I first read this in high school. I remember reading it before class and during lunch. I made a lot of highlights in yellow and green highlighters. I just don’t know why my physical copy smells weird, like plastic almost. Maybe Zak made it smell like ghosts? LOL JK XD I also remember taking off the dust jacket so no one would know what I am reading, though the pictures inside the book didn’t help :P
I bought this book with money I saved from working. I got it from amazon.com
August 17, 2016 - March 2, 2018
“I’ve stood on the edge of the abyss and faced death with an uncommon clarity” (9).
“I made a conscious decision to do these things, and since 2004 my life has been a tumultuous journey through the best of times and the worst of times that I wouldn’t trade for anything” (Bagans 9 I Am Haunted).
“The road is a lonely, exhausting, invigorating, and living thing, but the wonder of seeing things we never would have dreamed of makes it worth the price we pay to leave the safety of home.
If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I don’t know enough” (10).
“Now we’re in a deeper place, and at times I feel lost in the regular world…” (Bagans 14 I Am Haunted).
“I’m ranting, but I want to look beyond the greed, hate, and negativity. I want to believe that there’s a world without the deadly sins. Society is judgmental, and there are times when I don’t want to be a part of it. I feel like I’ve been thrown into a river, and I just want to swim to the shore and get out. I stare back at the water and watch everyone go by yelling, ‘Jump in,’ but I don’t want to. I want to stay on the shore and figure out what’s hiding in the bushes. I’m not saying I want to die, but I do want to peer into the jungle and discover what’s out there while everyone else floats by on inner tubes, blissfully unaware that they too will end up on the shore someday. We all do. Some of us will be more prepared than the rest” (Bagans, I Am Haunted, Ch. 1, 20-21).
“...like a storm-chaser rushing to the next killer tornado” (35).
“...and I’m back in loud, neon Vegas” (45).
“Some people say that our minds are playing tricks on us, but after hundreds of investigations, I know what I feel and what I don't. I don't expect anyone to understand it because we live in a ‘show me' society, but to me it's undeniable" (Bagans I Am Haunted Ch. 5 56-58).
“Material possessions come and go, but people telling me that I made a difference in their lives by putting in the time to listen and talk to them, giving me hugs, and shedding tears--that's the meaning in my life ... It's a new part of me that I've discovered" (Bagans, I Am Haunted, Ch. 6, 60).
“Life is all about finding yourself through experiences, and about learning more and more about who you are and what you're capable of. If you're getting older and not succeeding in anything or doing anything to make a positive impact on people, then you're not living. You're just waiting for death. Get out there and make an impact on people, whether it's by helping them directly or by doing research to make their lives better or just by inspiring them" (Bagans, I Am Haunted, Ch. 6, 60).
"Her name was Denise, and I knew right away that she wasn't faking anything" (Bagans 61 I Am Haunted).
"Van Helsing traveled the world as a vampire slayer, and though I don't want to compare myself to any fictional figure, what I used to think was crazy has become my reality and my mission as I embark on my own travels. Discovering parts of myself that I never knew existed and identifying people who have been affected by unwelcome spirits seems to be my calling. ... Aftershocks has enabled me to find parts of Zak that weren't there ten years ago. ... It gives this show a bigger purpose than entertainment: It provides closure for these people. Communication is a powerful thing. It's how we understand each other and connect to the world around us" (Bagans 62-63 I Am Haunted).
"Ghosts, spirits, demons...these are the things that get me charged up. I don't just listen, I absorb. I've gained so much knowledge doing these interviews, especially about my own abilities as an empath" (Bagans 65 I Am Haunted).
"The darkest time of anyone's life is knowing you have a purpose, but not knowing what that purpose is. ... We can't choose our family, our era, our gender, etc. But we're given life, and in this life we learn to live no matter what fate or our environment deals us. ... I struggled to find myself and my place in this world, but I always knew that I had more to offer than working in a cubicle for some company I didn't care about. I wasn't going to be anyone's puppet or work for a pension and have some fat boss say at my funeral, 'Zak worked a good 45 years for this corporation, and now Jim Bob has his job. Eat your cake'" (Bagans 66 I Am Haunted).
"We thought we had captured an apparition, but it turned out to be a real person who hadn't left the building yet. I was pissed, but it happens, and there's nothing you can do but move on...after uttering a few four-letter words" (Bagans 78 I Am Haunted).
“This guy clearly wanted to throw soup bones" (Bagans 81 I Am Haunted).
“...and the next thing you know I'm being challenged by some whacked-out fucktard" (Bagans 82 I Am Haunted).
“...running into an iron bar in the dark (Aaron is the clumsiest man in the world when it comes to such things)" (Bagans 88 I Am Haunted).
“Always wear protection, kids" (Bagans 88 I Am Haunted).
“You don't understand it and probably don't want to, but you've been bitten by a bug that injects the toxin of dark angst into you" (Bagans 90 I Am Haunted).
“...your body deteriorates, and you begin to surrender yourself" (Bagans 90 I Am Haunted).
“We only know what we can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel; everything else is just a theory. Sometimes I feel that we humans have the mentality of a two-year-old. Why does it do that? Why is this the way it is? Why, why, why, why? We're curious beings who are programmed to ask questions, but if there isn't an answer, then it must not exist, and we ridicule it or make fun of those who do believe in it" (Bagans 98 I Am Haunted).
“So I all I can really rely on is my iPod" (Bagans 101 I Am Haunted).
Ummm... Zak? You should check this sentence.
“...I began to notice how many stray dogs there were. Later I learned that Romania has the highest population of stray dogs in the world. They're like birds in America. There were hundreds of dogs everywhere we went, and as a dog lover and activist against animal cruelty, I couldn't help but notice them. I fed them whenever I could, like sausages from gas stations. This was always risky because the second I broke out food, the packs would come running, and I never seemed to have enough to go around" (Bagans I Am Haunted 102).
❤ Caring Man Zak
“Every few miles there were tables manned by gypsy women where they sold homemade honey, sap, and CHEESE! I love cheese..." (Bagans I Am Haunted 103).
“Like most creative types, I have a mind that never stops working. I'm always looking for new ways to say and do things" (Bagans I Am Haunted 107).
“I'm a warrior and really wanted this project to succeed, so I manned up, but to do all this for a pilot was really unnecessary. A pilot episode is like and experiment. You're not sure if the idea has legs, so you spend some time and money exploring the concept to see if it resonates with fans. If it does, then you keep going. If it doesn't, then you haven't lost much. ... A list of interviews is really about it, because the filmmaker has to have the freedom to take the story where it needs to go. A documentary film isn't scripted; it's an exploration into the unknown. I'm more than just the host. I'm the lead creative executive producer and director, so I call the shots on what to shoot and how I want to feed off the interviews and develop the story. That's my right, and I take it very seriously" (Bagans I Am Haunted 109).
“I noticed a nearby concession stand that was selling Nutella crepes. I love those things. Nutella is like Axe Body Spray; chicks love the smell of it. ... Oh, hell no" (Bagans I Am Haunted 111).
lol what a douche! XD
“I set up a tour (of the Tor House--pun intended)" (Bagans 140 I Am Haunted).
“I believe that this voice belonged to Jeffers himself, and I communicated him and his wife, Una" (Bagans 142 I Am Haunted).
Shouldn't it be “...I communicated *with* him and his wife, Una"?
Is this the final copy?
“I remember telling the friends I was with that I'd seen this before. (Or I mumbled it--I can't be sure)" (Bagans 164 I Am Haunted).
I don't get the grammar.
Ummm... grammar problem?
“Dreams to me are like the paranormal encounters" (Bagans 165 I Am Haunted).
I don't get the grammar here either.
Ummm... “the" paranormal encounters?
"Here's a sad and weird fact: My two favorite singers died on my birthday. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Lane Staley of Alice in Chains both died on April 5. I always listened to them growing up while they were still alive, and no one had any idea that they would end their lives on my birthday.
It's a strange coincidence, but still, when I'm having a bad day and my mind is a mess, I turn to them. No matter what day it is, what time it is, or how bad of a mood I'm in, I'll listen to two specific songs to pull me out of a funk: "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" by Nirvana and "Nutshell" by Alice in Chains. These songs have so much soul; you can just tell that these two lead singers had so many demons, so much noise in them. These guys were born with unimaginable talent, but when they sing these softer songs, you can connect to the pain and darkness that each of them harbored inside. It was almost as if you could have predicted their deaths.
There's another song by Johnny Cash called "Ain't No Grave" that I listen to a lot" (Bagans 167 I Am Haunted).
“I can go out and film for a week, but when I come home (depending on how bad the lockdown hangover is), I can be on my phone and computer working hard on the next episode before I even unpack my bags. The creativity never turns off, and I feel that if I don't get on a computer and write down what I'm thinking, then I'll go crazy" (Bagans I Am Haunted 168).
“Don't be alarmed; I'm not suicidal" (Bagans I Am Haunted 169).
Same, I think…
“I hope that people find meaning in my work and in episodes of Ghost Adventures long after I'm gone. I hope that the show helps someone get over their fear of the paranormal or teaches someone to make contact with a loved one" (Bagans I Am Haunted 169).
“During an earlier Ouija board session, a friend of Jay's was overcome by the demon and suddenly jumped on top of Jay and tried to stab him. To this day, the Ouija board makes Jay uncomfortable, but we convinced him to take another ‘stab' at it for this episode and participate in a session with Darren" (Bagans I Am Haunted 174).
Really Zak, really? 😑
"That and my dog, Gracie. Gracie has always been there for me, and I'm lucky to have her, I occasionally do work for the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA), and one day I went to a shelter and one of the workers said to me, 'I think you need to meet somebody.' Suddenly this dog ran toward me from about 40 feet away and gave me the biggest hug ever, like we were old friends and she was glad to see me after a long separation. I immediately felt this energy and power, like she was there for a reason. She's a pure soul and I really believe that Gracie was sent to me by a higher power to help get me through tough times" (Bagans 179-180 I Am Haunted).
I love how much Zak loves Gracie and how deeply he believes that she was sent to him for a reason. :)
"Unlike the guy in the Dos Equis commercials, I'm not the most interesting man in the world" (Bagans 185 I Am Haunted).
LOL
"When I was filming an episode of Paranormal Challenge, we did an experiment with the publisher of Skeptic magazine (who is not a believer...shocking)" (Bagans 197 I Am Haunted).
Wow, Zak! :D
"There's less possibility of noise contamination from cars, humans, animals, technology, unicorns in heat, whatever" (Bagans 202-203 I Am Haunted).
LOL, Zak! You caught me off guard there! XD
"So there are plenty of reasons why paranormal investigators are nocturnal creatures" (Bagans 203 I Am Haunted).
I like the way you put it Zak. You could also refer to yourself as a gator because of the gator in investigator. LOL
“A documentary is a hunt to find the end of your story. It’s a mission, and you can never let go of it or give up on it” (224).
Storytelling Advice from Zak Bagans
“It's the worst kind of love triangle you can imagine--one with a demon chick involved... literally. She's baaaaaaaaaack. ... But let this be a warning to any woman who wants to date me. I'm not a stalker, but some sort of bitchy spirit watching over me is" (Bagans 228 I Am Haunted).
LOL
“I was filming an episode of Paranormal Challenge at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia when Dave Schrader, Chris Fleming, and I decided to get something to eat at McDonald's. (Don't judge me)" (Bagans 229 I Am Haunted).
LOL
“We met her in the entryway, and this woman proceeded to repeat that her daughter was crying because she'd been astral projecting herself and having a sexual relationship with me in the astral plane for a long time, and now she was expecting our love child. Someone was cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" (Bagans 230-231 I Am Haunted).
Ewww! LOL XD
“‘You don't tell spirits to go to the light. You need to tell more spirits to go to the light.' To me, this is more irritating than a pineapple enema" (Bagans 252 I Am Haunted).
Lol what?
“She just needed someone like me to hear her and share her pain. My energy and that connection are what finally freed her. Talking to spirits is how you release them. Listening to them is how you help them cross over. ... We all have the gift of being able to heal people by talking to them, listening to their problems, and helping them get through them" (Bagans 258 I Am Haunted).
I agree with the point Zak is trying to make in this chapter. In the words of Mr. Bagans, “it's just not that easy."
"They're usually more nervous than they should be, which is always a bad sign, and since I'm an empath I can feel it. Most people can't hide who they are around me" (Bagans 263-264 I Am Haunted).
I think this would be me because if I ever met Zak I would be sooo nervous and he would definitely know. :P
"It's not weak to admit that you have these kinds of tendencies. In fact, if you do, then you're one step closer to knowing yourself, and that's much more important in life than you might think. It's only human to want to see successful people fail, but I honestly don't. I've been there, and I know what it's like on this side of the velvet ropes. I've swum that river and climbed out onto the far shore a different person. I don't hate the successful people of the world; in fact, I want to see them succeed. If they're talented and work hard, then why hate them for it? Isn't that the piece of the American pie we all want so badly to eat?" (Bagans 264 I Am Haunted).
I love Zak's insight on this!
The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare
