Weird World

I should start by saying that beginning this blog was not my idea – therefore if it all goes horribly wrong we can all point the Finger of Doom at my husband’s cousin, Katie.

Weird World has come about because last Sunday morning, whilst considering all things strange with possible paranormal undertones, I began wondering how many people in my little village of North Weald had had a paranormal or unexplainable experience but hadn’t documented it, for whatever reason.  Perhaps they were worried they would be laughed at, or maybe they didn’t see the point in making a detailed note of it – they would just tell their friends and family about it in hushed tones and that would be that.  Then I began to wonder how many people in the surrounding towns and counties, nay, the country (I was clearly feeling a little ambitious that morning), were keeping valuable information under their hats!  And I thought – this is terrible!  All this information is going undocumented.  I must do something about it.  And so here I am, a self titled paranormal researcher looking for tales of paranormal and general oddness with a few legends and myths thrown in for good measure.

My first problem was, how would I get people to tell me about their experiences?  I can’t just march up to people, stuff a dictaphone in their face and demand they tell me all.  It’s just not going to happen.  So I designed a few fliers to put up in various places (with permission, of course) and even found a website that produced nice looking but delightfully cheap business cards.

After boring my mother over the phone with my ideas of paranormal world domination, we decided the name Weird World just about summed up what  my project was going to be all about – bringing together tales of weirdness going on in the world in one place.

There are no strict parameters with regards to the subjects I’m interested in hearing about – ghost sightings, local legends, urban legends, UFO sightings, cryptozoology (don’t go running for the dictionary, I’ll do it for you: cryptozoology is the study of evidence tending to substantiate the existence of, or the search for, creatures whose reported existence is unproved, as the Abominable Snowman or the Loch Ness monster), experiences with Ouija boards, incredible coincidences… you get my drift.  If you have anything you would like to share, please email me at weirdworld@hotmail.co.uk, I would be delighted to hear from you.

If I get enough information I’m planning on writing a book including some of the most interesting experiences I receive from people or places I have researched.  Fingers crossed there will be enough people out there who wish to get in touch.

I suspect the gathering of information is not going to be an easy task.  Having been into Epping and dropped into the oldest pub in the town, I was full of hopes that the landlord and staff would have numerous tales about things that pulled a pint in the night to regale me with.  Alas, when I explained what sort of information I was after, the the barmaid just gave me an incredulous look, went to find the landlord (who wouldn’t even come out of the basement to talk to me) and told me ‘he said no, probably not’.  A little depressing but not enough to stop me.

Tomorrow is another day and there are many more people out there I can pester for tales of the paranormal.

Nicola

weirdworld@hotmail.co.uk

©Nicola Kirk and http://www.nicolakirk.wordpress.com 2010