Spectral Stereotypes "The Man With The Top Hat"

Yesterday my group did a presentataion to one of our clients. Since there wasn't a lot of media there is was more relaxed than usual. I like those better because we get a chance to really talk to our clients and their family. As with most informal presentations we all got to talking about ghost stories and history about the town. It seems that one in three people have seen have seen this guy:

or this guy












Who exactly is this fancy spectral man? Why is he always a "shadow person"? Why does he show up everywhere? bysides costume parties or halloween costumes, the top hat is not a modern accesssory. So it can safely be debated that these fancy men must have lived more than a century ago.



Well, most of them anyway.

Anyway, a quick google search says that top hats were worn on a daily basis from 1812 until the 1920s when fadoras and bolder hats became popular. Top hats had to be made from a hat maker and because of the industrial revolution they fell out of favor because the fadoras and bolder hats could be auto produced. That doesn't make much sense to me but what do I know about men's hats? Since these hats had to be hand produced they were expensive and used as a status symbol. So in theory there must be a bunch of wealthy GQ men with unfinished business. It is my hope to one day find these mysterious top hatted men and find out what the deal is.

Experts

What makes someone an expert? Is it because they are very versed in a subject? No, that would be a hobbyist. And to be a hobbyist would mean that you have a passion for something. And a passion would mean that that subject moves you. And whenever you are moved by something it gives you a high by just thinking or talking about it. And what would draw the moth to the flame?

Paranormal experts are a dime a dozen, and sometimes the dozen is half off so really you're getting 18 paranormal experts with about a dollop of quality and professionalism between them. The tricky thing about finding yourself a professional paranormal expert is the fact that there simply isn't any. The truth is, if you pay attention to a season of TAPS or PARANORMAL STATE then you already have 90% of the technical language down. You would know what an Orb is, and that it should ultimately be discredited. You would know the difference between an EVP, EMF, and a GAUSS. In fact, the only thing that separates you and them, them 'experts', is personal experience. And that, I assure you, is where the top film separates from the rest of the pudding.

Personal experience can range from seeing the man in the top hat every night at 3:00 AM, having the strong smell of your aunt's perfume come over you within the hour that she passed, or having a ghost lash you from behind with a spectral whip. (Which I assure you, does happen) Friends, being a true expert means that you have taken your hobby and turned it into your biggest passion, explored it, scared your self to death, and then coming back every weekend. Being an expert isn't knowing how to work Frank's box, or even why it works. Being a paranormal expert is to be professional, kind, knowledgeable, safe, and hardworking. That's what truly sets a paranormal expert from a couch potato.