Amtrekker

Hey Team,

Some of you may remember a couple of months ago I accidentally ended up as the male lead in a television show for Court TV. Yes, accidentally. The point is I can now officially tell you that the show airs THIS Wednesday, August 1st at 10:30 pm on Court TV! It’s an episode of Psychic Detectives titled “Close to Home.”

I’m not sure what it’s going to look like on account of I’m a designer NOT an actor. So, I can pretty much guarantee some bad acting. But at least it’ll give you folks so more ammo to make fun of me with.

If you don’t remember what I’m talking about or never read the original story it’s here. Enjoy.

I’m done.

Brett.

If you liked this post click here to buy me acting lessons. If you didn’t like it click here to hurt my feelings.

Hey Team,

I threw together something a little bit different for today. I’m not sure if it’s going to work on everyone’s browsers yet so if you have any problems just email me or post it on the forums. You’ll need Quicktime and you should be able to just click on this link to join the fun. Here’s hoping!

Also, I had a chance to meet up with the Totally Rad Show guys (Charlie keeps giving me a red squiggle beneath the word “Rad.” Obviously he wasn’t around in the 80s.) while I was in San Diego and if you’re interested in TV, Movies or Video Games you should check out their podcast here or on iTunes. They’re good people.

#26 is done! What’s next?! Bring it on!

Brett.

If you liked this post click here to help me pay for therapy. If you didn’t like it click here to make things worse.

Hey Team,

I’m en route to San Diego for the Comic Con! I’ve been reading comics practically since I could read but I’ve never been one for the conventions. Maybe it’s just because I’ve never been into any one thing enough to feel I need to wear a costume to properly show the world just how big a geek I am. (Only my sister knows for sure.)

I usually keep my head down when I walk into the comic book store, make a bee line for the new comics, grab what I need and get out before the overpowering smell of other people’s parents’ basements gets to me. (That was a lot of S’s, someone should check that for grammar. I’m kinda busy.)

I tend to avoid at all costs conversations that start with topics like, “Who do you think would win if Batman fought Wolverine?”

1. Because I hate to get overly embroiled in other people’s nerdy fascinations. I’m there for the story. Just like television or movies, it’s just another medium.

And

2. Because that’s a stupid question. (Batman would win hands down.)

However, “The Amtrek” is all about new experiences and I LOVE being around huge groups of people that all have something in common. It’s especially cool if I don’t have anything in common with them. Which, this time around isn’t really the case. I’ll still geek out when I see my favorite writers or artists…but shoot me if you see me in a robe with pointy ears glued on.

Also, there’s a small chance I may be tempted to do the same for some other poor soul. So, wish me luck on dodging the homicide charges!

I’ll be out and about in San Diego all weekend. So if you’re a San Diegan, or just hanging around for Comic Con like everyone else, then shoot me an email and we’ll hang out! brett@amtrekker.com

I’m done.

Brett.

If you liked this post click here to buy me a comic. If you didn’t like it click here to mock me ruthlessly.

Hey Team,

Being in California is starting to have a very strange affect on me. And not the type I would expect. You’d think being this close to home without being able to actually go back to my bed and see the whole family (That’s awkward. What’s my whole family doing in my bed?) would make me even more homesick. But any and all feelings of wanting to be at home right now are completely overshadowed by my own irritation with myself.

I seem to be much less friendly in California. I think it’s because I already have so many friends here. Normally in my travels I talk to everyone that makes the mistake of looking in my direction because, in some respects, I have to. If I’m in another state I’m completely alone and (for lack of a better phrase) I’m always recruiting. Life is a team sport, you can’t go at it alone…or rather you can, if you don’t mind having the crap kicked out of you by the other team until the ref starts to feel pity for you and calls the game thanks to an obscure mercy rule (ok, the analogy kind of breaks down in there somewhere).

What I’m failing miserably at saying is: I would be hard pressed to find somewhere in California, no matter how out of the way, where I couldn’t drive to meet a friend in less than an hour. Granted, I don’t have a car right now but I don’t think that’s the point. So now I find myself desperately wanting to flee the one state I love more than any other for the exact opposite reason any sane man would want to.

I’m much too comfortable here. I have to move on. I’m helping renovate a rental home for a friend in San Francisco for the next day or two (What? Being an unemployed adventurer with a website to pay for is expensive.), then it’s off to San Diego this weekend for Comic Con (#26!) and then I’ll leave California behind again for an undisclosed amount of time (5-6ish months?)! I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t wait!

I’m done.

Brett.

If you liked this post buy me a comic, if you didn’t…buy me a clue.

And for god’s sakes leave a comment. That’s my favorite part.

Hey Team,

I’m really sorry about the long delay between the last update and this one. But for the record: Where you all see a slacker, I see a great friend.

I had to fly back to California this week to fulfill my “Best Man” duties and got caught up in the wedding week madness of one of my favorite guys on the planet. I’m still on a crazy no sleep streak and I’ve developed an annoying tendency to nod off every time I have to sit still for more than five minutes, but I’m fine if I keep moving. I’m like a hyperactive narcoleptic.

From here on out though it’s business as usual. After today I’m free to go back to the 24/7 adventure schedule that makes life so worth living (and so exhausting). 66% of my closest friends are married now, and I don’t think anyone else will need my presence for another wedding party anytime in the super-near future.

Also, things are going well with the site and I think (if all goes well) there should be a couple little surprises popping up soon in the form of videos.

I hate to leave you guys with nothing but an apology and a site update so I’ll give you a quick photo tour of some of the week’s highlights (of which there were many).

First off, it was GREAT seeing friends and family at the wedding again, but even though I’m nowhere near home it still made me feel like a cheater for being in such a comfortable setting in the middle of my self-imposed exile. For that reason alone I’m really looking forward to getting back out on the road again (and by road I mostly mean rails).

I spent the first couple days on wedding decoration duty, mostly etching champagne flutes for favors and trying not to lose the rings. The rehearsal was VERY long, VERY boring and that lady on the far left kept saying things like, “And then he’ll maybe do this thing with a prayer…I think.” Clueless. But I learned a LOT about Catholic weddings. If only I could remember it. There was something about a magic lasso and some chocolate coins…and then there were eggs and bacon? I’ve been a little punchy lately…let’s just move on.

Eventually, without much help from the coordinator, the wedding managed to go off without a hitch and the reception was a blast…once the mariachi band left. (No joke.) Here’s a quick shot of the happy couple.

And the Groomsmen.

I’m not sure if you can tell, but I’m the dude on the left.

The next day I got to spend a couple hours with my “way-cooler-than-me” parents.

Amtrekker and Papa Amtrekker

They rode up to the wedding on their motorcycles so the morning after the wedding we went on a pretty long ride through the Napa Valley. I took my Mom’s bike for the better part of the ride but I got to steal my Dad’s new bike for the last half! Awesome.

And now here I am ensuring the world that the Amtrekker is back in business! I’d just like to leave you all with this one question: What the hell is a Mello Roo?!

Okay, I’m done.

Brett.

CONGRATULATION JEN AND J-M!!!

Okay, NOW I’m done.

If you liked this post feel free to buy me a magic lasso or some chocolate coins.

Hey Team,

I’m on a train on the way to New York right now. Eventually, after sitting in an airport for hours on end I’ll be on my way to Sacramento to see my Best Friend get married. Needless to say it’s giving me a lot of downtime to think. And the way said thoughts are rolling around expect this story to be both cheesy and rambling…however, I AM easily distracted so for all I know I’ll get six lines in and start talking about some shiny object I saw.

Speaking of shiny objects, the family across the aisle from me has a MacBook Pro also…except it’s newer than Charley. I hope he doesn’t get jealous. I don’t know that you could actually call it SHINIER than Charley but…hmm…I forgot what I was going to write about.

[reboot]

As a result of using Boston as an impromptu base of operations over the last week, making several trips out and back, I made quite a few friends in “The Walking City.” And I have to say; it made it surprisingly difficult to leave. Although I didn’t “technically” know any of these people for very long they were still so generous and kind that it literally made me proud.

“Proud? Brett, you already stopped making sense again. That was fast even for you.”

I say, “Come on kids, try and keep up.”

I would happily consider myself a Patriot. But it’s a sad fact that the term has been co-opted and become synonymous with “Pro-War” when it should mean something more along the lines of “I believe in the people of this country and all that we are capable of doing when we treat each other well and work together.” (Okay, yes, that does sound cheesy. But be fair. I warned you.) My point is this: in our day-to-day lives we don’t spend enough time interacting with new people. We find a comfort zone and instead of challenging ourselves to find good people and reciprocate their kindness we allow the local news to tell us about all the terrible people out there and scare us deeper into our barricaded rabbit holes of unreality.

Is it really going to hurt to think the best of people? When the anchorwoman tells you about the mugging downtown, is that really justification to bar your windows and ignore your neighbors? There are a lot of incredible people out there: Mike, Aaron, George, Eli, Jill, Dan and nearly everyone else I’ve met in the last two weeks have been teaching me that. I like to think I’m a fast learner and since you all trust me, why not just take my word for it and believe that people are generally good.

It’s not like I had to introduce myself to hundreds of thousands of awful human beings to cull these few either. I’ve literally only been snubbed by ONE person in the last two weeks. Everyone else has been at LEAST on par with me in the world of good people and although that’s not necessarily saying a LOT it is saying something. In fact it’s saying more than enough to make me proud. Proud to be even a small part of this society.

Shoot. I don’t even have enough cheese left to make a sandwich now.

I must be done.

Brett.