We Are Atlas : The Scavenger Hunt

SCAVENGER HUNT INTRODUCTION

The 8 Bi11ion Month’ 23

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU PLAY THE GAME

****

TEAM A CLUES & FINDINGS

STREET ADS & MORE

SCAVENGER HUNT INTRODUCTION

We Are Atlas is a free eco-scavenger hunt on the streets of Brooklyn, New York. And even more than that, it is a coffee table book in electronic format with lots of pictures! So, first comes the book, while the actual stroll is a bonus if you ever happen to be in the correct zip code, 11206!

In case you are in New York, see it as a perfect activity for groups, but one person alone could do it as well. When enough people gather, they can divide in two teams since there are two routes available. The teams* leave simultaneously from the same starting point and meet again at the end! (*The size could vary from 2 players up to 10, or even 15, however, playing one team at a time also works great.)

The scavenger hunt is a fun way to spend a morning or an afternoon for both tourists and New Yorkers. If you’re not in the mood for searching details on the streets, no worries! You could do it as a tour; just read the clues and use the information along with the photos provided to go straight to the findings! Meaning that you could also do a visual tour remotely, from wherever you are in the world!

This document contains Team A clues and numerous photographs which are especially helpful if people outside New York City decide to browse through it.

It also reveals details about the history of the hunt, including the meaning of the name, We Are Atlas, and the inspiration for the logo.

If you are going on the scavenger hunt in person, choose daytime hours and pay attention when you cross the streets; the hunt is not responsible for accidents, robberies or any other incidents. Most likely you will have a great time! Wear walking shoes and dress for the season! If a tourist can do it, so can you! (Meaning that almost any type of weather is appropriate for taking a stroll. Stay hydrated, use sunscreen and a hat if it’s hot outside.)

Players advance from clue to clue outlining a route on the map. Most of the clues are street art/tags (by unknown authors) hidden in plain view. You will understand from the text of the hunt that some clues are handwritten (so they will be seen on vertical surfaces, such as walls), while others are ‘carved in stone,’ hence you will have to examine the sidewalks.

Organized groups are playing this game beginning with the fall of ‘22, and the clues were always discovered. However, just like in life, things on the route change; a written tag may be erased here and there, a sidewalk may be redone, a door may get repainted or a building demolished, so some findings will get lost. Accordingly, new ones could arise — as it happened a few times since the hunt was created. This text generally reflects the reality as it was in November ’23. (Team A was published online on November 28^th ’23, #CallToEarthDay, and Team B followed on December 22^nd ’23.)

Let’s call November 2023 The 8 Billion Month, as it marked one year since the population on Earth became 8 billion, on November 15^th, 2022! Furthermore, until we become 9 billion, decades from now, November will be our common anniversary as The Generation of the 8 Billion!

To celebr8 that, the ones who went on the hunt in person during the first year of its existence were invited to redeem eco-gifts (while the funds allowed) from a Brooklyn location.

The gifts were:

1) One good quality travel mug for hot or cold drinks with a carabiner (which prevents losing or dropping the mug),

2) One foldable tote bag and

3) One metal water bottle to refill when the water quality allows.

They all fit under the large umbrella of Peaceful Personal Progress. More people should start using them. If you do, please don’t let the improvements stop at you; in other words, encourage others to make the switch to healthier habits and products!

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU PLAY THE GAME

The starting point is next to 11 Lewis Avenue, across the street from Bushwick City Farm, walking distance from the G, L, J, M, and Z train lines, and several bus stops. If you come from miles away, please save your energy for the hunt, so don’t walk to Lewis Avenue; instead use the public transit, a car or a cab. Once everyone is there, both teams can read their first clues and depart in two different directions.

Before the hunt was transferred online players received their gifts at the starting point, as well as instructions and a few other objects, as it follows:

• One person in each team was handed a doggie-poop bag, plastic gloves, hand disinfectant, and was responsible for collecting the littered vapes on the route. You probably won’t have those available, so limit yourself to looking out for littered vapes/ learning to notice them; and then consider collecting them outside of the hunt (if you don’t live in NY, please read about correct recycling of electronics on the sanitation website of your city.).
• One person was given a fly swatter and was responsible to kill the lanternflies, which are pest. Please be prepared to hunt the lanternflies on your path (seen from early summer till December) with or without a fly swatter!
• Players were told that they received a travel mug because paper cups are not recyclable, and since the meeting point is next to a little farm, they were also reminded that composting food leftovers is very important! When we compost, the rat population goes down!
• Players should use maps, but they should also check visually their surroundings.
• One player keeps track of the points earned (each finding is a point, unless otherwise stated).
• If two teams play simultaneously, keep the pace up in order to finish around the same time! The duration for each route is around 2-3 hours or more, depending on your speed & chosen format (hunt versus tour).
• Leaves (in the fall), snow (in the winter) and sometimes trash may cover clues on occasions.

This document contains more than one hundred images so don’t get intimidated by the number of pages. Think of it as a digital coffee table book! And since some players may have more time than others, a few areas will be marked with the title Read Now or Later. (Do the same when it comes to the articles and short videos shared in this material; go over them in a coffee break, on the train or in the airport!)

This game is suitable for both tourists and New Yorkers. If you’re a tourist, gift-yourself the aforementioned trio as a practical NY souvenir, especially that most likely you got to New York City by airplane, and you’ll leave the same way. Reduce your footprint by eliminating the frequent consumption of paper cups, disposable plastic bags and single-use bottles!

Let’s call this The Frequent Flier Challenge! Don’t compare your footprint only to the footprint of the ones who fly private planes; compare it to our ancestors’.

Naturally, New Yorkers who ever set foot on a plane, economic class included, are invited to switch to this trio for the same good reason!

P.S. Furthermore, “Live in the present” is outdated, unless we align the way we live, thus our actions, to the present of a plastic bag (500 years), of a plastic straw (200 years), of a set of 6-pack plastic rings (400 years), of a plastic bottle and cup (450 years), of a coffee pod (500 years), of a fishing line (600 years), or of a disposable diaper (500 years). (Find this data & more in the free to watch documentary Ocean Emergency – Currents of Hope)

Now, let the hunt begin!

Team A – Clue 1

Team A (if two teams playing); or one or more players taking this route together, read the first clue at the starting point, next to Bushwick City Farm or 11 Lewis Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11206.

Here comes first clue:

“At Beaver Noll Park, find the man who naps under the roses since 2021.”

You won’t see him move, but he’s alive! Only that he sleeps too much, or maybe he embodies daydreaming, both at day and at night…

* * *

Word on the street says he’s timid… To encourage breaking the ice, you score one point just for greeting!

* * *

For giving him the time & the genuine curiosity,

Street Says,

“You’ll be paid back ...”

HINT: Search on the concrete.

Go to the next page to see photos of the man who naps under the roses.

Team A – Clue 2

The last image was captured by Team A players at the Special Edition of the hunt on Sunday 11/13/2022. Why call it Special you may wonder?

Well, on 11/15/22 the population on Earth became 8 billion & this N.Y.C. street game was created to mark that moment!

This explains the initial name — 8 Million to 8 Billion ’22 (in ’22 New York City population was a bit over 8 million).

Since November ‘22 the hunt was rebranded as We Are Atlas 238 (still 8 billion humans in ‘23), however, you may also call it… The Heaven Tour!

Go to next page to understand why is that!

“Hiiiii… Heaven is on my mind at all times, but… on top* of myself & the roses Heaven can be seen carved on the same side of the sidewalk*, Thrice!

Look for it:

Starting from Flushing & Beaver… …to Bushwick Ave, and up to Melrose Ave”

“Wait! As you notice, I am carved upside down in relation to the roses, so… some things I just told you are reversed, meaning that you must begin your search… from Melrose.”

Before hitting Arion Street, you should already see your first finding.

***

To mark your interaction with this man, Street Says, “Wait! Don’t leave yet; spend one more moment next to the roses. His dream to finally be heard came true, so now is your turn to Make a Wish! Pick one that is worth it!”

Go to the next page to check yourself by looking at the photo of the first carved Heaven on the route!

This Heaven is on the border of the sidewalk on Bushwick Avenue, in between Melrose & Arion, yet much-much closer to the corner with Arion Street. (Photo taken by Team A at the 11/13/22 Special Edition & exchanged for their next clue, allowing them to advance/ trace a route on the map, just as you’ll do!)

Team A – Clue 3

Congratulations; first carved Heaven shows that you are on the lucky side of the street! Stick to it, but not before making a quick stop:

Go inside the park. Look around. Count the objects & sit down.

Rest.

You have one option out of nine. Examine the nine. Only one is a clear sign that you’ve nailed it.

Then go ahead, read the clue for next step of this tour/ scavenger hunt.

Check yourself by looking at the photos on the next page!

This is the sign that you’ve nailed it, meaning that you found the right table which has a nail embedded on its surface! (It is the fourth table on the left side of the 1^st Clue 3 photo; start counting from the closest one seen in the picture.)

Congratulations; you can read next clue!

Team A – Clue 4

Now that you’ve nailed it, return to the same sidewalk as before.

Practice finding four handwritten Heaven from Belvidere Street to “where two animals seen on the map” meet. (One is Beaver Street and one is…?)

To elimin8 confusion, follow this order->

(1) find the street signs at “the intersection of the animals” to confirm the correct block & to view a hidden street ad

(2) find four handwritten Heaven to redeem your Heaven points!

Go to next page to see photos of the intersection of the animals & to visualize the hidden street ad!

‘The animals’ are circled in pink on the map, while the short block in between “the intersection of the animals” and Belvidere Street is home to four handwritten Heaven.

Here comes the ‘hidden’ street ad:

From locust to ergot, above and beyond before and after

when you spot a lanternfly use the fly swatter. Do your best to kill what’s known as a “significant landscape pest.”

Street Says, “Support local agriculture!”

***

The spotted lantern fly has spread invasively in United States in the recent years & is a significant pest. Its favorite host is… the tree of Heaven… but aside from that, it damages our food crops! Be ready to destroy the eggs & kill the adults — seen in New York until December! They look pretty, but don’t let that trick you! (Remember Tiffany — the bad alien from Man in Black pretending to be one of the innocent children!)

Team A – Clue 5

Now you should find four Heaven written on the wall behind you.

*** Lost Heaven Alert *** As of April ’24 two of the following 4 handwritten Heaven have been lost.

The photograph on the left shows two handwritten Heaven (as one walks from Belvidere towards Locust), seen on 11/13/22; while the picture on the right shows them on 08/31/23. Maybe the Heaven Person should do a touch up!

*** Lost Heaven Alert *** As of April ’24 only the lower Heaven is still holding on.

Team A-Clue 6

Yes! More Heaven points just became yours!

You got it by now that carved Heaven are seen on horizontal surfaces (such as sidewalks), while Handwritten ones are on vertical surfaces (walls, doors & more).

Now walk to Flushing Avenue. Only at the corner, on this side of Beaver, can one read ‘Heaven’ (not once, but twice) & ‘young at heart,’ all in the same frame.

(June ’24 Update: Young at Heart [next page] took down its banner, but the clue does not change and the business remains open.)

And remember, always scan visually your surroundings for surprise points (Heaven not mentioned in this text), notice litter, empty vapes & hunt lanternflies!

Go to next page to check your findings by looking at the following photos of Heart Heaven & Young at Heart!

Steet Says, “And don’t forget please, despite aging (‘cause what is age, my dear?) young at heart is real!”

Team A – Clue 7

“Garden of roses, city farm, little park,

from Flushing & Beaver keep going & don’t stop

‘till the closest party store on the map (measured from Heaven next to Young at Heart).

Before you move on from Young At Heart search on the map to confirm you’re heading to the right place.

Hint: The name of the party store must rhyme with “Litters” (as in “he or she litters”).

Go to next page to check yourself by looking at the photos!

“Yes, Party Glitters it is!

There, spot Heaven carved thrice to gain 3 points & 1 clue!”

Attention! As of May’24, Party Glitters has a sign up announcing store closure; but the carved Heavens stay, and so will this clue.

***

To get to Party Glitters, stay on this sidewalk until you make a right on Broadway Avenue (as shown on the map). Before you turn, as you walk by the tree beds in this picture, check them out! At some point in the past, unknown hands cleaned them & pulled the weeds!

Team A – Clue 8

*** NEW *** SPECIAL ***

Let yourself inspired by strangers’ act of compassionate love towards This Street & experience first-hand how good does it feel to do any sort of cleanup. It could be your next outdoors activity!

Just like jogging, you can do it alone — for instance, you could do one tree bed care, which by the way, was praised by a man in this area as his therapy! Not much preparation needed — do it when you feel you should stretch, when you’re bored or saturated by surfing the Internet, or perhaps if you decided it was time to help trees back — since they have always had our back, giving us oxygen & shade!!

Either way, tree bed care could easily pass as a super-practical sport & a form…. of love. No need to wait for the call of a clean-up group, for a beach clean-up event, or anything else like that. Take a bag, take some gloves, take a breath, step outside, and connect to the Planet. Bam-Bam-Heaven — he said, she said, they said — right on; 100% pure love!

Or invite a few friends & throw yourself a legit birthday cleanup on any block. (It can be your monthly birthday. For instance, if your birthday is on June 29^th then your monthly birthday is on every 29 of each month!)

Click here now or later to watch a four-minute video about (monthly) birthdays & cleanups, and then click here for a two-minute video about staying calm!

When you notice litterbugs in action, please stay away from criticism since it could easily end up in a confrontation! That usually won’t lead to anything good — and the risk for heart attacks increases fivefold (threefold for strokes) in the first two hours after a burst of anger!

If you’re an adult and a fan of tattoos, use this simple design to quickly remind you of freeing yourself from anger.

Image 1: When you are irritated take a look at your closed fist & find the heart. The instant message should be that no such episode justifies putting your life at risk. Inhale, exhale, and then spread your fingers in order to open the fist.

Image 2: The flying bird should remind you of releasing the anger in that very moment. Freedom!!! Take deep breaths & let it go. It is not worth it!

Street Says, “Unexpected rewards or events come out of the tiniest actions alone… After all, this hunt/tour was born because once, one carved Heaven in stone, while another cleaned a sewer — separate incidents, complete strangers, same sidewalk. The moral is not to over think, wait or expect, but to do, and things will unfold…”

** NO JOB ** IS TOO BIG ** OR TOO SMALL **

You will be shown a Special Heaven on your way to Party Glitters, in a matter of minutes, IF at least one member of your team chooses to do any of the above (mentioned in the SPECIAL), or a variation; following are a few examples, and please, feel free to come up with other forms of Peaceful Personal Progress->

Using the orange or brown compost bins seen throughout the city, attending the SAFE collection events organized by the Sanitation, doing a clean-up, mending damaged clothes, going to clothing swaps, pulling weeds from around a tree, collecting empty vapes outside of this hunt, or perhaps, if you are a smoker, start using a small receptacle to discard your cigarette butts, which according to the National Institute of Health, are the most littered items on the planet! In other words, withdraw your support that made (in true lanternfly manner) this bad Guinness Book Record possible! And of course, if you smoke or vape, quitting is the best thing to do, since it will extend your life!

Whatever happened happened; important is to call the mistake a lesson — and mean it! Street Says, “It matters what you do from now on!” and “The past is over every minute!”

Decide now if you’re up to doing a small act of Nature-love & you will receive that Special Heaven Information! Yes? No? Street requires an answer. It will be worth it!

Team A – Clue 9

Street will show you that Special Heaven either way… Surprise!!!

*** *** ***

This is how Fresh Heaven looks like — carved in soft cement; a delight for the eyes & a rare sighting that requires pure luck to catch!

Don’t let yourself tricked by the lack of people in the picture. This is in fact a very busy spot. As you walk to Party Glitters, see this Heaven in person, on the plaza where Graham Avenue starts; as usually, be slick & discreet about it… Expect street vendors & crowd.

Go to next page to verify if you discovered this particular Heaven on the route!

Team A – Clue 10

Check if you found the 3 carved Heaven at Party Glitters by looking at these photos!

Both Heaven (1^st & 2^nd) with ‘Hi’ carved in between

Detail of the 2nd Heaven positioned on the left side of ‘Hi. ‘ 49

Congratulations! Now, spot ‘Atlas & Heaven 24/7’ to unlock the next clue & to win Twin Points from Heaven!

* * *

And remember, Atlas* can present as a map; could be the globe; can only be a word (as shown*), or could even be Atlas — the person who carried the weight of the planet all alone…

P.S. ‘Atlas & Heaven 24/7’ is sandwiched in between two storefronts of the same party store — not carved. (What the map doesn’t tell you, Street will show. So, look to your left and to your right, and even around the corner...)

Team A – Clue 11

“Sandwiched” in between the two storefronts, one can find handwritten Heaven on the grey metal & glass door.

‘Atlas & Heaven 24/7’

At the time of the initially discovery (fall of ’22), 24/7 could be discerned on a sticker next to the keyhole; one handwritten Heaven and a small Earth sticker were also seen. (Since then, the 24/7 sticker has faded away, so we can very well rename this arrangement Heaven on Earth if you wish.)

“Yes, you’ve got it! That is Atlas as a globe!

Now, please return to the main façade of the Party Store. Once you’re back, Atlas will speak!”

Thus, read the following text only when you are back there.

Team A – Clue 12

When you’re again in front of Party Glitters main storefront, Atlas Speaks…

“Greetings!

I haven’t used my mythological voice in ages, soooo… before I hand you the clue I must take advantage of the sudden attention and mention…

that balloons are a big reason as of why many birds, turtles, plus other beautiful creatures

die

slowly

through asphyxiation or strangled by the plastic strings…

Needless to say — they’re innocent beings…

Thousands of generations of kids were raised without balloons — or with no straws, as a matter of fact! (Trust me, I’ve seen them all, since I’m ancient!)

And now, here comes the big question: should people encourage balloons at birthdays, life celebrations, weddings, graduations?

You don’t have to answer now, yet when you hear the seagulls squawk, remember,”

balloons are death sentence…

#BalloonsReleaseKills

At the beginning, whoever went on the Heaven-On-Earth-Tour in person & proved that they did it, qualified to pick up a gift consisting of

(A) One light-weight, sturdy, practical, foldable tote bag that attaches easily to a purse, backpack or belt, making it hard to lose,

(B) One reusable travel mug, spill-free, twist on lid (+ carabiner, that also makes it hard to lose) &

(C) One refillable non-plastic water bottle — for as long as funds allowed!

These gifts were possible due to donations from (1) water companies (Open Water & Rain, while Heart provided its signature durable bottles to 86 8^th graders who in May ‘22 took part at the making of the We Are Atlas video, donations from (2) private donors (used for buying two rounds of mugs & carabiners) & (3) vintage jewelry sales (to purchase more mugs, tote bags, carabiners & refillable water bottles).

The intention was sweet like a lemonade stand put up by a 8 years old girl, but not sustainable long term, so players are now asked to purchase their own Earth-loving kits; a few business locations on the route of the hunt may sell them.

Moreover, there was a fourth (4) option available for financing gifts that involved the players themselves!

Participants were invited to keep the act of gifting going (or the fire on) by acquiring a very special, lovely, meaningful, collectible memento which would always remind them of the hunt, of New York City, of Street & of Atlas!

Read the next story->

For a few weeks in the summer of ‘22 in front of Party Glitters, at 3 Debevoise Street & feet away from the 3 Heaven, there was a large metal container used for disposal of construction residues. On one particular evening in August ‘22 dozens of vintage New York City posters were discarded in the Atlas container (company name happened to be Atlas).

They are not all pictured here since the boxes containing them were covered by the yellow ladder, however, the few posters spread out on the pavement that night showed the way to the rest; thus, that iconic New York City art was saved from ending up in the trash!

Since Street, Atlas, Heaven-on-Earth & the hunt all wish to see the city & the world clean, it wasn’t hard to decide that these posters would be put up for sale in order to buy more eco-gifts ! (After all, they were a gift from Street, Atlas & Heaven ; )

The posters are collectible, dated 2001; only the ones in mint condition are to be sold. More than 10 types available, most of them showing the Twin Towers (photographs taken by Yaroslav Storojinsky).

As of December ’23, the hunt doesn’t offer gifts to individual players anymore, however, it still plans to make it happen with your help & with help from Atlas, because when you acquire these posters, funds will go to reducing the number of single-use plastic bags in New York!

Keep on reading to find out how that works; also see details on the website about where to pick up the posters from!

Grab yours while they last!

And exactly because of their limited availability, following is a long-lasting option for making an improvement in the world.

Smoking, Who? To Quit Smoking Belittle Smoking is a book for quitting smoking and vaping. If you or someone you know are trying to let go of these killer vices (including smoking weed), then purchase the e-book only from its website. A copy bought from any other site is a pirate, unauthorized copy (unless otherwise stated).

Percentage of each sale made on www.SmokingWho.com goes to charitable and educational projects! Let’s make it happen!

Now read your next clue!

Team A – Clue 13

Here comes the clue …

“…Unsure (actually, ‘unsure-not’), of how fun balloons really are — but sure thing, it is always a new form of fun to sing!

Not suggesting that you should buy a Karaoke machine! Instead, better find New Fun Sing on the map & bam-bam, before you know it, Heaven will be in your sight!”

** NEW ** SPECIAL ** ‘The Nail is back **

As a gift for showing Atlas patience & curiosity, nail one Bonus Heaven on your way to New Fun Sing … in front of the nails shop!

Both Heavens just mentioned are carved, so search on the asphalt. Find them to score two Heaven points.

Go to next page to check if you found them by looking at the photos, then read your next clue!

December 2023 Update: This, here, is a situation where building construction interfered with the hunt, so if you are out on the route in person, you won’t be able to discern Bam Bam Heaven anymore. However, the words & the vibe are yours to keep & love! Now keep scrolling

“…better find New Fun Sing on the map & bam-bam, before you know it, Heaven will be in your sight!”

Bam Bam Heaven!

*** Lost Heaven Alert ***As of December ’23 the sidewalk where Bam Bam Heaven was carved in cement will be remodeled.

But… let’s celebr8 that we now have Bam Bam Heaven in our lives! Its energy is released each time you make a good thing happen!

Team A – Clue 14

“It’s always fun to sing, yet some sing so bad that they dance in the shower!

However, bells are always gracious. “

* * *

Congrats for getting here!

Now it is time to use your map. Look for the closest avenue that rhymes with Melrose, off Manhattan Avenue.

** Once there, Heaven can be seen close to the church where the bells ‘sing’ each hour. **

But before you do that, here comes one BONUS PHOTO!

The tower of the church whose bells ‘sing’ each hour, seen at 6 pm sharp; view from Manhattan Avenue, next to the intersection of the two streets (Manhattan & the one you’re looking for!) (Hear the bells of this church at the end of this short video!-Early ’24 Update-> Sadly, a few community members voted in favor of reducing the number of times these melodious bells ring per day!)

** You can now go to next page to confirm the street name, AND then read how to collect points on your way. **

Team A – Clue 15

Yes, good call; make a right on Manhattan Avenue & head to Montrose.

(Stick to this very same sidewalk; do not cross to the opposite side of the street!)

** NEW ** SPECIAL **

Street Says Words of Wisdom, but not all spot them. Will you?

HINT:

To make things easier, start by paying attention to ads on street poles. On three of them only you’ll notice slightly atypical ads. Each hides Words of Wisdom!

Stop next to the ads to hear what Street has to say, including how to score points!

So… the order matters-> 1. Find atypical ad on a street pole-> 2. Read Street’s message here-> 3. Earn Heaven points. Now go!

P.S. These are paper ads, thus prone to being removed or covered; so in case you ‘heaven’ seen the first one by the time you’ve walked by Moore Street, you ‘heaven’ seen the second & third one by the time you reached the corner of Manhattan & Johnson, then it is possible they’re gone.

• It is okay then to rely solely on the photos. Also, if you can, please be an Atlas and help Street by printing the missing ads and putting them out on the route. (Find the ads at the end of this magazine.)
• Feel free to put these ads out anywhere else you wish, in New York City or outside, but for the sake of the game & while on this segment of this Street, they should be only on a few specific light poles. Remember to use the Heaven 24 ads in 2024.
• And of course, if you are taking the tour online, you do rely exclusively on the photos ;)

Team A – Clue 16

Go on the next page to see the first atypical street ad & then read what Street has to say.

Next, read Street’s Words of Wisdom! But before you do that, check out this photo!

This van is usually parked on Manhattan Avenue in front of number 223 (very close to the initial gift pick-up location), and the two stickers on it say Street Brilliance New York City!

So, Streets wants us to take its Words of Wisdom seriously in 2o23, and perhaps after! Here they come!

Street Says,

“Look both sides when you cross a one-way street. “

Some motorists drive in reverse & they aren’t shy with speed.

Bikes, scooters, skateboards, even joggers or electrical wheelchairs could do harm as well.

Watch out for ‘surprise’ bike lanes!

So… one detail missed (or noticed on time) will break (or reinforce) the line

between Heaven on Earth and hell…

Street Says, “Attention Avoids Avoidable Accidents”

Now keep going till the next set of atypical ads.

On your way there, if you walk by any person in need, offer to buy them food and a drink, or give away some dollars. (A little bit from a few of you will do the job.) Many could use help, yet there is one wise, old man who wouldn’t panhandle; so, remember to offer support even if you’re not asked. Street Says, “Hear with both your ears and eyes when you run into Paul.”

If that happens, you will be rewarded with 1 Heaven on Earth Point (1 bonus H.O.E.P.) to compens8 for the lack of calligraphic Heaven.

Then walk to the next atypical ad to hear more of what Street has to tell you!

Team A – Clue 17

Go to the next page to see the second atypical street ad & to read Street’s words of wisdom.

Here come Street’s Words of Wisdom,

Street Says:

When you break a bigger bill — such as a fifty for a two dollar ice cream,

and the sales associate doesn’t check it if it’s fake, you

make sure the change received is real.”

A friendly store clerk offering you a single-use plastic bag, a plastic straw, or who won’t inspect the bills they’re handed may be well-intended, but… Street Is Asking… “Is that person truly helping?”

In order to remember this store related information, Street is offering you one carved Heaven — to be found in front of the classical NY-looking Deli behind you. Find it for one Heaven point & then don’t stop till the next atypical ad.

(In case you are not familiar with New York street ads, know that the moving ad which inspired the Heaven ad is an iconic New York advertisement seen for many, many years on street poles all over the city — from Harlem, to Brooklyn, to Queens, to Manhattan and back.)

Check yourself by looking at the photos on the next page. One shows the deli & one shows the carved Heaven in front of it. And then don’t stop till the third set of atypical ads.

Team A – Clue 18

Go to next page to see the third atypical street ad & to read Street’s message:

Here come Street’s Words of Wisdom,

Street Says, “When you walk the same direction, Things will happen, like I mentioned — Life goes on; the world is spinning, But together you’ll be winning

Over distance.”

Street is not being poetical; physics & friendships back up what this street is saying,

However, N.Y.C. has six thousand three hundred miles of streets… And streets have ‘babies,’ such as 139,000 sewers and plenty of tree beds.

Everyone agrees — Street is cool and wise, But also, way too proud to ask… “Would you help me?…”

Yes? Perhaps? Maybe? No time now for a cleanup?

Worry not! You help tremendously by using and promoting reusable cups and bottles for daily liquids intake; and of course, tote bags!

Remember what the atypical ads are saying! And learn that there are 13,000 delis in NYC & many more small stores!

(1)-> Ask your local vendors to stop offering unsolicited plastic bags!

(2)-> Skip the stuff, enough is enough, you’ve got it!-> Don’t accept single-use bags & carry a durable, foldable, unforgettable tote bag, so light that you won’t even perceive it as it hangs attached to your backpack, purse or belt!

If you got used to accepting disposable bags with the intention of using them as little trash bags, think about it; in order to break the plastic bag cycle we have to replace & remove them out of our lives.

Reusing them once doesn’t mean you love the planet. You are close, but you’re not fully there yet. Not using them at all is real love. Turn off the faucet.

“Let trash bags be trash bags,” Street Says

Confused? We Are Atlas? Fractured Atlas?

Be confused no more! Check out this campaign – it is now over, but the need of a good change stays!

8 Million to 8 Billion, Let’s Make It Happen in New York, & maybe more places (and people) would like to try this! Besides, the hunt & the campaign have in common this quiz. Let’s play!

Street Says, “Those thousands and thousands of single-use bags that are killing the elephants, the birds, the bears and the camels, are indeed produced by corporations, but mothers and fathers, and brothers and sisters, and children and uncles and aunts, still accept them one by one, day after day, across the globe, without a second thought.”

Let’s stop. “It is just a plastic bag,” is never the right statement.

Wear practical, compassionate, Earth fashion— the unforgettable foldable tote bag.

Real Love, Simple Action. New York & The World

****

YOUR REWARD: one carved Heaven is very close to you; don’t go back; instead, walk just a few steps forward and limit the visual search in between two small (bell-less) churches. Check yourself by looking at the photo on next page!

Team A – Clue 19

Hello, Halo! Next carved Heaven waits for you where Montrose and Manhattan meet, under the party signs (pennant flag banners) that say “Play Here!” (The flags may or may not be up; every once in a while the wind breaks them. So, if they’re missing, look for Heaven on all four corners of the intersection; only one is Heaven-ized ;)

Check yourself by looking at the photos of one carved Heaven on next page!

Team A – Clue 20

Congratulations for scoring another Heaven point!

And remember, Street is asking you to use, promote & take foldable tote bags seriously, just like you take any other form of wearable fashion — so Street can stay clean & healthy — all 6,300 miles of it…”

In the Fall of 2023 an NYC Fashion Institute of Technology student & We Are Atlas enthusiast, applied to an eco-contest with this design of a simple & sturdy foldable tote bag featuring less seams & double stitching. In case she won, she wished to direct the prize money towards producing locally good quality tote bags, going to Brooklyn delis and their daily customers!

Well, she did not win, however, things have been happening for our student because a variation of her dream came to life at the We Are Atlas event 11:11 Make-a-Wish-Day (The 8 Bi11ion Month ’23, Real Love, Simple Action), when a few of these tote bags were created by a local artist.

Pictured here are foldable reusable bags that were initially offered as a gift to the ones who took the The Heaven Tour in person, while funds allowed! These are the same type of bags delis that were to be gifted as part of the aforementioned campaign (Gifting Starter Kits of Eco-Friendly Bags to Delis). Let’s call this, “Practical, Compassionate Earth Fashion.”

2024 Campaign Update-> A few delis were offered starter kits of foldable tote bags, encouraging & helping them to support the ban on plastic bags active in NYC since 2020. The delis were asked to sell the bags, keep all the money & then replenish the stock with more such bags! The only condition was to discontinue giving away free single-use plastic bags! Delis interested to do the switch may exist, but they were not found, so We Are Atlas will gift foldable tote bags to different groups of New Yorkers; stay tuned!

*** NEW *** SPECIAL ***

Do you know how to use a sewing machine? Do you have scrap fabric? Craft your own durable, foldable tote bag! Make one for a friend, relative, or co-worker! Wear, gift or even sell a few pieces! When you part ways with the bags you’re making, explain why they are so important! What you do (or you don’t do) has an impact!

Now keep going on this side of Montrose & head towards Leonard, but only after you read the entire message.

While on this step of the trip, navigate smoothly through the crowd (if there is any) using your commuter skills. Be discreet.

Based on your preferences & physical necessities* you should walk into: this deli, the bakery, the luncheonette* or any of the two coffee shops* next to it. There, ask about getting a hot or cold drink & find out if

(1) Do they offer a discount when you bring your own reusable cup? (2) In case they do, is there a visible sign advertising it?

***

Get a drink & use the bathroom* only if needed. Consider downloading Eco-Rate or any similar app that allows you to add the green features of the spots selling coffee, for others to see!

***

Many coffee shops use a punch card system & give away any type of drink when their regulars buy a certain number of coffees. Once that quota is reached, customers tend to spoil themselves by ordering, let’s say, a large cappuccino with a double espresso shot — perhaps a 5, or even 6 dollars value item, because it is free — so why not?

Aside from that potentially pricey coffee about to be gone in a minute, introduce to your local coffee shops a second option — a long-lasting alternative with an impact-> suggest selling a good quality mug with a fidelity discount via the punch card + a free first brew in it!

***

Below is an ad made for a food truck that only carries hot coffee and tea. They don’t use punch cards, and this ad was created with the intention of promoting & selling travel mugs.

In order to encourage the transition to reusable cups, the business planned to make no profit from the mugs themselves, and even included 3 free coffees in the deal! However, luckily, there is a catch! Even if they sold the mug at factory price and offered a free carabiner for practical reasons, they still had the chance to make a buck! (So everyone’s happy!)

This ad is part of an extensive art installation introducing the Scavenger Hunt, which was on display at the initial gift pick-up location in the fall of ’23.

***

Following is the formula to make this sustainable for coffee shops, and by ‘this’ is meant ‘encouraging regulars to make the switch to practical, reusable mugs while not losing money.’

The product advertised above will be used as an example. This mug is sold on the company website for $16.99. Every major holiday they go on sale, and the lowest price is at Black Friday when one can get the 16-ounce for $10.99.

Coffee shops can either buy at sales or contact the company of their choice & negotiate a deal which would allow them to sell mugs at ‘factory price’ to those customers with fully punched fidelity cards.

They could even offer one free first coffee, and a carabiner (to prevent dropping and/or losing the mug).

Buy carabiners in bulk. When you get 30 pieces, a 3-dollar carabiner falls under one!

Of course, coffee shops should sell the combo for a few dollars extra to the ones who don’t have punched cards yet are interested in the product!

Bottom line — no one loses money; no one feels ripped off, and all parts involved are saving the planet one avoided single-use cup & one tree at a time! Or better to be said… they’re Atlas!

Following is another presentation of the same ad made for the aforementioned coffee truck; in fact this is the version that was going to be applied on the car body (minus the frame and the mug).

The owner was open to promoting travel mugs among his customers. The truck has 16 daily stops and it serves various types of workers (office workers, sanitation workers, postal office workers, construction workers and so on).

The ad was made & the coffee mugs with carabiners were ready to switch sides from the hunt to real life, since the hunt was on winter break at the beginning of ‘23. Meaning that the coffee truck could sell the mugs at factory price (as a test), and then buy new ones to replace the stock once the hunt resumed.

However, the owner of the coffee truck had a change of heart. (He is a good person, but his mind wasn’t aligned with the concept; you see, he was gifted a mug of his own, but despite being on the road 12 hours a day, he did not use the spill-free travel mug to keep his drinks hot or cold. Instead, he kept using skimpy, disposable cups. The message here is that indeed, you can’t really sell well what you don’t believe in. But the greater message goes beyond monetary exchanges.)

Therefore, the ads ended up as art in the ‘scavenger hunt room,’ advertising the importance of you-with-a-travel-mug, at the gift pick-up location during early fall of ’23.

The same room was advertising the importance of you-with-a-foldable-tote-bag, and in fact, one of its visitors is the first person who donated money to the crowd funding campaign meant to reduce the usage of plastic bags in New York City. This person is a construction worker who one day, while on his break, in the early fall of ’23, entered the gift pick-up location to check out the vintage store, asking for books.

At that time, he was working across the street from the store, where a new apartment building was just being built. Like everyone else who stepped in and was curious to explore the space, he received a quick tour of the art installation that included the two versions of the coffee-truck ad.

To make the story short, two months later, he switched construction sites because the building he was working on was completed. So, when he donated over $100 and qualified to receive a free hologram pendant of praying hands from the 80’s, he shared the location of the new building he was working at, in a different zip code.

Well… out of the entire Brooklyn surface (or out of all 6300 miles of New York streets), not only that as of November ’23 he moved on the map just steps away from the final destination of this hunt (and only a few clues away for you), but…

… he now works at building #16, and right across from it, at #19…

… is one of the long-standing daily stops of the very same coffee truck that wasn’t ready to present an easy form of good change or progress to its customers.

Meaning that… the change has gently come to the coffee truck, because Jose also received a coffee mug with a carabiner that he immediately loved, and that he is now using — yes, at the same coffee truck that was supposed to initially promote them to all sorts of workers on its daily route!

Moreover, Jose ordered mugs for some of his co-workers & for his girlfriend, and he plans to speak to the managers of the construction site about making travel mugs with a carabiner part of the workers’ outfit, especially since he said, there is a litter problem going on. And carrying a good quality mug on you is actually comfortable; definitely practical.

P.S. Jose also became the owner of an unforgettable foldable tote bag, weeks before he made the donation. This is why he donated in the first place; because he believes in them. He received his tote bag as a thank-you gift for the generosity he displayed when he purchased a copy of the-then unpublished book, Smoking, Who? To Quit Smoking, Belittle Smoking.

He was the first person to ever buy the book. Despite it not being published at that moment, he was offered the book because he entered the vintage store asking for one, while smelling like smoke, and holding a brand-new cigarette in one hand.

But does the book work? You would have to read it. The book doesn’t work; you work. The person who edited the grammar quit smoking after finishing the job. And one more thing… one beautiful soul of a man mentioned in one of the chapters, who sadly is fighting cancer caused by smoking, since he never quit… well, his father’s favorite saying was … ‘gift by gift you get to Heaven.’ Let’s wait and see, or just believe in it.

These are travel mugs with carabiners offered as gifts to the ones who took The Heaven Tour in person, while funds allowed! A practical mug is easy to carry around, keeps drinks hot or cold for a good amount of hours, has a twist on a lid (avoids splashing), is spill free & comes with a handle!

When your travel mug has a handle you won’t lose it because you’ll hang it on your belt area, backpack or purse — so, you’ll wear it, just like you wear the foldable tote bag! And you won’t drop it either!

Depiction of the ‘iconic’ N.Y.C. single-use cup seen on the N.Y.C. subway system, emphasizing on the spilling accidents that come with such products.

*****

Show next photo to your local coffee shop & share it with your friends.

IVX Coffee in Brooklyn does Single-Use Free Day every first Thursday of each month & only sells coffee to the ones who bring their own mugs, dine in, or are open to borrowing a community cup! Thumbs up to this coffee shop! Street & Atlas hope that more will follow!

If you post about this concept on social media use the hashtags #SingleUseFreeDay #NoSingleUse #RealLoveSimpleAction #The8Bi11ionMonth23

11 months after he was gifted the mug, the coffee truck owner had the initiative to finally start using it! Best part is that he loves it! Not only that he now drinks less coffee, but he also said that he reduced the daily personal usage of disposable cups by… more than 10! That will save him over 3,000 cups per year; as a business owner, he appreciates the financial aspect.

In nature-talk, those are two trees spared in 1.6 years, that will keep making shade, oxygen and our air clean. (Since 6.5 million trees were cut in 2006 to manufacture 16 billion paper cups used annually in U.S.A., it means that 1 tree is cut to produce 2,461 disposable cups…)

Aside from that, more good news-> starting January 2024, Starbucks is the first national coffee retailer to accept reusable cups for drive through & mobile orders!

99

Some coffee shops have specials. What if the special would only be for the regulars who bring their coffee mugs or dine in? (Pictured is an older special seen at Marcy & Myrtle Coffee Shop in Brooklyn, New York.)

“From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. get one small coffee & a croissant for $2.50 IF you skip the paper cup !”

Hoping for more coffee shops to follow suite, and for many more coffee lovers to make the transition to travel mugs; much faster than our coffee truck owner did, because there is no time. Deforestation heats up the planet. Just like the 2,000 plastic bags that killed a camel represent 2,000 people who said, “It is just a plastic bag,” those 16 billion cups used yearly in the U.S.A. represent millions of us thinking, “This is just a paper cup.” Same goes for the rest of the avoidable disposable cups used on the planet.

*** IMPORTANT ***

Don’t forget to notice littered vapes & to kill lanternflies!

And since lanternflies love (to destroy) the trees of heaven, the question is — does this injustice revolt you? Well, if it does… know that just like the lanternflies… the tree of heaven is an invasive species!

True, much like little Tiffany, even the words we don’t expect to be deceiving — can be!

Similarly, when we think of items made of paper, we imagine they are recyclable, so there is certain ease in using those. However, despite the name, paper cups are NOT recyclable!

Meanwhile, compostable cups (and other products alike) can only be discarded in special bins — NOT in food compost bins — because they break down at different rate compared to food scraps & they contain chemicals, so their byproducts should NOT find their way into soil (from there, via the products we eat, they end up inside of us!)

Therefore, the easiest, safest & best way to go is to promote & use REUSABLE cups — and you’ll be rewarded! And if you don’t have one, no worries; just buy a good quality mug — now you are aware of its importance! (Make a Wish first time you use it!)

The mugs gifted in this hunt are Arctic 16 oz. They seem to offer a lot for a decent price. If you drop yours like it’s hot (chances are, that it will be) & the plastic lid breaks in the mishap, don’t toss away the cup! Instead, order a lid replacement.

Of course, feel free to try any other brand fitting your budget, that ideally comes with a full handle & twist on lid!

Check out the Stanley Cup which just survived a car fire, while it is said that the ice didn’t melt! Definitely a product made for Hot Heaven!

Yes, a product made for Hot Heaven, but also for Hot Hell… since in 2024 the Stanley Cup craze helped some not so desirable traits to come out, such as bullying/ making others uncomfortable if they don’t own an original cup, hoarding, vanity associated with the feeling of being popular or important because of possessions, aggressiveness in adults, and theft.

And do many of the youngsters even understand that this type of product should be wanted because it is eco-friendly? They might as well be into daily disposable plastic bags in a few months from now, generated by another viral trend… completely missing the point that regardless of the brand, being reusable is key.

This situation reminds us that Hot Heaven and Hot Hell, just like the butterfly effect & the lanternfly defect, are a matter of free will. We bring them to life, both good and bad... so… which one will it be?

Detail of the art installation which promoted the scavenger hunt; including Hot Heaven, where ice lasts. You can catch a glimpse of some street ads & of one vintage NYC poster associated with the hunt, plus the foldable tote bags. (This is an art installation recreating the NYC street vibe & telling some stories. With a few exceptions — such as coffee mugs, totebags or a couple of the printed ads — everything was found on the streets of Brooklyn – and you can even notice the Heaven tag!)

Street Says, “Indeed, not everything you think you know is what you think.” For instance, despite its famous religious connotation, Heaven can also be associated… with science!

Astrophysicists, who study planets, call natural masses floating in space ‘Heavenly bodies’ — so Earth is part of the celestial Heaven family! Therefore, in case you’re an atheist, don’t rush to dismiss this hunt.

Here comes another classical example of not-everything-you-think-you-know-is-what-you-think (that lasted decades & unintentionally killed thousands of children at the hands of their own mothers and fathers…) — that is the case of milk poisoning with Boracic acid during the Victorian era!

***

Once you get to the corner of Montrose and Leonard Street read the following clue.

Team A – Clue 21

“Right here, where Montrose and Leonard meet, marks the beginning of the last leg of your trip!”

Now let’s play with words; break Montrose in two & flip the halves — look on the map for a bar with that name, or just visually search for pink in front of you; stay on this sidewalk (as of spring ’24 the pink porch is gone).

Go to next page to check if you found the right spot!

Team A – Clue 22

Indeed, The Rosemont it is!

Now get close enough to see IEO written twice on the pink porch. Verify your findings by looking at the photos on the next page.

’24 Update-> Despite the pink porch being gone, we’re keeping the photos of IEO written twice. Explanations are about to follow!

***

For the sake of Leonard Street, read IEO as ‘leo,’ just like the star sign!

Since we recently transition from 7 billion to 8 billion people, we can all consider ourselves ‘leos’ (the sign starts in the 7^th month of the year and ends in the 8^th). However, it is up to us to be known as lions, rather than the generation of the question marks. Not only that we don’t keep our backs straight — hooked by screens — but we also spend a lot of our time and energy blaming corporations or each other — inspired by the same screens (opposed to taking simple action, such as implementing more of the right side in this meme).

Team A – Clue 23

From now on, look for handwritten lEO, while you continue walking straight on this side of the street, until Heaven and Ergot meet under the party signs!

Go to the next page to see lEO photos, but only finding Heaven Ergot will reward you with a hint.

P.S. Keep your eyes open for lanternflies & for littered vapes.

The Man Who Sleeps Under The Roses Says, “Collect & recycle vapes!” Make It Happen! Bam Bam Heaven! .

(Maison Jar, grocery store & refillery @566 Leonard Street has a disposal box for vape collection, so that they may be recycled as electronics.)

Team A – Clue 24

Go to next page to see Heaven Ergot photos. (The pennant flag banners may or may not be up; every once in a while, the wind breaks them.)

Heaven Ergot it is! You can think of it whatever you wish, however, Ergot was blamed by some for the Salem witch-hunt! To Street this signifies… that Hell never ceases to try sabotage Heaven.

Luckily, on Earth, both Heaven and Hell work through human nature, so taking a side is often a matter of free will. Regardless of what was done up to now — remember, Street Says, “The past is over every minute,” so we can always Rise Heaven, not Raise Hell.

Rise Heaven can be seen on Route B (Rise Radio is closing, but carved Heaven will still be there), while Raise Hell is seen on Route A, in between The Rosemont & Heaven Ergot, within business hours.

You still get one Heaven point for this find; zero for Ergot, but you shouldn’t mind.

Keep walking straight & only stop at the intersection with Union Avenue; on your way there pay attention to lEO.

Go to next page to verify the lEO findings one could see before hitting Union Avenue.

Now, make a left on Union Avenue (yet, do not cross on the opposite side of the street).

You’ll again see one lEO and one Ergot, however, on recycling nights a pile of cardboard might cover Ergot!

Stop at the first G train entrance for your next clue, but before reading it verify your findings by looking at the two photos on the next page.

Team A – Clue 25

You know you are STEPS away from the destination when you start seeing STEP written on your path. Keep going straight; as you move forward, use the crosswalks to advance & stay on this side of the sidewalk (unless otherwise stated).

Once you get to Union & Lynch Street (so don’t walk past the gas station), check next page to see photos of STEPS.

* NEW * SPECIAL *

Past the gas station, STEP announces that you can again collect 1 Heaven point via another set of atypical street ads reinforcing the direction.

You will notice atypical ads 3 times on the last leg of your trip. Find them to hear what Street has to say.

P.S. These are paper ads, thus prone to being removed or covered; so in case you ‘heaven’ seen the first & second one by the time you got to the intersection of Union Avenue & Lorimer Street, and you ‘heaven’ seen the third one by the time you reached the corner of Union Avenue & Gerry Street, then it is possible they’re gone. It is okay then to rely on the following photos until one of you Atlases Ñ kindly prints them & puts them back up. (And of course, if you are taking the tour online, you do rely exclusively on the photos ;)

Team A – Clue 26

Go to the next page to see a photo of the first atypical ad & of STEP next to it.

Following, is the message from Street:

“You are getting closer to the final destination. These STEPS are special.

As a general rule, if in doubt, remember, Street Says, ‘Keep Going & Trust the Progress!” Have patience & learn how to fall. Every fail is a lesson (& a step forward). Life is a sharpener, and you are a pencil. Ask & be asked the right questions.

Street Says, “Everyone is a goldfish.” Our time is limited; so, switch the attention to “write now.” Would you ask a pencil about the sharpening process, or would you rather write together? Only because we have been taught so by superficial gossip — largely supported by media outlets & social media platforms — it doesn’t mean that is the right way to spend the precious moments of our lives. Don’t get sidetracked by ‘irrelevant’ or by ‘out of context.’ There’s no time for that.

Inquisitive doesn’t mean nosey, but curious for a practical reason, taking us to inspiring one other, to empowerment & to progress. “You like cherries? I like cherries! Let’s be best friends!” Learn from the wise simplicity of children, via Seinfeld; that is natural and allows a certain flow. Life is a contact sport; so let it be dancing, not wrestling! (In other words, be on the beat; don’t beat each other up!) What we have in common matters more — allowing us to shelter under The Big Umbrella of Love. ‘Scandalous’ is the business model for a tabloid; you are a person — one body & one soul.

Street Says, “Your forever is brief; seed love, don’t seed grief. Because you’ve been focusing on the wrong topics, you are now the worst ancestors of all times...”

2024 UPDATE-> If you consider yourself Young At Heart, then read the sci-fi trilogy “Ami” written by Enrique Barrios for children all ages!

Until you order the books, start with the free PDF-s available online in various languages, including Spanish & French. Here are the English versions.

The main message of the trilogy is that Love Is The Answer. The books say that when the technological level of a society surpasses its level of love, that society is at high risk of self-destruction. Sounds familiar? Don’t panic! We are the ones who can stop it! Real Love is our Legacy. We are not the generation of the question marks! We Are Atlas!

Spring ’24 UPDATE-> What a beautiful metaphor, that we could hypothetically touch & actually see, we were just gifted! Atlas, built 2,500 years ago, is finally up! That is one out of 38 impressive similar statues ever made!

The other Atlas is you, reading this – that makes it 2 Atlases! We Are Atlas indeed, all 8 billion of us, one by one by one. Atlas Has Risen after more than 2 millenniums! Are you in?

Now find the next set of atypical ads to hear why we should care of what happens after we die.

Stay on this side of the sidewalk.

Team A – Clue 27

Go to next page to see a photo of the second atypical ad.

The location of the second atypical street ad is at the corner of Union Avenue & Middleton Street. (For the longest, STEP was written on the green fence next to it, but handwritten tags often fade away or are removed, and so was the case with this one.)

“You are on the good path & you know it. Have faith & keep going!

You’ll soon arrive at an intersection that in other parts of the world would have been a roundabout.

From there, stay on Union Avenue for one more block and then you’ll run into the last atypical ad*.

(*As stated at the beginning, things on the route, such as in life, are in continuous change. For instance, on one of the crosswalks at the roundabout there is a lost golden key embedded in the asphalt; brand name is Saturn. Due to the fact that it was located where Harrison Avenue & Union split, and since its tip was pointed towards Union, this key was used for many months in the hunt to indicate the right direction. In late summer of ’23 the crosswalks were redone by the city workers, thus the details of The Small Golden Key aren’t that visible anymore because the key got painted over. However, as of October ‘23… the paint started to chip away!)

October ‘23

Before you move on, hear what Street has to say about what happens when we die:

“Everything is cyclic in Nature; round, like the roundabout, shaped like a planet. Rain penetrates the soil, and then it becomes rain again.”

Leaves, wood & flesh, such as animal bodies, turn into compost and blend into soil, and then vegetation grows. Nature is smart like that. Nature H8s waste & loves to recycle, so this is a very old concept & the bedrock of life.

Street Says, “Logic says that souls also come back. Do you think Smart Nature would make an exception with the most miraculous part of being alive? Just like their refurbished tablets, people don’t remember past lives — but does that mean that past & future lives don’t exist?”

So, not only that we are the worst ancestors, but chances are high we’re also the next generation! Right, we may be our own ancestors! Also, soul ancestry (‘soulnetics’) beats genetics — so, who’s Asian today could have been white, reborn as black & vice-versa; who was a man in a prior existence, may be a woman in this one, and a man in the following. If you believe it, and even if you don’t, accept each other & embrace who you are in this life.

Street Says, “Indeed, the body is a wondrous biodegradable packaging that carries each spirit from birth to demise… and then… the primordial recycling process of all parts takes place! Soul-wise, the vibe is-> erase-and-reset-to-factory-settings-> wipe the experiences but keep the characteristics & the potential to thrive!”

Think about it… “Before we even got here, our moms talked to us trough the heartbeat; we have no memories of that first language that we used to speak, and probably we lacked the other senses, but moms recall the times we kicked from inside their bellies. We were all little drummers and percussionists before we were anything. We couldn’t speak, we couldn’t see, we couldn’t smell, so vibrations were the essence. Not only that we are 60% percent water; we are 100% rhythm. We come from the sound of two mating cells, and when we die we become quiet. We hear it is dark and it is silent, but not too many witnesses came back. Who knows, maybe there’s something more, maybe the same way babies don’t remember their embryo growth stages-there’s life after death, or maybe death leads to, or is — another life. Maybe we leave this existence temporarily. Maybe we kick and maybe it’s warm, and maybe the universal oscillations of the heavenly bodies, keep us calm. Maybe there’s love, but maybe we’re not supposed to take with us any luggage, any details, only lightness, for the angels to be born again as brand new humans, or who knows what and where.”

Unexpected (metaphorical) surprise that took almost one year to materialize –> by June ’24 the newly hidden key became once more fully visible! Given the topic of this clue we may be looking at Street’s way of backing up logic –> is reincarnation possible? Perhaps… over time, even the Saturn key completed a circle.

136

Team A – Clue 28

Go to the next page to see a photo of the third atypical ad.

The location of the last atypical street ad is on a light pole at the corner of Union Avenue & Wallabout Street.

Yes, keep going & don’t stop until Union ends.

Right there, on one corner of the intersection, you’ll run into Atlas… and soon the reunion will take place.

***

And remember, Atlas* can present as a map; could be the globe; can only be a word (as shown*), or could even be Atlas — the person who carried the weight of the planet all alone…

But before you go, here is one of the last messages from Street:

***

Street wants us to have hope. We are the worst ancestors, but progress begins with the tiniest action alone. Such as using a coffee mug, a tote bag, a refillable water bottle, proper recycling, composting (which reduces rat population & lowers greenhouse emissions) and so on. You decide what’s next. Just like the lanternflies are pest, the good butterfly effect can change the world.

This hunt started from cleaning one sewer. Now it’s your turn to do your own little action & the answer to “E A R T H I S ?” will grow on you like a sticky note (or maybe like a halo).

Meanwhile, Street wants you to hear a short fable. The person who inspired a young boy to study Sanskrit didn’t think he’d turn into that 27-year-old who just decoded the grammar code — which was a mystery for the past 2500 years! (Sanskrit was generally understood as a language, but was limping & many have tried to decipher it unsuccessfully for more than two millenniums!)

This shows:

(1) the unique value & charm of being contemporary,

(2) that not all we know and go by is correct only because we’ve been used to it;

(3) it shows the great power of the butterfly effect and of inspiring each other,

(4) and that we’re not supposed to plan or expect anything in return today. As long as we do the right thing, good outcomes will follow. “Catch me outside“ is in fact, “Catch me in another life.”

Now, Street Says, “Find Atlas.”

Team A – Clue 29

Go to next page to see a photo of Atlas & to hear… how to decipher Atlas!

“Where ‘5-Minutes’, ‘6-Minutes-Twins’ and You meet on the map, everybody wins because it means you found The Gate to Heaven. Walk there & enjoy with them the beauty of the moment, as if you were their sibling, Seven!”

Team A – LAST CLUE !!

Go to the next page to see photos of The Gate to Heaven.

Left ‘pillar’ of the Gate (or light pole) seen in June ’22, and then in August ’23. Maybe the Heaven Person should do a touch up!

Right ‘pillar’ of the Gate (or light pole) seen in June ’22 & then in August ’23. Maybe the Heaven Person should do a touch up!

Indeed, you found The Gate to Heaven! Here, you’ll meet the other team (if there is any ;).

We start the same, end the same, some parts overlap, yet what we feel is similar.

You can now count the Heaven points earned, but the real Heaven on Earth game is in the details & runs forever, from a lifetime to another (if you agree that souls recycle), or from a generation to the next.

Regardless of your belief, the smallest good you do today grows into greatness one tomorrow.

Street & Atlas Say, “Use your talent, skill, platform & gift of life to inspire & get inspired. Doing so & Peaceful Personal Progress mark the transition from the Lanternfly Defect to the Butterfly Effect, and it’s all in your power.”

P.S.

Street Says, “Be an Inspirator! And remember, being contemporary is a perpetual gift & a miracle! Play this card you were given as a good game — which is not a competition, but a race we’re on together, like the sperm cells.”

Street & Atlas express their gratitude to everyone who made this happen, especially to the Heaven Person — for the perseverance shown over the years & for the word that was chosen. Heaven on Earth is real. Also, thank you, Universe & thank you — yes, you! — for being part of this!

Are you intrigued by the question at the bottom of the Heaven ads? Make your guess; please ask friends! Read the Ami books for hints (page 131)! The answer will reveal itself, or maybe you will reveal it soon! Stay tuned!