“Guns don’t kill people. People made out of guns kill people. With guns.”

Sushi Villa is good, but it’s much cheaper next door. BYO rice.

Has there ever been a push to make the reflecting pool more natural and self regulating? It would look pretty cool with some water lilies and koi. You can even get lilies in red, white, and blue. Or use a native alternative if that’s more appropriate.

I always assumed he has financial troubles because he’ll take any job that’s offered.

There was one house in particular where a lot of weirdness happened. The house was actually two structures that were relocated from a nearby mining town and joined together. That town was mostly abandoned and had a weird vibe.

When I was on one side of the house, I sometimes heard a voice calling my name from the other side. Electronics turned themselves on. This was back in the 90s and the appliances were already old, so there was no remote control that could be malfunctioning, it was all mechanical controls.

One time I was staying at a friend’s place, and the phone at home rang. When Mum answered she heard the conversation in the room I was in at this friend’s house, but nobody had called from there.

A lightbulb that wasn’t even turned on spontaneously exploded above me when I was in the toilet.

We later moved to another house, and I don’t know if it had its own haunting or whatever it was followed us, but that place had some weirdness too. I often heard breathing sounds from the walls. That could have been possums, so I didn’t think much of it until I saw a pile of clothes breathing like there was an animal under it. I watched Mum slowly remove every item, and there was nothing under there.

Years later I passed through that town and drove by those old homes. The first place was demolished, and the other had burnt down. I can’t help wondering if later residents decided it was the best way to deal with them.

I’ve had people tell me I have a gift of manifestation. My own observation is that I’ve had some good fortune in my life, but it’s balanced by my fair share of struggles. I keep the negatives to myself so people only see the gains.

I wouldn’t say I believe in it, but in dark moments the confidence of others has convinced me to try willing things into existence. If there’s any truth to it, I think the universe has a way of balancing it all out. If you ask for something, be prepared to give up something of equal value. If you ask for anything that affects the agency of others, the price is especially high.

Who knows if there’s anything to it. I try to be a reasoned skeptic, but I’ve seen plenty in my life that borders on the paranormal and I can’t explain, so I keep an open mind.