The Writing Geek

It’s halloween. My favorite holiday of the year. Not just because of the candy, mind you. I also enjoy the fact that I can scare the snot out of little kids without getting arrested. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.

In honor of this hallowed occassion, I thought I would take a walk on the macabre side of the blogosphere today.

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE 

Blogs are abandoned quite often. Most of the time, their owners simply get too busy with other things in life, or find out they really don’t have anything important to say, and their postings become less and less frequent. Others give up after a few posts simply because noone is reading their blog.

In some cases, however, the blog owner has died. Seeing as how it is so hard to keep track of the blogs that have abruptly become inactive, their blogs are often left to float through the seeming endlessness of cyberspace. In a few cases, family members or close friends take over the blog to let people know. These blogs are generally turned into a memorial of sorts, which allow the blogger’s spirit to live on, hopefully for the rest of eternity.

This is particularly true in the case of free blogging platforms, such as Blogger.com and LiveJournal.com. In fact, LiveJournal.com has taken to providing a forum where living bloggers can post notes about the passing of a blogging friend. It’s called LJ Remembers… It’s kind of creepy, reading the posts of people that have crossed over to the other side, but nonetheless fascinating.

CONTACT THE DEAD

In addition to reading the words of the deceased, is it possible to use technology to contact the dead and experience the afterlife through them? Apparently, quite a few people believe it is.

James Van Praagh, Executive Producer of the CBS show, ‘Ghost Whisperer’ has held a “cyber seance” every halloween for several years now. Likewise, in 1998, magic retailer MagicTricks.com held what was touted as the first ever cyber seance. It was an attempt to use the collective psychic powers of mediums around the globe to contact the spirit of Harry Houdini who, coincidentally, died on October 31, 1926.

Perhaps a “Ouija Mousepad” would help.

SEEKING OUT THE TRUTH

For skeptical bloggers, there is no shortage of blogs and sites covering the interesting topic of ghost hunting. From orbs to ecto-plasm, white noise to physical encounters, the blogosphere offers up a wide range of issues dealing with the paranormal.

Ever want to tour a haunted prison? Eastern State Penitentiary in Pennsylvania offers regular tours of the creepy prison grounds, and on select nights during halloween, you can visit Terror Behind the Walls, a haunted house built in the prison. For a paranormal encounter on the Internet, all one has to do is a quick Google search for ‘paranormal’.

If you scare easily, I suggest you keep the lights on. There’s no telling what you might come across on the Internet and the blogosphere today. In any event, I hope you enjoyed this look into the after life on the Internet.

Stumble it!