Episode Summary: Chased by a Half-Body Apparition and Spied on by a Pervert Ghost

A house doesn’t have to be old to be haunted. Sometimes, the most inexplicable hauntings happen in the strangest places. Like your front yard. Or your television set.

Our guest today has terrifying stories of some of the strangest ghosts we’ve ever heard of. Do you have a theory for who these ghosts are, and where they came from? Listen to Katharine’s stories, today on Homespun Haints.

About the Guest: Katharine

Once upon a time, Katharine of Livermore, CA, made an innocent comment on one of our Patreon posts. Next thing you know, she’s on the show! Will you be next? If something paranormal, supernatural, or completely unexplainable has happened to you, why not tell your story on our next episode?

Katharine was a Kreepy kid (with a capital K). She didn’t hesitate to ask her parents if someone had died in their new house as soon as she’d she set foot on the property. The only way she could escape a long rash of haunted homes was to move in next door to a funeral home and 2 cemeteries. Oddly, that worked.

Thank you for telling us your stories, Katharine! Hopefully you can find a peaceful place to live soon. Or at least get a good deal on your next haunted apartment. And thank you for being out patron and helping to support our show!

Another half-body apparition

Some of our guests see apparitions. Apparitions are basically ghostly figures made visible, but not necessarily audible, touchable, or smellable. But some of our guests see an apparition that is only part of the full person they would expect to see. We’ve gathered that the industry term for that is a half-body apparition.

Harken back to the half-body apparitions in some of our best paranormal podcast episodes: green foot, Mr. Boots, and Daryl Marston’s story.

What is a half-body apparition?

It feels hard to define a half-body apparition. For example, if you see the ghost of a person who, in life, had no legs, and the ghost appears accordingly…that would be a full-body apparition, right? The best way we can think of it would be an apparition that’s obviously not all there. Perhaps it results from ghosts not having enough energy to truly manifest.

Another thing we never thought to wonder before we started collecting people’s true ghost stories for this podcast is, which half? You’d imagine any ghost bothering to create a half-body apparition would be manifesting the important parts. You’d expect a face for showing identity and expressions, and for communication. Hands would be another good body part to manifest if you’re a lazy ghost; good for communicating, gesturing, and potentially manipulating things, if you’re a poltergeist.

And a half-body apparition cut vertically down the center of the body, well, that’s just illogical. Plus, if you saw only the left half of a human, you’d probably just assume the other half was in shadow, or on the other side of a door frame. So you might not even think of the apparition as half-body.

And yet, about half the time, a half-body apparition seems to be of a body part that’s, well, a little less logical. Why do you think a ghost would choose to manifest as a pair of legs, or just a foot? Kinda makes it seem like it might not be a choice. Maybe they got stuck in their necropants?

Ghost in the machine

Katharine’s grandpa’s old cathode tube TV seems to be haunted, specifically by her grandpa. It turns off and on by itself. Whereas we know Grandpa hitchhiked in on this TV because her family actually sees an apparition of her grandpa wandering around a house they didn’t move into until after his death.

But in most cases, bizarre paranormal experiences related to advanced technology have nothing to do with the supernatural. Technology is just glitchy by nature. In the beginning of this episode, Becky details how being married to an IT skeptic has ruined the magic of supernatural synchronicities related to tech for her.

Market rate? For this haunted-ass apartment?!

2 bd/1 ba in Central Valley; Lots of ghosts, but hey, free laundry!

Becky thinks putting up with a ghost should come with some subsidized rent. Especially if those pervy ghosts tend to peep in on your showers. But we suppose that, for some people, having a haunting in their apartment might be an added amenity. If you were applying for a rental home that you found out was haunted, would you expect a discount, or would you bid above asking? I suppose it depends on if you want to have a spooky day!

The post The Legs Don’t Have Eyes appeared first on Homespun Haints.

AI-generated transcript of this episode available upon request.

About the Guest: Renee Huff

For the first time in its history, Renee is bringing the Haunted House FearFest to the US. Per the HHFF website, “Haunted House FearFest is an independent horror film festival celebrating our passion for bone-chilling horror presented by cutting-edge independent filmmakers and game developers worldwide. Our goal is to share our love of horror and its sub-genres such as giallo, monsters, slasher, zombie, gore, supernatural, psycho, and more!”

If you’re a horror film maker or game developer and you think you’ve got what it takes to give Renee nightmares and win the coveted Grim Reaper Award, submit your project here. If you’re a horror movie fan who’s ready to brave the nightmares yourself, follow on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter for updates on the venue and more. You might just see Becky and Diana there, October 5-8th, 2023.

Episode Show Notes about Horror Movies and Nightmares

Why do we feel more haunted when we’re alone?

Renee never really felt too frightened of the entities in her space while there were other living souls around. It wasn’t until she was living on her own that the presences really started to take a toll on her nerves. Fortunately, her cat Bette Davis found her at just the right time.

Are cats good companions for those of us living alone? Or should we say, those of us who are the only living person in our home? What do cats and other pets do to shield us from the paranormal? Becky says her cats are worthless as ghost catchers, and they should stick to mice. Diana’s dog refuses to even consider going down into the haunted basement, although she’s just fine going down all other staircases. Still, even a scaredy cat makes us feel more at ease when spooky things start happening. Is it just the presence of another beating heart, or is there something supernatural about pets?

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

This spooky teen show from Nickelodeon recently rebooted. The nostalgia was surely enough to get a lot of Gen Xers to tune in for the new version. But in today’s saturated teen vampire, teen werewolf, teen ghost, and teen witch television landscape, the reboot mainly seems to highlight just how few horror-centric paranormal TV options there were for us spooky teens in the early 90’s.

If you’re feeling nostalgic for some childhood horror content that probably won’t cause any nightmares beyond reminding you of your 90’s wardrobe, you can watch the original show here.

Can Horror Movies Cause Nightmares?

Renee insists her nightmares have nothing to do with her affinity for horror movies. However, for the rest of us, our dreams tend to focus on what we experienced within the last 48 hours. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for your dreams to turn scary after watching something terrifying.

Horror movies, full of their uncomfortable themes and jump-scares, can cause spikes in stress. If you’re anxious already, this increase in stress and all those chemicals that go with them can invade your dreams, causing nightmares. Your dreams are a way for your mind to work through and process what you recently experienced, so if you found a film particularly troubling, your brain is going to want to try to figure it out while you sleep. Which can, of course, cause a less than restful night.

Some of us weirdos actually enjoy these nightmares. But if you’re the type of person who just wants to have dreams that mimic a romcom, be sure you work out your emotions about the movie you watched before you hit the hay. Journaling about your emotions and discussing the film with someone else long before you go to bed can help.

What is it like being an empath in New York City?

Becky and Diana hope to make it to NYC to see the HHFF in person this October! But this interview raised some concerns we need to address. When Renee described her situation as an empath living in one of the most populous areas of the US, Diana got a little intimidated.

Becky and Diana both have empathic tendencies, which they both have trouble switching off. After years of living in sprawling neighborhoods, in relative isolation, what will it feel like sleeping sandwiched between hundreds of other people on the same city block? Will the population density of the living attack our senses? Is that a bad thing? How should we protect ourselves?

Let us know on our Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/homespunhaints, or I’m very afraid we’ll have a spooky day!

The post Will You Share Your Nightmares? appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Did Shelby Enter a Time Slip?

Have you ever heard of a time slip? Have you ever experienced one? Everything seems normal until you suddenly find yourself face to face with a person from another era. And slowly you begin to wonder, which of us is in the wrong time?

Time slips and ghost stories go hand in hand, as we hear today. Our guest has encountered both. Hold onto your flux capacitor as we talk to Shelby of Scare You to Sleep Podcast.

About the Guest: Shelby Scott

Shelby Scott tells gently terrifying bedtime stories on her podcast Scare You To Sleep. She recently joined the Bloody Disgusting Network. You can catch her in-person soon at the upcoming Midsummer Scream Convention. She’s also doing a live show in Chicago this November. She also collects vintage midcentury paranormal magazines.

Sponsored by The Smell of Fear Candles

We all know flies like some questionable smells. But what smells would you like if you were slowly, painfully, inexplicably morphing into a fly yourself? There’s only one way to know for sure: with a candle inspired by the classic horror film, The Fly. Luckily, The Smell of Fear candles just released a new Body Horror collection! Check it out at TheSmellOfFear.com.

What is a Time Slip?

The infamous Moberly–Jourdain Incident in Versailles is a great example of a time slip. To make a long story short, a pair of tourists got lost on their way to the Petit Trianon in 1901. As they wandered back alleys or Versailles, they witnessed several anachronisms. They saw people they later decided must have been ghosts, including the spirit of Marie Antoinette herself. Ten years later, they published their story in a book entitled An Adventure under the pseudonyms “Elizabeth Morison” and “Frances Lamont.”

Critics claim their time travel story has been thoroughly debunked. Indeed, editions of An Adventure seemed more embellished each time they were published. Yet it’s relevant to note that the two educated women were likely attempting to make sense of their experience by thoroughly researching and analyzing the things their senses presented to them. The main theories they could surmise—time travel and hauntings—are rife with easy counter-arguments. And yet, the counter arguments made (by men) at the time were based mainly on ad-hominem presumptions. Criticism included theories like the ladies were too shocked by French avant-garde behavior to recognize a costume party. Or that they had a shared delusion, perhaps brought on by virulent lesbianism. Or perhaps that they made it all up for attention. Perhaps Jourdain, the more dominant of the two, coerced Moberly into corroborating her false claims. Remember, these women were well-travelled, middle-class, Oxford academics. True, Jourdain may have ruined her career by claiming that a German spy had infiltrated her college. But is it still paranoia if someone is actually out to get you?

When and how do I tell my partner I’m into ghosts?

Woah, get your mind out of the gutter! We’re not talking about spectrophilia today. Just being an average person who believes in ghosts, seeks out hauntings, and wants to hear as many spooky stories as possible. We propose listening to our podcast with them, preferably in the car, so they can’t run away. As for when, that’s a question for the ages. Is it best to wait until you have a spooky experience together, like Shelby an her husband did? Or better to tear off the bandage right away? After all, do you really want to date someone who would reject you because you love ghosts?

Why don’t we like looking in mirrors in the dark?

Our early H-Files episode Mirror Mirror talks about this common human fear in the context of Bloody Mary. And the darker the mirror, the darker the prospect.

Are You Into the Time Slip?

Have you ever found yourself suddenly thrust into another time? If you have any wisdom to share about time slips, hit us up! We don’t get many paranormal stories like this, so it really made us think. Is being alive and stuck in a time slip kind of like being a ghost stuck in the world of the living, but in reverse? And—oh god—could you get stuck?! What a spooky day that would be!

The post Into The Time Slip: True Stories About Civil War Ghosts appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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The Ghosts of Zanzibar

If you’re the new roommate in the apartment, and new roommates give you the “best” bedroom, be skeptical! Seriously, you don’t think that room is haunted?! Just because the bedroom window overlooks an abandoned, decaying cemetery housing the crumbling bones of late cruel enslaving colonialists doesn’t mean…ok, we don’t want to know what it means. All we know is Evan didn’t sleep very well in that master suite after his visit from something inexplicable there.

About the Guest: Evan Purcell

Today’s guest is an author who writes children’s stories about a boy from Bhutan who fights monsters based on folklore. To say we’re intrigued wouldn’t be exaggerating. Besides writing terrifying tales for tweens, Evan travels the world teaching English. While he’s currently living in Kazakhstan, the ghost story he tells us today actually took place in the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania.

Check out Evan’s page on Amazon to see all his publications, and follow him on Facebook for updates on new releases!

What is a Shaitan?

An evil spirit or evil jinni, a shaitan is one of the 3 invisible creatures from the traditions of Islam. But, like some people broadly use the word “demon” to refer to anything that’s a manifestation of evil, some use “shaitan” the same way. Evan tells the story of how his colleague in Zanzibar witnessed a ritual where one of these ghost-like evil entities be summoned and purged by a village elder woman. Picturing a Catholic-style exorcism? You’re about to be as surprised as Evan’s colleague was when the elder spit liquor and shook her moneymaker at the shaitan.

Wait…this evil ghost encounter in Zanzibar wasn’t scary?

Besides being understandably anxiety-inducing for the youngster who was attempting to escape the shaitan’s temptations, Evan says his friend related the ceremony as weirdly joyful and fun. This “joy” aspect (of something that was also scary) is a good reminder that, from all cultures, our traditional ceremonies are based on the needs of our vulnerable human emotions. The “rational” explanation for these traditions is always a distant second fiddle. Deep down, we are all scared hairless mammals, trying to make sense of what we see in the darkness just outside of the firelight. We wish more cultures solved serious problems by bribing an old lady neighbor with illicit booze to sexy-dance-fight the demons away.

Cemetery rats!

Why are animals who live in a cemetery more worrisome than animals who live outside of a cemetery? Remember that time one of our guests had a cemetery cat forced into her home? It’s probably just an inexplicable, unsettling quality of those of us who are, ourselves, strange and unusual…who are the weirdoes, mister. We personally can only hope that our cemetery-inhabiting habits will eventually make us more frightening to normal people as well.

Thank you for listening to our Zanzibar ghost stories!

We are so happy that you joined us for our season 3 finale! And just in time for the veil to quickly open. And just as quickly, shut. With perhaps just a few more ghosts slipped through to inspire stories for season 4. We truly enjoyed spending this year with you. Regardless of how weird 2021 was in general, we, you and us, dear listener, we will always have season 3 of Homespun Haints. We adore you, and hope you feel the chilling arms of our affection embracing you all winter long, until we meet again in the thaw. Until Springtime, we wish you many spooky days!

The post Things That Crawl Out Of Cemeteries appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Kerry’s Haunted Apartment

Hey, you’re into the paranormal, right? Did you happen to read the NYT article “Quarantining with a Ghost? It’s Scary“? Yeah, this is THAT Kerry, sharing his real haunted apartment stories with us. Oh, and remember our last guest, Sarah? Yeah, this is THAT apartment! Kerry goes even more in-depth about his own encounter with the same ghost in Sarah’s creepy Queens apartment. But this time, it’s from Kerry’s own unique point of view. He has no regrets about living in a haunted apartment during quarantine, except maybe wishing he’d tried harder to befriend the ghost he met there.

Along with his true haunted apartment stories, Kerry shares some sage advice about sharing space with—and getting along with—spirits. Also, he muses about why some spirits remain behind, and the mysteries of spirit-human communication.

Partners and Promos

Today’s episode podcast promo by Hollyweird Paranormal. They are awesome. Stay tuned for our interview with them coming in Season 4!

Ectogasm discount

Looking to purchase some artsy and spooky enamel pins and masks, and support this podcast in the process? Check out the wares at ectogasm.net, and use code HAINTS to save 10% off every order of $20 or more.

Episode Show Notes

About Kerry Blu

Kerry is a songwriter and “rapclectic soul” musician who crafts and performs poignant songs about equality, COVID lockdown stress, and more. His new single, “Think,” already has over 62,000 downloads as of this interview, and not just because it features a cute cat in the lyric video. He founded and curates a music festival in NYC—the Empire State Music and Arts Festival—and in Charlotte, NC–the Queen City Empire Music Festival. You can listen to his music on Spotify @kblumusic, read more about him on his website at kblumusic.org, and explore his different projects through Linktr.ee. Keep up with his announcements on Twitter and Facebook.

We met Kerry through Alexandra Cohl of POD.DRALAND and The Pod Broads. Thanks, Alexandra!

Does a green glow represent anything important?

Both Kerry and Sarah emphasized the greenness of the spirit they both encountered…but what does that mean? According to everydayknow.com, green orbs represent actual humans that have lived and died, visiting with the intent of bringing love and/or happiness, or medicine and/or healing. That does kind of fit with Kerry’s encounter, don’t you think?

Can a poltergeist encounter affect one’s memory?

Well, Wikipedia blames purported poltergeist activity on memory lapses, so perhaps sometimes it’s the other way around. And, we’ve heard stories from both our former guests Sapphire and Erin about people having no memory of supernatural encounters, even though everyone around them saw the effects of the ghosts themselves. What do you think?

Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post Quarantined with a Ghost appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Origin of the word “bat”

Etymonline.com cites several possible origins for the English word as it stands today. Bat comes from Middle English bakke, which likely comes from the Old Norse leðrblaka, meaning “leather flapper.” Somehow, bakke melded with Latin blatta (referring to a moth or other nocturnal insect) to become “bat.” Interestingly, the Old English word for the animal was hreremus, meaning “rattle-mouse.” Middle English ruins everything.

Way to take multiple adorable concepts and distill them down to something super boring and generic, modern English. It seems other world languages have held onto some of these original word associations, but in a much more obvious (or entertaining) manner. So, just for fun, we are going to learn how to say “bat” in several languages where the modern word is much cuter than it is in English. 

Greek

As a biology nut (you could say I’m batty for bio), I have to start with Greek. Bats are in the order Chiroptera, which means “hand-wing” in Greek. I am therefore surprised to inform you that that is not the modern Greek word for “bat.” Rather, “bat” in Greek is νυχτερίδα (nychterída). From núkteros, “nocturnal” and pteridae, for “winged.” Any thoughts about why we gave them a different scientific name, when there was already a perfectly good Greek word for them, Greek-speakers?

Portuguese

Morcego, from the Old Portuguese mur (mouse) + cego (blind). “Blind mouse” makes sense, as bats rely on echolocation since they mostly see infrared light. Plus, they do kind of look like a frightened farmer’s wife cut their tails off. This is the origin of the Spanish murciélago, which I’d always thought had something to do with bats swooping low over a lake (lago) to sip water and catch insects (I’m too much of a romantic for Romance languages, I guess?).

German

Fledermaus. “Fleder” is from an old form of the German word “flattern” which means “flutter.” Literally, flutter-mouse! Awwwwwwww!

Russian

летучая мышь (letuchaya mysh’), which means “volatile mouse.” We’re seeing a trend on the mouse theme. Both (bats and mice) have snuck into my house. I can attest that the bat was a significantly more volatile roommate. In this case, however, I suppose they mean volatile like it used to be used (“flying,” related to the Latin word we all know from the classic Italian song “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare).” Happenstantially, that official song title translates to “In the blue-painted blue,” which of course reminds us of Haint Blue painted porch ceilings.

(Speaking of volatile roommates, check out our episodes The Forsaken Flatmate and Korean Folklore, Death Days, and the Haunted Queens Apartment to learn about squatters of the ethereal kind.)

Estonian

Nahkhiir. Pretty straightforward: nahk is “leather/skin,” hiir is “mouse.” Skin mouse?? Ok, I see where you’re going, but what a mental image, oy.

Thai

ค้างคาว (káng-khāo) which describes an animal that ค้าง (káng) “stays put” (in the daytime, ’cause ya know, it’s nocturnal) and คาว (khāo) “smells gamey,” as bat guano does. But if you mistranslate the root words just a little, the compound word could also refer to a lingering fishy stink. It doesn’t, but also it kinda might.

Mandarin Chinese

蝙蝠 (Biānfú), both complete characters of which are only ever used in the word “bat.” Or describing batlike things, like batwing-sleeved dress. Chinese etymology works completely differently than Western etymology, in that each character conveys a meaning, rather than a pronunciation. The same character generally means the same concept in various dialects/languages, but can sound very, VERY different.

Root characters for “bat” include 扁, which basically means flat, modified by the radical for insect. Also 富 which means “rich.” It is part of the word fortune (aka good fortune), and also modified by the radical for insect. Because in Mandarin “fortune” also sounds like “fú” you could say the word 蝙蝠 literally translates as “flat insect of fortune.”

Due to the similarities in writing and the homonym, bats are traditionally a lucky symbol in China. This also seems completely different from the western interpretation of bats as spooky creatures of misfortune. I’m with you on this one, China. Bats eat mosquitoes, which is indeed fortunate, even if you’re not goth.

Honorable mentions for cute literal meaning/origin of the word “bat”

• French: chauve-souris, or “bald mouse”
• Italian: pipistrello, or “overcoat with a sleeveless cape”
• Korean: 박쥐 (bagjwi), or “bright-eyed rat”
• Maltese: frfett il-lejl, or “butterfly of the night”
• Swahili: popo (also associated with an evil spirit of folklore)
• Māori: pekapeka (homonym with “branchy,” “visitor,” and several other branchy things which might visit you, like starfish and weeds)
• Shona: chiremwaremwa (I’m curious if this is related to the word “monster?”)
• Kazakh: жарғанат (jarğanat)
• Lao: ເຈຍ (chia) (homonym with “paper”)

Do you speak a language where the word “bat” is more interesting than it is in English? What’s your favorite word for “bat?” Please let me know by commenting in our Facebook Group, or on Patreon, and I’ll add it to this fun etymology lesson about bats.

Header image copyright Craig on Adobe Stock.

The post Etymology for Goth Polyglots: Bats!!! appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Creepy stories from a haunted apartment

Creaking doors, creaking floors, and the feeling that you’re being watched may make you think you have a ghost in your home, but what would really convince you? What would it take to make you sit up and say “yes, this place is definitely haunted.”

Our guest today could almost dismiss all the signs of her haunted home until she saw something unforgettable. And you won’t be able to forget about it, either, after you hear her story.

In the Korean-American communities of New York, the culture is even more steeped in tradition than what you’d find in modern-day Korea. Sarah tells us how Korean-Americans hold on to and celebrate their cultural heritage, specifically around death and spirits. Expect some classic bathroom ghosts, virgin ghosts, polytheism, animism, Buddhism, Confuscianism, shamanism, superstitions, ancestors, and more. Then, she tells us her own creepy story of what happened in her 1930’s apartment.

Episode Promo

Today’s episode podcast promo is by The Salty Speculation Podcast.

About the guest: Sarah Jinee Park

Sarah is the executive editor of MochiMag.com, a writer for Peach Velvet Mag. She uses her journalism powers to advocate for and amplify the narratives of Asian-American women and other minorities. You can also find her on Instagram @fragile__things. Also, keep up with her writing via her website: sarahjineepark.com.

Korean death ritual: What is a bu-dung?

A bu-dung is a shaman that mediates the “passing-on ritual,” essential for successful reincarnation. They will also mediate communication and rituals between the spirits and the living. There are lots of these in Korea that you can call to cleanse a haunted space. Unfortunately for Sarah, she doesn’t know of any in New York.

Famous Korean folklore figures

Dokkaebi Creature

The dokkaebi or dokebi is equal parts ghost and goblin. It is created by an object tainted with blood. According to the books Sarah grew up reading, it also stalks and punishes greedy people.

Kumiho…is it like a Kitsune?

The Kumiho is a 9-tailed fox spirit that poses as a beautiful woman and eats the livers of men to gain longevity. This concept is also very gendered, and in Korean culture, calling a woman a fox is associated with slut-shaming. Feminists are reclaiming the term, as Sarah demonstrates in her short story, The Kumiho’s Song in Truancy Magazine.

Why are there so many creepy stories about bathroom ghosts haunting Asian schools?

School can be a scary place. Apparently, due to ruthless competition and pressure to succeed, Asian girls’ schools can be doubly so. There are plenty of stories of creepy bathroom hauntings and occurrences across Asia. In some stories, vengeful bathroom ghosts grab onto the long hair of young girls and kill them. Therefore, it’s traditional to cut one’s hair when a girl starts school. All of these bathroom hauntings have something to do with tradition and regret.

Death Days

There are incredibly elaborate rules and rites surrounding the observation of death days, or Gije. Like a birth day, a death day is an annual celebration commemorating the day an ancestor or loved one passed away. Gije is a private ceremony held on the anniversary of the death of a family member within 5 generations (anything beyond that would be a Sije, which are all observed at the same time). There’s also an intricate feast prepared the night before, including traditional dishes like tteok, jeon, and jeok.

Spooky Etymology

Do you love words? Do you love knowing the origin of words‽ Do you love comparing words in different languages‽ Do you know how to use an interrobang‽‽‽ Us, too. We had a lot of fun making up words for specific situations. Do you like our new words (wraithalaith, nobsquasher, and twabble) and plan to use them? If so, let’s build a conspiracy together: suggest them to Urban Dictionary with your own version of the definitions. Keep an eye on our blog for an ongoing series, Etymology for Goth Polyglots.

P.S. Thank you Podraland for introducing us to today’s guest Sarah! She had some truly creepy stories from a real haunted apartment, and really helped us have a spooky day!

The post Korean Folklore, Death Days, and the Haunted Queens Apartment appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Episode Summary

This episode couldn’t get more classic. First, Kimberly talks about her encounters with spirits and Ouija. Then, she continues with stories of tarot, cemeteries, and magic—specifically the kind of magic required for yogurt-making. When she is recruited to keep the night watchman company in an old haunted theater, she just can’t resist taking that big empty stage. Apparently, the building wasn’t as vacant as she thought!

Episode Promos

Episode podcast promo by I Have a Strange Story podcast

Ectogasm discount

Looking to purchase some artsy and spooky enamel pins and masks, and support this podcast in the process? Check out the wares at ectogasm.net, and use code HAINTS to save 10% off every order of $35 or more.

Episode Show Notes

About Kimberly Gordon

Kimberly is a world-traveler, but to see and hear her, you might think she was also a time-traveler. Her warm honeyed voice brings hundred-year-old songs back to life, and her esthetic embraces elevated speakeasy-couture. She was one of the first women to hold a residency at the historic Smalls Jazz Club in New York. When she’s not singing, Kimberly practices other forms of magic, including kitchen witchery. Be sure to follow her artistic, photographic, and foodie adventures while waiting for a live performance to come to your city.

If you’re interested in hearing Kimberly’s recorded music, be sure to check out one of her albums!

Kimberly’s official bio:

Fourth generation Chicagoan and critically lauded vocalist Kimberly Gordon is sought after by the elite jazz listener. Kimberly’s grandfather was a dancer at the historic Chêz Pareé nightclub and her Nana was a camera girl there, a position aquired by childhood friend and mobster Sam Giancana. These stories and personal ties to Chicago nightclub history laid the foundation for Kimberly’s love of early 20th century music. With a deep understanding of the American Songbook it has led her on a path that celebrates composers, lyricists, and jazz masters alike.

In New York City, Kimberly was the first woman to hold a Saturday night residency at the now historic Smalls Jazz Club in Manhattan. Kimberly’s years in N.Y.C allowed her to perform with jazz greats such as Roy Hargrove, Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Teddy Edwards, Clark Terry, Doc Cheatham, and John Hicks, just to name a handful. 

Kimberly’s sound reflects the old school style of delivering standards, deeply rooted in the ways of the masters, always true to the melody as written; this separates her from the rest. 

When she is not touring Europe or hiding from a pandemic you can find Kimberly Sunday nights at Le Piano weaving her way through the American songbook with long-time pianist/organist Chris Foreman.

References

The notorious Al Capone had his own private booth (and personal entrance fanfare at The Green Mill cocktail lounge in Uptown Chicago, a music joint established in 1907. Becky and Kimberly may have crossed paths at this very place years ago, unbeknownst to them at the time.

Cartomancy: Tarot cards vs. playing cards

Which one came first? Are playing cards used for fortune-telling? Are tarot cards based off of classic playing cards? Would you get your fate foretold with Homespun Haints Tarot cards??? (Not to give too many spoilers, but this might be possible in the near future!)

Thank you for listening to our podcast of true paranormal stories!

Homespun Haints Podcast is currently interviewing people with true personal paranormal stories. Please click this link to submit your story, and we’ll be in touch soon. Until next time, have a spooky day!

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True Ghost Stories from Chicago

Running a business is tough. So much of it is about survival, testing what we’re made of, and having the wherewithal to just keep going forward and try new things until we finally get it right. Of course, running a business in a haunted location makes all of that even harder. Andrea’s story of doing just that will send chills down your spine.

About Andrea Klunder

Andrea Klunder is a podcast producer, editor, consultant, and speaker. She also is the host and producer of the podcasts The Creative Impostor and Podcast Envy. You can find links to both podcasts, as well as contact information for Andrea, on her website thecreativeimpostor.com. Also, be sure to follow Andrea on Instagram @thecreativeimpostor for podcasting tips and episode information.

We Interviewed Andrea, Then She Interviewed Us!

Here’s an update from the future! This episode of Andrea’s true ghost stories dropped in 2020. Four years later, we finally returned the favor. Go check out the episode of The Creative Imposter Podcast where she interviews Becky and Diana about what it’s like to run a spooky business, and our other entrepreneurial capers, like our sister website building and brand design company, The Concept Spot.

And just in case you’re thinking, “nah, I don’t listen to content for entrepreneurs, I only wanna hear ghost stories,” have I got a hook for you: yes, it’s true, ghosts were discussed on this very professional business podcast. Andrea shared some bonus spooky content…including EVPs. Here’s an interesting one-off recording artifact that only seemed to occur when the guest was discussing paranormal activity.

Then, we talked about paranormal stuff on her show, and she got another weird artifact!

It just goes to show, even infrequently talking about ghosts can get you haunted.

Catch the Homespun Haints speaking on The Creative Imposter here.

The Alley of Death and Mutilation

Chicago is no stranger to infrastructure tragedy. We open our episode with discussion of the fire of the Iroquois Theater in December of 1903, where over 600 people perished either in the flames that engulfed the theater, or in the adjacent alley where many of the theater-goes dove to their death. The tragedy claimed the lives of children, teachers, and parents who attended the fateful matinee performance of the musical comedy, Mr. Bluebeard. It also caused major revisions in fire codes and building standards which are still adhered to today.

Here’s the official story about the fire, and how everything went wrong in this “fireproof” theater on that fateful day. But of course we know you’d rather hear Becky speculate about the paranormal nature of the event and its outcomes, which you can do here.

The 2003 Chicago Porch Collapse

One hundred years after the fire at the Iroquois Theater, another tragedy claimed the lives of twelve twenty-somethings enjoying the first warm day of summer at an apartment party in Lincoln Park, an upscale neighborhood in Chicago. The back deck of the upper floor apartment, crowded with dozens of people, collapsed onto the porch below, which was also crowded with people.

You can read first-hand accounts of survivors and witnesses on this archived article. Ten years later, witnesses still remembered the tragedy in this CBS article. And, be sure you listen to the episode above to learn about what happened to Andrea when she moved into that same building, seven years later.

Can spirits become confused? Or get stuck?

After hearing so many real ghost horror stories, we think ghosts can get stuck, but don’t take our word for it. Check out this medium on YouTube who has some detailed explanations for why this might happen. It certainly would explain these haunted apartment stories. Also, you can read about the Tibetan Book of the Dead that Andrea references in the episode.

Now seeking: true ghost stories

Do you have a true first-hand ghost story? Tell it to us by submitting it here, and you could be featured on an episode of Homespun Haints! Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post The Confused Spirits of a Chicago Walk-Up appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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About our guest, Ludovic

Our guest this episode, Ludovic Vuillier, is CEO of The Good Life Manifesto. His company is dedicated to helping its clients live the best life they can through actionable processes. Learn more at thegoodlifemanifesto.com.

Notes on the Evil Apartment in Los Angeles

What is esoteric Judaism?

This episode makes the distinction between Judaism, at its core, and offshoots of Jewish mysticism such as Kabbala.

Many outside of the Jewish faith are fascinated by kabbalistic teachings and imagery. And why not? Kabbala is full of fascinating paranormal mysteries! Many within the faith, however, would argue that true Kabbala cannot be understood, nor should it be practiced, by those without a strong foundation in Jewish teachings. After all, dabbling in faith-based rituals without proper context can have unforeseen consequences. Surely we learned that from Episode 18: Dennis the Demon and the Meth Gators.

Here’s an article on High Profile Kabbala from Hadassah magazine. It includes an in-depth analysis of Kabbala inside—and outside—of Judaism.

Want to learn more about spiritual cleansing concepts within the core of Judaism? Encyclopedia Judaica has an in-depth article about ablution.

Jewish Horror

With so many classic horror film tropes pulling from Christian (specifically Catholic) origins, it’s easy to forget that Judaism has its own traditions revolving demonic evil, and how to protect and ward against it.

What is a Golem?

You may be familiar with the concept of a golem. Not the one from Tolkien. The term “golem” appears in the Talmud, referring to something unshaped or incomplete. In the context of Jewish tradition, it originally described an unformed or unskilled human. Kabbalistic mysticism added the concept of creating a supernatural golem to protect its creator. Kabbalistic texts provide detailed instructions on how to animate a golem from clay through mystical practices. The concept bears some vague similarity to creating a tulpa, or reanimating a corpse into a zombie.

Modern Golems appearing in film and television, such as in The X-Files, Supernatural, and The Simpsons, often show this creature as something horrific and dangerous; the protagonist is tasked with trying to kill or destroy the Golem before the creature wrecks havoc on the world. In fact, the 2018 Israeli film The Golem explores this theme delightfully. For a great article on how the film connects to the roots of Jewish horror, check out this well-written article in Tablet.

Have you ever rented a haunted apartment?

Apartment living can be spooky, even when there’s nothing paranormal involved. Startling noises, an unknown number of open flames in the building, and sleeping only 2 layers of drywall away from a stranger who might be listening to every breath you take is not for the faint of heart. That’s what makes these stories of real haunted apartments even more sinister than haunted houses. If you have a true ghost story you are willing to share with us, submit it here, and you might get to speak on a future episode of Homespun Haints!

Thanks again for spending time with us! Until next time, have a spooky day!

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