Congratulations, Dear Viewer,
Today marks the last day of the first month of my adventure. As always, in some respects my trip has flown by, and in others it seems to have been much longer than just a month. Before I begin, I'd like to take a moment to thank Sarah, Melissa, Becka, Heather, Katy, Ben, Jeff and Lacey for being gracious enough to open their homes to me.
A quick little recap on where I've been: I started in Denver, then went to Spokane, Seattle, back to Spokane, Portland, Eugene, and now I'm back in Spokane. Here's a little treat for all of you visual learners out there:
That's generally what my trip would look like if you plotted it out on the globe... then cut the globe up so you could only see part of it and drew a blue line where I had been and shoved green flags in my destinations.
One month ago today I was putting all of the finishing touches on planning for the first leg of my journey, as well as getting all of the last minute things together (most notably getting my car fixed the first time). And in the last month I've had some of my most content, joyous, upbeat moments, as well as my most somber, lonely and exhausted ones.
I should also note at this point that because of the nature of the beast, this post has been written and created over the course of a few days, and I've since fallen slightly under the weather. So for anything incoherent here, I do apologize. I'm fighting to keep a steady stream of thought, but I want to get you all out an update since it has been so long.
As I'm putting my final touches on the video for the next post (Oregon!), I'm beginning to see that as my experiences are unfolding on this trip, they are starting a metamorphosis into what I consider objective life-lessons. Just as I had hoped, though maybe not with the same degree of shocking epiphany, the wayward journey I am taking is transmogrifying into the eventual philosophical definitions of reality upon which I will ultimately base certain aspects of my life.
One month down and one more to go, right in the middle. And however pretentious I sound now, know that I am developing, and this blog is as much for me as it is for you. I realize that I have been provided an opportunity because of various privileges I have, and though I admit I'm probably not even fully aware of all the privileges granted me, I am grateful as I can be.
I will try to shed some light into the specifics of my early revelations in my next post, but for now, I think I've given you enough of my musings (because I know feeling ill is not helping me much at this point).
Friday, April 16, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
The fond reliability of autocraft
Dearest reader,
I sit here in Pleasant Blends, considering the many wonders we as humans get to experience with the influence of cars in our lives. It's been largely held that the phenomenon of suburban life has come about almost solely because of cars, we're able to have all sorts of food and drink in any part of the world partly due to cars (and boats and planes, but today we're focusing on cars). And yes, I'm including shipping trucks in the general umbrella of cars, so automobiles may be a more appropriate term, but I'm going to stick with cars for the purpose of my point. Cars give us the ability to book our daily schedules to their fullest extreme without giving extended thought to travel time. We are able to feel connected to extended families and friends who live hundreds or even thousands of miles away, we can also distance ourselves based on these reasons as well. A new, miniature rite of passage has grown into our mainstream society when a teenager first obtains his or her driver's license. Life can be made so much easier because we can just jump in the car to get the last missing ingredient to bake cookies, or buy new batteries when the smoke detector starts its beeping. Restaurants and coffee houses have moved into a fast food age based largely around the concept of the drive through. Even families themselves can at times be strengthened or weakened because of bonding during family road trips.
These are all pretty obvious things that come to mind for me when I think of how my life is different than it would have been if I lived in a time or society where cars were nonexistent. But cars have a different, almost magical power in my life as well as these phenomenal social realities. For me, a given car has a way of changing its relability factor just when I am relying on it enough to change my plans on the whole. When it does this, the reliability the given car only ever changes enough to make me consider changing the course of my short-term life at first, not becoming unreliable enough to decide to terminate the current plan and create entirely new plans. Instead, the reliability of the car dwindles just slightly, disintigrating the situation into a sort of frozen ambiguity, a purgatory of automotive-travel-based planning. This situation lets up and reveals its true reliability at the last possible moment, leaving no time for plans, but instead forcing action without a premeditated course of events.
I know, I know, you're probably thinking to yourself, "Kyle this all seems so philosophical and heady. What are you really trying to say?" So in case I lost you with all of my potent, well-articulated, top-notch, extremely sophisticated social proposition, here's the deally-o. Starting Friday night, my car showed signs of beginning the downward spiral of no longer starting. It got closer and closer to not turning on as the weekend went on, so I decided yesterday (Happy Easter!) to take it in to get inspected and hopefully fixed. After just barely starting this morning, I got it into the shop and walked back home (don't worry, the shop is less than a mile away). I got a call about an hour later from the shop asking me to describe the symptoms I had witnessed that caused me to take it in. By mid-afternoon, at the advice of Sarah and Mel (Mel of Bex and Mel's Five-Thousand Watt Rockin' Band), I called the shop to ask for an update. I spoke with Doug who reported that he had been so far unable to get my car to exhibit the symptoms I had reported. At Doug's suggestion, I got Sarah to drive me to the car place (on our way to Pleasant Blends) to see if I could get it to act up the way it had been over the weekend. I got there, it started just fine for me, and after only slight embarrassment, I agreed to leave it there overnight and have him try it in the morning to see if it only had problems after it had been sitting untouched for a longer period.
So now I'm in that vehicular purgatory, waiting to see if I'll be safely able to make my way to Portland and keep on with the plan only a day behind schedule, or if I'll have to move straight into action to salvage as much of my travels as possible. The saving grace of the story is that this is happening in Spokane. At least I'm here, I have a place to stay, people to hang out with, and enough of a general understanding of the city to be able to take solid, rational action without a fully established plan. If I need to junk my car (worst case scenario), I'll be able to figure out how to do so much more easily here than somewhere else. If I need to fly somewhere I was going to drive, I have reliable internet access and transportation to the airport to make that happen. If I get totally frozen for the rest of my trip and absolutely cannot travel, at least I'm already at my final destination. I was going to be here mid-May anyway.
My final note to you, dear reader, take a special moment today to note those many, often overlooked ways that having cars in your life impacts your daily life.
I sit here in Pleasant Blends, considering the many wonders we as humans get to experience with the influence of cars in our lives. It's been largely held that the phenomenon of suburban life has come about almost solely because of cars, we're able to have all sorts of food and drink in any part of the world partly due to cars (and boats and planes, but today we're focusing on cars). And yes, I'm including shipping trucks in the general umbrella of cars, so automobiles may be a more appropriate term, but I'm going to stick with cars for the purpose of my point. Cars give us the ability to book our daily schedules to their fullest extreme without giving extended thought to travel time. We are able to feel connected to extended families and friends who live hundreds or even thousands of miles away, we can also distance ourselves based on these reasons as well. A new, miniature rite of passage has grown into our mainstream society when a teenager first obtains his or her driver's license. Life can be made so much easier because we can just jump in the car to get the last missing ingredient to bake cookies, or buy new batteries when the smoke detector starts its beeping. Restaurants and coffee houses have moved into a fast food age based largely around the concept of the drive through. Even families themselves can at times be strengthened or weakened because of bonding during family road trips.
These are all pretty obvious things that come to mind for me when I think of how my life is different than it would have been if I lived in a time or society where cars were nonexistent. But cars have a different, almost magical power in my life as well as these phenomenal social realities. For me, a given car has a way of changing its relability factor just when I am relying on it enough to change my plans on the whole. When it does this, the reliability the given car only ever changes enough to make me consider changing the course of my short-term life at first, not becoming unreliable enough to decide to terminate the current plan and create entirely new plans. Instead, the reliability of the car dwindles just slightly, disintigrating the situation into a sort of frozen ambiguity, a purgatory of automotive-travel-based planning. This situation lets up and reveals its true reliability at the last possible moment, leaving no time for plans, but instead forcing action without a premeditated course of events.
I know, I know, you're probably thinking to yourself, "Kyle this all seems so philosophical and heady. What are you really trying to say?" So in case I lost you with all of my potent, well-articulated, top-notch, extremely sophisticated social proposition, here's the deally-o. Starting Friday night, my car showed signs of beginning the downward spiral of no longer starting. It got closer and closer to not turning on as the weekend went on, so I decided yesterday (Happy Easter!) to take it in to get inspected and hopefully fixed. After just barely starting this morning, I got it into the shop and walked back home (don't worry, the shop is less than a mile away). I got a call about an hour later from the shop asking me to describe the symptoms I had witnessed that caused me to take it in. By mid-afternoon, at the advice of Sarah and Mel (Mel of Bex and Mel's Five-Thousand Watt Rockin' Band), I called the shop to ask for an update. I spoke with Doug who reported that he had been so far unable to get my car to exhibit the symptoms I had reported. At Doug's suggestion, I got Sarah to drive me to the car place (on our way to Pleasant Blends) to see if I could get it to act up the way it had been over the weekend. I got there, it started just fine for me, and after only slight embarrassment, I agreed to leave it there overnight and have him try it in the morning to see if it only had problems after it had been sitting untouched for a longer period.
So now I'm in that vehicular purgatory, waiting to see if I'll be safely able to make my way to Portland and keep on with the plan only a day behind schedule, or if I'll have to move straight into action to salvage as much of my travels as possible. The saving grace of the story is that this is happening in Spokane. At least I'm here, I have a place to stay, people to hang out with, and enough of a general understanding of the city to be able to take solid, rational action without a fully established plan. If I need to junk my car (worst case scenario), I'll be able to figure out how to do so much more easily here than somewhere else. If I need to fly somewhere I was going to drive, I have reliable internet access and transportation to the airport to make that happen. If I get totally frozen for the rest of my trip and absolutely cannot travel, at least I'm already at my final destination. I was going to be here mid-May anyway.
My final note to you, dear reader, take a special moment today to note those many, often overlooked ways that having cars in your life impacts your daily life.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Seattle!
Wowzers! Like the jet over the Rugby World Cup Final game in South Africa in Invictus, my trip to Seattle flew by. I got in and stayed at the Travelodge on Aurora and 85th (and later found out that this is a majo
r corner for prostitution in Seattle) on Tuesday, March 30th in the evening. After checking into my room (which I couldn't get the internet to work, so I wasn't able to post there like I'd hoped), I left immediately for the Cheesecake Factory in or near South Center Mall to meet Steven. Though due to my lack of knowledge of the area (which continued to become abundantly clear throughout my time), I ended up at the Cheesecake Factory downtown... because I'm that good. Steven was gracious enough to make his way farther north and meet me at the downtown location, and after forty five minutes of trying to connect with him and shabbily explain where I was (using arbitrary street corners and store front names as my primary guidance system) we finally sat down for dinner. How great was it to catch up with Steven? It was seven blue balloons on the greatness scale (full scale breakdown to come). He is a great man, and if you have the chance to be in his company, take it. (Sorry, I'm not using last names for safety sake). I walked him back to his car, he gave me a muffin (delicious), and showed me the lamb cake his mom won at the bake sale. I really wish I would have had my camera with me, because this cake was awesome and hilarious. I'll see if I can get a picture from him to share with you all.
r corner for prostitution in Seattle) on Tuesday, March 30th in the evening. After checking into my room (which I couldn't get the internet to work, so I wasn't able to post there like I'd hoped), I left immediately for the Cheesecake Factory in or near South Center Mall to meet Steven. Though due to my lack of knowledge of the area (which continued to become abundantly clear throughout my time), I ended up at the Cheesecake Factory downtown... because I'm that good. Steven was gracious enough to make his way farther north and meet me at the downtown location, and after forty five minutes of trying to connect with him and shabbily explain where I was (using arbitrary street corners and store front names as my primary guidance system) we finally sat down for dinner. How great was it to catch up with Steven? It was seven blue balloons on the greatness scale (full scale breakdown to come). He is a great man, and if you have the chance to be in his company, take it. (Sorry, I'm not using last names for safety sake). I walked him back to his car, he gave me a muffin (delicious), and showed me the lamb cake his mom won at the bake sale. I really wish I would have had my camera with me, because this cake was awesome and hilarious. I'll see if I can get a picture from him to share with you all.I then journeyed back to hooker corner to get a good night of sleep (yes, alone for yous with your minds in the guttter). The next morning I drove up to explore the northern suburbs of Seattlesville, and made my way to Snohomish because that's where Mel from Bex and Mel's Jam Time Rockin' Band is from. But I only made it to the very edge of the city before my brother was ready to enjoy the day with me. I picked him up from his work area (again, only after getting myself slightly lost).
From there we went to the Science Fiction Museum and Experience Music Project. This was awesome. A definite must if you're in Seattle and like museums. I know that science fiction and rock music don't have a lot in common, so one mus
eum that offers both may seem strange, but it really is like two separate museums that blend together just enough to feel like one experience with two parts. Even if you're not that big of a sci-fi or music buff (I don't consider myself either one), it's a fun time for all. The pictures I have from it are as follows: topmost is E.T.; the one directly to the right is an outside picture with the monorail track running through the museum (think the shiny gold wave is the EMP, and the blue part to the left is the SFM with an alien craft protecting it); Donatello (my favorite N
inja Turtle!); a Storm Trooper from Star Wars shooting you; giant tower of guitars and other various musical instruments; R2-D2; and Yoda.
eum that offers both may seem strange, but it really is like two separate museums that blend together just enough to feel like one experience with two parts. Even if you're not that big of a sci-fi or music buff (I don't consider myself either one), it's a fun time for all. The pictures I have from it are as follows: topmost is E.T.; the one directly to the right is an outside picture with the monorail track running through the museum (think the shiny gold wave is the EMP, and the blue part to the left is the SFM with an alien craft protecting it); Donatello (my favorite N
inja Turtle!); a Storm Trooper from Star Wars shooting you; giant tower of guitars and other various musical instruments; R2-D2; and Yoda.
After the museum, it was time to head back up to North Gate to see Andy's place and visit the chickens growing up in their house until they are big enough for the coop. I got to meet two of his roommates, and then we went to his friend Troy's house to jam. I am not a musician, so I just enjoyed the experience until Katy was off work.
When Katy was ready, I headed down to Sammamish to meet up with her, got to meet her mom (who cooked an AMAZING "impromtu" [though I still don't believe that she doesn't cook that 
frequently judging from how good the dinner was]), and then back into Seattle to Katy's place. We built a fire there because it was real cold in the house that night, made s'mores and hung out with her roommates. The next morning Katy and I went for a walk around Queen Anne, got coffee and did some general site-seeing. I didn't have much time that day becuase I then had to drive to Wenatchee to meet up with Lee to get camping equipment for Sarah. After that, it was back to Spokane about 51 hours after I had arrived in Seattle. Fast trip, but great drip. Not a whole lot of nature-venturing, but still quite the grand adventure!
Belated Deep Creek Hike
Hi Everyone!
So it's been over a week since my last post, and a week since this footage was taken. I'm going to double-post you today, so I'll explain my absence in my next post which actually documents why I've been offline.
Go ahead and watch the video, it's narrated, so I'm not going to say much here, because the video speaks for itself. And after all, it would be a waste of your time to read what you just watched.
What I do want to do in the text of this blog is to take a minute to comment on Pleasant Blends Coffee and Tea House, the lovely, charming, delicious coffee shop in Spokane where most of the editing and writing for my blog has taken place. I'm actually writing this blog here at Pleasant Blends. They offer a variety of coffee drinks, teas, bulk coffee and tea, sandwiches, baked goods, salads, and even some things that are so fancy I don't even know what they are. And every thing that I've had here is exceptional. The service is always friendly and warm with that long lost genuine personal touch. Its atmosphere is quaint, and cozy, but large enough to fit a women's bible study, two college study groups, and a few small groups of close friends; or any combination in between. If you're on the north side of Spokane and looking for a superior pick-me-up (whether food or drink), stop by Pleasant Blends at 9417 N. Newport Highway, Spokane, WA 99218.
So it's been over a week since my last post, and a week since this footage was taken. I'm going to double-post you today, so I'll explain my absence in my next post which actually documents why I've been offline.
Go ahead and watch the video, it's narrated, so I'm not going to say much here, because the video speaks for itself. And after all, it would be a waste of your time to read what you just watched.
What I do want to do in the text of this blog is to take a minute to comment on Pleasant Blends Coffee and Tea House, the lovely, charming, delicious coffee shop in Spokane where most of the editing and writing for my blog has taken place. I'm actually writing this blog here at Pleasant Blends. They offer a variety of coffee drinks, teas, bulk coffee and tea, sandwiches, baked goods, salads, and even some things that are so fancy I don't even know what they are. And every thing that I've had here is exceptional. The service is always friendly and warm with that long lost genuine personal touch. Its atmosphere is quaint, and cozy, but large enough to fit a women's bible study, two college study groups, and a few small groups of close friends; or any combination in between. If you're on the north side of Spokane and looking for a superior pick-me-up (whether food or drink), stop by Pleasant Blends at 9417 N. Newport Highway, Spokane, WA 99218.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Up in the Air
Last night we watched Up in the Air which Sarah got from Netflix. Many of you know that I'm a big movie fan and always look forward to the Oscars. This year, my pick for best picture (even though I didn't see all ten and The Hurt Locker was one I didn't see) was Up in the Air. I've explained my rationale for wanting it to win to some people, but here it is for those who haven't heard it.
I collect past movies that have one the Best Picture Oscar, and enjoy watching these movies tremendously. One of the big reasons I so enjoy these films is that they serve time capsules in their own ways to the time s in which they were made. It's very interesting to me to go back and watch a movie from the 1930's or 70's or 90's or and time period in between and try to understand why that movie was made when it was made, and why it was so widely accepted, enjoyed and acclaimed in its time. Though I haven't seen every movie that has ever won, I've seen enough to notice some loose trends. It seems to me that there is a rotation of about 5 different kinds of movies winning: symbolic social commentaries, grand achievements that are ahead of their time, that capture and encapsulate the mainstream culture (often corporate culture) of America at the time, ones that represent the plight of a particular niche or sub-society delicately and gracefully, and movies that are just superior all around films. I know that there is always talk about Hollywood politics that go into picking the different pictures, and I'm sure there are, but regardless I think these categories represent a general, not-mathematically-perfect, cycle of movies that win. If I were to break it down and actually look year to year and try to force fit every movie, I would come up with a nonlinear, super generalized list of movies Venn-daigrammed into multiple categories. But regardless of the airtightness of the trend, it is the basis for my hopes that Up in the Air would win.
As I look back at the movies that have won since 2000 (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, Chicago, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Million Dollar Baby, Crash, The Departed, No Country for Old Men, Slumdog Millionaire, The Hurt Locker), it has been quite a while since a movie won and was put into this cultural time capsule that will give the world of 10, 15, 20, 50 years from now a view of what it's like to be a live in mainstream American society today. I know that the content and subject matter of The Hurt Locker, and many other films from this past year give a wonderful view of very important events and aspects of the world today, but as far as capturing the essence of middle-class, mostly corporate America of this time period of American society, I think Up in the Air was timeless for this reason. Up in the Air is the film that will give future generations the best idea of what it was like to be alive here today. I know that I'm generalizing what it means to be alive and what mainstream American society is in a vast, borderline offensive way, but if Hollywood were to make a movie that attempted to capture the broadness of middle America today, it would be either way too long and extremely hard to tie together a comprehensible story, or like Crash for the suburbs and not-so-ethnically-diverse urban areas. Up in the Air is simply a superior snapshot of the trouble, trials, tribulations and timeliness of our middle society today.
With all of that said, if you haven't seen Up in the Air, watch it. If you consider yourself a film collector or like owning movies with decent rewatchability, buy it. If you like movies that make you think, share your thoughts so I can think too. If you like to be entertained, keep checking up on me for upcoming posts!
When Bex and Mel stole my camera
Last night Becka and Melissa stole my video camera while Sarah and I were out running errands. Little did I know that I would return to the house with musical gold recorded on my camera. I'm so glad that they filmed what they did, and gave me well wishes I can take with me.
For those of you who don't know the construct of my Spokane social circle, Melissa and Becka are two of Sarah's three housemates (Heather is the other, most famous for her cameo in the Enchilada video, but she is home for spring break so not around to take part in the cinematic goings-on). Melissa and Sarah have lived together since their freshman year (now seniors), except for one semester they lived apart. Becka and Heather have lived with them since the beginning of their junior year, but they've all been friends since pretty much the beginning. With as close as they all are, it makes for a very fun house environment, and one I've been honored to enjoy one step removed for the last 18 or so months.
And to be fair, when I say they stole my camera, I knew it was coming. Melissa told me she was probably going to do some filming when I was gone. I just didn't know I was going to get two songs for my blog. If you want to sign them to a record deal, I'll be their agent, so let me know.
I have two more videos coming including the first ever commercial filmed by Kyle's Grand Adventure studios! I know that you're feeling overwhelmed by the amount of advertisements and commercials you have to wade through on any given day, but when it's KGA, you know it's going to be a cut above (and entirely different from) the rest. The other video is of my first wilderness adventure with some superior camera work by Sarah. They'll be up as soon as I can edit them, so stay posted for my posting!
For those of you who don't know the construct of my Spokane social circle, Melissa and Becka are two of Sarah's three housemates (Heather is the other, most famous for her cameo in the Enchilada video, but she is home for spring break so not around to take part in the cinematic goings-on). Melissa and Sarah have lived together since their freshman year (now seniors), except for one semester they lived apart. Becka and Heather have lived with them since the beginning of their junior year, but they've all been friends since pretty much the beginning. With as close as they all are, it makes for a very fun house environment, and one I've been honored to enjoy one step removed for the last 18 or so months.
And to be fair, when I say they stole my camera, I knew it was coming. Melissa told me she was probably going to do some filming when I was gone. I just didn't know I was going to get two songs for my blog. If you want to sign them to a record deal, I'll be their agent, so let me know.
I have two more videos coming including the first ever commercial filmed by Kyle's Grand Adventure studios! I know that you're feeling overwhelmed by the amount of advertisements and commercials you have to wade through on any given day, but when it's KGA, you know it's going to be a cut above (and entirely different from) the rest. The other video is of my first wilderness adventure with some superior camera work by Sarah. They'll be up as soon as I can edit them, so stay posted for my posting!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The First Grand Drive | Denver-Spokane
I know I'm doing this out of order, but sometimes the experience is best understood out of order... or at least that's my psuedo-philosophical sounding explaination for my disorganization. But if you want to steal that phrase and make a bumper sticker, feel free. Just let me know so I can order one.
Here is a compilation of clips I took on the way to Spokane on Wednesday. It doesn't seem like it's already been almost a week. It's definitely been a relaxing time so far. It's nice to have a sort of hang out vacation and be able to do fun things with Sarah. Yesterday we went to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D. It's definitely worth checking out. It made me think, which is one thing I like about movies, and has caused me to try to imagine more impossible things which is always fun.
Work has not really started yet. Still getting details together and waiting for all the loose ends to tie themselves together. I don't mind so much, not knowing what I'm doing, because it gives me time to take it slow, relax and play tennis. Sarah and I have played tennis twice and plan to play more later in the week. It is such a fun sport, isn't it?
Here is a compilation of clips I took on the way to Spokane on Wednesday. It doesn't seem like it's already been almost a week. It's definitely been a relaxing time so far. It's nice to have a sort of hang out vacation and be able to do fun things with Sarah. Yesterday we went to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D. It's definitely worth checking out. It made me think, which is one thing I like about movies, and has caused me to try to imagine more impossible things which is always fun.
Work has not really started yet. Still getting details together and waiting for all the loose ends to tie themselves together. I don't mind so much, not knowing what I'm doing, because it gives me time to take it slow, relax and play tennis. Sarah and I have played tennis twice and plan to play more later in the week. It is such a fun sport, isn't it?
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