I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed
Aug 13th
Hey Team,
Guess who’s 10% done crossing random objectives off of his life controlling inanimate list! If you didn’t guess me, you suck at this game.
It’s been another busy week of bad traveling but I think that everything will calm down a little on that front. The last of the scheduled events from this month are out of the way so as strange as it sounds I have a little more freedom now (Brett, you’re saying you have more freedom now than you did last week when you were still an unemployed vagrant? Yes.)
Trying to slog through hours of footage for the podcast has made life a little daunting too. I’m sorry I’ve been putting so much focus on that instead of updating the articles. I’m trying to find a better balance. Honest! So, I hope today makes up for some of my slacking. Here’s a new story! AND later today that video I’ve been promising may appear!
Okay, the question on the tip of everyone’s lips? What the crap has Brett been doing all week?! I’ll skip to the good part.
I was in New York last week with the little sis and her dude and guess what I saw! (Yes, I More >
Gardening and Entering
Aug 8th
Hey Team,
It’s going to be at least another day or two before I can get this podcast cut together so I’ll spare you all the suspense and fill you in on the Vancouver portion of the trek. You all read about how I got there so you know things were kind of at low ebb.
Now picture this: You’ve been through a grueling twenty-four hours of travel to make it to one of only three hedge mazes in North America (according to VanDusen Botanical Gardens). Finally the low-grade frustration that accompanies a rough stretch of travel starts to give way to the excitement of crossing one more thing off your list.
You approach the main entrance of a large botanical garden eager to interview an employee and wander around a maze for a while getting lost. As you get closer to the ticket booth a sign begins to come into focus. A sign that says something like this:
(GARDEN CLOSED DUE TO LABOUR DISRUPTION DO NOT ENTER)
I’ve had quite a few conversations with people over the years about what constitutes a “sign” or “omen” and personally I’m not a big believer. Sure, there are plenty of people out there that would shrug, announce to More >
Less Than Amazing Race
Aug 6th
Hey Team,
Wow. Talk about a rough week. (Not literally, if you’re talking about a rough week you wont be able to read about mine.) Travel has been about as close to a nightmare as things can get without losing a bag and or a finger.
It started last weekend, (this is that third disaster) when I was trying to get from San Diego to Vancouver. I got up early one morning to catch a train from Oceanside, CA just North of San Diego but in a startling twist…the train was sold out. I didn’t even know that could happen! Amtrak loses millions of dollars a year what are the odds that ANY of their trains EVER sell out.
So my only other option, if I wanted to get to Vancouver in time, was to take a train up to LA and fly to Vancouver from LAX. I was flying on a buddy pass so I had to fly stand-by and there was only one flight that looked like I might have a chance to get on.
I didn’t.
And the next five flights out of LAX were oversold by at least four seats each so there was almost no chance of leaving that day. More >
The Podcast Cometh
Aug 5th
Hey Team,
I don’t have much time to write but here’s the scoop. I was in Vancouver yesterday to check out one of only three hedge mazes in all of North America. When I got to the entrance there was a big sign that read, “Gardens closed due to labor dispute.” The only reason that surprised me was because I was surprised how little I was surprised. It was totally on par with how the rest of this week has gone. However, any of you hip kids in the know probably have a feeling I didn’t give up that easily.
It’s all on video and the first ever Amtrekker Podcast is only a day or two away. Hold steady friends!
I’m done.
Brett.
AKPC_IDS += "32,";One’s Company
Aug 2nd
Hey Team,
It’s my personal belief that, on average, disasters make the best stories. Unfortunately, I’ve accumulated some very good stories this week. But since it’s really three separate stories I’ll do everything in my power to keep things short (which probably means it wont be much longer than eight pages).
Let’s start with sleeping arrangements in San Diego and then we’ll move on to why I’ve had an eerie feeling I’m trapped in a bad 80s sitcom.
Night one: Mostly spent on a bench outside the train station alternately wishing someone would turn up the heat and coming to the stark realization that the only difference between me and my bench neighbor was a recent shower (I wont say who got to take a shower).
Night two: I found a cozy looking bush that I was looking forward to sleeping in (What? I’ve never slept in a bush. It sounded like an adventure!) but was dissuaded when I looked down to see cockroaches swarming around my feet. So instead I pulled up a six-foot section of sidewalk right outside the convention center. Yes. It sucked. Yes. It was cold and hard and uncomfortable. But before you pass judgment know that there were MANY More >
I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV
Jul 31st
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.
AKPC_IDS += "30,";
Comic Comic Con
Jul 29th
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.
AKPC_IDS += "29,";
Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers
Jul 26th
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 More >
