I went to New Orleans for the first time in May of 2008. It was an amazing and eye opening experience. America is seen as the most powerful and affluent country in the world, and it was incredible to see a city that still looked worse than 3rd world countries in some areas. After that week, I went back the next May for another week. The second time was just as influential. This past week I had the opportunity to go for the third time and couldn’t pass it up.
In the last year and a half there has been some considerable improvement. The Lower 9th has gone from looking like a complete ghost town to having very few people move back in. People are slowly getting to the point where they are getting their lives back. Still, the city needs more and more work everyday, and at this point the people getting that work done are only church groups and young people.
I went into the week knowing 4 people out of the group of 23 from my hometown. It was a little intimidating not knowing that many people, but I also had the advantage of being one of the few in the group who have gone to New Orleans in the past. Overall, it was great group of people that I really loved getting to know. That alone was an adventure in itself.
The other major adventure was the workday. I worked on one house for the entire week, located in the 7th ward. The real story was Mr. Hammond, who lived in the house. When the flooding happened, Mr. Hammond went to his attic, and then ended up using an axe and a hammer to break through the house until a boat arrived to save him:
He was incredibly appreciatory we were there and him seeing the tile we put down by the end of the week got him happier than I’ve ever seen anyone. It was a cold week filled with the slow moving job of tiling, but the group of people and motivation of giving somebody a floor who’d been living in a trailer for 4 years made it an easy week. Since that first May, New Orleans has been an extremely important city to me. It’ll still be about 6 years until the city is noticeably back to normal, and 10 until its back to its fighting form. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:
Mission Accomplished.
I usually do not like New Year’s Resolutions. I have this theory that if you want to change something just change it. While that is the case, I did come across a website the other day that has an incredibly cool concept: have 1 adventure every week for a whole year. It can be something stupid, something simple, or something epic. I’m a pretty boring person most of the time so I thought it would be cool to do this and have 52 great experiences (or at least decent experiences) over the next year. Hopefully this will also make me update this thing at least once a week, which would be nice.
Anyways, check out the website:
http://yearof52adventures.wordpress.com/
I’ve stumbled across this website recently called 50 people, 1 Question. At first I just saw one of the videos and thought it was a pretty neat concept, and the videos had a cool style. Then yesterday Frank Warren, founder of Post Secret, posts a 50 People, 1 Question they did for Post Secret. This video was really awesome, and I figured as a result I would share with you this video, but you should also check out the rest of the videos here:
http://fiftypeopleonequestion.com/
When I was younger one of my good friends had season tickets to the Yankees. I’d usually get to go to one of the games during the year, and it was always an exciting time. Not only were they great seats a few rows behind the Yankee dugout, but I loved how when left handed batters were up the camera angle made it so that we would be in the shot. Sure it was a split second of my face in the top corner of the screen, but it was pretty cool to see me for my 15 milliseconds of fame during the replays.
Then I realized something: no one at all cares about any of the fans on the television. They are watching the game to watch the game. Now I never told anyone to tune in for a chance to see me on TV, but more and more I see those idiots behind home plate who just have a cell phone in one hand and are waving their other arm crazily in the air. Or the guys at the ends of the aisles waving as a field goal is kicked.
I’ve decided that I am only going to watch sporting events now for the fans. I am going to pay no attention to the actual game, but to the people waving in the background, since they are the ones who really matter.
- sharks are constantly eating those fish, and the bigger fish are eating the smaller fish, and so on
- have you seen some of the fish out there? They’re really ugly.
- the thought of any human having sex with a fish is pretty messed up
- Child obesity is the highest it has ever been
- The baby could choke on the candy and die
- The baby may as well be holding diabetes
- You are hungry, and you deserve that candy
Yes, taking candy from a baby is easy, but it’s also necessary.
I was talking to someone the other day, and I used the term “Man Crush,” when he suddenly became completely confused. He had no idea what the concept of a man crush was, and it left me shocked. I have been using this term for a few years, and it amazed me that it was still somewhat foreign. In order to fix this I plan to do two things: 1) Explain the concept of a man crush. 2) Give a history and explanation of my man crushes.
First, the concept of a man crush.
Now the first basic thing to know about a man crush is that it is not a sexual attraction. I mean that can be an element of it, but that is not the basis of a man crush. A man crush is a guy that you look up to and idolize. It’s like, “wow this guy has won 85 superbowls and has stared in 30 movies. I want to be him.” A man crush is kind of like that guy who has done what you want to do with your life. Also, he can be a good looking guy. As a straight man I have no problem saying a guy is decent looking. Girls do it all the time. However, the basis of a man crush is to have that guy that is just so awesome that his awesomeness just kind of ends world hunger and stops global warming. Well maybe not that great. But something along those lines. It’s not so much a Bromance, but more of a father figure that you can look up to.
Anyways, that is the concept of Man Crush. Now, here is my list of man Crushes over the years.
Zach Braff: My original Man Crush. It came about in early 2005 when I saw Garden State for the first time. Then I found out Zbraff had written and directed the movie, and it was just about the time when I had gotten into writing. He became an instant role model for me. Not only that, but Scrubs was an incredible show.
George Clooney: The only reason I think I had a short lived Man Crush on Clooney is because he stared in the Ocean’s movies, and I was obsessed with those movies for a good amount of time. Then he decided to direct Leatherheads and that was that.
John Krasinski: In March of 2005 “The Office” premiered on NBC. I was immediately hooked to the show, and was a huge fan of Jim. In all honesty, I feel like I don’t know John Krasinski enough to have a Man Crush on him, it may just be his character Jim. But I like to think they’re one in the same.
Michael Cera: This is a strange Man Crush since Michael Cera is basically my age, but this crush blossomed during the time of “Arrested Development.” Although I didn’t know too much about Michael Cera at that time and only really knew George Michael, I quickly found out Michael Cera was just as socially awkward as his character counterpart. I’m a pretty socially awkward guy a lot of the time, and it was good to know that someone as awkward as I could figure out a way to be successful in the Hollywood sense. Even if he does play the same role and personality every movie (Here are my suggestions for Michael Cera’s next movies)
Robert Downey Jr.: RDJ has done a lot with his acting career as well as going to hell and back with all his crazy stuff. Then he emerged from hell to star in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and a Man Crush-spark was ignited. Since then, he has done some awesome movies that have yet to disappoint me, and seems to be really down to Earth and a lover of life.
Jason Segel: One of my favorite TV shows that I always try to get people to start watching is “How I Met Your Mother.” In this show, Jason Segel stars as Marshall, the best friend of the main character that is married to Alyson Hannigan. Also, he is the man on this show. If there was ever a sitcom character that I would like to be friends with in real life it would be Marshall. Then, Segel decided to write and star in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and it made me realize that he is as awesome in real life as he is on HIMYM. My favorite part about him writing Forgetting Sarah Marshall is that he also composed the songs for the Vampire Musical. Pure Genius.
As for a new man crush, my top prospect is Paul Feig. He created and wrote “Freaks and Geeks,” and he also has a hilarious childhood and dating life as I’ve read in his two memoirs, Kick Me and Superstud. Many of the stories in these books have incredible similarities to my life and my misadventures with women and dating, and it gives me hope that I can be a successful writer/anything else in Hollywood.
So who are your Man Crushes (or Female Crushes for the ladies)?
I am all for Twitter. I kind of dislike Facebook because it’s just become a little too much, like an uncle who would drink and become a huge comedian, but then he just kept drinking and became a raging alcoholic that no one really liked or wanted to be around anymore. I’m not sure if that metaphor makes sense, but if it does then awesome. Anyways, Twitter is a great way to update and keep track of not only friends but celebrities, bands, etc. I have found few flaws in it until I came across tweeting too hard. Basically, the site allows users to submit tweets from people that are just completely self-centered and over the top. To this point, I have never seen anyone I’ve been following tweet anything near what these tweets are before, but the fact that these people exist make it hilarious. Anyways, check it out, and if you have Twitter you should follow these 3 celebs I recommend:
@robhuebel
@rainnwilson
@paulfeig
And feel free to follow me.
Link: Tweeting Too Hard
I am a big fan of music. I’m an even bigger fan of musicians doing really cool stuff while playing songs. Like when Arcade Fire played Neon Bible in an elevator. That’s why I’ve become obsessed with The Black Cab Sessions. The Black Cab Sessions takes artists, throws them in the back seat of a cab, and has them play beautiful music. They get one shot to play a song all the way through and then its posted on their website. It’s pretty sweet seeing bands play as double decker buses and cars are riding right on by, and there all some really solid bands on there. These bands include Death Cab For Cutie, Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, Cold War Kids, Spoon, Peter Bjorn and John, Bon Iver, The Kooks, The New Pornographers, and many many more. There’s really no point in me still talking to you about this anymore.
You just need to check it out: The Black Cab Sessions
I came across a hilarious site today called Pick the Perp. Basically, the website gives you 5 mug shots and a crime, and you decide which person committed that crime. Not only is it fun, but it also shows how much you profile people:
Like how I was very wrong thinking the skinny white guy would commit domestic battery when it was really the blond haired girls. Anyways, it’s a good way to waste some time. Get on with it: Pick the Perp
