i by nature have a ridiculously low blood pressure count but if tested upon entry of an urban exploring property i'm pretty sure it would match (if not beat) the BP of a 300 pound smoking male, who eats burgers every other day!

beyond the blood pressure part -there is fear, it's real, terrifying, cold fear. it's the fear, that only allows you to breathe, no screaming. screaming would fuck things up, you know if people were squatting in that location or if perhaps there's security! NEVER SCREAM (unless you spot your reflection in a mirror and think it's someone, then scream- it's so strange I just did that myself!

joy. oh the fucking joy that comes. think christmas morning, only better. ok stop shaking your heads, like i'm the weirdest person you've ever met. i'm not into possessions, UE is soul and photo gratifying and filling for me. you will see what i mean in the video below.

the urban dictionary's definition of badass is ultra-cool motherfucker.

then there's the badass feeling that pops up as you get going on your UE adventures. this feeling is what puts the other two inline. it's the Mr. T of feelings, without badass, those other two a-holes (that's BP and fear) would have you curled up on your couch watching You Tube videos on UE thinking "that is crazy, i would never try that...not even if you paid me. too scary!" this BA feeling makes you invincible. this feeling whispers gently "come on dina, don't you want to see what's in there, nothing will happen, lets go"!

now you may be thinking that a badass attitude/feeling would make you respond like Mr.T when you do get caught - example...

"whatcha talking about fool, we up in here for some pictures, now back off an lets us get some work done up in here-are you hearing me fool. don't make me go Mr.T on you"

but real smart badass's respond like this when caught...

"I'm so sorry, we didn't mean to upset anyone, were here only to take pictures for historical purposes, were photographers. so sorry, we will leave right now"

smart badass's think like Mr.T to get the job done but respond like mom's! that way we don't get arrested (usually, haven't yet, fingers crossed). we get the images we want with out being asked to delete them. winning. (BA is not to be mistaken with ego driven jackass's, we just want to take neat pictures, we have no desire to upset, disturb or cause issues for anyone or anything. think of us like the wind...we drift in and out. leaving behind foot prints. that's it).

you also have to have a badass partner to accompany you (if they don't have the badass feeling in them it will not work, why because they are the ying to your yang! when you are scared their not, when they're scared your not...two badass's make a positive). partnering is always a wise idea. you never know when you might need backup with a crack head, rapist or just a general hostile large male asking you "why are you in my (NOT abandoned) work space?" (this may or may not have happened to us, just saying).

my partner is michelle, that picture up there is what i think of her...i may have done those hands with the lips too - mmm hmmm girl! who would think that two mothers living in suburbia would match up to trespass together. NO ONE. that's why we don't get into (too many) hairy situations or at least any we couldn't get out of. we show up waring safety vests holding cameras. NO ONE SUSPECTS A THING! you become so obvious that people think you work for the city! only mom's would think of that. badass again.

in vancouver urban exploration is a hard go (meaning an un-lived in, untouched house with objects in tack from another time is RARE. badass purple unicorn rare), we usually have to settle for demo scraps or really badly vandalized, weathered homes, pretty much emptied out. BUT we forage ahead and do our best to find that mythical creature.

yesterday was the closest to the purple unicorn we've ever encountered. we stumbled upon a 1928 heritage home, pretty much original, not lived in for years and it still had some personal objects in tacked. we literally drove by, scouted for a sec, talked to the neighbour and opened the door. yes, i said opened the door. it was open! this was a gift from the UE gods because that never happens.

so merry fucking christmas to me!

(please note: as true urban explorers you never break in to homes or buildings, if they are open you enter, if there not we don't and we never vandalize anything EVER! our only goal is to document.)

#lifeunscripted

the video sums up the best part of our adventure in Vancouver.