I love the thrill of ghost stories. I spend an extraordinary amount of time watching the Travel Channel’s Haunted Hotels and other ghost programs. I don’t exactly have an affinity for ghosts; I’m not even sure what I’d do if I actually met a ghost. If he was a good-looking pirate, I’d undoubtedly try to seduce—I really read too many paranormal novels.My favorite ghost story is the one about the Flying Dutchman. Yeah, you thought that was just a bit from the Pirates of the Caribbean, didn’t you? No, it’s a legend in and of itself.
Over three hundred years ago, a Dutchman by the name of Captain Hendrik van der Decken was said to have sailed around the cape of Good Hope. Instead of pulling into port during a nasty storm, he chose instead to weather it out: cursing a blue streak while he did. Apparently this bit of blaspheming earned him an eternity of sailing the seas without any hope of making port. If you’re out at sea and you see a visible red light, be aware you are in the presence of the Flying Dutchman. Also, be careful what you do aboard your ship after, since a sighting of the Dutchman is typically a death sentence for one of the crew. Look, but don’t look too close.
Tell us your favorite ghost story and we’ll break out the S’mores and hot chocolate. What stories and legends do you know that have made their way into fiction? (Send me in their direction—I love ghost story novels!) Why do you think ghosts stick around? Have you ever seen a ghost? (Do tell.) And do you think you could break a curse, or do you too have the t-shirt that reads: Virgin—this is a really old t-shirt?
51 comments:
I'm not a huge fan of ghost stories. But, Susan Krinard has a ghost book, Called Body and Soul (I think) and I love it, even though I avoid ghost stories. I like flesh and blood you can touch, and sqeeze, and I'll stop now... :D
I have always had an affinity for ghosts and it's never occurred to me to be afraid of them. My aunt's house is haunted and she's talked to her ghost. Turns out he grew up in the house and was killed as a teen. I think in a car or motorcycle accident. For some reason, he's still there.
Strange thing, I can't remember ever reading ghost stories. I watch plenty on tv but no books that I can think of. And I had never heard that Flying Dutchman story. So interesting. I'm glad on the one cruise I took, I didn't see any red lights. *g*
I can't help with any recommendations of good ghost stories...but a virgin or not I could break the Dutchman's spell. *Lighting up a cigarette and batting eyelashes at Will Turner*
Great blog Cap'n.
Lissa, you reminded me. I meant to put Will in the blog! *leaves to put in picture* God, that was a great movie.
December 4th, people! The movie comes out December 4th!
Tiff, I will grant you there is something to be said for flesh and blood and someone you can touch... So long as they're not too hairy. *g*
But usually in those novels there comes a point where they can touch them. *swoons* And when they do....
I'm guessing your aunt's ghost is nice, then?
The one book I can think of is "Stardust of Yesterday"--by Lynn Kurland, who loves time travel and ghosts. She writes about both all the time. He made for one funny ghost.
I read one Scottish ghost one...but I didn't care for it because it turned out the heroine was dying and didn't realize it--and that's why the ghost was there. To make sure her "passing" went smoothly and she wasn't alone. I felt rather betrayed that we didn't know the heroine was going to die. Though I don't know how I thought her and a ghost were going to live together either. *LOL*
I forgot to answer the t-shirt question. LOL! I don't have that one.
Yep, my aunt's ghost is friendly. When my cousins were babies he would watch over them. For instance, if my aunt put them down for a nap without covering them, they would usually be covered when she went back in.
The reason she knows more details is because his brother showed up once saying he grew up in the house and just wanted to see it again. You can imagine his surprise when she asked him about the young man ghost and could even describe him. Apparently, he still wears the outfit he had on when he died.
Okay, I'm going to be the lone weirdo of the group and say that I don't like ghost stories. I believe ghosts and spirits wondering the earth and Ouija boards scare the hell outta me.
So no scary stories from me. I don't even like scary movies.
Sin - I never would have thought you'd be the scaredy pirate of the bunch. LOL! I played with a Quija board when I was in Jr high and it always amazes me when people freak out. It says Milton Bradley right on it. LOL!
But the thing did move on its own and it did tell me I would marry a guy with the initials DO. And almost ten years later, I did.
Too bad it didn't warn me I'd divorce a man with the initials DO...
DO? Dumb Oaf?
I don't play with Ouija boards either--I don't let the Milton Bradley fool me--much for the same reasons as Sin. I'm sure if I did, it'd say, "SPINSTER" or something. (You know pirates--always concerned for their freedom.)
I get wiggy at ghost stories, but I love the rush all the same. The Flying Dutchman makes me a little wiggy--the poor bloke.
Although I am surprised Sin doesn't like scary movies, when her Cabin Boy certainly does--and her living quarters are stacked with as many scary movies (as comedies).
Dude. You can call me a scaredy pirate all you want, but the ouija board brought a presense of a ghost and it freaked me out. I swear I wasn't high either. Every time the ouija board came out everything predicted came true. I don't wanna know the future.
The DH loves scary movies. The more blood and gore it contains the happier he is. I don't understand it. I can't stand them. I watched one of the Saw movies, and I got sick. Then I felt like I was going to pass out when they pitched one of the girls into a pit of infected needles.
NO thank you.
I don't like movies were something touches the eye in any way and I don't like when bones are poking out of the skin. Scary is okay as long as its not gory.
Gore is not the same as scary.
The Sixth Sense was scary.
The Village was scary.
I think The Ring was scary...
I like the psychological stuff more.
I thought The Village was scary too! And The Ring. And The Sixth Sense. And Vanilla Sky. (Seriously the movie gave me nightmares for two weeks and it's not because of Tom Cruise's acting.)
I'm like you Hellion. Blood and Gore do not equate to scary for me. But in our household it does for some reason. LOL
I'm with you on the psychological stuff. I can sort of do that. Like The Shining. That movie seriously messed with me. REDRUM!
What about that house that Stephen King used as inspiration. I think it was him. The house really exists too. This woman had perpetual construction done on her house because she believed it would thwart the evil spirits and they wouldn't be able to find their way into or around the house. I can't remember what it's called but Rose is in the name.
I think it's ironic that she went to all that trouble and now people think the place is haunted.
Rose Red is the story.
The only house I know there was continual construction on it was The Winchester House (which I visited), in San Fran. The widow of the inventor of the Winchester was big into seances (which was big at the time, quite the trend)--and she was told that the ghosts of all the people who died by her husband's invention were angry--and the only way to keep them at bay was to keep building on this house. There are staircases that lead to nowhere. Rooms of nothing. *LOL* A door that goes outside of the third story--but has no balcony--so you'd fall if you walked out of it.
I'm sure she's not the only one who has tried this stunt. *LOL*
That's the one. I saw it on HGTV in the last couple of weeks. They showed the room where she had her seances and the weird doors and staircases.
I turned it on in the middle so didn't hear the Winchester connection. It makes more sense knowing that.
I love Ghost Stories but watch Ghost movies with a hand over my eyes. I will watch Supernatural on the web, with my husband laughing at the "way" I watch it.
I'm with you, Teri. I have a little six sense when it comes to ghost. I mean...too long of a story. But they are very, very real.
My mom, now there's a real movie about the "Sixth Sense." She never flinches or feels any amount of chicken skin when she sees them. She thinks, it's quite natural.
As for the OUIJA. I won't touch it. I already (my own personal feelings) know that they exist -- I don't want to place out an invitation to be stalked. No, thank you.
And, now, I think...I can take the "weirdo" award for today.
Dreamwalker - thanks for stopping by the ship. I think my comfort with ghosts stems from growing up Catholic and believing in guardian angels. Stay with me here.
When I was little I felt totally comfortable believing there was someone with me all the time and I couldn't see them. Ghosts work pretty much on the same principle.
I guess I'm weird because I loved the Ouija board when I was a kid. But then again I'm a sucker for a scary movie.
Dreamwalker (Vagi)! I'm so glad you found us and were able to post. *recalls stupid blogger issues at personal site* I agree. I offer up too many opportunities for stalking with flesh and blood guys--I don't need to double that by including the other world.
Plus the Other World would have a better chance of locating me. They won't care if my cell phone is charged or not.
You have not won the weirdo award, I assure you.
Terri has.
Lissa is our resident daredevil. Who knew a woman who'd willingly straddle a cannon would be so reckless about all things, including the paranormal?
I'm the weird award winner? *lifts one brow to hairline*
We have a Cap'n who truly believes she's dating a fictional character, a Quartermaster who wants to be a vampire, a Powder Monkey who juggles cannon balls for fun (I won't mention what she does to that cannon barrel) and I'm the weird one?
Of course I am, what was I thinking...
Vagi - I didn't know that was you!!!
I'm not just dating Jack, I'm also having his fictional baby! Weren't you there in June when I announced it?
Don't hate on my vampire ways, Ter.
How could I forget that. I must have been off being weird somewhere.
When are we having the shower, anyway? And you'll have to let me know how it is having a pirate baby. I'd think that wooden leg would leave some terrible splinters in your...well, just let me know.
Are you mocking my pirate baby?
Sorry, Sin, I was defending myself and you got caught in the crossfire.
Who mock? Me mock? Nah!
I'm having deja vu....
You guys are a riot! I think the older I get the more I believe that anything is possible. So I suppose I wouldn't close the door on the ghost thing.
I am also in the "I don't like to be scared" camp! I've never seen the fun in having the crap scared out of you. I don't like Halloween, haunted houses (with the exception of Disney's Haunted Mansion), scary movies, gory movies, psychological thrillers. All that stuff gives me the creeps and it stays with me forever! I'm pretty much a wimp.
On our 5th wedding anniversary the DH and I went to Disneyworld. He managed to get me on a ride (Alien Encounter) without me knowing it was scary! He stood in front of all the signs warning you not to go on if you're pregnant or have a heart condition and struck up a convo about relationship issues to keep me occupied! How's that for deceitful? The most humiliating part was that half the people in line with us knew what he was doing and they all got a real bang out my screaming and wailing during the ride!
I still say Mr. Irisheyes sounds cool as hell. I don't mind scary roller coaster rides. There's one at Busch Gardens called Curse of Dark Castle and it's this cool 3D experience. It jerks you around and it's so funny when it looks like food and utensils are flying at your head. You keep ducking even though you know there's nothing there.
At one point it looks like the werewolf dude that lives in the castle has thrown you off the roof or something and you'd swear you're falling straight down. I'd love to know how they do that. LOL!
Of course, it's only fun the first time because after that it's not a surprise anymore. LOL!
*LOL* Irish, I swear if you weren't married to your husband, I would be--even if he's named Mike. He's a riot. Deceitful. You have to love that in a man.
You know of course he only takes you on those sorts of rides and stuff to hear you scream--so he can report back, with smug humility: "Yeah, I married a screamer."
Get your rum soaked hands off Mr. Irish. She already told me if anything happens to her, I get him.
So back off. LOL!
Thanks for the warning about the ride at Busch Gardens, Ter!:) I'm sure that will come in handy at some future date.
The good news is that I've bred a playmate for him. My DD loves all that stuff too! So now the two of them go off and thrill seek together. My DS kind of joins in but is more like me! Although, that Y chromosome usually wins out and he's right there with them. But, now, nothing they do together is as much fun as scaring the s#*t out of mommy!
You know him too well, Hellion! LOL
BTW - love the T-shirt. It's hilarious!
Wow, I go run a few errands and you guys have a blast!
I am a big giant wussy when it comes to scary stuff. I don't like gore or freaky stuff.
I believe in ghosts though. I think I'm like Ter, raised Catholic with the whole guardian angel thing.
So it appears Marnee is a screamer too. It is becoming clearer and clearer how these women are capturing husbands!
I'm apparently screaming the wrong thing at men. "What do you mean it's going to cost me $372.86? I came for a lube job!" And then they bolt like cockroaches running to escape a kitchen light.
I have lots of naughty shirts. Most of which I can't wear in front of my father or at family functions, like funerals. Somehow: Coed Naked Pool (Get Felt on the Table) is frowned up on at Aunt Zelda's wake.
Anyone ever notice those shirts featured really exciting jobs like Firefighting, Police Officers, et al. Not one of them said: Coed Naked Writers--Where Making It Up As You Go Along Is De Riguer...or "Seduction is but a cheesy dialogue line away..."
No one wants to think of naked writers. Why? Because who do we know as writers? Stephen King and Woody Allen--and nobody wants to think of them as naked.
Hey, Terri...it's me.
I had to go with dreamwalker. I could not for the life of me post a comment with I.G.
My mom will tell us nonchalantly that she was talking with her brother. Y'know the one that was lost at sea. Like it was normal. "Oh, he still looks so handsome." She would tell us. It's become the normal, when she talks about her siblings who've passed on. And worse, she's not crazy. I wish she was.
Once, last year I bellieve. I was visiting a niece in Detroit. Both of us got really strange feelings but didn' speak to each other about them. Finally, I started to smell a flowery perfume. She still didn't say anthing. Then the room started to feel cold. I finally asked her if she felt something; in which she said yes. I asked her if she could smell the perfume. Again she said yes. It was now 3 a.m. in the morning. She said, she'd been feeling like someone had been in her home for the past few weeks. I told her that there wasn't just one -- there were two.
Needless to say, we slept in the same room.
But I'm like you Terri. I believe in guardian angels. For me, I believe that they are our very own family members. For they know us best. And because my Mom said so.
Coed Naked Writers: Dip your quill in my ink well and lets get to the climax. *g*
How cool I can call I.G. D.W. now. LOL! I have no problem with ghost. I think the spirits of those moved on are always here (big John Edward fan) but the ones that make their presence known more we call ghosts.
Hellion - how'd you know about the screaming? Has my husband been talking to you guys? *g*
But, it wasn't the screaming that finally won him over. It was the flakiness and clumsiness. Double threat, that is. He didn't stand a chance. He'd have to tell you about the time I tripped on some imaginary speed bump in the pizza shop, skinning my knee and twisting my wrist, but somehow managing not to spill my soda. *duh me*
Terri - "dip your quill in my ink well" ROTFLMAO! I've been chuckling about that for the last five minutes.
PS, my cousin was on John Edwards' show and it's totally legit.
Crazy.
Marnee - I want to go to one of his tapings so bad but tickets are like $175 or something crazy like that. I'll get there some day. He's the only one I believe is for real of all those people on tv.
My cousin, who is not the type of person to lie about this stuff, said that no one asked either her or her friend any questions. She got picked out of the crowd, and he started mentioning her father, who'd just passed away two months earlier. (Massive heart attack while going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and died immediately). She was very moved by him.
I used to go to a psychic in Philadelphia who gave told me things that scare me now that I think about it. She even told me when I'd meet my husband and that I should watch for someone with big blue eyes. (My hubby has the clearest, sweetest blue eyes in the world.)
I totally believe in psychics and the like. In fact, I've been debating writing a book about them in the future.
And Ter, when I'm researching my psychic book we'll go. I'll be able to write it off on my taxes, right? A business expense for research?
Marnee Jo - I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
LOL!
Absolutely, mate. :) LOL!
Coed Naked Pool & Coed Naked Writers - ROTFLMAO!
SEP had a good one - she wrote about a chick with big boobs that was wearing a t-shirt that said 'I wish these were brains' - doesn't that tell you all you need to know about that character! She's priceless.
I don't think I'd like to go to a psychic. I suppose I wouldn't mind talking to love ones that have passed, but I don't think I'd want to know the future. That would kind of wig me out!
It was weird, Irish. While this woman would talk, the things she said made so much sense that they didn't freak me out.
Like, when she said I would meet my hubby. She told me that I was moving into a new phase in my life, which somehow I already knew, and that it held my husband and two children. (I only have one so we'll see about that). She said watch for someone with blue eyes in six months. She also said that I would quit my job and go into a field where I could serve the community. Knew stuff about my old job, stuff about a boyfriend I'd just broken up with, even recited an entire argument that we'd had, practically word for word, using phrased he'd used. Very weird. Stuff like that. Way more things but I'm highjacking Fran's blog.
(sorry captain)
Oh, and she would be dead drunk, smelling like gin. Stinking smelling like gin.
Sounds like our Cap'n could be your psychic lady. LOL! She's read my cards before and she does fit that description...
Hijack away, wench.
D.W.
OH, no...I feel like Arthur's annoying sister.
That shows the difference in what we watch. It makes me think of Darrell Waltrip in Nascar. LOL!
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