Into The Shadows

MonsterQuest--America's Wolfman

2010-03-08T05:32:00.000-08:00

If you would like to check out the episode of MonsterQuest that I participated in, it is entitled "America's Wolfman" and will air on March 24th on the History channel.
You may want to check your local listings for air times.

Those of you who know me personally, know that I and my family have suffered a tremendous amount of loss accompanied by overwhelming stress in the past two years, and this project came as both a healing intermission and a wonderful experience which I will never forget.
The film/production crew and everyone on the expedition were fantastic!
I dont think I have ever laughed so much in my entire life. What a great bunch! We had so much fun in between filming!
They have become a dear part of my heart and hopefully lifelong chums as well. I truly hope our paths come together again in the future.

Have a howling great day everyone!
-Raven Moonshadow Meindel

Welcome our newest member - June Girardi

2010-01-21T06:41:00.000-08:00

Moonshadow Investigations welcomes newest member, June Girardi. June has conducted research in the paranormal field for several years. Having had her own paranormal experiences, she decided to dedicate her efforts to helping other people define the phenomena that goes on in their lives also. When June met Jimmy Trick of M.I., she was delighted to find a local paranormal group and later joined the team as the group's sixth member.
Her background of research, computer skills, equipment knowledge and evidence analysis make her a perfect fit for Moonshadow Investigations.
June loves working with animals and shares her life with three rescued dogs. She's also working on her Associate's Degree in Veterinary Technology.

~The M.I. Team~

An Introduction to Field Research Thoughts

2010-01-13T13:15:00.000-08:00

Hello! My name is Mark and I have recently joined Moonshadow Investigations. During a fairly recent attempt to investigate a locally reported creature sighting, I contacted Raven. I wasn’t actively attached to any paranormal or crypto-zoological group and I was concerned about following through with this report alone, so I contacted Raven to see if she would be interested in this local hunt. She of course was…we were previously acquainted through another web-site AND as she is semi-local it seemed like a good match. Well, the creature investigation fell through after the reporting party seemed to get cold feet, but the relationship with Raven and her partners blossomed! I am now part of the team. I am really stoked about this and I look forward to future investigations!
What I bring to the ‘team’ is a few year’s worth of field work and a genuine interest in crypto-zoological study. I have been searching in the forested areas on the Michigan side of the Michigan / Ohio border. I have not actually seen ‘Bigfoot’, but I have spoken with those who say that they have and I have seen track photos from the search area. All of this was made possible after a good friend of mine (Gerry, who I met online on another site) introduced me to his friend, who I will call “Bigfoot Bob”. Both of these fellows are great people and great company. They took me under their wings showing me the ropes. I owe them both a great deal of thanks for trusting me enough (the green horn!) and including me in their journeys afield.
However, this blog is not about whether Bigfoot actually exists or not. Obviously I think there is something to the reports or I wouldn’t be out walking the woods of Michigan. Since this personal activity started, a close friend of mine has stepped forward and recounted her run-in with a ‘Dogman’ type creature along the shoreline of Lake Michigan some years back with her uncle. I have since learned that there are multiple types of strange creatures reportedly roaming the woods and fields of this State that I call home.
And it is about this roaming that I now write to you. Not the ‘creatures’ roaming, but yours. If you are like me, you may one day say to yourself: “I have watched enough TV shows on the subject - read enough internet accounts - I want to get involved!” (At least that is how it worked for me.) On my first trip into the woods with Bigfoot Bob, I learned that Mark needed to get into better shape AND wear two pair of socks! The blisters weren’t any fun after hiking along the trails with my new hiking boots. We humans visit ‘the woods’. The creatures that inhabit the woods live there and are quite at home. We are at a disadvantage from the get-go. Our eyesight isn’t as keen, and our sense of smell is almost worthless when it comes to detecting the animals that are silently watching us as we stumble along the trail. As I already mentioned, a good pair of comfortable trail rated boots are a must. It will be difficult to pay attention to your surroundings if ‘your dogs are barking’ with discomfort.
Good, loose clothing that wicks moisture away from your body would be good, too. Forget the tight jeans. Layers that can be peeled away are a great idea because you will perspire once you are hoofing it along the rough trails.
Carry water. You need to keep hydrated.
I have a mini battery operated strobe light that rapidly flashes red in my fanny pack. I don’t plan on being out after dark, but things don’t always go as planned in the woods! An emergency strobe might get help to your location quicker than screaming yourself hoarse.
A good coach’s whistle will carry further than your vocal cords and it will sound out-of-place when blown in rapid successive blasts in the woods at night.
Tell someone you trust where you and your partner or party will be and what time to expect you back. Your partner or party? You didn’t go into the woods alone, did you? That is a BAD idea! Unless your name is Rambo, I advise against this. You will be walking trails or maybe even off-trail some of the times. This isn’t the city or suburbs. Something as simple as a twisted ankle (a definite possibility on uneven ground) can be huge trouble even a half mile from your vehicle. A severe sprain in the woods alone and you are in deep doo-doo.
I grew up watching those wonderful Disney films. All the fluffy, cute forest creatures dancing and playing with each other! Forget that too. Some of those fluffy forest creatures are predators and you may look like ‘home delivery’ to them. I spoke with a DNR agent in Ludington Michigan this past spring. I asked him about the cougars that the DNR officially deny exist in Michigan. He told me that ‘is’ the ‘official’ stance, but the field agents have already acknowledged amongst themselves that the big cats are out there. YOU are prey for something like that! Read about some of the attacks online in states where these cats are officially recognized. A big cat attack is fast, furious and pretty horrific for any casual hiker that they come across. Then there are black and brown bears. And wild feral swine are becoming a problem in more and more counties in the tri-state area. If a boar hits you at full speed it can rip you from stem to stern with those nasty looking tusks! So, what do you do about that? Well, I have a CCW and my firearm will be where I can access it fast if need be.
That being said, forget the macho stuff. A big cat or boar attack will happen extremely fast if it happens at all. The shot that I take will likely be an afterthought if I survive the initial attack. That may sound pessimistic, but my (and your) survival under those conditions may depend on how much time you have to react. The attacker won’t signal you first, it will be a sudden burst of speed from a boar or a leap from an overhead branch in the case of a large cat. Your awareness of your surroundings could be the thing that gives you that precious second or two that you’ll need to react and avoid disaster. Be aware of overhead perching spots. Also, watch out when you approach heavy undergrowth. Don’t own or carry a firearm? A good solid walking staff and some pepper spray may be just enough to help you survive.
But give these things some thought. A local wooded patch that you are familiar with in your area may not be as safe as you think either. I live in a subdivision in a heavily populated area. Two blocks from my home I saw a dead coyote on the side of the street at a major intersection, hit by a car. People in my area are losing their pets to these wild beasts. A young and pretty female hiking in Canada was killed by coyotes just last year. She was a singer of some notoriety to the Canadian youth. Now she is dead. The public hiking trails are not as safe as people think.
Now that I have convinced some of you to stay home, the rest of you need to think about the pace of your stride as you walk the trail. What’s the rush? A nice, slow, easy stride - watching both sides of the trail and listening to the sounds around you, that is what the local deer do. Take note of and become familiar as you enter the woods to what the norm is. Is it spring, summer or fall? Or winter perhaps? Each season, indeed, each month changes the woods around you. Get a feel for ‘the business as usual’ of your environment. And then you’ll ‘feel’ if something ‘isn’t right’. When the woods goes from birds twittering and flittering in the trees, insect buzzing and chirping, to dead quiet - the forest creatures are telling you that the something has changed. Stop – Look – Listen. That is what the prey creatures are doing - follow their lead. When it comes to the woods, many of us humans just blunder in not fully realizing that life and death struggles go on every day in that place.
There are many other thoughts to share in future posts. However, I say ‘go for it’! With some forethought, preparation and awareness, a walk in the woods is a fulfilling and rewarding experience! Next time: Signs that maybe something unusual lives in those woods…
Until then - Live life! Go and be a part of it all!

Mark
　
　
　

M.I. welcomes another new member - Ben Franco

2009-12-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

Moonshadow Investigations is pleased to welcome our newest member, Ben Franco. Ben is currently a full time student and has had paranormal experiences starting at a very young age. That sparked an interest and as he grew older, that interest exploded into a curiosity that needed to be dealt with. Ben's thirst for answers has brought him to Moonshadow to further his knowledge of the "unknown" and he was excited to be accepted as our latest member. He is looking forward to becoming a Certified Paranormal Investigator and brings with him a great knowledge of sound systems, recording and evidence review. Ben will be of great value to all of us at Moonshadow Investigations. Welcome Ben!

~~The M.I. Team~~

Winter is upon us!

2009-11-29T05:27:00.000-08:00

As I stepped out onto my front porch this morning, the cold crisp majesty of a frosty wonderland welcomed me and sent my breath spiraling up into the air.
"It's here"I thought as the ground crunched beneath my feet.
Winter is indeed upon us, folks, but as everything else slows down around us, things are quite the opposite for the Moonshadow team. We are actually gearing up for a very busy new year.
We have got some pretty exciting investigations underway, and it should be a real interesting 2010!
We have also welcomed another new member to our team and will be introducing him very soon.
I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Stay tuned for more updates!

Have a howling good day.
~~Raven

Thanksgiving blessings.

2009-11-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Tis the season, so they say. And with Thanksgiving upon us, it's time to look back on your life and give thanks where it's due for everything you have been blessed with - family, friends, a job, food on the table, a roof over your head, etc. It only takes a moment of silence on your part to acknowledge a blessing, and doing so will give you a heart-warming feeling. So, on behalf of the entire Moonshadow Investigations Team, we wish you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving holiday and look forward to working with some of you in the near future. Be safe, be happy.

Jimmy

M.I. welcomes new member Mark Curtiss

2009-11-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to welcome the newest member of our team,Mark Curtiss.

He is a wonderful asset to Moonshadow, and his abilities as a woodsman and nature photographer are amazing.
He has a great passion for cryptozoology, but also has a masterful knowledge of known animals and their habits as well.
Our team is rounding out nicely and we've got some great adventures ahead, so please stay tuned to our site and blog and we'll keep you updated on how its all going!

Have a howling good afternoon!
~~The M.I. team~~

Back home and dry!

2009-10-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

We arrived home at roughly 3:30 am this morning.
Things went well on the expedition, though the weather at times was rather wet and cold, making some moments more difficult than others.
A good sense of humor, awesome people(You guys know who you are), and lots of hot coffee got me through those rough spots, I am happy to say!
In a future update, I will be talking a bit more about where I was and what I was doing, but for now, until all evidence is reviewed etc, I'll keep you in suspense ; )

Don't forget to join my good friends Jason and Bobby on Strange Frequencies Radio tonight as they interview MUFON's Bill Konkolesky. Should be a great show!

http://strangefrequenciesradio.com/

Hope everyone is enjoying their October!

-Raven

Halloween is here again!

2009-10-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Yes people, Halloween is once again upon us. Spooks, goblins, ghosts, zombies, creatures and haunted houses dot every community. You can't go anywhere without coming across a sign for a haunted house or haunted cornfield somewhere. But let's not confuse these man-made hauntings with the real ones that people experience every day in their lives. People are disrupted in their own homes with strange sightings, moving objects, voices and footsteps and they just want to know what's going on to make these things happen. Moonshadow Investigations is here to investigate, document and analyze these strange phenomenon and give answers to these people that are affected daily. About 80% of reported happenings can be debunked, in other words something can be found to cause these noises or things to happen. But the remaining 20% can be diagnosed as paranormal or completely puzzling. We are currently lining up our team for investigations, so if you've got some things happening around home or work that can't be explained, contact us right away. We'll be happy to add you to our investigation list and try to give you some answers. In the meantime, enjoy those Halloween haunted houses. Who knows, one of them might be the real thing!

Jimmy

As winter approaches....

2009-09-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

As we close in on the end of the year, there are big changes coming up for Moonshadow Investigations.
We are in the process of a line up change right now,and should be giving you a sneak preview of upcoming investigations as we get our schedule and new team sorted. We'll keep you posted on current happenings, but please be sure to check back to the site occasionally as well.
Raven, NickRedfern, and Ken Gerhard will be starting a new radio show in October that was originally scheduled for a launch date in September,but had to be rescheduled as all 3 had last minute commitments which conflicted with the show's air date.
Jimmy has graciously agreed to lend a hand filling in as a cohost when one of the other hosts cannot be there.
Should be lots of fun with plenty of exciting subjects and guests,so stay tuned!

Hope you are all having a howling good week!

--The M.I. crew

Having trouble with Blogger text

2009-06-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

Please excuse our disarray while I learn more about the html and layout side of this blog.
I had absolutely no problems with my first one,Raven's Mysterious Haven,but this one seems to give me all sorts of little things to keep my brain utterly scrambled.
I tried and tried to figure out how to get the comments to show up below the posts in the former layout I had,but to no avail. Nothing worked. So I just went in and selected a new template.
If our blog happens to look like anyone else's on blogspot,it's because I chose a basic template from the list of ones they offer.
I'll try futzing more with this when I have learned a bit more about all the html,etc etc.

In the meantime,while I'm cursing and pounding the keyboard, you all should check out Jon Downes' latest post regarding the alleged giant snake found in the Amazon by a father and son team of researchers :
Giant Snake

Strange Frequencies Radio interview!

2009-05-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

This afternoon was my debut as being the interviewEE rather than the interviewER.
Talk about an attack of nerves,folks!
The Mistress of the Mysterious was definitely NOT at her best.
I choked!
Ok,ok......Remember the episode of the Brady Bunch where Cindy freezes like a deer caught in headlights and bombs the whole competition? That was ME! I said answers backwards,I stumbled on words, I misunderstood a question, and I even think I swallowed my tongue for a brief moment. Or was it Gene Simmons' tongue...Im not quite sure.

The truth is,I am so used to being on THIS side of the microphone ASKING the questions,not answering them.
It felt like the Spanish Inquisition.......and "NOONE EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!"

But seriously,folks, I had fun on the show even through my more than obvious nervousness and lack of knowledge. I am still learning in this field and have a very long way to go before I could even begin to hope to have the caliber of knowledge that researchers like Ken Gerhard,Nick Redfern,Loren Coleman, JC Johnson,and Jeff Meldrum have.
I did the best I could on the spur of the moment,and hopefully the next time(if there ever is a next time...lol) I will have more miles on me,and be able to flow through my interview with a little less nervousness and a bit more solid information.

Thanks again to Jason and the guys at Strange Frequencies Radio for having me on and makingking me feel so welcome. They have a wonderful sense of humor that helped me limp over the finish line with a bit of my dignity still left in tact! You guys rock!

On an afternote,I would love to put together an investigation with them either here in Michigan or over in Ohio,and report about it afterwards here in the Haven.
I will definitely keep you all posted.
Right now I am still working on Feral pig reports and a couple more big cat sightings in Washtenaw and ssurrounding counties.
Life seems to be giving me some breathing room now,so I will be on here more to keep you updated!
Be sure to check out STRANGE FREQUENCIES RADIO . Be sure to tell them Raven sent ya! ; )

New adventures!

2009-05-08T11:31:00.001-07:00

Our blog has been fairly quiet recently,as we have all been busy in other areas of our lives as well as preparing for new team adventures as the heat of summer approaches.
Moonshadow Investigations is currently preparing to do a two day investigation at the end of the month with a fellow researcher and friend of ours. It should prove to be both intense and fun.
I cannot disclose more than that at this time,but after the investigation is complete, I'll be sure to update you all!

I hope this post finds everyone well and enjoying this beautiful day.

Have a howling good day!

E.T. In Berkley Heights?

2009-04-13T07:14:00.000-07:00

Back on March 25,and interesting piece of news surfaced about a picture snapped from the popular google earth, a view of a rural road in Berkeley Heights township.

Apparently,several viewers simultaneously spotted the blurry little figure that is seen standing next to a star wars-type beam of light.

Read the original story :

Berkeley Heights E.T.

Dont forget to tune into Untamed Dimensions radio tonight !

Remember,we have Robert Dunbar and Nick Redfern on with us tonight! Its sure to be an exciting evening of monstrous thrills and good fun!

UNTAMED DIMENSIONS

We'll have the chat open too,so hop in there and have fun with us while the show is going on!

Just create a sign-in name and click enter. No pass code is necessary.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Be sure to check out these other cool links you really must see!

Nick Redfern's Fotean Calendar

Neil Arnold's Mystery Animals of Kent

North American Fortean Society

Haunted Times

Have a howling good day,my friends!

-Raven

Tune in Monday night at 9 pm Central(10 pm Eastern) to Untamed Dimensions Radio!

2009-04-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

I will be filling in as host for part of the show,as JC Johnson will be leaving to go on expedition.
Untamed Dimensions Radio
Be sure to hop in the chat while the show is going on!
I will be co-hosting along with Crypto Four Corner's Dave-O,and our guests will be Robert Dunbar and my good friend Nick Redfern.
Robert has been dubbed the 'savior of contemporary dark fiction' and is the author of "The Pines","The Shore",and his newest paranormal sensation "Martyrs & Monsters", a compilation of short stories encompassing a variety of horror and monsters that are sure to tantalize the psyche and leave the reader wishing for the nightmare to never end.

Nick is an icon in the field of all things Fortean, and his tireless work as both researcher and journalist never cease to amaze me. From his "Three Men Seeking Monsters" to "There's Something in the Woods",his writing is always an endless flow of monster hunting thrills and paranormal adventures that draw the reader in and make them feel like theyre right there with Nick living his experience.
We may even be able to get Nick to give us a small hint of what he's currently working and what new adventures lay ahead for him,so be sure to tune in Monday night to find out!

Speaking of Fortean adventures!...

Are you looking for a place to hang out with like-minded individuals and discuss all things esoteric,paranormal,and Fortean?
Try our new forum over at the North American Fortean Society.
Click on the banner below to register and begin posting right away!

Saturday Night's Investigation

2009-03-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

Our investigation at the Denton road bridge on saturday night was brief,but still fun. It was Jimmy's first outing with us. He fits in well and I can see he is already a huge asset to our team.

It was windy and a bit cooler than the day before,but we bundled up and pressed on in spite of it.

We were only able to spend about an hour out in the field because after having the police stop twice to ask us what we were doing, I thought it a good idea to call it a night and be on our way so as not to raise any undue suspicion or attract more company.

Jimmy got a feel for doing the EMF readings,and Jessica got some decent pictures as well as a little bit of film footage.

We had a hard time getting a good base line EMF reading,because the EMF's are completely off the chart when you stand right near to the bridge.

Directly above and a little off to the side of it are a series of high power electrical lines,which undoubtedly could have been,at the very least in part,the reason for some of the occurences that the haunted bridge is so well known for.

EMF fields from these types of structures can cause a variety of symptoms including headaches,nausea,panic,and even hallucinations.
I myself felt a headache coming on almost immediately upon our arrival. Im extremely sensitive to Electromagnetic fields.
Cancers and other illnesses are often attributed to them as well.

At any rate,this rendered all of our EMF readings near the bridge null and void.

A little distance away from the bridge,however,Jimmy and I both got some very interesting EMF spikes near two gnarled old trees. Could these have been the two trees talked about in the tale of the mental patient who killed two young women and hung them in the trees?....Its anyone's guess,but it sure gave us pause for thought.

We still have pictures and EVP to sift through but I will give an update here if we find anything noteworthy.
Every opportunity to be out in the field is a chance to learn and grow in this field.
No investigation is ever a bust.

Update on team members and investigation

2009-03-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

Moonshadow Investigations has recently welcomed two new members to our team.
Sarah Greiner-Urbanik and Jimmy Trick are fitting in well and have excellent skills and knowledge of field related equipment.
Our personalities all mesh well,and I see a long and happy future together.
I will be posting up bios for both of them in the near future,so be sure to check those out once I have them up.
The site is still coming along nicely,although we've run into a few snags,and some of the stuff I would like to add,Im unable to at the moment.

This evening we'll be headed back out to Denton Road bridge for an initial investigation, if the weather holds up. We have a chance of rain mixed with snow early on,but it should dissipate by this evening and make way for warmer temperatures.
Cross your fingers!

Publish Post

"Knock Knock" Bridge

2009-03-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

As some of you know already from having listened to Crypto Four Corners radio at Untamed Dimensions last night, I and two of my good friends /colleagues,Nick Redfern and Ken Gerhard will be hosting a new radio show in the very near future.
When we have everything together such as the date of the first show and what nights it will air,I will post the information here in the Moonshadow blog so you can mark your calendar and join us!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today Jessica and I took a ride out to the Canton area to do a pre-investigation study of the Denton Road bridge and the surrounding area.

There is so much history that lies just beneath the surface of that entire area that we'll have to do many investigations to cover even a portion it.

As we drove through where the bridge is located,an eerie ambience fell over the van.
It was like we had just slipped into another dimension of time .
With the exception of the newly built condos that now dot the land heavily, and the occasional jogger or bicycle,there is a stillness to the place that can only be described as otherworldly.

We met a gentleman named Don who has lived there since 1963 and was not only able to give us a first-hand account of the folklore,but also had a wealth of knowledge regarding the development of the area as well.

Don told us that the bridge was called "knock knock bridge" by all the local children when he was growing up,because,as legend has it,if you knocked three times and waited,something spooky was bound to happen.
From ghost lights to shadowy dark figures chasing cars,there have always been strange stories passed down from one generation to the next.

The most well known of all the legends was that of a young woman who's child was killed by a car. It is said that on some nights you can see her walking the bridge in search of her child,and that the child can be heard crying.
Another story tells of a local farmer who returned home drunk one night to find his young wife in the midst a romantic trist with another man. He first murdered his wife's lover,then proceeded to chase after her.
The woman ran off with their infant child wrapped tightly in her arms and hid from him under the bridge.
He eventually found,and slew,both mother and child.
One more,and perhaps the most grisly of all the stories,was the one Don was most familiar with,and which isnt readily found among the many varying accounts online regarding the Denton Road Bridge haunting.
This one tells of a patient who escaped from a nearby mental hospital and slipped off into the night,killed two young women,and hung them in the trees nearby.
Don said there were various stories that circulated about what he had done to them before finally killing them,but none of the things mentioned among the tales are the kind you would want to repeat to anyone.

Though there hasnt been any recent paranormal activity reported,the stories still abound regarding the old wooden bridge,which has now been reconstructed from cement and looks nothing like it used to.
There have been many cosmetic changes to the little village in recent years,but one thing that clearly remains the same is the overall atmosphere of eeriness.

We plan to go back over the weekend for our initial investigation. We'll have most of the team along with us.
Will we stir up an age old legend and be able to document it?...

......We certainly hope so.

Stay tuned!

The beginning.

2009-03-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

This first blog is dedicated to everyone interested in the hidden realms of the "unknown",and especially to those of you who have had encounters with them.

Putting together this team of investigators has been a labor of love for me.
Ben,Jessica and I have been doing amateur investigations together for several years,so it came as no surprise to anyone when we decided to form the Moonshadow Investigations team here in our beautiful city of Ann Arbor,Michigan.

Some of our favorite memories from past outings include when we would take what we affectionately called our "Spooky rides"
We would pile into the van late at night with no particular destination in mind,armed only with camera,flashlight,snacks,and our sense of humor.
We experienced some pretty strange things out there some nights.
Like the one night we heard a strange grunt in a cornfield that sounded a bit too close for comfort,and sent us all sprawling in to the driver's side door of the van in one quick and not-so-graceful motion!
Another memorable time was when we were driving down an old dirt road and saw an odd looking transparent gray mist come down out of the trees and float over the road ahead of us. It glided along and disappeared as it reached the other side of the road.
Fog was out of the question as it was a warm,clear, still summer night. There were no storms or wind in the area at all either. That is one that has definitely left us baffled. We've been back down that road many times since and have never experienced it a second time.

A lot has happened in the years since those experiences,and we hope to hold them near and dear in our hearts and keep them as a wonderful reminder of where it all began.

We are hoping to bring more investigators on board with us as time goes on. We actually have a couple in mind at the moment,so you may be seeing some new additions to Moonshadow very soon.

Right now our main focuses include getting the website fully functional,and putting together a broader range of equipment for use in the field.
This blog will be updated regularly,so please be sure to check it often and see what's going on with the team and its investigations.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to Nick Redfern,Ken Gerhard,Linda Godfrey,JC Johnson,and Doug Kelley for being the wise mentors and great friends they are. This endeavor could not have been possible without their guidance.
To all of our friends and family here in Ann Arbor and across the United States,we love you and thank you for your support.
And last but certainly not least...
To my parents who,sadly, were taken from me far too soon,but who are always with me in spirit...
Thank you for teaching me the value of honesty,kindness,and the satisfaction of a hard day's work.
Without you I would be nothing.
Because of you,I can accomplish anything.
I love you and miss you dearly.

Stay tuned for future blogs,friends.
-Kathleen "Raven" Meindel