X marks the spot. My universe for 19 years of my life. Countless early Christmas morning risings, Halloween popcorn balls, big southern breakfasts… too many memories to recount here.

No, I am here to recount the adventures no one else experienced from this X. I have drawn the magical mystery map of The Old Russian Trail, and have chosen to reveal its secrets herein. I am sure somewhere there was some pact that its secrets were never to be revealed, but that vow was long forgotten by its former guardians, those who have gone on to adventures elsewhere in this world… and beyond it.

Why it was the Old Russian Trail I do not know. Perhaps because this was the time of cold wars and cold storm cellars and whispers of bomb shelters that murmured beneath the conversations adults had around us. But there it was. Its beginning lay at the end of our street, across the dirt road that marked the border to the end of civilization and into the expanse of the unknown universe. A depression in the weeded field that led first under a small wooden bridge made of railroad ties and meandered between the barbed wire fence and the railroad tracks as far as the eye could see.

The small bridge was the result of a side rail that ran to the newly built Morrow Thomas building. It was built, I am sure now, to cross a needed drainage ditch from the dirt road. As to the giant red brick Morrow Thomas building, we knew only that they sold hammers or something, housed hardware of some kind, and numerous rail cars would often be sent down the siderail to be loaded with “things” and shipped off to who knows where.

So our first adventure was to dash across the dirt road and crawl beneath the small bridge…and there we saw the expanse of The Trail. It went on as far as we could see. And, it was begging to be explored. We walked a few hundred feet along the ditch gathering artifacts and stones, and still could not see where it might lead us. Without knowing it, it would lead out of our imaginations into adventures unimagined that evening.

This was going to take a plan of some sort… and supplies and maybe more men… who knew? This was far beyond the X. This was big.

If you would like to participate, check out ART HOUSE CO-OP in Brooklyn.

I hate you…
because you’re pretty, ugly, skinny, fat. Because you’re black, red, yellow, white, brown. Because you’re Christian, Agnostic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Bahai. Because your hair is long, short straight, curly, buzzed. I hate you because you eat meat, are a vegetarian, vegan, because you fast. I hate you because you’re gay, straight, liberal, conservative, republican, democrat, socialist, fascist, communist. I hate you because you’re homeless, a damn millionaire, educated, stupid, from the East, the West, your a Northerner, a Southerner. I hate you because your not like me. You don’t look like me, talk like me, think like me, want to be me. I hate you.
Don’t pray for world peace. Pray for personal peace.

Even though it is for only one’s self, there is an inherent fear of one’s innermost thoughts being exposed to public scrutiny. So, the tendency is, for one to write with constant vision of some unknown reader in mind.

Tai Chi incorporates fluid movement and gentle exercises; learn about proper Tai Chi stance for practicing Tai Chi in this free Tai Chi video for beginners. Expert: Jason Hall Bio: Jason Hall is a professional martial arts instructor who teaches martial arts, tai chi, and self defense classes for men, women and children. … Read More

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