This week we meddle our way into analyzing our dreams and discuss the creepy things people (including Sammy) do in their sleep such as sleep walking and talking. Be brave and face your nightmares with us!

We apologize for the long break between episodes but the meddling kids have returned! This week we revisit the movie that still haunts us in our dreams: the Grudge. Riley faces his fears head on while Sammy begrudgingly (pun intended) tags along. 

Trigger warning: mentions of suicide, domestic violence, animal abuse, and murder.

This week's mystery is about a 600 year old text known as the Voynich Manuscript. It dates back to the late 15th century Italian Renaissance and to this day has not been translated. The pictures in this manuscript may have you scratching your head, come along and speculate with us about the secrets this book may be hiding.

References:
“Cipher Manuscript.” Yale University Library, collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/2002046. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023. 

Foley, Jillian. “The Strange Quest to Crack the Voynich Code.” Undark Magazine, 13 Feb. 2020, undark.org/2020/02/12/decoding-bizarre-voynich-manuscript/. 

“Voynich Manuscript.” Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University, 25 Nov. 2022, beinecke.library.yale.edu/collections/highlights/voynich-manuscript. 

Trigger warning: discussion of accidental death, substance abuse, alcoholism, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

Today we dive into the tragedy known as the 27 Club. Multiple artists and musicians have died at the age of 27. Unfortunately, the thread that links these tragedies is not shrouded in mystery but can be explained in some cases by personal demons.

We close out high spooky season with a discussion on commercial haunted houses and our personal experience at Halloween Horror Nights this year and in the past. Happy Halloween, Meddlers!

If you have a spooky or mysterious story to share please send it to [email protected]

Today - on Friday the 13th - we sat down and ranked our favorite slashers of all time. We cover all the greats: Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, and so many more. Who do you think will be crowned the king of slashers? Feel free to join in the fun and be sure to BYOK (Bring Your Own Knife)!

Have you ever wondered where the traditions of Halloween originate? Maybe you've heard the old tired tale that it celebrates dark forces. We're here to set the record straight and give you some background on Halloween traditions including trick or treating, dressing up in costume, and carving pumpkins. Get ready for a ghoulishly good time!

References:

History.com Editors. “How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth.” HISTORY, 25 Oct. 2019, www.history.com/news/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern-irish-origins.

Lang, Cady. “What Is Samhain? What to Know about the Ancient Pagan Festival That Came before Halloween.” Time, Time, 30 Oct. 2018, time.com/5434659/halloween-pagan-origins-in-samhain/.

Mark, Joshua. “History of Halloween.” World History Encyclopedia, 21 Oct. 2019, www.worldhistory.org/article/1456/history-of-halloween/.

“Who Were the Celts?” National Museum Wales, 5 June 2021, museum.wales/articles/1341/Who-were-the-Celts/. 

In honor of the start of spooky season we're dropping into your feed with a bonus episode! Buckle in for one of the best horror/comedies to hit screens in a while - the Blackening. 

A group of college friends reunite to celebrate Juneteenth and land themselves in the middle of a horror movie. There are laughs and lessons along the way, this is one that you won't want to miss.

Cryptid, diseased dogs, or scientists on the loose? Help us decide this week as we discuss the tale of this short king - the chupacabra!

References:

Clark, Mike. “Is the Chupacabra Just a Dog?” DogTime, 8 Aug. 2017, dogtime.com/dog-blog/trending/54351-chupacabra-just-dog#:~:text=Racoons%2C%20possums%2C%20and%20even%20wild,ordinary%20animals%20suffering%20from%20mange. 

Ocker, J. W. The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters. Quirk Books, 2022.

Have you ever wondered where all the typical alien tropes in movies and TV shows come from? Well look no further than the abduction that started them all! A belated honeymoon delayed by most people's worst nightmare - this week we discuss the abduction of Betty and Barney Hill. 

As a note to our listeners: apologies for the audio quality on last week's episode, we're trying to fix it but something was wrong with our recording equipment. Thank you all for sticking around and supporting!

References:

“Guide to the Betty and Barney Hill Papers, 1961-2006.” UNH Library, 15 Sept. 2023, library.unh.edu/find/archives/collections/betty-barney-hill-papers-1961-2006. 

Skomorowsky, Anne. “Alien Abduction or ‘Accidental Awareness’?” Scientific American, Scientific American, 11 Nov. 2014, www.scientificamerican.com/article/alien-abduction-or-accidental-awareness/. 

Staff, AMC. “Alien Abduction in the White Mountains.” Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), 23 Dec. 2022, www.outdoors.org/resources/amc-outdoors/history/the-story-of-betty-and-barney-hill/.