I like Renae, yes, she's a skeptic, but -- and you're right, I can't believe I'm saying this either -- that show needs someone like her.)

Clipping From Mom: 'Beached boxes mystery'

Mom sent me this clipping about the metal beach boxes from the Newport News paper.  (speaking of mom, here's her blog: Skazski...musings of a malcontent.) [Beached boxes mystery: UFO-related remains along coast unexplained; Terry Dillman.]As she commented in her note sent along with the clipping:

This clipping is the only mention of those "mystery boxes" that have turned up (Friday's Newport Times) --- maybe its because the story took place in another county (Lane) and therefore not of interest to people in Lincoln County and so it goes--- who said we were narrow-minded, ha!

About Bill Hanshumaker of the Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC), Dillman wites:

Hunshumaker told the News-Times that he couldn't even venture a guess as to what the boxes might be, espeically without direct examination. Two sets of HMSC volunteeres dispated to Bray's Point found nothing.

In other articles Hunshumaker has been quoted as suggesting the boxes were debris from docks or piers where construction has taken place, or some such...

The article goes on to say that volunteer groups, like CoastWatch, as well as the Oregon Parks and Rec department, have sent out people to look for the boxes; none were found.

And yet, as my mother herself commented, as well as others I've spoken with -- to paraphrase -- "The government can come in and whisk away anything they want and silence whoever they want, when they want." Well, we all know that's true. No argument there. Whether or not that's true in this case, well, I just can't help but think there's no there there.

Masko defends his on-line postings in the Dillman article:

...reproters today "spend all their waking hours" in front of various screens, gathering the news vicariously via computer ...rather than following the tried-and-true "old school" way of "wearing out shoe leather and actually talking to people."

Masko seems to do a bit of a back pedal by basically shrugging and saying the story has taken on its own life about "some junk on our beach."

All this is interesting from a variety of angles: folklore, UFO data, artistic license and expression, Fortean stuff for its own sake. To be fair, I haven't personally spoken with anyone involved in this story, or even been able to make it out to the coast yet to see for myself. (and by this time, that window of finding anything on the beaches seems long closed.)

Keening Boxes: In Case I've Been Misunderstood

I'm very curious about this case of the keening boxes on Oregon beaches. For one thing, it's an excuse for me to get out to the coast -- research, you know.

I never thought for one moment that these glowing, screeching, impossible to open boxes buried deep in the sands contained aliens. Or came from UFOs.

The story goes: boxes, heavy, impervious to tools, glowing, weird noises, appearing on beaches said to be heavy with UFO activity. Who can resist a story like that? I'm interested in the story as a story, the insistence of those telling the story that there's UFO affected activity afoot, that residents have been awakened to terrible wailing noises, and all the rest of it. Persistence in the telling is what intrigues me.

This isn't to say UFOs aren't showing themselves along the Oregon coast. They most certainly are, and have been for some time. Whether or not the boxes have anything to do with them -- I am pretty certain the answer is a big "no."
(As my mother said, who lives in the area, "I don't think aliens would show up locked inside boxes.")

In the area is NOAA, newly arrived. The Hatfield Marine Science Center. The Newport Aquarium. There's even a Ripley's museum!

Government experiments: lost, gone awry, intentional. Or, not. Debris from the tsunami. Pretty likely. There's the insistence by some scientists that the debris wouldn't show up yet, but, it has been showing up.

Here's something interesting: a YouTube video of how the whole metal-box-on-the-beach-from-UFOs is a hoax. Furthermore, David Masko, coastal UFO investigator who broke this story, is a "CIA operative." This story gets better all the time.



There's also the snarky skeptoid words of an unnamed retired psychology professor who lives on the coast who, while correct in the opinion the boxes have nothing to do with aliens or UFOs, is utterly wrong in just about every other stupid thing that spewed from his mouth. I mean really dahlings, what a tool!

In turn, this retired professor said in a Feb. 6 Huliq interview at Stonefield Beach that most locals and visitors here “looking for those UFOs” are more or less carrying their own “baggage or self-as-content,” with views and experiences that now seem to define them.

...thinks the many “of these remote living residents who claim to see UFOs at night are simply not using the tool between their ears to figure this stuff out.”  [source: UFO sightings at Stonefield Beach reveal strange boxes up and down coast -HULIQ
 

And the astounding stupidity of those who blithely go up to the boxes, pets in tow, without a thought to the fact the boxes are glowing, and screeching, and just very odd. Either they contain ET or were ejected from UFOs, in which case it  seems like they might be dangerous, or they're radioactive debris -- or at least, an unknown something or another debris --  which means they're dangerous, (at least a good dose of potentially dangerous) material. Either way, not a bright idea to hang around the things.

I'm looking forward to finding out what I can once I get out there this weekend, but finding aliens? As much as I'd love that, it's very doubtful.

In a snarky mood: Books

A UFO blog that shall not be named nor linked to recently posted "Three Books You Haven't Read" with cover images of the three books, and the comment that most readers of their blog had not read any of the books. Well, smart asses, I read one out of the three, it's on my bookshelf right now, I can see it from here: In Search of Schrodinger's Cat.

Feh. Pompous snark-masters.

Reminds me of the smug full of himself puritan professor I had who taught a James Joyce seminar each year. Me, in my enthusiastic naivety (older "returning student" as anyone over 40 was euphemistically called) and pure joy at being in college, said to him something like "I was happy to hear you teach a Joyce course; he's among my favorite writers." "Yes?" sniffed (literally, he sniffed!) Professor Important. "I love Joyce, I've read all of his work, ..." "You? You've read all of James Joyce?" he said. He seemed downright offended as well as shocked. And a bit suspicious. "Well, yes..." I said. "How interesting..." and he walked away.

UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog - "...John Ford Rots In Prison, Still!"

Alfred Lehmberg has been writing about John Ford for years. He's one of the few writers on UFOs who've been doing so. We can't forget about the experiences and treatment of Emma Woods, Carol Rainey, Leah Haley and so many others who share their experiences; John Ford's story belongs in the category of those who have been wronged because of their UFO experiences. Or those who have been so affected by those experiences they seek attention, rashly, in the sense of needing to be heard. It's at that point, when the protests against treatment become too unbearable for others to hear, that others just turn away: those within UFOlogy, general culture, the mainstream media.

Not mentioned since our summer of abnormal discontent, still, Ford remains in gulag, minus bail! This is not incarceration, it is dogged persecution, so it's so much more than prison, or a jail.

A *threat* to dangerous shadows, he is locked up in their hole; he is incommunicado; he is totally controlled. He is fed his spice-less meals lacking interest or confection, and he's led around in routine's mindless grunge, lessexpectation... He is made to follow orders from the folks he'd disrespect, but he's drugged to an indifference—indistinct... and he forgets!

...And that was just the high point, folks! It's a pay back, day by day. He challenged *their* authority—you can bet *they* make him pay. He had the gall to stand up straight, and ask the tougher questions. He questioned the hypocrisy, so he suffers their "correction." What Ford had—I've not the courage... and neither, friend, have you. We're stunned by Ford's example... as the facts of it? They're true.

UFO Magazine - UFO Magazine Blog - "...John Ford Rots In Prison,Still!"

The UFO Trail: Central Issues of the Emma Woods Case

An article post from Jack Brewer at The UFO Trial blog: The UFO Trail: Central Issues of the Emma Woods Case Here's just a bit from Jack's post:

As if Woods' thorough documentation of facts and the predominantly tolerant and open-minded nature of the UFO community are not reasons enough to allow Woods to speak her peace, there are three primary points I find wrong with the statements of those seeking to silence Woods:

1) None of those who try to saddle Woods with psychiatric disorders are actually qualified to diagnose or identify such conditions.

2) None of those who accuse Woods of unacceptable behavior provide documentation of specific circumstances.

3) My personal experience interacting with Woods gives me no reason whatsoever to suspect her to be anything other than reasonable.

My experiences with Emma have been the same: always civil, kind, "reasonable" as Brewer states, and clear.

2011 McMinnville UFO Fest this Weekend!

It's been quiet here, believe it or not, haven't had much to say. Working on various things, other than that...

I will be attending the UFO conference in McMinnville this weekend. Looking forward to the presenters, especially Stan Gordon. I'll be meeting Deirdre O'Lavery there and I know we'll have lots of fun and lots to report.


This year we won't be staying at the Hotel Oregon; where they offer a package deal for the UFO fest weekend and we've taken advantage of that in the past. The hotel is worth visiting for its historic interest; lots of great art on the walls, including some UFO related art. And the rooftop bar is wonderful, a real delight. Last year however was a disappointment in terms of service including the hotel's insistence the $36.00 we paid was a "tip" and not actual money paid towards our account. Seems the wait person took it upon themselves to sign off on our bill basically taking our money, and the hotel seemed to think that was just fine. Other things too; realizing they're crazy busy every year, etc. but overall, cold food, snarky service, (one wait person said to us, when we finally got our food -- which was ice cold -- "Are you happy now?")  really pretty dismal last year. That aside, the beer is pretty damn good and the charm of Hotel Oregon is worth a visit.

Looking forward to hearing Stan Gordon,  Robert Salas, and Paola Harris!

Dark Magic and Crop Circles

An interesting account from Nick Redfern on a crop circles, peacock feathers, and dark magic with sinister intent: Crop Circles and Sorcery | Mysterious Universe.

Although many students of the Crop Circle phenomenon conclude the intricate formations that dominate the fields of Britain each summer are the work of aliens, evidence suggests the world of the Occult may play a far more significant role in the phenomenon than anything that E.T. might ever have to offer.

An odd bit of coincidence here; a few days ago I had posted here on the Orb a dream I had involving crop circles and unseen, malevolent forces: Cold Crop Circles.

This is an interesting idea about magick and crop circles. Like  the UFO phenomena in general, from sightings of objects to non-human entities and abductions, there are definitely  occult aspects to all these things. (That was the subject of Redfern's book Final Events.)

Charny, Charnie, Chani

Nick Redfern sent me an email commenting on my Calling for Mothman post at UFO Mystic, noting a connection between the name "Charny" (or Charnie) in my dream, and the robot Chani in the sci-fi film (in the "so good at being bad" B-movie genre)  Devil Girl From Mars, which he wrote about on his Contactees blog:
CONTACTEES: A History of Alien-Human Interaction: Devil Girl From Mars

When Realms Begin to Blur: Pink Lights, White Orbs, UFOs and Other Worlds

I'm not sure where I'm going with this exactly but I was inspired to go off in this direction after reading Tessa Dick's post on her blog: Why I Distrust the Pink Light

For the non-religious ones involved in UFO studies, all that Bible stuff can be off putting. I put myself in that category; I am not a Christian, I don't believe in God, and yet, okay I'll say it, I am a New Age kind of gal. Just an old hippie who still believes in love and energies and consciousness...as I wrote recently on my blog UFO Mary, there are entities and energies afoot, and some are quite sentient and intelligent, some are neutral, others malevolent some benevolent. We've misinterpreted deities and beings and energies and entities and, yep, aliens, as "God" all these thousands of years. Created mega-systems of doctrines, dogma, laws and control around these misperceptions. (as well as wars over whose system is the correct system.) Maybe I'm talking about the trickster here, or partly so, but the fact is, there are all of the above, including good old inter-dimensional beings and creatures. The universe is teeming with these things, and right here on earth, we have a very busy, though almost completely unseen, realm of things co-habitating with us.

UFOs are mixed up in this, and as I commented at the start of this post, I'm not sure where I'm going with all this yet, but one idea came to me; that some UFO reports might have nothing to do with aliens ET in machines from another planet, and everything to do with spirits, or energies, or other beings but non-human and non-ET. Fairies, or, demons. Angels, or, ... whatever. But, maybe there is a connection, at times, between these things. Maybe they overlap. Maybe some of these things could be alien-ET and "other."


The Dancing Orb Dream Repeated
Years ago, I was experiencing a lot of intense paranormal and psychic activity, including UFO events. I was going through a lot an intense time on a personal level; incredible stress (which, to this day, I do not handle well), a move, returning to college in my forties, family issues and illness, going to counseling. I was also actively seeking out paranormal experiences using crystals, meditations, as well as actively pursuing UFO and related studies.

One night/early morning, I dreamt that I woke up in our bedroom. It was light. I noticed how nice everything looked, the light, the curtains. Everything was also very still. I turned and looked at Jim's back; he was still asleep. I noticed the white wall. Suddenly, he got up, and sat, with his back still to me, on the side of the bed. He was perfectly still. Which was very odd. I called out his name, no response. Very odd. He just sat there. It was so damn weird. A small, dime sized maybe, ball of bright white, opaque, light, was "dancing" across his back. Then the wall, then back to this back. I called out his name, no response, I touched him, nothing. Then I went back to sleep.

I woke up. I looked over at Jim; he sat up on the side of the bed. He just sat there. Didn't say anything. The orb of light came; dancing. On his back, on the wall, returned to Jim's back. I called out, I touched him, nothing. I was a little disconcerted about this; I just dreamt this! Finally, after a few minutes, Jim woke up. It was as if he was sleep 'sitting," --  I told Jim about this, and he, being who he is, believed me and had no trouble accepting it happened, but he had no memory of anything amiss as far as he was concerned. He didn't have any strange dreams, and couldn't explain at all why he was sitting motionless on the side of the bed for so long. He didn't remember doing that at all.

I couldn't get this weird incident out of my mind. The dream was a dream; it wasn't a matter of "I just thought I dreamt it." The light was not anything close to being a reflection of something, or any other mundane explanation.

This encounter left me so rattled and yet.. so joyous. I felt extremely excited about all this; that something special had happened. What, I had no idea, just that it was.


Context: UFOs and Other Weird Happenings
This wasn't a UFO sighting, or an encounter with ET. Yet I have an idea there's a connection with my UFO experiences -- mine, and Jim's -- and I'm don't know why I think this, it's just a feeling.  We were having a lot of UFO experiences at the time, some good, some creepy, some just "normal" meaning, usual lights in the sky stuff. I was also experiencing a lot of other activity; astral journeys, precognitive dreams, and so on, much of it intentionally created by my intent and focus, my work involving meditations, crystal work, and so on.

Did all these things collide, in a sense; the stress, the emotions, the combined UFO/paranormal experiences of both myself and Jim (past and present), as well as the simple fact of literal ETs in UFOs about?

The Reeves Case
Tessa's post also got me thinking about the Reeves case, an Oregon UFO/cryptid encounter, circa 1966 (See my The Toldeo Donuts, on the UFO Magazine blog) 
and  The Big Study; their brief recap, and Peter Rogerson's One Measures a Circle ) in where the lights seen by members of the Reeves family and witnesses were described as having pink hues. From Mrs. Reeves account of lights in her bedroom:

... a rosy glow so bright you could read a newspaper in it … I happened to turn towards the door leading into the living room and I saw this thing like a cloud just hanging there. It was water-melon coloured and you could see through it … It was just a kind  of hazy mass for a couple of seconds, and then it disappeared.”

Strange beings seen in a meadow; and nights of unusual lights, described as pink and rose colored, inside and outside of the Reeves home. A very weird case that after more than forty years has not revealed any answers.

Was this event a supernatural one? Or UFO caused? Or, both?

That area of Oregon (Newport region) is still a hot bed of UFO activity. The Navy has a strong presence there, and now, the NOAA has moved in. UFOs were seen in the area shortly  preceding the Reeves experiences. Were the Reeves lights military induced; some kind of mind control-social engineering- fake UFO display? Or a military experiment involving true UFOs? What of the strange beings seen by Cathy Reeves and her friends? Aliens or inter-dimensional visitors, supernatural entities, or naval Dr. Evil experiments? The esoteric speculations are endless, and a lot of fun to indulge in. That is not a marginalization and certainly not a trivialization of those events, however.

Related post: (my post on UFO Digest from 2007)
 UFO Digest: When Entities Collide: Ghosts, Aliens, MIBS, and Entities and the Trickster Faires.

Lesley's Owl

 Just when you think things have settled down, Fortean-trickster wise, you realize they haven't. Lesley at The Debris Field (and so much more, of course) has an item about her own owl encounters.  (scroll down for previous owl posts) (and see Mike Clelland's hidden experience blog for more owl encounters.)

"Dream Academy" Synchronicity and the subconscious

Readers of The Orange Orb know that I post many of my UFO related dreams here. To my surprise, those posts receive a lot of comments and emails. I acknowledge I post those dreams here as a way of trying to discover . . . something . . . about my experiences. My own, free, little therapy blog. But others find something in these posts, as I do in the posts of others who write about their dreams, and other  vague, surreal moments. Mike Clelland's blog, hidden experience, Anya is a Channel, The Secret Sun, among others, discuss dreams, symbols, images as a language connected with the esoteric.  As individual and often just weird these dreams, experiences, or interpretations of seemingly mundane events are, these shared personal landscapes resonate, and often we find bits of synchronicity as well.

This morning, checking one of my favorite Fortean news sites, The Daily Grail, I find the following link: Dream Academy: Secrets of the subconscious unlocked. The article is a bit of a fluff piece and feels the need to add in the skeptic's  admonishments:

Louise Chunn, the editor of Psychologies magazine, said she could imagine dream groups taking off, in much the same way that "today's narcissistic society" is addicted to talking about itself on Twitter. "I can imagine talking about your dreams becoming a trend in the way that people photograph their food. Is this just another way to validate ourselves?" She warned that the upshot could be to leave those with less exciting dreams feeling inadequate.

Some psychologists and psychiatrists worry that dream groups might cause harm if the distressing emotions turned up by the subconscious mind are mistreated. Patrick McNamara, associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at Boston University and author of Nightmares: The Science and Solution of Those Frightening Visions During Sleep, believes that dreams shouldn't be shared with anyone who lacks due regard for their complexity.

But the point of the article is that in the UK, dream groups are popular, and individuals are finding that discussing their dreams in groups is very helpful for them. In some cultures, discussing your dreams is not considered woo or "narcissistic" it just is, an important part of the daily routine.

Not all my dreams are UFO related. I have all kinds of dreams: dreams about obvious anxieties or issues about work, daily life, stress related dreams, weird dreams because I ate too much or not feeling well, fun dreams, silly dreams. When it comes to the UFO dreams, there is the question of intepretation, meaning. Are the dreams somewhat literal, something UFO related trying to get through, or are the symbols and scenarios stand-ins for something else? 

An example: I have a recurring dream that I find myself driving, usually alone, on a narrow, one lane bridge across the ocean. I just find myself in the middle of nowhere, all I can see is water on either side of me, in front of and behind me. The water comes up to the sides of the bridge, very scary. The bridge only has a small and frail rail on either side. It doesn't seem to have any purpose. It wouldn't stop a car from going off the bridge. I'm scared out of my mind because one slip and I'm in this water.  It's all so weird and scary: just one long narrow road on top of the water with no end in sight, no turn around, no signs, nothing.

I've had this dream for years, and still have it. Had one the other night in fact. What completely unglued me a few years ago was, I found myself on this very road! I was completely lost in Portalnd, no idea at all where I was, or going . . . I have no idea how I ended up on this road but there I was, on a narrow road with water all around, no signs, no turn around, no idea where I was going. None of that had to do with UFOs. Just a weird bit of synchronicity. 

Memory is a strange thing. Why do we remember vivid small scenes from childhood, the rest fallen away? What was it about that moment, that's stayed with us for decades, while others seem to leave? And what of the rare "scenes" where you remember, but not sure if it happened? 

image: Henry Fuseli: Nightmare (The Incubus)