Blurry Photos

David is joined by folklorist Dr. Lynne McNeill to discuss Digital Folklore! A topic that spans culture, anthropology, sociology, and modern legends, Digital Folklore is a growing and evolving phenomenon happening right in front of us. Dr. McNeill, professor at Utah State University, is an expert on folklore and folklore in an online context in particular. She discusses Internet legend origins, settings, proliferation and more. How do these things fit in a cultural perspective? What makes something folklore and what does it look like online? Flora asks these questions and more in a very informative, spirited conversation on this episode of Blurry Photos! P.S. Don't forget to nominate Blurry Photos for the Chicago Reader's Best of Chicago 2020! (scroll down to the "City Life" drop down menu and scroll down to find "Best Podcast") Find Dr. Mcneill's books here: Folklore Rules: A Fun, Quick, and Useful Introduction to the Field of Academic Folklore Studies Legend Tripping: A Contemporary Legend Casebook Slenderm

Blurry Photober wraps up with the annual ghost stories episode! This year's ghost stories episode will be a bit different, as Flora has selected several poems of the spooky and silly variety to share. Some spooky, some silly, some philosophical, all poetry! It's a nice little after dinner mint, with the dinner being lots of heavy subjects this month. Cleanse your palette with a short but sweet culturally-charged episode! And stay tuned for more interviews and explorations on Blurry Photos! Don't forget to join the Blurry Photos Discord Server! Watch me stream games on Twitch! Music Myst on the Moor, Danse Macabre, Come Play with Me, The Hive, Wizardtorium - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 She is in the Woods, The Garden of Gethsemane, The Witches you Weren't Able to Burn - Co.Ag Music (YouTube) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Sources https://poets.org/poem/stolen-child https://poets.org/poem/haunted-oak https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/th

The horror continues in Blurry Photober with a mega episode about the Barnabet axe murders. Flora is joined by authors Alan Gauthreaux and Dr. Daryl Hippensteel as well as numerous Louisianans to explore the ghastly tale of the Barnabet axe murders. Southwestern Louisiana was terrorized in 1911-12 by brutal axe murders. One young woman was pinned with not only perpetrating them, but possibly masterminding more. Hoodoo and Voodoo were found to be involved, which the media picked up at the time and ran with. Hear the shocking story and how it ended, told via news articles and criminal justice perspectives. And make sure to head to Alan's YouTube channel for much more content and grab Alan and Daryl's books! Just remember, for this episode of Blurry Photos, content is very graphic. Listener discretion is advised. Featuring the voice talents of Brea Joy as Clementine Barnabet Get a copy of Dark Bayou by Alan and Daryl Check out Alan's Bloodstained Louisiana Grab a copy of Italian Louisiana by Alan and Daryl Check

Tackling a classic of Voodoo movie-dom, Derek, David, and Zenger took a look at The Serpent and the Rainbow for this roundtable. The boys are joined by the amazing and incredibly knowledgable Dr. Emily Zarka to discuss the Serpent and the Rainbow and other zombie lore! Dr. Zarka hosts Monstrum, a show about legends and lore on PBS. She shares insights on zombie folklore and discusses what she thinks worked in the film and what didn't. Make sure to check her show out and don't forget to give the lads some love as well. Find Derek at Monsters Among Us Find Zenger at Zeng This! Music Myst on the Moor - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  

Flora is back with the second part of Vengeful Ghosts! Blurry Photober keeps rolling with Vengeful Ghosts part 2 and several tales of spirits claiming revenge through law. Hear the story of Maria Marten and the Red Barn murder. Take an ear gander at a murder tale from old England. See what you think about Fisher's Ghost from Australia and Teresita Basa from Chicago. And learn about the odd circumstances surrounding the death of Zona Shue Heaster from West Virginia. David presents these cases and their outcomes to wrap up this 2-part episode of Blurry Photos! Don't forget to join the Blurry Photos Discord Server! Watch me stream games on Twitch! Music Myst on the Moor, Apprehension, Arcane, Awkward Meeting, Behind, Crypto, Danse of Questionable Tuning, Dark Dance, Leaving Home, Long Note Four, Ominous, Phantasm, Waltz of the Carnies, Danse Macabre - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Sources Webster, John. The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft. J. M. Printers.

Kick off Blurry Photober with a 2-part episode all about vengeful ghosts! The souls of those wronged and/or murdered in life have a way of avenging their mistreatment as vengeful ghosts. Flora runs you through a short list of these types of spirits in the first of a 2-parter. Go continent hopping and learn some highlights from many different cultures. Learn some important lessons from the Churel, Ngozi, La Sayona, Chindi, and more. Keep that roving eye under control, and for goodness' sake don't plot divorce against your spouse. Hear these tips and lots more on this episode of Blurry Photos! Don't forget to join the Blurry Photos Discord Server! Watch me stream games on Twitch! Music Myst on the Moor, Asian Drums, Awkward Meeting, Birch Run, Blue Sizzle, Cambodian Odyssey, Digya, Indore, Night of the Owl, Sancho Panza gets a Latte, Temple of the Manes, Unnatural Situation, Danse Macabre - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Sources Ansky, S., and Golda Werman.

The boys are back with another roundtable, this time on the 2018 film The Meg! Generously falling under the umbrella of ancient surviving cryptid, The Meg is a sci-fi action movie about terrible giant sharks. And the terror doesn't end there. David, Derek, and Justin all weigh in with thoughts and opinions on how this film measured up. One Justin's favorites, did D&D agree? Or did they find it rather fishy? Tune in to find out if the shark satisfied Flora's need for giant murder machines. Derek from Monsters Among Us and Zenger from Zeng This! have opinions up to the gills. Watch and listen to see if you agree, or listen and decide to watch or not! Music Myst on the Moor - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Pack your granola bars, air mattress, and an extra set of pants, it's time to get back outdoors for another installment of Campfire Ghost Stories! Flora reads 4 tales of terror and a poem by a selection of famous authors for the 8th edition of Campfire Ghost Stories. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Guy de Maupassant, and Alfred Noyes are among the writers for an early 20th century flavor to this one. A ghostly kiss of death, a highwayman, an out of control car, and more await your ears! It's a fun episode to play at home or in the great outdoors as you sit around a fire and get spooked at every twig snap and owl hoot. Grab a cold one and don't forget the crane janglers for this fun episode of Blurry Photos! Music Myst on the Moor, Night of Chaos, Return of Lazarus, Danse Macabre - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Dark Rooms - Music by Co.Ag Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Sources Doyle, Arthur Conan. How It Happened. 1918. Maupassant, Guy de. The

Blurriever and patron David S becomes the show's first Tsoukalos Sound-level supporter and got to jump on a BullPhone call with Flora! David shares his personal experiences from a very haunted west coast town and Flora learns about some Santa Cruz history in this BullPhone. From shadowy figures and recurring spectres to hairless coneheads in the basement, David tells of many hauntings from the places he's called home. There's even a lady in black who stands in the surf on the beach! Don't forget, if you have lots of stories to share or weird news to discuss, you too can be on a BullPhone! The Snort Scream and Tsoukalos Sound levels on Patreon will get you a recording session with Flora, so check it out if you're interested. Pick up a copy of Flora's new audiobook narration, Living Among Bigfoot: Collector's Edition Vol. 1-5, now on Audible! If you don't have an Audible account, you can sign up through the Blurry Photos Audible Affiliate link for a free 30-day trial membership - you get a free audiobook of you

Dr. Jeffrey Anderson returns with a handful of stories on unexpected consequences of hoodoo! That old adage, "be careful what you wish for," is in full effect in these real stories of unexpected consequences of hoodoo. Dr. Anderson tells several accounts of folk magic gone wrong. If you're familiar with the W. W. Jacobs short story The Monkey's Paw, you might recognize some of the traits inherent in these tales. Drawing from real life encounters and articles, Dr. Anderson discusses how folk magic hasn't worked out for some folks. Flora talks about cultural significance and the different topics the stories inspires from episodes past. It's a fun and fascinating dialogue on culture and sociology in this episode of the podcast! Grab a copy of Dr. Anderson's book Conjure in African American Society! Grab a copy of Dr. Anderson's book Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Conjure: a Handbook! Music Myst on the Moor - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  

David welcomes Scott and Amberrose from the Ghostly Talk Podcast to the show! A conversational show about any and all weirdities, the Ghostly Talk Podcast joins Blurry Photos and shares some EVPs. Scott and Amber discuss their show, how they came to be involved in the paranormal, and then get into EVPs they collected in their investigations. The duo has been on numerous ghost hunts in and around Michigan and neighboring states. With many stories and a handful of audio examples, they discuss a broad range of fun paranormal experiences on this episode. Make sure to check out their show on most major podcatchers! And don't forget to check out Amberrose's site and books. Find Ghostly Talk here! Amberrose's Site And her books: Ghosts and Legends of Michigan's West Coast, Wicked Grand Rapids, Wicked Ottawa Co. Music Myst on the Moor  - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  

Flora invited the authors of The Conspiracy Theory Handbook, Dr. Stephan Lewandowsky and Dr. John Cook, on the podcast to discuss their recent work. A powerful little tool breaking down the ins and outs of conspiratorial thinking, The Conspiracy Theory Handbook seeks to inform on how to better engage in critical thinking. David has a large handful of questions for the gentlemen. It's a fascinating discussion into how conspiracies can be approached and how to engage theorists and those who aren't sure what to think. Give the episode a listen and then go read the Handbook for yourself! And don't forget to check out their other handbooks via the link below. Flora also announces the winner of the 2020 Miss Cryptid Contest and sweepstakes! Read the Conspiracy Theory Handbook Check out their other great handbooks Music Myst on the Moor  - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  

The boys are back at the roundtable, this time taking a look at the 2019 film The Curse of La Llorona! A familiar bit of folklore to Blurry Photos, Flora and the guys see how well The Curse of La Llorona stacks up against the legends. The weeping woman might have a reason to cry after this portrayal. The film is a relatively lucrative addition to the Conjuring Universe franchise. Though it had some good success at the box office, does it live up to the hype? Derek from Monsters Among Us and Zenger from Zeng This! pull no punches in their assessment. And Flora loses his damn mind about one particular stunt. Watch and listen to see if you agree, or listen and decide to watch or not! Music Myst on the Moor - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  

The winner of Week 3 of the 2020 Miss Cryptid Contest is announced! This episode is a refresher of the weekly Miss Cryptid winners so you can vote on who should win the 2020 contest. If you haven't heard the 3 "regular competition" episodes yet and want to listen in order and discover who wins, don't listen to this one first. You can find the 3 episodes on the Blurry Photos Podcast page. If you have listened, this will serve as a reminder for each winner so you can vote for the champion freshly reminded! Head over to the Blurry Photos Home page to cast your vote and enter for your chance to win a Prize Pack of your own! One lucky winner gets a box full of goodies, one lucky runner-up will get a T-shirt, and one lucky Miss Congealniality will win some stickers and magnets. The voting ends on Saturday, June 20th, noon CDT, so vote soon! Congrats to our finalists, and good luck in your quest for the Golden Goatman trophy!   Music Myst on the Moor, Heavy Heart, Midnight Tale, Unlight, Mystic Force  - Kevin MacLeo

With a resounding roar, the 2020 Miss Cryptid Contest regular competition draws to a close! The final three Miss Cryptid contestants hail from all over the globe and include the Nandi Bear, Rusalka, and Euroa Beast. Hope from Africa to Eastern Europe to Australia with this week's lively ladies! A couple of beasts bookend a beauty, and all are sure to fill hearts with fear. Who will fill you heart the most? A cryptid of Nandi lore? An enigmatic Slavic mermaid? Or a bunyip-like beastie? Make sure to head to the Blurry Photos home page to cast your vote! You can also enter to win a Miss Cryptid prize pack of your very own. Grab a copy of Dr. Anderson's books, Conjure in African American Society, and Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Conjure Get your own copy of Ronesa Aveela's book A Study of Rusalki - Slavic Mermaids of Eastern Europe, and A Study of Household Spirits of Eastern Europe Music Danse Macabre, Myst on the Moor, Infados, Confused State, Arid Foothills, Heavy Heart, Midnight Tale - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

The carnage continues with 3 new loathsome ladies in week 2 of the 2020 Miss Cryptid Contest! In the second week of this year's Miss Cryptid competition, Melon Heads, the Con Rit, and Black Annis battle for savage supremacy. Who will move on to the finals? Will it be Leicestershire's horrid hag? Vietnam's atrocious arthropod? Or the misshapen monstrosities of the U.S. Melon Heads? Listen to this cavalcade of folklore, urban legend, and cryptozoology then cast your vote on the Blurry Photos Home page. The winner of week 1 is also announced! Special thanks to Amberrose Hammond for speaking about Melon Heads. Special thanks to Grant Howitt for reading accounts of Black Annis. Links to their works are below. Find Amberrose's work here: Personal Page ; Ghostly Talk Podcast ; Ghosts and Legends of Michigan's West Coast ; Wicked Ottawa County ; Wicked Grand Rapids Find Grant's game design work here: R R D Games Music Danse Macabre, Myst on the Moor, Aftermath, Long Note 4, Awkward Meeting, Mystic Force, Unlight - Ke

A lone trololo cuts through the night, and that can only mean one thing - it's time once again for the annual Miss Cryptid Contest! Now in its 8th year, the Miss Cryptid Contest opens with the Adlet, the Chiang Rai Scarecrow, and the California Dark Watchers. From the harsh cold of northern North American, to the rice fields of Thailand, to the sunny coast of California, these feral fiends will vie for your attention. They will also fight nonstop for your vote! It's your choice of who moves on to the finals and one step closer to the coveted Golden Goatman trophy. Check the Blurry Photos Home Page for the form to vote for your favorite. You can also have your vote be an entry into this year’s Miss Cryptid Prize Pack Sweepstakes. Vote once each week for a total of 4 entries into the Sweepstakes for a prize that includes Blurry Photos swag and a Golden Goatman trophy replica! Special thanks to Derek Hayes of Monsters Among Us Podcast for help this week. Brush off the saddle and coil up the rope - it's time to l

Do you like fish sticks? David, Derek, and Zenger return to the roundtable to discuss The Shape of Water in this bonus episode! Winner of 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture, The Shape of Water is a uniquely gorgeous film featuring a strange creature worthy of a chat at the roundtable. The boys sit down to discuss what they enjoyed about the movie. They also talk about the cryptid elements, Lovecraft connections, and more. Most folks know it for its fishy love story, but Flora and the boys speak to the deeper themes. Let this one wash over you and tide you over until the Miss Cryptid Contest begins! Music Myst on the Moor - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  

David welcomes the author of The Essential Guide to Bigfoot, Ken Gerhard, for an interview about the classic hairy hominid! An accomplished cryptozoologist and author, Ken Gerhard joins to discuss his newest work The Essential Guide to Bigfoot, a primer on hairy hominids around the world. Flora asks Ken about his adventures and thoughts on this famous cryptid. Ken brings years of boots on the ground research to the discussion. It's a good foray into the lore of the king of all cryptids! Make sure to pick up a copy of his book with the link below and check out his other works. Enjoy this fun interview episode of the Blurry Photos Podcast! Pick up a copy of Ken's Book HERE (I get a monetary high-five from Amazon through this link) Thanks to everyone for backing my documentary project, Shadows in the Desert. We met and exceeded our goal for funding! Pre-production has begun, and plans are being made to get the project off the ground and ready for when travel resumes. Thanks for everyone's help getting this going

It's a throwback to last year with audio from the Wizard World 2019 panel that David moderated! The Wizard World 2019 panel on paranormal podcasting included various Chicagoland podcasters speaking about the ins and outs of the trade. The event didn't have audio recording of its own, so Flora brought a handheld recorder and picked up the panel. The quality is not the greatest, but it was a fun discussion! The panel featured Dark Mark Soloff of Blastropodcast, Brent Hand of Hysteria 51, Nick Mataragas of Freak of the Week, and Bob Anderson of Bob After Dark. Flora moderated and asked questions of the panelists and fielded questions from the audience. It's a fun distraction between episodes, so enjoy this bonus drop from Blurry Photos! Music Myst on the Moor - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0