I have shared some of my adventures on Lockergnome, mostly from the past, some from the present. My reasons for sharing very little about the present, is to protect the not so innocent characters that fill out my current life. The circumstances under which I have found myself in the last eight months or so since arriving here in Colorado, have been nothing short of bizarre, and the kind of stuff you would find on low grade talk shows on afternoon television.

I like adventure, I really do, but not the kind of mundane adventure that is filled with petty and insane people, whose job it seems, is to make life difficult for everyone they encounter. Due to current circumstances, my daughter and I have been left with little choice but to leave our current situation, and head back to the Pacific NW.

We will be leaving this Wednesday morning, and hitchhiking our way across country, visiting and staying with friends and family along the way where it is available. It should be quite the adventure! No, no, do not worry about us, hitchhiking is something I/we have done most our lives, and we are still intact!

Unfortunately I will be required to leave my computer with someone, and will not be able to reclaim it for a month or two. Upon arrival to Seattle(or where ever we end up), we will be staying with whomever we can, or in a homeless shelter, so I am unsure of when we will have Internet access. I will blog when I have the opportunity, but it may be a bit before I am able to.

The economy is much better in Seattle/the NW, so we should be able to acquire work quite swiftly, and get into a place of our own, or roommate with someone. All in all though, it will be an interesting escapade!

If my readers would like to contact me in the meantime, you may do so via email, and I will respond whenever I have the opportunity/access. My address is shadowmythproductions@gmail.com . Thank you all for your support on Lockergnome, and I look forward to connecting with you all again soon!

Dream true!

~ShadowMyth

Picture from here.

As a young child, from the age of five, I was very interested in the idea of invisibility. I remember when my parents had company over, I would hide before they arrived, behind one of the big easy chairs. All evening I would sit there undetected, listening to wonderful adult conversation. When my parent’s would escort their guest out to their vehicle’s, I would quickly scamper back into my room, and into my bed, where I ‘belonged’. I enjoyed this privilege, until one fateful evening, when I was finally caught.

Right below our house was an awesome and very large pepper tree, with plenty of room for me to camp up in it’s large branches. Right below me was a neighbor’s house. I would often play invisibility games, and see if I could get away with being undetected when the neighbors were about.. What a wonderful thing invisibility was!

Time passes, and into my teenage years I continued with my fascination. One night when I was about 15, I attended a party with some of my friends, being held in a backyard. Little did I know at the time, as I drank my Jack Daniels, was that the house was occupied with unconsenting residents. Yes, if you can imagine, my idiot friends had decided to party in someone’s backyard!

Suddenly everyone was running out of the yard, and by the time my companion and I had figured out what was going on, we saw the flash of police lights. We looked at one another, and dropped straight to the ground. A hedge of bushes lay between us and the alley that the police car pulled up into. The hedge unfortunately did not provide complete cover, and they were very well trimmed at the base, leaving about eight inches of exposed area.

I whispered to my companion to be ‘invisible’. We lay there, flat as pancakes, and imagined we were invisible. Bright police flashlights flooded us, and we could see the legs of the police, as clear as day. They spoke between one another, decided there was no one there, got in there car, and drove off. We had seen the light directly shining on us, but we had not been seen.

A few years later, I was to meet an interesting person in my hitch hiking escapades. This gentleman was a veteran of the Vietnam war, and told me that invisibility had saved his life more than once during his tour. He explained to me that it was a matter of just ‘not being’, not thinking, and just being completely invisible.

A few years passed, and I was married with a young baby. I went out into the yard of where we were staying, and climbed into a decent climbing tree, sitting on it’s largest branch. The tree was very sparse when it came to cover, and the branch was not up very high, probably no more than 5′ . My then husband’s car pulled up, and some of my in-laws came out of the house to talk to him.

I imagined myself completely invisible, and sat there for twenty minutes, while they chatted literally a few feet away from me. I could see them clear as day, and I knew that I was equally exposed. After awhile, my husband began to ask where I was, and the in-laws reported they had no clue. A search began, and they looked through the house, the back yard, and the front yard, in which I occupied.

They stood out in the front yard, talking about what they were going to do next. I finally decided I had probably taken this a little too far, and loudly announced myself. The expressions on their faces were worth all of my effort! They all were equally stunned, as I sat there, in clear sight.

Another experience was to happen a few years later. I was at this time living with my two children and husband, in I believe it was Colorado. I needed to run an errand, and got in my car to drive off. About two blocks down the road, I began to notice an odd phenomena. The cars that surrounded me, did not see me, and several of them almost drove me off the road. I could see the faces of the drivers, and they were looking straight through me.

I was rather mortified and confused, and pulled over, turning around to drive straight home. Upon arriving in one piece, I explained to my husband, what had happened. He then deeply apologized, and explained to me that due to our not being able to afford auto insurance, he had put up invisibility shields over the vehicle. He had though unfortunately not been specific enough, and instead of putting them up only for the benefit of the police, created a general spell, that made it so that no one could see me! He fixed the spell, and I was able to proceed to the store without incident.

I have had many experiences with invisibility, but I think my favorite, is the one where I wasn’t invisible! It was in my 19^th year(gads a lot happened that year), and I had been in the middle of a mental breakdown. I had gone down to the Bay area for a strange adventure, and was returning via a Greyhound bus. We had stopped along the way at a little convenience mart, and I was without money, and quite hungry.

We disembarked from the bus, and almost everyone piled inside the little place. I looked about at all the food I could not partake in, and decided that I was going to eat anyway. I imagined myself as completely invisible, and began to walk about taking whatever I desired, and throwing it into my open purse.

The funniest part is that everyone in the entire store stood there staring at me as I did so, openly and with slacked jaw. I was totally aware that something had gone wrong, and my spell was not working, but I did not falter in my actions. I piled a few things in my bag as I walked for the door, and smiled as I walked past the cashier who was halted in his motions along with the rest of the customers staring in my direction.

I exited the store, and sat on the steps, awaiting the bus driver to announce it was time to get back on the bus. One of my fellow passengers came out and sat down next to me. I opened up my purse and offered him a candy bar, but he politely declined. We returned to the bus without incident, and I finally had some food to fill my belly. I find this story much more amazing than if I had succeed in my invisibility!

Yes, invisibility is possible, and with practice one can develop a very useful skill. Try it out on your friends sometime, you might be very surprised!

Image found here.

I have looked forward to Firefox 3 now for about the last year, since I heard that the new version would be much lighter and faster. I am one of those people that loads a ton of extensions onto my poor Firefox, so it can get slow at times.

I had planned on downloading the new version on the now famous record breaking download day, but somehow it slipped by. I then heard about the vulnerabilities, and thought perhaps I would wait a bit. Finally though, I decided I just couldn’t wait.

I installed the new Firefox 3, only to discover that a very large portion of my extensions had not been updated, and I would temporarily lose the use of them. This wasn’t too bad, but, Tab Mix Plus was one of those extensions, and that, I could not live without. I uninstalled it, and went back to the older version.

A few days ago, I decided to do some research, and discovered that there was a developers version of Tab Mix Plus available, and decided I would give it a try.

I will admit, that upon my first exploratory session with the new Firefox, I was highly impressed with the speed. I wondered at the time if it was only due to the fact that 15 of my 38 extensions were disabled, until further updates by developers. However, I have to say that the speed is definitely awesome, and everything loads faster, including pictures and videos.

As far as my developer’s version of Tab Mix Plus, it works just fine! I lost the use of the following extensions at this point: Allow Right Click, Bookmark Duplicate Detector, del.icio.us, Enhanced History Manager, Ext2Abc, Fasterfox, Firefox Menu Buttons, Generate Numly Copyright, Google Photos Screensaver, OpenBook, Save Image in Folder, ScribeFire, StumbleUpon Addon, UI Tweaker, and UnPlug.

Now, out of the above, there were only a few I was upset over losing, Enhanced History Manager being one of them. Using this extension, I can bring up the history in the sidebar, and go through it day by day. In the basic Firefox history manager, I was unable to do this, but, there was a work around. I went to ‘View’, then ‘Sidebar’, and then ‘History’, or Ctrl+H. This looked pretty much like what I was used to!

The loss of OpenBook was kind of annoying, as I am used to the ‘bookmarks’ folder always being open, and easy to access. Now, it is required of me to click the window down, and then scroll through till I find what I want(yes, I have a lot of bookmarks). It is cool though that it now has a tags feature.

The loss of allow right click, UI Tweaker, and UnPlug is also a drag, but I suppose I can live without them for now. With the new Firefox 3, I certainly seem to have no need for Fasterfox, and the rest of the extensions were occasional toys anyway.

I went over to the main Firefox page, and was checking out what new ‘features’ they were announcing, and read through what was ‘new and improved’. Two of the additions to the upgraded browser, oddly enough had no obvious documentation or user interface. This was the new ‘zoom feature’, and ‘color management’.

I did some research, and it turns out that some developers were kind enough to make some extensions, that gave each of these additions a UI. It is incredible to me that Mozilla bragged about them, but enabled no way to use them, unless you are more of an advanced user. I tried out both extensions, and was quite pleased. If interested, be sure to check out Color Management and Full Page Zoom.

To be perfectly honest with you, not a whole lot has changed. I went and checked out the ‘Options Menu’, but little had changed there. There is a ‘Most Visited’ feature on your Bookmarks Toolbar, which is kind of cool, but I really do not need it. There is a somewhat improved drop down feature from the search window, but I honestly think I like the older one better. The older one was basic, and quick to locate what you were looking for, while the newer one takes up more space, and you really have to look to find what you are after.

Most of the changes seem to be internal, and to do with operational improvement, which is fine with me. I honestly love the faster speeds, and the fact I can go collect up more extensions! Lol! I honestly do not think I will have any problem with the ‘vulnerabilities’ that have been spoken of, and I am glad that I changed over. So, what do you think of the new Firefox 3?

Matt Cutts

I do not actually watch TV directly, but when I have the time, I like to watch videos or things online. This last year I have seen a few TV shows that I am now absolutely addicted to, well, those that will continue to air anyway. It really annoys me that a good show will come out, and it will get canceled. However quite a few crappy shows, play onward, regardless of their lack of quality. To see older episodes of these shows, you can watch them through Netflix, or various online sources. Enjoy!

Dexter is an awesome show. The first season starts out a little bland, as the stage is set for the character to begin developing something he truly lacks…emotion. Dexter is a serial killer, who only kills other serial killers…a hero of the people, as he sees himself.

Dexter is played by Michael C. Hall, and he does a wonderful job! Originally the show had a lot more gore and expletives, but due to public outcry by conservative groups, this was greatly limited. It however is a very adult show, as one would imagine. Not your typical serial killer, and very well worth the watch. The beginning of the 3^rd and final season will air this September 28^th on Showtime.

The 4400 is I have to say, one of the best TV shows I have EVER seen, and it has been cancelled, after it’s 4^th season. Fans were left hanging, and like unto Twin Peaks, we shall never know what happened in this incredible mind bending series. 4400 people from several time periods are taken into the future, and suddenly reappear in the Pacific North West.

As time progresses, these individuals develop super powers of a wide variety. The show focuses on the returnees, and Homeland Security, the latter of which is portrayed in an incredibly truthful light. I assume this is why the show was canceled, as the 4400 were winning against the forces of Homeland Security.

This show is incredible, and you will never know what is going to happen next…absolute cliff hanger!

Heroes is somewhat akin to The 4400, but with a slightly different twist. I do believe it has continued to air, due to ‘the enemy’ not being government based. In this show, people with special genetics acquire super powers, and their enemy, is a group of people who also possess these powers. Some wonderful characters in this show, excellent acting, and leaves you once again…on the edge of your seat!

Season three of this show will begin September 22, 2008, on NBC.

Avater:The Last Airbender is an anime, three seasons long, containing 61 shows. It features a group of young people in an alternate world, that is balanced by the elements. The kingdom that rules over fire has become power hungry, and has been taking over and destroying the other races of the world. Aang, who is one of the great avatars, must master his abilities, to defeat the great Fire Lord. He does so with the aid of his friends, and an incredible assortment of adventures. Excellent for all ages.

Torchwood is another one of those very cool shows that has been canceled, along it seems with it’s origins, Dr. Who. The last show of Dr. Who did a crossover between the two shows, supposedly ‘wrapping it up’. The quality of Torchwood is far superior to the oftentimes hokey Dr. Who. It’s popularity in America, was probably due to this fact.

Torchwood is an agency, created by a queen of England, to monitor extraterrestrial activity within the region. The first show may put you off, but be sure to continue onward…very well worth it. It’s cancellation could very well be attributed to it’s blatant sexuality, homosexuality, and use of expletives. From my understanding a lot of the English were greatly offended over the show, as it was not a ‘family’ show, as was it’s predecessor Dr. Who. (Please see comments below for some excellent news, which I did verify with Wikipedia…how did I miss that?)

Well, there you go, some excellent shows to check out! I’ll be waiting on the edge of my seat for this September!

I love music. I love to listen, to sing, and dance to it. I think music is one of the highest expressions of our beingness, and some believe, it is what created the world. I have included here only a few of the musical resources available on the web, so don’t stop here…there is a lot more to explore!

Gathering and Listening:

*Station Ripper will allow you to rip music off of the Internet radio stations for your own musical collection. There is the free version, and of course, the upgraded versions which cost $19.99 to $29.99. The basic version works just as well, but requires a little more work on your part.

*SHOUTcast is my favorite resource for Internet radio. I was paying for Live365, but the quality of the music had begun to pale in comparison to what was available for free. Though there are some stations available on Live365 at 128k, most come in around 64k. I like high quality, and most of what is offered at SHOUTcast is 128k, and as high as 192k!

*PANDORA is very cool, but does have it’s limitations. It works by creating a station based off of a favorite song, or artist. This is very neat if you are in the mood for one particular kind of flavor. However, the problem arises if you are wanting to listen to anything independent, as most of their music is pretty mainstream. If I create a station for example based off of Type O Negative, I will have a very limited selection of music, because most gothic music is independent. They will often throw in a bunch of music that does not fit the predominantly independent genre, because there is a limited supply under that category.

*FilterMusic does not have the quantity of stations that SHOUTcast has, but all of the stations they do have, are guaranteed to be 128k or higher.

*Last.fm is a music social networking site. You download their software to create your own stations, load music to your iPod, etc. It specializes in independent music artists, and when I looked up ‘goth’, I got 982 results, and, I found my favorite music artists. I have never actually used this service as of yet, but it seems pretty cool.

Fun:

Tony-b Machine is just a fun little online toy to make your own music. Nothing fancy or for the expert, just a little amusement for the novice out there.

Music-Map will aid you in mapping out similar artists based on one particular band/singer. Merely type in the name you are interested in, and a map will arise, showing you artists with similar styles. I typed in Grace Slick, and got about 40 results.

Musicians:

*8notes has a wide variety of sheet music for every musical instrument you can think of, and lessons.

*Gootar has a chord generator and lessons.

*Fretplay has bass and guitar tabs, plus lessons.

*Metronome Online has a program to help you keep your beat.

*Cyberfret gives free guitar lessons in a wide variety of styles…lots of information!

Lyrics:

To test how good these lyrics sites were, I typed in Jack Off Jill, if I didn’t strike gold, I left it out of the list.

*Metrolyrics

*Lyrics Directory

*Lyrics A*Z Universe

*Lyrics

I hope you enjoy these resources, and if you have any to share…please do!

Picture by Angel-13

Friends are something I have truly come to appreciate. I have never really had very many friends, and often, my friendships do not last long. So, I treasure them while I have them, and learn to let go, when they are gone. I guess friends are like treasures really, you enjoy them while you have them, but sometimes it is a good thing to let them go.

On my journey for example, I have owned a lot of ‘things’ off and on throughout the years, but traveling made it so I had to let them go of them at times. It was kind of fun though, because I got to collect up more, and discover new worlds that I perhaps never would have known, had I not had the time/room for them.

Sometimes we just grow apart, or maybe we really were never on the same page. It is hard sometimes when you like people, but things aren’t really right; but such a relationship deserves a parting.

In my personal situation I am just ‘way’ too different for most people’s taste. I tends to intimidate a lot of people because I know so much, or they follow me around like puppies, calling me their guru. I never seem to not make some kind of impact on people’s lives, and I have had many people run as fast as they could from me, regardless of how much I really love them.

Now there are those who have stuck around, but these are few, and I cherish those of them that are true. I must admit, I am not always the easiest person to be around for very long, and those who can handle me 24/7, they are incredible people. I figure if I have a lot of friends, then I will have only enough time around each one of them, that I will never drive any of them away…lol.

Yes, I have had this problem my whole life. It became worse however at the age of 15, after my first acid trip. Mind you, it was quite a horror of an experience, but it opened me up on levels I had never known so deeply. Suddenly I could see into people, and into things…I could ‘read them’.

This was a problem. First of all, seeing people’s horrifying experiences before your eyes, and all they had been through was a little overwhelming, and at times I felt no internal privacy. The voices, the visions, I had no control over, and they were to me, nothing but a curse.

It was bad enough that I could see so clearly, but worse yet that those around me did not appreciate it. Things would just tumble from my mouth, or I would subconsciously respond to what was going on with them, and try to help. No, people did not like that at all. It had been a minor issue as a child, though a big enough problem for my mother to get a little upset over it.

As if it was not enough that I had this talent/curse, weird things happened quite often when I was present, or things that I was the ’cause’ of. Another strike against me. I will never forget when I was driven out of the gay crowd I hung in, for being a ‘witch’. It was quite a scene, I tell you what. It wasn’t that I was claiming to be a witch, it was just that they figured this must be the case.

I have had people call me a lot of things, and go running the other way. Some of the people I loved the most, have left me, never looking back to say good-bye, and all because, I am ‘different’.

You do not ‘choose’ who you are, you just are. At times I sacrificed ‘me’, so I would not alienate, or push others away, but what is one, if not one’s self? There is a fine art though, the art of learning not to speak, to listen, and not say what is on one’s mind. What law says just because you think it, it must be exposed?

So, I have learned not to speak, and to listen, and it is a wonderful thing! I learn the most interesting things when I listen, and I suddenly find myself asking why? Why would I want to vocalize my thoughts all of the time, when I could just enjoy and grok the thoughts of others. Then, I am so much more, than what I was when I spoke.

I am not saying I do not speak, but I have learned that it isn’t as necessary as it once was. I guess perhaps I have come to just accept and understand what I know, and no longer have the urge to speak it…just live it.

This art, is the best friend maker ever, everyone loves someone who really likes to listen to them. In fact the person who can listen, is usually the one that is most trusted and accepted. I have observed great adulation from people for my listening skills, especially those who are normally not heard. Everyone desires to be the center of the universe, the thing of desire everyone cherishes. Those who are hermits, often secretly desire it most, but are alienated from prior rejections.

So it was with me, and I hid away, not wanting to upset the reality of others, or suffer the pain of their eventual rejection. I turned the pain into a wall, an attitude, a way of thinking. No, they would not hurt me, and slowly, my heart began to close.

It took many years, but eventually, it was hard to feel anything at all. I still knew my path, I still was me, but my soul was not the light hearted creature it had once been.

I began that road frustrated, then pain evolved into anger, and the cycle continued onward. Why could I not have the one thing I desired most? Friends, lovers… parades of pain and frustration, my heart slowly ripped to shreds, until it was numb.

But then, amidst the war zone of my heart, there were a few, a few who stuck by me. By this point though, scar tissue layered my heart, and it was hard to find the passion, hard to find the happiness I had once felt within. Ah, to have traveled so far fighting for the love of life, and to end up unable to feel it…what a cruel thing it was!

The salve though, the salve of friendship, the salve of lovers making love….no heart is without the capacity to heal. Friendship, friendship is the most important thing…it is all we have really. Experience so empty, without others to share it with us! Cells alone cannot survive, and friendship is no more than cellular connection on a deep level.

Friends expand us, and make us more than we were, or less. They can alter our lives in profound ways. They introduce us to things we have never been a part of, teach us from their very example, and share with us the very fabric of their souls.

The walls come down when you are friends, and there are special privilege passes, depending on how deep your friendship goes. The complex world of friendship, at times so painful, but so very worth it.

I once burned my bridges, and many friends I have not spoken to in ages. A long path through my life, having known so many, but now know so few. No ‘if I hads’, no need to look back, but, so many, so many left behind.

Yes, friends they are important, no matter how painful the road may be….I love each and every one of them, and always will.

Dream deep, dream true, and always be you. The friends they will come, if your signature is truly yours, open up your heart, open up your doors. The path to life is connection, not who wins the election. In the end, it is all the same, the only reason to play this game…life friends, love, hate, connection… emotions gate.

Make your dreams come true, with all your friends standing beside you…success alone is an empty place. I will walk beside life, it is my closest friend. The road with my friend, difficult at times, but well worth the price.

Friends. They are worth your time.

Photo by vassiliki

Have you ever come across those strange pages that are there just to distract you, and really serve no real purpose or function? Of course you have, and I am here today, to help you find a few more! What are friends for?

*Remember Pac Man? Now you can play Pot Man at Weed College, and eat up all the joints, as you run from the fuzz! Same basic game, no real difference from the original, just slightly different imagery.

*Ever get those little word magnets for your fridge, so you and your guests can make interesting sentences? I managed to get two sets at a used store, the psychology set, and the set on cats….quite an interesting combination it turned out to be! Well, no need to run out to the store and waste resources, you can now play online…??? Yeah, seemed kind of strange to me too.

*Alright, I will admit this next one is not completely pointless; it is kind of interesting to see what people in other countries(as well as Americans) write on walls. That is pretty much it…stuff written on walls….

*Qbesq is a online kaleidescope drawing thing a ma jig. I admit you can make some pretty cool ones, but I couldn’t seem to save the file type on my system(SVG). Another interesting distraction, for those mind numbing moments you just don’t want to get off your butt and do something useful.

*How many times have you gotten into one of those conversations with friends or family, and wondered if that famous actor or singer is still alive? Not that it will alter your life any to know, but now you can instantly find out! Just visit ‘Dead or Alive?‘, and that petty argument will be nipped in the bud!

Well, now that we have that pointless stuff out of the way, we can see this really cool video manufactured straight from corporate America! Yeah, I know, it blows, but it really is an awesome little video. This wonderful video is advertising Coca Cola, but you can just imagine it is…uh…bottled water? I would post it directly on the page, but I think it is much better viewed with the full sized version…

Image by dogbone

This first invention does not really exist, but is a concept that won the Red dot award. Imagine a ring that can that can transfer information with a single handshake! The only requirements of course would be that both parties possess this very cool future gadget. Share email addresses, your social networking information, business profiles, etc., the possibilities are numerous!

This second invention was actually created back in the 50’s, though few know about it. Now under the brand name LifeGem, you can have made an actual diamond, from your own or a loved one’s hair or cremated ashes. Imagine wearing a literal piece of your beloved, even after they have passed away. Or, perhaps you just want your other half to be with you, even when they are not physically present. For a tour of how this process is accomplished, be sure to check this link out.

Third, we have an interesting, but simple design, that will help to save lives and make life easier in third world countries and remote locations. Created by Mohammed Bah Abba, this device is based off a concept used throughout the millennia. A simple ceramic pot, has an inner pot insert, and between the two, a layer of sand. Keep your food stored inside, and you have a refrigerator, that can keep food fresh up to three weeks!

This next invention is very cool, for those who do not have the will power to quit smoking. Gamucci has created an electronic cigarette, that they claim only delivers you the nicotine, without the harmful fumes to the smoker, or those within their vicinity. Be sure to watch the video of this cigarette in action!

This last invention, once again will help people in rural areas, who do not have access to modern facilities. It is called the PlayPump Water System, and was invented as a way for small villages to not have to haul water over long distances, and to have a cleaner supply available. It is a well pump, fueled by children who play on a merry go round. A pretty cool idea!

Have you ever wondered what mysteries there are out there to explore, what un-found treasures still exist? In a world where most treasure has been exhumed, and no hidden corner of the earth left unexplored, where do you go for real adventure?

It is in our nature as people, to love mystery, and the exploration of life. This however, has become sadly difficult in our modern world, and where once we looked, it is no longer there. Even as sprawling neighborhoods of people swallow up the land, fields replace ancient forest, and caves are sealed from entrance, there are still places to explore.

These places can be found in the mountains, underground, and all around you, in the very city that you live in. Adventures can be found in old mines, abandoned houses, old empty factories, drainage systems, and an incredible assortment of interesting places, spawned from the creations of bipeds.

The art of exploring these people made structures, is called ‘urban exploration‘. In the case of drainage system exploration, is it called ‘draining’, and those who indulge in it, are referred to as ‘drainers’. These folks look high and low, for places worth an adventure.

Yes, it is true, not all urban exploration is legal, but mainstream groups, tend to live by a code. Of course, the first law of that code, is not to do anything illegal. This can be difficult, as not everyone, wants to give you a free ticket, for a sight seeing experience.

The art of urban exploration can be dangerous, it does not come without it’s hazards. Here, in Denver last year, an urban explorer lost his life, when he stepped into an open elevator shaft. Such accidents as this can of course be avoided, but many opponents to urban exploration will site danger as one of their key reasons against it.

This is rather an irrational argument however, as people are legally allowed to do incredibly dangerous sports every day, with a much higher risk of injury/death, than urban exploration. If you type into Google ‘deaths, urban exploration’, you are going to be hard pressed to find very many examples.

One should of course be careful, regardless of what one is doing, and take proper precautions, depending on what the situation is. I do believe though, that we as people, need to feed our desire for mystery and adventure. It is for many of us, what keeps us young and imaginative, and gives us a satisfaction inside that is rare in this modern world of ours.

What can you find in the world of urban exploring? About 10 years or so ago, I was up in the mountains, I believe here in Colorado. We came upon an old mining camp, and up behind it was a very small abandoned town. One of the houses was open, and we ventured inside.

It was really strange, as the dining room table was set, and everything was as if the people had just walked out, leaving it completely untouched. The entire setting was from the 50’s, and we were just really flabbergasted over what we were seeing.

Several years after this incident, I recounted this story to a random friend I had made, and was very surprised, that he knew the very place I spoke of. He told me that it had been used as a movie set in the 70’s, and made to look like it was from the 50’s. Instead of packing it up, they just left the props behind. This in no way altered the quality of my experience, it was still very interesting!

I have explored very old cabins, houses, mines, caves, lava tubes, old grave yards, and a host of wonderful places! A few times, I have come across personal dumps, from before there were public refuse piles. These are very cool to explore, as there are often many objects of interests. Yes, there is still buried treasure!

I recently came across this interesting piece about a prehistoric creature found in the drainage systems of Denver. How often are you going to find something like that in reality? The possibilities are endless, there are so many things in reality to explore! It is my belief that the more we believe in the mysteries of possibility, the more they will reveal themselves.

Adventure is only dead, in the heart that no longer dreams. Dream true everyone.

Some Urban Exploration Resources:

*Denver Drainers

*Infiltration

*Dark Places

My apologies for not being able to site the photographer and location of this pic, I was unable to locate it. Please contact me if you know any details, thank you.

Here are three of my favorite hacks, two of which I have tried. Feel free to send me your favorite hacks, I am always looking for interesting ones!

How To Hack a 12 Volt Battery:

This first one I found through StumbleUpon. What was funny was how many people reviewed this hack as a practical joke, and claimed it was a fraud! So, to prove that it wasn’t, I actually went down to the store, and bought some 12 volt batteries, and checked it out for myself. Let me tell you, this works, and, it saves money!

Digital Camera Hack:

This hack I have not yet tried myself, but I have been planning on it since my camera is dying. Shows how to alter a disposable camera for long term use…very cool!

How To Create an Invisble Folder in Windows:

I have tried this hack, and it does indeed work. However, the only problem I had with it, is that you can see the folder raised on the bar in an alternate color of blue, if you wave your mouse over it. It could work I suppose, if you are shielding the folder from a complete compute