Researching the strange…

Sorry that the dark shelf has been terribly bare lately, but recent ordinary life events have clouded my schedule. Be prepared for more spooky reads as the icy moon rises deeper into the autumn sky! PS, thanks for mentioning my blog, Lex from Anything Ghost! The last thing I’d expect if for you to stumble across this blog, but it is very much appreciated in your mentioning it in your 100th podcast! Also, a big congratulations!

Black Stick Man: Stranger Still

good morning, he's been watching you all night.

What a horrible night to have a curse… or to draw any stick figures. I’m sure after learning of this strange phenomenon, you’ll think twice about playing hangman, or really anything of the sort. Oh! Speaking of curses, on an unrelated note, I would like to have a rather large story/article/entry/what have you in the coming weeks regarding local and well-known curses, and the mythology surrounding them. This summer’s end/autumn’s start, for some strange reason, has encouraged me to dig up good and intriguing info/legends about that sort of thing. Still, I digress… have you ever heard of something known as a Black Stick Man, or Black Stick Men if with company? I had not until just recently stumbling across a few (and I do mean a few, a very few… almost not enough to be substantially believable) frightening experiences surrounding this incredibly bizarre figure. I suppose that this Black Stick Man is just as his name implies… an almost two-dimensional, black-lined, round headed… well, moving stick-man. But mind you, not so much a  well-meaning  stick-man. Based on reports, it seems to differ from what may first come to mind, which is shadow people (a totally seperate and nigh-stranger phenomenon). I’d almost venture to say that it may be something extra-terrestrial, or extra-dimensional… as opposed to something more of a ghost.

I had first found out about them on a top-ten list of strange things. If you’d rather not skip through the list to spot #3, where the Black Stick Man resides, here is the text description listed:

“The black stick man is another entity encountered in modern times. Not to be confused with the shadow man, incredibly he is even stranger. Stick men are supposed to look like totally black, thin, stick figure drawings, such as teachers would make in kindergarten. They have been reported as between average height to impossibly tall. Their heads are just a black circle with no facial features being discernible. They are totally two dimensional, without any depth. Usually they’ve been sighted walking along roads at night, or at transitional times such as twilight or just before dawn. Bizarrely, some have reported them wearing what appears to be a top hat. Their walk is described as a weird “lolloping” gait. They are surprised when actually seen, and have followed unfortunate witnesses on occasion. Their pace remains leisurely as they approach. Obviously to be pursued by such an otherworldly creature would be anything but pleasant, and those who have encountered them have been understandably terrified. So far however, apart from being bizarrely frightening, they have done no physical harm, and ultimately just disappear.”

However, the best story thusfar that I had read about this strange stick man/alienesque creature can be found here. The author sounds pretty sincere with his experience in London.

After reading this description, I was immidiately recalling a video I had seen a few months back… you can watch it here. Doesn’t it conjure images of The Blair Witch Project? It very well could be a stump… and for the sake of this entry on The Dark Shelf, I probably wouldn’t call this video’s subject a “Black Stick Man”… but it might be close. Besides, what type of entry would this be without leaving you, reader, with some sort of image to haunt you… or annoy you?

Wolves in the Night!

Does the president's plan for health reform cover lycanthropy?

Now, I’m really not the type to be caught up in the current fascination of vampires and werewolves in recent pop culture, but I absolutely had to bend an ear when I’d heard this. Reports of strange happenings have been appearing for years in the Michigan woodlands and surrounding areas. It seems to be true that many can agree with each other about the phenomenal things appearing and then so quickly disappearing. Dog men, or man dogs, or man wolves, or even werewolves if you’re feeling traditional; the sightings are being called many names. This has to be one of my favorite topics because the testimonials seem to be so accessible and fantastically convincing. Theories and explanations are running rampant. In a podcast I subscribe to, Supernatural Existence, the host, Byron Sanchez, interviews author of The Beast of Bray Road (among other titles)  Linda Godfrey. Her knowledge and  information on the topic is astounding, and the implications are truly creepy. I strongly recommend a listen to the latest show (as well as the rest of the shows… they’re free!) if you have an interest in the possible explanations and folk stories mentioned within. Here is another resource if you want more information about the Legend of Michigan’s Dogman. Be it a clever hoax? A species of wolf? A shapeshifter? Perhaps a bit of Native American lore, stepping out of legend and into the light of the moon? I suppose that will be for you and your research to decide. One thing seems to be clear: drive by sundown at the latest, if you plan on passing through Michigan.

So, on a side note, I’m pleased to say that I feel that this blog, though young and under-developed, is going quite smoothly, and most importantly, fun. I know that I have no reader base currently, but I feel like once the archive is bolstered (and my writing, diction and content quality improve), new readers will find themselves in the back of the dusty library that is the internet, their lanterns dimly illuminating their way, and their eyes falling onto… the dark shelf.

Are Gnomes Afoot in South America and Spain?

bringing you a fresh batch of nightmares!

Gnomes! Just the word alone conjures up images of jolly and portly old men in red pointed caps, collecting mushrooms and hiding in the hallow trees. Or maybe one thinks of the warm and comical Traveling Gnome? Throughout the world, they are known by several names: elementals, faeries, earth spirits, el duende… and a myriad of others. Here in North America, our fascination for them seems to really manifest as resin sculptures in our gardens. Interestingly enough, there are places on our earth in which these legendary beings seem terrifyingly more real. The funny and strange thing is that the beings people are seeing are actually not dissimilar to the fantastic description of the classic “gnome”. There have been quite a few media interests in the subject for the past 20 years or so, yet only recently have a small flood of sightings appeared, gaining popularity mainly through the internet. If you have a look for yourself around video sites such as Youtube, one could find themselves scratching their head and on their knees peering under couches and tables of their own home. Let’s go over a few highlights of weird gnome sightings of the past 20 years!

September of 1989, Gerona, Catalonia, Spain

This is a strange case indeed, seeing as I never hear of its reference (when it could be the most conclusive evidence to the existence of these beings.) Also, you might never see a photo relating to this story, and I can’t really explain why. The basic gist of the story is that in September of 1989, a group of campers were walking on a road near a forest when they could hear the sound of some kind of quiet moan-like noises. When they looked to the direction of the sound, they had spotted some kind of tiny being that had immediately tried to flee while giving off “a kind of squeak similar to an old man’s laughter”. Throwing a blanket over it to catch it, the being then survived anywhere from 24 hours to 4 days after capture (reports unclear). I gather that it’s cause of death was refusal of food of all kinds offered to it. The body was preserved in a jar and is now kept in the home of a spanish parapsychologist.

The Creepy Argentinian Gnome of 2007-08

You might remember this, I believe that it made the local news here in my corner of the country. I can remember showing some friends of mine the viral video, and nobody really seemed to think it was that convincing. Now, maybe I just really would like to believe in its authenticity, but I was pretty creeped out. I think the idea of this video is that a group of teens were out and about on a street in their town, late at night. One of them could hear the sounds of small stones being tossed towards them, which caused them to glance over and see this. A while later, another similar video surfaced; one less convincing but bizarre to look at nonetheless. You can find that video here. Like I’ve said, it really isn’t as good, but it is still worth watching.

Want even more very strange and controversial video clips of gnome-like beings scaring the daylight out of unwitting teens? Their authenticity remains for you to decide…

In my opinion, the screams they make at the sight of these duendes seems too authentic for any hoax to induce. If anything, the screams are real.

For Your Ears…

Anything Ghost Podcast

Good evening! Tonight’s post is a short plug for a very well-put-together podcast called Anything Ghost, which can be reached through that link or by searching for it on iTunes. Anything Ghost has a bi-weekly release schedule (usually every other sunday), and mainly consists of true paranormal experience stories written via email by listeners, interspersed with the occasional listener-narrated story in mp3 format and various ambient/spooky musical tracks created by the show host. Creator and host Lex Wahl has past shows (which usually run anywhere from 40 minutes to 2 hours) archived from back in 2006 for your listening pleasure. Lex also has his music which is featured in the show up for sale on itunes. The stories sure are given a world of newfound depth when the ambient sounds and music are added.

Might I say, what a pleasure it is to find a new podcast waiting for you! I personally have come to always look forward to the next show, and if you have found yourself at THIS blog, I’m sure you will feel the same way! -R

The Dark Shelf up and running!

Greetings! This blog has been created to simply interest and supply interested readers with news and stories of the mysterious, occult, paranormal, strange, bizarre, unexplained… and so on and so forth. It will also serve as a fun way to share information and springboard into possible discussion. Lastly, it will serve as a way to archive strange phenomina for you and yours to sift through on windy nights, or when you alone sit in your deep armchair on a drafty, moonlit evening…