skunkape
Paranormal Maven
Have faith that you are a speck of meat in a predatory Universe...and hope you have fun.
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At What Age Did You Become Interested in UFOs?
- Thread starter Rick Deckard
- Start date
Have faith that you are a speck of meat in a predatory Universe...and hope you have fun.
Gareth
Nothin' to see here
Feel like sharing?
Aaron LeClair
Paranormal Maven
Kieran
Paranormal Adept
He offered me a mars bar, and i accepted Aaron, David sereda hurt me, i didnt like it, he had pickled fingers, how did you know? did he pickle you too?
Schuyler
Misanthrope
Old thread, but still fun. I read out the science fiction collection in my local public library by the time I was ten. I figured out Paul French was really Isaac Asimov writing under a pseudonym about that time. I was always interested in space stuff, so much that I was razzed about it. I remember my father taking me outside to view Sputnik when it went up. (We saw the booster, not the satellite.) I predicted we would land on the moon in 1969 ten years before it happened. (I have the paper I wrote still.) Alan Shephard went up when I was in sixth grade. I read all the George Adamski books when they were considered 'contemporary.' I still collect UFO books, closing in on 300 or so. It's been fun to witness the space program evolve from Vanguard to Shuttle and actually remember when the stuff happened.
bobheck
Disco still sucks.
You know, as Schuyler stated, this is an old but still very fun thread.
My interest began around when I was 10 years old I guess. But before that I was interested in anything sci-fi or "Spacey" on TV, books, etc...
The first concrete UFO memory I have was in 1973 (I was born in 1963), when I was living in Pensacola, FL and all the news broke about the UFO Abduction in Pascagoula, MS. Only about and hour and a half to the west of us. Lots of news was being aired about it and interest started to go crazy in me -- I got the burning desire for more knowledge, information, anything I could get my hands on.
I remember my mother coming back from the 'Book Mobile' one day (local outreach of public library) with an older 1950's book called I think "Flying Saucers are Real" or something to that effect, and another one "They are Here" or somewhat. Checked them out three times in a row, could not get enough.
Then, my dad took me to two lectures in the 1970's -- one I know was J. Allen Hynek. The other I think was a Professor Carr, is all I remember about the names (hey, I was a kid).
Then in a few years Close Encounters came out. Wow. One interesting thing about Close Encounters, many parts were filmed right where I grew up -- the outdoor scenes when the kid was taken through the small door were filmed in rural Alabama, and many of the ship scenes were filmed inside giant hangars in Mobile, AL. That even made it more interesting to me as a kid.
Been interested ever since.
My interest began around when I was 10 years old I guess. But before that I was interested in anything sci-fi or "Spacey" on TV, books, etc...
The first concrete UFO memory I have was in 1973 (I was born in 1963), when I was living in Pensacola, FL and all the news broke about the UFO Abduction in Pascagoula, MS. Only about and hour and a half to the west of us. Lots of news was being aired about it and interest started to go crazy in me -- I got the burning desire for more knowledge, information, anything I could get my hands on.
I remember my mother coming back from the 'Book Mobile' one day (local outreach of public library) with an older 1950's book called I think "Flying Saucers are Real" or something to that effect, and another one "They are Here" or somewhat. Checked them out three times in a row, could not get enough.
Then, my dad took me to two lectures in the 1970's -- one I know was J. Allen Hynek. The other I think was a Professor Carr, is all I remember about the names (hey, I was a kid).
Then in a few years Close Encounters came out. Wow. One interesting thing about Close Encounters, many parts were filmed right where I grew up -- the outdoor scenes when the kid was taken through the small door were filmed in rural Alabama, and many of the ship scenes were filmed inside giant hangars in Mobile, AL. That even made it more interesting to me as a kid.
Been interested ever since.
skunkape
Paranormal Maven
I saw 'Close Encounters' in a theater when I was 5, but I think I was more fascinated by the concept of making sculpture out of mashed potatoes than the aliens. It was after having multiple UFO sightings in the early 90's that I really became interested in the subject in a serious way. UFO's went from being something you see in movies to something as real as the car in my driveway. Not knowing what I saw is very frustrating.
Kevin Daly
Skilled Investigator
Shortly after I was decanted.
thefoundryman
chrono-synclastically infundibulated
5 years old, looking at a mutilated cow......5 years old!
Nothin' but questions my whole life.
Nothin' but questions my whole life.
CoachMcGuirk
Paranormal Novice
For me it was at 7 when I had a sighting. I saw a disk hovering above our house, and then I ran inside screaming for my dad. He followed me out, but then it was gone. The site is still vivid in my memory, but as I've gotten older I've sometimes questioned that maybe I saw something and just didn't know that what I was looking at was mundane, but when I go back to that time I can still see this thing, hovering silently, and I'm convinced it was real.
A couple of years later, when I was 10, my grandmother gave me this huge encyclopedia type book on the paranormal, and that combined with a copy of 'Chariots of the Gods" that my dad had pretty much set the hook permanently.
Oddly enough my son will turn 10 this year and he is starting to get interested in the topic, too.
A couple of years later, when I was 10, my grandmother gave me this huge encyclopedia type book on the paranormal, and that combined with a copy of 'Chariots of the Gods" that my dad had pretty much set the hook permanently.
Oddly enough my son will turn 10 this year and he is starting to get interested in the topic, too.
itsthenoise
Neophyte Paranormålé
... no siteings, encounters, etc... not a bloomin' sausage... but I've always been curious about this stuff.
seeing as it started just before my 40th though, personally I think my interest is part of my midlife crisis.
seeing as it started just before my 40th though, personally I think my interest is part of my midlife crisis.
Xylo
Paranormal Adept
I cannot remember a time when I wasn't interested in one mystery or another. However, I do remain skeptical of my own experiences.
I think that UFOs as a subject matter were a big turn off when I started reading some of the material that was out there; Venusians, Pliadians and so forth. Some of the most credible things to me were the Betty & Barney Hill case, and the Travis Walton case. Even some of Linda Moulton Howe's early stuff was pretty compelling.
The first time I saw "Close Encounters..."(mid 80's when I was a teenager) I was so freaked out I had to leave the room. It was the colored lights on the craft that scared the crap out of me. To this very day sightings that involve lights which change color or morph into different shapes seem to me to be the most credible and the most evocative.
So the short answer to the OP is that I became interested in UFO's around the age of 7 or 8.
I think that UFOs as a subject matter were a big turn off when I started reading some of the material that was out there; Venusians, Pliadians and so forth. Some of the most credible things to me were the Betty & Barney Hill case, and the Travis Walton case. Even some of Linda Moulton Howe's early stuff was pretty compelling.
The first time I saw "Close Encounters..."(mid 80's when I was a teenager) I was so freaked out I had to leave the room. It was the colored lights on the craft that scared the crap out of me. To this very day sightings that involve lights which change color or morph into different shapes seem to me to be the most credible and the most evocative.
So the short answer to the OP is that I became interested in UFO's around the age of 7 or 8.
paranormal_dada
Find the 'good people'
Always thought there was a little man, or guy, peering at me around the door frame to my bedroom, when I was about 5 or 6 years old. When I was 7 years old I found a book on werewolves, and assorted ilk, in a mobile lending library on school property. I didn't believe any of it, but was fascinated by the ideas and pictures. Quickly became interested in anything paranormal and sci-fi in the media especially Star Trek, In Search Of... with Leonard Nemoy (I particularly loved the stories concerning Nessie and Loch Ness, that murky, watery unknown thing just below the surface waiting to get ya gave me chills!). The following year came Star Wars and I have continued to study the UFO topic and other things intermittently over the years. It's only been the past 3 or 4 years that I've really gotten back into the field, in any serious way.
cyberknight
Skilled Investigator
When I was 7, a weather monitoring device dropped into the school yard
during recces, at least that was what the Teacher stated it was. I don't
remember if it had a parachute or it had a balloon, it had USA on the side
and instructions attached to for who to contact. I'm going to guesstimate
that it was about 4 feet high. It was in 1972.
You never saw so many kids faces light up when that device dropped in, it
was like the sky gods gave us a cool new toy!
But, alas... the Teacher crushed us all and took the toy away...
So, I have been looking up ever since..
during recces, at least that was what the Teacher stated it was. I don't
remember if it had a parachute or it had a balloon, it had USA on the side
and instructions attached to for who to contact. I'm going to guesstimate
that it was about 4 feet high. It was in 1972.
You never saw so many kids faces light up when that device dropped in, it
was like the sky gods gave us a cool new toy!
But, alas... the Teacher crushed us all and took the toy away...
So, I have been looking up ever since..
Hi, new to this site, first got interested in UFOs when I was in between the 5th & 6th grades, summer of '96, I saw the Sightings UFO show....and ever since then...questions, books, tv shows, movies, documentaries, now the internet. I'm 24 now, and the UFO subject has been in my life ever since. Still have yet to see one though lol. And like me, I know if many of you were into it as young as I was (or younger), have had people give you crap about it,...I mean, how many 6th graders bring UFO books to school to actually read?? lol. I've kept an open mind all through the years now, but I do believe that this is all for a reason, and that all of our reasearch, days spent reading books and watching shows will pay off soon, look at the recent orb sightins that are popping up all over the world (reminds me of Signs), not to mention other sightings as well. I have a feeling that it is gettting close to our time, to look at all of the people who have made fun of people like us, laughed at us for what we believe in, ....to look at them and say..."I told you so!" 
lol. And like me, I know if many of you were into it as young as I was (or younger), have had people give you crap about it,...I mean, how many 6th graders bring UFO books to school to actually read?? lol. I've kept an open mind all through the years now, but I do believe that this is all for a reason, and that all of our reasearch, days spent reading books and watching shows will pay off soon, look at the recent orb sightins that are popping up all over the world (reminds me of Signs), not to mention other sightings as well. I have a feeling that it is gettting close to our time, to look at all of the people who have made fun of people like us, laughed at us for what we believe in, ....to look at them and say..."I told you so!" 
methshin
Japans Underground Robot Army
It seems like I've always been interested, but my first real connection to the UFO/et field was when I was in grade 5. I had to do a book report and I was walking around the library in town to find a book to read, I've always had a very high reading level and thought that the books available in the schools library were more pablum than books.
Anyways, I was in the library and after five minutes or so of searching, I saw Communion from about ten feet away and was instantly drawn and compelled.
Though that is the first conscious memory I have of the UFO field, I remember when I was 4 throughout my early childhood watching Unsolved Mysteries with my dad. My mom didn't like me watching it so I would sneak into the next room and poke my head around the corner when she was around, but my dad didn't care so much so he let me watch it with him. I was always incredibly interested in the ufo aspects of the show, and scared shitless of the abduction, implant, and ghost stories they showed, but kept watching because it was so damn intriguing. Since then the ufo field has been an avid interest of mine, though I really should read more literature in the field.
Edit: I'll add that I was born in 1984, lived my whole life in the Hamilton area of Ontario Canada and didn't experience my first sighting until I was 11 or 12. I honestly can't recall what year it was but I can estimate that it was a few years after reading communion. It wasn't a spectacular sighting, and it happened so fast that I'm not even sure it happened or not.
If you're curious about my UFO related sightings/experiences, search for my thread titled "my experiences" and if you have any questions or queries regarding my stories please post a reply on that thread as I feel it would be the best place to address them, so everyone interested can see.
I do have one other experience that I haven't shared yet. Mainly because even thinking about it makes me very uncomfortable, though lately I've really wanted to get it off of my chest. I'll likely post it soon, all the discussion of dreams on the forum lately have really had me thinking about it a lot.
Anyways, I was in the library and after five minutes or so of searching, I saw Communion from about ten feet away and was instantly drawn and compelled.
Though that is the first conscious memory I have of the UFO field, I remember when I was 4 throughout my early childhood watching Unsolved Mysteries with my dad. My mom didn't like me watching it so I would sneak into the next room and poke my head around the corner when she was around, but my dad didn't care so much so he let me watch it with him. I was always incredibly interested in the ufo aspects of the show, and scared shitless of the abduction, implant, and ghost stories they showed, but kept watching because it was so damn intriguing. Since then the ufo field has been an avid interest of mine, though I really should read more literature in the field.
Edit: I'll add that I was born in 1984, lived my whole life in the Hamilton area of Ontario Canada and didn't experience my first sighting until I was 11 or 12. I honestly can't recall what year it was but I can estimate that it was a few years after reading communion. It wasn't a spectacular sighting, and it happened so fast that I'm not even sure it happened or not.
If you're curious about my UFO related sightings/experiences, search for my thread titled "my experiences" and if you have any questions or queries regarding my stories please post a reply on that thread as I feel it would be the best place to address them, so everyone interested can see.
I do have one other experience that I haven't shared yet. Mainly because even thinking about it makes me very uncomfortable, though lately I've really wanted to get it off of my chest. I'll likely post it soon, all the discussion of dreams on the forum lately have really had me thinking about it a lot.