Mission Statement?

What does it take to get some recognition in the paranormal community?  Okay, I’m not a full blown investigator because I have no time, or opportunity, or, especially, resources to go out and seek the paranormal.  However, my knowledge of ghosts, UFOs, monsters, and other similar things is quite vast.  I can recognize patterns in haunting.  I can discuss monsters with anyone, cryptozoologist or not.  I have a very in-depth knowledge of UFOs; it goes well beyond reports of seeing strange things in the sky.  I am a sponge of this information.  I try to read every book, watch every show, and look at every picture imaginable.

My problem is, I suppose, that I don’t have personal case files.  Don’t get me wrong, I would love to get some.  In order to obtain such things, I would need to be a professional paranormal investigator, and in order to be a professional paranormal investigator, I’d need some personal case files.  It’s all very circular.  I could try to go out and interview folks, but who wants to talk to some random, weird girl with no journalistic experience, with no ties to legitimate media, a girl who just has an extremely esoteric blog.  What I do have going for me is an intensely curious and open mind.  In that case, maybe I could find some people who would be willing to talk to me; but is it enough to impress the paranormal community?  Is it enough to get “paranormal researcher” as a tag to my name?

Many elite groups are very picky about who they accept among their ranks.  I don’t think that’s quite as true with the paranormal community.  I think it’s a very open society with an excitement for gaining and exchanging information and ideas.  Maybe it’s too open sometimes.  They want so desperately to find out the truth that sometimes whack-jobs and outright liars can find their way in.  Since we are dealing with things on the fringe of reality, it’s hard to prove or disprove anyone. 

Also, maybe, I’m still not a sure-fire member of the paranormal community because I’ve never really had a paranormal experience.  I think I saw a UFO when I was in 6^th grade.  It didn’t look like a conventional plane, especially in the way it lit up.  But that was 6^th grade, a very long time ago, who knows what I’m remembering.  If it was a UFO, nothing came of it; no weird feelings or missing time.  I read a lot about everything paranormal, but I’ve never seen a monster or a ghost.  You wouldn’t call someone an artist, or something, if they’ve only read about art, but never actually painted a picture.  Same goes for the paranormal community.  How can you be an expert on something if you’ve never experienced it?

I guess what I need to do is get out of my reading chair and do some investigating.  Now I just need a team that is willing to go on adventures with me.  Am I being whiny?  I hope not.

I know I’m babbling.  I guess my point is that I want to know where my place is in the paranormal community.  Where do I fit in so that I can make a difference?  What can I do to progress this study?  I have no special powers, but I can research!  I can research like there’s no tomorrow.  So yes, call me a researcher and I can tell you what I’ve learned.  I can also write.  I think I do that very well, so tell me, what do you want to read about?  I’ll write it!