n00b wants advice!

[Jackass]

Hey everyone, i only recently joined this website, and i think that this is by far the most interestig forum on the site ( although a lot of other forums are excellent also), as paranormal activeity and unexplainable events are things i have always had a massive interest in, helped along by programmes such as derre browne and most haunted (which i was delighted to see being discussed on this forum ) but i like anything from paranormal, to un-explained dissapearences (birmuda triangle type stuff) to Alien life...before i go on, im not suggesting that i believe in EVERYTHING related to these topics, i just believe that things that are so well known about, and have SO many documented cases, a hugh amount granted may be false, but surely there cant be smoke without fire, and you cant hoax someting unless there is already a string of incidents and the birth of a "phenominom", there has to be a starting point for these things, but im mostly interested in the existence of ghosts, to establish whether they are just random energy we cannot yet explain, or if these are actual "spirits" , or what is going on? I have read many of the descussions on the page with great interest (sorry if i dragged up ancient descussions by adding my 2 cents) but particuarly the one about ghost hunting in Dublin, and the reaction of the people here was extremely interesting to me, especially the poster "Thaed". I would like to know just how expierienced or knowledgeable some of you are on this subject, and indeed if you would like to share certain expieriences you've had? I absolutly accept that if their is a phenominom out there that certain people could only take a certain amount and you could "shock the system" , and i also believe that it can be a very dangoures thing to get involved in, for example, i would never tamper with a oujie (wee-gee, sorry i am an appauling speller as you may notice, but i promise im not six!) board for fear of being exposed to a negative spirit or unleashing someting .
Ultimalty though, i would like to explore this, and ease into it through the likes of people here, talking to them and learning from them.....
so please, could i have peoples reaction to this and some insight into your expieriences and my urge to explore this deeper?

Sorry for the long post, but it is something that has been on my mind for a long time, and i only discoverd this forum....also, not exactly something i could discuss with my friends in the pub, i'd have the absolute piss takin out of me!!!

Oryx

I understand about the piss taking, thats why we all have nicknames here I am here too, so that I can talk to other people about it and maybe learn something, you will have to forgive my slightly negative frame of mind at the mo, have been fighting the good fight against non believers and am a little tired! I have had 'paranormal' experiences as you will know if youve seen my name popping up on posts. I am a little wary of posting exactly what happened as it is detailed an complicated and involves other people. I dont get scared very often any more, and I get new experiences happening almost every day, which is great. I agree with you about ouija boards, but maybe others find them different, I just think its like using a hammer to crack a nut. For me this is like getting in touch with another part of your brain, retuning it maybe to receive a slightly different signal? Or maybe Im mad as some people believe
Although I mostly receive things mentally, as in i dont reallly 'see' or 'hear' like you normally do, just two nights ago, as I was walking down our hall, I glanced into a dark bedroom (the curtains were open) and there was a face looking in at the window! We live in the wilds of nowhere, so noone was around (the dogs would have gone mad anyway) and when I went back to look again it was gone, and not a reflection. I only throw it out there for opinion as its not what usually happens to me, and I only think of it as an amusing incident, and not earth shattering proof! Ive had much stronger things happen, a little thing like that aint going to scare me!