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Sunday, September 25, 2016

Wings Over Houston Air Show 2016 Twitter Party Giveaway!

* I received compensation of air show tickets in exchange for this blog post. *

Houston, it's time again to feel the need, the need for speed! The Wings Over Houston Air Show is coming back again and it's going to be amazing. Did you know it's been rated number 4 out of the top 10 air shows in the country? I don't even know what to tell you about first. The Blue Angels? Tora! Tora! Tora!? Or the fact that Wings Over Houston is one of only six North American air shows that will have an actual flight by the F-35 lightning. This may be your only opportunity to see it in action! 


Used By Permission Tora! Tora! Tora!


The Wings Over Houston air show has a special place in my heart. When I was a kid, my grandfather would always take me every year and try to teach me all about the planes flying over. He was a an airplane obsessive,  or a "wing nut" as he called himself. At the time I wasn't interested much in the history or technical workings on the planes, I just enjoyed spending time with my grandparents and watching the dragon-like machines roar over head as I covered my ears. Now that I'm older I care more about the history behind the re-enactments. Back in 2007 I had the amazing experience of visiting Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, learning about the attack on the USS Arizona by the Japanese that prompted the US's involvement in World War II. I read the names of the men who died in the attack, and even met a elderly vet who was a survivor from the USS Arizona. That's why I'm so excited to see the live re-enactment of Tora! Tora! Tora! at the air show this year. They will show you exactly how it was that fateful day on Dec 7, 1941 when Japanese planes dropped the bombs. You'll hear the explosions and see what the men saw as they looked up in to the sky on what may have been their last morning. 


Used By Permission U.S. Navy Blue Angels



Of course the Blue Angels are always a huge hit. Over 484 million people have seen them perform since they began in 1946, and it's always quite the show. The men and women of the Blue Angels are from the Navy and Marines, and they perform expert maneuvers with breathtaking precision. The rolls, turns, and formations include some they've been performing since 1946. 
Anyone who is interested in airplanes, jets, the military, or history will surely be entertained by the show, but it's also a great way to create life long memories with your kids and grandkids. Just make sure you bring some earplugs for sensitive ears as it can get very loud! 
In addition to the things I've mentioned above, there will also be lots more performances, the chance to meet pilots and get autographs, many planes and jets on display (it's like the museum coming to you! How cool is that?), a kids zone with a rock climbing wall, go karts and more, as well as food and souvenir vendors. To see the full lineup and schedule, go to https://wingsoverhouston.com


How would you like to win tickets to the Wings Over Houston Air Show and see all this amazing stuff live and up close? Join the Twitter party on October 6th at 8pm CST and you could win one of these prize packs - 
2 Family Pack of tickets - that's 2 adult and up to 4 children ($55 value) (2 winner each receive 2 tickets ) Adult General Admission tickets (value $21.50 each ticket) 2 Eagle Squadron Sunday (VIP tickets) (Value $300.00)


Two winners will be randomly selected from the Twitter Party to receive a Family Pass to the Airshow good Saturday or Sunday.
Two winners will receive Two General Admission Tickets to the Airshow good Saturday or Sunday.
One GRAND PRIZE WINNER will receive 2 VIP EAGLE SQUADRON TICKETS good Sunday only.
Must be 18+, travel to and from the airshow is not included. Winners are randomly selected and announced during the Twitter Party. Your email will be needed in order to fulfill prizes.
Don't put off buying your tickets until the last minute as you can get some great discounts buying online . Ticket prices will go up on Oct 1st!

My family, my fellow panelists, and I are really excited about this year's show and I hope you will come out and join us. Other panelists who will be attending and covering the air show are -


@greatbeernow                @creative_meli       @daddystylediary  
and don't forget to follow @moneysvgparent  @HoustonAirshow and the hashtag #wohairshow
If you're on Facebook you can join the Facebook Event as well. Invite your friends and family to come out and join you for the show!


Disclosure: This giveaway/Twitter Party is brought to you by the CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow. All opinions are 100% my own and my family’s. Participating panelist and Houston Bucket Lister/Get Off the Couch are not responsible for items lost in the mail or not shipped by the sponsor. No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. Odds of winning are based on number of entries received. Giveaways on this blog are in no way affiliated with Facebook or any other social media networks on which they may be shared.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Review post - 42 Travel Hidden Neck/Belt Wallet

*Disclaimer - I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and the product price does not affect my rating in any way*

Travel is a huge priority on  many bucket lists, including my own. When you're overseas or even in heavily populated areas at home, it's always nerve wracking to think of losing your wallet, to pickpockets or your own bad luck. Considering the many important things we carry inside our wallets, it's imperative that we protect it as well as possible.
When I went to China in 2006 I used one of the kinds of hidden wallets that go around your waist, but I ended up ditching it halfway through my trip because it was hot, sweaty, rubbed uncomfortably, and it was embarrassing having to lift up my shirt to get anything out. I can't count the number of weird looks I got from people after they told me how much my purchase cost and I started lifting up my shirt. Thankfully with this new hidden neck/belt wallet from 42 Travel, which you can purchase on Amazon here - 42 Travel Hidden Neck/Belt Wallet I can hide my important documents, credit cards and cash without sacrificing my comfort doing so.
The 42 Travel Wallet also has RFID protection up to 99.9% so you don't have to worry about nefarious people trying to access your information or having it be magnetically erased.
Here's a short video I recorded to show how it works to protect against thieves -

I'm looking forward to using this wallet on my trip to Italy next year! 

Sunday, June 26, 2016

What's on a Celebrity's Bucket List?

What does a bucket lister do when given the opportunity to speak to some really cool guests at Comicpalooza? She asks them what's on their bucket list!
I was given the amazing experience of being able to interview some very talented people before and during the Comicpalooza comic convention, held annually here in Houston Texas, and I couldn't help asking them about their own goals and dreams. Here's what they answered - 

Livvy Stubenrauch (Young Anna from Frozen) - moving to Los Angeles, continuing to do voice acting and movies, and going to college.

Eva Bella - (Young Elsa from Frozen, Shimmer and Shine, Parenthood) - traveling to all 50 states. 


Ming Chen - (Comic Book Men on AMC) - it varies from visiting every country to becoming a Yoga instructor, going into space, hang gliding over the Serengeti, and swimming with great whites sharks in South Africa.


Anita Long  (President of Women in Film) - continuing to build her girls' program globally. 

Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk, Celebrity Apprentice) - would like to work on a TV sitcom on a weekly basis.

Chuck Huber (Star Trek, Dragonball Z, Soul Eater) - to make more movies, climb Mt Everest, and own a flying car or a flying machine and be able to use it legitimately to commute. 

Chris Kirkpatrick (N*Sync, Fairly Oddparents, Dead 7) - jumping out of a plane.

AJ McClean (Backstreet Boys, Dead 7) - flying in a fighter jet and playing with wolves in the wild. He just marked off swimming with dolphins 5 days before I spoke to him. Go AJ! 

Erik-Michael Estrada (O-Town, Making the Band, Dead 7) - being in any upcoming Star Wars movie. 

Kel Mitchell (Kenan and Kel, Good Burger, Game Shakers) - jumping out of a plane and being able to swim well.

Burton Bell (Fear Factory) - going into space.

Dino Cazares (Fear Factory) - as far as Houston, finding the best Mexican restaurant. Overall, making the band as big as possible.



I wish all of these great people the best of luck in achieving all their goals. Appreciation to everyone for talking with me!

(I was given four 3 day passes in exchange for my participation at Comicpalooza, however all thoughts, opinions, and experiences are entirely my own)

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Comicpalooza 2016

Sadly my favorite time of the year has come and gone once again. I am so grateful to have been able to be a part of Comicpalooza again this year in Houston. I decided shortly after leaving the convention last year that I was going to dress up this time, and immediately started working on a concept for my cosplay. I ended up going with Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series of video games and movies. I was nervous, as a 41 year old mother of 5, if I could pull it off but the wonderful thing about Comicpalooza is that anyone can be who they want to be there and it doesn't matter what your age, physical ability, or appearance is. When you don your costume and enter the George R Brown, you are accepted and appreciated. One of my favorite cosplay I saw this weekend was a man in a wheelchair dressed as Super Mario and his chair was outfitted as a Mario Cart. The woman with him was dressed as Princess Peach. How wonderful is that?














I started off Friday morning by checking out the 22,000 Mars Orion mock-up that NASA brought to their exhibit. I was also able to speak with Darrel Raines about the Orion.



Although some of the guests were not scheduled to be at the convention until Saturday and Sunday, there were still plenty of people to get autographs and photos with, and the shorter lines were definitely a big plus. As I was standing at the booth of Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali with my friend Josh Barry, also a drummer in a band called Jealous Creatures, before the convention, I mentioned to him that Josh was a huge fan and asked if he wouldn't mind speaking to us on camera. He agreed and I let Josh do most of the talking as meeting Mr. Banali was on his bucket list.




In addition to the celebrities, there are numerous artists and vendors in the main exhibit hall. As tempting as it was to spend an entire paycheck on all the cool art and merchandise, I managed to restrain myself and only buy a few prints and an autographed X-files picture for my husband for Father's Day. My son was excited to be able to get autographs from Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and David Prowse (Darth Vader).




Saturday I decided to spend some time talking to various celebrity guests about what is on their bucket lists and how they were enjoying Houston. I got some really great answers from Greyston Holt and Steve Lund from Bitten, the metal band Fear Factory, Chris Kirkpatrick of N*Sync, AJ McClean of Backstreet Boys, and Kel Mitchell of Game Shakers and Good Burger, which I will discuss in my next blog post. The big highlight of the day for me was getting my photo taken with Bill Paxton, who was there for the big Aliens 30 year reunion, along with many other members of the movie's cast. I've seen Titanic and Twister probably hundreds of times, no lie, so I was giddy with glee over meeting him. He was incredibly nice and let me know that he didn't think it was crazy at all that I'd seen his films so many times (imagine that!). He started to tell me about a new series he has coming out, but the little girls in line behind me jumped in and he couldn't finish. I know I'm looking forward to it though.
I can't talk Julia, we've got cows!

Sunday I got my photo op with Norman Reedus, aka Darryl Dixon of The Walking Dead, and I attended two panels. One was for Michael Rooker of Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy and Mallrats. I arrived late due to having waited in line for Norman, but still managed to catch lots of fun stuff. The second panel I attended was the Boondock Saints Q&A. I've loved this movie for years so I was quite excited to be able to cover it. About 26 minutes in to the panel, Norman Reedus came out and sang Happy Birthday to Clifton Collins Jr and gave him a cake. Amazing moment!



If you have not yet attended Comicpalooza because you don't think there's anything for you, let me just put that notion to rest immediately. Yes, there are comic book illustrators, and there's also celebrity guests from various genres such as film and tv, wrestling, and music, there are panels on topics such as writing, paranormal investigating, obtaining scholarships, origami, drawing, film making, as well as celebrity panels. There's NASA, laser tag, costume contests, roller derby, Doomsday wrestling, BMX biking, and this year there was even a Japanese fashion show. The lineup changes from year to year, but one that that never changes is that Comicpalooza has something for everyone. And I am already excited for next time!

Charlie Hunnam AKA Jax Teller walked right past me!

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Salt Room Houston - Halo therapy and doing an Emotion Code Session

I had never heard of Halo therapy until I saw something in my local newspaper about a new place called Salt of the Earth Houston opening around my neighborhood. After  quick google search I discovered that sitting in a room full of salt and having salty air pumped in for you to breathe had amazing health benefits and I knew it was something I needed to try.  Salt is anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory.   Halo therapy is intended to be an all natural complement for people that experience any kind of respiratory issue(allergies, asthma, COPD, sinus, flu, pneumonia, colds, etc).  Halo therapy will also help with skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.  Halo therapy will help with insomnia. I contacted the owner Sandy Hinderliter immediately and set up a session.

Upon arrival, Sandy showed me around a bit, including a great play area for children who have breathing related issues or are waiting for their parents to complete a session. We also spoke about how she had started Salt of the Earth Houston because she and her husband were looking for a way to more naturally treat his chronic bronchitis.  She knew that the number of times a year he was taking steroids and antibiotics was doing damage to his health.  There wasn't anything like this in the Houston area, and they wanted to not only help him but the other people experiencing respiratory distress.

The floor of salt room in the back where I had my session was covered in an inch or so of salt rocks, a
nd there were beach type lounge chairs to kick back in and relax. Sandy made sure my husband and I were comfortable and said she would be turning on the salt air. There was a censor at the top of one of the walls that would regulate the necessary amount of salt in the room, turning off or pumping more in as needed. The lights dimmed, some very soothing ocean sounds played over the sound system and soon enough the salt began flowing in. Although the salt mist was very fine and not irritating to the eyes or sinuses, soothing actually, I could see the clouds in the air and lightly taste the salt in my mouth. Laying back and closing my eyes, I could've imagined myself laying on Galveston beach, only without the annoyance of other people, birds, and traffic noise.

My 45 minutes went by much too quickly, and soon Sandy was back asking how we had liked the session. I told her it was crazy, but I had entered with a bit of a stuffy nose from mild allergies I was experiencing and already I was breathing and feeling much better. She laughed and told me that wasn't crazy at all. many clients feel relief from their respiratory issues quickly after breathing in the salt.  Although, for people with seasonal allergies they recommend 8-10 sessions prior to their allergy season to help alleviate the symptoms before they have a change to really cause discomfort, and for people with chronic issues like asthma, COPD and cystic fibrosis, they recommend 10-15 sessions to start and then they can monitor how they are feeling to determine how often they need to come in.  


In addition to the halotherapy, Sandy is also a certified Emotion Code Therapy practitioner, so I asked if she would be willing to let me experience that as well. She agreed and we went into a saltless room to begin. She asked if I had any issues I felt I'd like to work on and I said yes, I have chronic fatigue and am exceptionally tired all of the time. She got out a pendulum and pulled up a chart on her laptop with columns and lists of emotions. Using the pendulum, she would discover which emotions I had trapped inside my subconscious and at what age they had become trapped. I wasn't too sure what to think until she pinpointed that I had very specific emotions that I had obtained at 18 years old. My jaw dropped. She asked if that made sense to me and I replied that yes, wow, it did. When I was 18 I was kicked out of my grandparents house (they raised me since I was very young) over an argument with my grandfather, I met my biological mother and siblings, and discovered that my grandmother/adoptive mother had terminal cancer. The feelings and age she landed on were precise enough that I left a firm believer in what she was doing. Sandy rolled a magnet along my back to release those emotions inside me. She said it may take more than one session to completely rid myself of the symptoms I was dealing with, as the body doesn't like to more than it can handle all at once.


I am pleased to report that after my halo therapy and Emotion Code session I did feel much better with my breathing, sleeping, and emotionally. My hair also had that great beachy feel to it, quite soft. I highly recommend trying this out if you are suffering from any respiratory complications or insomnia. This treatment doesn't interact with medications.  The only thing people might experience as their body is expelling toxins is coughing, sneezing, runny nose and a slight detox feeling.  Those symptoms though should be minimal and will subside.  Also, the salt is a different type of salt that is introduced into the system through the airway and doesn't effect high blood pressure at all, so no worries there. If you want to try Salt of the Earth Houston for yourself, Sandy is offering 20% off your first session if you mention The Houston Bucket Lister! Thank you Sandy!


(this is a sponsored post. I was given a free session for my husband and myself in exchange for this post but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own)

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Ten Bucket List Items to Cross Off at Comicpalooza 2016 #CPHOU

 

 
I can't believe it's already been a year since I attended my first Comicpalooza convention. As a newcomer to the comic convention scene, I had little idea of what to expect. I knew I would have the opportunity to mark meeting a couple of people off my bucket list (George Takei and astronaut Stan Love, who turned out to be one of the coolest people I've met so far), but I didn't know just how much else I could do. To save you from the same uncertainty, I've created this list of 10 bucket list items you can cross off at Comicpalooza 2016. 
Comicpalooza tickets and passes can be purchased here


**This is a sponsored post, however all thoughts and opinions are my own. I have received 3 day Comicpalooza passes in exchange for my participation.

Please note - guest and panel information is subject to change. Please check the Comicpalooza schedule.**

1. Meet a Celebrity - Oh boy will this be a great year to do that! With an incredible list of talent such as Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, Paul Reiser, Norman Reedus, Kate Beckinsale, Eliza Dushku, Sean Patrick Flanery, Carl Weathers, Lennie James, Lou Ferrigno, Tara Reid, David Prowse and Peter Mayhew (Darth Vader and Chewbacca!), and many more with more announcements on the way, you would have to walk around with your eyes closed to not spot some serious talent in your midst. If you want to meet them, you'll need to purchase a photo opexperience pass, and/or autograph ticket  Prices vary by entertainer. With the bigger names you'll need to purchase your autograph/photo passes ahead of time, but with most you just walk right up to their tables and purchase there.

2. Be a Hero/Villain- I was pleasantly surprised at how many adults I saw walking around in costume last year. It was like the second Halloween I had been asking the Universe for since I was 5. It was clear some had spent hundreds or even thousands on their elaborate cosplay outfits, but many had gone with more budget friendly options. I will be cosplaying for the first time this year myself, as video game adventure seeker Lara Croft.
 
These were the droids I was looking for!

3. Learn a New Skill - Drawing, belly dancing, origami, sewing, photography, makeup application, website creation, lego building, gaming, and costume design are some of the new skills you can learn at Comicpalooza. 

4. Hone your craft - Budding actors, authors, directors, YouTube stars, comic book creators, prop builders, robotics engineers, podcasters, and voice actors - get one step closer to achieving your dream. The pros will be holding worships at various times to give you advice on the job of your dreams. 

5. Be a Paranormal Investigator - A big highlight of 2015 for me was meeting the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team at Comicpalooza where they had a booth set up, and joining an actual ghost hunt with them a couple of weeks later. I had been trying to mark that item off my bucket list for years! And you will have a chance to do some ghost busting yourself. Join my friends at PRT in panel room 11 at 7pm Saturday to learn more about paranormal research, then follow them out to Discovery Green park to take part in an actual investigation. Check the schedule for more fun paranormal research panels also! 
 
Myself and members of Pasadena PRT last June

6. Attend a fashion show - Not just any fashion show, but a J-fashion show. Fashion artists from Baby, the Stars Shine Bright will be presenting the latest Harajuku and Lolita trends from Japan Friday June 17th at 7pm on the fashion runway. There will also be panels you can attend to learn more about this fashion style throughout the weekend. 
 
Photo of Rin Chan used with permission from Comicpalooza. 


7. NASA - Most Houstonians know that one of the best bucket list items around is NASA. If you grew up here you've probably taken  field trip to Space Center Houston a time or two. Now you can kick it up a notch. Guest Shannon Walker, who was on the ISS Expedition 14 crew, and spent 215 days in space in 2006-2007, and also was co-pilot of Russian soyuz spacecraft in 2010 will be in attendance this year. The Mars rover will also be there to get your picture taken with, and learn more about. Celebrities are great and all, but you just can't beat the cool factor of someone who has been to outer space, and a machine that is going to Mars!
 Meeting astronaut Stan Love last year at Comicpalooza. Photo used with permission from Comicpalooza.

8. Learn Quidditch - Harry Potter fans, not only can you watch a match of every wizard's favorite sport, you can learn how to play! Just follow the golden snitch to the sports arena at the scheduled times, and you'll be well on your way to winning the next Quidditch World Cup.

9. RHPS - You may have seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show on TV, but you haven't gotten the real experience until you've watched it on the big screen with other Rocky fans and a shadow cast. So, come up to the lab (panel room 16), and see what's on the slab Saturday June 18tg, 10pm-11:55pm. 

10. Be a Sword Fighter - For the past five years ARMA (Houston's chapter of the Association of Renaissance Martial Arts) has offered mini lessons and demonstrations on sword fighting. Last year I was nursing a shoulder injury, but I'm going to let my inner Brienne of Tarth out this go round.

 It's hard to keep track of everything, but fortunately the Comicpalooza app (available in the app store and Google Play ) outlines the schedules, maps, and activities, even alerting you ahead of time so you don't miss a thing.

Join the Comicpalooza Twitter party June 2nd 7-9pm CST for your chance to win passes. Use the hashtag #CPHOU and follow @comicpalooza, @newcreate_write, @moneysvgparent, and me, @MarshaKRoberts to get in on the fun.

 






Tuesday, May 24, 2016

I ain't afraid of no ghosts!

Awhile back I had the pleasure of marking off one of the cooler items off my bucket list, hang out with paranormal investigators for a night. I met Kristen at Comicpalooza at the Pasadena Paranornal Investigators Team (Pasadena PRT for short) booth they had set up. I told her about my bucket list and how I wanted to hang out for them one night, and asked if she ever let people follow along. She said they hadn't, but would be happy to help me mark it off my list. I took one of their business cards and contacted her a few days later. She informed me of an investigation they had coming up and invite me to join.

That investigation took place Saturday night. My husband and I met up with the Pasadena PRT team at a deli beforehand, and I got to know the rest of the team and talk to them a bit about why I was there. I was a bit nervous but the team members were incredibly friendly, and made me feel like we were a regular part of the group immediately. Do you ever have the feeling when you are introduced to new people that you are good friends even though you don't know them at all? That is the feeling my husband and I got with this crew. One of the team members, Katrina, is a spiritual medium. We spoke about experiences she'd had, her abilities and a bit about myself. In the course of the conversation she said that she was seeing blue drapes, floor length, swaying in the wind. I don't have any drapes so I sort of dismissed it and moved on. Kristen and the others warned me repeatedly that the chances of picking up any activity that night with very slim and I should not expect anything out of the ordinary to occur. We would probably spend a few hours watching monitors and talking to thin air, and that would probably be that. I wasn't deterred though and assured them I understood. After all, I wanted a real experience and not the hyped up reality tv show version. 

After getting to know everyone and sharing a few creepy experiences of my own with them, we headed out to the site. We met up in front of the home and spoke to the homeowner's son, who had initiated the investigation. I hung back and observed as he explained to the team about a presence they felt in the hallway that would enter one of the bedrooms, stand at the foot of the bed,  and eventually leave. One night a friend of the homeowner was staying the night and was awakened by something pounding on the bed. The son had heard coughing sounds when no one was home. The team asked several questions about how long the activity had been going on, where the hot spots were, about the previous owners, and everything else they needed to know before they entered. Katrina, the medium, hung back so as not to let the info the homeowners were giving influence what she was receiving through her abilities. 
Before we entered the group stood in a circle and a prayer was said to protect everyone from what might be inside and so we didn't have any unwanted ghost friends following us back home. Then we all grabbed some equipment and headed inside. Team members scurried around hooking up cables, setting up cameras and monitors and running wires from one thing to another. A few of us followed the homeowner into the bedroom, and I immediately saw a set of floor length blue drapes swaying from the fan blowing on them. My husband turned to Katrina, who hadn't seen them yet, and said "well, there's your drapes!"
Back in the living room Katrina took out a pair of dowsing rods, which I had seen on TV but never in person. No matter which way she moved, the rods would gradually move to point to a music stand in the corner of the room. Noticing the delight in my face she offered them to me. Well, I thought, let's see about all this. I loosely held the rods in my hand and kept still. With amazement I witnessed them point to the same area they had for her. Not only did I have proof she wasn't moving them, I discovered it's pretty much impossible to move them due to how they are designed. Fascinating! 
The next thing I got to play with (and I say play loosely as this is actual paranormal surveillance equipment and not toys), was a K2 meter. If an energy field is detected, lights will flash. You can communicate with spirits this way asking yes or no questions. One of the team members, Keith, handed me one and told me to go see if I could get anything. Try as I might though, I didn't capture anything notable. 
I followed Katrina back into the bedroom where the homeowner was putting on her shoes. Katrina was holding the dowsing rods and we observed as the rods followed the homeowner everywhere she went. The belief amongst the family who lived there was that the previous owners' elderly mother who had died inside the house was still lingering, checking in on her family. Katrina, however, looked at me and said (after the owner had exited the room) that she believed the presence was not the former owners mother, but a relative or relatives of the owner herself. She was also picking up a lung issue and kidney pain that may be related to alcohol. 
I left Katrina and went to the living room with my husband and team leader Kristen was setting up a few gadgets to see if we could make contact with a presence that had been caught in that room by the owners security camera. Kristen let the spirit know he or she could communicate by either lighting the lights on the K2, making the flashlight blink, or speaking into a device that turns energy into audible words. Kristen began asking a series of questions and soon a series of words came from the device. Comfortable. (Yes we were comfortable) Batteries. (Sure you can use the energy from the batteries. We brought spares) Baby. (What?) 
I heard from team members in the kitchen that they were catching some orb activity on the screen. I joined Rody and Chris (an admitted skeptic) for a closer look. Immediately I saw hundreds of orbs floating all over the place. I asked Chris, what are all these? He said if one believes in ghosts then they're ghosts. But really it's just dust particles. Bummer. Rody showed me that the dust particles float in a similar way, but if you look closely, every now and then something different would float by. A lit up circle, with a different mass and flight pattern. One that didn't move with the air conditioning, that defied gravity. I began to pick them out from the rest. Chris was sitting alone in the dark in the bedroom with a handheld recorder, and we watched as one of the lit circles flew into his shoulder. At once we see him move and he shouts that something just touched him. A bit later we meet him outside and he plays back the recording. He says "are you here?" there's a pause, then plain as day you can hear a voice say "yeah". I know he was alone in that room because I had been watching him on the monitors. Goosebumps!
Although a lot of the time spent doing a paranormal investigation seems to be sitting in the dark, waiting, listening, and watching monitors, I couldn't have spent that time with better people. I'm proud to call the members of Pasadena PRT my friends now, and I hope they will allow me to tag along again with them in the future.