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Allow me to immediately absolve you of the illusion that I’ve been a lifelong fan of all things scary. It’s true that movies like Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and Halloween were all the rage when I was a teen but, unfortunately for me and my street cred, I was the kid who’d leave the room at the mere mention of them. I once found myself in a situation where I was forced to watch Children of the Corn and it traumatized me for YEARS. For literal years, every time I thought about the movie, I’d get a chill that would run from the front to the back of my left shoulder. I literally have no idea how I ended up in a situation where I watched this movie, but it probably involved a boy and dear reader, it was not worth it. I’m still not into slasher flicks, mainly because I just find them a little ridiculous, but I am into psychological thrillers and have a passion for true crime that occasionally concerns my husband (but also keeps him on his toes?). Apparently, I’m only engaged if these horrible things are within the realm of possibility? I’d prefer not to look too closely at the psychology behind that, so let’s get down to business!
One thing about me is that I love a podcast. If it involves murder, all the better. Again, let’s not dig too deeply into that statement. Over the years I’ve listened to some of the best: My Favorite Murder, Serial, Someone Knows Something, S-Town, Down the Hill, and Bear Brook, to name a few. As a result, I’ve compiled a mental list of favorite episodes. Each have stuck with me for various reasons; some are truly scary, some are eerie, and some are creepy by virtue of being possible. With that in mind, I’ve created my own “Z” rating system and marked each episode with anywhere from 1-5 Z’s for how much sleep I think you’ll get the night after listening.
Z- You’ll be turning on the lights and waking your significant other when going to pee in the night
ZZ- You’ll wake several times to scan the shadows and won’t sleep with your back to the room
ZZZ- You’ll crack an eye, do a quick scan of the room, and drift off again
ZZZZ- You’ll think about it briefly when rolling over
ZZZZZ- You’ll sleep like you never listened
Consider yourself warned, grab your Airpods and pick your poison!
Season 1, Episode 02- Lost in Time
Not as much creepy as it is eerie. Although, if I was experiencing it? Different story.
Z Rating: ZZZ
Season 3, Episode 01- The Thin Place
Oh, you were thinking of sleeping tonight? Hahahahaahahahahahahahahahaha. Went to listen to this episode again in preparation for compiling this list and had to brace myself emotionally.
Z Rating: Z
Episode 02- Told a Serial Killer and Doppelganger
Both episodes are absolutely fantastic, but Doppelganger is the one that I think about most often. Even years later, the person telling the story sounds haunted and bewildered.
Z Rating: ZZ
Episode 09- Camp Counsellor and Slumber Party
Camp Counsellor is a case study for listening to your gut and Slumber Party? Well, anyone who’s been to a sleepover as a teenager could picture themselves in exactly this situation.
Z Rating: ZZ
Episode 183- Here we Back Are
Karen and Georgia tell the story of the Mothman of West Virginia, a supernatural disaster story that was also made into the movie The Mothman Prophesies, staring Richard Gere. Another example of a movie I was roped into watching and thought about for years. The scene where the Mothman calls Richard Gere’s hotel room? Absolutely NOT.
Z Rating: ZZZ
Episode 194- The Spooky Halloween Hometown Special
In which Karen and Georgia read scary stories from listeners using their trademark humour.
Z Rating: ZZZZ
*My Favorite Murder is my all-time favorite true crime podcast. There are so many episodes I could recommend. If you like true crime mixed with a healthy dose of humour to take the edge off, this podcast is the one.
Episode 4- Stalked
Paul Holes and Kate Winkler-Dawson review historic cases through a modern forensic lens. The case in this episode is rare and creepy. Hearing the two unpack the evidence and motive is both fascinating and alarming.
Z Rating: ZZZ
Season 5, Episode 25- The Whistlers
The No Sleep Podcast is a horror fiction podcast. Fiction isn’t usually my cup of podcast tea, but this episode is like a movie for your ears. Great for a long car ride or a day of mindless tasks.
Also, The Whistlers hits pretty close to home after a recent experience I had in the basement of the store when it was closed. I heard whistling coming from directly behind me as I washed my hands and may have had the most blood-curdling scream before realizing it was a reel playing on my phone in my back pocket.
Z Rating: ZZ
That’s it, my by no means comprehensive list of favorite scary podcast episodes. Got a podcast recommendation (scary or not)? Leave it in the comments below. And if you listen to any of the episodes above, let me know what you think!
"Don’t you love Okotoks in the Fall? Makes me want to watch You’ve Got Mail."
Well, I guess if I’m being completely honest, I always want to watch You’ve Got Mail, but the urge is especially strong at the first hint of Fall. In a lot of ways, I’m not typically nostalgic when it comes to the 90’s. I’m not eager to revisit my grunge phase, but I do have a special place in my heart when it comes to 90’s interior and set design. Enter You’ve Got Mail and, more specifically, Meg Ryan’s apartment.
"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist." - Pablo Picasso
When you think of creativity, rules probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind. But in art, as in life, there are certain rules that point us in the right direction and give us a better chance for success; interior design is no exception. The following are guidelines for some of the most common stumbling blocks I see, those tricky little design conundrums you shouldn't need a degree to master.