Life Lessons Learned While Watching Horror Movies Part 2: Haunted Items In Your Home
More Horror Movie Lessons
You may already be familiar with my hub called, "Life Lessons Learned While Watching Horror Movies." Well, brace yourself, because I have more life lessons to share. I've started to notice many paranormal horror movies focus on a particular item. Perhaps you think you are safe buying a nice clothesline to save energy when drying clothes, but you might just find out you are inviting evil into you life. Simple items like dolls or a music box could be out to get you.
Basically, we are just not safe anywhere according to horror movies. You'd better pay attention so you know what things you should avoid altogether. I don't care if you think you are safe with Grandma's antiques. You'd better be afraid and brace yourself for terror.
Jeannieinabottle
Avoid Music Boxes
I only realized this recently: ghosts love music boxes. If you are watching a movie with ghosts in it and there is a music box, that ghost is going to find that music box. Apparently ghosts prefer to rock out to the music box more than anything else. It seems like pianos are so out of style for today's ghosts, but the iPod is just too new. Ghosts young and old know how to crank that music box up though.
In the movie, "The Conjuring," you know nothing good can happen when the youngest child finds a music box. Turns out, her new "imaginary" friend pops up whenever she plays the music box. As we learned in my hub, "Poor Parenting Techniques Seen in Horror Movies," there is no such thing as an imaginary friend in a horror movie. If a kid thinks they have an imaginary friend, just leave the house now. The best you can hope for is a ghost; even worse, the kid could be talking to a demon.
Maybe you are not into movies, but like watching paranormal shows. If you watch, "My Haunted House," you will get to see an unrelenting and evil music box in the 3rd episode of the second season. Sure, you may not believe any of these supposedly true stories on the show, but you might think twice before you buy a music box for your child. In no time, if you do happen to have a ghost in your house, it is going to be attracted to that music box like a moth to a flame.
Don't Use a Clothesline
I know it may seem like a more energy saving option than using a dryer, but you'd better not hang any laundry on the clothesline. You could be just hanging up the clothes or attempting to dry some nice sheets, but you'd better look out. Apparently nothing is more fun to ghouls and ghosts than laundry hanging out on the line.
In the movie, "Pet Semetary," some nice lady is just attempting to beat her rugs that are hanging on the clothesline. All is going well until the reincarnated Timmy Baterman comes after her, fresh out of his grave. What is a lady to do? I mean, you need some clean rugs, but who needs a zombie-like person tormenting you while you try to beat them?
What if you are not dealing with a zombie ghoul, but instead, you are dealing with an actual psycho? Michael Myers from "Halloween" loves to stare at people in a creepy way. He especially enjoys tormenting poor Laurie. What better way to achieve that than lurking behind some sheets that are drying on the line while she hides in her bedroom? In fact, sheets often help the antagonist in many horror movies.
Apparently, if you are at a haunted house, you never want to hang sheets outside. If you do, a ghost is going to hang out until a sheet conveniently blows off the line and wraps around an invisible body. Gasp! This is why we can't have clean sheets! If you watch "The Conjuring," you will be sure to always use as much energy as possible drying those sheets in the dryer and you will forget about using that clothesline altogether.
Don't Buy Any Used Items
Although buying items from yard sales and thrift stores may seem like a good way to save money, it is also a good way to welcome evil into your home. You may not realize this, but according to horror movies, many used items are actually haunted or possessed. At the very least, they could be quite smelly.
You might think only a music box can be evil, but you are wrong. A basic wooden box can possess you as well! In the movie, "The Possession," we meet a lovely young girl that is fixated by an old antique box she finds at a yard sale. Of course, her father is cool with her having the box and then madness ensues. Here is a fun fact about that movie - it is loosely based on real events and a dybbuk box that was purchased second-hand. It was allegedly haunted and passed around (even sold on eBay at one point), bringing misery to many lives before it was "hidden" somewhere by one of the buyers. Who knows where it is now, so take my advice, don't buy any antique boxes at second-hand stores or yard sales!
You know what else is a bad idea to buy used? Dolls! Dolls are pretty evil in the first place, if you want my honest opinion. What makes them worse is buying one second-hand. You never know if it is possessed by a serial killer named Chuckie (from the movie "Child's Play") or if it is possessed by satanists (from the movie "Annabelle"). Just do yourself a favor and leave those old dolls where they are.
If you are pretty broke, but you still need a car, you might think you can buy a used car. Wrong! The car could be possessed by evil, too. If you happen to buy a used a car and it seems to fall in love with you, you've got a big problem on your hands. Your car could be just like the vehicle from the movie, "Christine." Not only is that car going to try to suck the life out of you, it might try to kill your loved ones when it gets a little jealous of them. I realize most of us end up buying at least one used car in our lives, but just beware. If it starts playing oldies on the radio and seems to have a mind of its own, get rid of it!
Do Not Use a Ouija Board
I think this one is kind of obvious, so perhaps this is why I have not covered it in the past. One of the most valuable life lessons I've ever learned while watching horror movies is: never, never, never use a Ouija Board.
In the movie, "The Exorcist," little Linda Blair basically invites the devil to come on over and play when she uses a Ouija Board. Perhaps she had a little too much free time on her hands and maybe someone should have been watching her better, but there she was, playing with the Ouija Board by herself. That is the biggest no-no when using a Ouija Board, but I guess it is understandable she did not realize that considering "The Exorcist" was one of the first movies to incorporate a Ouija Board into it. Kids today have already seen plenty of movies with Ouija Boards and know you can't play by yourself.
It seems like every ghost movie thinks it would be a fun old time to have a Ouija Board in it. Micah, the idiot from "Paranormal Activity" that would not know good advice if it smacked him in the face, gets a Ouija Board. Of course, it angers the demon. Of course, the board bursts into flames. That is just the type of thing you would come to expect from a Ouija Board.
As if all sorts of movies featuring Ouija Boards is not enough, there are plenty of movies that are specifically about Ouija Boards, including "Ouija," "Witchboard," and "The Ouija Experiment." Let's just say no one comes out happy in any of these movies. If you want my advice, as well as the advice of Hollywood, stay away from Ouija Boards. They are not cool!
Safety First!
I don't know about you, but I am pretty scared about buying anything old or box-like at all now. I don't care if it is a music box, a Ouija Board in a box, or just a plain old wooden box. Any of those items could be out to get me.
If you want to play it safe, you'd better just stop buying stuff. You should also probably stop accepting gifts. The world is full of evil. At the very least, you may want to just keep a bottle of holy water around and spritz anything that comes into your house with it. You can thank me later.
Copyright ©2015 Jeannieinabottle
Other Hubs You May Enjoy:
- Life Lessons Learned While Watching Horror Movies
Learn all you really need to know about life while watching horror movies. You would be amazed at all the important life lessons you can take away from watching scary movies. - Poor Parenting Techniques Seen in Horror Movies
Would you like to learn how to be a better parent? Let horror movies be your guide. Basically, you should watch everything parents do in horror movies and then do the opposite. - Scariest Short Films On YouTube
If you love horror movies, but you don't have a lot of free time, you should check out some short scary films online. These YouTube videos are perfect for Halloween parties or slumber parties.
Comments
Jeannie Marie (author) from Baltimore, MD on April 20, 2015:
Hahahaha, who knows? It is always best to play it safe, drbj. But if you do happen to have that bottle of holy water lying around, you could give it a try. Thanks for checking out my hub!
drbj and sherry from south Florida on April 19, 2015:
Hi, Jeannie. I read your supernaturally horrific and terrific hub just in time. I purchased an ancient box with Egyptian hieroglyphics and was prepared to open the lid to examine my purchase. But now I do not dare to take a chance and plan to nail the lid shut. The lid has an inscription in English: Property of Pandora. Did I make a wise decision?
Jeannie Marie (author) from Baltimore, MD on April 18, 2015:
Jodah, thanks for the vote up! I am glad to hear you will be staying away from the Ouija Board. Nothing good ever comes from it!
bravewarrior, I do love collecting older items myself, although I guess that is just simply a bad idea if I follow my own advice. You are right about the shower, too. Horror movies tend to frown upon cleanliness I guess. :-) Thanks for your comment!
Shauna L Bowling from Central Florida on April 17, 2015:
Jeannie, I love the holy water advice. I happen to love antiques. I also love thrift stores, consignment shops, and yard sales.
I think I've only used a ouija board once or twice in my life. I wasn't impressed, so never did it again. That's probably a good thing, huh?
I know you're poking fun in this hub, but I'm sure there are many readers that will be throwing out their clothes lines. Hell, let's not forget about the risks of taking a shower, especially in a hotel. Just make sure it's not the Bates Hotel. Muwaaahhhhh!
John Hansen from Australia (Gondwana Land) on April 17, 2015:
Hi Jeannie. This was an enjoyable read. Thanks for those lessons. One I'll be sure never to do is use a ouija board...that would be crazy. Voted up.
