According to Killian

That Happened

2011-02-07T21:38:00.001-08:00

I'm hanging out in my apartment tonight, minding my own business, when I suddenly I hear a huge argument erupt outside my window. It goes something like this;

"Get your hands up in the air! Turn around! I said get your hands up in the air! I'm not f***in' around! I'm not f***in' around, get your hands up in the air! I will use this weapon!"

I live in an area that used to have a pretty active gang presence. It's less so now, but occasionally you'll notice a new gang tag on a wall nearby, or pass a sketchy lookin' dude on the street. A couple weeks ago I woke up and walked out to my car to drive to work and some kid was getting handcuffed by the cops across the street.

Still, the first thing that came to my mind tonight was this: "Hm, somebody must be filming something."

And then I heard it: "Cut!"

Yep. Two years in and I'm officially jaded by Los Angeles.

2011

2011-01-27T22:14:00.000-08:00

You know what bums me out about google owning everything... and having two gmail accounts? You literally cannot be signed into two gmail accounts within the same browser - AND you can't be signed into other sites like blogger, youtube, etc unless those sites are operated by the same email address you have open in your browser. Having to sign in and out of gmail just because I'm signing into like YouTube on a different address is UPSETTING.

Life. I discovered Adobe Illustrator today. I don't think I've ever really known what to do with it but today I took it for a test drive. I AM IN LOVE. I am. in. love. Hellooo childrens books, you're about to get authored and illustrated.

I already made my first little dude. I kind of love him:
Been playing around with web design for fun. I think I could get into this stuff. It's kiiind of awesome. Made this site for Jeff's band in Chitown: www.blackarrowmusic.com. Chegg 'em out, they're fun.

Tons of projects lined up for 2011. TONS. I'm super pumped. I'll be super busy, but one of my goals is to keep this bad boy updated better. And to build myself a website. That's next. And to keep making little dudes like the one above.

I'm going to be shocked if this year doesn't turn out to be one of the best yet. It's already got potential and it's not even February. Make it or break it, baby. This is the make it or break it year. Let's get it started.

Waiting for Godo-A Video To Load

2010-11-22T22:10:00.000-08:00

It's kind of late on a Monday but I'm at the mercy of technology, waiting for a video to load so I can finish doing my work for the evening and move along to my favorite part of the day - the part where I get to fall onto my bed and sleep.

I figured I'd make the most of this waiting period by posting a recent victory: my latest photoshop project, which turned out to be a wedding gift for a very best friend, Stacey. She's in love with the work of a screen-printing artist named Hiroshi Ariyama.

I figured I'd try to replicate the use of his colors, particularly the blues and oranges, which is what I figured she loves most about his work (this I derived from years of friendship). I wanted to make a piece that was a bit more personal for Stacey and her husband by manipulating a picture of the two of them. (Is it weird that the word 'husband' makes me feel like I need to shower? We're too young for this, right? No? God. Save me.)

Anyway, I ended up printing the image onto an 18x20" canvas. When Stacey texted me to tell me she received it, she expressed her love for the colors. Annnnd that, my friends, is friendship.

The Snowy Beach Embrace

Whack Attack

2010-10-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

It's pretty pathetic how long it's been. I tried the photo-a-day and it lasted through, what, May? Pretty proud of that, I guess, but 5/12 months of the year doesn't even break 50%. Fail.

To be honest I tried to venture onto other things... tried to create other blogs... tried to work on other projects. But here I am, crawling back to the same blog that I thought I'd outgrown months ago.

I wonder if that's just a part of life. It's cyclical, right? You find something, you love it and nurture it, and then you leave it. Only to find it again. -that sounded kind of heavy. WELCOME TO MY BRAIN.

I moved. I don't live in my old room anymore. I live in my new room. I love my new room. I think I've finally gotten it just right. The feng shui feels good. It's small but not too small. I live a bit closer to the beach now in a funky part of town. I like it. I just wish our front door faced west. I don't know why, but it really kills the mojo here. I think at my next place I'm going to aim for a place where the front door faces west.

My landlord is struggling financially and might get foreclosed on. That's gonna be interesting. We'll see what happens but I'm protected through the end of my lease. Just not sure where to go after that. And my new roommate, who I love, might have plans to go back to school, which is awesome. But I might be scrambling for a new roomie. It's a worry for another day, for sure. Just something I thought about the other day.

My roommate has a dog who I love. He's currently sleeping on my rug. I think he likes my rug, which is cool with me because I like having him there. So long as I vaccuum regularly it suits us both just fine. I had been taking Booker (pup) on runs.. until recently, when it started to get dark as I came home from work. I'm going to have to switch over to early morning runs... the light will be a bit better and my neighborhood will feel a little less sketch. In any case, I'm going to have to start motivating myself to get up early enough. It'd be good for me but even better for him. He gets long walks but he's a big dog and can use the exercise when it's handed to him. Last week I took him out during the LA heatwave. We both regretted it, but he gave up first. At one point as we got close to home he just stopped and laid down in the middle of the sidewalk. It was laughable. I let him sit there for a while, laughing, and then I called him lazy and he got up and followed me home. He was ok, though. He's looking at me right now. I think he knows I'm typing about him. God, I love boxers.

About a week ago he had a patch of hair fall out between his shoulder blades. It was worrisome, but we decided to watch it before we flipped out too much. It's grown back now, but it's white as white gets - so he's got this lightning bolt of white fur gleaming just below his neck. It's awesome, he's like a superhero's dog.

If I were a superhero. I don't think I'd want to be invisible. I think I'd just want to be fast. I also think I'd want to glow. And when I'd glow I'd want to get real hot so no one could touch me. I don't know why, it just seems like it would be a cool tell. That way if a bad dude was after me and my glow gave me away, he wouldn't be able to touch me. I'm sure he'd find a way around it but this is my surreality, ok?

For some reason I feel like I've caught you up on the last 7 or so months already. There's not much to report. There wasn't much of a summer out here. I went to a couple of weddings and thought a lot about life. Growing up isn't really something I care to face, and watching my friends dive head first into adulthood was strange. But that's my problem, not theirs. They know what they're doing. I'm just content with the fact that I don't. If you asked me where I'll be in 10 years I couldn't tell you. I could be a million different places and then some. I just hope I like where I'm living. I hope the feng shui feels right and I'm able to do a lot of writing.

Jeez, at 35 I'm not even sure if I'll have kids. That's not really a big deal; tons of people are having kids post-35. But it's a weird thought. It's weird to think of being 35 with kids and it's weird to think of being 35 without kids.

The future is weird.

Signing off. It's good to be back. Good night.

The End Of March

2010-04-06T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have so much catching up to do. It was a busy month:

we had a lot of interviews lined up at work...

but i was still happy that daylight savings kept it light when i got home.

and Suz came to town and I was so happy to see her...

and Jeff came BACK to town and i was so excited to see him.
AND so excited that his girlfriend baked such an awesome feast.

AND i went to a super groovy Soul Funk night in Santa Monica with friends. ...beep-bop-babiddyboo-scat!

and more interviews at the office.

i had a beautiful weekend of grillin' and chillin'...

...and chasing down an ice cream truck.

the next week was crazy (as you can tell by the state of my desk).

...But then came April. (stay tuned)

Saint Patrick's Day Week (First Half).

2010-03-18T12:29:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Daylight Savings, it's light out after work.

saw the White Stripes doc, "Under The Great White Northern Lights" here. it was awesome.

<--- The start (yes. start) to my Saint Patrick's Day.

(much went undocumented. this saddens me)

The Weekend

2010-03-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

it was a good one.

Matty and his friends were in town. So we went out in Venice.

and we celebrated so many birthdays.
(Jesse, Matt, Steph and Amanda's.)

Jesse had a Pinata. And it was awesome.

it was a lazy Sunday on the esplanade with Lauren.

correction: it was a beautiful Sunday on the esplanade.

in one hour, this is the progress these guys made. impressive.

Falling Behind

2010-03-11T13:26:00.001-08:00

a summary of the past week:

Mike's birthday: a dance party!

Venice Housewarming: another dance party!

an overturned car outside my office

Jaren's indisputably awesome man-cave

a sh*t ton of work.

Wednesday

2010-03-04T13:38:00.001-08:00

went to the Alice premiere.
they took our camera-phones but this will do.

Monday

2010-03-01T22:22:00.000-08:00

the discovery that my glasses might save my eyesight, afterall.

Sunday (Or The Day of.. "I Can Has??")

2010-03-01T16:24:00.001-08:00

I can has?

I can HAS?!?

love this city.

Saturday

2010-02-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Grace! Look excited!

Friday

2010-02-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

i did not take this picture. but I did go to this show. and it was cool.
The Jim Henson Company's 'Stuffed and Unstrung'
Puppet Up!

Thursday

2010-02-25T12:53:00.000-08:00

My stress level at work this week.

Wednesday

2010-02-24T21:31:00.000-08:00

somebody's moving (and it's not me)

Monday

2010-02-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

dinner with friends, whom I now consider "old friends," which is kind of a weird sentiment.

(sans Turbo.. sorry, Turbo, you parked in the wrong direction)

"do you motha' f*ckers take food stamps?!"

Sunday

2010-02-21T18:12:00.000-08:00

an empty theater. in really low light.

Saturday

2010-02-21T09:06:00.000-08:00

amazing Thai food in Thai Town.

followed by the usual Saturday night debauchery.

Friday

2010-02-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

things are happening. like this once-in-a-lifetime vocal performance set to a garage band beat that cannot be captured on camera.

Wednesday

2010-02-17T21:49:00.000-08:00

The Bannen Way Theatrical Premiere Interviews from Clicker on Vimeo.

posted this to the Clicker blog. we did it!

blog post: http://blog.clicker.com/aspiring-content-creators-meet-your-motivation/

Tuesday

2010-02-16T21:46:00.000-08:00

watched this. it was good.

Happy President's Day

2010-02-15T22:30:00.000-08:00

I had the day off of work and did a whole lot of this:

and it was good.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T15:08:00.000-08:00

locked my keys in my car...

my funny valentine.

(climbed to the top. after a traumatic bee sting and the sound of a rattlesnake)

visited an awesome tree and some awesome grass.

crazy start to a good day.

Saturday

2010-02-13T22:09:00.000-08:00

productive day. finished it off with a 3rd street trip with the new roomie.

Friday

2010-02-12T23:32:00.000-08:00

setting up for a Clicker interview with some of Sony's peeps at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.

Thursday

2010-02-11T23:13:00.000-08:00

at HBO's Screening Party for their new show "How To Make It In America"...

...In a Penthouse Loft Downtown.

Wednesday

2010-02-10T16:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, coke, you got me. I love your little heart man.

Tuesday

2010-02-09T17:24:00.001-08:00

the most amazing rainbow ever.

Sunday

2010-02-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

I watched a lot of this.

And I drank a lot of these.

Saturday

2010-02-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

I'm probably the only one who noticed this and found it funny.
But it started my Saturday night on the best note ever.

Wednesday

2010-02-03T17:31:00.001-08:00

the blog's been out of commission.
but this should sum up the last week:

Saturday

2010-01-31T15:21:00.001-08:00

moving. with strep. not pretty.

Friday

2010-01-30T10:33:00.001-08:00

doctors' offices make me make faces.

Thursday

2010-01-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

in the parking lot with my head between my knees. (sick)

Wednesday

2010-01-28T12:08:00.000-08:00

yep. still a member.

Tuesday

2010-01-26T09:10:00.001-08:00

at the gym before sunrise. greeted by Johnny Depp.

Sunday

2010-01-25T12:38:00.001-08:00

i got to wake up to this.
life. not so bad.

Saturday

2010-01-25T12:28:00.000-08:00

i don't know if there's a photo that could sum up this night better...

making our way to some strange places.

arriving in Palm Desert.

Thursday

2010-01-21T13:31:00.001-08:00

...when will it stop raining?...

Wednesday

2010-01-21T09:12:00.001-08:00

...got some treats in the mail....

Tuesday

2010-01-20T12:18:00.000-08:00

A Tuesday night at the Troubadour
(White Denim. -I equate them to the Black Keys... if the Black Keys caught fire and started running)

Monday

2010-01-18T18:54:00.000-08:00

the fourth to fight my rusted plates.
the first to succeed.

(good night, Massachusetts)

thanks, matt!

Sunday

2010-01-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

Manhattan Beach - fresh before the storm.

Francine!

Saturday

2010-01-16T18:38:00.001-08:00

this squirrel comes by to harass us often. we're not sure he's friendly. but he's very forward.

a favorite spot.

I've been slacking..

2010-01-16T14:51:00.001-08:00

but this pretty much sums up my week. (or just my Friday night)
sleep tight Ben!

A Minor Feat

2010-01-12T15:14:00.000-08:00

my first published article in GeekWeek. :)

Lookin' Good

2010-01-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

the silver bullet's sportin' some brand new plates. hey, hot stuff.

A Winter Weekend

2010-01-10T21:29:00.000-08:00

the start of a beautiful winter day.

my familiar local protesters.

a view from my gym parking lot.

an explosive treat found in my freezer

I'll Get It..

2010-01-07T20:07:00.000-08:00

hacking into my high school lock for use at the gym proves to be difficult.

In The Middle Of Winter

2010-01-05T16:39:00.001-08:00

a sunny day outside the office.

and inside the office

January 4th

2010-01-05T07:14:00.001-08:00

getting ready to say goodbye to this.

January 3rd

2010-01-04T14:26:00.001-08:00

a sunny day.

a long walk.

my very first slurpee (since age 10).

January 2nd

2010-01-04T14:19:00.000-08:00

a snowy bridge.

a legion of salt trucks and snow plows.

an airport.

Good Morning, 2010...

2010-01-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

...We're ready for you.

So This Is The New Year...

2009-12-31T15:27:00.000-08:00

Ok so. It's a new year. And I'm giving my blog a total re-haul.

What timing.

I have to preface this with a disclaimer: I'm totally partaking in idea thievery. And I credit it all to Brian Eastman [Eastman's blog: eastmansays.tumblr.com], who credits his blog's layout to his buddy Carlo, who may or may not pass credit to some other bright chap. And so it goes.

"Good artists copy, great artists steal." -Pablo Picasso

..And so it goes.

So here's the new premise: a picture at a time. I don't have time to write about all of the things I do every week. If you've ever read a post of mine you know I'm wordy. So let's save us both the grief.

I want these pictures to express where I'm at on any given day. I want them to illustrate a place and a state of mind.

And then I want these pictures to become a story.

I want to look back as the year turns to 2011.. and be able to pinpoint what has changed and why. And I kind of want you to be able to see it to, if you feel so inclined.

So let's give this bad boy a shot. Happy New Year.

Winter Time

2009-12-28T13:20:00.000-08:00

It's winter time.

The last of the snow is melting, drowning in this endless rain, and I'm realizing that a little bit of winter is exactly what I need. I don't mind the cold when I'm not locked into it, when I'm not tied to a winter contract that has no clear deadline. It's nice to sit by a fireplace under layers of clothes, sipping on hot water to warm the finger tips. Taking advantage of everything bitter because it will soon be out of reach.

That is what I love about nomadic life. And that is what I have come to appreciate about mine.

We're at that "let's take a look back at 2009" time of year but this time I'm going a step further. I moved to Los Angeles at the start of 2009, but I'm no stranger to moving... and I've learned that moving a lot has its benefits. One of those benefits is that you're forced to take advantage of the moment - because you never know when you'll be packing up and leaving it all behind. It never really came naturally for me, so I'm glad it was a forced lesson of circumstance. I'm starting to enjoy even the things that are ugly, or uncomfortable.

And I guess if I were trying to create all sorts of resolutions for myself for this next year - having sort of mastered the whole "appreciate every PLACE you go" thing down, I think the next step is to get the whole "appreciate every circumstance you're in" thing down.

I think that translates to: being okay with being dirt poor, being okay on those mornings where there's nothing to do - or too much to do. Being okay with 'what' is - not just 'where' is. Because just as places are bound to change, circumstances are bound to change. And as we gain momentum in our lives and start to get all of those things we're working so hard for, we lose perspective on what it was like before we had any traction at all. And I'd like to think that if you can't find something magical about those darker drearier days, you're really missing out on what it means to live at all.

So that's my 2010 mental challenge. It's gonna be rad.

Well. This turned out to be a whole lot heavier than I expected. Hahah. That's cool, though. 'Tis the season and all that. :)

Stay warm. Happy New Year! Hope you got a lot out of the one that's passed!

Free is a Four Letter Word

2009-08-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

I read an article today- wait, that's a lie - I saw the summary of an article today - by Maureen Dowd (she's pretty rad, I dig her) about free speech on the internet. The theory she poses is pretty cool: the internet is supposed to be an outlet for free speech, but because it's so accessible people are actually MORE careful about what they decide to put out there, thus limiting the whole free-speech concept. Irony! We get it! Cool!

So I guess we didn't have to read the article to get the point. (Though I'm sure it's, you know, clever and witty and all that.) But I ran across a perfect example of this today. And as you know, I don't believe in coincidence so I might as well write about it. BACKSTORY!: Some friends and I worked on a little known LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW back at Boston University... called BU Tonight. woot woot. Shout out. Anyway we have some of our episodes posted on YouTube. One such episode featured some "comedians?" performing an act that turned out to be ridiculously offensive... to anyone. So we get an email from one of the "stars" asking us to remove it. And the email went a little something like this:

"Can you please take down two [of our] videos on BU Tonight? One features gratuitous use of a racial slur and the other just isn't very good.

We had a blast on BU Tonight, maybe a little too much fun. The videos are two years old and we'd rather not have them posted for the world to see. It's completely our fault they came out how they did and we hold no hard feelings."

Ah, the repercussions of being a drunken college douchebag. (you know, i almost didn't write that because I know I have family reading this who I respect and who I also kind of want to shelter from the fact that 'douchebag' is part of my daily vocabulary. OH NO! I'M A VICTIM OF FREE SPEECH, TOO!) So while those guys are regretting their past decisions to take advantage of the internet's free speech marketplace, I'm constantly teetering on the edge of where I'll let mine go. But should I be? If I were REALLY writing without ANY censorship, would it be better or worse for me? And would it be more or less entertaining for you? My guess is that it would be way more entertaining for you, and definitely worse for me. So I guess I'll settle for my boring middle-ground. Which makes things just-okay for me and mildly entertaining for you. Compromise, man. It's what brings people... to this place that's not very exciting.

So this has been a long-winded way of making an excuse about not updating this blog more often. I've had plenty to write about, but for some reason writing it all down here just borifies it (that's not a word but what I mean to say is that everything I write is a dumbed-down more boring version of what actually happened in my life to inspire the post). Self-motivated censorship. It's almost worse than if the censorship was forced on me by an outside party. At least then I'd know where I could draw the line. So maybe our lesson here (and hey! maybe Maureen Down addresses this but I wouldn't know because I was too lazy to read the full article!) is that external censorship gives us boundaries... and within those boundaries we are free to express everything and anything we want without the fear of social scorn. And we can push those boundaries... but we'll still be liked and respected as long as we don't cross them. When you don't have boundaries, you don't know how far you can push. And then you go too far. And then you look like an idiot. And then your family wants to disown you, and your boss wants to fire you, and your future bosses don't want to hire you... and down and down the rabbit hole you'll fall.

That is some crazy sh*t.

To think, the internet's allowed for some serious "Lord of the Flies" action. Awesome. I've surprised myself. I thought this entry was gonna suck. But now I actually kind of like it. Score.

It's late and I'm going to bed now. Also. In case you were wondering, LA is hot. But not as hot as where you probably are, which is sticky. So I guess I still kind of win in the "my weather is more awesomer than yours" race, which isn't really technically a race at all....so.. um.. I should really get some sleep.

Just Do It

2009-07-06T21:16:00.000-07:00

I've been silent for a while so I figured I'd resurface for a quickie.

A couple weeks ago I took much-needed vacation to Newport Beach with the extended fam. Nothing's more refreshing than some vacay time after realizing you've gotten caught in the rhythm of a dying routine. (and by "routine" I'm referring to my running schedule.) I guess it's easy to become a creature of habit when you're trying to work your day around the little sunlight that you've got available to you after work... but I was stuck at 3 miles a pop, unwilling to go further for fear of the encroaching darkness... and worried I wouldn't be able to cut a longer run in time to get home before the sun abandoned me.

Since I've moved here, I've been dying to get on a board and get surfing. In Newport, we got it in... and it's got to be the most zen sport I've ever come across. (theoretically) So this surf instructor, Mike, starts talking to me as we're waiting for the waves to swell... and we're watching all of these little kids trying to stand up without success. And then he says something that hits me the way a fat kid hits the bacon. He says, "surfing is a sport of confidence. the minute you hesitate, the second you look down, you're out." And it's true. It was true that day, and it's true always. And it's not just surfing.

Life is a sport of confidence. (not to be confused with that false sort of arrogance or inflated ego we see in people. let's get real. we're talking about confidence people, not about armor for the exceptionally insecure)

I don't think "life is a sport of confidence" needs an explanation. It's pretty much all there is to it. But it's good to be reminded. (you're welcome!) And after those sparks started flying in my head, I decided to go for the 5 mile run just to switch it up. To break the routine. I decided I'd stop letting fear get in the way - fear that the sun would set on me... fear that I'd tire out at some point... fear that anyone around me cared that I was running at all (they don't). And in some ways it was easier than my usual 3. Because I wasn't worried about anything, I was just doing it. I owned it. And then I did it again. And again. And I'll keep switching it up like that because I think it's important that we keep proving to ourselves that it's all in our heads. Everything is mental (to a certain extent.... let's stay away from the building hopping for now, ok?)

So. Just Do It. I'm outtie. Stay confident. You got this down.

Value for Value

2009-05-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this entry for over a week in an attempt to really get a handle on what it's about, but I'm in a "live for the moment" mood so I'm just gonna bang it out and get it over with.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine was telling me about a girl who had asked her for change. "It must have been her first day of homelessness," she said, "because she looked pretty clean... and it took me a while to be like 'dude this girl is homeless!'" I couldn't get over it. First day of homelessness? Can you even define that? Do you really have time to think to yourself, "well, looks like today marks day 1 on the streets!" when you're simultaneously trying to avoid the cold nights, dark shadows, and lugging whatever's left of your stuff from park to park to bus stop to vestibule? I don't get it.

At what point do you have NOTHING left to turn to? At what point is there NO ONE willing to take you in? I was honestly questioning it every day, whenever I saw a homeless dude on the streets of LA (I'll reiterate: EVERY day). And after a week or so of writhing about it, I'm asked to check out this website at work. (if you don't want to click the link - it's basically a series of interviews with homeless people in LA) No way, right? Coincidence? No. I don't do coincidence.

The site offers some fascinating character studies about the homeless demographic in LA. Not to mention my two favorite interviews (I've embedded them below) are shot just off the Santa Monica Pier, my personal stomping grounds. I won't be surprised if I see these guys next time I'm down there - they're like my new-found secret celebrities, I guess. And for what?

These brief interviews make it easier to understand how the process works... which is to say that there is no process. Every story is different. No path is the same. Take Mark and Thomas. Insightful in totally different ways.. and.. homeless in totally different ways. So in one sense I'm enlightened and in another sense I've just opened the book to more questions.

Mark from invisiblepeople.tv on Vimeo.

Thomas from invisiblepeople.tv on Vimeo.

OK before I leave I'm gonna up this to the existential level. Get ready to hate me. Or love me. Or just think I'm a total loser- that's cool, too. I've been reading Atlas Shrugged. If you haven't you should. If you have, I suddenly respect you more for getting through that thing. Here's a passage that struck me, mostly because I read it at the same time of this homeless query. Context: super rich lady is asking a super rich man for money to start her own business, in a failing economy.

"I am simply a beggar, Francisco, and I am begging you for money. I had always thought that one did not beg in business. I thought that one stood on the merit of what one had to offer, and gave value for value. That is not so anymore, though I don't understand how we can act on any other rule and continue to exist."

Capitalism, baby! So my new question is... if the wealthy can stoop to acts of begging in times of need (ie: asking for investments without offering any proof of future returns... ie: asking for hand-outs) then can Beggars rise up to the level of wealthy capitalists, even if they stay within the realm of the lower socio-economic status?

How do we use the "teach a man to fish" method with homeless people so that instead of fighting capitalism, they learn how to use it? I'm not suggesting it's possible to get everyone off the streets, much less into the upper class system... that's about as likely as the rich woman not getting her investment and falling into poverty. Not happening. But is it possible to build an infrastructure that motivates street-dwellers to trade "value for value?" Or do these infrastructures already exist? Like recycling centers? When I was living in Boston there was a guy who went through our recycling every day collecting bottles and cans... he was helping us sort our recyclables and getting 5cents a can or whatever the value was... and everybody wins! Value for value. Did it get him out of homelessness, probably not. Did it feed him? Sure. Maybe. I don't know. But my point is - I think that those kinds of incentives, were they to exist on a larger scale, could pull a lot of people off the streets and into something a little bit more comfortable.

So there you go. There's my blog thesis about homelessness and capitalism and how they might actually be able to help each other out.

Yours truly.

The Funz

2009-05-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I'm officially amazed at the amount of talent there is in the world. I mean, on the internet. But, you know, also in the world... not on the internet. But let's focus on the internet. Because that's where it's at.

Great intro.

I came upon the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) website where they showcase short films made by various students... and I was blown away by some of the videos up there. The site is kind of slow and needs some work, but once you actually get to the shorts... it's impressive. And I hate being impressed by kids my age, because I should technically be able to create the same type of product, but every once in a while I man up and respect what should be respected despite my ageism.

This particular piece really blew me away. It wasn't the most masterful plot, nor was it the one that made me laugh the hardest (let's face it the funny ones are always the favorites)... what struck me about this short was ingenuity of design. It took me about half-way before I realized that there was no CGI or digital effect use... it just looks like there is. It's visually stunning and the sound editing is really well executed. -And, I'll be honest; I'm a sucker for dance. Hope you like it.

http://www.scadshorts.com/index.php?/52/

Two things have become evident to me in the last few weeks. (1) Most people get their web-fix from YouTube or Hulu. (2) There is so much unbelievable work out there that can't be found in either place. Thankfully I'm working for a company that's looking to solve that problem. And that feels pretty cool. But more on that at the end of the month. Just, you know, keep this issue on the back-burner. Let it simmer for a while. [insert another cooking metaphor here]

Lastly. Star Trek. Talk about a serious blockbuster. I would totally see it again, it was so much fun. I'll spare you the details. All I have to say is that I was impressed by their decision to use character development as part of the primary plot instead of throwing it into a secondary plot-point. When you see the movie you'll know what I mean - it's amazing how we've all adapted to the traditional blockbuster screenplay format without even knowing it. When you see the movie, something about the timing might throw you, and that's when you'll know that you've come to expect a certain formula from every action movie you see. It's become to ingrained. I'm glad that Star Trek mixed it up a bit. Helps me get lost in the movie and not in my watch. Also, Kirk's pretty hot. So if for nothing else, see it for that. Live long and prosper. (I am immediately embarrassed for writing that)

Make Milwaukee Famous

2009-04-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

My little brother used to have a Polish nanny. She taught me the value of words. Like how every word is more fun when you end it with "skies." Example: Sarcasm- "I love it when my phone cuts out on me. -NOTSKIES!" or "That guy asked me for my number, but he's a huge tool, so count me OUTSKIES!" It's not like rocket science but it's fun. So feel free to try it out. But don't overuse it or you could risk becoming a giant loser.

At work (yeah, I work now) I have to watch a lot of web videos. It's pretty sweet. Today I reviewed some of the stuff that's up on Snap.fm's blog, Snapbox. Snap.fm was created by a good buddy of mine, Devin, and the Snapbox blog features videos of various indie bands playing live acoustic versions of their songs in various (and often highly random) locations around Boston, Allston, Cambridge and the like. I really approve of Devin's work so far - the videos look awesome and the venue choices add to the appeal. Whenever I had free time last summer, which was never as often as I would have liked, I'd help Devin with the camera work, so being able to see some of the stuff that I shot look as good as it does gives me a serious sense of satisfaction. The editing rocks (I think that's Tom's doing) and the sound quality is really great, considering a lot of the locations weren't condusive to our recording equipment. Did I mention how killer the camera work is? Is that shameless self-promotion? Yeah? Cool, then I'll keep going with that rhythm.

So obviously, these videos make me seriously nostalgic. My favorite shoot that I helped with was for What Made Milwaukee Famous - if you don't know these guys, you should give them a chance. They are so great. But this shoot was my favorite because of how beautiful it looks. It's just a playground in Cambridge, near the Middle East, but for some reason it just screams Boston for me, and watching these vids brings me serious inner peace. A reminder of the good times in a great city. The presence of video in our lives, the ability to capture moving memories, will never not be profound for me. So, enjoy a few memories of mine:

What Made Milwaukee Famous box 4 from Snap FM on Vimeo.

What Made Milwaukee Famous box 3 from Snap FM on Vimeo.

If you liked those, there are more songs from these guys at http://blog.snap.fm/

Also. All Is Love is another band I helped shoot. And I think this video is pretty chill. I'm still amazed we fit the entire band into such a tiny Allston vestibule. Believe it or not, they're like Swedish or something, and they are so. much. fun.

Love Is All box 1 from Snap FM on Vimeo.

Did I mention I'm writing this post from my balcony? Amazing.
Peace out cubscouts.

Got Enough to Go Around

2009-04-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

I've been wrestling with the concept of optimism lately. Actually, let's call it positive energy (because let's face it: "optimism" is SO ten years ago). Here's the statement I try to live by: the energy you put out is equal to the energy you attract. If you think positive, you'll attract positive things in your life. I like that it sounds all scientific, because I get less sass from all of the skeptics and disbelievers (and general pessimists). So lately everything's been turning up Killian. Normally I consider this to be a good thing. But things have been SO eerily awesome lately, that I'm starting to wonder if I'm due for a serious fall soon. I mean, is it possible to maintain this kind of high permanently? Or are we all just stuck in a cyclical pattern from which we can't escape, where things get good, then they get bad, and then they get good again? OR is it just totally meaningless and random? I guess the brunt of my curiosity stems from a question that will never, ever, be answerable: How much of our lives do we control?

And since we decidedly cannot answer that question, what's the point of thinking about it? And if there's no point in thinking about it, then what's the point of worrying if things are going to turn sour? And if there's no point in worrying about whether things are going to turn sour, then there's nothing we can do but to just stay positive and enjoy the moment while it's upon us... which brings us back to positive energy. HA! So maybe "positive energy" or "optimism" is purely reactionary. Maybe we can't control our fate by exuding positivity, but who really cares? As long as you're happy with where you're at while you're at it, then there's no real need to worry about whether your happiness is the chicken or the egg in the "what came first?" equation. And honestly, there's probably no harm in assuming that your positive energy attracts positive events because the truth is that even if the event sucks, you'll come away thinking it was positive in the long-run, and isn't that a more pleasant way to live? I think so.

So I'll conclude by saying that there's no reason for me to think that my life is about to take a turn for the worst. As long as I stay positive, I'll stay happy, and the only person who can manipulate that perception is me. We might not have control over the things that happen to us, but we'll always have control over our reactions to those things. And that is what makes optimism so powerful. AMEN, SISTAH!

I heart this Cold War Kids song, and my favorite line kind of fits this post. So have at it.

"she's laughing like a choir girl. she's laughing like a choir girl. when she doubles over it sounds like hallelujah"

Turn the Water. Into Holy Water.

2009-03-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Such a solid video.

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

It's funny how boredom becomes so stressful after a while. Whenever I'm working in a job that requires a lot of me, I'm begging for a moment of boredom. But when it actually hits, it is the worst feeling ever.

The bottom line is that people don't actually like to be bored. We crave stimulation of one type or another, constantly. Whether we prefer to do it actively or not is a totally different story, but my point holds.

That said, I'm going to stop using the phrase "I'm bored" and instead I'll say, "what can I do right now to activate my mind?"

All Along the Watchtower

2009-03-09T00:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, we need to be reminded of our capabilities.

I recently saw Watchmen on IMAX. I hadn't read the comic book before seeing the movie, so I felt like it was hitting me at a fresh angle. Bone crushing violence and over indulgent nudity aside, I was pretty rocked. It poses such an interesting question: how far will humanity progress before the only way to save ourselves is to destroy us?

At what point will we be comfortable enough to sit back, even if just for a few minutes, and appreciate what we've already managed to create? We amaze me. Maybe this is just the beginning, but already we have achieved so much.

Fool's Paradise

2009-03-05T15:52:00.001-08:00

Clarifying my last post: I was not suggesting that we are submerged in a second Great Depression. I'm not a financial analyst. I'm just taking note that if things get worse, we've got a little piece of history to learn from (cough*GreatDepression*cough).

That said, here's something hilarious:

Ironically, my buddy found that photo on TwitPic.

And what is it about Twitter that gets people going? Is it reasonable to be that interested in letting everyone know what menial tasks you're completing throughout the day? Are we all just growing increasingly retarded?

Sure, it makes sense for a business to post new details about their services, I guess. And maybe somebody out there really wants to know what his/her favorite celebrity is doing at all times of the day (stalker) but are we growing that self-absorbed as a demographic that we really think people care about what we're doing?

I have enough faith that Twitter will grow to be something substantial, but it's gonna get blown out of the water by other social media sites sooner rather than later if it can't offer a bigger benefit than the current "look who's over-feeding their cat!" service. I could very well be proven wrong, but only at the expense of my faith in the human intellect. Let's try to avoid turning into a bunch of Twits.

Time to Pretend

2009-03-04T00:32:00.000-08:00

After my last post I couldn't stop repeating that last question I posed, "What are our alternatives?" It just went over and over in my head. How can 20-somethings of today avoid the basic setbacks of the current economic slump? There has to be a way.

Firstly, let me just say that I can't (yet) resign myself to jobs that sound awful just for the sake of having a job. I've got at least another month in me to seek positions that could actually expand my skill set in a way that makes me feel productive and fulfilled. Using the economy as an excuse for laziness when it comes to job-hunting is too easy. Not to say it's not difficult, but if you want something then it's like I just said... there has to be a way... to get it. So try, try, try. The economy is an excuse - just don't use it as one.

But let's just sayyy that as hard as we try to go after whatever it is we want, the economy throws us to the dogs. You're the first to get fired or you're almost hired but the corporate exec says "on second thought, we can't afford this." Or your project gets canceled three weeks in. Whatever. How do we 20-somethings support ourselves financially AND maintain our learning curve when there's no one out there who's willing to teach us?

Naturally, I did a little history research. How did young people do it in the 1930s? If history is in the process of repeating itself, then we might as well learn from history, itself. (pun?)

Here are some points to consider:
-The Great Depression really, really, sucked. Like. Really. Sucked.
-In large part, America recovered because of WWII... and something tells me that the Iraq war II isn't going to be as helpful this time around.
-According to some guy on the internet, "young adults lost confidence in themselves and lowered their ambitions" during the Great Depression, which sounds vaguely familiar to the current plight of 20-somethings. Other sites have noted that young adults became increasingly more interested in music and entertainment. (That explains my grandma's life long love of Big Bands) While still other young adults decided to further their education at colleges where they could continue to learn while getting jobs on campus to pay for room and board.

Ok, so there aren't a lot of articles that focus on the successful youths during the Depression. In fairness, I didn't spend a lot of time looking - BUT I've already reached a conclusion, and it's not "plastics" so feel free to keep reading.

The key, I think, is NOT to lose confidence and NOT to lower your ambition. The kids who acheived any kind of success after the depression were the kids who didn't resign themselves to it. Technology is so expansive right now, and that is something we have now that nobody had back in the 1930s. Our success through this economic slump is going to have to be mental.

If you're interested in finance but had to get a job flipping burgers or serving beer, you've got a whole slough of websites that will not only keep you in the know but that you can contribute to, which will make you feel like you're maintaining some kind of learning curve... and when you're at that next job interview you'll spend most of your time impressing the guy behind the desk because you never lost your ambition.

If you're looking to get into entertainment, even better. Not only will entertainment be in demand, but these days you can do it in short bursts through YouTube, for free, whenever you're not walking dogs for money. Resume building. Take advantage of your resources- they are out there and they are vast.

Set your sights high and stay informed. Stay confident. When you have to explain to yourself at your next job interview, you say "Yeah, I served beer and I walked dogs. But look at all of this stuff I contributed to that has to do with what you do. Because I want this." If that guy doesn't hire you he's an idiot.

It's probably not our only alternative to suffering through the economic slump, but hey, in theory, it's worth trying. Man this has been preachy. But at least I've soothed my own nerves. And let's face it, my posts are generally just a way to hear myself talk (in my head? through type?).

Now it's time to take my own advice. And if you take my advice, I expect full credit.

The Broken Social Shift

2009-03-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

For new readers and old: Welcome. This blog is taking a shift from the documentation of a road warrior moving toward the coast of opportunity to the observations of a 20-something in a new city, in a new economy, and teetering on the edge of a new frontier. Enjoy.

I had a phone call scheduled today with a production company exec, and as I arranged a time to speak with him via his secretary, I received a very kind but extremely alarming sentiment. "I am so sorry that you're looking for a job right now! What a terrible time to come to LA in search of employment!" Humbling, to say the least.

If the adrenaline didn't start pumping through my body at dangerous levels, it should have, because this kind of misery does not love condolences. Condolences remind misery that it has company. And company is the ugliest reality for misery right now. The worst thing you can say to a 20-something at a time like this is "you're not alone" because it only translates to "your competition is heavier."

So when the competition is heavier, we 20-somethings need heavier leverage. What can we do to ensure our long-term success? Most of us are willing to settle for a lame job that won't advance our chosen career paths because we need the income. Fine. But taking the lame job debilitates your chances of climbing the ladder and gaining experience in the field you really love. And let's say 10 years go by, we're now 30-somethings, and we're competing with a fresh brand of 20-somethings for the same job - what leverage will we have then? And can we really risk wasting 10 years of our lives doing something we hate just for the sake of having something stable? What are our alternatives?

UPS Update

2009-02-16T12:49:00.001-08:00

It's been a while but I was recently self-diagnosed with the plague, so now that I'm back in business I'll have some solid "what it's like to get used to Los Angeles" news.

As far as UPS. I feel like I have to voice my mounting rage.

My DEAR friend Melissa, my only contact in Champaign, IL, went to the UPS Store to check out the damages to my shipment. Good news and bad news.

Good news: Not everything was damaged - my canvas paintings are in fine shape. And the large gold frame was completely in tact, no glass shattered.

The Bad News: As Melissa put it, "if you remember in the beginning of Ace Ventura where he was kicking around the box, down the hall, smashing it, glass coming out, etc....yeah that's what your box looked like." AWESOME! Such care! Such graceful handling. Such regard for the "FRAGILE" warning written all over the place. Really sad that I can't count on a shipping company to handle a package with any kind of grace.

My Problem: It's not like I can't replace what's gone. I can, and I will. It's just that as it stands, I have officially paid UPS to break a bunch of stuff without delivering it to me. Imagine. I PAID a company to break my shit. That. Is. Unreal.

How this Problem could be solved: UPS could do one of two things. (1) COMP ME for my original shipment as they technically never delivered it to me. (2) just let me re-ship my damaged package for free. After all, the outrageous thing is that THEY DIDN'T DELIVER THE DAMAGED PACKAGE TO MY DOOR! What is WRONG with them? I could have at LEAST salvaged one of the frames (now I have to leave it behind because I can't afford to ship it) and I wouldn't have had to get my poor friend Melissa to do all my dirty work for me - I mean what if I had no one in Champaign to retrieve the damaged box?! I'd be royally screwed over. The whole "we're shipping it back to the sender/UPS Store because we broke it" is the most ABSURD notion I have ever heard. Put my box on the front lines of Iraq if you want to but DO YOUR JOB AND GET IT TO MY DOORSTEP. Unbelievable.

I am forever turned off to this company, though I'd be willing to reconsider if I was able to speak to someone at UPS with the decency to understand its own absurdity. I doubt there's anyone as heroic in this day and age. It's sad - how far will this kind of consumer abuse go, and is this kind of behavior leading us into an even thicker fog of distrust in our society today? It certainly doesn't help.

The Kiwi Circus Brigade

2009-02-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

I've been here for what, 4 days? now and there's already so much to discuss!

The first is that I will never use UPS again. The regular old Post Office treated my boxes with more care than that ugly brown company could manage to do. I had a box of large frames and sentimental paintings on canvas that apparently made it all the way to Los Angeles before someone in a big brown van PUNCTURED the box, breaking the glass, and then blamed me for poor packaging. Wow, I'm really sorry that I didn't package it well enough to withstand the force of a sledge hammer to cardboard. But beyond that, UPS decided it would be smarter to ship the box ALL THE WAY BACK to Champaign, IL (where I shipped it from just before picking up Melissa for our ride) instead of holding it in Los Angeles for pick up. TWO THINGS wrong with this: (a) shipping it all the way back will only risk it for more damage. (b) I don't have any way of getting to Champaign to retrieve the package, and therefore it must be re-shipped to me... and UPS is going to charge me for that (and this was the most expensive package I shipped, hands down). What's even creepier is that the UPS agent in Champaign seemed to be totally numb to my hysterical sobbing. Yikes. (also kind of yikes that I was as hysterical as I was but let's totally ignore that please).

On the brighter side, my apartment is perfect and in the most beautiful little neighborhood. I'll have pictures of it soon but my camera is broken at the moment. Contrary to my expectations, I actually have a lot of things around me that I can walk to. A grocery store, a few little restaurants, and a sports bar. -a sports bar that, might I just say, actually plays the Boston Beanpot games on their TVs! Yay for Boston love! Yay for it being so close to my house! And if I'm feeling really frisky, I can walk three miles to the beach - though I'm considering buying a bike for that. Regardless, it's so nice to be able to go outside -in shorts- in February. I went for a jog around my neighborhood yesterday and the only thing running through my head was "I can't believe how not cold I am right now."

Roommates Greg and Justin are fantastic. Justin and I are both looking for work so we enjoy filling our days with trips to thrift stores to look for furniture for our apartment. It's a little bit bare at the moment - though I've dressed up a couple of folding chairs with oversized cushions. I knew those things would come in handy! Justin and I also have to figure out a way to transport said furniture, once we find anything good. Tricky.

Justin also has a Wii! And he programmed his Wii to be able to play any NES or Super Nintendo game that was ever created! And while watching him play some very archaic NES game I had this incredibly vivid flashback to a game I used to play when I was like 4 years old with my older brother. (honestly it was like having a psychic vision - i couldnt quite make out what the game was about but i knew the main character was very short and there were flaming hoops involved and animals... so, a circus. also included in my flashback was the exact scent of our house we lived in at the time) So, naturally, I called Michael and demanded that he remember what game it was. He, too, had forgotten all about this glorious game until I brought it up. Thank god for older brothers - Michael figured out that the game is called "Circus Charlie." What's amazing about this particular game is that we played it when we were living in Tokyo... and this game was never released in the States (for shame, as it is the best game ever). SO! Justin, being the glorious roommate that he is, downloaded the game to his Wii in a matter of minutes. NOSTALGIA! I have never been so happy as I am when I jump that little lion-riding-clown through those flaming hoops of fire. It's kind of sad, but it's actually like re-living a little piece of my Tokyo childhood.

In other news, Greg is part of couchsurfing.com so he occassionally hosts far off travelers who need a free place to crash. For the last two nights we have hosted a pair of New Zealand ladies, Jane and Leslie, and it has been great fun. They're great people and it's going to be fun hosting travelers and learning about all of their great adventures. (assuming we don't suddenly host a bad egg, but it sounds like the site is pretty well regulated and keeps the crazies away)

On the Kiwis' first night here we all went to the Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Club in Hollywood. We picked up our other BU Alum friend Ben on the way. Two guys from the comedy group Human Giant were hosting it, and Ed Helms (of The Office) was one of the stand-up performers. It was pretty cool - and even better because it only cost $5. I was called up on stage for one bit (I had to prove that the cookies Whoopi Goldberg sent Paul Scheer for his birthday tasted gross) and one of the only reasons I was pulled on stage (aside from Ben literally pushing me forward) was that Rob Huebel noticed I was crossing my arms, which made it LOOK like I wasn't having fun (despite the laughing?) when in reality I was just FREEZING because I was sitting right underneath the air conditioning unit. So there you have it. When you need a little attention in LA, just act cold. (PUN!)

Beach time! If you're reading this, please pray for my UPS package.

"Los Angeles, I'm Yours"

2009-02-02T19:59:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple of days due to move-in distraction (aka blowing my budget at Bed Bath and Beyond and getting horrifying calls from UPS about a damaged box). But the last leg of the trip went a little bit like this:

We left Arizona asap and jumped back on I-10. As it turns out, I-10 west runs all the way to Santa Monica, which is exactly where we intended to go. My new place is just 3 miles east of the ocean and because I started from Gloucester, which sits quite literally on the Atlantic, just ten days earlier, I made it a point to touch the Pacific Ocean. Make it count.

The road from Arizona into California is as beautiful as the rest has been. No shortage of things to look at from any angle. We passed a huge plot of wind turbines. I've seen them before, but not in this quantity, I don't think. They're actually quite graceful. It's funny to try to juxtapose them from the oil pumping jacks we saw in Texas. As I've said about the jacks- they are isolated from each other in no particular pattern, and they slowly and repetitively bow to the ground like they're shackled. The wind turbines stand tall. They're not depressing to look at, in fact they're kind of inspiring. Could this be foreshadowing the future of energy? I hope so.

Also, I kissed a Cactus and we've labeled the photo "Forbidden Love."
Those things are seriously tall.

Full Circle: you will NEVER believe it. But as we were just over the city limits into Los Angeles we caught a glimpse of the WEINERMOBILE!! It was headed East, the opposite direction, and at high speeds so we couldn't get a shot of it. But we all kind of sat in silent shock after noting it. It was strange to see it entering Los Angeles, since we first saw it as we were leaving Chicago - our first leg as a collective group. Anyway. Weinermobile TWICE in one road trip? That's got to be some kind of record.

We hit Santa Monica just as the sun was setting. After the inevitable traffic, we found a parking spot and headed to the ocean. Talk about the perfect welcome. Touching the Pacific was like crossing the finish line at a marathon. I had been traveling for 10 days, 7 with Jeff and Melissa. Our coast to coast mission was complete. And none of us really knew what to think about it. So we just kind of enjoyed the sunset. And Jeff, who had silently been dreading Los Angeles, actually seemed to like it.

I'll be writing more posts, but as far as the road trip is concerned, it was probably the most fun any of the three of us has had in a very, very long time. This country is huge, and nothing can depict that as clearly as driving through it. I was so lucky to have the people on board that I had. We really enjoyed the ride, and how many times in our lives do we actually enjoy the ride?

The end is just the beginning. Not just for me, but for Jeff and Melissa, too. They dropped everything to jump into a car and help me move cross-country. And it seems like the trip was exactly what they needed to re-evaluate their own day-to-day pursuits. And how could they not start thinking about the big picture when they're staring at the sunset over the white sands national monument, or Mt. Picacho, or the Santa Monica pier? I think this trip could spark new beginnings for all of us. And that's freaking amazing.

The Road

2009-01-30T21:43:00.000-08:00

To be honest, I'm actually finally ready to get to L.A. - and how fitting, because we'll be there today.

Yesterday was a great drive. We took the scenic route to get from Truth or Consequences back to I-10... after exploring Truth or Consequences more extensively, of course. How could we not? The town is named after a TV show. And it's adorable. Flat out. Adorable.

We went to a very small gourmet chocolate shop, Coco Re'al, (Melissa is studying food science and her masters thesis is on chocolate so we took it as part o
f her research) and I asked the young woman who recently opened the shop (really great stuff in there, by the way) if she loved living in New Mexico and she thought about it and said, "Yeah, I do. I mean, you just have to believe in it, you know?" No, I don't know. But that's the most amazing response I've ever heard to such a simple question. You just have to believe in it? Like... as in.. it's magic? Yes! Hello, state motto.

Jeff also found me a SWEET trucker hat in T or C (the town's nickname). I have a nickname for my car: the silver bullet. And he found me a hat with that inscription. Love at first sight.

We were all very sad when we drove over the state line into Arizona. I mean, yay for Arizona and all.. but we really couldn't get over New Mexico. We had to pull over a few times, as we were hugging the cliffs that wound around through the Black Mountain range, to see the views. They were breathtaking, as you might expect. And as you might be able to tell from the photos. I'd go back in a heartbeat. I almost want to go back right now, but I'd probably never leave and that might not go over well with a whole lot of people.

I'm kind of too tired to talk about Arizona - but I was really excited to see those tall cacti. We haven't really explored it so I wouldn't have that much to say anyway. We stopped in Tucson but for the first time we hadn't scheduled a hotel ahead of time, and because it was still early in the day, we decided to push it to Phoenix for the night. It's only a 6 hour drive from Phoenix to Los Angeles, so we'll have some time to take some more scenic routes today.

The one thing I WILL say about Phoenix is that it wasn't easy to find a place to eat, even with the internet on our side. Finally we just opted for a place closest to our hotel and it was called the Purple Turtle Sports Bar. Ok. We almost missed it when we drove by because it's part of a strip mall - and it has no windows - and the doors are painted the same color as their surrounding walls, with a hand painted "Purple Turtle" on them - and there were only pick up trucks parked outside. So. Sketchy only just begins to describe it. And after slight hesitation, we decided to just do it. Jeff went in first to check it out and came back with a wicked smile. "It's like the type of western bar in a movie where a huge bar fight breaks out and someone gets whacked with a pool cue. And there's a Mexican guy in there wearing a crown. We have to do this." He was right. We had to. So we did. Oddly enough, the trucker hat gave me a newfound sense of security. To make everything better - it was Karaoke night. Perfection! But as it turns out all of the people were really just good people and not sketchy at all. They couldn't have cared less that we were the only white kids in the bar. No bar fights to be had. Just a bunch of people with tough day jobs getting together to enjoy pool, drinks, and karaoke. It was delightful. So that was our impression of Phoenix.

Today it's the Arizona desert... and Los Angeles.

Just Truth, No Consequences

2009-01-29T20:37:00.000-08:00

New Mexico's state motto is "Land of Enchantment." We laughed when we first saw that, but then we got up this morning... and then we followed through with our day.

We started the day at the Carlsbad Caverns... 750 feet underground. It took us two and a half hours to walk through the entire series of caves, and it was kind of like walking on mars. Nothing is familiar. The only way to convince yourself it's of this planet is to try to see things in the structures. You know, "that one looks like jabba the hut," etc. But really, it was very cool. Very, very cool. I got vertigo a couple of times and when looking into the 'bottomless pit' I think my life flashed before my eyes. It was perfect.

After a scenic drive through a barren desert, northwest-ish, we were suddenly winding beside mountains at 6,000 feet elevation. From (-)750 feet to 6,000 feet in a matter of minutes - that's pretty enchanting. Also, there are a lot of dogs that ride freely in the back of pick-up trucks here, but today we saw a dog pacing on the top of the truck bed, barking at nothing, and it was slightly unnerving. So I took a photo! We also saw a pistachio farm with a giant pistachio out front - so I took a photo!

And then there was Roswell. Oh, Roswell. They've really made it a point to capitalize on the alien thing...obviously. We went to the UFO museum - probably the most ridiculous, poorly planned out museum I've ever seen, but it was only $5 so it was well worth the experience. Hilarious. Really. And kind of interesting, too, actually. The parts that weren't hilarious were interesting. Was there a cover up? Probably. Was it an alien space craft? Um... I don't really think so. But that's just me. Most of the shops in the area were named with some kind of Alien pun in mind. Classy!

Westbound, we wound through a few more mountains, a bit more desert, and through an Apache reservation (wasn't quite what I was expecting.. I couldn't tell it was a reservation until I saw the Casino I just kind of got sad). So much to take in for one day and it was only half over.

We stopped at the White Sands National Monument - this is a MUST SEE at sunset. I couldn't believe it was America. It was the most AMAZING, strange, breathtaking place I've seen in a very, very long time. The sand looks like snow, and the dunes go on for miles. Surrounded by red mountains, that turn black against the sunset, the sky just turns pink. Pink against blue against yellow against the most pristine white. We ran up and down the dunes, made sand angels, did cartwheels. And it was so quiet we could hear each other perfectly from the tops of our three very distant dunes. That was kind of weird, but also really awesome. I can't recommend this place more. I really can't.

And then, to finish up the day, we drive to a little town called Truth or Consequences. New Mexico, I love you. This town was named after the TV show way back when. Shout out to Devin for recommending it. We found this little Inn called Blackstone Hotsprings that's supposed to be for couples, I guess (i mean it IS adorable).. but that's okay we slipped a third person in and they were nice about it. This place has a super deep tub and the water streaming into it is DIRECTLY from the hot springs that this town is known for. The water comes flowing into the tub, waterfall fashion, at 106 degrees. It is SO nice. Probably the perfect way to end a seriously productive day.

And with that I'm exhausted.

Oh yeah, and the stars out here are incredible. INCREDIBLE.
"Land of Enchantment," I believe you.

Let Jeff Entertain Us

2009-01-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

Driving is kind of like being locked in a glass cage.
The freedom is liberating. And liberation does things to people.

In one such case, Jeff shows off one of his mad skillz.

South by Southwest

2009-01-28T19:24:00.001-08:00

Western Texas is stunning. I-10 headed West. Do it.

Everyone warned us. "It's going to be so boring. There's nothing out there." But it's the nothingness that gets you. It's timeless. It honestly felt like time travel. It's cowboy country. And that's all there is to it. We saw every form of livestock from llamas to cattle to sheep to goats to rams. We saw abandoned buildings and old pick up trucks that lost all signs of life. But the thing that really got me were the oil rigging pumping jacks. They're like mechanical soliders out there, bobbing their heads to the ground in a slow, rhythmic motion. And they're everywhere. It's so weird but I could have watched them for hours because it's so erie. It's a metaphor for so many things - our country's quest for oil, obviously, but also of the industrial revolution - machine taking over for man, just slaving away unattended and after a while unnoticed as it just begins to blend into the scenery.

Leaving Austin, by the way, was beautiful in full daylight, no fog clouding the view. Before we hit rural western Texas we stopped in Fredericksburg - an old German-influenced town that has some relationship to the Pacific War. I should know my history, but I don't. In either case, it's an adorable little town. We couldn't stop talking about how cute it was - and I kid you not, a school bus full of little blonde children drove right by us. It's like magic-adorable-town USA. We also stumbled across an amazing coffee shop/bakery that is apparently famous nationwide, and been featured in all of the best cooking magazines, and also Oprah's. "Rather Sweet: Bakery and Cafe." It was so quaint, so hidden, with a little well outfront and everything. Seriously magical. Again. I felt like I had gone back in time. Or maybe that time had stopped, I can't tell which.

We moved through Western Texas at rapid speed. Not even trying to sound poetic - the speed limit was 80. So we averaged about 95. Even got into a sweet racing game with a sporty little red car beside me. We got out the video camera and documented most of it. She was an awesome sport though, once she caught on. It was fun. And it's always fun and games until you get pulled over, which I did, of course, in Pecos Texas. Never want to go back there. The speed limit is 60 when you enter the town, and I was abiding by it- but it suddenly drops to 30. When I noticed the shift it was too late. But I got off with a warning. It's funny - we almost hit a black crow when we started off this morning. Talk about bad omen. And I also had a very distinct feeling I'd get pulled over today. Psychic! But it turned out not to be a big deal. And life continues.

New Mexico left us all speechless, really. It's the same desert terrain - the grass a burnt golden hue littered with green brush and cacti. But as we headed into Whites City (yeah, that's a place) to check out the Carlsbad Caverns the sun just hit everything with that extra glow and I think we collectively dropped our jaws. Jeff summed it up pretty well, "what IS this place?" And then we hit the road that took us to the Caverns. A winding road up the crest of a partially eroded/partially blasted? hill. It was so good. SO good.

This video doesn't do it justice, but you should probably watch it.. and turn your volume low.

When we got to the top of the hill, we discovered that we arrived 5 minutes before the Caves closed for the night. No big deal, we'll be glad to go back in the morning. The view was worth it, even at the top:

We drove into Carlsbad at 6ish Mountain Time. (Did you know the whole state of Texas is technically Central Time?) We were pretty hungry, since we skipped lunch for the most part. So we drove around and found the classiest joint in town. We knew it was classy because the sign out front just said "RESTAURANT" and it had the most business. Also, it was between that, a ton of Chinese places, fast food chains, and a place called Funn's Family Diner. The choice wasn't that hard. We knew it was classy when a 50 year old greaser rolled up next to us on his motorcycle and buttless chaps. Oh - and don't worry - he made sure to run that comb through his slick hair before entering the restaurant. CLASSY!

But honestly, we're loving every minute of it. The weirder, the better.

This is America. And I'm not even saying that with distaste. Frankly, I think it's amazing that there is SO much variation. There is so much we don't know about our nation -about who we are as a collective whole, but also about who our neighbors are as real people. Variation is freedom though, right? I've never been more proud to be an American. To stand beside people with an entirely different culture from my own and say, "hey, we're in this together, right? We've got nothing in common but we're living under the same roof." I don't know, I just think that's pretty cool. And if you think you'd hate it here because you believe in stereotypes, I challenge you to explore it for yourself. Closed-mindedness works both ways.

Austin. Like Boston. With an A, U, and an I.

2009-01-28T05:52:00.000-08:00

Austin isn't really that much like Boston except that it's small, and liberal, and the weather is relatively unpredictable. We arrived and it was like 60+ degrees at night. The next morning it was 38. People were freaking out, schools were closing. There was talk of ice. It was ridiculous.

But Austin is a nice little town, though it's hard to explore thoroughly when you've got a giant hood up that falls over your eyes. As far as I can tell it's great. University of Texas is right there. The college kids generally stick to their college neighborhoods and the rest of the city does its own thing. We went to 6th Street, which is like the New Orleans Bourbon Street of Austin - just a long street of bars, really. But we went in the day time because we had plans to check out the Continental Club at night (my post below).

We also saw the famous bat bridge. There's a bridge in Austin that houses thousands of Bats, living in the crevices underneath. You can hear them squeaking as you walk underneath it. BATMAN! Also. There's a big sign nearby: Bat Facts! My favorite bat fact is that they do not get tangled in your hair.-I think it's great that they had to note that as a Bat Fact.

I would definitely come back here to catch it on a warmer day. Especially for another $2 mini margarita. Adorable. Not to mention the amazing view from the rolling hills just Northwest of the city. The houses in those hills are spectacular, and the views are fantastic. I can't wait to steal more photos from Jeff, since my camera died before hitting the best of it. It was nice to have a day of rest, and now we're off to New Mexico - I've been looking forward to this like crazy. I. Am. So. Excited. Thankfully the weather has passed (in one day, of course) and it should be in the 60s+ for the rest of our ride. Hallelujah. Amen.

Continental Club

2009-01-27T23:21:00.000-08:00

What makes a band so worth seeing live?

-the energy of the front man? his ability to relate to the crowd? his ability to get trashed on stage and still wow everyone with some serious shredding and impressive chords?
-two drum sets?
-three rotating drummers?
-a cowbell?
-a cowboy hat?
-a duel between a tucked-in shirt and a vest?
-mixing up the band's jazz funk styled original stuff with some quality old time rock and roll - everything from Elvis to Blondie to the Talking Heads?
-being able to play for three hours straight without taking a break? just because you love it so much?
-flat out being able to play. and sing.
-making it look easy.
two. Good bands happen

Maybe you only need one of the above to secure quality status. But tonight we witnessed all of the above. David Garza. Playing at the Continental Club in Austin. Phenomenal doesn't even begin to describe it. You can check him out at www.davidgarza.com but the music there and on myspace doesn't do him justice. His stuff online is all slow and lethargic. Live he's a totally different animal - a much better animal - the type of animal he should be on the internet.

I heard about the Continental Club from a woman at a music store who started up a conversation with me about short hair. She seemed like a trustworthy source.. so Jeff, Melis, and I figured we should check it out, regardless of the band... after all we're never going to recognize a local name here. I wish I could write that woman a letter thanking her for the recommendation. But instead, I'll pay it forward. Next time you're in Austin, go here: www.continentalclub.com -it'll probably be worth the risk.

New Orleans Morning, Texas at Night

2009-01-27T09:43:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was one of our longest so far, but we seem to be maintaining our energy pretty well, if not just getting kind of loopy. We started off the day by checking out Café Du Monde. Jeff had once gotten a can of their coffee as a gift and he wanted more – because it was apparently that good. I was skeptical. I had tasted the coffee in

Australia

and it was so much more delicious than any American coffee that I couldn’t imagine that a small sect of Americans could be doing it right and keeping it a secret from the rest of us. Turns out that Café Du Monde isn’t really a secret. It’s open 24/7 because it’s so sought after.. for the experience of French coffee and their famous beignets (basically fried dough piled high with powdered sugar). Either New Orleans travelers aren’t spreading the news with enough vigor or the rest of

America

just doesn’t care about tasty coffee – because this stuff was fantastic! It was definitely up there with the Australian stuff. And that’s wonderful. So I bought a can or two to take home with me. Only $5, how could I not? Cheap AND delicious?? Please. Something is backwards here. Starbucks coffee tastes burnt and it sells for like $10 a bag.

Anyway, that was a great time. Nothing starts a good day like some good coffee.

We also took some time to walk around Dana's neighborhood. It's beautiful. The houses are stunning and we found a tether ball pole and Jeff and Melissa made sure to make good use of it as we passed by. Nothing like a little exercise on a road trip. The weather was perfect. PERFECT. I think we were in heaven. I also did a little house hunting. Goal after getting to LA: get rich so I can build houses like these.

And the day was good, though I was sitting in the backseat for most of it (our backseat that is piled high with our bags).

That was actually awesome. I don’t know why it’s thrilling to sit in the backseat of your own car, but it is. I was getting a little giddy.

We got into Texas and everything started to get… bigger. Hah. I’m not even joking, we saw some seriously oversized stop signs. It was hilarious. We stopped in Houston for a late lunch. Houston is a very attractive little city in the middle of nowhere. Beautiful architecture, really pleasant skyscrapers, and we all really appreciated its cleanliness. It’s just a nice city to look at, and that’s all I’ve got because we didn’t have much time to explore its cultural aspects. Keep in mind we don’t have GPS trackers or iPhones or any kind of high tech devices that could lead us to the internet. Just maps. We prefer it that way. You learn a city so much faster that way. But once we got to the center, we noticed that, like most financial districts, the center of the city had no eateries. Melissa had been talking up “Chick Filet” all day as it’s only in the south, so we decided to try to find one. And when we collectively put our minds to something, it happens. So I texted google. YEP you can do that.

I wrote “address: chick filet, houston TX” and sent it to GOOGL.

Immediate response: “3101 Holcombe Blvd, Houston TX”

Brilliant.

Jeff couldn’t find Holcombe. But of course I spotted it on the map immediately (way to go, Jeffo). After much turning around and regaining our sense of direction, we were on our way to Holcombe, crossing our fingers that Google hadn’t let us down. But with determination and MY AMAZING MAP SKILLS! We got there. We felt very accomplished.

Back on the road. And by the road I mean I-10 which stretches the entire length of our drive from New Orleans to LA. We did get a little turned around once we hit RT-183 to Austin but a freight train distracted us. I have to warn everyone, there’s a section of RT-90 in Texas that smells so strongly of horse manure it could seriously knock you out. Just be careful.

We’re staying with Melissa’s family friends in Austin. They are a lovely older couple who have a beautiful house on top of the steepest hill I’ve ever had to drive up. Austin is really hilly – who knew? We arrived at 10pm and they had a FULL MEAL waiting for us. They were Southern hospitality all the way. These people are amazing. Though I did have to move my car at one point and when I came back inside I was told that I should be cautious of feral pigs. FERAL PIGS. (Turbo, are you sure you want to move here? I hear they love Turbos) Can you imagine suddenly being charged by a pack of wild boar in the middle of a subdivision? Yeah, neither can I. I’m told they don’t charge… but… let’s face it, when the term “feral” is applied, you have to assume they charge… especially after Turbos.

We’re going to spend another night here in Austin. It’s overcast, and there is talk of ice tonight… a rare occurrence, and shocking because last night was so warm… but we’ll see how it goes.

JANNETT

2009-01-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

Jeff has a thing about the name "Jannett" - he was complaining our first day about how it shouldn't be a real name. I had never even heard of the name before.

Not 24 hours later, we are directly behind this car.

It was beautiful.

New Orleans!

2009-01-26T06:20:00.001-08:00

From Memphis to New Orleans. Man, what a difference driving into New Orleans. It's like, a real city. Or maybe I should say it's a thriving city, because the other cities we've seen just looked so economically depressed. I wasn't sure if I should blame that on the current state of the economy or if that's just the way that Memphis and all of the towns off I-55 in Mississippi have always been (maybe I should catch up on my US History, seeing as that was my minor... such a failure..) but I was starting to feel a little bit depressed about it, myself.

We rolled out of Memphis pretty early to hit I-55 South. No outlandish sightings on the road this time, but some time in the early afternoon I began to verbally state that some coffee might do me good. MIRACLE. I look up and see the sign: Coffeeville 20 miles. .... COFFEEVILLE!?! The answer to my prayers! We were all very much obliged to get what would no doubt be the world's greatest coffee from Coffeeville. Soon we were approaching the exit, with baited breath. We were lead down a very long, very windy road. Lots of run down homes, some on wheels and some just kind of forgotten over time. Cows. And then... a huge patch of hanging moss, clutching to the trees in some attempt to pull them back toward the earth. It was right out of Big Fish, that sort of random magic that you don't expect to find along the way. But still, we had not yet reached Coffeeville. We were growing anxious. Finally more signs. (and I should also note that we passed two small churches along the way). We were close. Very close. The buildings were still falling apart but it was looking up. There were more of them. Lots of pick-up trucks, too.

And then. There we were "Welcome to Coffeeville" - AMAZING. My caffeine addiction was causing my skin to itch all over - it knew we were close to the most unbelievable substance we'd ever taste. We pulled into what seemed to be the only open business on a Sunday - the gas station. The coffee sat in a pot like a golden beacon of light. And wouldn't you know, it was the most... absolutely horrifyingly disgusting coffee I'd ever tasted. The irony killed me, really.

So we toured around town some more and it's actually fascinating. We ended up seeing seven more Churches. SEVEN. That makes NINE in and around one little town. It seems to be the only "business" that's thriving. And I can sort of see why. It's like at one point in time this place was a thriving western town of some kind. And now it consists of blank saloon-style buildings, painted in colors, standing alone and vacant. There's a weird sadness there. But nothing like Jackson. Nothing could compare to Jackson.

The Capital building in Mississippi is gorgeous. The whole block where the capital sits is stunning, really. But we were hungry so we decided to look for food - preferably not fast food. This was the most difficult task we had all day. We drove down what seemed to be a beautifully vibrant street only to discover that it, too, had been abandoned. Boarded up and left, just like that. Detailed street lamps with nothing left to light but the brick below. It was erie, and sad. Driving futher we hit a massive group of houses that may have been sparatically occupied but looked as abandoned as the rest of it. It's like people just up and left 50 years ago. It was kind of sad. And no, we weren't able to find any restaurants that weren't fast food chains - and believe me, we tried. We tried very hard.

So you can imagine why pulling into New Orleans was so thrilling. It might not be as vibrant as it was pre-Katrina, but compared to the aftermath of the economic bombing we passed through, this place is unreal. And it is, actually. It's beautiful. In every way. Eclectic and architecturally interesting. Just beautiful. We went to Bourbon Street, because we had to, and it was fairly active for a Sunday night. We ignored the restaurant/bar employees who came out on the street trying to usher us in to their business and just followed the music we wanted to hear. The first bar, kind of a divebar type, had an unbelievable bluesey band. The second seemed even more authentic. That woman had lungs. Typical New Orleans in every way, but they played well and they played hard and they brought that room to life.

And then there was the final band (after the Gumbo, which was amazing). A full band. Trumpet, sax, trombone, keyboard, drums, bass, guitar... They were phenomenal. The owner of the place got up on stage to sing a few. He looked like Whitey from "8 Crazy Nights." I mean this guy was short, was somewhere in his 70s, with a full head of white hair and the kind of skin that makes you think of Santa Clause. But holy hell - when that man opened his mouth I was blown away. It was the loudest, most raspy piece of heaven I'd heard all night. I wondered if his brief stints on stage is the reason he was still so full of energy at his age. You could tell he lived for it, and it made you wonder what the rest of his life was like - if he'd always done this, and gone completely under the radar... if he'd given anything up for it. If he had kids who had kids who deserved to boast "my grandpa has the meanest voice in New Orleans." It was the perfect ending.

Highlight: Melissa gets all into the music, naturally, and an old Italian man requested a slow dance. Naturally, she had to. It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

I have more pictures and video of a lot of this - but my internet connection is slow, and we'll never get on the road in time to enjoy Cafe Du Monde (our next stop before we hightail it out of here).

I'll have to post all of it late tonight, if I can. Once we get to Austin.

To Austin!

SIGHTING!

2009-01-25T08:30:00.001-08:00

the quality is shaky toward the middle because it was shot on a camera, not a camcorder, but it's worth it.
Believe me.

Chicago to Memphis

2009-01-25T07:17:00.001-08:00

This ain't no pre-production anymore. We've hit the solid leg of our trip that we've been planning so long for. I said see ya later to my mom and the rest of my family in Chicago (including my grandpa who is amazing and still uses phrases like "by golly" and "i'll be darned") and I high-tailed it to Jeff's place on California Ave - foreshadowing!

We booked it down to Champaign, IL - a 2.5 hour trek - to get Melissa, whose apartment is part of a serious estate. Imagine. Paying pennies for something so nice. Not me. Not in LA. Melissa also has two adorable orange kittens named Calvin and Hobbes and the three of us discussed at length how they should come along for the ride - if nothing else, for the purpose of this blog. I've never really been to Champaign, right on the border of U of I. I went to U of I once to visit friends but it was generally dark out and I didn't get good a sense of the area. If I have ever dissed Champaign, I apologize. That town is adorable! I mean, I probably wouldn't make it a point to go there but it's like a breath of fresh air in the middle of rural Illinois. The college population lends itself to the hip cafes and bars, but I was honestly impressed by its charm. Way to prove me wrong about central Illinois, Champaign.

The dynamic of our group is downright amazing. Everything is exciting. ....Everything. (even the things that shouldn't be... I thought Jeff was going to jump out of the car when he saw signs to "BOOMLAND" on our brief stint down through Missouri.) Driving down the Mississippi is a pretty cool thing to do, I think. The speed limit is 70 most of the way to Memphis and it's a two lane highway on either side. No cops. I think we saw two. (far cry from the bazillion lining the turnpike in Ohio)

Memphis is alright. It's not really "the time of year" to be visiting, but we're making it work. Beale Street is about as Bluesey as I've ever seen and we went to this place, the Blues City Cafe, which is apparently Bill Clinton's favorite place for ribs and I can second that approval rating. This isn't your healthy high-class diner, alright? But you've got to try what's good in the area and those ribs were slide-off-the-bone unreal. Also. I've never like coleslaw, ever, and the coleslaw here was surprisingly refreshing. I have no idea what made it different than normal but the whole table agreed it was the best we'd ever tasted. Jeff hates coleslaw, too, so we're two-for-two in the "we'll change your mind about coleslaw" category.

I'm going to see if I can post our AMAZING video ... about an outrageous sighting that had to be documented, somewhere on 1-57 South.

To New Orleans, baby!

Pre-Production: Day 2 & 3 - Erie to Chicago.

2009-01-24T05:43:00.000-08:00

Our trip from Erie to Chicago was flawless. We made it in about 6.5 hours and aside from my car's sudden lack of window washing fluid and its sensitivity to the lake effect winds, the trip was smooth. Actually, even with those things it was smooth. Took us two seconds to refill the washing fluid - and I'm glad I know how to do it now so I don't have to pay other people to do something so simple.

Biggest things I forgot I missed about the Midwest:
-Chicago (obviously). It is cold as a frozen-over hell in the winter, but people who live here love their city, regardless. It has so much to offer and it never shuts down. There are so many hole-in-the-wall neighborhoods and beautiful streets (unfortunately clouded with gritty snow this time of year, but still kickin'). It's like New York City, but spacious and more affordable... and, in my opinion, much prettier. I'm going to go ahead and say that I think it's the best big city in the world. And that's a bold statement, considering it's like 5 degrees outside right now.

-being able to walk away from the gas pump as you're pumping it. Taxachusetts takes out the critical element to every pump that allows you to set the nozzle to squeeze itself. Instead, and probably for your "safety" you are forced to freeze to death, squeezing a metal trigger, until your tank is full.

Thank you to the "i dont care about your safety - let's play it the Darwin way" Midwest. Now I can sit in my car, avoiding frostbite, until my tank is full.

-my Killian family. Since moving away from Chicago six years ago I haven't had the chance to see my Killian side that often. Granted most Killians have moved away, I had the chance to see a small cluster of Killians on my brief stint in Chicago, as they were in town working to sell my Grandma's house. SO much fun. Ann, Sharon, Colleen, Brian... my dad has some pretty great siblings, it's too bad he's half-way around the world right now. I'm lucky to think that I have such a cool family (on both sides). Something tells me that's rare.

-byob restaurants. brilliant! another thing Taxachusetts won't allow. But so cost-effective for us patrons! I went to a great byob Thai place with Stacey and Lisa last night. I love those girls. Lisa said it right: "whenever you come back here it feels like you never left and you're never leaving." It does feel like that. And I love that. I love having so many places that feel like home. And I love having such amazing friends to come home to -and who will VISIT ME IN LOS ANGELES IMMEDIATELY. (shameless shout out, and also an order) ...HEART!

Things I did NOT miss about the Midwest:
-Chicago's pot holes in the winter. these things are like the most unavoidable cement canyons you'll ever see. it's horrendous. i can hear my car crying whenever it catches one.

That's pretty much all I can think of right now. Oh, and also.. THE FREEZING COLD.

Anecdote about Ohio:
Midway through Ohio my AMAZING MOTHER WHO IS SO MUCH FUN and I (is that better, mom?) stopped at a rest stop to get some coffee. I was suffering with some major cappuccino cravings and there was no suitable coffee shop to be found. Only a McDonalds. Lame. But then I realized NOT so lame because they're been advertising their asses off about these new starbucksian drinks they serve. Score. So I get to the counter at McDonalds and a very put-together older woman who I felt should be working at a sewing shop and not a McDonalds off of the highway asked for my order.
me: hi. can I get a medium cappuccino with skim milk please?
her: sure, what flavor would you like?
me: what?
her: french vanilla or hazelnut.
me: um, no flavor, please.
she crinkles her brow in confusion - and also as though she thinks I'm an idiot.
her: no flavor?
i nod.
me: yep, just a regular cappuccino. no sugar
her eyes widen briefly, like some invisible object had just hit her over the back of her head.
her: wow. okay.

me in my head: WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF NORMAL COFFEE BEFORE?!

So I get my coffee and I'm slightly skeptical about the lack of communication between the lovely lady who took my order and the other very sweet woman who was making it, so I open the lid and smell it. HOLY God above! we're talking french vanilla sugar fumes wafting straight into my brain. So I politely ask the woman who made the drink to take another run at my crazy idea of what a cappuccino should be. And she did. And I tasted it. And it was perfect. And I was happy, albeit very sad that those two women would never know the sweet nectar that is a non-sweetened cappuccino. Oh, Ohio, how you humor me.

Today: picking up Jeff in an hour. Heading to Champaign, IL to get Melissa. Let it begin.
(and yes, mom, you were fun, too, just relax -everybody already knows how cool you are)

Comments...

2009-01-22T21:11:00.000-08:00

I was recently told that the "comment" section isn't allowing users to write comments who don't have log in names... I've changed that.

Now you can comment anonymously, so you don't have to have any account associations. just write your comment and choose the 'anonymous' selection under "comment as:" ....enjoy.

don't be shy.

Subscribe to me!

2009-01-22T06:56:00.000-08:00

Hey just FYI - if you check out the right side of your screen, under "SUBSCRIBE TO ME!" and click "POSTS" you'll be able to keep better track of when I update the blog with a new post. You can add my blog to your iGoogle homepage, if you have one. Explore it.

You know.. it might be easier than the classic "refresh" button, as you longingly await another super fascinating Road Cats Exclusive.

Now you'll be the first to know! Yay!
I'll also try to find a way for you to get email updates.

Pre-Production: Day 1 - Boston to Erie, PA.

2009-01-22T05:42:00.001-08:00

As a warning, this blog isn't going to be that exciting until after leaving Chicago on Saturday.

But Day 1 was solid. It went by quickly and the conditions were perfect - the roads were clear, the sky was blue, the snow was whiter than I've seen it in a while. And mom has been an excellent and easy-going travel companion. Good times. We took I-90 all the way into Erie, which made it easy. We left Boston at around noon, because we stopped at the Northshore Mall so I could pick up a quality ipod FM scanner (definitely got a good one which is amazing - but I'm still mad that no one has invented a bluetooth device that can somehow react with the CD player for better sound quality... for those of us without tape decks!) We stopped in Auburn, NY to see an old friend from High School, Loren. That was great- I'm impressed that Loren is really going after what she wants, and taking risks and moving all over the country to pursue it. That's so commendable, and we all know how difficult it is to pick up and move over and over again. So we had some great sushi with Loren and caught up and before you know it my mom and I were back on the road and in Erie by 10pm.

We're staying at the La Quinta Inn in Erie - it's totally fine and way better than any other off-highway hotel I've ever been to. But this part of the country is FREEZING. Boston doesn't even compare to this kind of cold right now. Actually, Boston's been lucky because it has been cold but hasn't had as much wind as I remember from previous winters. Here, the wind is unreal. The lake effect from the Great Lakes.

Don't really care much for Erie, but hey! That's okay. We're going to be back on the road pretty soon and in Chicago by 4pm Central. I'm so PSYCHED to get this trip STARTED.

Also. How happy are we that Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for "Tropic Thunder?!" SO HAPPY! Hahhh! I never saw it coming but it is SO deserved. Without Downey Jr. in that flick, "Tropic Thunder" would have been another mediocre Ben Stiller movie. But he KILLED it. I mean his performance was seriously unreal. It's so easy to underestimate a performance like that because it's comedic, but he really had to commit to being the black-power-era black guy, not to mention a convincing Australian - both of which he is not. Hah. Anyway. I'm glad it wasn't overlooked.

And with that - back on the road!

Stay tuned for the fun stuff, which is yet to come...

Calm Before the Storm

2009-01-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

Turns out there's no calm when it comes to moving. The more boxes I pack, the more stuff I realize I have to pack, and the more the stress starts to drip from every pore. Mom has been helpful. She found a box for me yesterday, and sometimes she holds the door open for me when I take my 50+ lb. boxes to my car. Haha - I don't mean to downplay her involvement because she certainly asks to help, but the fact is that I've always had to do things for myself, by myself. I've grown to prefer it that way and I think my mom respects that, and I respect her for respecting that.

My car (aka the silver bullet) is up and ready to go. I took it to the absolute best Honda shop in the world, Hondaa King. It's so great to find a place that won't rip you off. I had SO much to replace. Timing belt, tires, engine mount, alignment... and so many little things I needed... fix the fan belt squealing, fix my door because I can hear the air whipping past me ever since I got towed and they broke into my car to disengage the e-brake, fix the bulb in my overhead light. So the Hondaa King (aka Scott, the owner, and his crew) did. No complaints, no hidden charges. And I didn't have to lose an arm or a leg. All legs and arms in tact. Now my door is quiet! And my light works! And my fan belts don't squeal! These little things... they please me to no end. I think I was smiling all the way back from the shop yesterday. My little silver bullet is chomping at the bit to get this show on the road.

So with that, and some very sad and uncomfortable goodbyes, I'll be ready to drive into the sunset, literally. Goodbyes are the worst. And aren't they a bit outdated? I mean back in the day I'd jump into my horse drawn covered wagon and when I said goodbye to a friend I'd mean it. "This could be the end, friend. It'll take me months to get out there and who knows if I'll be back." But today, it's more like "I'll see you soon. Don't say goodbye. Just hop a cheap flight to come visit me, and I'll be back soon enough. So why are we standing here, arms open? I'll see you again." That's at least what I'd like to think. The truth is that I don't know who I'll see again and when. I've said "see you later" to people who I haven't seen in 6 years or more. But to sit on that is pointless.

Life changes. God knows I'm used to dramatic moves. I've probably come to crave tumultuous life changes. But I'd rather seek them out than stand still and let them happen around me. Life will change whether I'm moving or standing still. The only difference is that when I'm moving, when I'm instigating the change, I'm controlling it. To some extent I'm creating it, and I like that I can be in control of my choices and of the way my life might go. If I don't get what I want, then maybe I've made some bad choices - but it's on me, and I tried, and that's as much as I can offer myself.

So here goes.

Wednesday: mom and I drive out to Chicago. We'll arrive on Thursday.
Saturday: I pick up Jeff in Chicago. We start the epic journey south. We pick up Melissa at U of I and continue into Memphis. We'll stay at a sweeeet Hotel, thanks to a great deal on Hotwire.com.

From Memphis - to New Orleans, LA
From New Orleans - to Austin, TX
From Austin - Carlsbad, NM
From Carlsbad - to Tuscon, and Phoenix
From Phoenix - to Los Angeles

And as much as we can in between. I am SO excited.