I'm Back

After an extra long hiatius, I'm back. Without going into too much detail, Lella my ex, has recovered from the TTP disease as well as can be expected. There were times during her coma we could have lost her. God performed a miracle and pulled her through. She still has to under go constant monitoring, but God has answered our prayers and left her with us. Thank you Lord, our daughter still has her mother.

A lot has happened over the months I was away, too much to write about in one posting. Christmas and New Years have come and gone with the same old, same old. The birthdays and other special occassions repeat year after year. Life does go on inspite of personal crisis.

One thing I've tackled with a vengence is my paranormal studies, both academicaly and in the field with our group. We've developed into an adept group of ten paranormal investigators. Winnipeg media recognizes us a professional group of ghost hunters, and the public seeks us out to investigate bumps and thumps that happen in their homes at night. I plan on publishing the results of these investigations, along with photos and video in my blog, so keep an eye out for them.

All this attention, and we don't even advertise our off beat hobby. And it is only a hobby.....for now.

Why

On answering a call from my daughter on Sunday, I was floored by some terrible news. Her mother, my former wife, was hospitalized after suffering a series of attacks with symptoms similar to a stroke. Diagnosis was TTP syndrome, something I've never heard of. On doing some quick research, I learned this was a severe blood disorder with a 95% fatality rate if not treated in time, survival was about 80% of treated cases. My ex, the girl I liked to get pissed off at, the airhead who was the object of my poking fun at, the lady who I harshly criticized to this day, was about to die. After being divorced for 17 years, I was devastated. I don't know why. I just was.

We've known each other for 36 years, married for 17 of those years, and then divorced to live our lives apart, later with other partners. Together, we did raise our daughter the best way we could, given the circumstances. We never lost touch with each other, and got together often to discuss matters concerning our child. Is that why this is kicking the shit out of me? Aren't divorced people supposed to hate each other, and not be concerned? I guess we're not normal divorcees.

She's putting up quite a fight in the hospital. Charlene, my partner, tells me to do what I have to do. Right now I have to go to the hospital and see if I can help my ex win her battle.

Strange Coincidence

My ghost trackers group is at it again. Along with a newspaper reporter and photographer, our group of ghost trackers headed out to Woodridge Manitoba to repeat the ritual of hunting for the headless, lantern carrying phantom, who supposedly haunts the railway tracks there.

Mr. headless ghost didn't make an appearance, but we did see a bright red light in the sky. So mesmerizing was this light, none of us, not even the media photographer thought to grab a camera and take a picture of this thing. We weren't in Woodridge to spot UFO's, therefore we were taken by complete surprise. Unbeknown to us, there was a festival happening in Woodridge that night, and a fireworks show was to begin a half hour later.

Ghost trackers being interviewed beside the railway tracks in Woodridge shortly before we saw the light.

It made sense to believe the light we saw was a flare. The "flare" was in the same general area, but not directly above where the fireworks were seen later. It was a bit to the south, and more towards our direction. However, this "flare" didn't quite behave like others I've seen. None of us saw it go up. It just appeared, stayed quite stationary for 30 - 45 seconds, and had an octogonal shape when viewed through binoculars. Then it started to move off, blink out, and shoot quickly to the south, leaving a yellow streak of light behind. The flares I've seen, go up, move to the right or left a bit, then fizzle out and drop, all within 10-15 seconds.

Eventually we did disimiss it as a flare, and continued our wait for the no-show ghost. Interestingly, a few days later, a local television station reported a UFO sighting in the Piney area, which is where Woodridge is located. Strange coincidence?

Now, thinking outside the box, could that "flare" have been ETs in a UFO, wondering what so many people were doing in an area that generally has no earthlings wandering about? Is the sighting in Piney a strange coincidence, or is it a piece of the puzzle?

Back to the Grind

After 35 plus years of heading off to work, day in and day out, I'm finally in a position which allows me ample time for myself. So, this was the first summer I took off. No worries, no pressure, no headaches. How sweet it was!

However, all good things must come to an end. I've actually had enough of getting up when I want to in the mornings. My freezer is loaded with fish I've caught these past two months. The lakes and streams, the solitude I feel in the woods by a campfire, and the long drives in the country are losing their awesome wonder.

As summer here in the Peg starts its transition into fall, it's time to hang up the shorts and t-shirts, pull my business duds out of the mothballs, and give those summertime wonders a rest for a few seasons.

You've more than likely guessed by my lack of posts, I've done diddley squat all summer but have fun, fun, fun.

Let's Make a Buck

I recently Googled the company that hosts my affiliate web sites just to see what people were saying. Amongst all the good comments, I came across a complaint. An associate in this affiliate business who isn't making much money, is the culprit.

He purchased extra advertising packages, where most everything was done for him. He did nothing else. Those packages generated a few referrals. He complained it cost him more than the money he made. What did he expect? In the affiliate business you get paid for referring customers. How you find those customers is the challenge.

When I decided extra money would be nice, I thought this was an easy way to make a few bucks. It can be, but then I'd probably be in the same situation as the complainer. He sat back, paid someone to do the work for him, and now his expenses are more than his income.

With my little business venture, I roll up my sleeves and work for myself. My expenses are far below my income. That's how a successful business is supposed to work, right? If I were to spend more time on being innovative, I know the money would be more. I do have a lazy streak.

There are countless ways I can find customers interested in the products my sites promote, without spending a lot on advertising. Those three long banners on the side bar are a few of the things I tell people about. Go ahead, scroll down, click on them, investigate. Maybe you'll find something you need, or have always wanted to do.

SEX FOR FREE

Over the past few weeks I've been reading adult themed blogs. I wouldn't approve of minors reading such material but, if a kid comes across a link saying "ADULTS ONLY" are they really gonna click the "LEAVE" button. Really? Most adults I know won't turn down the opportunity to look at another naked person, so why would a kid if they can get away with it? Charlene, who tends to be a bit on the shy side, has been peeking over my shoulder as I've been reading these blogs. She never reads what I write about.

Even the most refined puritans would probably look if they felt safe enough to not be caught in the act. The point here is that sex sells....big time. Looking at the hit counters on these sites tells me I'm writing the wrong stuff. My readers, I like to think, are family oriented people who wouldn't think of looking at hardcore material; Or would they? I certainly don't get an astounding number of hits.

I must warn you. The blog I'm about to link to contains explicit nudity, sexual images, and adult themes. You must be of legal age to proceed. Remember, if you click this link, you chose to look. Have fun.

My Girlfriend's Day

My Charlene was downtown and met an acquaintance while waiting for a bus. As luck would have it, Germaine, the acquaintance, was waiting for a friend, of a friend, of her son's to pick her up, and offered Charlene a lift home. Ahhh, to be in the right place at the right time. How fortunate! Two boys in a car pulled up to the bus stop and the ladies got in.

A few blocks from home the cops tried to pull the car over some reason. What does the kid do? He floors it and starts driving like a maniac, informing the ladies in the back seat the vehicle wasn't his and he wasn't going back to jail.

Apparently it was a car chase that beat out some of the stuff you see on "Caught on Video" It was dramatic enough that the take down made the front page of the local paper. The ladies were scared shitless!.

The four of them were arrested, at gun point, and carted off to the slammer. After being cleared and released, Charlene told me how close this kid had come to running over and hurting innocent people. He had absolutley no regard for his, and others' safety.

Making the front page, having a gun pointed at your head, and spending a few hours in jail are things we can laugh about now, because only Charlene's pride was hurt. What was that about not accepting rides from strangers? Ha ha ha! That'll teach her.

This story could easily have had a very tragic end. I've been trying to forget this incident for some time. Unfortuately it took a death on a highway, involving a stolen car, to remind me of the deadly consequences irresponsible hoodlums cause with their total disregard for law and order.