Concerning The Matter Of Ghosts....

Ghosts are a fascinating deal. They walk through stuff, occasionally knock stuff over, maybe chuck a bolt at you if they are feeling throw-y. They are like teenagers, but seem to consume fewer drugs. I've never cared much for our undead and frequently poorly photographed friends from beyond, but on a recent journey into the wast abyss that is Nevada, I found myself in Virginia City.

Now, I completed this journey (and in doing so risked having to stop in Elko), so that I could enjoy the earthy delights that once made this city famous. And I intend on imparting my many memorable moments to you all once I decide which moments are the most impartable. But in the meanwhile, I felt like I needed to discuss the matter of Ghosts. Which brings us back to the start.

In Summary, Virginia City is home (kinda) to the Comstock Lode, the incredible ball of silver that made many people rich and kept several others drunk for a good while. It is also unusually....ghost friendly. Now, ghosts are a tricky bunch. Like Bigfoot, they never seem to show up for people who are technically looking for them (there are, of course, exceptions). Usually someone will just be taking a picture of some old war vets and Bam! An cloud of mist that looks vaguely like an old lady shows up hanging out in the background like it ain't no thing. I feel like I fall somewhere in the middle of those extremes. While I didn't visit Virginia City looking SPECIFICALLY for ghosts, I was messing around in the graveyard at night, which leads me to believe that I was either very drunk and lost, or I was looking to stir up some ghostly company. Either way, I took this picture with my camera phone....

Now, that may look like a whole lot of nuthin'. And you would be right. But, what if it is actually a whole lot of nuthin' and also a ghost? Remember, ghosts don't hang out in the same form we do. They spend their days being all misty and stuff. Which is why I didn't get this picture...

You see, I believe Casper is nothing more than a chubby albino kid who realized that by pretending to be a ghost would open up more opportunities to score with goth chicks. But this post isn't about my thoughts on Casper. This post is about this picture...
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So, what is going on here? Let's take a look at some of the more recognizable features. In the foreground you have a couple of graves, or as I like to call them, ghost factories.

I've also labeled the dirt, in case some of you aren't keeping up. Graves usually involve dirt in some way. So, there we have it, graves. But what of this young fellow?

Go ahead and blow that business up a little. Now, here's the thing. I have seen some crazy stuff in my life. I've seen two birds going at it then a third bird fly in and totally steal the other bird's lady bird, I've seen me make a three-pointer, I've even seen a raccoon. But I've never seen one of those. Mostly because I'm not exactly sure what one of those is/are. It is, like all good ghost pictures, open to interpretation. But I can say that it certainly wasn't there when I took the photo, and my flash wasn't strong enough to illuminate such an area, so whatever it is it seems to be making its own light. And so, dear reader, in the face of the overwhelming and irrefutable evidence I've so elegantly stated in less than 10 words, I propose that it is proof of an afterlife. Not bad for a blog post.