Ghosts of Washington DC

Getting it Done....

2007-09-29T21:20:00.001-07:00

I have determined I have a different process for non-fiction writing. With fiction, I work on one scene, then develop the characters. For non-fiction, I outline.

What a frustrating switch! However, I did manage to get a ton of work done tonight on the Ghosts Book!

Falling over now.
Namaste.

2007-09-21T17:02:00.000-07:00

My friend JB gave us the story on the ghost cat....

A maintenance guy was cleaning up around the Capitol one night and he saw this black cat. He thought he was going crazy on why a cat would be in the Capitol. Well as he was doing his work the cat got closer and closer and changing shape the whole time in to a bigger cat when it got real close it looked like a black panther. Scared the guy so much he ran off. He started telling the Capitol Police about it, and the Capitol cops checked it out finding nothing and told the guy to go home and don’t worry about it. Next day the man was dead, and no one knew why or how. So as it goes, if anyone sees that Black Ghost cat the next day you will end up dead. That is the story of the Ghost cat.

Also known as the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill. I think I'll forgo ghost kitty hunting with the toddler ;) Gabe can still take him though!

Drat...

2007-09-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

So, I was downtown tonight but not for ghostly reasons...ghost hunting with a toddler in tow....bad idea. I don't want to scare him ;)

However, we passed by the Capitol and I said, hey you know....scary Halloween cat lives in that building *and pointed to the Capitol as we passed by* Cause we're really trying to make sure things don't scare him AND he's just aware of other things around him.

"Really?"....silence.."is he Real, mommy?"

"Well, I'm not sure." As I dodge crazy DC drivers because I want to make a LEFT onto Louisiana Avenue. For the record....give a little patience to NON-DC plated drivers...we hate driving in the District at night. Just DEAL.

Then I get,...."Is scary Halloween cat a ghost kitty or a real kitty?"

"Well, he's supposed to be a ghost kitty."

"Oh, Can I see him?"

"Sure baby...as soon as I can get us into the building to see him. It's late angel....shhh, quiet time."

To which, said 3 year old was out right after we departed DC through the 9th St tunnel (I'm just glad I got the right damn ROAD)...he loves tunnels. I'm sure the Demon Cat of the Capitol has never encountered a 3 year old with an insatiable curiosity...I'd love to get the video of when the two meet.....cause scary kitty at the Capital...according to our 3 year old...ain't got nothing on the grrrrr and hiss of our Gabriel.

;) Ponder a 30+ lb Maine Coon against a ghost cat....I'm giving dibs to the Maine Coon....I've seen the stuff he's brought home! You can yowl and hiss all you want...unless you've got claws that mark? I'm not scared ;) Hehee. Now, to find a friend or two with a way into the Capitol to hunt one ghost kitty.....................

Researching Online...

2007-09-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

I really miss having my student ID and being able to sneak into the research libraries through George Mason's access. It's frustrating to be denied the ability to research online by educational and library brick walls. ARGH.

However, you will note, I updated a ton of links to the left all concerning the local ghost stories for the DC area. No, sorry, VA and MD aren't included here. Perhaps later on. I'm having too much fun focusing on only DC to try adding the other two into the mix.

Now, if I could just find some people willing to share their photos! We need to start seeing some captured images of our energetic entities.

For my purposes here, we're going to identify some definitions here based on Josuha Warren's book "How to Hunt Ghosts" mostly because his definitions seem to be the most logical to me.

Ghost aka spirits, phantoms, wraiths, visions, shades, specters, haints and apparitions - some paranormal aspect of the physical form and/or mental presence which appears to exist apart from the original form.
Entity - a ghost that appears to be conscious and interactive.
Imprint - an impression of an event made on the environment.
Warps - a place on earth where the laws of physics seem to be distorted, and reality sometimes behaves in unfamiliar ways (i.e., Bermuda Triangle)
Poltergeist - this definition meets a specific set of standards to include temporary activity, centered on an agent, disturbances focused on physical objects.
Naturals - a rare phenomenon that appears ghostly but in fact is created by some scientifically unknown property of the present nature.

Going forward, these are the definitions we'll be working from. It's a start anyway. I may add more as I learn more, but, I wanted to get us all working from a common speaking point.

Namaste

I'm So Special.....

2007-09-18T20:25:00.000-07:00

I got my very own personal tour of the Decatur House in DC today! Yes, I was the only one who showed up for the 3:15 tour (cause I missed the 2:15 one by five minutes). I showed up, the tour had already started, so I treked 3 blocks over and 4 blocks down to find the Octagon House under renovations and only open by appointment to pre-booked parties of 10 or more. Anyone up for a Halloween tour???

Anyway, the lovely lady from Decatur, GA gave me a tour of the Decatur House (yes, it made me a little twitchy, but whatever, she was ALL about a Ghost book ;)). For the record, you have start the tour in the servants/slave quarters which houses the bookstore/gift shop. Then, they take you back out of the quarters to the front of the house on Lafayette Square. Oh, and be careful,...because they randomly shut down odd roads and walkways depending on what visiting Dignitary has demanded heightened security.

In through the front doors, which remain locked, even during your tour. The main hallway still boasts its original flooring, holes and wobbly floorboards and all. They're in the process of renovating. Around the corner to the left, the Family Room, and where it is said, Decatur died with Andrew Jackson in attendance. (I think it was him, I'll have to double check). The only original piece of furniture in the room is Decatur's guillotine desk.

All in all, GREAT tour. I've got some wonderful pictures, which, you're going to have to buy the book to see ;) As it is...I think I have an entire chapter to get started on! I'm going to try and go back to head over to St. John's cathedral, wait till you HEAR that story. And then on to the Hayes-Adams museum. I've got some interesting stories about the families and such there too. Maybe I'll hit up Pyrria to share her story here too....I'll go nudge her to come visit.

~S