Abandoned places have been a reoccurring theme in my life as of late. I can’t complain! Expeditions into forgotten and overlooked places make me feel a bit like a young Harriet Chalmers Adams. Joyland is an abandoned theme park. What’s really wonderful about it, is that it looks like everyone just dropped everything and left — total apocalypse style. I completed one of my life goals while I was there too — walking on the track of a roller coaster! By far, Joyland was my favorite part of the trip, followed by Rhyolite, a ghost town and open air museum outside of Death Valley (Stay tuned for more Photo Specimens).
We didn’t explore Arcadia as thoroughly, but the abandoned house you see in the photos is from there, and the area was really beautiful.
And so, with no more gilding the lily, here are some of the photos from my explorations (lovingly dubbed the “Adventure Date”).
Last week I sought out adventures with Nick. We hit the open road, got lost, encountered attack goats, took a break for lunch and then found a new destination — an abandoned hospital. We were dead set on going even before we found out that it was reported haunted, and had a… wait for it… psychiatric ward in the basement. How fantastically creepy is that?!
Here are some of the photos from our little escapade, just click them to view large versions.
Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.
Socialpunk is the fast paced first installment of Monica Leonelle’s new trilogy. For anyone who is a fan of science fiction, cyberpunk style fiction, this is must read title. With 177 pages, it isn’t a daunting read. Socialpunk reads a lot like a good television show, bold scenes that start and end abruptly in the futuristic streets of Chicago. Monica Leonelle has created a vivid, bold, and inspiring book that pulls the reader in and gives them something new. The world she has created for her readers is refreshing because it doesn’t come off as the same old cyberpunk setting. So welcome to Chicago, in the year 2198.
You can check out more reviews and purchase Socialpunk here. As with all of my reviews, what I have written is my personal opinion, not a paid endorsement.
Found on Pinterest, click the image to check out my profile on there.
Friday the thirteenth is drawing to a close here on the west coast, but before it’s over, I decided to share some links and update with what has been going on at HQ!
- Quitting smoking. Now, I don’t want to jinx myself, but for about a week I’ve been smoking one of those e-cigarettes instead of real ones, and I’m pretty proud of it! Particularly because cutting back/quitting smoking was one of my new year’s resolutions!
- Rescuing my entire collection of writing from my Mac. The thought of my laptop dying is always one of the biggest sources of my anxiety, and earlier in the Year of the Apocalypse, that happened. Sort of. The screen on my Mac decided to go on strike and since February I haven’t been able to work on any of my writing! Today I got that sorted though, and as soon as I’m done with this article, I’m probably going to go on a writing spree.
The Little Things
- Ghost, my dog, for being such a spaz – Realizing that I can help those around me – Finding out that I can handle everything life is throwing at me this year (it’s been a lot!) – Perfumes containing: Mermaid Tears, Luna, & Moon Water – Exploring old mining towns with Nick – Being close to my family again – Hair escapades with my little sister – Working on top-secret projects – Dreaming about the impending summer – Comments from my readers on here and on my Facebook page – Granola & yogurt for breakfast – & Having blue hair!
I love this: “The Art Of Self Confidence” by Kat of Rock N’ Roll Bride, it’s really a fantastic piece. I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who could benefit from reading it.
I don’t believe that it is right to change people. Changing something is, in my mind, an indicator that something was wrong in the first place. I’ve always believed that trying to change the person you’re dating or friends with is wrong, and most of the time, I think the person instigating change is the one who gets hurt most. I also don’t believe in changing yourself. That might sound a little odd to anyone who has read my articles. I talk about self-improvement and alteration all the time!
It is true though. People don’t change. Their history, beliefs, morals, religion — it all adds up and creates a person whose core beliefs and personality are the way they are. No ifs, ands, or buts. What I believe in is growth. That a person can see something about themselves that they aren’t especially fond of, or that they feel could be improved on, and they strive to do so. It could be something superficial, like a habit they would like to kick. Or it could be something major, like the way they react to certain situations is particularly aggressive, and they’d like to do better. Some people would probably say that I’m arguing semantics here, but I must stress the difference between the two.
When you try to change yourself, you’re trying to force a set of ideas or traits upon yourself that don’t mesh with who you are as an individual. When you strive to grow as a person, you’re accentuating who you are and improving upon it. Change (to me) is something that happens to us externally, i.e.: where we live, how we look, etc. Growth is internal. And yes, sometimes other people make us see the room for growth within ourselves, but whenever this is the case, I advise that you take a serious look at why. Do you see room for growth because it is something you want? Or do you see that room for growth because the other person wants you to? There is a line, and knowing it can be the difference between success and a huge mess.
As always, being aware of the person you’d like to grow into is key and pursuing happiness within yourself is the most important part of any personal growth mission. It’s a slow process, internal growth, and there are bumps along the way. People will get their feelings hurt. People will tell you that you’re “changing” and “becoming a different person.” It will cause you to really look at yourself as a person, and that can be the hardest thing in the world, but if you feel like you need to change, I urge you to look at it as growth. We are all a far cry from who we used to be, but if you look back, your roots are very much the same.
Welcome back my cohort & partner in crime, Holly Ginter for this second installment of Fitness In Times of Zombies!
Shortly after I began to think of the world of fitness in terms of how it can benefit zombie survival, Ace was kind enough to send me a link to Run for Your Lives, which is a zombie infested 5k obstacle course race. In the race, you’re given a flag (like in flag football) and the highly trained zombies are determined to take it from you (and they might chomp on you a bit, habits die-hard and all) and your goal is to reach the finish line while overcoming zombies and various obstacles.
Southern California Obstacle Race Map; Click for Registration & More Locations
For this race, you have the luxury of advance planning and I highly recommend you train before taking on such an endeavor, which brings us to the main focus of this article. There is definitely no shortage of advice available to you on exercising and training for an event, and I’m all about research and experimentation. I would, however, like to interject a few of my opinions based on my own experience and education.
First, I strongly believe in gradually increasing your exercise in your training program. I really cannot stress this enough. If you are exercising recreationally and aren’t currently running from zombie hordes, angry mobs, or crazy ex-girlfriends, then take your time. Many of us are short-sighted creatures, and it’s easy to push too hard too fast, but that will really screw you over in the long run. For example, a torn muscle (aka strained or pulled muscle) is a common enough injury, resulting from torn muscle fibers. It’s bad enough on its own, but the frustrating part is the aftermath. Our bodies are efficiently lazy, and when you tear a muscle your body will repair the damage with fibrous (aka scar) tissue. If you’ve had any deep cuts, you probably have a scar or two visible on your skin (hell, I’ve got hundreds.) With smaller cuts or scrapes your body replaces the old skin cells with new ones and it will end up looking the same, but scars occur when the damage is more severe.
The same process happens in your muscles. When the damage is severe, scar tissue forms. This sucks because scar tissue isn’t as flexible or strong as muscle tissue, so your performance is inhibited and it can be continually painful. There are ways to deal with scar tissue, but that’s another story. Basically, take it slow and you can avoid torn muscles. Another important factor is your bone health. Your bones are dynamic, constantly being remodeled in response to the stresses you put on them. Gradually increasing your running time and running on softer terrain (like grass instead of concrete) reduces the impact on the bones and allows them to get stronger, while pushing too hard too fast can lead to stress fractures. I’m also a big proponent of getting plenty of calcium in your diet for optimal bone density and health.
So, now that I’ve lectured you enough, here’s an example of planning your training program:
Wednesday: Walk 30 minutes Thursday: Rest Friday: Run/walk 3.5 miles (5.6km)
Saturday: Rest or walk
If you notice the “Run/walk” portions, that’s basically my method of gradually building up your run time. If you’re not used to running, I recommend walking for a few minutes, then run for 30 seconds, then walk a few minutes and run for 30 seconds and repeat. Or, you could run for 15 seconds, walk for a minute, run then walk, etc. As you adapt, you can increase your running time. I also have designated “Walk” days, because running puts a lot of stress on your body and it’s not something I do every day, especially early on in a program. Also, don’t forget to have at least one rest day to give your muscles a chance to recuperate. If you start to feel bored with your routine, or you just don’t feel motivated to run, ask someone to run with you, or even dress up as a zombie and chase you for extra motivation. Angry dogs, swarms of bees, and villagers with torches and pitchforks are also good incentives to pick up the pace.
Photo from the Run For Your Lives website, click to view more!
One last rant from me: I’m very picky about shoes. Not in terms of fashion, but for function. I tore my calf muscle while hiking in Yosemite because I was wearing flip flops and there are still some residual problems from that. I want to emphasize finding footwear that works for your activity. This topic has a lot of debate, with people preferring running shoes (then they argue about brands), people preferring other types of shoes, or even people who prefer to run barefoot. My advice is to go to a shoe store and talk to the staff about what you need, and they can show you different shoe types and watch you walk to see if you have an alignment issue that certain shoes are designed to help. Find something that works for you, and go with it. Ace thoughtfully pointed out that running shoes won’t last quite as long as combat boots if a zombie starts chomping, so maybe keep that in mind for the future.
I was lucky enough to be invited down to Anaheim California for WonderCon this year. Nick Maida, creator of Super Hero Society, was there promoting Celestial Guard, for whom he drew a lovely mini-comic. We road-tripped down there, staunchly refusing sleep, worked the convention Saturday, and drove back to northern California that evening. It was exhausting, but I’m confident in saying that we had a blast. Here are the Photo Specimens for your perusal:
There’s nothing quite like watching a bunch of cosplayers wandering around a convention hall. The nerd in me explodes with joy every time I go to a convention!
We did run into torrential rain in Anaheim, which, on a desperate search for food, and due to our being unfamiliar with the area, left us all quite drenched.
Baby Tattoo was there, much to my excitement. Yes, I did buy something from them.
This happened… I… I have no words.
This is Nick at the booth with Celestial Guard comics and Super Hero Society posters (check out his stuff via the link and give his page a like). He’s rather wonderful.
These guys had seriously intense costumes. Great job guys!
Not because love isn’t worth finding, but because it’s better to look for something that satisfies your hunger for joy and life. If you must find someone, find someone who will go on adventures with you, someone who wants to join you on your quest to the latest and greatest midnight game release or movie showing. If you must find a person, find one who is mutually excited by your interests.
My father, before he passed away, told me that what really made him upset was that he didn’t have anyone to share his life with; someone with whom to make plans and share his passions. My father died, in some ways, because he searched for love so hard, and invested so much of himself into other people, that when there was no one left by his side, he no longer had a reason to live. Ideas skewed by depression, yes, but something to learn from. Find things that make you happy. Find people to share those things with, but don’t go looking for love at every turn, because people see what they want to see. People often fall in love with ideas and potential and challenges, but that real love that keeps people together for decades? That love is the kind that accepts everything a person already is, and adores it without complaint.
So don’t search for love, blindly hoping that the next person you meet will be “the one.” Instead, seek out a new town to explore, a new road trip to go on, a new place to move, or a new hobby. Watch the stars. Learn a new skill. Start a new collection. Don’t be afraid of missing love when it is right under your nose, because the truth is that love isn’t a word reserved for use between two people. Love and enjoy exploring your city, take a million photos even if you aren’t a photographer. Dress well, speak well and be the person you want to be, because if you’re happy, you won’t worry about finding love.
And love will always find you when you aren’t looking.
Altars have long been a religious epicenter, a kind of condensed, hyper dramatized show of faith and inspiration. From churches, to Dia De Los Muertos, to Pagan homes, altars and shrines are a visual representation of things that are important to those worshiping at them. For creative types, an altar can be a source of inspiration without all of that Godliness and mortality.
I’m a fan of setting up little dedicated areas on shelves or tables to things I love. A beat-up old typewriter, a copy of 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, an old ammunition box, and similarly themed trinkets, arranged on a shelf, can be the perfect inspiration for my while I’m writing my latest story. To be honest, it also looks pretty bad ass. I can just imagine a pianist hanging a photo of Beethoven, and surrounding it with items that remind them of their love for music. Or a photographers collection of cameras, old film canisters and inspiring images. This Back To The Laboratory is all about inspiring yourself so here are some photos of altars and shrines, some religious, some not, for your inspiration.
Click image to go to Laurie Beth Zuckerman's website and see more.
