Is about how I expect it all went.

As someone who is interested in similar old hardware that occasionally lacks any kind of documentation (specifically cameras), I sincerely wish I had this level of patience and determination (and also understanding, I'm not really a software guy).

The original Openbook and the Abridged version haven't been active projects in a while.

I got mine from some random guy on the discord who happened to have a bunch of kits he found in his closet or something.

The Loudville lead mine in Easthampton MA, which used to be open for public collecting, recently closed due to irresponsible collecting and severe erosion. They closed off the entire recreational trail system, which has far reaching affects far beyond the rockhounding community.

I'd collected once at Loudville shortly before it closed and found a couple scraps of Pyromorphite, some tiny Wulfenite you need a microscope to see, and some Malachite. I am sad that I can't go back, now.

You can read more about it here: https://newenglandforestry.org/newsroom/recreation-on-the-ro...

I don't expect, or really even want to find museum-quality specimens, I just want the ability to explore the minerology of my home region on a physical and personal level.

I am a part of a local mineral club which hosts several "field trips" a year to various mineralogically interesting locations (most of which aren't accessible as an individual, like private land and special digs at active mining/quarrying sites on their days off). I have never found anything even remotely as beautiful as the specimens shown, but the small collection of mildly interesting things that I've smashed out of the earth with my own 2 hands is amazingly satisfying to me. You don't even have to be a super dedicated "rock nerd" to take part, I highly recommend looking for local mineral clubs to join if this even remotely interests you. It's really a ton of fun!

I still have a photo of it kicking around here somewhere.

I'll just so happen to be at the world stamp expo, so I'll be sure to try and check out the postcrossing meetups, and pick up some of these stamps hot off the press!

Take me to the Fila store!

We had it on the Dreamcast, and it was one of our most-played games. I remember for YEARS trying to 100% the Crazy Box... but because we didn't know how to do the boost thing, it was just impossible. Specifically the Crazy Jump, there's just no way to even come close without doing the boost. Literal definition of insanity, us swapping the controller back and forth for hours trying to wiggle the car into the corner of the launch platform to get a little extra run-up and still failing.

I would love to emigrate to Europe. One of the nights in Amsterdam, I couldn't sleep and spent the night frantically researching how to legally emigrate.