"Just when I thought I was out..."

"... they pull me back in."  (Michael Corleone, The Godfather:  Part III)

First of all, regarding the nature and purpose of this blog:  These entries are not works of fiction.  Everything I write here is, to the best of my knowledge, true and accurate.  It is my intention to first create a record of the paranormal occurrences I have experienced, thus far, over the course of my lifetime, and thereafter, to relate the results and findings of the ongoing research and investigation conducted by myself, and by S.P.I.R.I.T. (Superior Paranormal Intelligence, Research, & Investigation Team).  Also, for those who may be wondering, my use of the word "Superior" is not meant in any way to be boastful; it is a reference to the geographic location of my home base, in northern Wisconsin, on the shores of Lake Superior.

Clear as mud?  Excellent.  Then let's proceed with a quick overview of my life as a student of the unexplained...

Following my initial encounter with the paranormal at the age of four, further unexplained experiences became almost commonplace, and have remained so, more or less, ever since.  Fortunately, most of them have not been as terrifying as that first occurrence.  I spent a great deal of my childhood reading everything pertaining to the supernatural and the unexplained that I could get my hands on.  This was in the 1980s, well before the advent of the internet.  Not only was I largely alone in this search for knowledge, but I was also limited to what I could find in my local, small town library.  I still regard Hans Holzer and Daniel Cohen as some of the best friends I never met.

As a teenager in the early-to-mid-90s, I found some friends who were interested in the paranormal, and we spent a few years delving deeply into occult studies.  Much of this research led to arcane and dangerous knowledge, and brought us to dark places; I do not recommend following this course of action to anyone.  It was during this time, and into my first couple years of college, that my activity in the world of the paranormal peaked.  By the late 1990s, when I had reached my early 20s, I decided I'd seen and experienced enough.  I wanted out.  I was done with it.  Unfortunately, what I didn't realize at the time was that it wasn't yet done with me.  It took several years and a great deal of determined effort to focus my thoughts and energies in positive directions in order to, for the most part, lose the attention of the darker entities I'd spent a lifetime studying.

In 2004, at the age of 28, I graduated from college and started a family.  This, more than anything, provided me with motivation to block the negative energies and dark powers from intruding into my life and the lives of my loved ones.  With a handful of exceptions, I have been successful in this effort.  However, sometimes--despite my best intentions--these things just pop up and remind me that they're still around.  In addition, I have been forced to realize that the members of my family are also on their own journeys, and sometimes have experiences that are unique to them, regardless of what I might wish.

The fact of the matter is, this is one tough habit to kick.  Indeed, it's my opinion that, for some of us, it isn't even a choice.  I didn't ask to have that first experience when I was four, or many of the countless experiences that followed.  I was set upon this course at a very young age, by forces much bigger than myself.  What we can choose, though, is the nature of our thoughts, and the intent behind our studies.  What will it be, Light, or Dark?

For as long as I can remember, I have been--and I remain--driven to seek knowledge of the unknown.  The drive to do so is as strong today as it ever was, only it is tempered now by prudence, love, and a desire to share what I've learned for the benefit of others.  The events of the past that I will recount here are unproveable, though some of them can be corroborated by others who were present, and supported by others still who have had similar experiences.  I know what I experienced; it is for the reader to decide whether or not to believe me.

Going forward, my research and the efforts of S.P.I.R.I.T. will be centered around the gathering of scientifically validated and verifiable evidence, in the hopes that it can be added to the growing body of knowledge being amassed by other paranormal investigators today, the world over.  For the first time in history, technology is emerging with the potential to bridge the gap between the world of science and the world of spirit, bringing us ever closer to solving the Big Questions we have been asking for millennia, and for which, on some level, we know there must be answers:  "What happens when we die?  What else is there?  What lies beyond?"

Together, I believe we can find the answers.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned!