Tag Archives: scary

Oct20

Stories & Snapshots Of “Haunted” Eastern State Penitentiary

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Stories & Snapshots Of “Haunted” Eastern State Penitentiary

Hello one and all and happy Friday! This is the second to last post of my Halloween Heaven guest bloggers series compliments of Les, who you might recognize as the author and photographer behind the post about Dreamland Park on my page. Once again, you can check out more of Les’s work at Photojournal Of Corker2. Now, sit back and enjoy his tale of a spooky tour through the infamous Eastern State Penitentiary:

Stories & Snapshots Of “Haunted” Eastern State Penitentiary

The Eastern State Penitentiary, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is one of the older prisons in the state. Built in the early 1900’s, it was made to keep prisoners in solitary confinement to reflect on the law breaking deed that they had committed. Each prisoner was kept in a single cell and locked up for twenty-three hours a day. There was no running water, no air conditioning, no books to read, nothing at all! There are four cell blocks, with each one consisting of two levels of eight feet long by six feet wide cells with no windows to let light in.
The Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) has been known to be haunted for many years. Featured on Ghost Hunters, the film crew stayed there and caught some very strange things. There have been documented reports of voices from nowhere and ghostly figures that have no explanation at all.
I had been informed of this disturbing place, so I thought I’d give it a visit. The penitentiary is huge. I was allowed to walk through the entire prison with my camera in tow. It was also quite hot that day, with temperatures up in the high 90’s. I could only imagine what it must have been like to be locked up there for so many years. The famous gangster, Al Capone, was also an inmate at this prison for a number of years. He had his own fancy cell, not like all of the others. It was much better. It had a desk, furniture, table lamps, and a bed. The story goes that he was haunted in his cell by one of the men that he killed in the St. Valentines Day Massacre, even though he was not there when it happened. On a few occasions, Al Capone, would be screaming “Leave me alone!” in his cell and there was no one there.
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Here, we are looking down one of the four cell blocks in the prison. Each cell had a sliding metal door that you could not see out of. No talking was allowed back in the early days. The door at the far end leads to the outside. There are twelve cells on each side of the block.

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Here is Cell Block C. It is pretty much the same set up as all of the other blocks. It was here that I had a rather strange happening, which I can’t explain.

The ESP has had a reputation of electronic equipment not working right for one reason or another. Batteries fail or the camera just doesn’t work. With this in mind, I made sure that my camera was in excellent working order before I left for my visit. While walking around in the cell blocks, I had taken a number of images and my Pentax K100D was working just fine. Nothing was wrong and the pictures came out great.
Then, I entered Cell Block C and decided to shoot the picture that you see above. For some reason, I pressed the shutter and nothing happened. Weird. So I tried it again.  Nothing. Looked at the camera settings and they were all okay. Tried again. Nothing!  What the heck? So, I went down the block to the open door, stepped outside and pressed the shutter again. Worked just fine! I stood there for a few seconds and wondered why it worked out there but not inside. I gathered my bearings and decided to try one more time. I walked back to where I was before, focused on the shot, and pressed the button.  It worked! Now, what went wrong? Nothing that I could tell.

With that, I finished my tour and took a few more pictures with no problem. It was getting unbearably hot and I was eager to get into the air conditioning of my car. On the way back home, I was thinking of what could have gone wrong. The only thing that I could come up with was that a spirit from the past interfered with the camera in some way. Did it? I will never know.
The Eastern State Penitentiary has ghost hunts during the evening hours that you can sign up for and pay a small fee. If you want to learn more, just type in “Eastern State Penitentiary” and a complete story of this place will show up.
^^^ Thank you so much to Les for relaying his story of stepping foot into the Eastern State Penitentiary for an eerie tour through the past. Glad you made it out alive to tell the tale! Are there any “haunted” locations in your area? What is something that scares you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Oct16

Stories & Snapshots Of “Haunted” Dreamland Park

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Stories & Snapshots Of “Haunted” Dreamland Park
Hi everyone and happy Monday! This special post in my Halloween Heaven guest bloggers series is brought to you by my friend, Les, over at PhotoJournal Of Corker2. This is actually one of my favorite posts that has graced my page in a long while, because I am a horror junkie. I love the literature, the films, the haunted attractions and, of course, a good old fashioned ghost story. Obviously, this guest post is right up my alley and I can’t thank Les enough for it. Take a look and don’t get too scared! 😉

Stories & Snapshots Of “Haunted” Dreamland Park

Back in the middle 60’s there was a place called Dreamland Park. It was located not far from me on a two lane back country road. This small amusement park was once the place to be on a Friday and Saturday night. It was not a very big park, but at the time it offered what us kids wanted. It had a main building where you could play bingo and pinball machines. It also had a jukebox to dance to and a picnic area. There was a Band Shell, a Ferris Wheel, and a French Fry Stand where you could buy hot dogs, hamburgers, and candy. It was a nice place for that time. Since I was only there once, I still remember it.
The place was doing quite well. Then, sometime in 1969, a murder took place there and it was never the same again. The story goes, that one evening a couple was up on Skyline Drive, a popular “parking” area that overlooked the city up on top of Neversink Mountain. They were a teenage couple, like most of us. I forget the guy’s name, but the girl was Marilyn. While parked up there, three members of the Pagan Motorcycle Gang stopped at the parked car and started abusing the couple. They took them for a ride around the countryside, traveling the back roads during which time they raped, beat the girl, and then shot her. They beat the boy unconscious and then shot him, too. The Gang ended up in Dreamland Park where they buried both of them in a shallow grave and covered it with leaves.
In the days that followed, the law found out who committed such an atrocious act, and all three were arrested for first degree murder and then sentenced to jail for I don’t know how long. They did recover the bodies of the two teenagers and gave them a proper burial. The name of one member of the Pagan Gang was John Elways. The other two I don’t recall.
After all of this happened, the park gradually started to decline. Profits fell and sometime later, Dreamland Park closed for good, never to reopen again.
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Pictured above is all that remains of the French Fry Stand.

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This is what is left of the main building. It was around here that I had a strange encounter. Notice the small “white” area where my watermark is placed. It’s not the camera. What is that? I could not get rid of it.

What used to be the Carousel Building.

Here stands what used to be the carousel building. For 25 cents you could ride the carousel and try to catch the magic golden ring. Now gone to history, all that remains is the outside frame. It was just behind this, that the couple was found.

Now, fast forward to present time.
I had almost forgotten about Dreamland Park until I got word of it from a friend that told me it was haunted. I decided to take my camera and go check it out. I was not told that it was now private property, so I just went right in and started walking around. I could still remember what and where things were from long ago.
The weather was in the high 50s, but sunny. No one was here, except for me and my Pentax K100D. There was a slight breeze that moved the bushes and trees, but the chill was far from unbearable. While walking through the slicker bushes, weeds, and small trees, I started to get this feeling that someone or something was behind me. I must have turned around at least six times, thinking that I was being watched. I didn’t feel threatened. It was more of a “creepy” feeling that’s hard to describe. Still, there was no one there.
I kept walking around and stopping here and there to see if anyone was “lurking” around. Nothing. After about an hour, I decided to take my exit from Dreamland Park.
To this day, I still wonder if “something” was there. Was it the ghosts of the murdered couple? Was it just my imagination? I don’t know. I have not gone back to Dreamland Park since then. By now, there is not much left of what once was. There is also a book out about what happened there called Dark In The Park. It probably gives a much better description of what went on, if you are interested.
^^^ Wasn’t that fantastic?! Once again, a million thanks to the man behind the camera who shared his pictures and story with us. Les runs an excellent blog and I can’t recommend it enough, so do check it out! Are there any haunted attractions in your neck of the woods? What is something that you’re afraid of? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Aug31

Protecting Your Home From A Hurricane: 3 Crucial Steps To Take

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Protecting Your Home From A Hurricane: 3 Crucial Steps To Take

I’m sure everyone has seen the devastating scenes from Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. It’s a truly tragic event that’s left so many homes destroyed and people on the streets. While this particular hurricane was a ‘100-year storm’ it does make us open our eyes and wonder if we’re prepared for any other hurricanes that might hit our homes. Trying to limit the damage to your home is crucial, and there are a few key steps that you can take to keep your property in the best shape possible when natural disasters hit your area:

Secure Your Roof:

Your roof is one of the parts of your house that suffers worse than most. When the heavy rains pelt down and the winds come roaring, it’s normally your roof that takes the brunt of the force. Not only that, but your roof can easily be damaged due to the way that it’s made. Roof tiles can be blown off or shattered, which will lead to severe leaks and a whole lot of property damage.

What you need to do is secure your roof properly. The first way to do this is by checking all of the tiles and ensuring that your roof is in good condition. If not, you should have dodgy tiles replaced or maybe a whole new roof fitted. As you can see with this roofing contractor, there are loads of different materials that you can build a roof out of. Pick one that you know is extremely durable and weather resistant. While you’re at it, get some hurricane straps, too, so you can keep your roof even more secure.

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Is your roof as secure as possible?

Block Any Gaps:

It’s very common for windows and doors to have tiny gaps in their sealant that can let in drafts of cold air or bits of rainwater. Normally, you don’t notice this, but you will when a storm hits. So, you must block any gaps and secure your windows and doors. Put a fresh layer of sealant around all of your windows to ensure that the wind doesn’t sneak in or rain doesn’t cause leaks. The same goes for your doors, too. You might also want to look into hurricane proof windows for further security and peace of mind if a hurricane hits. Any extra protection is priceless.

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Keep everything sealed tight!

Keep Your Front & Back Yards Bare:

Finally, it’s a good idea to limit what you have outside of your house. By this we mean; outdoor tables/chairs, a kid’s playhouse, garden tools, etc. This is because hurricane winds can blow them into your house and cause damage. When hurricane season hits, it’s best to move everything into indoor storage. Also, think about trimming down the trees that are in closest proximity to your home for extra security.

If you know that hurricanes are common in your area, follow these steps right away to get yourself prepared. And, as always, our thoughts are with everyone whose life has been turned upside down by Hurricane Harvey.

Featured Image By: Bit.ly

Jun6

Proceed With Confidence! Tips To Overcome Procedural Anxiety

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Proceed With Confidence! Tips To Overcome Procedural Anxiety

For one reason or another, most of us in our lives will have a surgical procedure at some point. Some may be prophylactic, designed to prevent or reduce the chances of a serious medical condition, while others may be to treat an existing condition. Whatever the cause, the prospect of undergoing a surgical procedure can be extremely daunting, particularly if we’re doing it for the first time. Procedural anxiety is a very real psychological condition, which can have incredibly damaging physical effects. In some worst case scenarios, patients have been known to refuse potentially life-saving surgery because they were so crippled by the prospect of going ‘under the knife’.

Fear of the unknown is one of the defining traits of human psychology. It’s the reason why we have learned to hide in our caves and not to tangle with saber toothed tigers. But in today’s world, our anxiety can take many forms that can be damaging to us, especially when our health is concerned. Let’s examine the anxieties that accompany surgical procedures and what you can do to combat them:

Do I Have Procedural Anxiety? Like many forms of anxiety, procedural anxiety can take many forms. While there are recognizable symptoms, they manifest differently in different people. If you’ve experienced any of these symptoms when considering surgery, or in a dialogue with your doctor about surgery, then chances are you are affected by procedural anxiety:

  • Breathlessness
  • Sweating
  • Nausea or stomach upset
  • Dry mouth
  • Irritability
  • Shaking/trembling
  • Heart palpitations or accelerating heart rate
  • Loss of appetite
  • Inability to think clearly or speak intelligibly
  • A sensation of detachment from reality
  • Fainting or fear of fainting
  • Fear of losing control.

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Yikes!

These symptoms can be brought on by certain triggers. Most of us don’t even have to be in a hospital to start feeling them. In some cases, just the sight of blood or injury in television or movies is enough to make us feel nauseous. These kinds of anxiety are perfectly natural and more common than we may think. They affect us because of three key factors:

Loss of Control: It’s no small feat to entrust the care of our body to someone else if we are unconscious or otherwise anesthetized. This degree of trust in your surgeon is at odds with our every primal instinct to protect ourselves.

The Stakes: Surgery can lead to a better life that is free of whatever impediment the surgery is designed to treat. Often physical conditions or injuries can throw a wrench in the works of our plans for life, and surgery represents a chance to overcome that hurdle. With that in mind, it’s perfectly understandable that we’d invest our hopes in the procedure and the prospect of something going wrong or the procedure failing, which would be devastating.

Mortality: As we live our lives, we become so caught up in the minutes of our day-to-day lives that we subliminally assume that they’ll go on forever. Surgical procedures can be a stark reminder of our own mortality and make us feel fragile and vulnerable.

There’s no denying that procedural anxiety is a biggie, but that’s no reason to let it get the better of you. Here are some things that you can do to stifle your fears and go into a procedure with confidence:

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First, remember that you are not alone: Whatever happens, you have support every step of the way. Make sure that you make the most if it. Bring your partner, a close friend, or a family member with you whenever you feel you need some extra love. The medical staff will be there to help you and answer any questions that you may have, so voice anything that’s troubling you. If you’re worried about the prospect of something going wrong with the procedure, the surgeon, or the tools then rest assured that it’s relatively easy and risk free to get an attorney to help you.

Get to know your doctor: There can be no better way to squash the fear of the unknown than by familiarizing yourself with your doctor, medical staff, and the attending physician. Get them to describe the procedure to you in as much detail as possible (if you can stomach it). This will remind your subconscious that you are entrusting your body to a skilled, competent, and experienced professional.

Be as open with them as possible about your anxieties. You’d be astonished how understanding they’ll be. In many cases, they will work collaboratively with you, enabling you to make decisions for yourself when possible.

Educate Yourself: Knowing is half the battle, and nowhere is this more relevant than when discussing procedural anxiety. For some, having the procedure explained by a professional isn’t nearly enough and there’s no such thing as too much knowledge. Researching the procedure is one of the surest ways to rid yourself of fear of it. If possible, try and make contact with friends and family who’ve undergone similar procedures. Some people who’ve undergone surgical procedures write blogs to reassure others. Reading these can be a great reminder of what you have to gain and look forward to after the procedure.

However prepared we are, we often find ourselves overcome by fear and anxiety at times so here are some coping strategies that you may find useful:

Distraction: If you feel your mind dwelling, then it can be very counter productive. Listen to music or read a book or article in a magazine or online. Even focusing on the tiny details of a painting on the wall can give your mind a break from itself.

Challenge Negative Thoughts: We have a tendency to jump to the worst case scenario and it’s important to catch these thoughts and nip them in the bud as soon as they crop up. Use your newfound knowledge to assure yourself that the facts and logic outweigh your worst case superstitions.

Visualize: Many find it helpful to create a positive visualization to calm your anxious mind. Take yourself back to a time when you were carefree and happy and try and transpose that feeling to your future, to a time that you can look forward to after the procedure.

Remember that your anxieties are perfectly understandable and natural, but hopefully using these techniques will prevent you from letting it be the boss of you so that you can proceed with confidence!

May23

Don’t Delay Dealing With These Top Household Emergencies

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Don’t Delay Dealing With These Top Household Emergencies

When an emergency hits our home, it can throw many of us into a state of panic. If something happens at our work or when we are out on the street, then we can live safely in the knowledge that once we get home, we are safe. After all, it’s not like any of us willingly live in homes that have any threat constantly present (unless you’re a total daredevil, that is). But if something occurs in your home that qualifies as an emergency, it is vital that you are prepared.

Your home shouldn’t be somewhere that you should have to leave for an extended period, especially if you have young children in tow. Leaving due to an incident beyond your control can be incredibly frustrating, and as kids depend on routine, you could find it a very challenging and emotional time. That is why it is in everyone’s best interests to get any household emergency sorted out as soon as possible, so you can all get back to normal life within a day or so. Here are some examples of the most common household disasters, and what you can do to solve them in record time:

Wild Animal Invasion: You may think that because you live in the city, that you are not at risk of an animal or pest invasion. It’s not exactly like there are wild deer or bears casually stalking your home every time you look out the window. But, it may come as a surprise to find out that animals and pests can be just as common within the city as they are in some rural areas – the animals are just good at hiding, that’s all! Common perpetrators include badgers and raccoons, who like to hang around trash cans, and insects such as woodworms. If you get a large animal in your home, try not to panic. Isolate it in a room to stop it from harming yourself or others and give it an escape route, if you can. Never try to tackle it yourself or let your dog or cat near it – you could end up with an even messier situation on your hands.

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Hello!

A Burst Pipe: As far at home-based mishaps go, few are more damaging than a burst pipe. This incident can cause a spectacular amount of damage in a matter of minutes, so it is vital that you act fast. Pipes can burst for reasons, such as a blockage or the fact that the pipe may be frozen. The most important thing to do is to seek help from a professional such as the people available from www.plumbingforce.co.uk. If your leak is particularly bad, turn off the main water supply and clean up any major spills as soon as possible – before your home turns into an indoor water park!

Internal Fire: House fires are typically every homeowner’s worst nightmare. They can easily get out of control even if they start small, which is why it’s very important to know how to deal with them. If the fire is in your oven, the worst thing that you can do is to open the door. Keep it shut, and eventually, the fire should burn itself out. If it is an open fire elsewhere, use an extinguisher or a fire blanket to try and tackle it, and then call the emergency services.

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Yikes!

Household emergencies can be scary and stressful – but knowing how to deal with them can help save you from even more panic/pulling your hair out.

May9

Introverts Unite: Making Friends At College

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Introverts Unite: Making Friends At College

One of the hardest things to overcome in life is the challenge of making new friends, which is what makes college so daunting for so many. It’s just an overwhelming concept. Everything about it can make even the most extroverted person’s hands sweat profusely (and no one likes sweaty hands!). It doesn’t matter whether you are just starting out, or you have a new set of classes this semester, etc.; it can be really scary.

Luckily for you, pretty much everyone is in the exact same boat, unless they have literally no anxiety about making new friends. They may look like they’re swanning around with all of the confidence of a young Sophia Loren but, instead, they are panicking just the same because college is scary. That’s why you should take the first friendship step! But, if you’re not exactly sure how to start, here’s a few ideas for you to explore:

Say ‘Hi’ Every Time You Sit Down: We don’t mean say ‘hi’ to yourself every time you sit down because that probably won’t help you make new friends. We mean, say ‘hi’ to the person next to you. Ask them how they’re doing, how their weekend was, what they think of the professor’s paisley patterned suit. It’ll be seven seconds of awkwardness that could blossom into a lifetime of BFFing.

Have A (Secret) New Friend Calendar: You don’t have to have an actual calendar for this, although it could be fun to look back on in the future. All we want you to do is to meet someone new every day. Set yourself that challenge and see what happens. It doesn’t matter where, it just matters that you do. Statistically, some of them are going to be immensely like-minded people and if not, there’s always tomorrow to try again!

Sign Up For A Team: When you think of a team, you are probably thinking of a sports team; like cheerleading or football. But it doesn’t have to be sports. It could be a debating team, a chess team, an acapella singing team. It could be anything that resembles a team because a team suggests more than one person. Even a study group could qualify as a team, minus the fancy jackets. So whatever it is that you are interested in, go for it. You may hate it, you may love it, but you could meet your best friend because of it.

Do Your Work In A Campus Coffee Shop: If you’re shocked that going to college means doing homework, then college probably isn’t for you. Anyways, when it comes to doing the work set after each class, you should do some part of it – planning, writing, or research – in one of the campus coffee shops. Why? Let’s put it this way, you are not going to meet anyone if you do all of your studying in your room. Coffee shops, however, offer the perfect chance to fall into a conversation with someone around you – especially if you both frequent the same place often.

Get A Job Somewhere: The nice thing about college campuses is that there is the chance to earn a little bit of cash. It could be working in one of said coffee shops, for the college newspaper, in the research lab, or whatever. The point is, a lot of jobs are a great place  for networking, which is just a business term for making friends. A job requires you to be somewhere at a specified time with the same people, so you are going to get to know them without having to step outside of your comfort zone to start up a chatter with a stranger. Clever.

Alright introverts, let’s unite! But in our own rooms with the door shut. JK. Get out there, take a deep breath, and make some new friends around your college campus. 😀

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct20

Haunted House Help!

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Haunted House Help!

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! So a little known fact to my readers because I don’t think that I ever shared this on my blog before is that my very first job was as an actor at a haunted house. I worked at the Carnival of Horrors at Blossom Music Center in Ohio for two years in a row and I have to say…it was an experience! I did all of my own makeup, drank an abundance of coffee, and stayed up past one o’clock in the morning Friday through Sunday scaring the general public. At the time, my fifteen and sixteen year old self thought that this was the coolest thing ever and I still feel that way now.

I love all things horror – the films, the serial killer documentaries, the literature, I just can’t get enough. My favorite thing is when my boyfriend and I have our movie Mondays where we just watch scary movies and eat Taco Bell the entire day. I have seen more horror films than I can count but my all time favorite will always be the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. One of the other movies in my top five is the wonderful French horror film, Ils, which the American “The Strangers” is based off of. I am an amateur French speaker so their horror films are some of my favorites to watch because compared to comedies and dramas, the dialogue in horror movies is much easier for me to understand.

But I digress. The real reason behind this post besides for giving you guys a little insight into my love for the macabre is that I NEED TO GO TO A HAUNTED HOUSE!! I have not been to one in a couple of years and with Halloween just around the corner there is no better time than the present. I have three in mind that I scouted out and because I can’t make decisions to save my life and my sister is no better than me, I am passing the burden on to all of you. 🙂

The Choices:

I am definitely leaning more towards the Factory Of Terror or 7 Floors of Hell but Hauntville was thrown in as the wild card!

I am in desperate need of some Haunted House Help and I would love to know which one looks the best in your opinion. What is the best haunted house in your area? What is your favorite Halloween time scary movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah