J. Dan Michaels 
Since I usually focused on the “Pandemic Flip” series, I noticed that my colleague Doctor Invisible has been busier than ever. I did ask him about story inspiration and some of the happenings that provide him with the spooky content he is known for. After this introduction, I will be turning over the reins to let him give his thoughts on “things going bump in the night” during the days of Covid.
From the desk of Doctor Invisible, June 10th, 2021. (Happy Birthday to the late, great, Howlin’ Wolf)
I’m not known for writing opinion pieces. It could be said that the stories I report on are mere fabrications, or exaggerations at best. Even though I claim that these tales are definitely true, they may in fact be based on some real event with a great deal of embellishment, or they could have happened factually according to the perception of the person reporting. Nevertheless, I do admit that “The Turn of Night”podcast anthology series here on Anti-Social Media (new episodes each Thursday!} is a mere fabrication. A flight of fancy, a chance to express my inner Rod Serling, if you will. Still, it seems in the past year there’s been a real drop off in cases regarding the paranormal or cryptozoology. I’m only speculating here, but there may be some very real and logical reasons for this.
Firstly, we’re dealing with a global pandemic. This has affected the entire world. So much so that many of us have had to learn many new things or finally found the time to do projects that we shelved in previous times. An easy example is that we’ve had to become cooks due to the limited availability of the restaurant industry or in many cases, we’re simply saving money. Parents have had to step into the shoes of academic teachers. I’ve seen sound engineers become gardeners, office workers become artists, athletes managing offices, lawyers are secretly cats, etc. Much of this inspirational content has been covered by the charming J. Dan Michaels in his own ASM contributions. The fact is, we’ve been preoccupied and are often busier than before. Who really has time to notice the shadowy figures that stalk the courtyard when our favourite bands are live streaming from the rehearsal room? Maybe we’re using our free time to hone painting skills, repair engines, or learn chord shapes so we can shred like a boss upon live music returning. Why would we focus on the spirit realm when we owe it to ourselves to expand our minds with new skills? If those ghosts are around, they have all the time in the world to wait for us while we make our own situations better. Ghosts, wraiths, and poltergeists need not apply; we’re haunting our own homes at the moment.
Secondly, where are we going? Many of us are not running off somewhere remote due to travel restrictions, social distancing and respecting the health of others. I know very few people that have a camp or cottage and even then, who is picking out Sasquatch, the original social distance champion, when simply taking in nature can be so overwhelming to the senses after several months of lockdown. Anyone I know that fishes regularly are more concerned with catching a suitable dinner than spying a lake monster of lore. It’s been suggested that even with said lockdowns and stay at home orders, to get outside and exercise. These practices are often relished and appreciated. I did hear one inner city tale of an alleged skinwalker near a popular cycling path in Toronto, but that might have been a case of mistaken identity. I do hope tourism opens up again so that visitors can buy a t-shirt or spoon bearing the likeness of Nessie, Champ, Mothman, or the Lizardman of Scape Ore Swamp. The souvenir industry might sell swag online but we all know that the impulse buys of tourists is seriously brisk business.
Thirdly, who can really be worried about the old sci-fi tagline of “Threats from beyond the stars” when there are actually threats from beyond the stars! Yeah, we might be licking our chops at the prospect of buying new jeans, dining out, or witnessing a real live rock concert, but only a few weeks ago the threat of solar storms was very real! The dangers of everything from deadly radiation to knocked out power grids were discussed as real possibilities from the scientific set. In the past year and a half, I’ve seen more pictures on social media of people’s home cooked meals than blurry UFO’s and that isn’t a complaint. That’s just how it is. Now, I don’t know if alien beings would be immune to Earthly ailments or not, but they certainly don’t seem to be abducting many of us these days. That’s okay, too. Be safe, greys, blues, and Pleiadeians.
Lastly, I’d like to say that if anyone has experienced anything paranormal, ghostly, or out of this world during the past year or so, I’m certainly not one to deny your claims or dismiss your experience. But for the lack of reports of such occurrences, I don’t think any of us are at fault for focusing on what is most important. Our families, friends, and our own sense of individual identities need to be looked after with great care. In the meantime, my fellow colleagues and I here at ASM will continue to provide you with amusement, interesting articles, music, and much more. Those things that lurk in the darkness, be they of this earth or not, can wait. We’re busy.
Yours in evening shadows,
Doctor Invisible
