Memory Games

image: still from Hitchcock film Spellbound, 1945


A lot’s been written on the nature of memory and UFO/paranormal experiences. All sides of the anomalous realm have tackled the hows and whys of our memories; skeptics of all stripes, UFO researchers, psychologists, debunkers, etc.

Theories as to our memories abound; explanations for missing time, screen memories, events that are as real as me sitting here in my armchair with my laptop but shouldn't ‘t be for their fantastic elements; all are either “explained” or debunked. And then there are the UFO researchers who take a nuts and bolts view: they happened exactly as described, for the aliens really did land, or communicate, or abduct, and that’s the end of that.

We’re fantasy prone. Or we remember what we want to remember. Or we think we remember but we really don't remember. We fill in the lbanks with things that aren’t there. We see patterns where there aren’t any. We want to see things so we do. We’re awake when we’re asleep, we’re asleep when we’re awake. Or we think we are. We suffer from sleep paralysis. We expect to see or experience something strange, so we do. We’ve seen too many movies about flying saucers. Some of us are mentally ill. Or some of us are just outright liars.

All the above combine in various ways to screw up our memory banks, and make us think we’ve seen things that we shouldn’t have, couldn’t have seen because they don’t exist. These are excuses to explain away all the weird things that happen in UFO events: missing time, screen memories, interactions with entities on some mid-plane (neither here in “reality” nor unreal.)

I’ve spoken with many individuals who’ve experienced the above, from a UFO sighting to alien abductions. I’ve personally experienced the following: UFO sightings, missing time, regression/hypnosis, interaction with entities, awareness of invisible entities. (Or what we interpreted as “entities” for all I know, they could have been microwaved beamed at us from a shadow government agency.) And in all of those experiences; my personal ones, and those of others, not once has the idea of these experiences being murky, iffy occurrences been expressed. There was never any doubt they really happened.

I don’t think I’ve seen UFOs, I have. I don’t kind of, sort of, in that vague dream like way, think I could have experienced missing time, I did experience missing time. The invisible entities: that was confirmed on different occasions by others who experienced the same thing. There is no question of false memory or sleep paralysis or other trendy chronic skeptic explanation.

I do have two memories I’m not sure about, and they have nothing to do with UFOs, the paranormal, or anything at all esoteric or occult. The question of course is why? How can it be I have two images/memories that won’t go away, yet I don’t know if they really happened? Were they dreams, or real? And why do I remember them at all?

In one, I am about five years old. I’m with my grandmother. We’re in a large place; the floor is black and white checkered linoleum. There are large pebbled glass windows set high in the walls, which are white ceramic tiles. The sun is streaming through these windows; the place is full of light. There are lots of clocks everywhere. I have no idea if this is a dream, or a memory of something real. It’s a persistent image however.

The other one concerns a concert. I have a memory of seeing Donovan at the Hollywood Bowl. But I’m not sure. I’ve been to a lot of performances there; and never doubted one of them. I’m positive about all of them. Except this one. You’d think I’d be “sure” if I saw Donovan or not. Why wouldn’t I be? Why am I not sure? I have a persistent image of him on the stage, sitting on a carpet, with flowers around his neck. I’m in the audience watching him. I think. I’m not sure. I don’t remember who I was with, how I got there, or what happened next.


Are these memories real? Is the first one a memory of somewhere I really did go with my grandmother? the Donovan memory: is it just one of those quirky aberrations, or some type of UFO or paranormal event after all?

While interesting, they have to stay where they are. In the meantime, the other experiences, as strange as they are, leave behind them plenty of questions as to what, who and why.

But not to their reality.

Mavens and Wags: Terms of Enjeerment

Semantics is not “just semantics” it’s a purposeful method. We use terms and words for specific reasons: to trivialize, to support, to cast aspersions in covert ways, to bring light to ideas. The sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious ways we shade our meaning with words has everything to do with what we’re saying, and why we’re saying it.

I do it. You do it. We all do it. For example, the reason why there are so many terms for the umbrella “skeptic” is that there are dozens of variations of the meta label “skeptic.” A Pelicanist is not always a skeptic, a debunker isn’t always a skeptic. There are chronic skeptics; in the same small ballpark as the pathological skeptics, skeptoids, etc. but they’re not always one and the same. A lot of people who use these terms are aware of these different notes in the music of description, and so, we have fun using them, and know why we use them. But, I’m not here to discuss skeptics. Well, I am, kind of. Those who have all kinds of terms for UFO researchers.

In this context, rarely are the terms “ufo researcher,” UFO investigator,” used with a straightforward intent. Instead, there are terms like “would be UFO investigator,” or “self-styled UFO investigator” which immediately does what it’s intended to do: trivialize the individual researching UFOs. By modifying the term “UFO investigator” or “UFO researcher’ with words that cast doubt, the individual UFO investigator is immediately cast as non-credible, something rather shabby and seedy. Don’t trust him/her, is the message.

Some of those who use these terms have hard ideas about who is, and who isn’t, a valid researcher. They hoard data and keep information to themselves, releasing in secret the holy UFO papers to only those that pass the test. (Assuming they really have what they say they have.) Or, they refuse to make public their years of study and research because it will be “misinterpreted,” and “fought over,” and the “unwashed masses” will get ahold of such sacred data. No doubt. So what? It’s a given in the fields of UFO, crypto, and paranormal studies. As I’ve argued in the past, it’s not only a given, it’s an innate part of what makes Forteana (including UFOs) what it is. It wouldn’t exist otherwise. So let them at it, and the good ones will bring to light the good stuff, and the others will do what they do: provide entertainment, distract, distort and eventually go away. Even if they don’t, it doesn't matter. We can choose to ignore them or spend time arguing about them. Their inevitable presence does not justify the withholding of information.


There’s the term “bona fide” researcher. Exactly what determines a “bona fide” researcher is unclear, other than the obvious: whoever they decide it is. I assume a “bona fide researcher” is someone who’s published books by a “bone fide” publisher, and done extensive clinically inspired investigations into various UFO cases. All the while studiously avoiding any mention of paranormal, supernatural, mystical, or Bigfoot/cryptid phenomena, of course. As soon as you bring up the subject of paranormal Bigfoot, you’re no longer taken seriously. (And that’s from within the small world of UFO/Fortean research. Imagine what it’s like outside this peculiar world of esoteric studies.)

Watching the National Geographic disaster, er, program, on Roswell recently, (The Real Roswell) the narrator mentioned something about a researchers “UFO campaign” as if the researcher was up to no good, out to recruit unsuspecting citizens into a cabal of UFO studies.

There are terms like UFO enthusiasts, as if we’re all rabid NASCAR fans. UFO mavens, which on the surface sounds okay, since “maven” means expert. Maven is also something of a quaint word, invoking an image of something homey and old fashioned; harmless, maybe even sweetly goofy, but not to be taken seriously. Sometimes this is prefaced with “self styled ufo maven,” which of course is patronizing. Like the “self styled UFO researcher” the modifier “self styled” is used to cast doubt on the researcher’s character and credibility.

There’s “UFO devotee” which brings to mind some sort of religious nut, or at least a dopey cult member. It puts the entire UFO phenomena into a religious (therefore, not serious) context, for anyone spending much time at all studying UFOs is a nut. A religious fanatic, a cultist, a kook.

We have “UFO buff,” which is like the “UFO enthusiast.” And vaguely illicit, you can’t help juxtapose buff with nude and naked, no matter how subconsciously the imagery. That’s how it works. So you have sex crazed UFO researchers running around, and that’s no good. This despite the fact UFO lore is rife with tales of sexual unions with strange beings, breeding, kidnapping and capture, nightly bedroom visitations, examinations involving genitals, ova, sperm and other intrusive probings, hybrid babies, and phantom pregnancies.

We have “UFO hobbyists'” which could be put in the same category as “enthusiast,” “maven,” and “wag.” A bit old fashioned, and conjures up images of a harmless, but eccentric individual, tinkering away in their garage or den, spending hours on such silliness as UFOs. Replace UFOs with stamp collecting or cataloging your Star Trek figurine collection and we have an image of a nerdy, slightly antisocial misfit.

There’s “UFO wags” which is a bit like “UFO maven,” bringing to mind some old dotting absent minded eccentric blithering away in his (or her) overstuffed library of ancient UFO books.

Of course there’s ‘UFO believer,” which is worse than the vague ‘UFO devotee,” since it implies that one believes in UFOs.

Sometimes flying saucer is used instead of UFO. I use flying saucer myself a lot but for different reasons. Like Stanton Friedman, who uses the term freely, the use is a political statement; take back the flying saucer! For the smugly skeptical, the term “flying saucer” is used to further trivialize and marginalize. No one uses flying saucer anymore in a serious context, and like “maven,” it’s a bit old fashioned. It paints the UFO, er, flaying saucer researcher as a nut, chasing after little green men in astounding machines from outer space.

Other words are used as well, “woo” is the ever popular favorite to describe everything from a “believer” in UFOs to people who say they’ve seen a Sasquatch. There isn’t much hiding here; woo is self - explanatory; it’s clear the meaning is “you’re an idiot.”

There’s also the “true believer” to denote those who, presumably are fanatical about their experiences -- believing the messengers, or insisting they have the truth. And the even less polite “true ‘bleever.” While there are those individual who’ve had anomalous experiences insist what’s happened to them is “the truth,” and their own interpretation is presented as the truth, there are countless others (like myself) who know two things for sure: 1. Something really damn weird happened, and 2. I have no idea what that damn really weird thing was. The use of the terms “true believer” and “true ‘bleever” as well as “woo,” and “woo woo” etc. don’t address the phenomena; they simply reject the individual and the experience. They’d love for us to shut up and go away. If we can’t, or won’t, accept their explanations, then we’re, at best, “woos” and worse, “true ‘bleevers.” (And “willfully ignorant.” )

The lines blur; you have someone with anomalous experiences, and you have religious fanatics, whether they’re Christian fundies who want creationism taught in schools, or the some other brand of religious fascism. To the “skeptic” however, it’s all the same: crop circles, UFOs, ghosts, Bigfoot, etc. Use of these cute little phrases like “UFO fanatic” only shove the subject into the abyss, which, of course, is the intent.

On Binnall of America

Yowie Researcher Tony Healy
This is a bit late, but you can still access the interview with Yowie researcher Tony Healy on BOA (Binnall of America.)

In fact, you can access -- for free -- all of Tim Binnall's interviews. Just go to the BOA site and click on the "audio" tab at the top of the home page. There are some amazing conversations there with some very interesting people.

Trickster's Realm: Lola’s Deer: Deers and the Anomalous

My recent column (Trickster's Realm) for the BOA site is a continuation of my friend "Lola" and her deer experience:

I spoke to Lola the other day, and asked her if there was anything new to report on the weird deer front. She said no, but that something strange happened in the house again, though she couldn’t remember just what it was. She just knew it was very strange. That in itself is weird.

As to the deer, she said she didn’t remember the deer leaving. “I didn’t see it go anywhere, run off” she said. “It seemed like it should have run off into the woods, or down the road, or something -- it just wasn’t there.”

She also said she was “really scared” and couldn’t park the truck fast enough. She ran all the from the truck to their deck, and up to their front door. Fumbling with the keys as she tried to hurriedly get into the house. “I was really scared, the kids were really scared,” and none of them could really say why. A deer on the road isn’t at all unusual. So why the intense high tension and surroudning anxiety?

I told Lola about animals appearing in many UFO encounters and anomalous events; as sort of guides, or go between. There are many cases of deer appearing in these “screen memories” in the context of UFO events.

You can read the rest, and a lot more, on the Binnall of America website.

The Book of THoTH - Wisdom of the Ages

Preview for the Book of Thoth winners, which includes moi, dahlings. And the good Lesley at Debris Field and many others!

Dips and Exopolitics

My recent item for my blog on The Daily Grail: Dips and Exopolitics.

Out of Place Ghosts?

I suppose all ghosts are “out of place,” or they wouldn’t be ghosts.

And maybe “out of place” -- the designation OOP -- isn’t quite accurate here.

But this item, and the Jim Marrs story of Roswell hospital ghosts, inspired this thought.

From this item: ghosts in Antarctica. It just seems like an odd image; ghosts in he snow. Snow ghosts. Ice ghosts. “The Thing,” maybe. Something about all that snow and ice and the unseen makes it all the more unwordly and creepy. (I'm not an ice and snow person, maybe that has something to do with my unease.)

Erebus crash blamed for Antarctica 'ghosts'
By JOHN HENZELL - The Press | Tuesday, 17 April 2007

A supernatural experience in Antarctica on Friday the 13th has left a winter worker convinced of the existence of ghosts on the frozen continent.

American Allie Barden was sent to work in a stores building at McMurdo Station, the United States base near New Zealand's Scott Base, and knew it was empty because it was padlocked from outside when she arrived.

"As soon as I entered, something was weird," she said.

"I took a couple of steps in (and) the hair on the top of my head stood on end – footsteps upstairs; undeniably footsteps. A slow cadence of footsteps.

"I froze. It went from the back of the building to the front."

Ross Island is rife with ghostly sightings, often attributed to the 257 victims of the Air New Zealand plane crash on Mount Erebus in 1979, whose bodies were stored at McMurdo before being returned to New Zealand.

That, juxtaposed with all the weird covert experiments going on in Antarctica gives the conspiracy, esoteric minded individual a lot to play with.

I mentioned Jim Marrs; some time ago he was a guest on C2C and had a greatly interesting story to tell of “alien ghosts” in a hospital in Roswell. Really juicy, fascinating stuff for any Fortean junkie. Curiously, I haven’t heard much follow up on this. I did find this story by Marrs:

ALIEN GHOSTS AT ROSWELL?”
Emma Duran said she once met a man who told her that he had worked at the Roswell base and that aliens from the crash site were autopsied there. He told her that he had taken a bit of metal from the crash debris but that government agents had retrieved it from him and warned both he and his family not to talk about it.

Owen, who has both seen and heard strange things in the NMRC, said he had never encountered the alien ghost but nevertheless added, “I’ve heard people say they have seen aliens running around.”

And then there’s the ghost-UFO connection. Where elements of UFO activity seem to mimic hauntings. Or, one appears to facilitate the other.

Nothing enlightening here as to theories or pontifications. Just a somewhat idle observation.

FORTEAN FRUIT CRATE LABELS

For something completely different and hopefully entertaining, a collection of vintage fruit and vegetable crate labels with a spacey and Fortean flavor.

I'll post more later on; I'm getting quite a collection!

Dates range from the 1920s to the 1940s, maybe 1950s. Enjoy!

"Not the Only Women in Bigfoot Research"

I'm not sure what's going on with posting over at Cryptomundo; the post I posted before took awhile before it came through, and my response to Kathy Strain's post hasn't gone through. (as of yet, it still might.)

Anyway, here's a post by a female Bigfoot researcher who posted over on Cryptomundo in response to the thread:
on sexism and racism in research.

# Kathy Strain responds: April 15th, 2007 at 3:49 am

I have several comments.

As a female bigfoot researcher (who is also part native), I have never ever been mistreated by fellow researchers due to my gender. I have been questioned, challenged, fought with, slapped around, etc., but it certainly had nothing to do with being a woman.

I have indeed seen some issues related to ethic background (digger indian being one) but I have chalked that up more to a lack of knowledge than to racism.

In fact, I have seen more bias against my college degrees (and being a professional anthropologist) than anything else (same issue that I have seen about comment on Meldrum and Krantz…damn Ph.D.’s!!!).

And, if we were going to be honest here (just not politically correct) I take offense to Lisa Shiels, Linda Martin, and Regan Lee’s blogs that besides themselves and Autumn Williams, they are the only female bigfoot researchers they know. For crying out loud, what rock have you been living under??? If you don’t know who Bobbie Short, Diane Stocking, me, and a whole host of other women are, then I don’t know what else to say. Your world is as big as you want it to be…as well as your experiences.

I'll try to recreate my response to Kathy as much as I can:

Kathy,
I have never meant to imply in any way I, and Lisa, etc. were the "only" female bigfoot researchers. (And, in fact, I wonder at the label for myself.) I can't speak for others, but for myself, I am learning new things every day. I am new to this field. For some reason, a series of events have propelled me into the area of "paranormal" Bigfoot, and that's where my focus is, as far as Bigfoot research goes. So if I exclude various female researchers, it's one of two reasons (or both): They do not support the "supernatural" Bigfoot aspect, and/or, you're right, I haven't heard of them. Yet.

That doesn't mean I "live under a rock" nor does it mean I don't care. It does mean I'm new to this area, my focus being on UFOs and other Fortean subjects. I'm glad you posted, now I know.

When I do come across researchers -- male and female alike -- who take seriously the aspects of Bigfoot research I'm interested in, I write about them.

We're all learning and coming across new things all the time.

Generally speaking, just for the record, I don't think all men are sexist, or that women are better, or that Lisa Shiel, etc. are the "only" researchers. I hope to god I haven't implied that, for that was never my intent.

However, giving some light towards the female Bigfoot researchers that do study this strange aspect of Bigfoot encounters is something I'm interested in. That in no way negates male researchers who support anomalous Sasquatch tales, or the fact there are female researchers who don't.

I'm not particularly interested in male or female Bigfoot researchers who either support a "kill" policy, or reject the weirder side of Bigfoot. So I don't usually list them or discuss them, unless it's in context of something else.

And, I, like most of us I assume, have day jobs and families that take away from spending the time we'd love to on these things. We can't always get to what we want to right when we want it.

Thank you, Regan Lee

So now, off to research Kathy Strain.

Early California Bigfoot-UFO Story

Received my copy of Preston Dennett's UFOs Over California yesterday, and discovered this:

"The many popular Native American legends of wise visitors from the sky could be the legacy of early California encounters. One of the first UFO-Bigfoot accounts occurred in 1888, and comes from the journal of a cattleman who had wintered with a tribe of Native Americans in northern California. During his stay, he saw a member of the tribe carrying a platter of raw meat into the forest. He followed the Indian to a nearby cave. Upon entering, he was amazed to see the Indian feeding the meat to a large, hairy man-like creature. The creature was totally covered with thick hair, except for its palms. Also, the creature had no neck, but ws much larger than a man. The Indian tribe called him "Crazy Bear" and explained that he had come to the earth in a "small moon" which carried two other similar creatures. Inside the "small moon" were several other entities who were human-looking, only very short and they wore shiny, silver clothes. After disgorging the three creatures, the object too off into space. The Indians told the cattleman that similar incidents had happened throughout the years, but only rarely." (Preston Dennett, UFOs Over California, Schiffer 2005, p10.)

Well, I wasn't expecting to read that!

Loren Coleman on Sexist Racist Bufoons

That's my word, not his.

His recent piece on his blog Cryptomundo is great; and as always, the comments to the item are interesting to read.

The title of the piece is Homophobus mysognistis xenophobus ignoramus and he writes very eloquently on sexism, racism, and other isms in our society, as well as the Sasquatch research culture.

We can't divorce ourselves from the world. "Out there," meaning the "real" world may not know what we do, or about what we do, but we are a part of all that as well.

The Website

It's slow, it's coming along, it's under construction. But it's here:
Oregon UFO

Meanwhile, I am so fed up with Angelfire/Lycos. I can't begin to tell ya! Long story and I won't bore you with the story, but . . . we'll see if they give me the good customer service I'm expecting from them. Meanwhile, it seems many places are not Mac friendly, so ridiculously ponderous, . . .

Anyway, it's creaking along but I'm working on it.

Accessorize!

Yes, dahlings, I've changed the look of The OrangeOrb once more. And I've given up trying to find just one and stick to it. My blog looks reflect my fashion sense (as wacky as it may be, sort of post beatnik ex-hippie bo ho artsy fartsy multi cultural I live in Eugene, Oregon my feet hurt but I refuse to wear sensible shoes for a woman my age style) and, like the many purses I own of many colors, and shoes, oh and the earrings, I've decided to just be me and change the look of the blog whenever I feel like it. I know it goes against the advice of never changing your masthead and your overall look in order to keep devoted readers but I figure, if you know that at any given moment The OrangeOrb is going to look different, that's part of the excitement. It's "Jellyfish" today, who knows what will be tomorrow?

Trickster's Realm on BOA: Random Bits of Weirdness on the Oregon Coast

My latest piece for my Trickster's Realm column on Tim Binnall's site: Random Bits of Weirdness on the Oregon Coast, about my friend "Lola" and high strangeness occurances.

Be sure to check out the entire site. There are great audio interviews -- for free! -- with Tim and so many great writers, researchers and thinkers on the weird. Other columnists too; Lesley, Grey Matters, Tina Sena's Esorterica, Khyron's The K-Files, and Joe Vee's Wrath of Joe.

UFO and Bigfoot Sightings: Faith Has Nothing To Do With It

My recent piece for UFO Digest:UFO and Bigfoot Sightings: Faith Has Nothing to Do With It

http://www.ufodigest.com/news/0407/faith.html

Sasquatch Apparitions

I've just ordered Barbara Wasson's book Sasquatch Apparitions published in 1979. I don't believe Wasson is still alive. I'm not familiar with her research; have to wait until I read the book. If anyone has read the book or is familiar with her thoughts on Bigfoot, please share your comments.

Everybody Knows

Seems these lyrics from my favorite songwriter-poet are appropriate for what lurks within UFOlogy and Forteana.


"Everybody Knows"

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That's how it goes
Everybody knows
Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father or their dog just died

Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stem rose
Everybody knows

Everybody knows that you love me baby
Everybody knows that you really do
Everybody knows that you've been faithful
Ah give or take a night or two
Everybody knows you've been discreet
But there were so many people you just had to meet
Without your clothes
And everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

And everybody knows that it's now or never
Everybody knows that it's me or you
And everybody knows that you live forever
Ah when you've done a line or two
Everybody knows the deal is rotten
Old Black Joe's still pickin' cotton
For your ribbons and bows
And everybody knows

And everybody knows that the Plague is coming
Everybody knows that it's moving fast
Everybody knows that the naked man and woman
Are just a shining artifact of the past
Everybody knows the scene is dead
But there's gonna be a meter on your bed
That will disclose
What everybody knows

And everybody knows that you're in trouble
Everybody knows what you've been through
From the bloody cross on top of Calvary
To the beach of Malibu
Everybody knows it's coming apart
Take one last look at this Sacred Heart
Before it blows
And everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

Oh everybody knows, everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows

~ Leonard Cohen

You Are Fairly Skeptical

You're not the type of person who will fall for anything... But you do keep your mind open to all sorts of possibilities. You figure that anything could be true. After all, the world is a strange place. However, you're going to need some convincing before you can believe in aliens or reincarnation!

How Skeptical Are You?

Speaks for itself, doesn't it? :)

Orange Orbs and Bigfoot: Valley of the Skookum

I’ve just finished Sali Sheppard-Wolford’s Valley of the Skookum, and I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up until 3:30 a.m. reading it, almost getting to the end but not quite, finishing it the next day.

Sali Sheppard-Wolford is mother to Bigfoot researcher Autumn Williams (who lives here in Eugene, Oregon. Must be the trees.)
I expected to find the book interesting, but had no idea I would be so drawn to it. And I’m not sure why; I felt a connection, a familiarity, as I was reading the book. It’s not a badly written book, but it isn’t great literature either. Of course, it isn't supposed to be, or even should be, since it isn’t fiction; it’s a personal narrative of one woman’s very strange encounters.

Sali writes about her years living in a remote place in Washington, with her young children, including Autumn, who was the youngest, staying at home with her mother during the day. Sali (and eventually the entire family) encounter Bigfoot, along with many other high strangeness events, including UFOs and orbs of light.

There’s a beauty to this story and I can’t put my finger on it. As I said, there was an echo of something that kept tugging at me. That aside, her experiences, while unique, do parallel other ‘LTW” (long term witnesses, as Autumn Williams calls them) of ‘paranormal” Bigfoot encounters.

I said that the story isn’t fiction, and it isn’t. This could be seen as a bold statement, a rash, brash, and outrageous statement; after all, all this supernatural bigfoot stuff causes so many researchers to gnash their teeth at the very thought of such things. But there are only two possibilities: one, she’s lying. Or two, she’s not. I don’t think she’s lying, so she’s telling the truth. Still sounds pretty bold, doesn't’ it?

The point isn't whether or not “it’s true” as in, literally true. That’s a hard one for the majority of people to get, but that’s where I am these days with just about all of it: Bigfoot, UFOs, ghosts, all the psychic, Fortean, high strangeness goings on around us.

I’m not going to analyze that any further; not today anyway. It’s sort of like a Great Cosmic Joke: if you didn’t get it the first time, or the first couple of times, explaining it more slowly and breaking it down won’t help. And since the Trickster is everywhere in all this stuff, it is a Great Cosmic Joke. And that’s okay.

One of the things Sali writes about are orange orbs seen by herself and witnesses in the area. At times they’re described as “basket ball sized” and when I read that, I almost fell off the bed. I’ve been collecting sighting reports of orange orbs for some time, and often they’re orange “orbs” that are really pinpoints, or star sized, orange lights. The orange orb I saw so many years ago here in Oregon can be described as “basket ball sized.”

Impossible to know if these were the same kind of lights, or if the orbs in Sali Shepherd-Woolford’s book have anything to do with Bigfoot. It’s possible they do, it’s possible the area is full of energy that caused these things to occur. Keep in mind that when I say “UFO” it doesn’t mean flying saucer (necessarily.) In this context, I don’t think they were. Of course, I wasn’t there.

It is a fantastic story. And it may all seem a little much; psychic traits, psychic vampirism or energy drains, UFOs, MIBS, and Bigfoot. Sounds like a cheesy sci fi movie. As impossible as it may sound to some, there are people who’ve experienced these things. They’re not just saying they have: they do. I know, because I know some of these people myself, and I’ve experienced a lot of these things myself. It’s a hard thing to get, I realize, and I still have a hard time myself with some things. It’s a fine, thin, invisible line to walk, between telling your truth and being a complete dip who believes anything and everything. (Then again, remember what I said about “true.”)

And finally, why would someone put themselves out there with stories like this? (Yes, we can all picture the snarly skeptoids at the ready with their sneers, I mean the rest of us good people.) Why do writers, bloggers and witnesses come right out with their stories, using their own names? Statistically, we can’t all be nuts.

While research swirls all around us with arguments and dissections there are the folk, the witnesses, the experiencers, who continue to tell their stories. They are what they are.

Notes:
Autumn Williams has written an interesting piece on what she thinks of this “paranormal bigfoot” relationship:
OrangeOrb:
http://orangeorb.blogspot.com/2007/03/autumn-williams-on-weird-bigfoot.html

Sali Sheppard-Wolford has written other books, including a children’s book about Bigfoot. She currently lives in central Oregon.
http://www.oregonbigfoot.com/artists/sali_sw.php

Image: oil pastel drawing by Regan Lee.

Wild Women: More on that Elephant in the Room

Lisa Shiel has posted more on her earlier post on Wild Women; she discusses the response she’s received from both men and women, mostly positive. In
The Single Girl and the Sasquatch.
Shiel comments on the “lesbian” tag -- as I did as well -- that when others feel the need to insult and attack, they often throw out the term “lesbian” as if it’s an insult. Why would someone (usually male) call a woman a “lesbian” in order to insult? If one were a lesbian, what does it matter what she does in bed? Does her choice of sexual partner affect her brain cells? It’s not that it’s an insult, it’s just that it isn’t true (not that there’s anything wrong with that.) In their minds, “lesbian” is a slur, and can be translated as “man -hater.” (The thinking seems to be: if you’re sexually uninterested in men as sexual beings, then clearly you are also uninterested in anything else that is rational.)
Shiel points out an interesting bit of history:

I recently watched a documentary on the History Channel in which scholars discussed the original meaning of the word lesbian. The term referred to ancient Greek women who lived on the island of Lesbos. They were renowned lovers of men, not each other! I find this fact interesting, since these days people love to accuse strong women of being lesbians—which, to the name-caller, means "man-hater."

Along comes a poster, going by the name of “anonymous:”

Nah, nobody thinks you're a lesbian, you're just plain annoying. Playing the part of the woman-victim won't get you any respect from other 'researchers'.

But I guess it's easier to be a attention-seeking victim than re-evaluate your loony theories. Oh wait, you can't, because you have a book about it, and exposure/money is the apparent motivation.

Someone else said it best.. Just because you can write a book.. Doesn't mean you should.

So, we have a new twist on the inaccurate lesbian slur: “victim.” This is a ploy used by chronic skeptics; accusing someone of “playing a victim” when the c.s. has been called on their stuff, or they simply don't like what they're hearing. In this case, the anonymous poster accuses Shiel of playing a victim.

I can’t speak for Shiel, but I will say that being forthright and addressing some of the crap pulled by the dishonest and immature is not whining “victim.” That is simply another inaccurate tactic used by those who disagree with someone; it’s an attempt to trivialize and silence.

Disagree with Shiel or any of the other “paranormal” Bigfoot witnesses; certainly one’s right to do so.

But really, try to refrain from stooping to the level of a grade schooler by insulting and accusing someone of writing books “to make money” -- as if...

Which Brings Us To the Making Money Slam
What’s wrong with making money? Wouldn’t most, if not all, of us love to make money -- our actual living -- from doing what we love most to do? And isn’t making money the American Dream? A solid all American, capitalistic thing to do? It’s positively patriotic, dahlings!

There are only two reasons why someone accuses people such as Shiel of making money as if it were a crime:
1. they think she’s an outright liar, a scam artist, a huckster.
2. they think she’s nuts. All out, far out, gone baby gone nutso.

If you think people like Shiel are lairs, then that’s your opinion. She could be, it’s true. Personally, I don’t think so, but that's’ my opinion. But if you do think people like her, who’ve had these kinds of experiences, are lairs, nothing much you can do about it. Not with out proof. Have any?

In this context of shape shifting beings and extreme high strangeness I’m reminded of Pamela Stonebrooke. (Reptilians, sex, etc.) I have my intuitive feelings about her, and wonder; and yet, her experiences do parallel others. Now it could be she’s taken this up for her own ends to further her career, it could be she’s telling the truth, it could be she’s a psy ops victim,it could be her interpretation of experiences on the astral plane, it could be a combination of those things, who knows. We don’t know. And all that aside, we need people like her for a variety of reasons: her story about her story is part of the Trickster comedy within UFOlogy, and that’s not a bad thing, nor is it a wrong thing.

If you think Shiel and others with similar experiences are loony toons, then why be so cruel as to attack? Do you attack people with diseases, or broken limbs? What’s to be gained from insulting, slurring and inaccurately portraying someone who is utterly bananas?

Those that stop to spend the time to write insulting comments (or worse, have blogs that spend inordinate amounts of time insulting and attacking those they consider “loony” for no reason other than to prove they’re not) are trolls, of course.
They’re also thin skinned and defensive of their own belief systems. What’s it to them if someone “believes” in ET, or that Bigfoot is a shape shifter? Well, it seems like it’s a very big deal for people like this that others believe these things. And, at least these money making, lesbian, man hating, victimized nut cases write on public forums using their real names in most cases.

(And some of us wonder why UFO and high strangeness witnesses don’t always want to let their real names or locations known to the world.)

I think it’s pretty amazing when anyone - whether I can handle their experiences or not, and there are many I can’t -- uses their real name, goes out there in the world, and shares their experiences with others. I’ve said that many times in this blog. And that’s why I offer support and encouragement, and urge others to do the same. We don’t always have to agree with each other, or even understand each other at times. But we can always learn, and that includes learning from those we have a hard time “getting.” (Like me and exopolitics.)

This realm is an amazing realm, and very weird things happen in it, despite the denial of many. Who knows what’s really behind that curtain; entirely possible what we experience is only what we think we experienced, or what “they” want to show us, or . . .endless possibilities. But hell, at least we’re looking. And we are also a little bit crazy: for why else would we put ourselves out there, in public, knowing that there will always be those who cannot get through the day without hurling insults at others?


We’re just trying to tell our stories, while dancing around that elephant in the room. And if we make a little money off of that, fantastic. Though so far, I don’t think any of us have been able to retire to that villa in Tuscany. With our men folk. Or, not. Either way, who we share our oversized fluffy beds under a canopy of silk surrounded by sultry cerulean skies with is nobody’s business.

Wild Women and Shape Shifters

Lisa Shiel, author of the Bigfoot Quest Blog and Backyard Bigfoot: The True Story of Stick Signs, UFOs, & the Sasquatch encourages woman to get involved in Bigfoot research. As Shiel points out, there are very few women in Bigfoot research. There’s herself, and Autumn Williams, and that’s about it.

Both women are active researchers: they’re field researchers, actually going out there and doing all the physical “nuts and bolts” research things one does in search of Bigfoot.

But, there’s a difference as well. Both of these women have had no problem at all with making public their views that Bigfoot is more than just a flesh and blood creature.

Shiel believes that Bigfoot is much more than just basically a “giant ape” or some other animal. There’s much more to Bigfoot than the simple idea it’s another animal. It’s a shape shifter, it’s paranormal, it’s no mere big dumb missing link.

Williams has a different take on this, but both agree that it’s vital to include all the data when investigating reports, and that includes the stories of UFOs, floating lights, telepathy, dematerialization, and all the other weirdness often associated with Bigfoot encounters.

I’ve found that the few women who are involved in Bigfoot research in some way very naturally include the high strangeness data. They are more open to the possibilities, more open with their own experiences that many consider far too weird to discuss seriously.

(With all due respect, take a look at what Loren Coleman has said about Mary Green. Not pretty. Mary Green is a Bigfoot experiencer/researcher of the “high strangeness” kind.)

Shiel says that being a woman in a predominantly male field has its share of expected nonsense:

Now I like men. But as a woman—even worse, a single woman—engaged in a testosterone-ridden field of research, I can testify to the fact that most male Bigfoot researchers haven't heard about equal rights or women in the workplace. One man told me women don't want to get involved in Bigfoot research because they're afraid of the woods. Come on!

I remember watching a program on the Sci-Fi channel with Bigfoot researcher Autumn Williams. There were others on the team; I forget who, but she was the leader of the field research team and the only female. She was the bigfoot expert, not them. None of the men were in any way overtly asses, but one guy just had to up and mock her, and do stupid things like make ape calls as loud as he could. and this from an adult, who seemed to be in his fifties. I had to laugh at the way Williams really ripped him a new one.

This is the elephant in the room; I’ve spoken to a lot of female UFO and bigfoot writers, experiencers and researchers, and the things said -- and done -- to them at times is frustratingly astounding. We don’t talk about it for a lot of reasons. Females in any male dominated field experience this, this is not news. It’s so typical, it’s boring to even comment on. Still, it does get to one at times. It’s just a matter of fact aspect of being in this field. I’ve been sent ugly e-mails, and ugly things have been written about me openly on-line, by men. I’ve been called a lesbian (not that’s there anything wrong with that) (but I’m not,) a Jew-bitch, a man-hater. I’ve been “accused” of “wanting to write like a man” and, that I “write like a man.” (that’s either a backhanded compliment or so surreal it’s not worth trying to figure out.) I’ve been told I have a “castration problem” and my husband has been called names (he doesn’t even go on line!) simply because he’s married to me; the implication being he’s a wimp. (Listen, the man’s a double Scorpio, believe me, he’s not afraid of nuttin’, see?!) I’ve maintained for decades that the real last threat to some men from females exists on an intellectual level. (I experienced this in philosophy classes in college.) Men are no exception, we’re all called names and insulted. Take a look around and you’ll find insult fests going on between various male writers and researchers that make you wonder how we’re supposed to take anyone seriously, if they behave so badly? Anyway, this somewhat beside the point; I don’t intend to go off an a tangent here. It's a given, and you move on.


Shiel encourages women who are researching Bigfoot to contact her. Please do:

If you are a women involved in Bigfoot research, please e-mail me at lisa@upbigfoot.com. If you have a blog or website, we can exchange links. Women researches need to help and support each other as much as possible—start our own groups, exchange knowledge and wisdom, provide moral support.

I don’t consider myself a true Bigfoot researcher, since I've never once gone out in the woods to look for Bigfoot. (And it’s not because I’m afraid of the woods.) If anything, I’m an “armchair” scholar on Bigfoot, and that includes all the high strangeness stories concerning Bigfoot, the focus being on the anomalous aspects of encounters.

I don’t know if I personally will ever go out to look for Bigfoot on an expedition, because I’m convinced it’s pretty much pointless. Bigfoot will show itself if and when it wants to, not because you’re out there. Following up on stories would be interesting, however, and clues could be found; but it’s all in the approach. Banging around out there making lots of noise and thinking Bigfoot’s going to appear on cue is ridiculous.

Right now there is a possible Bigfoot case in my area that I’ve been keeping track of. The case includes paranormal activity. If I get involved in this further, I will do physical research as well. This isn’t in hopes of seeing a Bigfoot, but rather to gather any possible evidence of something anomalous.

So if you’re a female researcher of the anomalous, including Bigfoot, know that there are women out there like Lisa Shiel, like myself, and others, who are supportive of your efforts.

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Valley of the Skookum
I received my copy of In the Valley of the Skookum: Four Years of Encounters With Bigfoot, by Sali Sheppard-Wolford. (Sheppard-Wolford is Autumn Williams’ mother.) I stayed up until 3:30 am reading it. I couldn't put it down. I didn’t finish it, not for lack of trying, but I’m about a chapter away from the end. There’s much to say about this book, including the orange lights seen by many of the witnesses and my own orange orb sighting. But that’ll have to wait for another day.

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Linda Martin
By way of Lisa Shiel’s blog, I discovered another female Bigfoot researcher; Linda Martin. I’m not familiar with Martin, and followed the link from Lisa’s blog to Martin’s Bigfoot sightings, where I found she had picked up on my little WTF blurb on Technorati, on accepting anomalous Bigfoot data in Bigfoot research. Martin is open to the possibility of a shape shifting BF, but remains skeptical as well. Can’t ask for more than that.

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Notes
Lisa Shiel: http://bigfootquest.blogspot.com/2007/04/wild-women-of-woods.html
Linda Martin: http://www.bigfootsightings.org/
Regan Lee, WTF Technorati blurb:http://technorati.com/wtf/bigfoot/2007/03/30/bigfoot-a-shapeshifter-1
Sali Sheppard-Wolford: Valley of the Skookum