• In spirit of Curie's mission to promote undiscovered but exceptional content, we wish to use this twice weekly section to provide an author showcase for some of the outstanding authors who received Curie upvotes in past week. Curie curators and reviewers nominate authors for inclusion in this showcase and author approval is sought and attained.

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Featured Author: @thinkit
Motocross. Returning to the abandoned mine and finding MUCH more. (Full length video)

Images used with permission from @thinkit

Zooming around through abandoned and unmarked/unmapped mine tunnels on a motorcycle may seem kind of crazy. Luckily we get to live vicariously through the thrilling GoPro helmet-cam view of @thinkit while he and a friend do just that! This is an amazing adventure post. As if mineshift motorcycle roulette isn't enough, they scramble barefoot up a sheer stone cliff and find a secret kingdom of the bees with golden treasurecombs! You could remove the (very well edited) video from this post and it would still absolutely be Curie worthy. Throw the video on top and this is one of my favorite posts in recent memory. Oh and did I mention the video also features stunning drone footage of the incredible landscape, zooming over the rocky crags and outcroppings which are honeycombed with mineshafts? 'Tis true:
https://steemit.com/motocross/@thinkit/motocross-returning-to-the-abandoned-mine-and-finding-much-more-full-length-video

Our featured post is only in payout for a short while at the time of this showcase publishing, but @thinkit has already posted about a new motocross adventure on a different mountain as well if you want to reward him for some really thrilling posting.

I spend the week teaching primary students at an international school in Bangkok, Thailand and my weekends exploring the countryside in hope of finding forgotten secrets. Riding motocross helps me get to those far off and tough to get to places just like the old tin mine in Kanchanburi [featured here] or the forgotten Norwegian cruise ship rusting away in the southern Thai/Burmese mangroves.

Featured Author: @senzenfrenz
Steemit Openmic Week 80, J.S. Bach: "Sarabande" from Cello Suite No 1 @senzenfrenz

Images used with permission from @senzenfrenz

If your heart is racing and your adrenaline is pumping after that wild ride through the mines with @thinkit, why don't you close your eyes and relax for a few blissful minutes while @senzenfrenz treats us to a beautiful and deeply felt rendition of one of the all-time great solo cello compositions? The recording quality is very high so if you have headphones this is a great time to use them. Let the warm full tones of the cello vibrate your soul. I am more familiar with @senzenfrenz as a pianist from past Open Mic entries, but obviously he is a fellow with many strings in his bow. The melody is a gentle delight, playful and sprightly at times, serene simplicity at others:
https://steemit.com/openmic/@senzenfrenz/steemit-openmic-week-80-j-s-bach-sarabande-from-cello-suite-no-1-senzenfrenz

I am from Germany and composing music that most of the people call "Film music", but in fact it is not. It's music based on western-classical-music-tradition and inspired by great composers like Strauss, Wagner, Schubert, Brahms, etc. and (the most important argument against film music) there is no film according to it.

Featured Author: @thegarbageman
The Cheap-Ass Gaming Garbage Man Reviews: Rise of the Tomb Raider

Publicity image and screencap from "Rise of the Tomb Raider" used as fair use in review

Lara Croft has been raiding tombs for a long time now, and the venerable franchise has seen its share of titles across many platforms. @thegarbageman gives us a very thorough review, covering gameplay, graphics, sound and story in depth. Although noting this game is much "safer", in terms of less-gruesome deaths and overall difficulty than its immediate predecessor, @thegarbageman still gives it a favorable review:

Rise of the Tomb Raider hits all the right beats, plays all the right cards, but falls just a point short of its predecessor... As the third game, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in the reboot/prequel trilogy comes closer with a September 14th, 2018 release date, this game is recommended for fans of action platformers, story-driven gameplay, and all them Tomb Raider fans out there.

No matter how old Lara gets, she keeps looking good to me.

https://steemit.com/review/@thegarbageman/the-cheap-ass-gaming-garbage-man-reviews-rise-of-the-tomb-raider

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I'm just The Garbage Man. I mostly post over at Minds.com/TheGarbageMan, but I've been increasing the platforms I use and Steemit has been incredibly welcoming! I will continue to put out political opinion pieces, reviews of games, movies and more, and don't forget to check out my weekly Friday Fireplace Tales with @TheGarbageMan, every, you guessed it, Friday.

Featured Author: @mister-omortson
Petra. 22 hours on the way ...

Images and text used with permission from @mister-omortson

There is a reason that Petra is considered to be one of the wonders of the world (and no, that reason is not Indiana Jones. You have chosen... poorly). Monumental architecture hewn out of the warm red sandstone glows as sunlight finds its way down into the canyons and crevices. The wind- and sand-sculpted cliff walls would be impressive enough on their own, but the scale and classical symmetry of the buildings carved out of them is absolutely breathtaking.

@mister-omortson details the necessary steps in the (sometimes tortuous) process of signing up for the tour in Egypt. He does not varnish the experience of being herded together from various hotels and collection points, shepherded by bus, boat and then bus again (via mandatory detour through souvenir shop) and finally unloaded into the legendary site. And yes, round trip it took a full 22 hours :) Some fellow tourists reported paying over four times as much as the bargain he found by asking around at different tour outfits, so take his advice and make sure you are not overpaying! (stay tuned to the end of his post to get the $ amounts!)

The photos of Petra proper are of course simply incredible, and @mister-omortson also photo-documents the journey to and from as well:
https://steemit.com/travel/@mister-omortson/petra-22-hours-on-the-way

@mister-omortson is a man of few words and no pretenses :) Straight from the horse's mouth:

That's me. I am an architect. A little of artist.

Featured Author: @sibr.hus
DESIGN AN ALIEN PLANT

Images used with permission from @sibr.hus

A trained alien botanist with a degree from Greater Helium University (in fact the first native of Siberia to graduate from an advanced degree program on Mars!), we are lucky to have @sibr.hus here with us sharing his vast knowledge on Steem blockchain. I first became aware of Prof. Husky through his cryptozoology posting, another area where he is a noted interplanetary expert.

Today we have a page from the field guide of the master. You will probably learn more about alien plants today than you knew in your entire existence leading up to this moment. Everything you forgot about alien botany after you graduated from college will come flooding back as you see the process pictures. You can thank me later :)
https://steemit.com/visionaryart-contest/@sibr.hus/design-an-alien-plant

In all seriousness, I do hope you visit this author's blog. I think he is one of the most consistent, quality posters out there... particularly if Lovecraftian horror is your thing (guilty!). If you are a dog lover that goes double. Check out the latest cryptozoology posting, still in payout at showcase publishing:

• project Cryptozoology: fig.16 "Lampreyantrop"
• project Cryptozoology: fig.44 "Shrub beast of Akmatakanikan"

Have you received a Curie upvote? We want to hear your Curie story! Simply create your own post using the tag #mycuriestory and tell us your Curie story. Tell us about the first time you got your own Curie upvote, what affect it had on you in your life and here on Steem blockchain.

We will be spotlighting one #mycuriestory post in each Author Showcase.

Featured #mycuriestory author: @papaudeme
Of A Young Musician in Africa. My Curie Story

I have been a true fan of @papaudeme since he first started posting. I say "true" and can say it unreservedly because his brother (and my good friend) @misterakpan did not reveal the familial relationship when he asked me my opinion of this post: https://steemit.com/openmic/@papaudeme/steemit-openmic-55-sorrows-tears-and-blood-acoustic-cover

I docked a few points from my review for the guitar being out of tune but I loved it! That smile... infectious! The vocals... joyous! I love it when singers include the lyrics in their posting, and telling the backstory of a cover song gives it so much more of a feeling of place. Huge bonus points for including the chord progression. And that was just the beginning of a terrific series of posting from @papaudeme, of increasing quality. I was glad to see him post a #mycuriestory and I truly hope he finds time again to post regularly. It is easy to forget the real world effects that some large votes from Curie (or any large stakeholder) can have on a real person's life.

I have enjoyed reading the posting in the #mycurietag. Tell your own story and maybe I will see you here next week!

This Curie Author Showcase was written by Curie community representative @carlgnash with input from other Curie curators and reviewers. Author permission was sought and obtained from all authors featured in this showcase. All works the copyright of their respective authors and used with permission.