Traffic Can Be Fun!

     Hey scientists and engineers what happened to flying cars? Weren’t we supposed to be shooting through the air at incredible speeds in shiny metallic futuristic flying mobiles? What happened? I’ll tell you what, every hour I sit in horrendous traffic on the 405 (Los Angelinos) and or 680 or 880 (Bay Area folk) the more I wish I had one of those flying cars.

 I hate traffic and for me it’s unavoidable because I commute and travel a lot. Never have I encountered worse traffic than in California. I had no problems in New York, Dallas, even Chicago. However, California, particularly Bay Area and Los Angeles traffic make me want to invest in a tank. Luckily I have been doing it for so long that it has become easier for me to deal with. I am going to share with you a few of the ways I deal with traffic.

I sing.

When I am alone in my car or even with company (it’s always better with an audience) it becomes American Idol time. I happen to have a vast knowledge of songs and if I don’t know the words I am a very fast learner. Singing helps to pass the time for me and also makes the car ride a little more enjoyable. I’m not sure what my passengers think but if they don’t want me to sing then maybe they shouldn’t be in a car with me.

I play games.

I like to play games like: Who is Picking Their Nose, and Who Just Doesn’t Care about Other Drivers and is Talking on the Phone Right Now? I also like to play, What is that Driver Thinking, I Wonder if They are Wearing Pants, and if its happens to be night time my personal favorite: Oh Crap, Is That A Cop?

I coast.

I have learned that the DMV handbooks were right and an optimal distance to follow another vehicle is about 2-3 seconds. This is especially true in traffic. Too often have I seen another driver ride the bumper of the person in front of them only to break every half second to avoid rear-ending them. It is ridiculous. If you follow a few seconds behind you can casually coast and never have to put your foot on the brake. This also gives the illusion that it’s not Stop-and-go traffic but –go-very-slow traffic.

I also don’t speed.

There is no logical reason to drive 90mph on the highway. Its unsafe and uses way more fuel than driving a safer speed(usually 85mph). I’m kidding, drive the speed limit and stay alive.

I ponder life.

Some if not most of my best ideas for basically anything have come from one of three of my favorite places to think. The shower, the toilet, and sitting in my car in traffic.The idea to write about surviving traffic came from sitting in my car in traffic. How strange right? I know I’m brilliant.

I hope some of these tips help you the next time you find yourself making awkward eye contact with the person in the car in front of you through their rear-view mirror. If anything I hope you at least remember reading this post and can chuckle about it later; while you’re stuck in traffic. Thanks for reading and safe driving! 

I'm All In

     Well looks like I'm in. I'm committed and there is no turning back now, I have decided to officially become a blogger. That's something I never thought that I would say. 

                                                                Eep

     When I tell people I blog I usually get the same reaction as when I tell people I am a comedian.

                                              "So what do you do?"

                    "I'm a comedian and a writer. I have a blog." 

                                      "Ohhhh cooool..." 

                                "I also write for televis-!" 

                                "That's nice, I'm hungry." 

     That is usually how a conversation goes when I meet someone new or someone I've known for awhile inquires as to how I earn a living (barely). It's okay, as an actor and comedian I'm used to being heckled and can most often roll with the punches. I like what I do and lately as I have filling this blog with more entries I have grown to love blogging. Moreover, as I get ready to start my usual summertime traveling I find myself even more excited to write.

     There is something freeing and exciting about being able to share my experiences with friends, family, strangers and whomever else may read this blog. It allows me to be creative in more ways than just posting pictures on my Instagram. Not only do my readers get to see the beautiful(am I pushing it?) pictures I post but they get to read about the awesome or not so awesome experience behind the picture. Even though I am traveling alone most of the time, sharing helps me to feel connected to home.

     Connection is the one of the main reasons I have decided to fully commit to this. I love human connection, connecting with nature and well, connecting with myself. Traveling and writing really help me to connect with myself on a deeper level as opposed to sitting at home playing video-games or watching television.

     Shortly I'll be launching my new website (which will look a lot better than this hosted one) and from that point on I'll be posting there. Don't worry I will provide links and keep you informed along the transition. I am also going to stick to a more regular posting schedule. I'll have more advice and tips, random stories, tales from my travels and helpful tips on how to be whatever you want.

      I am all in now. I am committed. I want to thank you for following and sticking with me this far and I can promise you it will only get better from here. Thanks for reading and happy travels.

Preparations Begin Now!

     I am currently planning for one of the most epic and much needed adventures of my life. I have traveled to quite a few places during my life-time but most of them haven’t been by “choice” if you will. Thus, I am excited to be making this journey by myself and completely on my own accord. Although, I have to admit, it is pretty scary and I am very nervous. That being said, I have much to prepare for! Here are some frequently asked questions I'm sure you are thinking and I have been asking myself before I leave. 

What will I pack?

     After learning from my previous trips and consulting some of my adventurer friends and trusted travel blogs I have settled upon this short list: 

     Passport size photos, and copies of all of my documents. Having photos on hand is useful when obtaining new visas in all of the new areas that I may visit. And should I lose anything it’s always good to have copies. I have to make sure to store them in separate areas and make sure to keep the originals secure.

     Toiletries and Bug spray. Most places will have shampoo and toothpaste I can buy, but just in case its always a good idea to keep small quantities of these available. Also, bug spray, hand sanitizer and “field wipes” (from my military days) are a must; as well as plenty of Imodium.

     My multi-tool and knife.

     Minimal clothes. I’ll be bringing flip flops, a pair of boots shorts and t-shirts and a pair of cargo pants or two. There is no need to bring jeans as they will only make my legs sticky and hot and I can always buy clothes for pretty cheap over there. Plus I don’t want to weigh down my backpack with unnecessary items.

     Since I will be buying a new backpack I’ll have to consider how big I want it. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to traveling with a backpack. Keeping the pack smaller will prevent me from over-packing. I’ll have to keep myself from going to my military roots and trying to pack as much stuff into the largest pack I can because I’m a soldier and keep the pack to about 60 liters.

What will I eat?

     Everything! The local food over there is delicious and its always cheaper than buying western food. Why spend more money than you should on a dry disgusting hamburger when you can eat delicious local street food for about $7 or $10 a day? I don’t drink as much alcohol as I used to (college years) so I will be saving a lot of money in that area, seeing as how alcohol is usually where tourists spend the most money. However, I will be trying all of the tasty cold beers that the different regions have to offer.

Where will I sleep?

     Finding accommodations in South East Asia is fairly simple and cheap with most places ranging from $3-14 USD a day. This is the price range throughout Asia with some places like Thailand being more expensive than Laos or Cambodia. I won’t be bringing a sleeping bag or linens as most of these places offer them already or you can rent them for a minimal fee.

How will I get around?

     Motorbikes, buses, boats, and by walking of course. These are all pretty cheap and it’s not necessary to book travel so far in advance. However, I’ll have to be well prepared for delays and long trips. I’ll have my trusty Kindle and camera to help pass the time.

How will I have fun?

     I plan on doing everything and anything I can. I am a huge surfer and would love to do some surfing in Bali or Thailand (there are some gnarly surf spots there). I also plan on visiting the temples at Angkor Wat, and trekking through the jungles of Laos and Malaysia. Of course attending the Full Moon Party on the island of Ko Phangan, Thailand is a must! Yoga in Bali and tubing in Vang Vieng are both on the list as well as sailing in Halong Bay Vietnam. There will be no shortage of things to do out there and I plan on doing as much as I can.

     I am beyond excited for this trip and for the next few months will be working and planning like a mad-man! I am notorious for forgetting things so if there is anything on this short list that you may think I have forgotten please feel free to let me know! I almost forgot , wherever I travel I always bring with me a picture of home. No I don’t carry around a picture of America or a Bald Eagle or anything, home to me is a representation of safety and comfort. Home to me is where my heart is. I don’t pack this item away; I always keep it close to my heart…

Finding My Way Back

     In a few short months I will be putting all of my stuff into storage and boarding a plane from Los Angeles to Taiwan and then to Bangkok where I will start an epic journey of discovery and adventure. I have undergone some huge life and career realizations which have led me to change the way I have been thinking and acting for the past few years.

     Some of you may know that I am approaching the three year anniversary of a very particular obstacle I have overcome. I beat the odds and survived. However, I have lost sight of what that used to mean to me. I have lost sight of the beauty of life and people and exploring. Somewhere along the journey of survival I lost my way.

     Now I am on the journey back. I’m going to re-discover myself and what it means to truly be alive and appreciate this one life that we are given.

     I will be traveling to Cambodia to visit the famous temples of Angkor, exploring the many little islets of beautiful Halong Bay, Vietnam and practicing my yoga in Bali. 

     From there I plan on going where ever the wind or the tuk tuk or the buses or the motorbikes take me. Don't worry, I plan on fully documenting my trip through this blog my YouTube channel and Tumblr, where I'll be uploading pictures and video from my travels. You can also follow my journeys semi-live from my Twitter and Instagram(where wi-fi permits).

     Thank you so much for all of your help and support throughout the years and I hope that you continue to do so for the many years to come. I truly appreciate all of my friends and family and especially you the reader! Thank you and stay tuned!

Ps: If you have any ideas of where to stay and or travel or awesome things I should do along the way please leave a comment!

How to be Great

      I am not great at anything. I am good at a lot of things, but could not confidently call myself a master of something. My problem lies with a lack of long term focus. I have no problem focusing on one thing for a short amount of time. That amount of time is usually however long it takes me to be able to compete at a high level of competition in whatever event I am currently practicing. And THAT amount of time is usually fairly short. The extent of focus I have for short term goals is astounding.  

     However, the extent of focus I have for long term goals is embarrassing. This probably explains why I have bounced around from occupation to occupation, sport to sport and before I obtained my degree, switched my major five times. I shouldn’t say “bounced around” it makes me seem like I have commitment issues; which I do not.

    Call it—if you will, a fascination with the world combined with a lack of long term focus and a free spirit, unbelieving in the chains of society binding people to one thing for the rest of their lives. So how does one remain focused? How can I transform my laser-beam short term energy into long term goal crushing? Albert Einstein said “Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.”

      You must want to do what you are working towards with everything. To be a really great at something it has to flow through your veins and seep out of your pores. The desire to be great must outweigh everything else.

      It’s helpful to set many small goals along the way to your big goal. The short terms goals will help you to stay focused on your journey to the bigger longer term goal. As a bonus, it will feel really good to cross off small goals along the way knowing that they are all helping you to achieve your larger goal.

    You have to be willing to make mistakes. You will make mistakes, and you will mess up. However, are you willing to learn from these mistakes, adjust and continue? If not then, you should find something else to do.

    Find someone that is doing what you want to do and do what they do. Do what they did. Read about what you want to do, and watch videos from people who have done it and learn from them. Listen and take all the advice you can.

    Keep at it—for years. Then keep doing it.Experts say it takes anywhere from six to ten years or about ten thousand hours of deliberate practice to become a master at something. You’re going to suck in the beginning. But don’t worry, you’ll get better.

    Find whatever it is that you want to do, whatever you’re passionate about and do it. If you have found it and are doing it then I am deeply jealous of you. Though I have a passion for many things I am still looking for that one thing—that one thing I can be great at. This is my journey…

Surviving the Airport

             Ahh to be at the airport during the holidays. Filled with the hustle and bustle of weary and anxious holiday travelers there is never a shortage of interesting things to see.  If you're catching an earlier flight you'll most likely witness people still dressed in pajamas. Yes, pajamas. Airplanes are nothing but an extension of our beds at home these days and what better outfit to wear on a long early morning flight than what you went to sleep in? There are business men and women running about the airport already late for meetings five hours away. They scuffle about in their two thousand dollar suits pressed and custom fitted, Bluetooth devices in their ears and multiple cell phones clipped to their waists resembling a superhero’s  utility belt.  They take up all of the many hundreds of charging ports for your portable devices located around the terminal, charging their entire office with them. This leaves you to forgo browsing the interwebs with your phone in order to save precious battery power. You pop your headphones in your ears and play the same playlist of songs on your phone because you've been too lazy and or busy to update your music during the rush of the holiday season. Let’s face it; between buying gifts for your huge extended family and the office, and trying to make it to the gym as often as you can to shed off that winter weight you've had no time for yourself.

                Mid-afternoon flights don’t get any better than early morning ones.They are even worse.The airport quickly becomes bursting with families and couples. Kids run amock through the terminal covering everything they touch in sticky-who-knows-what, and tween couples are sitting awkwardly on the floor making out. You’re trying to enjoy your thirty dollar turkey sandwich that you bought at an airport bookstore, but it grows more and more difficult when the five year old in front of you is turned around in his seat staring you down like a bull at a bullfight. The stale cold bread and old cheese is hard enough to scarf down without the added pressure of pleasing this kid. Finally they announce that they will begin boarding over the PA system. You stand up thinking that you’ll be among the first to board because you've managed to score boarding zone two on your ticket. However, you fail to realize that they have to board all of the Priority Members first. The Gold Star passengers, the First Class Flyers, the people in wheelchairs, the people with kids, the kids traveling alone, members of the Military (bless them for what they do) and the business class people. You look down at your watch and notice it’s already been forty-five minutes and they haven’t even gotten through the Premier Mileage Plus Extravaganza passengers yet, or the passengers wearing khaki pants! You plop down into your uncomfortable leather chair and take a sip of your seven dollar bottle of water as you eagerly wait to be called.

                If you’re like me, you’ll choose a late flight. Late flights are my preferred flights. I show up at the airport with no traffic problems. Say good bye to my ride and head straight to the check-in. There is little to no line and I am all checked in and through the security line in about ten minutes. From there I head straight to my favorite places in the airport; the bar. I love airport bars. Yes, the drinks are expensive but nothing calms the nerves of travel like a smooth bourbon on the rocks, or a nice lager. Some airports even have iPads at the bar so you can order your drink, pay and tip the bartender in one easy step. You don’t have to wait to get their attention, or flag them down like an airport ground controller. I get my drink, plug in my headphones and jam out to my new playlist that I had time to create peacefully relaxing in the big empty terminal. The airline calls out the boarding groups and being as how there are only forty of us it goes pretty fast. I reach my empty row of seats, stretch out sideways, cover myself with my blanket and prepare for a nice relaxing flight. That, ladies and gentleman is how to properly survive airports. 

Today is the Day

    It’s a tough thing to do; to explore the world. Its an even tougher thing to explore yourself. Now before you go getting all “ junior-high” on me, and start throwing out inappropriate jokes,  hear me out. It takes a ton of strength to look inside yourself and really explore who you are and what you are truly capable of.
    Sometimes it takes an extraordinary circumstance to occur in order for people to summon up the courage to discover themselves; to unleash their potential. The circumstance could be good or bad. It could be anything from base jumping from the Burj Khalifa, navigating a treacherous river in a tiny kayak, a horrible break-up or the death of a loved one. Some people need that. Some people don’t. I encourage you to be the latter.
    I encourage you, no I challenge you to constantly look inside yourself. Every day should be an opportunity to improve in any way. Every day should be the start of something grand. You should wake up every morning and be excited because today is going to the day you discover something new about yourself. Today is going to be the day that you do something, say something, even eat something that you never thought that you could or would (unless you have a food allergy. Don’t eat that).
    It shouldn’t take an horrible circumstance to get you move. It should not take the end of the world in order for you to start discovering it. It took an almost near end to mine before I decided to find out what I was made of and what I was capable of accomplishing. As hard and impossible a task as it may seem, I implore you to try. 
    If you need to be pushed, here I am pushing you. Thank you for reading and remember: Today is the day.