I had never really had any exposure to YouTube,
other than the occasional funny viral video that just had to be viewed. I knew of its existence and had even heard
that it could turn regular people, people just like us, into well-known personalities.
I never really gave it much thought and
would have never imagined that someday we would end up creating videos of our
amazing adventures. It was slow go at
the beginning. We had one “subscriber”,
aka supporter….Wade, Marcel’s son-in-law, who believed in us and hit that button despite the fact that the two of us are
die hard Patriots fans. Our supporter
base began to grow slowly but surely. We
had our first taste of thumbs downs and the occasional “You guys are idiots”,
but that didn’t stop us! We have said it
a million times…” We definitely aren’t for everybody! If you want to watch great! Come along for the ride, if not…no big deal!” That is the beauty of YouTube, there is
something out there for everyone!
 |
| Not for everyone and PROUD of it!! |
As we began to
spread our YouTube wings (sorry Twitter, we think you are for the birds), we
began to find others that we enjoyed watching and interacting with. Peaceful walks through the woods with Marlo C,
inspiring “get off that couch” moments with Muscle the Russell, amazing
explores with Burning Sands Exploration, the Lost Turtle, RNS, Hobie Katt, Rich
Discoveries and the Vega Zone. Funny and
extremely entertaining moments with Mr. Fables. We have been taken to far off lands with
Urbexy, Explore 101 Urbex, Kelita K, Exploring with Carl, OneOld Key and
Awesome Epic Adventures….just to name a few.
It has been an opportunity to travel the world and gain inspiration from
others who share our passion.
A few months
ago, we added another layer to our YouTube experience when we found a few live streams
that we swiftly began to enjoy and become a part of. We began
to look forward to Monday, Tuesday and Friday nights! Live streams are a wonderful time to meet up
with others with whom you share common interests. They have come a long way since the dial up
days of “You’ve got mail” and archaic chat
rooms. Your host appears live on the
screen and is the conductor of a symphony of stories to be told, advice to be
given and, in most cases, laughter to be had.
A deep and sincere respect began to grow for one of our most favorite
conductors. Exploring with CF…it was, at
first, a mystery as to what the CF meant.
Was it the name of the two gentleman that explored many amazing places deep
in the heart of our country? Was it a
first and last initial? We soon learned
what the CF meant and, without making the conductor blush, it took our breath
away. You see, the CF stands for cystic
fibrosis, a genetic disorder that can affect many organs in the body but tends
to affect the lungs the most. It can
cause many debilitating symptoms such as a persistent cough and difficulty
breathing. He does not dwell on the fact
that he has this disorder and instead has become an inspiration for many young
people who also have been diagnosed with this disease. As for the two of us, we learned early on not
to feel sorry for our friend, only to join him in his quest to inspire others. We swiftly looked beyond the title and began
to learn from this veteran explorer. Our
very own Obi Wan Kenobi. Now, as for the
two of us…exploring is not M’s first rodeo.
As mentioned before, he has been exploring the wonderful world of decay
and abandonment for many, many years.
The J (that’s me…duh) is a relative newbie. Within the streams, we have, even with one of
us being extremely experienced, learned many new things and for that we are
forever grateful. Along the way, we just
so happened to make many new friendships and, as it so happens…a few enemies as
well.
It all started
with laughter amongst friends, telling stories and getting to know others, who,
as it just so happens, are real life people behind the swift fingers of a
computer keyboard. Behind the veil of anonymity within the world
of social media, lies the entanglement of blessed humanity intertwined so
meticulously around a web of malevolent chaos.
We had encountered a fellow explorer with whom we began to form a bond
with. He was funny and engaging and we
truly enjoyed visiting his streams. On Mondays,
we talked all things exploring…from cameras to drones to places we have been
and dangers we have encountered. On Fridays,
it was a free for all! Time to laugh and
let loose! We had some really great times!! And
then came an unraveling, a downward fall that became extremely difficult to
watch…even as I write this, I hesitate, because….You know when you do something
and then you regret it and just wish you never said anything in the first place? The old saying, “Sometimes it’s better to
leave well enough alone.” Well, we saw our friend spiraling out of control and,
due to the fact that we are both a bit outspoken, did not leave well enough
alone. Although our intentions were, in
our minds, for the good. They were
misinterpreted and set off an explosion of hatred, hostility and anger. Unspeakable threats of violence ensued and
although some loyalties were broken, we received a wave of support and caring
that we will not soon forget. It was
deflating, but we have rebounded and do not intend for this incident to intrude
on our explorations. We have no ill will
and no desire to reopen old wounds, just closing the chapter in this part of
our story for good.
Our
participation on streams is still something that we enjoy and look forward to! There are so many amazing people out there
and we are very thankful to have found a way to share our adventures while,
through the magic of YouTube, we get to travel the world to come along with
others as they explore this wide world of awe-inspiring locations! Adventure is truly out there!
There are many
more explores to be had….more stories to be told! If you are taking the time to read this…we
thank you and hope that we have had some part in inspiring you to get out there
and enjoy our world. Make sure that you
pass it along and motivate those around you to get out there and….
As always, “Do whatever makes you feel alive!!”
Jennifer and
Marcel
For more
information on Cystic Fibrosis and how you can help please visit…www.cff.org
