Tony Communicates at his Wake Tonight

Tonight we attended a wake for a former high school teacher of Tom's. I haven't been to a funeral home since my dad passed in August, 2008. As soon as we walked in the door, I got my tell-tale headache that there was a ghost or spirit present. In fact, I know there were at least two there (there were two wakes going on). One wake was for an older woman and the other was for Tony, Tom's former teacher. Tony passed from a brain tumor and had 5 sons.
We were standing in line to sign the guest book and I kept hearing "Maura, or Mara, or a female "M" name. I don't know who that is, and checked that Tony's widow's name is Pam and his sisters' names don't begin with "M." I got the sense that the name belonged to an older woman that was being waked down the hall in another room.
Once we entered the crowded and noisy room full of people talking, laughing and carrying on, I stood in the back. I didn't know anyone and Tom knew many people (former classmates, teachers, and people that belonged to that church school). I was standing with my back to the wall talking with my father-in-law and I felt a finger poke me in the back so I turned around. No one was there. It poked me again, I knew that it was "Tony" playing around to let me know he was there. My father-in-law noticed someone else he knew came in, so he walked over to talk with the man.
I wound up standing alone at the back of the room and sensed that Tony's spirit was poking his head into small groups of people talking, and turning his head as if he were trying to hear what they were saying about him. It was pretty amusing to watch. He really seemed to be enjoying the crowd of people there to honor him. When I later told Tom about this behavior, he said "That's exactly the kind of thing that Tony would do! He was a prankster in life. He loved to joke around."
The other thing was that whenever various younger men walked by me (there were a lot of younger men from 20 up there), Tony "told" me which of them were his sons. I knew that there four sons, but Tony pointed out three. One was a taller man wearing tan slacks and a checkered button down shirt. He then showed me another of his sons that was wearing a dark suit that walked by me. The third son was standing in the hallway wearing a black shirt, tie and pants.
Tony kept nudging me to tell that son dressed all in black that he was still here and actually enjoying seeing who came to honor him. I was reluctant to do that, however, because of the religious beliefs of the family (which is very sad). The family's religion thinks that mediums "talk to the devil." It's really frustrating to me, because I could've provided some comfort to the family. I heard and "saw" Tony, and know that he was grateful for the show of love and support during his wake.

Negative Energy and Sensitive People

During one of my recent book events, a woman came up to me and started talking about her abilities as a developing medium (like I am).
We talked about how ghosts utilize negative emotional energy and spirits (those who have crossed over into the light) use positive emotional energy to power up.
She mentioned that she's also an emotional person and talked with me about how being around people who are pessimistic tends to make her physically sick. The person she mentioned was her elderly mother, whom had grown from a loving mother into someone who was bitter, negative and never had a good word. The woman I met mentioned that when she goes to visit, she can't stay long periods of time, because the negativity actually affects her physically. For sensitive people and mediums who feel negativity and positivity more than the average person. In fact, the same thing happened to me. I was in a situation where I was visiting with an extremely negative, bitter person for two days (years ago) and I came home physically sick to my stomach with a headache that didn't abate for days.
So, if you do have mediumistic abilities, you're likely emotionally sensitive, and just know that a pessimistic person can drain your energy and actually make you physically sick.

Horses See Spirits

I gave a talk and did a book signing on Saturday at the Largo-Kettering Library in Maryland and it was well-received. There were a lot of folks who had their own experiences and they shared them with me. One gentleman who had moved from the African Continent to the U.S. told me that in his homeland it is widely known that horses can see Earth-bound ghosts and spirits (who have crossed).
I firmly believe that horses, like dogs and cats have that ability. Dogs, cats and horses, moreso than any other domesticated animal hear at higher decibel ranges (that digital recorders pick up, but humans don't hear at that level). Each of those types of animal also have the intelligence of a 4-5 year old human child (read Dr. Stanley Coren's "The Intelligence of Dogs" (cats and horses). Further, they have different cones and rods in their eyes than humans, that enable them to better sense motion.
The gentlemen proceeded to tell me more about the African belief. He said that it's known that when a horse sees a ghost or spirit, you can look directly in their eyes and see the ghost that they are looking at. Fascinating! I was so glad he shared that story with me.

Largo-Kettering Library Event!

On Saturday morning I was one of 2 guest authors speaking at the Jazz Brunch fundraiser for the Largo-Kettering Library in Maryland. It was a really well-done event, and the jazz band and food were great.
I was also thankful that our friends Jack, Terri (visiting from Wisconsin), Kristi and Randy King came to the event, too! What a great show of support. Thanks, all!
The audience was diverse and receptive. There were some great questions, and a lot of good discussion. Even Brenda, who organized the event shared an experience about her father manipulating her garage door (after he passed). I met some people who also have the ability to sense ghosts and spirits, which is always amazing. There are so many that have this ability.
Tom and I really enjoyed ourselves, and became friends of the Library. Brenda and I connected instantly, too, as if we knew each other for a long time. It was a great time, and great cause (benefiting the library). Thanks to Brenda and the library!

I Really Enjoyed Inspired Ghost Trackers of Odenton

On Friday night June 11th I gave a talk and had a book signing with the Inspired Ghost Tracking Group of Odenton, Md. http://www.meetup.com/inspiredghosttracking/

(PHOTO: Troy shares his experiences)
Our friend Troy joined us and shared some of his experiences (he's also a "developing Medium."). There were about 25 people in the audience, and they were wonderful. They made me feel so at ease, and we laughed about a lot of things.
Our family/friends Jill, Kelli, Kenny and Allen also came and showed support. Thank you SO much!
When I mentioned a "dark entity" being evil and non-human, someone brought up their mother-in-law. That was a priceless moment. :) Tom and I have joined the Ghost Trackers Group and look forward to going out on field investigation with them sometime.
Here's some of the reactions from the group about the event:
Craig -I thought it was GREAT!!! I learned some things, and enjoyed the laughs. Thanks Rob ...
Linda - Being a medium myself I LOVE the energy that Rob sent out to us. I enjoyed his stories, and the little tips that her gave everyone. It was nice and refreshing to meet a medium that is NOT stuck on themselves....
Margaret - Rob was very interesting and at times funny. He kept us all laughing with him and feeling some of his pain from his stories. Great job Rob and glad I got your book to read more on your stories. The group really enjoyed him.
Ronda -I can't wait for Rob and his friends to come back...great time tonight.

(PHOTO: Tom helps while Rob signs books)

A Residual Haunt in President Adams' Home

When my partner and I went to Quincy, Mass. this weekend for a book event, we toured two of the four Adams houses. The 2 we toured were the birthplaces of John Adams (2nd U.S. President) and John Quincy Adams (5th U.S. President). The houses are side-by-side and still exist pretty much as they were when built in the late 1600s (by two families that owned them before the Adams Family did).
Adams National Historical Park is managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The park consists of the homes of two American presidents and subsequent generations of their descendants from 1720 to 1927. The family's experience represented, shaped, and mirrored significant events in the social, cultural, political, and intellectual history of the nation. The purpose of the park is to preserve and protect the grounds, homes, and personal property of four generations of the Adams family and to use these resources to interpret the history they represent and to educate and inspire current and future generations.
During the tour of the older home, I didn't sense any intelligent haunts (that is, interactive ghosts), but I did feel residual energy in one room that turned out to be Abigail Adams' favorite room. It was like I could sense her energy there that this was "her favorite place."

Call Now to go to the Free Event in Odenton!

Call 443-396-1282 to register with Inspired Events for my FREE talk this FRIDAY NIGHTm June 11 at 7pm
At 1350 Blair Drive, Suite E, Odenton, MD, Anne Arundel County.
MAP: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=&q=1350+Blair+Drive,+Suite+E,+Odenton,+MD&rlz=1B3MOZA_enUS367US367&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=1350+Blair+Dr,+Odenton,+MD+21113&gl=us&ei=SYIOTPP_FMLflgeQhdBu&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ8gEwAA
- It's on ROUTE 175, east of where 175 crosses Route 32.
- It's east of Fort Meade.
- It's near the intersection of 175 and 170 (which goes north/south and goes into Odenton).
WhenFri, June 11, 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Description This is a ghost tracking group that gets together to discuss like-minded topics, share experiences, and do some investigation work. Due to the nature of this group you must be at least 18 years old or accompanied by an adult. The Ghost Tracking Meetup group meets monthly at Inspired Events of Maryland. For more information, visit their website at www.meetup.com/inpiredghosttracking

Adventures at the Federal Hill Jazz Festival

Ghosts and vampires DID make an appearance at Baltimore's Federal Hill annual Jazz & Blues Fest Sunday, June 6. At least, I did with our friend Lynn J, whose husband Steve wrote a great parody of the book/movie "Twilight" called "Twilite: A Parody." Lynn was selling Steve's autographed books, and I was selling my book on "Ghosts and Spirits." To order "Twilite: A Parody" visit: www.twilightparody.com
We arrived at 10:10 a.m. for the 11am-7pm festival. We were armed with a table and chairs (borrowed), tent (borrowed), tablecloth, our books, bowls of candy and great signs that Lynn made for us!
Karma always plays into things and Karma didn't appear to be cooperating for the first hour. One of the other vendors took our space, so we wound up set up next to a chicken and pork BBQ tent. It smelled good, but the smoke blew on us most of the time, so we both smelled like BBQ pig. :) Nope, it wasn't a new cologne.

(PHOTO: Rob at the Federal Hill Jazz Fest)
Unfortunately, the tent we borrowed was BROKEN on one side, so it kept collapsing. In the morning a cold front was approaching so the winds kicked gusts up to 20 mph, so Lynn and I wound up holding the tent most of the first hour until we could figure out how to secure it. I did run to the truck and got bungee cords that we used to hold it together. After an hour we were able to sit down!

(PHOTO: Lynn at our book table at Federal Hill's Jazz Festival)
We talked with a number of folks, and several told me of their ghost-experiences. Some asked about the differences between ghosts and spirits. Others are also developing mediums. In the end, we learned that people don't go there to buy books, but to enjoy the great music and food, and we enjoyed each other's company.
We were happily surprised when Lynn's hubby Steve arrived at the festival. The festival was in full-swing and packed with people,good food and music. Our friend Jim from Las Vegas was in town and came by to say hello, and our friends Jim and Craig came by, too! Between their visits and spending the afternoon with Lynn, it was fun. Tom (who was sick at home with a summer cold) called me at 3pm and warned us of strong thunderstorms, so we packed up quickly and left. Four hours in the heat was enough. Besides, Lynn and I both smelled like BBQ pig!

Book Event at Federal Hill's Jazz and Blues Fest Sunday June 6

Ghosts and vampires are going to make Baltimore's Federal Hill annual Jazz & Blues Fest their favorite "haunt" on Sunday, June 6. Two Maryland authors who wrote about real-life ghosts and a vampire parody of a famous novel will be at the festival talking with humans and signing their books.
Author and developing medium Rob Gutro just published a book called "Ghosts and Spirits: Insights from a Medium," about his abilities, experiences and how entities communicate with the living. Author Stephen Jenner recently published "Twilite: A Parody," a hysterical look at the characters created by Stephanie Meyers' famous novel turned-movie.
(IMAGE: This is a promotional poster that our friend Lynn J. made for the event!)

A Presence in the Barnstable Restaurant and Tavern

Before my talk at the Cape Cod Community College last weekend, my partner and I met some others for dinner at the Barnstable Restaurant and Tavern in Historic Barnstable Village, Massachusetts. It's a fantastic, beautiful restaurant with great food and excellent service. What I didn't know is that it has a ghost... at least until I got inside. As soon as I entered the main room, I got my tell-tale headache alerting me that there is an entity in the building. Then I felt a quick burning pain in my front right temple that disappeared quickly. During dinner I continued to feel the headache so I know the presence didn't leave.
I learned from Derek Bartlett, manager of Cape Cod Paranormal Society, that the Tavern is the first stop on his local haunted tour, and that the ghost of a woman haunts it. That night, she also let me know she was there.