I would love to hear more.

I have a couple really creepy ones, but most of mine are "there was a ghost, and then nothing happened."

Somewhere around here, there's an antique store in an old house in a rural area. Not sure where I came across it. House was probably built early 1900s, big common rooms, small bedrooms, odd layout, uneven floors. I wasn't in a hurry, so I wandered throughout the whole place. Hardly anyone else there, proprietor half-asleep. There was a big staircase going up, and a small staircase coming down. I went up and roamed around. There was one room left to peruse, a tiny room at the top of the small staircase. I felt it as soon as I crossed the threshold. It felt like the spirit of a young girl, probably not more than 14, just quietly lying there. It was very distinct, exactly like walking into a room and finding someone there. It wasn't scary at all, she was just there. There's no way to prove or disprove it; the owners didn't know the history, and with any old house there's a really good chance someone has died there. It's easy to dismiss feelings like that, but still, I don't walk around feeling ghosts all the time, so... I tend to believe myself. Others may not; that's cool.

I have a couple really creepy ones, but most of mine are "there was a ghost, and then nothing happened."

There were some freaky, freaky lights off in what was clearly National Park and not camp-able land earlier. So there was a thing and nothing happened. Unless I documented something bad. Which is possible.

Nothing happened and it was weird or something happened and that's kinda bad, it's a toss up.

I hope Son #1 takes the chance and steps up, Laura.

I have a couple really creepy ones, but most of mine are "there was a ghost, and then nothing happened."

Heh. That's maybe a good ratio.

That's maybe a good ratio.

Yep, I think so!

There were some freaky, freaky lights off in what was clearly National Park and not camp-able land earlier.

Were they round blue floaty lights?

On the other side of the parking lot, I saw an elderly Chinese man. He was dressed in an old-fashioned way, real old-fashioned. Long bright tunic, loose bright trousers, slippers, and the type of cap with a knob on the top you see in the old art. There was also an embroidered jacket with the typical embroidery and cut. He walked along slowly, bending down occasionally to pick something up and tuck it in his yellow shoulder bag. He saw me, stopped, and stared back at me.

Sometimes, you feel like you're looking at someone who's in a different time and place, and they're looking back at you, another stranger in weird clothes and the wrong place.

Yes! It was an affronted look, wondering why I was intruding on his world. It's my second favorite memory of New York (the first being watching the full moon rise behind the Empire State Building).

Were they round blue floaty lights?

Dumb, "we are looking for you" lights and "then we are here and doing stuff" lights. But no one should be there. So it's annoying. Stop being where you should not be or just murder/get murdered and stop being lights that I can see.

That feels unkind.

But there is no good reason for those lights.

"Stop being something that could possible involve me!"

At the house I worked at back in Arizona, one of the guys that worked the overnight shifts told me that there was a ghost. He thougth it was centered in one of the bedrooms, which he said was always frigidly cold, that it felt like an evil spirit to him. (I never noticed any unusual temperature variations other than it felt warm at the time of day when the sun hit that side of the house.) The VCR was wonky. He frequently had trouble getting it to work. I never did. Then again, he used to bring in some nasty horror movies (like, more serious than the usual Freddy, Mike Myers, et al.). Me, I'd bring in Princess Bride and things like that. When one of the fellas who lived there retired and was home during the day, he got to go grocery shopping and plan out his lunches. At first he chose canned chili and Chef Boyardee sorts of things. Then he started saying "That boy over there won't let me eat my lunch. He said not to eat it." After a while it occurred to me - whether it was that fella's subconscious or a friendly spirit offering sound nutritional advice - to make batches of homemade chili and soup to put up in single servings in the freezer. Once I did that, no more talk of "that boy over there". I sort of put two and two together and decided the spirit was not so much evil as hostile to that staff member for bringing in such negative movies. One day when I was alone in the house, I said aloud, "As long as you don't harm my guys, you are welcome here. But if you do do anything to hurt them, I will make you leave."

That needs a like button.

These stories aren't bad, exceot the steps in the hall - how did you ever sleep?!- but this is why I don't watch scary movies. I saw one at a drive in in high school that was set in a woodsy area where something bad would happen right after the wind blew and a bunch of leaves clattered in the wind. I am too outdoorsy a person to have that kind of thing in my head! It took decades, like, into my 30s, possibly in my 40s, before I stopped being creeped out and scared by that same sound.

Callaluna, your kitty Isabella is still going after 5 years of subq?! Did you do anything else, or, was she young to start with? Java will turn 18 this year. If he was a human, he'd be heading to college!