What's new

Life After $cientology (And Saying Goodbye To ESMB)

Free Being Me

Crusader
Hi Everyone!

I reckon since ESMB is closing I decided to start a thread about the positives of post-cult life and enjoying each other's company before the final curtain call. Feel free sharing something you enjoy such as music or a good book or a hobby or anything else you like and appreciation for our community of fellow ESMB Ex's and never-ins.

:handshake:

I enjoy the outdoors and nature. Particularly camping and hiking and canoeing and wilderness survival and bushcraft. There's nothing like sitting at a campfire watching the stars sipping on some fresh brewed coffee either alone or with excellent company.

I forgot those pastimes when I was "in" and it's taken me awhile rediscovering how meaningful they are to me. A lot of hard inner work de-culting later and I'm finding my passions again. Many thanks to the Ex community for sharing your insights and to the V.A. for their help too.

:gathering:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_8yo4mNMJkB7noKGLd7jUA
The above is Far North Bushcraft and Survival. A great youtube channel that I enjoy.

:cheers:
 

Free Being Me

Crusader
iu
There's plenty of room around the fire. Rumor has it that someone is passing around a flask of bourbon to Irish up the coffee. Some porterhouse steaks are cooking too. Here's some music in the meantime.

 

Glenda

Crusader
Happy full moon everyone. :)

It is a bit overcast outside but I may head out with my camera a bit later and see what I can see.

This pic was taken in February, 2018, just after the supermoon rose above the Pacific Ocean. Taken East Coast, North Island, NZ.


full01-1 (500x495).jpg
 

Xenu Xenu Xenu

Patron Meritorious
Right on. I like guacamole.

mBB9Hs8iiCaXx2JDZ3vA91g.jpg


Something I've always wanted to try is campfire cooking with a well cured cast iron dutch oven. It would be fun learning the ins and outs.
Same here. I am a sucker for a properly done roast chicken

hang-chicken-fire
zt0TTcP.jpg


I can just imagine some potatoes and carrots by the fire just under the chickens as they soak up the dripping juices from the chickens.
 

Free Being Me

Crusader
Happy full moon everyone. :)

It is a bit overcast outside but I may head out with my camera a bit later and see what I can see.

This pic was taken in February, 2018, just after the supermoon rose above the Pacific Ocean. Taken East Coast, North Island, NZ.
View attachment 15737
That's a beautiful picture of the moon rising above the ocean. I bought a canon powershot elph 180 s digital camera last year. It came with a complete bundle kit. It's been fun learning how to use it. I enjoy the pictures you share (you're skill is far better than mine), more please.
Same here. I am a sucker for a properly done roast chicken

zt0TTcP.jpg


I can just imagine some potatoes and carrots by the fire just under the chickens as they soak up the dripping juices from the chickens.
That looks delicious. I too share your fondness for wood fire/smoked roasted chicken. Add some wild fresh picked sage and it's perfect.

When I lived out in the boonies (which I'm trying to return to) far from civilization I usually cooked outside on an open fire during the summer months on the weekends. Too busy during the week working. Living in the city doesn't work for me. I'm a mountain country boy at heart.
 

Free Being Me

Crusader
My father taught me everything he knew about nature and the outdoors. In hindsight it was a considerable amount knowledge to digest. How to hunt and fish responsibly and safely handle weapons and edged items. Observe behavior and track forest critters with a stress on moving silently. How to use a compass and read a map. How to choose and set up a campsite and start a fire. Situational awareness paying attention to the weather and surroundings. Use all your senses, each one has its own message. There's a lot more but you get the message.

The most important concept he imparted was using proper judgement in the wilderness. Time and again he'd remind me carelessness and misjudging your own skills beyond your experience range can be fatal. He'd say it pays to remain calm and humble when you place yourself at the mercy of nature, it bites.

For a little boy that was quite an experience having my father tutor me sharing his wisdom in a tradition that's as old as mankind passing on insights to the next generation. I feel at home in the woods so I was definitely thrilled at the subject matter.

I joined the army as a recon scout so that definitely complimented all of my father's instruction. To this day I rely on his teachings when I head out to nature.

When I was a $cio-cultie I forgot about so much like the above paragraphs, it wasn't important therefor filed as irrelevant. That's just "wog considerations" I'd tell myself. "Off purpose" and all that Elcon rot.

It feels good to be out of a cult and remember what was important to me before I lost myself.
 

Type4_PTS

Diamond Invictus SP
You were gone from ESMB for quite a while Free. I appreciate all your contributions over the years and missed your presence here when you were gone. I'm glad you came back at the end.

And yes, it does feel wonderful to be out of a cult and not have to worry about saving this sector of the universe. :D :happydance:
 

Caroline

Patron Meritorious
Hi FBM,

My early childhood was spent in remote logging camps up and down the coast of British Columbia. My father was a crawler shovel/heavy equipment operator who built mountain logging roads. In the summer before I started third grade, my parents bought 12 sections (square miles) of unbroken land in a remote farming community called Buick, about 18 miles off Mile 73 of the Alaska Highway. No electricity, no running water. The road in from the highway was at that point basically a widened moose trail, virtually unpassable during spring breakup. I went to school in a one room, grades 1 through 7 school house. In grades 3 and 4, I was the only student in my grade. We grew up on moose meat, whatever we could grow and preserve, and staples we could afford to purchase in my father's twice monthly trip to town, which was Fort St. John.

Just wanted to mention that, because I think we may share a bit of that remote livingness. Here's my sister and me, plucking chickens in our Buick pantry. I'm the one in the apron, close to the corn.

CML-JCL-chickens.jpg
 

Free Being Me

Crusader
You were gone from ESMB for quite a while Free. I appreciate all your contributions over the years and missed your presence here when you were gone. I'm glad you came back at the end.

And yes, it does feel wonderful to be out of a cult and not have to worry about saving this sector of the universe. :D :happydance:
Thank you, T4. I've enjoyed reading your posts over the years. Well reasoned getting to the meat of the topical subject matter. Seems fitting that I began my Ex journey here so I might as well be here when ESMB ends its journey. You got that right, no more Elconian claptrap!
Hi FBM,

My early childhood was spent in remote logging camps up and down the coast of British Columbia. My father was a crawler shovel/heavy equipment operator who built mountain logging roads. In the summer before I started third grade, my parents bought 12 sections (square miles) of unbroken land in a remote farming community called Buick, about 18 miles off Mile 73 of the Alaska Highway. No electricity, no running water. The road in from the highway was at that point basically a widened moose trail, virtually unpassable during spring breakup. I went to school in a one room, grades 1 through 7 school house. In grades 3 and 4, I was the only student in my grade. We grew up on moose meat, whatever we could grow and preserve, and staples we could afford to purchase in my father's twice monthly trip to town, which was Fort St. John.

Just wanted to mention that, because I think we may share a bit of that remote livingness. Here's my sister and me, plucking chickens in our Buick pantry. I'm the one in the apron, close to the corn.

CML-JCL-chickens.jpg
That's awesome, Caroline. What an interesting childhood! I bet you have some engaging stories if you're inclined to share them. To be fair my father didn't start taking me out into the woods until I was about 8. We lived in the city. It wasn't until after I discharged from the service that I chose to live in rural/country settings.

I love country living. I miss it terribly. The only reason I'm in a city is to be close to a V.A. healthcare system. I recently found out if a Vet is living in a remote area and has an internet connection the V.A. permits skyping in lieu of physical appointments so that opens up opportunities.
 

Caroline

Patron Meritorious
That's awesome, Caroline. What an interesting childhood! I bet you have some engaging stories if you're inclined to share them. To be fair my father didn't start taking me out into the woods until I was about 8. We lived in the city. It wasn't until after I discharged from the service that I chose to live in rural/country settings.

I love country living. I miss it terribly. The only reason I'm in a city is to be close to a V.A. healthcare system. I recently found out if a Vet is living in a remote area and has an internet connection the V.A. permits skyping in lieu of physical appointments so that opens up opportunities.
Thanks FBM. I think I'd like to live in the country again too. Maybe not quite so rough. An internet connection would make an enormous difference, I think. And a real bathtub, with taps. I hope you do get to be where you really love.
 

JustSheila

Crusader
Right on. I like guacamole.

mBB9Hs8iiCaXx2JDZ3vA91g.jpg


Something I've always wanted to try is campfire cooking with a well cured cast iron dutch oven. It would be fun learning the ins and outs.

What I learned in Australia about grilling and cooking out is anything can be cooked in the fire or on the grill wrapped in tin foil with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Asparagus:drool: tastes better like that than any other way, but also potatoes, corn on the cob, green and red peppers (stuffed, omg! :omg: ) and lots of other vegetables.

Rather than a skillet, the closed iron basket (baffle iron) is a lot faster and easier to cook evenly. The kind used for s’mores.
 

strativarius

Inveterate gnashnab & snoutband
Same here. I am a sucker for a [bcolor=#ffff00]properly done[/bcolor] roast chicken
Oh, you mean like this (not). :biggrin:

m7z8zy2.jpg


Bottle of Jack Daniels: Check
Plastic bag full of dope: Check
Beautiful sunny South African evening: Check.
Ahh, those were the days! I lived there for faav (that's South African for five) years and I left my heart behind when I came home.
 
Last edited:
Top