Ghosts vs. Vampires

I have never been much of a vampire fan. When I was a kid and watched monster movies with my family, I was always drawn more to ghosts or actual monsters. Vampires pretty much left me cold, and that was without even taking any of my blood. As I got older and began to understand the traditional lure of the suave, handsome, undead lover with the retractable teeth, vampires did even less for me. Even now, when vampires have been coming to the fore of paranormal interest in seemingly endless waves, I'm standing on the shoreline watching the waves rise and fall.

I still prefer ghosts. And as long as I'm riffing on other people's creative offerings, I've decided to put together my top five list of why I prefer ghosts:

5. Ghosts don't mind crosses. There are about a gazillion haunted churches in Europe alone, and the Catholic churches are even laid out in the shape of a cross. Not a problem for the spirit types.

4. Ghosts don't care about garlic. They'll still come to visit you even if your most recent meal included roast garlic on toast points as an appetizer, 40-clove roast chicken as the main course, and a side of garlic bread. In fact, if you go to bed after a meal like that, you're probably going to have haunted dreams.

3. Ghosts can be photographed. Those of us who believe in them, believe that, too.

2. Ghosts can be seen in the mirror. One of their favorite tricks is turning up behind you when you finish washing your face and bring your head up out of the basin to reach for a towel. (Who's that staring at you over your shoulder? The one with the totally white face and the dark, dead eyes?)

1. Ghosts can handle sunlight. They don't burst into flames, disintegrate, or sparkle when they're under the sun.

Just my humble opinion, but I think ghosts have it all over vampires.

That said, though, I've been feeling an overwhelming need to learn more about the fanged types ever since I found that leather-bound journal in the library the other day, a gorgeous old-world kind of tome that was totally blank except for a huge depiction of a dragon in the middle of it...