I don't believe in ghosts even a little bit. It's like the whole religion thing. They share space in my brain with Santa and fairies.

I don't know, Allyson. I've never seen one myself, but I suppose it could happen. Not holding my breath though. (ghosts, compassionate conservatives, you know)

It's stuff I'm putting in my next book, and I'm sure I sound like a condesending asshole to them, and they sound like hippy dippy weirdos to me.

Last week, after listening to a big story about ghosts from my neighbor Michelle, I said: You know what I know? The sun is going to supernova, fry the earth into one big dead rock, and if there are any aliens out there, they'll never find any evidence of us having been here, aside from any surviving space trash.

Where do you think all the ghosts will go? Will they just be like, "yeah, this is my 40 sq. ft. of burnt rock to haunt. Boogedy Boogedy."?

And I got the usual response of "asshole."

To which I reply, "dude, why do you keep telling me this shit?"

Do people here believe in ghosts?

I was 'eh' on the whole concept (no strong feelings either way) until I went to England and specifically the Tower of London. Then I was all "dude, there is soooooo stuff walking around here." By the time I got to Scotland I couldn't imagine growing up in the British Isles and not believing in them.

By the time I got to Scotland I couldn't imagine growing up in the British Isles and not believing in them.

It can be done. See: Husband, mine.

Plus I dig up dead people from thousands of years ago and have yet to be haunted. And you'd think that if they were going to go after anyone, it'd be the people disturbing their everlasting rest. Because they're getting in the way of a new motorway.

Now I don't have to imagine!

I don't know or really care if they're real, but I love creepy things.

Like this [link]

Or this for the "Looks like happy innocent fun time...but wait, what's that!?!" factor. [link]

I don't know why this one creeps me out so much. [link]

My wicked stepsister freaked out when I changed some details of my literally wicked father's funeral...(he was wicked, the funeral was actually cool). She was afraid he'd be 'mad at us.' My response? Look, if he's going to haunt anyone, it will be me and, frankly, I can take it. 13 years later, so far, so good.

If his spirit sustains, I hope it has better things to do!

On the other hand, I've counseled a lot of people who culturally support the notion of a sustaining presence. I can't argue with them.

As a friend says, "Believe nothing, but entertain all possibilities."

I don't think I could believe in a ghost I had not been personally introduced to. Or presented other kinds of overwhelming evidence. (Even then, they'd have to compensate for the "I don't believe I'm so smart I can't be fooled" factor.)

But in terms Allyson's argument about whether ghost will haunt the burnt out remains of the earth after the sun goes nova - I could so fan-wank that question, just for the sake of arguing. That is actually a pretty easy one to rebut. The big reason I don't believe in ghosts is the same reason I don't believe in Santa Claus. The burden is on anyone arguing for their reality to prove it, not on me to disprove it.