John C. Fowler – Page 28 – Midnight Watchmen

Exploring the Paranormal, One Idea at A Time

When I first started paranormal investigating I definitely was all about the science and proove it to me attitude, but that change about a year into it. I met some people with gifts, as in like psychic gifts. Now up to that point i’d been a hardcore skeptic of that, but that case opened my mind to many ideas about psyche and the soul as well. It led me down a path asking not just the how I go about a case but how can I go about the case to get the best results for everyone – Client and Midnight Watchmen?

I think lately in the field of paranormal studies and investigation something crucial is almost left behind, like a used tissue and that is ideas. I know someone out their reading this is like ‘but their are new ideas all the time!’. While that is true, too many investigators, hunters, researchers and so called experts dismiss ideas with out a thought or respect for the ideas presented. Religion is a prime example on how some just dismiss a notion because it dont fit into their perfect vision of things, problem with that thought is “their vision”, not God or whomever they follow. (and i’m not knocking religion, just people generally).

I think the human notion of i’m right you’re wrong is so strong at times that people can’t open their mind to the possiblities of something different it this world or the next. As someone who is open minded, atleast I think so! I feel that its the only way to approach a case or an idea is to be open minded & to explore the paranormal, one idea at a time….

Peace,
Cedric
[email protected]

Paranormal 101 – E.V.P. Sessions

We’ve seen a lot of people trying to do E.V.P. sessions, and most of them do a poor job. So let’s take a look at how to properly execute and review an EVP session.

First off lets start with the audio recorder. A decent digital audio recorder can be bought at any electronics or mart for around $35 or so the more expensive ones work just as good as the cheap ones usually. Try to avoid the old cassette recorders, we say this because simply digital has no tapes to buy and simplicity of playing back/saving of audio clips/file. We use RCA & Sony models and they haven’t failed us yet. If it uses a proprietary file type, they usually have an audio program that installs itself into your computer the first time you plug it in allows you to convert the files over to .wav or .mp3 format.

Okay so you’ve got your digital recorder(s), you’ve got your supposedly haunted location… what do you do now? We introduce ourselves and ask simple questions like “Is there anyone here that would like to speak with us?”. Allow about 10-15 seconds for a clean response. Avoid moving around or moving the recorder while you’re waiting. It gets boring but it’ll save your ears from a terrible scratching sound during review. Try for yes or no questions, or questions that only need short answers. A good very short list of questions to ask, but not the only ones are:

How many people are here?

What’s your name?

What year is it?

Why are you still here?

Do you want us here?

Do you have a message for anyone?

You to have to try and remember that you’re talking to former-people. They can lie, they are fallible, and they might not always know the answer or they might just plain not want to talk. Most more of them are willing to talk then not.

So it’s getting late and it’s time for you to head back home. So what do you need to review your recorded audio you may ask? Headphones, noise cancelling are preferred, and are a given for audio review. As far as a computer program goes, we’d suggest Audacity. It has several filters and it’s about as user-friendly as programs come. Audacity also allows you to easily separate sections and loop them and its Free!

Audio file? Check. Headphones? Check. Computer, Audacity? Check check check. So let’s listen to what you’ve recorded. You’re listening to anything out of the ordinary, such as extra voices, heavy breathing, sighs, or anything generally odd. If you do find something you need to listen to it carefully, listen to the it atleast 10 seconds before and after this sound for any possibly explanations. If possible go back to the location and try to replicate the sound. Only after you’ve exhausted any possible explanation should you begin to consider that it’s paranormal.

Have a ‘Paranormal 101’ question?

Email us: [email protected]

Paranormal Q&A with Erik Bee

Who are you?

Erick Bee, host of The Hive and Emergency Encounters on the Para-X Radio Network. Independent paranormal investigator from the Boston, Mass area. (The Hive is Sunday 6-8pm ET and Emergency Encounters is Monday 10-11pm ET. Tune in at www.para-x.com)!

Explain your Methodology?

My methodology is “tough,objective and scientific with a little dash of the spiritual and a healthy dose of skepticism”. I like to use all of the accepted scientific methodology and ideas in my investigating while trying to prove a few theories and ideas of my own.

Favorite Haunts?

I guess so far my favorite would have to be Fort Mifflin. There I had one of the most profound paranormal moments of my career. It was something that I’ve never really experienced before, cannot truly put in to sufficient words and really would love to experience again to prove to myself that it was a true experience.

Personal Experiences?

I’ve had three really amazing experiences. The first one was on the U.S.S. Salem in Quincy Harbor, Mass – I was hearing disembodied voices, footsteps, and the sound of a metal cart being dragged across the mess hall floor when I was in the bunk room below the empty mess hall. There were only a handful of people on the ship at the time, and we were all in that bunk room hearing these sounds echo through the halls of the ship. Second one was my experience at Fort Mifflin – I was in the Powder Magazine in complete darkness and as my eyes adjusted I started seeing the swirling luminescent mists and shadows swirling all around me. I cannot fully explain exactly what I was seeing but it was something I have never truly seen before and the image has stuck with me. I’d like to go back and see if I can recreate that same experience. The third one was an EVP recording. We were investigating a private residence in central New Hampshire. Another investigator and I were doing an EVP session – we asked the typical questions “what’s your name?” and “how old are you?”. We didn’t get a name but the age question had a distinct and unmistakable response of a young child saying “six”.

Why did you get into the Paranormal?

I grew up around Salem, Mass. I’ve always been around witches and witchcraft. My dad has always been a prophetic dreamer his entire life. So growing up, we were really open about the paranormal and talking about the paranormal. I did not experience my first “ghost” until my late teens. The house we were living in appeared to be haunted. I started really investigating in 1995 when a local college was hosting a lecture on the paranormal and folklore and historical experiences. One of the speakers was giving a lecture on his experiences as a “ghost hunter” and it hooked me. It was very old school back then – analog recorders with magnetic tape and VHS cameras – very different from all the equipment we use now. But it was that lecture that really got me interested and sparked the fire for the paranormal.

Whats next?

I don’t really have anything specific coming “next” but I know that whatever it is will be exciting. I’ve always believed that the journey is the most fun of what comes “next”. But I also think eventually I’d love to take the Hive mobile, doing shows live from haunted locations all around the country. I’d love to get involved in more events and fundraising for historic sites and haunted locations. Eventually, I would love to write about book about investigating as viewed from more of a skeptic’s view of the field.

Favorite Haunts?

If I had to pick out a single place, I’d like to go…I would love to go to a haunted castle in England or Ireland. The span of history and life and suffering those places must have seen is breathtaking. Just being able to step back into history like that and try and connect with someone from a wholly different time would be amazing. Plus the stones themselves, which have held for all these years … you can only imagine the energy they must hold. I think it would be quite the experience.

Do you think that paranormal shows gives groups a bad reputation?

Absolutely. I am not a big fan of paranormal TV shows, although the people on those shows, I have no ill will towards. Those shows are meant to be entertainment – not any kind of documentary about ghost hunting. Its all overly edited. Its a Hollywood version of “ghost hunting”. The worst thing about paranormal tv is that they use psuedo-scientific theories and half-tested ideas and put those across as fact. They then stand on their “celebrity” as the evidence to make their “theory” plausible. When I investigate at public events, I waste a lot of time explaining to the general public why I don’t necessarily do the same things as the shows you see on tv and why those shows are wholly entertainment and should be viewed as just another partially-scripted show.
Name some Random Facts about you?

I am an amateur photographer and love taking shots of light houses. I like watches. I love hardcore music (Listen to the Hive and you will get a taste during my bumpers). I met an amazing girl through my radio career that I am crazy about.

Are you a skeptic or a believer?

I am a healthy skeptic. I am a believer in the sense that I have had enough experiences to know that there is something beyond death and something else in this world – “ghosts” exist. However, I am extremely skeptical of the majority of evidence that people put forward as so-called “evidence” of the paranormal. Most of it is natural phenomena misrepresented and defined as “paranormal” when there is a more earthly explanation. So I set my bar very high in terms of what evidence I filter out of my investigations. I believe that what is then left over is really the best of the best for supporting the idea of “life after death”

State of the Watchmen – 2011

2011 started off on a high note, coming back from our Gettysburg trip in December in which we were the FIRST to do do DUAL investigations at Jennie Wade House Museum & Solider’s Museum/Orphanage! Thats both places in the same night same time, we did it for nights in a row! A big thank you to our Friends Chris and Kendra from Spirit Realm Investigation who helped fill out our numbers. This was just the first of many interesting things for us. We spoke at Delaware Valley College to students in March about the paranormal, which was awesome and I hope we are invited back again! We attended our first expo in June at the Historic Bolton Mansion, in levittown. July brought a tandem investigation with NJSPR. In August Bekah Liz decided to leave the group and we wish her the best in her future paranormal plans, she is now over at Parahistory. We welcomed Mandi Simone in September to our family as our new researcher. October has been jam packed with changes & Events! We welcomed officially a long time friend and awesome person Christina Smith to our ranks. We attended our 2nd ever Expo at the historic Fort Mifflin, in Philadelphia. Our first local event we helped promote and had a table at was the Tylersport Firehouse Haunted Hayride, which was a blast! We also had our first public meet and greet at the OBR Hotel (Old bethlem Road Hotel) in Quakertown & Scheduled our FIRST public reveal of our findings of the OBR Hotel for sometime in 2012!! Should be a very fun filled night! We also have a few Open Positions available, Video person (2), Photographer, Researcher (2), and a marketing person to help with logo designs/other marketed related things.

All in all we the Midnight Watchmen are growing towards more then just ghost hunters, we are explorers of the unknown and as such I expect 2012 to really be an interesting year. We plan on having our first DVD of cases available for sale early in the first quarter of 2012! In the works is a public ghost hunt at a historic tavern and the year will also be filled with joint cases with other groups, a few new members and more importantly we’ll be shedding some light onto the dark… Knowledge and helping people is the core of our “business/hobby/field”. And That is what we do best!

In closing I’d like to thank my team from our current members to the ones who are no longer with us, as all of you have had an influence on what the Midnight Watchmen have become and will be tomorrow. Their are not words for me to express my joy and happiness in doing what we do, for me it was a dream since I was child to be a “ghostbuster”, this the next best thing to that, only thing we’re missing is an Ecto-1, but if that’s all we’re missing that ain’t too bad….

Peace,
Cedric
[email protected]