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2.26.7

Big Time UFO News

I’ve been a flying saucer junkie since I was a kid. Growing up, I didn't read much about them; just had a general sense that they existed. My mother saw one once; I think I wrote about that here on BoA . By the time I came out to the porch to look with her, the thing had gone. (I’ve always found it interesting how no one else in the family would even come out to look) and she insists to this day that I told her “Don’t worry mom, they’ll come back. They always come back.”

Except for general talk about UFOs and flying saucers, I wasn’t familiar with any of the books, authors, contactees, or famous cases of UFOlogy. It wasn’t until I was about sixteen or so -- around 1970 or ‘71 - that a neighbor of ours gave me one of Erich von Däniken’s books to read. I hadn’t come across any of those ideas before, and I thought it was all too weird and strange, while wonderful and exciting. And that my dahlings, was the beginning of my UFO obsession.

I maintained my interest, but it wasn’t too active until I saw my ‘Orange Orb” in Oregon. That sighting led me to anything UFO related I could get my hands on. At the time, the local library didn’t have much on UFOs. There was a New Age bookstore in town though, and they sold UFO Magazine.

I remember the day I first saw UFO magazine. I was absolutely thrilled! A magazine, all about UFOs! UFO Magazine has gone through changes in style, publication dates, and recently, editors. But it always remained a publication solidly focused on the UFO phenomeana. And now, thirty seven years since I first held that Von Däniken book in my hands, I am very happy to report I am now a columnist for UFO Magazine.

My first column (titled the OrangeOrb) appeared in the February issue, and was an introductory piece. Future columns will include pieces on women in UFOlogy, animals (real, mythical and in between) in relation to UFOlogy, Oregon cases, and the occasional poke at the pathological skepticism and really, anything that I find interesting and hope that others will as well.

There is a true community of UFO writers within the pages of UFO Magazine. Alfred Lehmberg, Nick Redfern, Dirk Vander Ploeg, editor and publisher of the on-line zine UFO Digest,and Farah Yurdozu, for example. There is a bit of synchronicity with Farah; I had written a piece inspired by her column in the current issue of the magazine on exopolitics and spiritually, and was going to send it to Tim here at BoA. But then Tim’s interview for this week is with Farah, so I put it on hold. Just another moment of synchronicity in Trickster land!

So how did it come about, my writing for UFO Magazine? Sometimes things are very simple. I asked! And to my surprise, Nancy Birnes, editor-in -chief at UFO Magazine, invited me to write a column for the magazine. Nancy has been very supportive and positive throughout this process. Along with the personal excitement of writing for a national print publication, I am continually learning things about UFOlogy, and beyond. (I say “beyond” because, from my perspective, the UFO phenomeana is not just mere nuts and bolts. It is much broader than that, and extends well into true Fortean and even paranormal or metaphysical realms. )

But without people like Tim Binnall, right here at BoA, who have been encouraging and given me a lot of guidance and advice, I wouldn’t have had the skills or nerve to approach UFO Magazine. So to Tim, who had done, and continues to do, an awesome job, juggling his website, interviews, and columnists, I say “thank you Tim!”


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