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Playin' Paparazzi

So, here's a couple of images I was able to snag of that film shoot without the crew camera nazi seeing me taking them. I'm still confused as to why people were dressed like turtles...

posted by Jason | 10:53 PM
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Fouled Out

Party Foul Update: When drinking a cup o' wine, do your best not to flinch and throw said wine on shirt, jeans, shoes, carpet, and walls of stranger's apartment.

posted by Jason | 9:24 PM
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'Extra, extra!' or 'Me, me!'

I was finishing up my dinner just a short bit ago and had the local news on for some reason when a story about the WTO riots caught my attention. Not because I really care to reminisce about the whole thing, but because they're making a film out of it!! Okay, I really don't care about that either, but apparently they're filming portions of it this weekend downtown. And by downtown, I mean a two-block radius around my apartment. So, when I'm not in the labs furiously finishing my finals over the next two days, I may just bump into Charlize Theron or Andre 3000...or an angry mob and tear gas bombs.

posted by Jason | 10:21 PM
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Outdoor Survival Tool #3: Television

The Discovery Channel is the best! It seems about every few months, they come out with a chunk of new programming that always has something to keep me interested whilst I piddle around my apartment doing what work needs to be done. The most recent chunk includes TWO worthwhile programs:

1) Everest: Beyond the Limit

I've had a healthy obsession with Mt. Everest ever since I read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. (Which I suggest you break into the library this instant to read!) That being said, my interest was piqued when I found out that this new show would be chronicling an expedition's attempt to summit Ole Chomolungma (Tibetan name- Rekonize!). They even have tiny helmet cams attached to the Sherpas to detail every step of the way.

The climbers they're following seem to have been hand-picked from the 'odd assortment' barrel. They include a Los Angeles Fireman, A Doctor specializing in altitude sickness (figures), a California biker who's ankles, spine, and skull are held together by metal pins & plates, an asthmatic Dane who's attempting the summit without bottled oxygen, a Kiwi with two metal legs, and a few others. They're all being led by another Kiwi who seems to have one perpetual state of emotion: worry. It's pretty insane to watch some of these highly-skilled climbers be huffing along easily and then suddenly brought to their knees in pain and agony and being forced to turn around; Their dissapointment is damn near palpable.

My only problem with the show is the ridiculous audio clip they play during any emotional moment that completely reduces me to laughter. You know that soundtrack bit from the Friday the 13th movies: 'Keh-Keh-keh-keh..Ah-ah-ah-ah.' Well, imagine that same breathy delivery saying 'Ever-ever-ever-ever...rest-rest-rest-rest.' Hahahaha It's ridiculous even thinking about it, but it's worth watching the show just for that.

2) Man vs Wild

This is basically your 'How to survive in the wild' show, but it still captivates me. Are there any other shows like that around? Seems like there are, but I can't think of any right now. Well if there are, they're definitely not hosted/lead by a man named Bear! (Sorry, I don't know his Tibetan name) On my list of 'People to be stranded on an island with', Bear Grylls has bumped MacGyver down to No. 2. He's an ex-special forces member from Britain (they seem to pump out the natural explorer types, eh?) and he seems to have replaced his brain with the Encyclopedia of his homeland. The only thing I wonder about is who is the cameraman with him and does he have to rough it as well? Or does he throw candy bar wrappers at Bear whilst safe inside his sleeping bag?

Anyways, The show basically goes like this: Drop Bear from a helicopter into some remote wilderness. Watch Bear find civilization. Along the way he explains his methods for determing his way which are always insightful, but seem to forget that most of us haven't replaced our brains with that Encyclopedia yet.

Bear: "Oh, look - It's a Chukka-Chukka bird and they make their nests by the ocean so I'll keep an eye out for which way it's heading"
Me: *Furiously scribbling note about Chukka-Chukka bird into wilderness notebook*

So, if I ever get dropped from a helicopter onto a Hawaiian volcano, I am set!

posted by Jason | 10:02 PM
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