Minor Strangeness (IHTM)

[henry]

Is it worth having a thread for minor IHTM strangenesses, that dont quite warrant their own threads, or should I be posting this in chat?

I was in a bakers shop in chorlton, south manchester a couple of days ago. As I was walking towards the door on my way out, I noticed there was a poster in the glass door, the back of which was plain white, ie the poster was facing outwards. On the back it had hand-written on it "chorlton" in large letters, and it was uncannily like my writing. I took a close look at it and I was sure that I could have written it, so close was it to my writing.

Im worried now that I may be linked by expert handwriting analysis should it be involved in a murder case.

I may go back and get a photo, and a vegetarian sausage roll.

 

[escargot]

Get me one of them rolls, would you? Hot if they do them.

 

[zephyras1]

I was in a bakers shop in chorlton, south manchester a couple of days ago. As I was walking towards the door on my way out, I noticed there was a poster in the glass door, the back of which was plain white, ie the poster was facing outwards. On the back it had hand-written on it "chorlton" in large letters, and it was uncannily like my writing. I took a close look at it and I was sure that I could have written it, so close was it to my writing.

Im worried now that I may be linked by expert handwriting analysis should it be involved in a murder case.

I know exactly what you mean about handwriting which is uncannily like one's own. I was adopted when I was few months old, and met my birth-mother when I was in my early 20s. Each time I receive a card or letter from her, I become temporarily convinced that I must have done something idiotic with a self-addressed envelope because her handwriting is exactly the same as mine.

Could a close blood relative of yours have written on the back of the poster, I wonder?

 

[tilly50]

I think that I read somewhere that handwriting styles were learnt and so all those children taught in the same way ( would it be the same teacher or the same teaching method?) would develop similar script.
Zephyras makes an interesting point, does our handwriting reflect something in our genes? My eldest sons writing could be mistaken for my fathers, but my dad died several years before my son was born.

 

[mindalai]

My handwriting is identical to my mum's and when I write her name it looks exactly like her signature. It came in very handy back in my schooldays.

 

[escargot]

My hopelessly illegible handwriting closely resembles that of my mother. Strange that nobody can read what either of us has written, yet anyone who knows us both can't tell our handwriting apart. :lol:

The handwriting of my four kids could never be mistaken for mine, thank goodness.

 

[techybloke666]

I can fully vouch for it being unreadable

Amazing what spiders can do where ink is concerned.

My own handwriting isnt up to much either, to many years typing on computers I guess.

 

[akaWiintermoon]

Amazing what spiders can do where ink is concerned.

:lol: Riverdance?

Back to minor strangeness. Might be something, might be nothing.

My mums had her Christmas tree up for about 10 days now (Bless her, they get so excited at that age don't they? ) and went to pop the lights on earlier. She has two sets on the tree and the bottom set came on fine, the top just wouldn't work. Around 10 minutes later, whilst still lamenting the fact that she (Mum) got the tree looking just right, and will now have to strip it, the lights came on. They're still on now (about 2 hours later.) No one had been near the tree, plug, or wire. The only other wierd thing was hearing her bedroom door creak open and closed but it was very windy so it was probibly that.

 

[again6]

Re: handwriting, I might have posted this before too, but never mind.

We'd completed stocktake during a frantic weekend; thousands of individual item batches. After the weekend, someone came up to me with a completed form that had got lost in something. They recognised my handwriting and assumed it was mine.

The writing was mine, but the department was not. Otherwise I would have accepted it without question.

The head of that department wandered along, or was summoned and yes, it was his writing, his department and all was in order.

How could his writing be identical to mine to the point both he and I weren't sure for a moment who it belonged to? We even did identical idosyncratic little bits with certain letters and numbers. Neither of us wrote in script, but in fluid block print; same angle, same angularity; same emphasis and spacing; all same. We'd gone to school in different countries.

He and I arrived at work identically dressed; dark blue slacks, long-sleeved white blouse/shirt, red V-neck, fine-knit vest with navy and white narrow band at the neck on mine and his narrow band was just white or navy from memory; minor difference anyway. There was no company dress policy; either of us could have arrived in any colours or style we liked that day. Yet we'd both chosen to wear the same.

We were both taller than average, both of slim build, both walked very erect and swiftly, same hair colour, both used off-beat humour to relieve the monotony. Both heads of similar departments.

I went to him (with he and I in our almost identical outfits) and said in effect; ' Look, won't insult either of us by pretending to be sick or have an urgent appointment, etc. It's my birthday and I don't want to spend it in this dump. If you'll handle things for the day, I'm taking off '

He replied in effect: ' It's my birthday too and I was planning to take the rest of the day off.'

We discovered we actually did share the same date of birth, except he was year or so older. As close to a twin as I'll ever get.

 

[markbellis]

As close to a twin as I'll ever get.

He is not your twin. He is you from a potential alternative universe. He was projected back in time, had some plastic surgery, and continued working at the same place but was unable to clue you in because that would have had the effect of altering the future.
However, since the event you describe sound like they took place more than a few years ago, our universe has gone past the point in the space time continuum where the universes diverged and you can now greet the department head with a knowing wink and ask "How am I today?".
If this event has taken place less than a few years ago, no need to worry as this universe will vanish as soon as you read this.

 

[henry]

He is not your twin. He is you from a potential alternative universe...

Markbellis, have you been drinking?

Lets not go off into handwriting territory, which is interesting but not the original intention (and may get me started on my Zodiac Killer handwriting analysis obsession). Anyway, heres a shot of the handwriting in question from the original post for completeness sake:

 

[henry]

Further Minor Strangeness: Invisible Soap

My doctor recently informed me I have a rare skin condition - a perfect complexion! She said she could tell I didnt smoke as I didnt have "smokers skin", which has made me lay off the marlboros ever since. Anyway, on a bit of a male-grooming tip, I bought a bar of expensive transparent "pure" soap.

This morning I was in the shower and the same bar of soap flew out of my hands and hit the floor of the shower unit. I looked down and couldnt see it anywhere. I thought, uh-oh heres another case of dis- and re-appearing objects then. I didnt crouch down to look for it, I was determined to see it from where I was stood. I looked for about 5 minutes. I even "skimmed" one foot over the entire surface of the shower cubicle base hoping I would come into contact with it, looking all the while. Nothing.

In the end I gave in and bent down. I immediately saw the soap right in front of me.

Uhhhh, sorry, but no photos.

 

[rynner2]

In the end I gave in and bent down. I immediately saw the soap right in front of me.

Uhhhh, sorry, but no photos.

Yeah, a photo of invisible soap wouldn't be that exciting - and anyhow, someone would say you might have photoshopped the soap out of the picture!

 

[Dingo667]

OMG bending over to get a bar of soap...don't ever do that in prison

 

[henry]

OMG bending over to get a bar of soap...don't ever do that in prison

Yeah hence no photos... and the only times Ive ever been to prison was to visit ex-girlfriends.

The soap wasnt quite transparent but it was opaque, milky, and it disappeared no matter how hard I looked for it.

 

[markbellis]

He is not your twin. He is you from a potential alternative universe...

Markbellis, have you been drinking?

No, but you've given me a good idea!

Great photo! It definitely looks like handwriting!!! It may even look like yours, if you'd post a sample. Did you ask at the shop who wrote it?

 

[henry]

Markbellis, have you been drinking?

No, but you've given me a good idea!

Cheers (clink, clink) I mean you are normally the voice of reason on here.

Great photo! It definitely looks like handwriting!!! It may even look like yours, if you'd post a sample. Did you ask at the shop who wrote it?

Thing is, now when I write it, Im aware of why Im doing it and it looks forced. Ill look for a pre-written exemplar, or maybe have a drink myself to loosen up, an post it.

Another minor, not quite high, strangeness: Weird Perspective

I get this every now and again, and almost exclusively whilst driving. It involves the way visual perspective changes whilst moving towards objects at different distances from the viewer (ie, me).

Imagine driving down a wide street with houses and buildings set pretty far back to either side, and approaching a wide building dead ahead, and, say a mountain range a few miles distant seen above and behind that, dead ahead. The way the perspective shifts as you approach building and mountain sometimes seems wrong. It seems "computer-generated" for want of a better explanation, and not "true". That is, it seems to change in the way early computer games (such as Pole Postion etc) approximated perspective changes.

Im not really one for Matrix-like other-worlds going on behind the scenes (although I have posted on that thread) but this happens enough that I wonder "Is that mountain (etc) real?", "Is the train crossing that bridge up there real?"

 

[markbellis]

[ I mean you are normally the voice of reason on here.

Thanks, when I shouldn't be taken seriously I'll preface it with :_pished:, except for right now.
What's the weather like when you get the perspective effect? Clear or Hazy?

 

[henry]

What's the weather like when you get the perspective effect? Clear or Hazy?

Youve put your finger on it. Its always an absolutely clear day, no question, almost hyperreally clear and bright.

 

[markbellis]

That might be it - your brain might be saying - I can see them clearly so those mountains are close, but the perspective shift says they are really far away......

 

[henry]

This just in: Prophetic/Synchronous eBay Dream

Im in the process of getting down to one car (see thread on hoarding) as not only am I skint but I only really have parking for one set of wheels. So I eBayed one which sold last week, guy came, paid me cash and took it away. I listed another at the weekend, which shot up in price really quick, then was canned yesterday morning by eBay as I said something forbidden in the description.

I relisted yesterday evening and kept a eye on it up until 2 ayem this morning (I was working anyway) when it had lots of watchers but no bids. So I went to bed worried that people may have been put off by it being canned and relisted.

During the night I dreamt that it had been bid up to exactly £900 the next time I checked, and I remember in the dream feeling mighty relieved (esp. as its a heap and worth half that).

So this morning I rise at the crack of 10.15, check my listing, hoping that maybe itll be at £900, but still no bids. However, in my inbox is a email from the guy I sold the other car to, who collected it last week. The title reads:

"I will be sending payment of £900.00 shortly for eBay item XXX"

That car went for £885.99 (Heres the link) but needed new number plates making up, which I got sorted and paid for prior to him getting the train up to collect the car, so we called it £900. For whatever reason he didnt click the ebay "payment" button until today, which has generated a auto email to me.

 

[Dingo667]

I know this is a little off tangent but I do like the kisses the boke put into his email to you

 

[Peripart]

Henry, I see that your Manta's "rear parcel shelf speaks". What language? German, presumably. I mean, I know this is the "Minor Strangeness" thread, but that's just weird.

I used to love those cars (and I can fully understand your hoardng instinct when it comes to older, interesting cars) - my dad had a couple of Mk1 Cavaliers as company cars, which were a similar design, but it was always the coupe I yearned for. I seem to have gone Japanese since then ...

 

[escargot]

Turning Japanese, you mean, Peri? :lol:

 

[Peripart]

Turning Japanese, you mean, Peri?

Nothing serious - it's probably just an attack of the Vapors.

 

[escargot]

Ba-dum TSCH!

 

[icarusgirl]

I think it's a wonderful idea to have a post for "minor" forteana. There are some small events that have happened to me that I never really thought was worth drawing everyone's attention to...

Something did happen to me a couple of months ago that shook me up rather bad. When I was 15 my Grandad died in a great deal of pain, from cancer which had spread all over his body. I'm now 22 and since his death I have had very rare but extremely vivid dreams about him. One night, not too long after the death, I woke up to see the shadow of a man standing over me. It shocked me so much that I shouted out and lept out of bed. Coming to my senses I suddenly felt embarrassed at my extreme reaction and politely asked the figure who he was ... I actually remember stupidly saying "excuse me, but who are you?". I can't remember how, but the figure just wasn't there anymore. I always had a feeling it might have been my Grandad, especially since my Aunt (his daughter) apparently contacted him through a clairvoyant and he said "sorry for scaring one of the girls" (he had four grandaughters, including myself).

Anyway, coming to present time, a few months ago I had a dream that I was walking to his house. Everything seemed so real. I remember going round to the back of his house like I used to when i visited and knocking on his back door, feeling sheer joy at the prospect of seeing him again. He answered the door and what I saw was horrific. It was my grandad but he was extremely disfigured. His arm was missing and his face seemed as though it had melted into itself with one of his eyes a small slit and when he tried to talk he made a rasping groany sound. I was horrified and when i woke up from the dream was extremely shaken and upset.

Later that day i text messaged my dad, my grandad's son, to say I had a strange dream about Grandad and I couldn't get it out of my head. My dad text back "it's grandad's birthday today". As soon as I got this, I burst into tears and was extremely shaken, because as bad as it sounds, i had absolutely no idea it was his birthday. Over the years I had just forgotten. Then the fact that I'd had this dream, the night before his birthday in which he seemed to be suffering and in pain made me feel as though he was trying to tell me something and that it wasn't good.

A rationalist's explanation would be that I subconciously remembered his birthday and that triggered the dream, but I really really didn't know the exact date of his birthday, although i once would have known that it was in the month of November. The content and vividness of the dream, along with the fact it was his birthday just seems fortean to me.

Sorry if this isn't strictly fortean, but it sure did spook me, and i'm glad to have got it out actually, which is why i think a thread for minor happenings is good. I love this site, have followed it for a couple of years but this is the first time I have properly posted, so i'd be pleased to get a response from the friendly and intelligent people I often read here.

 

[icarusgirl]

I think it's a wonderful idea to have a post for "minor" forteana. There are some small events that have happened to me that I never really thought was worth drawing everyone's attention to...

Something did happen to me a couple of months ago that shook me up rather bad. When I was 15 my Grandad died in a great deal of pain, from cancer which had spread all over his body. I'm now 22 and since his death I have had very rare but extremely vivid dreams about him. One night, not too long after the death, I woke up to see the shadow of a man standing over me. It shocked me so much that I shouted out and lept out of bed. Coming to my senses I suddenly felt embarrassed at my extreme reaction and politely asked the figure who he was ... I actually remember stupidly saying "excuse me, but who are you?". I can't remember how, but the figure just wasn't there anymore. I always had a feeling it might have been my Grandad, especially since my Aunt (his daughter) apparently contacted him through a clairvoyant and he said "sorry for scaring one of the girls" (he had four grandaughters, including myself).

Anyway, coming to present time, a few months ago I had a dream that I was walking to his house. Everything seemed so real. I remember going round to the back of his house like I used to when i visited and knocking on his back door, feeling sheer joy at the prospect of seeing him again. He answered the door and what I saw was horrific. It was my grandad but he was extremely disfigured. His arm was missing and his face seemed as though it had melted into itself with one of his eyes a small slit and when he tried to talk he made a rasping groany sound. I was horrified and when i woke up from the dream was extremely shaken and upset.

Later that day i text messaged my dad, my grandad's son, to say I had a strange dream about Grandad and I couldn't get it out of my head. My dad text back "it's grandad's birthday today". As soon as I got this, I burst into tears and was extremely shaken, because as bad as it sounds, i had absolutely no idea it was his birthday. Over the years I had just forgotten. Then the fact that I'd had this dream, the night before his birthday in which he seemed to be suffering and in pain made me feel as though he was trying to tell me something and that it wasn't good.

A rationalist's explanation would be that I subconciously remembered his birthday and that triggered the dream, but I really really didn't know the exact date of his birthday, although i once would have known that it was in the month of November. The content and vividness of the dream, along with the fact it was his birthday just seems fortean to me.

Sorry if this isn't strictly fortean, but it sure did spook me, and i'm glad to have got it out actually, which is why i think a thread for minor happenings is good. I love this site, have followed it for a couple of years but this is the first time I have properly posted, so i'd be pleased to get a response from the friendly and intelligent people I often read here.

 

[Peripart]

Sorry if this isn't strictly fortean ...

Not strictly Fortean? Nonsense. Synchronicity, visits from dead relatives - that's more than mere "minor strangeness". You could post that in IHTM without hesitation.

As for calling us "friendly and intelligent" - flattery will get you far.

 

[henry]

I think it's a wonderful idea to have a post for "minor" forteana. There are some small events that have happened to me that I never really thought was worth drawing everyone's attention to...

Hi Icarus, when I first joined this board, a little over a year ago, it was with the sole express purpose of posting a friends lucid dream, that had so affected him and that he so believed in, in an attempt to connect with the other protagonist in the dream. Purely and only for that reason. (Hence I called myself HenryFort because I thought, well, its only going to be for a week, I wont be going back there regularly. Otherwise I would have picked something a little less conspicuous. You can probably deduce now that Im also henryebay on ebay, [email protected], henrymyspace on myspace, henryBDSM on etc etc.)

Of course, after a week of reading the entire of IHTM I was hooked, but still only thought about posting fortean events from friends etc lives. It was only during the course of revisiting this board that I realised how many inexplicable things have happened to me - and Ive heard other posters echo this.

I also noticed that minor strangenesses are almost a daily/weekly occurence, and some of these needed recording but where do you stop? Another poster on here, The Old Time Radio (who I personally think is Charles Fort beaming in on LW frequencies) related how he spent a particular period of time being super-attentive to events around him and after a while began to see strangeness at every turn (link).

Theres no question we let things slip by, that maybe we should scrutinise.