My friends Allen & April Slaughter have created The Paranormal Source, Inc., a non-profit paranormal research and education corporation, dedicated to providing reliable and factual information on all types of unexplained phenomena through scientific investigation, evidence collection, and review. Whether you are an investigator yourself, or someone in need of assistance with a paranormal issue, The Paranormal Source is here to provide you with whatever information you may need.
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OTHER INTERESTS: Dad's Rights, politics; spirituality; christian-paganism; history; Tarot; equestrian arts; scuba; world travel; swordfighting; film making and art direction; para-psychology and ghost hunting.
"The Rollicking Adventures of Tam O'Hare" is my childrens/young readers (yet wholly appealing for adults) chapter book I have written and illustrated. It embodies a lot of Celtic mythology and spirituality wrapped up in an anthropomorphized tale set in 1567 England, Ireland and Scotland. You can see the OFFICIAL SITE by clicking on the cover illustration above.
I am the co-founder of a small group of paranormal investigators: Things That Go Bump - Minneapolis & Saint Paul Paranormal Investigators. Our group was created to research, investigate, analyze and document, anomalous events that fall outside the realm of conventional scientific research. Our primary areas of interest include Hauntings, Apparitions, Poltergeist Activity, and Psychic Phenomena. Now before you think I am getting all weird on you, consider this... I am surrounded by people who experience the paranormal every day. As much as we live in a Natural Universe we live in a Supernatural Universe. We are simply attempting to put a scientific edge to the phenomena we experience.
I shot this photo at Portchester Castle, Portsmouth, England on March 5th, 2005 - there are eight visible orbs in this picture, and one of them has the materializing apparition of a man's face and shoulders.... ask me and I'll show you the high-resolution files. For now, click on the image to see a slightly larger version...
It was subsequently very interesting to learn that Portchester Castle has been long purported to have the ghost of of a Monk that roams it's walls. Take another look at the picture above...
I am all about old Humphrey Bogart films, and, as cliché as it may seem, this is my favorite movie of them all... "Casablanca."
Casablanca
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Mike Myers playing his own Scottish father in "So I Married an Axe Murderer..."
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Lord of the Rings - the entire trilogy amazes me for it's faithfulness to the books. The imagery and sweeping feel transported me.
Hellboy - From my favorite comic book, it has become one of my favorite movies. Mike Mignola ROCKS!!
Rob Roy - I love the istory of this man, and Liam Neeson brings him to life in a movie true to the times and the story of this legendary highlander. KICK-ASS movie! And the final sword duel is worth the entire film.
OTHER FILMS I LIKE....
The Horse Whisperer, Star Wars, Star Trek, Contact, The Secret of Roan Inish, Schindler's List, Signs
Television
History Channel, A&E, Fox News, Sleeper Cell, Dexter
Books
Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Moonheart, or anything written by Charles DeLint
Wicked by Greogory MacGuire,
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - what an eye-opening, wonderfully heartbreaking book!!
The Pirate Hunter The biography of Captain William Kidd. An amazing man and an amazing account by Richard Zachs.
Heroes
I admire a lot of people - a list that's too long and involved to enumerate here, but the stand-outs for me are:
Ronald Reagan; Oliver North; My grandfather, Oscar Gould, for being a real American hero during WWII, and for instilling in me some of his ideals and love of poetry; Stephen Speilberg (for his recognition of American soldiers in Band of Brothers, and his "Schindler's List" - above and beyone film making in both counts); Senator Paul Wellstone, for being a real man of personal conviction - though I disagreed with him politically; John Larson (Parson Larson - :)) my pastor and friend.
FICTIONAL HEROES:
Horatio Hornblower; Captain Kirk; Aragorn; Batman, because he was a "real" superhero.
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Having mentioned Aragorn, I have to say that I liked these two videos compiled with images from Lord of the Rings.....
Illustrator and writer of fiction and poetry occupationally hovering in the advertising ghettos of Minneapolis & Saint Paul, Minnesota.
I can be more or less defined by my roles as Dad and Husband; once a single parent of my three exuberant children, who live with me in my home, I am now very happily married to my amazing wife, Raini! All of these ingredients combined, make my life a paradoxical roller coaster of hellacious joy and insightful befuddlement, and were it not for my buoyant, easy going nature, and the stable, common sense, uplifting energy of my wife, I would most assuredly have lost my sanity a long time ago. Oh, and my new baby boy - Flynn Liam Roberts - will be coming to the world this August!!!
I value a good pipe, a stout pint, and consider myself a purist when it comes to single malt highland Scotch - which for me is not a tool of inebriation, but rather an enlightened repast to be shared with colleagues and like-minded pedagogues of philosophy and hob-knobbing banter.
I am a contemplative, spiritual man of consideration who values intelligence, wit, justice and touch. I do not shy away from a good fight, and have had a few brawls in my day - whether on my behalf or in defense of another - and, were times different, would most probably be known wide and abroad as an expert swordsman. However, in keeping with my paradoxical nature, I prefer employing words over weapons, wit above profanity, spirituality above religion, stalwartness above inconstancy. And as I grow older, my burgeoning jaded cynicism is wholly tempered by my desire to not become an ass. My humor is wry, my mind is fertile, and my love is deep.
I have always said, rather tongue-in-cheek, that I am raising my children to keep them out of therapy when they turn thirty - a lofty goal, that keeps me precariously just and open-minded. Divorce is an incredible hardship on kids, and they need their Dad to be vigilant beyond the norm. My twin girls are fifteen - ahhh, adolescence!! And my son is dwelling in the world of Kindergarten - a man in the making. Now there's responsibility.
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Who I'd like to meet: The People I'd Like To Meet.....
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Ronald Reagan - He was the first president I could vote for - twice! - I loved his presence and humor, wit and genuousness of soul. We could use a man of his character and wisdom now. He's a hero in my book.
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Being the Jeffersonian Liberal that I am, I would love to sit and pick Thomas Jefferson's mind clean over a bottle of fine Port. And, man-oh-man, did the guy know how to dress. When I was a kid, I wanted to grow up and BE Errol Flynn. Back then, I never knew how he destroyed himself with alcohol and hard living, he was simply my hero. Here's to ya, lad! I wanted Steve Forbes to be president in 2000. I concurred with his philosophies, and I like the way he loves his family in an almost sacred way.
As a kid, I idolized Captain Kirk, and I'd like the opportunity to tell William Shatner so. Elizabeth I - what a woman!! Who, knows, William Shakespeare was probably just as flakey as any other artist, but he'd have been cool to have a couple o' pints with, and an evening full of conversation.
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Danny Kaye. What an incredible talent and an even more incredible man. I loved his genuine, heartfelt "realness" on film, when he was being comic or dramatic. An amazing dancer and singer. I would like to have known this man - and in a way, I think I do.
Watch this little video of Danny Kaye and Vera Allen in the song and dance number, "The Best Things Happen When You Dance," from "Holiday Inn."
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.....other than those luminary folks, Friends, compatriots, fellow artists, interesting people, etc., etc., etc.
