20 hours agoWhy do we feel so nostalgic about Polaroids?As someone who was born in the 1980s, instant photography holds a special place in my heart — Polaroid-branded instant cameras in particular. Last week, I wrote about how popular instant photography is in the paranormal, and how I think it’s tied to our sense of nostalgia. In the course…Polaroid4 min readPolaroid4 min read
1 day agoHow I learn things (Learning Things: March 20, 2023)I spend a lot of time learning things. From researching paranormal subjects for my podcast to deep diving into my many hobbies, I almost always am juggling multiple projects that require me to delve into different areas. That learning style might be overwhelming for some folks (and I’m sure it’s…DIY9 min readDIY9 min read
4 days agoTaking pictures of ghosts: Polaroids, instant photography, and paranormal investigationSpirit photography has a long and troubled history. When the subject comes up, my first thought is of hoaxers like William H. Mumler and William Hope, whose photographs were debunked in the 19th and 20th centuries, respectively. Much of the early belief in spirit photography seemed to rely on people…Photography7 min readPhotography7 min read
5 days agoSpirit boxes, radios, and analog ghost huntingWhy is does so much ghost hunting gear resemble tech from the 80s and 90s? Why do paranormal investigators tend to favor old technology? Does that act of using old tech add to the potential allure of ghost hunting? As I’ve written about a couple times already, I’m interested in…Paranormal Investigation4 min readParanormal Investigation4 min read
6 days agoGhost hunting as nostalgiaWhat could be more nostalgic than ghost hunting? You’re going through old, ruined places and looking for either the shades of the past, nature spirits, or some other lost and ineffable thing. At one point, interest in the paranormal was driven by a desire to talk to the dead.¹ But…Paranormal Investigation5 min readParanormal Investigation5 min read
Mar 14When ghosts feel more real than daily lifeLately, I’ve been thinking that nostalgia may be a major driver of why people are into the paranormal. The act of hunting ghosts and interacting with the unknown is an opportunity to connect with a reality that exists beyond a computer or smartphone screen. In the past, crises like war…Paranormal7 min readParanormal7 min read
Mar 13Embarking on a questI’ll start with the tl;dr: I want to try to write more often. Specifically, I’d like to aim for “near-daily” blog posts, with a goal of publishing something approximately five days per week and accompanying it with a piece of art. …Zettelkasten9 min readZettelkasten9 min read
Apr 1, 2022How to Ghost Hunt By Yourself Using the Solo Estes MethodMost people interested in paranormal investigation have heard of the Estes Method, a technique that was popularized by the webseries Hellier. There’s a good reason for the Estes Method’s popularity. …Paranormal Investigation19 min readParanormal Investigation19 min read
