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Things I'm Obsessed With

So I'm attempting to get better at at least weekly posting again, which is safe to say I sometimes lack in. Blame it on school, mommy duties, or honestly, laziness (I'm a twenty-something in 2013, we are skilled at this.) Either way, I'm challenging myself to do more pots and weekly columns help. I've had a good bit of feedback on the "Things" posts, so I'm going to kick off the witching month's Things post with one of my favorite obsessions. I will warn that these next couple of posts may not be everyone's cup of tea, so this is your chance to leave this page now.

And with that, this week's Things I'm Obsessed With is- The Ouija Board
READ: This is not to encourage the use of the ouija board as a communicative device in any way! If you want to experiment, I advise that you do not.

Yes, the original Talking Board.

I might as well get it out of the way- yes, I've used one before. About four times in my life though. Each time has had some creepy repercussions, so you can imagine why I don't condone it's use or encourage anyone to use one.

But I have been fascinated by this thing since about the fourth grade, when I was at a Girl Scout sleepover and one of the girls there brought this out of her sleeping bag, apparently sneaking it out of her brother's bedroom before arriving. At the time, I was still very devoutly Catholic, so I put my foot down immediately about playing with it out of my fear. I was one of only two girls who refused to take part in it, preferring to watch from the side. Even though now I realize one of the girls was likely moving the planchette around on the board, it still was intriguing as an eight-year-old to watch their questions get answered by this thing as if it knew all. That intrigue stuck with me and come ninth grade, I received a board for my birthday from my then best friend. By this point, I was in a weird limbo state with what I believed in and had also done some extensive research into the weird side of the world. It was during my weird and bad years of high school that I used the board, but since my senior year, it's been cleansed, stored in a box wrapped in white cloth and hasn't been touched since.

But that hasn't stopped my love for the board in general. I've built up a decent inventory of pictures and research on the boards existence, mostly out of personal curiosity. Before it was patented by Hasbro and sold as a board game, the talking board had been a part of communicating with the spiritual world for centuries. Although it first came into commercial use in 1890 by Elijah Bond, believers and the curious of old have used similar methods to talk to the spirits of their deceased loved ones and ghosts that were plaguing them. The Ouija sometimes was brought out as a parlor trick at turn-of-the-century homes or used in traveling shows, although more often than not to trick the desperate into paying big bucks to speak with their loved ones. Even though science and sociology are still on the fence about the truthfulness of a talking board (yours truly is as well), users of the Ouija and believers will firmly stand by their testimonies to the good- and bad- that comes from using the board. But the Ouija has found it's way into other places beyond parlors, television, and Hollywood. Jewelry, phones cases, purses, and even dresses exist now sporting the talking board on them. T-shirts can be found around Halloween with the familiar alphabet and numbers layout. Some creative souls have gone so far as to even have shoes made with this on them. Personally, beyond my personal spirit board, I own a necklace of the planchette and have a novelty candle with the board stamped on it. I hope to one day have a collection of all items Ouija, whether vintage boards or more novelty pieces. Mine and everyone's favorite Danger Dame with her Ouija Board phone case!

But to this day, I have no intention of ever using one again and plan to teach the Owlfish extensively that it's best to stay away from using them (I know, how hypocritical of me!). I personally have not had a great experience with the Ouija, but I cannot speak for everyone.

Check back next week for another spooky Things post. :)

Top three images found via WeHeartIt, all Ouija items pictures were found via Google Images and Etsy searches. Veronica's picture is from her diary section on DangerDame.com
at 1:49 PM Labels: halloween, ouija board, spooky, things I'm obsessed with, veronica varlow
