Haunt Jaunt

This week, I am back visiting areas in the Ozark region of southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas.  As I sit typing out my Two Thoughts For Tuesday, I am a bit pressed for time.  Hubby and I have been hanging out in America's Most Haunted Hotel for the last couple of days and are going to go out on a ghost hunt tonight.  Chances are I will have to fill you in on the results of our hunt sometime later tonight.  For now I will give you  a little history of the 1886 Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Thought Number One:   The 1886 Crescent Hotel

Built in 1886, the Crescent Hotel and Spa was built by Irish stonemasons in the Ozark Mountain town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  When the doors opened, the hotel catered to the “carriage set” of people living in and traveling through the town during the Victorian Era. It was a destination for the rich and famous. Tea dances were held in the afternoon while dance parties were held at night, with music from the in-house orchestra. For many years, the hotel enjoyed prosperity as a year-round resort for those seeking the healing properties of the springs that seem to be abundant all over Arkansas.

By 1908, the hotel was in decline and was opened as the Crescent College and Conservatory for Young Women. It catered to wealthy young women while still
catering to the tourist crowd, but neither this nor the astronomical tuition charged to the students was enough to keep up with the constant upkeep and repairs needed. The school closed in 1924.  In 1930 it reopened as a junior college for four years.
It wasn't until 1937 that The Crescent Hotel entered it's most notorious period.

A Word To The Wise

You might remember that in my post last Monday (yeah, the one that was supposed to be for Tuesday...that one) I was telling you about my plan to become more optimistic.  It turns out there is a new study aimed at helping us all to become more "yay-sayers" instead of "nay-sayers".  For those of you that have been reading my blog for awhile, you KNOW how much I believe in studies. (dripping in sarcasm).  As studies, polls and graphs always give totally accurate information, (more sarcasm mixed with a little scorn) I thought I would offer up a Public Service Announcement, of sorts.  So  before I fill you in on the "what were they thinking?" news for the week, I will tell you about another study that may or may not have an ounce of credibility.

Take the Trash Out

According to new research study that was published in  Psychological Science, if  you write down your negative thoughts and toss them into the trash, those pesky negative thoughts will be removed from your mind. According to this cutting-edge psychological test, you can  get rid of of all that negative brain trash by writing it down  and just throwing it away.  The study did note that if you prefer you could put your negativity into a computer document and drag them into the trash can on your desktop.  Good to know for those of you that no longer remember how to write without  the aid of a technical  device.  Any way,  according to them. this will keep you thinking more positive. 

I did notice that this research that was led by Pablo Brinol at the Universidad Autonoma Madrid  (I type it as I see it, folks) consisted of asking high school students to write down negative and positive thoughts about their bodies. (why it was limited to just their bodies, I haven't a clue) Then test participants were asked to either toss them or keep them.  Supposedly the students that tossed their negative thoughts were unburdened of their negativity.

Just to keep you thoroughly informed, I am presently jotting various negative thoughts onto little scraps of paper (which pertain to the fact,  I think that any study limited to teenagers thoughts on their bodies might be flawed from the very start)  I will be tossing these little  pieces of paper in the garbage shortly.   Let's just see if that purges me from the skepticism I have regarding the accuracy of this particular study.


Flying in the Face of Fashion

Do all those extra baggage fees get you down? Here's an idea.  Follow the lead of a man  at the Guanzhou Baiyun International Airport in China earlier this week.

According to The Examiner, the unnamed man was told that he would have to pay extra fees or get rid of some of the weight of his luggage. Not willing to do either, he removed approximately 60 shirts, 9 pair of jeans from his bag and proceeded to put them on.  (I wouldn't of thought this was possible but according to the Guangzhou Daily, it is.)

After layering all his clothes he proceeded to board the plane.  Well...at least that was his plan.  He was stopped by the metal detector and was required to have a full body search.  He had forgotten to remove thumb drives and chargers from his packed clothes.

Seriously?  How much was the baggage charge that would inspire someone to put on 60 shirts.  I am not sure  if there is an upper limit to what I would pay not to have a full body search from an airport security person. 


Don't Blame the Ghost

Debbie Michelle Zamacona, a woman from Winder, Georgia, recently called the police to report a theft in her home.  She said her resume and a black and blue blouse had been stolen.  (odd combination..wouldn't you agree?)

What made this report a tad unusual beside the fact the electronics weren't stolen, was the fact that she listed the value of her resume at $5000.00.  She, also, went on to tell the police she knew who the thief was.

She suspected it was one of the two ghosts that had been coming into her home.  She said the ghost of her mother frequents the house and she brings with her two malevolent entities with her.  Debbie is sure that one of them, stole her resume and blouse.

What made this story even more "odd" is that there was a quote by a paranormal investigator that said, "if the items were actually stolen, it would have been done by a poltergeist not a ghost."
 Poltergeists are more mischievous.  By all  means...let's use our words wisely and not go around falsely blaming ghosts.



No Truth in Advertising

A Florida man went into the Shark Lounge Liquor store with his 11 month child.  He left his little one at the counter with the clerk and proceeded into the adjoining Shark Lounge Gentlemen's Club.

The clerk called the police and the daddy, Kenneth Rowe, was charged with child neglect.

So what?, I hear you saying....The reason, I am even mentioning this is Shark Lounge slogan is "We will Rock You."

Evidently they don't.