The Urban Jungle

I haven't kept up this blog as much lately, I'm sure that will come and go. In my travels I am almost positive that I will have interesting stories to tell almost daily. Here in a city that's strangeness i'm used to, everything seems typical to me. I was reminded however that my life is not typical and that I do have amazing adventures all the time. So i'm going to try to get into the habit of telling them here.

Two or so weeks ago while heading into a cemetery, I was stopped by a man with a gun. At first I wasn't sure what he wanted, I didn't see the gun and couldn't understand his ramblings. I'm used to running into drug addled zombies in Atlanta. I thought this was no different, although I must admit I felt uneasy and had for a block or so and had been chanting silently as a result. When I noticed the gun and it occurred to me what was going on, I must have looked dumbfounded. It was after all 3pm on a Sunday. Cars going by, people out and about. Not then though, as I looked around, no one came to my aid, no one was in sight. They of course took everything, my fancy phone, my trusty electronic eye and my wallet.

As I wondered away wanting only to get out of there and get home I stopped at a car garage, I looked at the men and told them I had just been mugged and they said they couldn't help me. At this point I realized I had wondered into a section of town were no one wanted to be a target, so no one wanted to get involved. So I walked home and only then called the police.

Of course through out this whole event, I was thinking of my trip and what I would do if something like that happened to me far away from home, far away from people. It caused me to think about this urban jungle I live in and how in many ways it has prepared me for this journey. I mean Atlanta is the 3rd most violent city and I am walking around it all the time. Looking at all this the bears don't freak me out as much as the thugs.

I am glad that I was unharmed and the love and support I got from those around me was amazing. I mean its about two weeks and I have almost replaced all my equipment with the love and support of family and friends. The Photo-Monk project is still on schedule and still going to happen.

So I guess I do have adventures to right about after all. Most of them are even uplifting!

Be Safe

The Photo-Monk