Monthly Archives: November 2014

Interview with David Oman

Posted on by
15

Today I’m welcoming producer, David Oman. Aside from his onscreen accomplishments, he’s also appeared on the television shows: Paranormal Witness, Ghost Hunters, My Ghost Story, Ghost Adventures and Haunted History. Thank you, David for stopping by!

This extraordinary interview was actually conducted via phone, a wonderful opportunity that helped me to better understand David’s views on the paranormal. At the beginning of our conversation it was already quite apparent that David Oman is an interesting individual with a great deal to tell. His stories were undoubtedly fascinating and the way he explained everything was expressed with such vivid imagery that it made me feel as if I was also a part of those experiences. There were several times he left me in stitches from the comical aspect he’d put on things. But there was also a very serious side to David that he was not shy to convey at all.

When I asked him to tell me a little about himself, David started off by saying, “I am an entrepreneur by trade” and “I take the opportunity to look at things with a greater perspective”. David said that prior to his career in filmmaking, he was a page for ABC then went into the business of private investigating where he did process serving and surveillance.

David’s latest film, House at the End of the Drive is actually about his very own house. He lives on Cielo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. A little down the street is where actress Sharon Tate, her unborn son and 4 others including Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Stephen Parent and Voychek Frykowski lost their lives to the members of the Charles Manson family forty-five years ago on August 8th-9th. The location where David lives is reportedly a hot spot for paranormal activity. I asked him about the source of the hauntings and David said he believes that they are due to a paranormal vortex that allows spirits access into the physical world. David’s house is a structure made of reinforced steel that has a foundation buried deep into the ground. Even his spiral staircase within the home is made with the same kind of steel that David believes acts as a magnetic force field that attracts the paranormal activity to his location.

The lovely spirit of Sharon Tate is seen more times than not at the Cielo house. David was told by a psychic medium that the reasoning behind this is because of David’s strong admiration for the 1960’s retro era and Sharon Tate feels very comfortable at his house. To put it simply, Sharon likes being around David and his outgoing, positive energy. Throughout the conversation, David expressed a highly regarded fondness for Sharon. He mentioned that he communicates with her quite often and in fact, that she was eavesdropping and was very pleased with how our interview was going. I must admit that being the empath that I am, even I could feel an immense amount of positive energy from the spiritual world.

Other ghostly visitors have found their way into David’s home as well. Spirits like Darren McGavin whose cigar smell can often be detected whenever he’s around. Then there are Jack Johnson (the boxer), Rudolph Valentino and Jay Sebring, all who have also made their presences known. Once, while David was walking through his residence with a psychic medium, the lady stopped and looked over at the bar. She proceeded to tell David that she saw a mixture of actors who had passed on socializing with the spirits of Native Americans who once called the land their own. When David glanced over at the bar, he could see no one that the medium was referring to, but she was very adamant about the spectral presences that were there.

I asked David if he ever thought about cleansing his home of the spirits and this was his response, “spirits go where they feel” and “we don’t have control over them”. He has had many people come in and cleanse the house but the energies still remain. He also told me that he has never felt threatened or anything malevolent from his ghostly guests. He feels safe just the same way that they do and he would never do anything to disrupt that. David is a strong believer in coexisting. He has a great deal of respect for those who have passed on. He’s not one to believe in provoking the spirits. His belief is that if one provokes the spirits and gets a negative reaction, then that person gets exactly what they asked for.

During our conversation, David spoke about an EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) that was captured when a team was investigating his home. The message was heard with a “whispery, breathy voice” and directed towards one of the team members. It said, “Let it go, Mija.” When asked about it, the member said she could tell it was her father conveying the very personal message. David said that because his house is a paranormal vortex, that the possibilities are endless to who might come through. Any living person can be at David’s home and if they’ve had a loved one who passed on, then the deceased person can quite possibly come through to make contact even if it is only for a brief moment.

I asked David if he ever caught any paranormal evidence on camera and he very happily told me about his Youtube channel that is full of exciting videos of things being mysteriously moved and figurines knocking over. Here’s the link so you can check it out, too! https://www.youtube.com/user/davidoman David also recommended Dr. Barry Taff’s, Cielo Drive Convergence that can be found here: http://barrytaff.net/2013/07/cielo-drive-convergence-the-ultimate-field-laboratory/

David even told me an interesting story that took place during the filming of House at the End of the Drive. The day was extremely busy and he was running around multitasking when he happened to enter a room (off scene) with a very relaxed Lance Henriksen sitting “Indian-style” in the middle of the floor. In front of Lance sat a couple of spiritual advisers who were there conducting a tarot reading. While David was telling me this, it was extremely evident to understand that regardless of how hectic shooting a film can be at the Cielo house, there is always time for one to get in touch with the otherworldly side.

David’s production, House at the End of the Drive has many familiar faces in it like James Oliver, Angela Jones, Ellen Geer and Lance Henriksen just to name a few. The film has reached completion and is now awaiting distribution. Here’s an exciting look at the trailer for House at the End of the Drive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gvL_BMo7jE

Follow David on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OmanHouseTours &

https://www.facebook.com/Houseattheendofthedrive

Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/The_Oman1 & https://twitter.com/HouseEndofDrive

Displaying oman_02_copy.jpg     House at the End of the Drive

Advertisement

Sin Eaters: Not Your Typical Dinner Guests

Posted on by
14

The term “sin eater” refers to an individual that absolves the sins of the recently deceased. Consequently, by doing this it frees the soul of the one who passed on. This allows those who have died to eternally rest in peace and prevents the dead from getting trapped in the ghostly realm.

In many aspects, Jesus has often been referred to as a sin eater because he offered his life to cleanse the sins of all mankind. Other examples of sin eaters are Tlazdteotl, the Aztec Goddess of purification during the Meso-American Civilization and then from more modern times, Richard Munslow of Shropshire, England who died in 1906.

The ritual of a sin eater is the chanting of a prayer or spell prior to drinking wine and eating bread over the deceased individual’s body. Therefore, symbolically devouring their sins. By doing this not only does it purify one’s soul, but it supposedly helps give solace to the living by giving them assurance that the dead can move onto the afterlife “guilt free”.

In past times, the individuals that took on the roles of sin eaters did so voluntarily and carried the sins of the deceased for the rest of their lives. In many cases, sin eaters were chosen from society’s destitute. Aside from the bread and wine that the sin eaters were given to consume over the dead, they were also paid in coins for their services. The life of a sin eater was nothing lavish and even though they aided in the cleansing of souls, the sin eaters were still looked upon with little dignity.

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter @sheilarparker.

Interview with Brad Greenquist

Posted on by
5

Today I’m welcoming actor, Brad Greenquist. His creative skills have landed him on the big screen as well as television and theater. Thank you, Brad for stopping by!

 

Sheila ~ Tell us a little about yourself.

Brad ~ Well, I’m an actor.  I’ve been in a lot of films, lots of TV episodes and I do a lot of theater in Los Angeles.  I’ve been acting professionally since 1977 (I have the first dollar I earned as a performer framed on my wall!  It was from street mime!).  I also directed an award-winning film back when I was 19 years old.  Won best film and best acting awards at a Super-8 film festival in Washington D.C. in 1979.  Currently I also teach acting classes here in L.A. — teaching students how to work with the camera and the demands of Hollywood.  And I train in the martial arts — Kempo.  Very cool!  And tonight (Nov. 8) I’m going to a premier of a film I shot a year or two ago called “Realite.”

 

Sheila ~ What started your career for you?

Brad ~ I suppose it would be Boris Karloff in the 1931 James Whale film of “Frankenstein.”  I saw that when I was a kid and I was hooked on the Universal Studios gothic horror for a while — Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman… all of those.  I really enjoyed being scared… and those films at that time were a relatively safe scare for a kid.

 

Sheila ~ You played the character of Victor Pascow in the hit film, Pet Sematary, a story written by Stephen King. What was it like playing the role of a ghost?

Brad ~ Well, you know, I never really saw Pascow as a ghost.  I saw him as a guardian angel, because he’s trying his best to help everyone.  The only scary thing about him was the bloody brain, really.  But playing a ghost, an angel, or any being from the other side — it’s great because as an actor you can really do anything.  For my preparation I watched a lot of Stephen King movies and read a few of his novels, as well as reading collections of ghost stories.  Some of the true-life ghost stories were REALLY scary! — about actual ghost sightings and communications from the other side.  Very scary!

 

Sheila ~ When it comes to the paranormal, are you a skeptic or a believer?

Brad ~ I don’t really have an opinion.  I certainly don’t disbelieve, but I keep it all at an arms distance.

 

Sheila ~ Would you consider yourself a paranormal enthusiast?

Brad ~ No.  Could become one very easily though!

 

Sheila ~ Have you ever had any experiences with the ghostly realm?

Brad ~ Yeah.  Too frightening & strange to talk about!

 

Sheila ~ What was the scariest thing you’ve ever witnessed?

Brad~ Too scary to talk about!  Sorry!

 

Sheila ~ You’ve also acted in other impressive films like The Lone Ranger, Ali and Water for Elephants. Do you have a favorite role that you would like to share with us?

Brad ~ Yeah… one of my favorite roles was in a small film called “Across the Hall.”  It was a noir thriller, low budget, great fun to shoot.  I had a very odd role of the porter of an old hotel.  I thought the movie was really terrific, but it didn’t get much of a release either theatrically or on DVD.  Other favorites are Water For Elephants, Inherit the Wind, The Yearling, and my first big film, The Bedroom Window.

 

Sheila ~ Are you currently working on any new projects?

Brad ~ Believe it or not, I’m trying to raise funding for a feature I’ve written and want to direct, called “Ghost Light.”  One guess as to what it’s about!!

 

Sheila ~ Any advice for those who would like to follow in your footsteps?

Brad ~  As an actor?  Train train train!  Work as much as you can in as many mediums and genres as you can.  Film, TV, Theater, all of it!  And whatever you do, don’t give up!

 

Brad Greenquist: http://www.bradgreenquist.com/

 

Brad Greenquist

Street Light Interference: An Electrical Phenomenon

Posted on by
14

Now this next topic is one that definitely grabs my attention. It automatically makes me think of the widely known novel, Carrie written by Stephen King. It’s about a misunderstood teenager named Carrie who possesses otherworldly powers and at one point in the story, she walks down a street and all the electrical malfunctions occur simultaneously without warning. However, with the discussion of Street Light Interference (also known as SLI), it doesn’t mean that it happens when an angry high school girl causes it to occur. Even though Carrie is a phenomenal fictional novel, the phenomenon of Street Light Interference actually is very real for many people.

Street Light Interference is a supernatural ability claimed by those who believe they have the power to manipulate outdoor lighting, like street lights, by turning them on or off at will when approaching them. A popular theory shared by believers suggest that individuals with this extraordinary ability can create street light interference by using the energy they emit from their own bodies. People who supposedly have this ability are referred to as Sliders.

Many skeptics believe that the cause behind SLI is from the idea that street lights have timers and that the SLI events are simply pure coincidental when the lights happen to turn on or off at the exact same time when Sliders are near. Some skeptics even blame the lights going out on old, burned out light bulbs.

There is another phenomenon that closely resembles Street Light Interference and this other one is referred to as Traffic Light Interference (also known as TLI). People who claim to have this supernatural ability say they can manipulate traffic lights at will. However fascinating SLI and TLI may sound, there is no scientific evidence that validates such phenomena.

The subject of Street Light Interference quickly reminds me of a story that was shared at my recent speaking event. An older gentleman spoke about a lady who used to work at a courthouse for many years. Although Street Light Interference never occurred, every morning when the lady walked down the courthouse corridor, the photos of judges that were hanging on the wall would, one by one, turn in the direction of the lady walking as she passed them by. This became a daily occurrence said the man and there was never any explanation found. The baffled courthouse employees had gotten so used to it happening that instead of further questioning the mysterious phenomenon, they would just reposition the photos every single day the courthouse doors were opened.

 

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter @sheilarparker.

An Event To Remember!

Posted on by
10

Happy weekend one and all! Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween. I know I sure did! This has always been my favorite time of year, the smell of the crisp autumn air as it sweetens the chilled autumn evenings. However the nights are getting longer, it gives us the opportunity to light those candles and enjoy their warm, illuminating glow.

Earlier in the week I was the guest speaker at a paranormal speaking event. Had such an amazing turnout and met some really fantastic people who were also there to share their paranormal experiences. We all engaged in topics ranging from ones that have been discussed on this blog like ghostly travelers to the different types of hauntings.

The subject of reincarnation even found its way into the discussion. A lady who attended the event shared with everyone a very interesting story. She told us all about an extremely vivid dream that she once had. But she said that her dream wasn’t just a dream. She said that it felt more like an actual memory, perhaps a memory from a past life. Upon waking, she remembered every minute detail. In her dream, the lady saw herself, yet it wasn’t her in this lifetime. She was from a different era, turn of the century…. Victorian times. In her realistic dream, she even discovered the name of the woman who she thought to be her. So the next day, it sparked something in her so much that it prompted her to research the woman. Her findings were conclusive. The Victorian era lady from her dream actually did live at the turn of the century and had the exact name that was mentioned in the dream. This woman who attended the speaking event said that prior to her dream, she had never heard of the Victorian lady before in her life. She had no explanation to why she had the mysterious dream. Her belief is that it was a fragmented memory from a previous lifetime that surfaced its way into her subconscious mind during sleep.

Other stories that were shared were quite uplifting that included deceased loved ones who still visit the living by showing signs only recognizable to those they hold dear. While some stories were sadder in nature and somewhat emotional. I, too shared several of my own paranormal experiences, like the time when I was a young girl witnessing my first shadow person, followed by more encounters throughout my life. Then, there was the time that I had a frightening experience with a Ouija Board when I was a teenager. An unforgettable memory, even though it happened many years ago, I still remember it as if it occurred only yesterday.

The speaking events that I host aren’t only for me to discuss the paranormal, they’re also a way for others to openly share their preternatural encounters. Having an open mind is key to understanding the unknown.

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter @sheilarparker.