"Rickety"

“Rickety”

By: Dustin J. Pari

06.25.2016

It was the last day of school for Beans, my daughter, on Tuesday the 21^st of June 2016. I wanted to do something special for her, as she was just finishing up the 3^rd grade. Time seems to be going quicker these days, quicker for me than I would like it to be; the non-stop hustle and bustle of it all. Each day seemingly filled more and more with the plastic nonsense of this world rather than the things of substance; soulful, loftier things. I can clearly recall the day of her birth 9 years ago when the doctor handed her over to the nurse to be cleaned and little Beans grabbed me by my pinky finger; nothing has ever been the same since.

So in order to make the most of the opportunity in front of me, I hurried home from work and made it there in time to pick my little girl up and whisk her off to the movies despite the traffic that attempted to thwart our path.  We went to see Alice Through The Looking Glass, the follow up to Alice In Wonderland.  The theater was empty when we went in and so we were able to take our usual seats in the middle of the top row.  With a large tub of buttered popcorn between us, and a swirled slushy in our hands, we embarked on a fantastic journey of whimsy along with Dorothy, Hatter, and their friends.  My daughter has a slight cat obsession, so Cheshire is her clear favorite.  The movie was quite enjoyable and I was thankful for our time together. Interesting thought in retrospect as so much of the movie was about time itself.

As I try to do quite often, I make efforts to add to our experiences with a little next level idea. This time I had purchased some Alice characters for one of our video game systems and had them nestled in the passenger seat of Maggie May, my big blue Dodge Ram truck, for my daughter to find upon our return. She was quite excited to see them and climbed up into the cab.  As I went around the other side and slid behind the wheel, Beans drew my attention to a solitary red plastic shopping cart that sat alone in the parking lot beneath a streetlight. 

There were no immediate stores near the movie theater so she wanted to know where it was from. I explained that there were quite a bit of stores in the shopping plaza as it was about a half of a mile in length. That answer did not quite satisfy her curiosity, so moments later there we were, the two of us joining the lonely red carriage under the buzzing glow of the flickering streetlight. 

The little red carriage had the name of a liquor store upon its side in tiny white print.  She asked me where that store was and I explained it was at the other end of the plaza, the very last store.  She didn’t even need to ask the next question, for in my heart I knew this night would see the two of us escorting the wayward cart back to its rightful place in the world.

“But Daddy it’s an outcast! It’s a misfit! We have to bring it back! Can we?” she exclaimed as she grabbed the shiny metal handlebar and looked up to me for approval.  I agreed and saddled up alongside her to start our little quest through the empty parking lot.

As we walked through the plaza past the gymnasium, the breakfast diner, and the materials store, we had a great little discussion about misfits and outcasts and how we should always look out for each other. She named the cart “Rickety” as it did have a penchant for wobbling along the asphalt. But, as rickety as he was, he still should be with his family, and we were just the people to bring him there according to my little one.

I explained to her, as best a father of 39 can to his daughter of 9 years, that we are all called to help each other through this life; those that are like us, and those that are not.  We must always look out for those in need, for we all stumble sometime.  Kindness is what matters.  Having a helpful heart, despite the circumstances and the opinions of those around us, we must do what we know to be right. It is a big lesson; a lesson that some people sadly never seem to learn, yet one that is so very key to our human experience. Perhaps some might think it is too big a lesson for a small child and a red shopping cart named Rickety, but I feel it is a lesson that knows no age limit. Plus, who knows when I might have time to teach it again?

As we strolled up to the closed liquor store behind the red frame and the shimmering handlebar of the once lost shopping cart, we corralled two more strays that went unnamed, and returned them all to the front of the store, parking them beneath the still glowing neon signs.  The other carts all sat inside the glass windows staring out at us thankfully.

My daughter pushed on the handle of the cart once more, saying, “There you go. You’re home now.”

Tim Burton’s work with Lewis Carroll’s Alice Through The Looking Glass was very well done, but the story of Rickety is the one I will always remember fondly.

On With The Show This Is It

"Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends
  We're so glad you could attend
  Come inside! Come inside!" - Karn Evil 9 by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Welcome back indeed! It has been a long time between dreams my friends. It's been a long, long, long, long lonely time since last I wrote.  Well, it has been a long time since I wrote here anyway. I have published two books since my last blog entry. If you have picked up a copy of What's Next or And The Devil Shivered, I sincerely appreciate it.

 

So here we are, face to face... a couple of silver spoons. That was actually a theme song from a television show back when television shows had theme songs. Television has changed a lot since the shows of my youth, and they keep on changing.  Change is good, though most of us don't like it. Truth is, it usually doesn't matter what we like. Things change because that's what they do. Life goes on and takes you down a path you may not have ever expected yourself traveling, but traveling you must.

As it pertains to me, and truthfully things usually don't pertain to me as I am a horse of a different color; a steel unicorn if you will. You'll find it best if you simply indulge my flights of fancy. Indulge me or not, I'm taking it and running. No, not running.  Galloping! Yes, that's it- galloping.   Anyhow, as it pertains to me and TV, well it doesn't define me. Never has, never will. Television is just something I do, but it's not who I am. 

 

Fact: There will be 13 new episodes of Ghost Hunters returning to SyFy on August 3rd of this year. Boom! Confetti! I know you have probably heard lots of things about the show no longer being on SyFy, but fear not, we did film a whole season of 13 new episodes that will be on SyFy this year.

 

Fact: I filmed for all 13 of those episodes and had a grand time. Unless I screwed something up royally and they completely edit me out, you should see me in each investigation this season.

 

Fact: People like things presented in threes. So, there you go.

When I was a young boy, on Saturday mornings, my favorite mornings, I would get up early, pour a huge bowl of sugary cereal, and then sit in front of the television to watch The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show. I still remember the theme song and its powerful closing line, "On with the show this is it!" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-t8PngHgWY - check it out. 

Saturday mornings are still my favorite mornings, and I still eat sugary cereal, but sadly Bugs Bunny and Tweety have gone the way of the Dodo Bird.  Luckily, I can find almost anything on Youtube or Netflix. (Even pictures of the now extinct Dodo.)

Life is change. Change forces us to adapt, to go forward. If you don't go forward, you are stagnant. Stay stagnant for too long and you die. Dead fish go with the flow. The flow leads down the drain. This is your life. Don't be a Dodo.

 

Me? I embrace change. I may not always like it, but I get it. I can adapt. Adapting isn't always easy. But then again, the things worth having aren't always easy to get. The best cookies are on the top shelf. If you want them you have to stretch. By stretching you will grow. Through our trials, through our tribulations, our adaptations, we become stronger and more prepared for what's next in out lives. (Speaking of What's Next, have you picked up my book yet? Get to Amazon and check it out.)

 

So, if Ghost Hunters doesn't continue on SyFy after this season, so be it. No reason for harsh words or ill feelings. Ferrymen. Just ferrymen.  Our lives are filled with them. They bring us from one place to another. Some journeys take longer than others.  Some may seem too short. The ferryman may be a friend, a boss, a significant other, a passionate lover, or even a complete stranger; for strangers sometimes make for passionate lovers. Regardless of who the ferryman may be, the ride is what is important. 

 

The ride takes us from one shore in our lives to the next. What we learn with them along the journey is invaluable. It is the only way for us to get to what's next in our lives. The ferrymen, they prepare us. They help us to move forward. And, as they are ferrymen for us, we are a ferryman for them. Enjoy the trip. Remember the lesson. Glance back fondly, but never lose sight of what's ahead of you.

 

When you're driving in your car, your windshield is bigger than your rear view mirror for a reason. Where you are going is much more important than where you have been. Focus accordingly.

 

So what's next for the Ghost Hunters television show and its lovable cast of characters? I hear all good things. In truth, I'll probably be amongst the last to know for certain, but I am also amongst the last to be concerned with it. Why? Because I am sure the future is bright. For you. For me. For all of us. And because that's what life is all about. Change. Adapting. Walking forward in faith. Venturing into the unknown. Stepping into the darkness... whether you are looking for ghosts or not.

 

On with the show... this is it.

A Pirate Stares Down The Barrel of 37

I wrote this whilst traveling from Warwick, RI to San Francisco, CA on Friday February 21st, 2014



Ladies and Gentlemen, I give to you: "A Pirate Stares Down The Barrel of 37" By: Dustin J. Pari




    I think it is good and right to take a look at one’s life periodically and see what’s what.  A little State of the Soul type address, for one does not want their soul to get calloused and their mind jaded.  I am doing this whist on yet another flight to yet another event, despite being several years removed from television- for which I am appreciative. 

    So, how am I doing?  I am well.  I am happy.  I am thankful.  I am lonely.  I still don’t fancy being away from home.  I am currently listening to Mister Willie Nelson as this big ole jet airliner tears a hole through the sky from my stopover in Chicago to San Francisco.   That once red-headed stranger turned silver haired angel is singing “Bubbles In My Beer” from just under his red bandana in my mind- sweetly and with a familiar knowing type of love that only Willie can provide. 

    My parents once met Mister Willie Nelson before a concert in little Rhode Island.  My mother won tickets and backstage passes in some radio promotion.  I think she may have had too much to drink before meeting ole Willie as she simply ran her fingers through his hair and remarked how soft and "clean" it was.  Perhaps she didn’t have any drinks but was simply intoxicated by all that is Willie.  Only her and that beautiful gypsy bastard know for sure.  My father was just along for the ride, as most men undoubtedly are when their wives are with Willie.  I once saw Mister Willie Nelson in concert.  I went alone as no one would go with me.  Their loss.

    So, here I am. This year, 2014, I will be thirty-seven.  Not quite old.  Not quite young.  My emerald eyes tell a story greater than thirty-seven years. My spiky hair and happy nonsense attitude would have you believe I was still a child busy chasing dreams and believing in magic.  Both assessments of my character would be true.

    Just over four years ago I quit television.  I said goodbye to Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, and all the fanfare that went with it. What little fanfare there was, in truth. A small fish in a smaller pond.  I was never impressed with the illusion of celebrity.  That is why I always kept my day job.  I may be a dreamer but I keep my feet on this floating island home of ours.

    Since my unceremonious departure from the small screen, my life has been a fun little roller coaster- as all our lives undoubtedly are.  I was struggling to pay bills.  I was struggling to keep a roof over the heads of my family.  I was putting air in the tires of my ole pickup truck, sweet Angelina, every three days just to get to work- just to get by.  Working twenty hours a week in surgery at the same medical practice I worked at whilst filming for television.  I was working nights at the local baseball field doing camera work for the Red Sox Minor League team, the Pawtucket Red Sox, or the “Pawsox” as they are known.  I  was working weekends doing paranormal events, signing autographs, taking pictures with fans, and smiling bravely- knowing that inside I was scared and teetering on the brink of failure. But I didn’t let it show, and I didn’t complain, for I was home.  Home to my wife whom I missed desperately whilst on the road.  Home to my daughter who held my heart in her tiny hands while Daddy was on the other side of the world, wandering the darkened hallways of historic castles, and trying to find his path in this world.

    Now, here I am.  I am managing the offices of the medical practice I was so desperately clinging to for financial support of my family just a few years ago.  I no longer have to work nightly at the baseball stadium.  I actually just tendered my resignation there yesterday, after 10 seasons of employment.  I still work in the paranormal, but its mostly just because I like it, and I like the people.  And I still have sweet Angelina.  The ole gal is pushing over 250,000 miles, but she has new shoes that don’t require maintenance every seventy-two hours. We are making it a point to drive over 300,000 miles together.  There is something about a man and his truck.  Willie would understand.

    “I never thought I’d make it, but I always knew somehow- and I’m alright now” are lyrics from a song by Mister Randy Newman, whom is not currently serenading me through my headphones, thousands of feet in the air in a bird made of metal.  That task is still assigned to Willie.  But, the lyrics ring true nonetheless.  There were days post-television where I didn’t know what the future held for me and my young family.  Days I was concerned- days I was terrified.  Thoughts of failure crept in from the darkest corners of my mind. Tears of doubt clouded my vision.  But I just kept on keeping on, never giving up.  Always knowing that somehow, things would be alright.

    Somewhere along that path my commitment to my beliefs, my devotion to doing what was right, and my, perhaps idealistic, views of integrity seemed to align quite by accident… at least to the untrained eye.  Call it happenstance.  Call it luck.  Call if destiny.  Whatever you call it- it happened, and I survived.  Somehow, whilst I was busy making other plans, life happened.  (Thank you John Lennon.) 

    Quite remarkably, others have now seen that resolve in me and have taken a liking to it.  They have identified with it.  They have rallied around it.  Strangers have turned into familiars. Fans have turned into friends.  Friends have turned into family.  All coming together in a common goal, in support of my aspiration to change the world.  In case you missed it before, I am thankful.  I am so very thankful.

    Motivational speaking has taken the point in my life’s direction, just behind taking care of my family.  A spark has been cultivated inside me to continually inspire others through their dark times.  To live with them through their struggle.  To help them excel under pressure.  To encourage them to persevere when met with adversity.  To let them know its okay to put air in the tires every three days if that is what it takes to make it to the next step. To never give up.  To change the world.

    Don’t get me wrong. I know the graveyards I often walk through are chock full of long since forgotten starry-eyed dreamers from yesteryear, and someday I will be amongst them- but I still cling to my dreams.  I still believe that one person can make a difference- even if just for a few people- even if just for a little while.

    This life is not a terribly long one.  This human experience is fleeting.  Its all falling apart day by day.  I live knowing this.  Accepting it.  Not being in fear of it.  Every plane I get on could be my last flight.  Every ride in sweet Angelina could be our last together. Its not negative thinking.  It is accepting the possibility, the reality, that this gift of life could be taken away at any time.  Knowing this doesn’t bring me down in any way.  Quite the opposite.  It breathes such joy and life in what many would consider to be ordinary and mundane daily happenings. 

    I enjoy every sunrise I take in.  That doesn’t mean I look at if for ten seconds and think its pretty.  It means I stop.  I admire it.  I am alive in that moment and none other.  I am not busy thinking about what comes after it.  About work.  About commuting.  I am simply in that moment. 

    I make pictures out of clouds when I sit in traffic. Sometimes they are silly pictures.  Sometimes they are incredibly complex.  I consider myself a cloud artist.  Expressing my innermost thoughts upon an ever changing canvas with an impossible medium. Michelangelo may have painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but I have painted the sky. 

    I treasure each moment I spend sitting on the couch with my wife, even though she watches absolute garbage for television programming.   I revel in the tiny moments I spend just holding my daughter’s tiny hand.  Those moments are by far my favorite.  None have ever been, nor will any ever be, sweeter.  Life is good.  Life is damn good.  Better than I deserve.  And thus, I am thankful.

    I am thankful every time I walk to the kitchen and get a glass of cold, crisp and clear water from the tap, knowing that somewhere, people walk for miles upon miles, to get water from dusty, often contaminated wells, just to bring back something for their family. 

    Our lives are filled with such numerous miracles, we often forget how incredibly blessed we are.  Can’t sleep?  Stop counting your troubles and start counting your blessings.  You will be quite surprised how much you have, even when you feel everything that is right and just and good has been taken away from you. 

      You know what I love?  I love the feeling of sunbeams upon my skin on a spring day.  I love the sound of autumn leaves underfoot in the fall.  The crunch of a bowl of cereal is the music of Saturday mornings.  The sweet taste of pumpkin pie with whipped cream is like the finest ambrosia upon my tongue.  A cold beer after yard work on a summer day quenches the deepest of thirsts.  Cartoons!  Man, do I love cartoons!  Fresh Italian bread from the bakery- I can eat a whole loaf, sliced or unsliced.  I like to stop and watch the rushed and seemingly chaotic busyness of the tiny ants on the path as I walk up to my front door after a long day of work.  Its amazing.  Its beautiful.  Its perspective.

    As I look at turning thirty-seven this year I am filled with hope for what the future may still hold, and I am in awe of what life hath already presented to me.  It may not have been easy all the time, but damn was it worth it. 

    I am a firm believer in hard work.  I admire those who pull themselves up by their bootstraps and face the challenges brought forth to them each day.  I pride myself upon smiling big and bright in defiance of a seemingly no-win scenario.  Ha!

“More weight” were the words uttered by Mister Giles Corey who was pressed to death with heavy stones during the Salem Witch Trials up in Massachusetts.  Such powerful words against impossible circumstance.  I love it.

    I cannot be broken.  Sure, my body can- and no doubt, it will be.  Ashes to ashes and all that happy nonsense.  But my spirit?  My spirit is beyond this world.  It always has been and always will be.  It is unbreakable, unstoppable.  So beautiful.  So free.

    We are all war-torn refugees from a dream world that we had envisioned as children.  It is horrible and tragically sad, but in that- there is also a beautiful and remarkable truth.  We are all screwed.  We are all decaying.  We are all falling apart.  Perhaps nothing has worked out how we had planned- but damn it, its still working out, one way or another.

    We are all beautiful bastards.  We’ve all made mistakes.  We are collectively broken.  We are all escapees from the isle of misfit toys.  And isn’t it wonderful?! 

    I take solace in our collective similarities- our successes and our failures.  This human experience is not meant to be a perfect one, but one we can learn from, and in that way- it is perfect. 

    As innocent little children, the world is a playground for our imagination.  We are all going to be astronauts, star quarterbacks, race car drivers, actors, actresses, cowboys and superheroes. We are all beautiful and unique snowflakes.  But then, then we grow.  People start telling us we cannot do things.  We cannot be whatever we want to be.  Dreams get dashed on the cold and jagged rocks of reality.  Even realized dreams sometimes prove to be empty and unfulfilling. It is at this point that we start to understand and pursue that which is greater.  That is when we start to understand the truth of this existence- it is a training ground for the soul.  This life is not meant to be permanent.  This life, with its material anchors and false ideals, all will fade away.  We all end up in the bone yard.    

    So whilst we are here it is so terribly important that we surge forward with the utmost ambitious ideas! We are to pursue dreams with immeasurable burning passion and reckless abandon. We should dare to push the envelope beyond what others say is possible. 
   
    It is of equal value, and perhaps even greater value, that we sit back, laugh at our mistakes, be thankful for what we have, and pause in the midst of a busy day to buy some lemonade from the youth on the roadside. We are to try- to fail- and to try again, and again, and again.  We are to challenge the dawn of each new day with our fists shaking in defiance, staring down that horizon with a glimmer of irrepressible hope in our all-too-well knowing eyes... whilst saying, “more weight”.
      
    Each day I arise and I am put to the test.  I may not always pass, but Lord knows I’m doing my best.  And that is how this beautiful bastard feels whilst approaching his thirty-seventh year.

    Never give up.

iApocalypse

                                                                

 Special thanks to my mother who found this writing of mine from seven years ago. (You can tell it is old as I reference Myspace and the Sidekick mobile phone). Many of the sentiments in this writing are echoed in my lectures I give today. Pardon some of my more crass phrases and such.  I was more angry 7 years ago apparently.  Now that I take action against the things I see wrong in this life, I have channeled my rage into a positive force for change.  Enjoy!

 

                                                                   iApocalypse                  

                                                               By: D.Pari 05-09-06

 

You don't need a crystal ball to see the future of humanity.  It surrounds us.  It consumes us.  We are drowning in it, and paying a hefty little price tag for it as well.

 

"It", is technology.  Yes I am aware of the irony that this represents, me typing this on a computer and all.  But we as a people need to seriously look around us and ask, "what is modern day necessity and what is just modern day laziness"?

 

It is no secret that we live in a compartmental society.  Single serving chips, single serving beverages, single serving meals, and single serving desserts, …all in their own safe and easy to heat up and dispose, black plastic bowls with a little frosty cellophane wrapper snuggled up over the top like a scared child's bed covers.

 

Everyone has their own car, their own apartment, their own cell phone, their own iMac, and their own little slice of the quickly fading "American Dream".  Isn't it all just so beautiful?

 

Everything today is customized to oneself. Everything is portable, affordable and disposable.  Everything is special - and nothing is special. Prized posessions are toted about for a time and then discarded by the curb when they lose their luster or their perceived level of superiority. Loved once and despised the next.  Everything is a prom dress. Everything is a Christmas tree. Brought into your life with love and warmth. Decorated and celebrated. Then thrown out into the cold.  Everything can be obtained rather easily and thrown away even easier.  The garbage heaps that man has put forth on the face of this planet can be seen from space; …no wonder the aliens dont want to stop by for a visit anymore.

 

But not people. People are not replaceable... …and no one cares. 

 

I know that there are many advances in health care- but there are very few cures.  Mostly there are just treatments that keep you alive long enough for the hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to bleed you dry.  Let's face it- there is no money in a cure, only in the treatment of a disease.

 

So in the meantime we just keep dreaming up more and more things to make life easier for us, the creme de la creme of humanity.

 

We have speed passes, fast passes, gold club cards, and every other gimmick imaginable to make us feel like special and unique snowflakes in a global warming environment.

 

There is no need for human contact in 90 percent of the things we do on a day to day basis.  You can pay at the pump; you can eat from the vending machines, you can go to the ATM and pay your bills at the self help kiosk if you want to.

 

I have more scan tag passes on my key ring than I do keys!  Not so I can get the best bargains out there- though thats what they want you to think.  They are there so they can track my purchases for marketing evaluation and advertising interpretation.  I know this because I work in marketing and advertising.

 

Soon, when you are born, they will put a UPC symbol right across the crack of your ass so that you will have access to the best of everything that every store has to offer to you for your entire life, and they can even track when you move your bowels and send you a neat little coupon for more toilet paper.  It will be the new Social Security card of America. 

 

We have cars that talk to us.  Cars that tell us where to go and how to get there.  No one needs your maps anymore Magellan!

 

We can order everything we need to live online.  We do our banking, stock trading, travel planning, research, and masturbating by using the computer.

 

Little by little the robots of the future are paving the way, writing their own binary history books.

Look around you- people are being phased out.  Remember that little old checkout lady who used to slow you down at the register because she just couldnt scan the groceries fast enough?  She is gone!

 

The good news is now you can scan them yourself and get out of the store even faster so that you can get in your car, chat on your phone, go home to your little apartment with the fancy single bamboo stalk decor, and heat up your microwavable dinner for one while talking to your Myspace friends online, whom

you more than likely do not really know.

 

The bad news about the grocery clerk Prom Queen from 1954 who once needed to price check your condoms at the check out is that she needed that job because her prescription costs are so high and social security isn't worth squat.  And lets face it- she only has a few options for employment in her twilight years, and the competition is getting fierce to be the friendly faced greeter at the door of Americas Evil Empire, Wal-Mart.

 

This... all of this, all of which you have just read, was in my mind recently while walking in downtown Providence, and I couldnt help but notice the hustle and bustle of the crowd around me.

 

There was the oh so talented Art students from the Rhode Island School of Design plugged into their iPods, the business men walking with their laptops tucked under arm, the Ivy League Brown students tapping away important messages about the girl they tag-teamed last night on their Sidekick mobile phones.

 

And there, lying low in Kennedy Plaza, where the buses run on the hour like low-paid hookers, was the past of this country.  The ones the bubble popped on.  The Vietnam Vets, the Gulf War Vets, and countless other people that simply couldn't make their payments on time for their slice of the American Dream.

 

Now sure, I know that some of them may have either gambled it away, drank it away, snorted it away or shot it up in the small areas betwixt there toes... but that is not true of all of them.

 

The whole scene just made me sick.   

 

Here are people clinging to life on handouts and scraps, while the upper crust walks right by.

 

How is that possible?

 

Is it that the elite are simply out of touch with the dying world around them? Or is it that they are so in tune with themselves that they dont even notice?

 

There is a certain attitude of entitlement that radiates from today's society.  A true hooray for me and the hell with you type of attitude.  It is as if the iLife generation expects that good things should come to them, and those around them are undeserving of even the simple necessities of life.

 

I am watching this transpire and it is very unsettling. 

 

To see one human being not want to help another human being because it is an inconvenience to their daily routine is completely absurd.  

 

If the end is coming by way of nuclear explosion, tsunami, Bird Flu, or an asteroid from across the universe, I welcome it.  For at least in those final cataclysmic days of humanity we could bond as one to figure out what went wrong, instead of acting as if we dont even know the other one exists.

 

Right now… the robots are winning.

For The People, By The People - Vol 1.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

          I am proud to bring to you the first in a series of interactive blogs I am calling “For the People, By the People”, in which I post a Tweet asking for your questions, and then pick some of the more random and interesting ones to answer here in blog form.

I do hope you enjoy this first installment of insanity.

Don’t worry… if you didn’t get your questions answered this time, there’s always tomorrow…

@McBieberTheSats Do you like American Idol?

Yes… on occasion. I am not a diehard fan. I do enjoy it from time to time.

@crose1310 How come u left gh and ghi?

Too much to get into here, but you can read more under the blog here called “Paranormal Humbug”.  Basically it was too much travel and it was time for  a change.

@missmoose686 what's your favorite holiday and why?

Halloween. I just love that time of year. October through December makes me the happiest.

@AmyDes92 What's your favorite paranormal evidence you have captured so far?

Probably the personal experience I had in Ireland. It is not quantifiable in terms of absolute proof to further the field in any way, but it meant a lot to me and changed the way I think about things.

@atomatoisafruit who is your favorite investigator?

I have been fortunate enough to work with many talented people over the years. Lately I am a big fan of John Tenney due to his integrity.

There is more to this field than having the “best evidence”. Too many investigators are too busy comparing the size of their EMF detectors and thus are forgetting why they started investigating in the first place.

@FedAgentBarbie Best thing you ever ate?

I love my wife’s homemade chicken cutlets. I could eat them every night and be happy.

@DaphneDoo71 If you could have only one candy for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Skybar…no wait Snocaps…Mallowcups…Clark Bar….No, definitely Skybar.

Sjybar is a chocolate bar with four compartments. One filled with Fudge, Vanilla, Peanut, and Caramel.  Delicious!

@JF1Edge Why is Angelina, Angelina?

My truck is named after a song my grandfather sang when I was a child. We were very close.

@jmsucher  Have you always been a religious guy or was there something that happened in your life that led you down that path?

I wandered for many years feeling spiritual but not religious. Suddenly I found my way in a relationship with God and everything changed.

@stlredbirds85 Favorite old time candy?

Skybar is pretty old school… but since I already said that one, I will give the nod to Candy Buttons.

@McBieberTheSats Do you like to pull pranks?

No. I don’t like to trick people, but I do enjoy a good laugh.

@missmoose686 If you could be one of the Angry Birds, which would you be?

The Yellow one that attacks with full force.

@popup82 What is your favorite hair styling product, your styling technique and how long does it take to get your hair just right?

Suave Hairspray right after the shower and it takes about two minutes.

@ItsTheNayNay  If  you had to live the rest of your life eating only Chobani or pie, which would you choose?

I do love my Chobani and I eat it every day… but, there is no match for pie.  However, if the good people at Chobani make Pumpkin Pie flavor… that would be pure magic.

@Passionable6002 Taking a joy ride on a unicorn or a dragon?

I would vote dragon.

@Tish326 Which Winchester brother is most like you ?

Definitley Dean. Sam is not decisive enough… nor does he appreciate pie, classic cars and rock and roll.

@JaxynsDad What is the 1 thing already created that you wish you were the person to create?

Chocolate. Inside my mind I am a mad capped Willie Wonka.

@ndcheri If u could sit down for dinner with any 5 people dead or alive (besides immediate family), who would u pick?

Jesus, John Lennon, Buddha, Billy the Kid and Elvis.

@dbower68 What was the first car you ever owned?

A 1986 Toyota 4x4 Pickup Truck named Kris. She was stolen from me at work the day after I dropped Theft coverage. It was never recovered.

@Vwgrrrl78 Do you play any musical instruments?

I played Bass guitar throughout High School. I dabbled on the Banjo and acoustic guitar afterwards. Now I do not have much time for these things.. But I do enjoy Guitar Hero and I love karaoke.

‏@IndianaDogmom What got u started on Chobani?

I was looking for something delicious and high in protein to supplement my diet and new workout – The Post Apocalyptic Zombie Killer.  Its been fantastic.

@JxDeL How do u respond 2ppl who question u about believing in ghosts & ur faith? I'm a Christian &ppl think I'm nuts bc of my beliefs

I don’t need to justify myself to anyone as only God gets to judge. But, if I am up for a discussion, I point out several passages in the Bible, left out of the Bible, and instructions given to us by Christ, that allow for interaction with the other side of life.  Those who twist the words of the Bible to enforce hate and judgment will debate all day long, but in the end, only God gets to judge, so they should keep that in mind.

@reese_dianato r u gonna come back to gh or ghi now that grant is leaving? How do u feel about his decision?

No, I will not be going back, only onwards to new misadventures and whimsical flights of fancy for me from now on. I wish Grant nothing but the best in all that he does. He is a man of many talents.

@nouniquename Favorite Marvel, DC, and Avenger character?

Thor, Batman, and I have also been partial to Captain America… I never read his comics that much, but I like the outfit and the things he stood for.

@Spambot3049 Which saint did you pick at confirmation & why?

Saint Crispin. Liked the name, also that he and his brother were simple leather workers and cobblers. Like a shoe salesman in Heaven. I appreciate humble, hard working folk.

@jaebird36 Who is your favorite hard rock/metal band?

Black Label Society. Hard rocking power with some poignant moments and well sculpted lyrics that reflect a life well lived.

@sketchGeek81 Name one movie that was just so underappreciated despite being completely awesome.

Weekend at Bernie’s

@Kimmberlil In high school...did u prefer..girly girls..tomboys..or athletic girls? Which one is ur wife?

I liked all kinds. My wife is indescribable. A perfect little mix of all types.  Like a Skybar of women….

@LooLoo1037 Where do u find the energy to do all that u do?

Starting each day at the gym really charges me up. When I am feeling low I turn to prayer and then turn up the radio. Music really moves me and inspires me. When all is said and done and I have nothing left to give, I think of my daughter… there is not a thing in the world I cannot do if I am doing it for her. Never Give Up. Never Surrender.

@Fiore_al_Buio Waffles or pancakes?

Both are great choices. I would vote pancakes though.

@mozartcat Have you ever dealt with a spirit somewhere more than once, and has anything ever followed you home?

I haven’t had anything that I was brought in to investigate ever give me a problem after I left the location. I promote being in a good place spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically before doing an investigation.

@SelenaVandenBro What is your favorite thing to have for dinner?

Chicken Cutlets with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, hot crusty rolls with a huge slab of butter… followed by Pumpkin Pie.

@onikurisuchi Would you ever go hunting in only your boxers?

It would probably be a bit drafty, so I would vote “no”.

@mousehill7 What is your favorite Bible verse?

It fluctuates depending on what I am going through in my life. One of my favorites has always been, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4

@JJ9828 Who is your favorite Beatle and why?

All of them are great, but for me, its all John Lennon. I enjoyed his wit, his depth and his curiosity about life and how people view it. I like to challenge people to think more about life, this side and the other.  Too often we are plugged into our iPods and staring at our iPhones, and in this “me me me” world, we forget we are a very, very small part of a master plan.

@SassyMonkey719 Would you rather be the cake (or the pie if you would rather lol), or the oven and why?

I am not sure I totally understand this question… but when in doubt, the answer is always “Pie”.

@NonaKelly What shampoo do u use to keep the awesome "do" in order?

White Rain – Coconut. It’s cheap, and when I close my eyes I feel like I could be on an island with a rum drink in hand and a smile on my face.

@NonaKelly Whose side- Godzilla or Mothra?

Go-go Godzilla.  In all honesty, I preferred Gamera. He was a giant turtle with a surly disposition when provoked.

@tattoosgirl311 What is some of your all time favorite tv shows?

Dobie Gillis, Mr Ed, Car 54 Where are You, The Munsters, Mork and Mindy, WKRP in Cincinnati, Twilight Zone, Three Stooges, Star Trek, Star Trek Next Generation, The Facts of Life, Married with Children, Full House (I looked up to Uncle Jessie), Cheers ( I looked up to Sam Malone), Scrubs, Two and a Half Men (Sheen episodes only), Modern Family, The Middle, Big Bang Theory, True Blood,  Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Supernatural.

Dustin J. Pari

http://www.paranormalrockstar.com/
www.twitter.com/dustinpari