Scary Movies: To be or not to be

Scary movies???  What is that crazy DW talking about now?

About 7 years ago, an old research buddy of mine confided in me that he didn't watch scary movies for at least a week before he went out researching.  I was intrigued why, so I asked him.

He explained that by not watching scary movies before going out, it would free up his mind from scary thoughts, the sub-conscious mind would play tricks on you while in the woods.

 I respected this researcher and I took it to heart what he told me.  I would do the same.  Unfortunately, fate would intervene and I would fully understand what he was saying.

I had traveled down with other researchers into Southeast Oklahoma to do research in a wildlife refuge, the scene of the first recorded Bigfoot encounter in the state of Oklahoma.  There was 4 of us, and one of the researchers walked down a hiking path to check things out while the other 2 set to work to cast a track they had found.  After a little while, I thought I better go check on the researcher that had went down the path.

Well, this path went right along the river, and you could see multiple places where the alligators had been sliding in and out of the water to the banks.  Here was where the mind plays tricks on you.  My daughter had spent the entire week before I went down there watching alligator and crocodile horror movies.

My mind started making me think as I walked along, that dang it, I bet I have several alligators walking along the trail behind me just getting ready to pounce on me.  

I began walking a little faster until I finally found the other researcher.  I had been in the woods all my life, and seen all kinds of animals in the woods, including Bigfoot, but just the thought of those movies and the area that I was in, made my mind think about being followed by man-eating alligators on the trail.

Take some advice folks, unless you are just a total thrill-seeking, adrenalin junky who likes to be scared all the time while in the woods, don't watch scary movies for a while before going out into the woods, you will find your sub-conscious will not play so many tricks on your mind.