In case you didn’t know, it’s Groundhog Day! Then again it’s felt like Groundhog Day for the last four years, hasn’t it?
Who doesn’t love this old movie? Especially since Bill Murray‘s character was named Phil. And, the groundhog is also named Phil. Coincidence? I think not. This post was originally written for #ThePhilFactor on Feb. 2, 2006 and I now post it every year, over and over, just like Phil’s Groundhog Day in the movie.
The dimwitted people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania have been shoving a rodent through a hole in a tree stump for almost 200 hundred years to find out if there will be 6 more weeks of winter. Hey morons, you live in the Northeast! There’s always 6 more weeks of winter! Check the calendar! It says that Spring starts on March 21st. That’s 7 weeks from now. You don’t need a rat being spooked by his shadow to figure this one out.
I’m always a sucker for a good Phil pun
At this point I’m getting tired of all these wanna-be Phil’s trying to horn in on my fame. If, coincidentally, a shot were to ring out in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania today and a certain rodent were to explode in a puff of fur, I was kidding when I wrote this. Although, over the last few years, I have had to travel to Punxsutawney for work, but I make sure to cover my tracks. No harm meant, just a joke. You’ll all be my alibi right?
I’m curious, for those of you from other countries, do you have a Groundhog Day? As always, if you enjoyed this vintage Phil Factor feel free to share it via the social media buttons below. Come back Saturday for a brand new Phil Factor. Have a great Friday! ~Phil
When I came across the Ghost Hunting Housewives, my first thought was, “Wow, that’s a real catchy name for a paranormal team.” That thought was immediately followed by, “How cool! I’m interested in how they got into this!” In addition to being the most interesting paranormal team in the world, they are also super nice and got back to me immediately when I asked if they’d like to be featured on The Phil Factor.
The Ghost Hunting Housewives are Carol Windham and Crystal Hill and they’ve been best friends for over 20 years. Let’s find out more about them:
TPF: When you created your team name, did you realize that it’s the catchiest paranormal team name out there?
Carol & Crystal: When we came up with our team name, we were aiming for something that would stick in your memory and shout out our love for all things paranormal. We’re a group of housewives, juggling home life like pros, but still making time for our passion. We’re thrilled to hear you find it’s catchy! It’s like our way of saying, “Hey, ghosts and ghouls, we’re here, and we mean business… while also managing the chaos of daily life!”
TPF: What has been the most rewarding part of being paranormal investigators?
Crystal & Carol: One of the absolute best things about being paranormal investigators is being able to help people find answers and some peace of mind. When we can show them evidence or offer explanations for those spooky occurrences, it’s like lifting a weight off their shoulders. Seeing that relief and reassurance on their faces after a bout of uncertainty or fear is what makes our job truly rewarding.
TPF: Do you limit your investigations to possible ghosts, or do you work in other paranormal specialties?
Carol & Crystal: While our primary focus is investigating possible ghosts and hauntings. We love digging into the history of a location to uncover more about its ghostly past. But hey, we’re not ones to shy away from a good adventure—bring on the Bigfoot hunts! We got inspired by our favorite paranormal investigator, Jack Osbourne, especially that episode where he went on the search for Bigfoot. We thought, “Why not? That sounds like a blast!” Who knows, maybe our next investigation will involve more than just ghosts – the wild world of Bigfoot might be calling!
TPF: As someone who appreciates a good Bigfoot sighting and has recently interviewed a Bigfoot expert, I love that you’re open to Bigfoot adventures. I bet that in your neck of the woods there are a lot of Bigfoot sightings. What has been the scariest thing that has occurred during one of your investigations?
Crystal & Carol: One of the scariest moments from our investigations happened at Pauly Jail.
Picture this: A late-night session, a storm rolling in, and us busy with an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) session upstairs. Out of nowhere, we hear these loud, echoing footsteps marching up the stairs, coming closer and closer, and then suddenly, silence. It was like someone—or something—decided to pay us a visit. We went to check it out, but there was no one around. Guess a curious ghost wanted to join in on the investigation fun!
TPF: What’s been the funniest thing that has ever happened during an investigation?
Carol & Crystal: We were deep in the woods during one of our investigations, cameras rolling, all serious about our ghostly business. And then, out of the blue, here comes this dog, full-speed ahead! Cameras everywhere, recording everything, and none of us saw it coming. We all practically jumped out of our skin because, well, unexpected canine companions aren’t usually part of the paranormal package. It was a hilarious moment that caught us totally off guard!
TPF: Would you be interested in having your own paranormal show if a network approached you? (I’m just putting this out there in the universe to help it manifest)
Crystal & Carol: We are definitely open to the idea of having our own paranormal show if a network approached us. It would be a fantastic opportunity to share our investigations, evidence, and experiences with a wider audience.
TPF: Could you tell my readers more about your mission to save historical properties?
Carol & Crystal: We hold a deep appreciation for historical properties and the narratives they encapsulate. Our mission goes beyond exploring potential hauntings; we’re dedicated to playing a role in the preservation and restoration of these historical sites. We organize events to raise funds, contributing to various projects. Additionally, we conduct raffles at the paracons we attend, and the proceeds go towards supporting these projects. We often invite friends to join us during investigations, encouraging voluntary donations for these initiatives. It’s important to emphasize that contributing is entirely voluntary. We hope that we can raise awareness and foster enthusiasm for supporting the maintenance of these historical wonders.
TPF: If one of my readers were interested in having you do an investigation of their home, what part of the country do you work in?
Crystal & Carol: We are based in Louisiana and Alabama, but we are willing to travel anywhere for investigations in the USA, as long as we have enough time to get our affairs in order. If your readers are interested, they can contact us to discuss the possibility of investigating their home or location anytime, and free of charge. Our email is: ghosthuntinghousewives505@gmail.com
TPF: Thanks so much Carol and Crystal! Thank you for your time and insights. I certainly hope you get that TV series! I think you two would be great! For my readers who want to find them on the socials, just look for Ghost Hunting Housewives everywhere! From the YouTube link above you can subscribe to them there and here’s their FB: https://www.facebook.com/ghosthuntinghousewives .
Yesterday, a funny thing happened on Twitter, (yes, I know it’s called X now, but I’m not going to give Elon Musk the satisfaction of being acknowledged by me. I know he worries about that a lot) So yesterday on Twitter, the Sesame Street character Elmo, who is a puppet, put out a tweet:
“Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” That one tweet has so far garnered over 12,000 replies and almost 47,000 retweets. Many of those responses were of an emotional nature. In the space of a few hours a puppet became the most popular therapist in the world. I’m not sure if that is a good lesson for kids. Although, I guess kids, who use social media for a lot of their communication with others, now know that it’s ok to talk about their feelings in a public forum.
I’ll give you a small slice of the replies:
The responses ran the gamut, some serious and some funny, but overall I like the message that it’s ok to reach out when you need. I wonder if Elmo will become some sort of online guru from now on.
This seems to be another sign that we are becoming a more remote online society, but it’s also a sign that there are people everywhere who will help. Have a great Wednesday and reach out to someone if you need to.
Are sweet dreams really made of this? Remember the movie Inception? If you didn’t see it, it was a real long and real trippy movie starring Leo DiCaprio as a high tech thief who steals corporate secrets by infiltrating other peoples dreams. The writer/director Christopher Nolan has also written some other great movies such as Oppenheimer, Interstellar and some of the post-2000 Batman and Superman movies.
It seems that Christopher Nolan was prophetic when he wrote Inception. Remember my post about lucid dreams two weeks ago? If not, CLICK THIS. I talked about lucid dreaming, which is when you have control over what happens and what you do in your dreams; very much like Leo Dicaprio did in Inception.
Apparently, an A.I. company named PropheticAI has developed a device to help people have lucid dreams. One of my readers, DeskInvestor.com brought this to my attention after he read my post about lucid dreaming. He has a great website that focuses on almost everything A.I. He wrote an interesting post about the Morpheus-1, which is the name of the device that PropheticAI will have available for sale this Spring.
The Morpheus-1 halo is a wearable device that is purported to help induce lucid dreaming. The digital art here is from DeskInvestor.com.
If you had the option to control what happens in your dreams, would you want to? I definitely would want to do it occasionally. I wouldn’t want it full time. As someone with a Masters in Clinical Psychology, I believe that dreaming serves a purpose for us neurologically and emotionally. If we were to spend too much time choosing what happens in our dreams, we may not get the benefits of what natural dreaming does for us. Last year I wrote a post about the purposes dreaming serves for our brain. Click that highlighted link to read.
If the Morpheus-1 and it’s halo do what it is purported to do, I see its use like the Meta Virtual Reality Headset; a device able to take us away from reality for a little temporary fun, but it’s not a place you should try to live in.
In the comments, what would you do if you had the option to control your dreams?
Btw, if you want to try out the first movie about lucid dreaming, look up Dreamscape from 1984 starring Dennis Quaid.
The American presidency, has gone awry in so many ways over the last several years. I’d also like to add that the American Senate and House of Representatives has gone bad too. No one in good conscience and of sound mind can dispute my last two sentences. There is not a question mark after the title because I’m not asking how to fix it. I’m going to tell you what should be done. I will warn you though, you may not like what I have to say.
Most law enforcement agencies use psychological testing to measure a variety of job-related behaviors and personality traits to help them pick the best applicants for a job as police officers. The branches of the military in the United States use aptitude, achievement, and personality (psychological) tests to screen candidates.
Our country carefully screens and selects the people who try to protect our lives. Why don’t we do that with elected officials who have the power to effect so many issues in our lives? I believe that those tests should be applied to everyone who is running for candidacy for any elected government position. We need people who are of sound mind and have our best interests in mind.
Hey, how about a background check too? How did this clown get into Congress? Hey everyone on Long Island, that one is on you.
I believe that anyone running for an elected position should have to pass a background check. I also believe that public officials family members should pass a background check. If there’s a criminal history with more than a speeding ticket then that person could be an influential liability to the elected official.
Take a look at that graph from Boston University. Look at the purple and green lines. Those represent inductive reasoning and perceptual speed. They drop precipitously after the age of 60, for everyone. Those losses in cognitive function are coming for you and me as well as all of our government representatives. I don’t know about you, but I want the people making decisions on my behalf to be smarter than me. In the United States they have a minimum age of 35 to be elected President. If there’s a minimum, there should also be a maximum.
To summarize:
-I believe ALL elected officials should have to pass cognitive and psychological testing.
-I believe ALL elected officials should have to pass a background check. If they have anything more than a speeding ticket, they’re out.
-I also believe that there should be a maximum age for ALL elected federal government officials.
I do not believe that either presidential candidate, and many congress and senate members do not meet what I think are reasonable expectations for our elected government officials.
To be fair, I do want to say that many, many people far older than me are sharper than a lot of people younger than them and could do any government job as well as anyone. But I also believe that we should be cautious and safe with whom we trust to lead our nation.
I’m Phil and I approve this message. If you are voting in the primaries this year consider writing me in, if I pass the tests. #Phil2024
So what do you think of my ideas? Do you have any ideas to improve the sad state of our government?
Do you remember when we were kids and there was this word of mouth legend about standing in front of a mirror and repeating the name “Bloody Mary” until a vengeful spirit appeared? I did it at school in 4th grade and I swear I saw something starting to form in the mirror before I ran out of the bathroom. Anyone else?
Photo by Stefano Pollio
Mirrors have always had a mystique in the paranormal realm, believed to be portals to other dimensions. The fascination with mirrors and their connection to the supernatural can be traced back through many cultures for centuries. This column will delve into the folklore, superstitions and explore the role and history of mirrors in the paranormal.
Throughout history, mirrors have been considered more than just reflective surfaces. The first mirrors were pools of water, as illustrated in the Greek legend of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image and drowned while staring at himself. Interestingly, there are some scientific studies indicating that people see weird things after staring at themselves in the mirror for a while. I guess that explains the Kardashians.
In folklore and the media mirrors are associated as doorways to the spirit world. Some cultures even believe that mirrors can capture and hold spirits or serve as a portal for entities to come into our world. This belief has led to many rituals centered around mirrors, with some even using them as tools for communication with the deceased. The idea of mirrors holding a connection to one’s soul has persisted across time and cultures.
Photo by Tuva Mathilde Løland on Unsplash
Scrying mirrors: That is not a typo. It‘s not crying, it’s scrying mirrors. The concept of scrying, or gazing into reflective surfaces to see the unknown, has deep historical roots. Mirrors have been used for scrying in various cultures, with practitioners seeking insights into the future and glimpses of other realms and facilitating communication with spirits.
In some instances people have had very disturbing interactions with scrying mirrors that left them emotionally scarred for a very long time. If you get a chance, the Haunted Objects podcast featuring Greg and Dana Newkirk, has an episode, Season 1, episode 2, that discusses the history of a particular scrying mirror. Based on that episode, I have no interest in ever looking into a scrying mirror for the rest of my life. Look it up and listen. It’s a great paranormal podcast.
The legendary psychic, Nostradamus was said to have used a mirror for his psychic visions, adding to the notoriety surrounding mirrors and the supernatural.
Pic from OpenArt
Mirrors have also played a role in various cultural practices and spiritual beliefs. Feng Shui, the Chinese belief of harmonizing energy in spaces, often involves the strategic positioning of mirrors to enhance a positive energy flow.
Similarly, some believe that mirrors can ward off evil spirits when they are placed facing outward, reflecting negativity away from a space. Just the other day I saw an example of that when watching a video from a local paranormal investigation group. If you watch the video, just after the 9 minute mark during an investigation, they decided to turn a mirror to face the wall to decrease the chance of another entity entering the already haunted home.
Whether serving as portals to other dimensions, tools for divination, or sources of fear and fascination, mirrors have transcended their practical purpose to become symbols of the unknown. As we gaze into these reflective surfaces, we are reminded that the boundary between our world and the supernatural is often blurred, leaving room for wonder and awe in the face of the unexplained.
So what do you think? Are mirrors portals to the unknown? Are they dangerous when in the wrong hands? Have you ever seen something disturbing in a mirror?
I can’t even tell you how much I hate GIFs, but when the subject of finger guns came up, how could I pass on Michael Scott? I remember a few years ago when I dropped my son off at college and for one of the pictures in his dorm room he posed, giving me the finger guns. I said to myself, “Phil, there must be a lot of perfect moments in life to pull out the finger guns. Also Phil, it’s odd that you refer to yourself in the third person in your own inner monologue.” Both very true, so I said to myself, “Phil, you should make a top ten list of the best times in life to pull out the finger guns.”
10. For your author picture on the inside cover of your next book. Mark my words folks…
9. At the end of surgery or any medical procedure really, and especially at the end of a colonoscopy or ob/gyn visit. If someone is mucking about in my private parts I want them to be confident about it.
8. Walking down the aisle after tying the knot. We’ve seen far too many wedding parties dance down the aisle to Pharrell’s Happy. How about if the bride and groom turn around and give the whole crowd the fingers guns as they leave the church?
7. Birth of a child: What wife doesn’t want the finger guns from her hubby just to say, “You did alright honey”? If that doesn’t make 20 hours of labor worth it, I don’t know what will.
6. At the end of a job interview: Win or lose, good or bad, it always looks good to walk out with a little swagger. Finger guns gives you that in any situation.
5. Funerals: Far too many funerals are ruined by a lack of humor. If the deceased was posed in the casket, or even in a chair, giving the finger guns, who wouldn’t crack a smile?
4. After winning anything: This one’s pretty obvious. Whether it be a Nobel Prize or a game of backgammon with your grandma, there’s no better way to say, I’m the man, or I’m the Woman, than with finger guns. True fact: I taught my dog to do finger guns.
Finger Gun Inventor Ted Lange
3. When you’re a bartender on a cruise ship: Actor Ted Lange, aka bartender Isaac Washington on the late 70’s/early 80’s show The Love Boat is credited as having invented the finger guns. Now all Royal Caribbean cruise ship bartenders are required to incorporate finger guns in their interactions with customers or the drinks are free.
2. Presidential debates: I hereby vow that I will give my vote to any candidate who finger guns his opponent after a rebuttal.
1. At the completion of sex. I think the most important part would be putting the guns in their imaginary holsters on your naked hips after. Please someone do this and then come back to the comments just to tell me you did.
If you’ve got ideas for other perfect times to use finger guns, by all means put them in the comments. Maybe we can make another list! As always, if you enjoy #ThePhilFactor please feel free to share by hitting the Facebook, Twiiter or re-blog buttons below. If you do I’ll give you the finger guns! Have a great Thursday! ~Phil
There are very few non-lethal things in life that are more uncomfortable than taking a bath in a tub full of ice water. And yet, it’s currently a fad. Yes, a fad like the pet rock my parents gave me for a Christmas present in the 70’s. (Thanks mom & dad, smh) People all over the world are taking baths in freezing lakes, oceans, tubs, and pools. But why?
This is an Amazon ad.
Each and every day, who doesn’t love a hot shower that helps your muscles relax and feel less sore? A nice hot bath or shower feels like a warm hug from the universe. And now all these psychopaths are trying to get us to smile while we plunge our room temp bodies into an H2O torture chamber.
Apparently however, unlike ivermectin, there’s some science that says this might be a good thing.
If Thor and his brother can do it, why not us? (Pic from Men’s Health)
If ice water therapy is good enough for Thor, then it’s good enough for me. According to News-Medical: Cold activates a cellular cleansing mechanism that breaks down harmful protein aggregations responsible for various diseases associated with aging. In recent years, studies on different model organisms have already shown that life expectancy increases significantly when body temperature is lowered.
“A research team at theUniversity of Cologne’s CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Aging Researchhas now unlocked one responsible mechanism. Professor Dr David Vilchez and his group used a non-vertebrate organism, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, (basically atiny worm) and cultivated human cells. Both carried the genes for two diseases which typically occur in old age: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig disease) and Huntington’s disease. Both diseases are characterized by accumulations of harmful proteins. In both model organisms, cold actively removed the protein clumps, thus preventing the protein aggregation that is pathological in both ALS and Huntington’s disease.”
Lady Gaga: Pic from Harper’s Bazaar
This picture took away all my skepticism. If it’s good enough for Lady Gaga, it’s good enough for me! In fact, I’m taking an ice bath while typing this and I feel like my writing is so much better when my body temp drops to 88.6 F, or 37 celsius, for 15 minutes.
How cold should an ice bath be? 40-60 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s awfully cold. I wonder, if you’re a young gentleman hoping to father some kids, wouldn’t frequent ice baths make little icicles out of your tadpoles down there?
So, after my highly scientific and well spoken thesis here, who is with me? Would you take regular ice baths if it would help you avoid some diseases and live longer? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
As I have delved further and further into the paranormal I’ve developed a legion of secretive contacts who know things that “normal” people don’t know. That is how I landed this exclusive interview with Bigfoot.
Me: Hello Mr. Foot and thank you for your time. Do you prefer to be called Bigfoot, Mr. Foot, or Sasquatch?
Bigfoot: Thanks for asking. You can call me Larry. I’m so over the Bigfoot thing. Would you want me repeatedly just referring to you as “human” throughout the interview? You know I’m not the only one, right? And by the way, Sasquatch is my Canadian cousin. He prefers to be called Mr. Squatch. He thinks it’s more dignified. At Thanksgiving he pulled that Mr. Squatch routine at dinner and I was like “Give me an effing break. You’re basically a talking bear that shits in the woods. Get over yourself!”
Me: I hope you’ll forgive me for this next question, but I know the audience will want to know. How big are your feet?
Larry (Bigfoot): I’m glad you asked. I feel like my whole race has been stereotyped. Yes, I do have size 12 feet, but not everyone of us is the same. My cousin “Mr. Squatch” (he used finger quotes and a sarcastic tone) says he’s a size 12 but he’s really only an 8 1/2. I know this for a fact and you know that old belief about shoe sizes? If someone catches him on a trail cam, take a look. He actually stomps around in the woods in Saskatchewan with big tennis racquet like things strapped to his feet so he can leave big tracks.
Larry said, “I love this picture. Me & Elvis got it done by a sketch artist on the Jersey shore about eight years ago.
Me: So Larry, why do all of you live in the woods? You’re very well spoken, why not live amongst the humans?
Larry (with his eyes rolling, he throws his hands up in the air) “Are you kidding me? Have you met humans?”
Me: That’s a point well taken my friend. I’ve got another question that has frustrated humans all over the world. Why can’t anyone ever get a good picture of you?
Larry: You know, I’ve always wondered that too. Either people get so effing nervous when they see one of us that they nearly pee their pants, or we’ve just been lucky and ran into some really shitty photographers. Why the hell doesn’t Annie Leibowitz hit me up for a portrait? I’d sit for that. Annie, this is me giving you a shout out. Hit me up on the socials and we’ll get this done once and for all.
A very typically blurry Bigfoot picture
Me: Thanks again Mr. Foot, er, I mean Larry. I appreciate your time and candor. You’ve been a wonderful guest and you’re welcome back any time.
Larry Bigfoot: Thank you Phil. I appreciate you wanting to see the other side of us. (Then he leans over and in a low tone…) Hey Phil, if you ever get Taylor Swift in for an interview, can I join that? She’s already dating a sasquatch, but I think I might be a nice upgrade for her.
That was his walk-off and with a wink and finger guns he strode confidently into the woods and disappeared. Don’t worry Taylor, if you want an interview, me and Larry will be here waiting for you. Just don’t bring that Kelce clown.
Lucid dreaming is realizing that you’re in a dream when it’s happening. This isn’t a day dream when you’re bored during a Zoom meeting for work. I’m talking full on sound asleep at night dreaming and you realize that you’re in a dream and you exert decisions and control over your actions in the dream. I used that picture above because that’s my go to move when I lucid dream. Sometimes I fly for fun and sometimes I fly when I’m avoiding danger or fighting someone. The preceding sentences are just me typing off the top of my head. Let’s see what some experts have to say about lucid dreaming.
Pic from SleepFoundation.org
According to WebMd.com: “Lucid dreams are when you know that you’re dreaming while you’re asleep. You’re aware that the events flashing through your brain aren’t really happening. But the dream feels vivid and real. You may even be able to control how the action unfolds, as if you’re directing a movie in your sleep. Studies suggest that about half of people may have had at least one lucid dream. But they probably don’t happen often, usually only a handful of times in a year.”
Have you experienced this? What do you do in your lucid dreams?
I love that picture that’s above this sentence. It accompanies a blog post from a British foundation called Drive Forward, which assists young people transitioning from foster care or residential placements to independent living. The lucid dreaming article on there seems kind of out of place, but the British are a little bit more open to alternative learning than we are in the States.
The author, Daviona Plowright , works in Service Operations at Ministry of Justice in the UK. Someone working in the Ministry of Justice writing publicly on lucid dreaming? That’s interesting in and of itself. Her column, which you can find here gives you an outline of how she pursues lucid dreams. It’s an interesting read.
I have no structure or plan for lucid dreaming. It just happens sometimes. I’m going to try her techniques in hope of increasing the frequency of my lucid dreams.
Pic from Nu Sci Magazine
An article from NuSciMagazine.com even theorizes that lucid dreaming results in more insightfulness in our waking hours. Hey, I’m all in on a little extra smarts if I lucid dream!
Some of you have read this because you’re lucid dreamers. I’d be interested in hearing more about your experiences in the comments!
I hope you’re having a great weekend! Thanks for reading. ~Phil
Self-proclaimed grand poobah of leisure, parapsychologist, author of several humorous suspense novels and one of the longest running blogs in the world, The Phil Factor.
thephilfactor.com
