Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

So if you find any errors don't worry about reporting them or stressing out with the red pen or anything.    As time goes on, they will be fixed.

That's funny:D  I was just kidding about the red pen:) I've actually toned it down on being so anal about grammar and such; I used to be really bad. Although, I still can't read some people's posts because they don't use capitalization or any kind of correct grammar. It drives me crazy, and I wish I could ignore it; I'm sure they have good points--it's just that I can't bring myself to wade through the all-one-sentence post.  I really am working on that, though. smile

And I know what you're talking about, trying to edit one's own work. It becomes hard when you've reread it 10 times!  One trick they taught in my high school English class was this:  When you're proofreading your own work, try and read it backwards and you'll usually find any typos present. It pretty much works, too, though it's time consuming. If you don't have anyone to edit for you, you might try that sometime and see if it helps.

But honestly, most people nowadays don't even care. Sometimes I think I'm the only one left who gives a shit about the English language (although I know I'm not the only one). The internet has made it possible for people to become lazy about how they use their words.  So in the main, either most people won't catch the mistakes, or they'll just ignore them because the writing is so interesting otherwise.

62 (edited by lyra 2007-01-09 09:46:44)

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

Seeking the Truth wrote:

That's funny:D  I was just kidding about the red pen:) I've actually toned it down on being so anal about grammar and such; I used to be really bad. Although, I still can't read some people's posts because they don't use capitalization or any kind of correct grammar. It drives me crazy, and I wish I could ignore it; I'm sure they have good points--it's just that I can't bring myself to wade through the all-one-sentence post.  I really am working on that, though.  smile .........But honestly, most people nowadays don't even care. Sometimes I think I'm the only one left who gives a shit about the English language (although I know I'm not the only one). The internet has made it possible for people to become lazy about how they use their words.  So in the main, either most people won't catch the mistakes, or they'll just ignore them because the writing is so interesting otherwise.

Oh, I definitely hear you there.  !!   Mistakes happen....but then there are those long, run on jumbled posts with no punctuation or capitals and typos gallore.    I don't read them either.   

I was talking via email with someone recently about this subject, and what I've noticed lately is a rampant, and I do mean rampant, issue with people misspelling/mixing up the following:

their/there/they're
it's/its
to/too/two
no/know
were/where
then/than

and the biggest offender of them all.............

drum roll.............................

should OF instead of should HAVE.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, it's called a CONTRACTION. !  Should have = should've.   Not should of.   grrrrrrrrrrrr!

Actually, the equally big offender is the misuse of apostrophes and not understanding how to make words plural.  It's like people don't know how to make something possessive anymore.  There's a rampant problem with people thinking that the plural form of a word should have an apostrophe.....example, "puppy's" when they mean puppies, or desk's when they mean desks.....and then leaving them out where they should be!   I see this all over the internet.  Is this the modern school system?   !!!!   It makes me annoyed, like seriously annoyed, I don't know why.

"their should of been puppy's two but there werent instead it was kitten's and than they're where more puppy's and more kitten's and i dont even no what im talking about!"

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit ... what a ride!"  - Anonymous
-----
"I get by with a little help from my (higher density) friends."
-----

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

Seeking the Truth wrote:

Although, I still can't read some people's posts because they don't use capitalization or any kind of correct grammar. It drives me crazy, and I wish I could ignore it; I'm sure they have good points--it's just that I can't bring myself to wade through the all-one-sentence post.  I really am working on that, though. smile

I feel the same way, but I'm not "working on it." smile  If a post seems interesting, I'll always read it when the author makes a reasonable effort to communicate themselves clearly, even if they don't speak or write the language well.   But I just think that writing as clearly as you are able to is a sign of respect for those who have to READ your post.     I don't care if you've mastered the King's English, but if you can't even be bothered to even try to write properly, then I'm not going to put a lot of energy into trying to untangle it.  Especially when the author is intentionally writing in the same "cool" way they speak on the street.   no wat im sayin?

lyra wrote:

Actually, the equally big offender is the misuse of apostrophes and not understanding how to make words plural.  It's like people don't know how to make something possessive anymore.  There's a rampant problem with people thinking that the plural form of a word should have an apostrophe.....example, "puppy's" when they mean puppies, or desk's when they mean desks.....and then leaving them out where they should be!

I see this a lot, too.  Incidentally, I learned recently that in Dutch, it's correct grammar to pluralize some words this way.   The first few times I saw this, I cringed a bit:  de radio's, de baby's, etc.

64 (edited by Zejith_Themis 2007-01-09 16:56:48)

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

Ah, true globalization.

It is only good for showing us how little we know about anything and anyone.

My polymath, polyglot ( x6! ), world-travelling, genius dad recently astounded me by not knowing that "junior" and "senior" come from latin. He was all jazzed about how much the italians appropriate anglo terms. roll

We're all a bit pretentious, but don't realize it until a humiliating moment comes along.

Sometimes not even then. neutral

Love is the law, love under will.
   
     Zejith Themis
      .:420-510:.
    FIAT IUSTITIA
    RUAT COELUM

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

I tend to be quite bad when it comes to correct grammar and spelling.  But - then again, I personally am okay with the way people write, and feel that so long as the message can be understood then it isn't really a problem.  I find it comparable to the way people speak, some people speak clearly and others don't - whilst some have weird accents and others just sound perpetually drunk.  But if they have something worthwhile to say then I will listen / read regardless.

"Don't shoot the messenger." springs to mind.  Though that's not what is being said, and it is more about the increase in typos and grammar.  It is something I have also noticed; especially in prominent places where there really shouldn't be any errors.  Maybe it has something to do with the same break down of tech. as mentioned in this thread - http://forum.noblerealms.org/viewtopic.php?id=4522  big_smile

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

morningsun76 wrote:

I see this a lot, too.  Incidentally, I learned recently that in Dutch, it's correct grammar to pluralize some words this way.   The first few times I saw this, I cringed a bit:  de radio's, de baby's, etc.

Who knew!  big_smile  We're so conditioned in English speaking societies that apostrophes designate possession (or indicate a contraction) that it seems really strange to imagine using it to form the plural. 

For non-Dutch speaking American English speakers I'm left wondering if somehow their schooling was just SO bad - I mean, you hear horror stories about the modern day American public school system - that maybe they just never really learned how it all works...?   !   Especially if they rarely read and instead consume media, then they really just haven't spent much time actually noticing the logistics of the written language.


Marcus wrote:

..... whilst some have weird accents and others just sound perpetually drunk....

That made me laugh.  big_smile

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit ... what a ride!"  - Anonymous
-----
"I get by with a little help from my (higher density) friends."
-----

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

Punctuate this ..

"Woman without her man is nothing" smile

68 (edited by free*world 2007-01-11 05:29:48)

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

or this...

"eats roots shoots and leaves" lol

edit:  but seriously,  could not grammar and its potential for pendantry get tooooo obsessive, so that you might miss something while you are busy shooting the messenger?  Or is it shooting the message?  Either way, a distraction, potentially, if not aware of such traps.  Ah, a "trap for young players" as they say round 'ere.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. Jimi Hendrix 

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

Blue wrote:

Punctuate this ..

"Woman without her man is nothing" smile

In case anybody's curious, Blue was just telling me that this quote comes from the CosmicAwarness channeling.  Here's the excerpt:

"An English professor wrote the words, "Woman without her man is nothing" on the blackboard and directed the students to punctuate it correctly. The man wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing." The woman wrote: "Woman, without her, man is nothing." The information we see and hear, can have
different meanings to each of us, depending upon our perspective. As our perspective broadens, so does the meaning of our existence."


Anyway, I didn't mean to help steer this thread onto the topic of grammar, spelling and punctuation.  But alas, these things happen in the world of message boards.  haha   So, back to books about MILABs and abductions.......... wink

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit ... what a ride!"  - Anonymous
-----
"I get by with a little help from my (higher density) friends."
-----

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

Well, it took a few days, but I got through to the end of the book. There were several weird things that happened while reading it, but nothing I can't handle. I plan on lending it to my good friend who introduced me to 'this' side of life; I think she'll enjoy it as much as I did.

I know you're not out looking for pity, but I just have to say that I really do feel sorry for you that you had to endure so much sh*t.  I don't know how you got through a life like that and ended up being as clear-headed as you are. If I had a hat, I would take it off to you...Well, here--I'll use my imaginary one. smile

You brought a lot of things to my attention that I had forgotten about long ago. My memory is pretty poor from my childhood and my dreams. I really don't think I've been abducted, but I definitely have had some weird things happen in my life. I used to wake up reversed in my bed, and I regularly slept in the narrow space in between my bed and the wall, because I felt safer there.  This was when we lived in the Presidio while my (pseudo) dad was stationed there in the army. I was very young. That's also when I think I experienced something very similar to your story about finding iodine "down there." When I read that in your book, I had a sudden flash of memory that was very strange.  That was also about the time when I started having really bad dreams, and literally made myself not remember them anymore.

Well, sorry about the story; I just wanted to relay a few similarities.

Again, very good book; thank you so much for making it available to all of us. I think I speak for most of us when I say that I can't wait for the sequel that includes more of Joe's story. BTW, I am so sorry for your loss. Whatever circumstances surround his death, I'm sure it must be hard on you since you had to practically raise him and you were so close. Hopefully, time and contemplation will help to somewhat heal your broken heart...

71 (edited by lyra 2007-01-20 09:08:58)

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

Hi Seeking the Truth - You're right, I'm not looking for pity.  Some might wonder then...why put in the Appendix in there in the first place if I'm not looking for pity?  Well, I felt it had to be in there.  After compiling the book and mentioning so many of my own personal experiences and the connections I've made because of them (of which included my family members) I realized....people are going to wonder what my childhood/teen years were like.  After reading all of that and seeing that I obviously have "stuff" going on the natural next questions to ask me are, when did it start?  Did you have indicators in your childhood?  What about your family? Is stuff happening to them too?  And if so, is their stuff connected to your stuff?  It had to be addressed, no two ways about it, only because again the entire foundation of the book stemmed from my own research, connect-the-dot-observations and personal experiences.  If I'd written one of those neutral, detached, pseudo-academic uninvolved third party books then of course, there'd be no reason or place for it.   So, I wrote the general gist of what it was growing up and what the parental units were like in case it does ring a bell for others, and to answer the inevitable questions that would be on most readers' minds.

After reading your post I do have to chime in my 2 cents that it seems like you very well may have "stuff" going on in your life, maybe even abductions, even though you believe you don't.  Now, I'm not one of those crazy people who tries to make people think they've got weirdness in their lives simply because I do big_smile  BUT....based on what you described, somethin' was happening to you, no doubt.  The mere fact that you were interested in reading my book and the subject matter interested you possibly says something.  I've noticed that non-abductees have little if any interest in reading or talking about aliens, UFOs, military abductions, MILABS, etc.  They can't relate, and it's simply not interesting to them.   So for those who are drawn to it, it means they probably have a higher than average chance of having that sort of thing in their own life.  Also, you experienced some wacky interference when getting to Part II of my book.  I mean, your story of your printer inexplicably stopping and refusing to print once you got to the exact first page of Part II still takes the cake as far as the weird stories I've heard!  big_smile So, that seems to be telling.

Also, little kids don't sleep between the wall and their bed on the floor, experience really bad dreams out of nowhere that they have to block out, wake up with something akin to iodine going on down there, wind up reversed in their beds and so on if something isn't happening.  Just the fact that you were sleeping in the space between your wall and your bed.....that really says some things.  I didn't mention it in my book, but I did on my website in my write up called "The Vortex" but my brother had a very similar thing as a kid.  For years he was terrorized by "breathing" in his room at night;  there was an incident when he was nine years old and we all woke up to hear this thumping and banging going on in my brother's room, only to find him in a state of absolute terror, trying to get out of his room because of "the lights!  the lights!"  That's all he could even get out.  The lights.  He tried to flee the lights and kept running into his closet door repeatedly, not able to get out of the bedroom door to the left of that.   By the time he was 9 and 10 years old, just before we moved out of that house, he was taking his sleeping bag and sleeping in the closet.  Wouldn't even sleep in his bed anymore, just tried to scrunch himself up in the closet and hide from whatever had been coming around him for years.

Anyway, these things mean something, and I think your stuff does too.  I don't know if it was "abductions" per se, but something seems to have been amiss when you were young.  Hate to say it, but possibly even some sort of abuse? I don't know.  Might be something worth looking into, see what else you can remember.

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit ... what a ride!"  - Anonymous
-----
"I get by with a little help from my (higher density) friends."
-----

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

Thanks for the reply, Lyra.  I don't really know where to go from here. I've had many odd things happen in my life, but not anything like what you have gone thru. Of course, I've buried my childhood memories and don't recall 99% of my dreams, so if other 'strange' things have happened, I wouldn't remember them anyway. It sounds strange for me to not have any memories of my childhood, but I can't think of why that is. My memory recollection starts at about 12 or so. And most of those were brought about because the girl who used to be my best friend has brought most of them to my attention. And then I'm like 'oh yeah, I remember that!'  But before that...the only ones I have are of a sexual nature, and a few odds and ends (like waking up backwards or between the wall and bed).  Oh and I used to ask my mom if I could go to bed. But then again, I have always been the type who could fall asleep easily and sleep forever. (I guess most kids fight going to bed...not me!)

The 'guru' I saw in AZ was in contact with the spirit world thru his pendulum and whatnot, and he told me that he thought I was sexually abused. Then my current/only friend (not the one I grew up with) told me she thought I was abused, too. But the lady in AZ who hooked me up to the QXCI machine said that my subconscious does not recall a history of sexual abuse, just mental, emotional, and physical.

I've had many strange things happen in the last few years, but I just chalked them up to being physically ill. Although that wouldn't explain the mysterious bruises and scratches that I've had, or the fact that I still bleed every month even 2 years after my almost-full hysterectomy. And according to all the many doctors I've been to, there's nothing physically wrong with me.

Well, I could go on, but I'm sure you don't want to hear all about my life. At this point, I don't know what to do. I just keep reading and researching and trying to find out what's been going on in my life. I just finished "The Taken" and now I'm reading "Into the Fringe."  I guess I wouldn't mind doing hypnosis to see if I can retrieve any other memories, but honestly I don't even know who to see for that. I'm sure there's not very many hypnotists in my neck of the woods.

Well, thanks for taking the time to read my rambling. smile

73 (edited by lyra 2007-01-24 08:16:29)

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

I forgot to address this comment from earlier:

Seeking the Truth wrote:

I think I speak for most of us when I say that I can't wait for the sequel that includes more of Joe's story....

There's never been a sequel planned, this book will definitely be it.  I did my own personal write up detailing my brother's story, for personal reasons and posterity, but it's not something that'll be out there.  I figured that between whatever I mentioned in the book, and what I talked about in my write up called "The Vortex" on my site, that was enough to compile the general gist of what was going on with him.  The rest......X!  Can't be out there.  I'd probably have somebody knocking on my door in 10 minutes if I did.  wink

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit ... what a ride!"  - Anonymous
-----
"I get by with a little help from my (higher density) friends."
-----

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

DOH!!  I can't believe I missed that write-up on your site, Lyra. I had printed out most of your articles a couple months ago. I wonder how I missed "The Vortex"?!?  I've just visited your site again and printed that article out to read. You're right, it is almost a  book in itself! 

Oh, and I completely understand about not being willing to talk about *all* of your experiences. I totally wouldn't want them banging on your door because you spilled all the beans!

Hey, by the way, I just finished the latest issue of Nexus (very good reading, as always), and I saw your ad in the back for this book.  That was so cool!!!!!  I could hardly believe my eyes. I think that it's great that you're offering your ebook for free to all of us and that you made an ad for it, as well.  Awesome work... smile That's the best way to get the word out, eh?

Kudos to you!!

Re: "Chasing Phantoms"

I'm a chronic insomniac, and sought the help of my doctor a few years ago.  He enthusiastically prescirbed Ambien, which is a very popular drug nowadays classified as a hypnotic.  One of the side-effects it produces is amnesia.  I would pop my Ambien and stay up until it took effect.  The next day, I would find all these things I had posted on message boards with ABSOLUTELY NO MEMORY OF HAVING POSTED THEM!  They would be completely lucid and rational, and would sound exactly like something I would say, but even reading them didn't trigger any memories of actually writing them.

I had asked Spirit/Higher self that morning "What is wrong with this person?" in regard to a woman I know and have tried to work with on creative projects, who always seems to be in a daze and screws up and sabotages eveything that this group I was in tried to do. Nothing productive was ever really achieved where she was involved, yet she got all kinds of praise and kudos for screwing things up all the time. I found the above on this thread later that morning, and I remembered that she had told me once that she couldn't get to sleep one night becasue she didn't have her tranquilizer (Ambien). Reading these posts put two and two together for me, because she always forgot critical scheduling and was also present at some really unacceptable events involving other people and had no recollection of being there. Also, no one would ever remember this person's involvement in certain events, even though she was always busy organizing and doing this, that and the other, but when I asked other people "who was there at such and such" no one would remember her being there even though she was, so it is like being in such a trance state all of the time makes you invisible or in another dimension to others! This woman is always in a trance, and she is an open relay for OPs that I worked with, so seeing that Ambien is a hypnotic tied it together, I have always said "she is hypnotized, mesmerized" etc. But now I know for sure-lala

don't judge a book by its name