Eclipse Madness

August 21 is already a highly celebrated day in my family, as it's the anniversary of the arrival of my mom's belly button - a.k.a. her birthday. This year was extra special though, as it was also the day of a total solar eclipse in North America.

People from all over the U.S. were flocking to areas of totality, where the moon would block out the sun completely for up to two minutes. There were hundreds, if not thousands of people flooding the towns and roadsides in parts of Tennessee, Wyoming, Oregon, and other locations. Hotels and campgrounds alike were completely full and there were reports of hundreds of people "camped out" in Wal Mart parking lots.

For me, as a scientist, it was imperative that I get to experience this majestic event, but my anxiety didn't agree with the crowds. I opted to stay put, where I could watch in amazement, and still celebrate with Mom. I had questioned whether the eclipse would bring an increase in paranormal activity due to the change in solar x-rays as well as the current lunar phase. My hypothesis was probably correct, as CCPI did experience a slight increase in requests for investigations!

The closest I could get to a scientific setup,
considering most of my research takes
place at night.

With my lawn chair, ice water, tripod, Nikon camera and $1 Wal Mart paper eclipse glasses, I camped out next to my mail box and waited for the cosmic event.

I watched in amazement as our moon slowly crept across the sun. First a slight touch - barely noticeable, then a gradual sweep, making the sun look like Pac Man for a bit. My neighbors, whom I'd never met before, began to come from all directions to ask about what I was seeing. I shared my eclipse glasses, so they too could witness the majesty of the space phenomena. They gasped in awe as they pointed their heads to the sky and watched the event for a few moments.

I managed to take a few noteworthy photos. Putting my eclipse glasses over the lens of my Nikon, so as not to ruin the sensors within, I zoomed in and out, played with the different settings, and finally found a working combination. With the eclipse glasses over the lens, zooming in as close as it would go, and using the back light setting on my camera, I captured the beginning, peak and end stages of the event. Keep in mind, we only had 86% coverage here. Where my offspring was, on the other side of the state, there was 94% coverage. He said it got very dark. Over here, the light was the same as a cloudy day, but the thing that impressed me the most (aside from the eclipse itself) was the lack of ambient noise. No birds, no crickets, no animals. Aside from vehicles and the like, it was dead quiet.

Beginning Phase

Here, I will show you the beginning, peak, and end phases that I was able to capture with my Nikon. As I mentioned earlier, the beginning phase slightly resembled Pac Man eating the "power pellets"...or maybe when he meets a ghost and dies, as the image shows him on his proverbial back. It also beautifully shows the corona. A corona is an aura of plasma that surrounds the sun. The sun's corona extends millions of kilometers into space, but from earth, it resembles a beautiful orange halo around out star.

The peak moment. 86% coverage.

Keep in mind, we only had about 86% coverage here in western Colorado, so the peak image shows just a sliver of the
sun...similar to what you'd see at the end of the waxing and waning phases of the moon. I wasn't able to center the image because I was so excited to capture the peak. I even set an alarm on my phone for 11:40 a.m. so as to be ready for the peak moment at 11:41. I waited patiently for the seconds to tick by, then I started snapping my pix. My gathering of neighbors waited patiently for me to finish my photography, then joined in as I once again shared my paper glasses. They took in the beauty and applauded me on my photos, then went on their merry ways back to normal life.

End Phase

For me, I was literally moved by the event. I read on social media that some were brought to tears. While I didn't get that emotional, I was filled with a sense of awe and wonderment. I reflected back to when I was a child (5th grade, I think) when I wanted to be an astronaut. I was fascinated with space, the planets, and constellations. I even applied for a scholarship to Space Camp, which I did not win, but the desire remained for quite some time...until I found something else to be passionate about. (I think it was boys by then, lol.)

The birthday girl and Dennis

Once I captured my end phase photos, I threw everything into the trunk of my car and drove up to Mom's workplace. I didn't even put on shoes or grab my purse. I wanted to be able to share what was left with my mom. I found everyone outside with either paper Wal Mart eclipse glasses or welding masks, their heads cocked back, and smiles on their faces. Mom and her "significant other" Dennis (they're pretty much common-law married) were standing together, witnessing what could potentially be the last eclipse in their lifetimes. Not too long ago, my mom quipped about having a total solar eclipse on her birthday. "How many people get to have a total solar eclipse on their birthday," she asked with pride. My son, who was with us at the time replied, "Me," and pointed out that the next total solar eclipse in North America will take place on his 23rd birthday. Mom stood there gaping for a minute, then bragged about how special she and her grandson are to be able to have eclipses on their birthdays. That's class if you ask me!

Baby Brother Joining The Event

Now, not too long ago, Mom and Dennis adopted a puppy. When they first got him from the shelter, he was a 4-pound ball of fluff that fit in the palms of my hands. Hawk, or "Hawkie" or "The Hawker" is now 40-something pounds of pure energy. Dennis had brought him but kept him in the truck (with both windows completely down) so that he wouldn't disrupt the viewers. Since day one, I have referred to Hawk as my "Baby Brother". When I got there, I went over to pet and love on him. He thumped his tail and gave me a few licks of appreciation. When the crowd had dispersed, Hawk got to get out of the truck and lick my still bare feet. I wanted him to have the same experience as the rest of us, so I put my paper glasses on him. It seemed as if he was not impressed, but maybe deep down, in his own doggy way, he was thankful that I included him.

All in all, it was an incredible day. I'm so thankful I got to witness it, as the last one in North America took place when I was almost two and before that when I was about 6 months old. Now I've been able to witness one when I can remember and enjoy it. What's more, I'll get to see the next one on Offspring's birthday...maybe we'll take a trip into the path of totality. For now, the madness has died down and life, for most, has returned to normal. For me, I'll remain focused on my research and look to see if the change in solar x-rays and lunar phase really did play a part in our slight increase in requests...or maybe it was just coincidence.

What Started It All...

Whether it be a public speaking event, a book signing, or a radio show, I'm always asked what got me into the field of paranormal investigation, or "Afterlife Research" as I like to put it. Before I tell the story, let me clarify the last statement. While technically I am a paranormal investigator, the word "paranormal" encompasses anything that is not scientifically explainable. I currently do not, nor have I in the past, investigated UFO's cryptozoological events, or done an extensive study in extra-sensory phenomena. That's not to say I won't in the future, I just don't now and haven't in the past.

Data analysis during a 2008 investigation.

So...how is it that a simple Colorado girl became the Afterlife Researcher that I am today? It all started when I was active duty in the U.S. Air Force. The base where I was stationed was in the process of converting their hospital morgue into a physical therapy department. As a low-ranking grunt on the proverbial totem pole, I was tasked with cleanup during the remodel process. This essentially consisted of wearing a dust mask and sweeping up asbestos and concrete dust from the demolition process. One day, I was returning from lunchtime chow when I saw a young man standing in the construction area. He was very clean cut with ruggedly handsome features and a flat-top haircut. He was just as tangible as the screen you're looking at to read this post - not transparent or wispy. There was something odd about him though. The military uniform of the time was the green camouflage battle dress uniform (BDU). He was wearing the OG combat fatigues of long ago and looked confused and out of place. I don't recall seeing a name or rank on his uniform, but I wasn't focused on that at the time. I walked toward him and asked if there was something I could help him with. He looked at me, looked away, then walked through a cinderblock wall and vanished! It didn't occur to me to be frightened and later I called my mom to tell her about what had transpired. For the rest of my detail in the former morgue, I looked for the man, but never saw him again. 

Looking through a Rhode Island headstone hoping to catch a
glimpse of the resident ghost. 2010

From then on, I read every book I could get my hands on. The Internet was in its infancy and paranormal television programs hadn't yet been developed. I read books by legends such as Hans Holzer and Ed Warren. I experimented with analog tape recorders, a Polaroid camera and a compass. Eventually, I figured out what I was doing and began conducting my research. Since then, my equipment has become more more technical, I have refined skills, techniques, and theories, developed research programs that prove paranormal investigation (more specifically, ghost hunting) can be conducted scientifically and built one of the longest-running and most successful investigative research organizations in the state of Colorado. Not bad for a girl from Podunk, right?

Now, some reading this might think that I am being braggadocious or condescending. That is not my intent. My goal is simply to inform and educate - to show others that, if you put enough effort into something, the rewards can be vast.

So that's how a small-town girl came to be the badass investigator she is today. I love what I do and love providing help to people as well as sharing my knowledge with others. My advice for individuals who are thinking about embarking on this journey:

• Find a mentor or mentor organization. Look up reputable teams with longevity and glean as much knowledge from them as you possibly can. Don't try to go it alone - that path is fraught with struggle and frustration. Reputable organizations would rather have newcomers they can mold and teach, as opposed to inexperienced and uneducated individuals who can potentially make bad situations worse. 
• Read books - as many as you can get your hands on! Books are your friends! Not everything you see on TV and on the Internet is true...in fact, most is fabricated for entertainment. 
• Finally, ask questions. Contact people in the field whom you admire and seek their advice and wisdom. Never stop asking. No one person is an expert in this field, but there are a few of us who are very knowledgeable and can shed light on even the most stubborn situations. 

If you're interested in learning more about my particular research projects or working theories, you can always visit my website: http://ccpi-paranormal.com There you can learn all about why we do what we do, the Ouija controversy, the ABC's of EVP and of course, you can learn about those pesky ORBS! Happy hunting! ❤

So...It's Been A While

Miss me?

I'll try to keep this post short and sweet. I was a guest on Vegas Supernatural Radio this evening and I was reminded by the host, Shawn "The Rev" Whittington, that I have this blog floating around in cyberspace. I'd forgotten I'd even started this little project, hence why I haven't made any entries in it since 2012...that would be five years if you're not mathematically inclined. (Yes, I had to do a quick count on my fingers!)

A lot has happened in those five years. I'm still investigating things that go "bump" in the night and running CCPI, which I was informed this evening is one of the foremost teams in the country. I honestly had no idea about that, but it warms my heart because I have, quite literally, put blood, sweat, and tears into it. There are new faces on the team and a new web address: http://CCPI-Paranormal.com

I have five books out now, as opposed to two when I last posted. I now have two fiction books, two non-fiction books and one children's book on the market. I'm currently working on book #6 - a non-fiction piece about Haunted Glenwood Springs, Colorado that is being published by The History Press, which is a subsidiary of Arcadia Publishing - the largest publisher of non-fiction books in the U.S. My deadline is January 18. 2018 and the book is expected to drop in time for Halloween next year.

The guy I thought was possibly Mr. Right five years ago, wasn't. I'm kind of seeing someone right now. He's absolutely brilliant, and a paranormal enthusiast to boot, but, despite the fact that I really really like him, it's long distance and we're still in the beta test phase, so we'll see how that goes. I know I'm not getting any younger, but as I had posted many moons ago, I'm a hopeless romantic and still believe in "happily ever after". Now that I think about it, I may just be a glutton for punishment...ha ha.

The offspring is 16 now and, for the first time in my life, I'm living on my own. Until 6 months ago, I had always lived with a roommate, family member, spouse or significant other. I wasn't sure I was going to like being on my own at first, but now it's kinda grown on me. The boy comes home during spring and summer vacations, as well as rotating holidays. It still sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before, but I have the privilege of having to accept it for what it is. 😩

Oh yeah, I also have a cat! His given name is Coco, but I call him "Bubba Lou". Don't ask me why because I honestly don't know. He's a kleptomaniac and I have to clean out his hiding places regularly in order to find things that have mysteriously disappeared, such as measuring spoons, pens, packages of incense, and occasionally, my keys or purse. I found a cache of drinking straws and cotton balls not too long ago. I think he may have been channeling his inner Jerry Mouse.

I guess that pretty much sums things up. I will do my best to keep this thing updated since it appears people do read it. Thanks "Rev" for the reminder!