...roadmap...(11FEB09)

Interesting show that 'Destination: Truth' - never caught it until last night. One segment of their 'investigation' involved a forest in Japan, below Mt. Fuji, where about a 100 folks commit themselves to suicide each year. Now, I gotta fact find on that one - that's a boast that's gotta be wrong. Yeah...ok, just hit wikipedia that says it's about 30 per year and overall 500 recorded instances. Apparently, it's second to suicides to the Golden Gate Bridge which doubles Aokigahara forest's count. Never heard of the Golden Gate to be as active, though.

Of course, in true fashion, and from the minor research I did as a child, the Japanese ghosts appear to be more fully developed apparitions than our own. The few paranormal books we had at the local libraries typically referenced very violent Japanese poltergeists. However, if you look at many modern legitimate hauntings - I'm not sure if they are mere spirits or, stay with me, demonic.

The apparitions they spotted in the one night the 'Destination: Truth' team was there they did catch what appeared to be a full-torso white figure appear and, to me, look like it descended down a ridge. If it were a live-blooded human, the features would have been apparent in the night shot light. They had personal experiences, typicall full-bodied shadow figures. Wasn't there, don't know - it pissed me off that they would send investigators by themselves. You simply don't send people on their own - in a pitch-black, unfamiliar forest with rugged terrain? Come on. They are going to get hurt.

The other segment was a trip: the Filipino aswang. If there is a well-known traditional monster in the Philippines, it's the aswang. One of the researchers got caught up in the sounds of the islands, which, especially in the summer nights is extremely loud. They caught a lot of wild animals on tape. But nothing of a large, blood-sucking bat-like thing.

Read a lot of paranormal books in my youth. Real, serious books on the subject. But, unfortunately, the paranormal is difficult to gauge twenty years ago. The biggest modern legitimate case (we're talking 1950s) involved a group of authority figures that witnessed a chair levitate. Now, with a lot of newer technologies, it seems they are getting closer to legitimizing things they are catching on tape, still and video. The stuff trips me out, but, can we ever run to a conclusive piece of evidence? Not sure what that would be...

One of the investigators on Ghost Hunters Intl had an interesting point: he says he does it to show others that there is an afterlife. That's an interesting premise, but, if people don't believe your evidence, they aren't going to reach your conclusion.

...rainy weekend...(06FEB09)

...been steadily coming down. A might cold in South California these past couple of months. Punctuated by dry heat on other days. Generally off-setting - typically I'd love this weather, but something seems quelling under the surface.

There's a general sense in my circles of a 'reckoning'. I hate to think on it: but it's this disquiet. Social disquiet perhaps: hope turned into unsubstatiated dishevelment. Can't put any discernment on it, where I typically have an ability to sense the underlying. Hope should never displace Faith. Need sleep I suppose.

There is a few lines at the tail end of Francis Scott Key's Star Spangled Banner:
"...Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, - 'In God is our trust,'
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave..."

I'm praying. Not that I've ever stopped, mind you, but thought I'd mention it for those of you out there who may have forgotten it themselves. I received a chaplet of St. Therese from a charity organization (but they neglected the actual chaplet prayers with it). And considering the direct effect of it in the past, I've petioned her as my co-patroness (along with St. Joseph).

I wonder what non-Catholics think of all these seemingly 'charm bracelets' of the Faith? There's too much to explain: it's an ocean. If/when a Catholic attempts to explain a facet of something, it usually comes off as provincial, naive or wanting - like attempting to describe a congregation of lillies: it's there, unwanting of itself and of its obvious beauty. Why try to explain it? It's perfection with little words; drawing you without demanding.

It would take a few (solid) books to explain the communion of saints alone - as much for 'chaplets', rosaries, patrons, etc.

And, hard times lately: what can be done? Just doing my best to stay afloat. Faith is what sustains me. Love the other. Cold, hard logic the next. Charity where possible. There is this dog me and a stranger at work have been trying to get adopted: Pet Harbor

Poor thing: if you can adopt this animal from the South LA Animal Shelter, I'll pay for the license, etc. He needs a lot of attention, that I really can't provide (plus I have a 13-year-old Chow mix that is getting arthritic and needs attention too). Just e-mail me at admin@edwardianjackal.com.

Sorry: just completely scatter-brained right now. And it's almost 1am. Good night, sweet dove, may the Lord continue to bless you...