LOOOOVE MEEEEEE… THAT’S ALLLLLL I AAAASK OF… YOUUUUUUUUU!!!

Oh hai, Dani!

Yes… it is time… for… ANOTHER INTERVIEW! This time I interviewed a dear friend of mine… Danielle Wildermuth. I met Dani through Heather who has been friends with her since high school. She’s awesome. Here you go!

Here we go! First question… super easy… who are you?
Danielle Wildermuth aka moose!

You seem to like moose quite a bit… why is this?
My last name Wildermuth was replaced by Wild Moose by my friends in junior high. And it has stuck ever since.

Heather and I are currently living in your childhood home… how did you like growing up there?
I liked being away from everything. Feeling safe to roam the neighborhood. Lots of neighborhood parties.

You’ve recently bought a house of your own… how do you like living there?
I love it! It is so nice to be able to come home to my own couch, my own tv, my own fridge. I am my own boss. I control the A/C and how I choose to allocate my time. It’s nice to sleep in or go to bed late, and know that it is my own decision. Plus, my house to me shows that I have “made” it. This is what I have always wanted, my own house.

I know you’re a big fan of reading. What are some of your favorite books?
The girl who owned a city, Harry Potter, Wheel of Time Series, Sookie Stackhouse, A Discovery of Witches.

Which house would you be sorted into if you went to Hogwarts?
Gryffindor!

How do you think the movies compared to the books?
The movies were worth going to see, but I never saw them out of the theater. But I’ve read each book 4 or 5 times.

Team Jacob or Team Edward?
Team Jacob.

AWESOME. How do you feel about the Twilight series in general?
I loved all four of the books,and have read them all at least 4 times. I didn’t care much for the first movie, the second was ok, I liked the third one, and I have yet to see 4 part 1.

What do you think about the current state of the world?
I think it’s very sad what is going on right now. I am so thankful that I have a job in this economy and I hope that things pick back up soon. People should not be losing their jobs while others get hefty bonuses. But I am proud of the protests. Though some bad comes from them, they are ultimately a sign that people will not stand by and let their lives be destroyed.

What is your favorite kind of weather? Why?
My favorite weather is overcast. It puts a different light on everything and it feels like Christmas no matter the time of year (well as long as slightly cooler weather accompanies the clouds). It also reminds me of Seattle. Also, I feel as if I am in a different world or at least somewhere other than the desert.

You lived in Seattle for a while, how was that?
It was an amazing experience. I am very thankful that my aunt and uncle took me in for the summer so I could intern at Costco’s corporate office. I learned a lot about the corporate world that summer. It was the first time I had a normal Monday to Friday schedule and I spent the weekends wandering downtown Seattle. I miss the northwest a lot and I wouldn’t turn down a chance to live up there again.

Last question… it’s very important… what is your favorite Pixar movie?
It’s hard to say because Pixar has so many great films. I will have to say it’s a toss up between Wall-E and Up. They both made me cry and laugh and I believe they are must-see movies.

Aaaaaaand here’s a video she really likes:

Good choice, Dani. Good choice!

Watch this:

That’s right… Disneyland is staying open for 24 hours straight! From 6am on February 29th to 6am on March 1st. And guess what… we’re going! I’m taking three vacation days (it’s on a Wednesday) and we’re gonna do it! Well… we’ll probably go back to the room a couple times, but we’re gonna try and be there as much as we can. What I’m most excited about is being at Disneyland from midnight to 6am. It’s going to be so wonderful.

Those are my shoe prints. Fuck yeah.

Oh boy! Time for the second annual State of the Adam! I feel like last time went really well. It was a nice little snapshot of what was going on in my life and my head. Time to do it again! Okie dokie. Let’s jump right into it.

• Heather. Best part of my life. By Far. I mean… pretty much none of the stuff below even matters in comparison. And you know what… that’s all I’m going to say about her. I am not confident enough in my writing skills to properly convey my true feelings and she deserves nothing less than my true feelings. Actually, I will say this: Heather is my best friend and she makes me smile. I love you, Heather.
• Memory. From last year’s SOTA: “Mine sucks. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before, but I have terribly bad memory. Now that I have insurance, I plan on going to some kind of doctor for this.” Well… I did. Actually… I went to a neurologist! I know it may seem a bit rash, but it was really affecting my day to day life in a truly frustrating way. So yeah… I went… and… nothing is wrong with me. The neurologist gave me a bunch of tests, asked me a bunch of questions, and eventually came to the conclusion that there really isn’t anything physically wrong with me. Basically, I have a crappy memory and I have to deal with it. There’s no medicine or herbs that will help. If only life were that easy. Oh wait! I do think he said I could go to a cognitive therapist, but I’m not too keen on that. Actually, the best tool for helping me remember things nowadays is my iPhone. The “Reminders” app combined with Siri is so damn helpful.
• Jobs. Instead of talking about my current jobs, I’d like to discuss the kind of job I would like to have. Well… besides no job. I do not define myself by the job I have. People like that freak me out. I define myself by how much fun I have and how much love surrounds me. Anyway! The problem is… I have to have a job. I need money. So, why don’t I just find a job I like? Well… that’s impossible (with one magical exception). Why? Well… having a job is the same as going to school for me. There is something in my brain chemistry that just makes me hate being at work or being at school. I can be working with something I really like (the internet) or learning about something I really enjoy (science), but I will always get into a horribly depressed funk. How do I avoid this? There are two ways. One way is to have a job that requires no real thinking. My least favorite part of my current jobs is how much thought I have to put into what I do. I don’t like spending my brain power on work (I know this doesn’t make sense). What I want is a job that I cannot take home. One that anyone can do. That’s why I loved stocking shit at Walmart and selling tickets at a movie theater. Super easy and mindless. Go to work, do your job, and leave. Repeat. Working at In and Out would be awesome! I know… high aspirations, right? Yep. Okay. So, the second way is to work at Disneyland. I don’t care what it is I am doing as long as I work there. I’d even be cool with California Adventure! Or any of the Disney hotels! Man… Adam Willis, janitor at Disneyland. Music to my ears!
• Pets. So, last year I said I was getting rats. I got them. They’re awesome. But I really don’t care too much about them anymore. Why? I’ll tell you why… PAISLEY!!! We got a dog! And she’s amazing! Heather brought her home from the CPS parking lot. She was lethargic, skinny, and completely covered in ticks! It was the saddest thing ever. Over 1000 bucks later… she’s doing great! I really hate saying this, but I like her more than Matilda. I know! Blasphemy! It is true though. And! Since the ticks sucked out so much blood, she probably isn’t going to grow to full size! SHE’S GOING TO BE A PUPPY FOREVER! I know… best thing ever. Also… still have Monte. But he sucks.
• Team Willis. What can I say… I love my family. I mean… I better! I see them all the god damn time. We just went on an epic Disneyland adventure. It was legendary (definitely started watching How I Met Your Mother). Really though… don’t have a lot to say. Everything is going really well in Willisland. We’re all happy and getting along well. We go have drinks together most Friday nights and will go get the occasional dinner. So yeah. All is well.
• Health. I was at 190 last year… now… I’m at about 175. I know it’s only 15 pounds, but I’m still damn proud of myself. I started using MyFitnessPal.com (MFP) as well as the Couch-to-5K system. Both the website and the system have amazing iPhone apps that I use quite often. I use MFP to track my calories, fitness, and weight on a daily basis. I’ve really been doing a lot better with making good food choices because of it. I do c25k at least three times a week. My endurance is getting really great and I should be able to to a 5k easily in just a few weeks. In fact! There is a Family Fun Run 5k at Disneyland in September!!! Definitely doing it. Definitely.
• Arizona. Hate it.
• California. Love it. I really want to move to California. I always have, but now that I’ve gotten a small taste of what it’s like to actually live there my desire has only increased (thanks, Nicole and Donnie!!!). Also… my favorite place in the world just happens to be in California. Weird…
• Disneyland. Heather and I now have Premium Annual Passes. What does that mean? We can go to Disneyland WHENEVER THE FUCK WE WANT. And boy have we! We’ve gone a couple times already (we began our year of magic in late October) and have two more trips planned for the next month alone! Also. Let me just say that I love Disneyland more than I ever have. I could simply list off all of the great things I love about it and its amazing creator, but that wouldn’t really explain why I feel the way I do. It’s really just the feeling it evokes in me. It’s good. Like… pure good. And yes… I do realize that it’s a business and it overcharges and can, at times, be one of the more crass areas of consumerism. Doesn’t matter. Just because I understand the science behind love (it’s all just chemicals) it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it or base my life around it. No matter what happens to Disneyland, it will always be special because of the man who imagined it and what he represents.
• Politics. From last year: “I’m a far left liberal who hates Republicans. Conservative ideals and free market stuff is fine and dandy, but Republicans are ASSHOLES. The party is full of stupid, piece of shit, mean spirited, ignorant, racist, bigoted, sexist, pathetic, worthless, assholes. Democrats are weak and not actually liberal, but they are no where near as bad as their counterparts.” That’s still the case. I actually started a secret political blog so I had a place to discuss politics besides here. I think I got about 20 posts published before I got burned out. Politics really is draining for someone who prides themself on striving to be as rational as a flawed human possibly can be. As a whole, politics are vile. I mean… truly vile. All politicians are corrupt in one way or another, and all pundits are egotistical sensationalists. Of course, there are still some genuine journalists and economists out there who truly care about the advancement of the human race and can put aside their personal biases (as best as anyone can… we’re all human) to report on and discuss what really matters in a factual, intelligent manner. Those people are awesome. I hope to one day be one of those people. I’m not there yet, but I’m working at it. It is called political science for a reason. Science is never fully and completely understood. It is always evolving. Anything can be disproven if there is enough reason to disprove it. Nothing is entirely black or white. While some things (like gravity) seem to be completely indisputable, true scientists are always open to new discoveries and ways of thinking. This is the kind of mind set I wish more political scientists had. Both sides, liberal and conservative, are guilty of rigid dogmatism. It’s fine to have a strong belief in something, but closing your mind to even the slightest possibility of being wrong is unintelligent and, in some cases, dangerous for the future of our society and even our planet.
• Scooter. I bought a scooter! That’s it over to the right! His name is Rufio. Rufio. Ru. Fi. Ohhhhh. It was pretty cheap. 1500 bucks. Brand new. Why? It’s Chinese. It’s kind of a piece of crap. It breaks a lot, and the gas gauge doesn’t work. But I don’t care. I love it. It’s so damn fun to ride. It’s like a roller coaster you can control! It’s like a super fast bike you can ride on the street! Also… the gas mileage is amazing and repairs are super cheap. I’m actually learning how to fix things myself so I never have to take it in to the shop again. Still not sure if I would ever upgrade to an actual motorcycle. I took an Intro to Motorcycles class before I got the scooter, and I really didn’t like the shifting you have to do on motorcycles. Scooters are automatic. Twist the throttle. Go. It’s that easy. But seriously… it’s so fun! Fuck cars. They’re so damn boring.
• Music. I’ve been getting into a lot of new music lately. One new group that I have somehow managed to not get into up until now is Erasure. So, there’s this iPhone app called Robot Unicorn Attack. It features a ridiculously fabulous song called Always. Well… that song is by Erasure. I liked it, but I assumed it was some goofy one hit wonder song, so I never considered actually checking out the band that sings it. Time passed and one day I noticed Erasure was going to be playing in Los Angeles. I thought it would be funny to check it out and Heather agreed. Holy shit it was amazing. I listened to most of their songs for the very first time about a week before we actually went. They have so many great songs! And they’ve done a bunch of ABBA covers! Anyway. Check them out. They rock. Other new music I discovered… Gotye and Kimbra. They’re two different artists, but they sing together on one track (Somebody That I Used To Know) that is, quite possibly, the greatest song ever written (besides Gemini (Birthday Song) by Why?, of course). I have embedded the video below as it is one of my favorite things ever. The song and the video match up perfectly and Gotye and Kimbra have this electric chemistry that gives you chills.

Well. There you have it. My life as of right now. There’s a whole lot more going on, but I thought this would be a good enough summation for now.

tl;dr… I FUCKING LOVE YOU!

Next up on the interview train is a wonderful girl that used to go by the name Heather Power. I met her through my sister, and I think she is just terrific. Mostly because she introduced me to the Grasshopper. It’s a green, minty, alcoholic drink. I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. Anyhoo! Time for the interview!

Question One! Who are you?
Heather P. (sidenote: This interview was conducted before AND after her wedding… you’ll see)

What makes Heather P. happy?
Lots of things! Good movies, babies wearing glasses, bubble baths, grasshopper pie, random acts of kindness, hydrangeas, prairie dogs, and so much more!

What kind of job would make you happy?
I would be happy with a job that allowed me to meet different people and work in different places. I’d like something that would allow me to be funny and smart and artistic. I’d like to work at a zoo. Or a school. Or maybe at a hospital. Or a museum. I feel like lots of different jobs would make me happy!

I’m pretty sure you went to NAU… did you get a degree related to any of the aforementioned careers? If not, what did you get your degree in?
I did go to NAU and got some sweet degrees. My BA is in Art History and Anthropology, and my Master’s is in Elementary Education. Everybody should get a Master’s, they are so much quicker and a lot more fun than schlepping through an undergraduate program. Yay education! I’m also considering a second Master’s since no one’s really knocking down my door to hire me… Maybe in Library Science so I can be a children’s librarian or maybe in Art History so I can head in that direction again. We shall see.

I can definitely see you as a children’s librarian. Have you worked with kids before?
I love working with kids. I grew up in a big family so I’ve kind of always been around little ones. During college I worked in a museum and it was always a lot of fun when we got kids on fieldtrips. After the museum I worked as a preschool aide and decided that teaching seemed pretty cool. During grad school I taught preschool full time and took classes at night, it was tough but pretty rewarding. Since graduation I have subbed in a lot of classrooms, it’s nice knowing if you have a rough day you can choose to walk out of that classroom at the end of the day and not come back… classroom teachers don’t have that little luxury! My sister is an educator at the San Diego Zoo and I am totally jealous of her amazing job. She gets to introduce kids to animals every day…and wear safari pants. She rocks.

Speaking of the zoo… what’s your favorite animal??? (sorry… it’s silly question time…)
My favorite animal of all time has always been and always will be: BUSH BABIES!

Adorable! And how about your favorite childhood movie?
No contest, no question: MAC AND ME. So classic. This child alien from a planet with a liquid core (of soda?) climbs into a space rover that’s collecting… space rocks… and accidentally comes to Earth. His family figures it out and follows. They wind up in what looks like Southern California, separated, and hilarity (and actually a good amount of sadness and worry) ensues. The hero is a physically-disabled kid so of course I became emotionally invested in this the very first time I watched it. I remember watching it all the time with my brother and sisters, but 2 sisters HATE aliens and would always get angry and leave the room. Got my high school sweetheart to watch it years later… he loved it. Last year I got my 8 year old brother to watch it for the first time. It was even better then I remembered. Check it out y’all!!!

So hey… you got married! How’s that going?
You know, I have to admit that married life is great. I’ve lived with a couple of serious boyfriends in my day: I mean real bill-paying, chore sharing, grocery buying cohabitation. I never really imagined “married life” being that much different. I’d get a different last name, maybe we’d share a checking account… bfd right? I was surprised to find out that — for me at least — being MARRIED to my partner does feel pretty different. First of all changing your name is totally weird. Weirder than I thought. I still don’t recognize it in print… you know?… like “did I get someone else’s mail?” Secondly the vibe of our relationship kind of changed from being comfortable/casual to being a life-long endeavor. Something about speaking vows in front of a horde of witnesses, signing a legally-binding contract, and wearing rings makes things seem like the “long haul” more than they used to. I guess I can’t explain this… and I’m not even sure if I answered your question. I like having a “husband”… I like the social role of “wife”… and I love the fact that I have someone to eat sushi and watch horror movies with for the rest of my life. Plus he rubs my feet after work. That was a pre-nup.

Do you and your new husband have any pets?
When we first started dating I had a cat named Suki who didn’t like many people. She’s kind of wild… and a snob. Luckily she warmed up quickly to Tim and he’s convinced she likes him better than anyone else (which is probably true…) Now she’s his buddy and we both agree that taking care of her is about the limit to our responsibility right now.

Of course, this leads me to the question… Are you and Tim planning on having any kiddos?
We’re on the fence. We shelved the discussion until we’re both 30… 4 more years

Damn good idea!

Okay. Last question. It’s very important: What is your favorite Pixar movie?
Tough, tough, tough. Ratatouille has to be my favorite for several reasons:

1. I love to cook.
2. I am a major Francophile.
3. Rats have a bad rap, this movie gave them some cred.
4. I love to EAT ratatouille.

Magnefique!!!

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! I asked Heather for a video to post at the end of her interview and she gave me that. Too damn adorable. Geez.

Well… there you go.

1. The X-Files. I’m still surprised I haven’t watched this show yet. I mean… I don’t think I’ve seen a single freaking episode! What’s that all about?? Actually… I may have seen one of the movies, but I cannot remember a damn thing. Or… maybe I’m just thinking of that movie, Evolution. Weird.

2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I started watching this show back when it premiered on TV. I believe I got through the first season, but I can’t remember. Regardless… I need to watch this show. Joss Whedon. Jesus. I’m so sorry.

3. Community. Have heard nothing but great things about this. Definitely gonna give it a try.

4. Parks and Recreation. Have heard nothing but great things about this. Definitely gonna give it a try.

5. Doctor Who. So, when I say Doctor Who… I’m not really sure which Doctor Who I am talking about yet. Should I watch ALL Doctor Whos since its inception? Or should I just watch the recent ones? Hmm… need to find a British person ASAP!

6. How I Met Your Mother. So many inside jokes I don’t get because I haven’t seen this. NPH? Come on now… NEED to watch this. It’s gonna happen.

7. Freaks and Geeks. Don’t know much about it, but from what I do know, I think I would love it!

8. The Monkees. I’ve seen Head many many times, but never actually a full Monkees episode. I’m sure it’s tacky and corny as hell, but the music is good and I’m sure I’ll have a blast watching it.

9. Smallville. Not super familiar with the show, but I do know it is about Superman and that it is pretty good. Probably least excited about watching this, but would like to watch it nonetheless.

I’m sure there are more, but that’ll do for now.

If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know in the comments!

First up… um… yeah… over to the right… that’s a My Little Pony… and that My Little Pony… is me. And no… I am most definitely NOT a brony. Someone Tweeted a link to General Zoi’s Pony Creator and I just couldn’t resist. I know… I’m weak. Hey! You know what… whatever! I like my pony! He’s fucking awesome! Deal with it.

Moving on! Disneyland. Wow. Heather and I have been to my favorite place in the world twice in the last month! And we’re going back with Team Willis in three weeks! And then again in January with The Bartlemans! Ah! I love having an annual pass. So much. So very much. And Star Tours! Holy Cow! What an experience! I loved the original, but this new version is just beyond anything I ever expected. It’s so good, I don’t even mind that it (sometimes) involves a pod race or even a visit to Naboo! I was really skeptical about the overhaul (I’m lookin’ right at you, Mr. Lucas… idiot), but Disney Imagineering has created one of the greatest attractions ever.

And speaking of Star Wars! Watch this!

I love ATATs…

Christmas! Ah! It’s officially Christmastime and I love it. 99.9 KEZ has been playing Christmas music nonstop for a few weeks now and people are slowly but surely putting up their decorations. Stores have already detonated their Christmastime explosives and are covered from floor to ceiling in greens and reds and silvers and wreaths and toys and trees and fruitcakes and pies and ornaments and lights and so much happiness! Yippie!

What else? Oh yeah! Rufio, my scooter, is fucking broken again! Well, not broken to the point of not working, but he’s making noises he shouldn’t be making. Let’s just say he is definitely not feeling bangarang. Hopefully I’ll be able to take it in tomorrow so I can start riding it to work again. Cars are damn boring.

Also… Heather and I are watching the Twilight movies. Yeah. They’re just as bad as everyone says. Silver lining: Jacob’s abs. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Also… there’s a new podcast that you should check out: Ellipsis with Ella Morton.

Well, there’s much more I could write about, but I’m done for now.

Don’t forget…

I love you.

AHHHHH!!! YIPPIE! HUZZAH! W00T! WAHOOO!!!

Look… I’m still devoted to Zac Efron, but JGL is definitely poised to take the top spot…

What’s my favorite place in the whole god damn world? Disneyland. Where am I going to be in five days? Disneyland. To say that the previous two questions and subsequent answers make me happy would be a tremendous understatement. I have not been to Disneyland for almost two years. Think about that. Me. Disneyland. Apart since December 2009. NOT. FUCKING. OK.

Also… speaking of Disneyland… you know that stupid Arizona sign you see as you enter this terrible state from beautiful California? This is how I see it in my mind every time:

Cannot WAIT for this weekend!

I recognized the art style immediately. This doodle honors the amazing artist, Mary Blair. She obviously didn’t draw this (she’s dead), but it is definitely something she would have drawn. That doodle making dude at Google did a fabulous job. If the style of her art seems familiar at all, it’s probably because she was the designer for It’s a Small World. That unique look is distinctly Mary Blair. In addition to It’s a Small World, she was also involved in the art direction for Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella.

I really do love her art, and I won’t lie… I teared up when I saw the above image this morning.

Thanks, Mary. You’re the bee’s knees!

Love it.

You are missed.

“Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family. He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply ‘make it great.’ He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all better people. He will forever be a part of Pixar’s DNA. Our hearts go out to his wife Laurene and their children during this incredibly difficult time.” – John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer & Ed Catmull, President, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios

1. Walt Disney’s Disneyland Dedication – Walt Disney
2. Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys
3. Disney Medley – Disneyland Band
4. The Raiders March [From Raiders of the Lost Ark] – John Williams
5. The Firebird (L’oiseau de Feu): VI. Finale – Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky
6. Flight to Neverland [From Hook] – John Williams
7. Summer Overture [from Requiem for a Dream] – Clint Mansell
8. Married Life [From Up] – Michael Giacchino
9. Star Wars (Main Title) [From Star Wars] – John Williams
10. Bastian’s Happy Flight – The NeverEnding Story
11. Somewhere in My Memory [From Home Alone] – John Williams
12. A Little Respect – Erasure
13. Jurassic Park (Theme) [From Jurassic Park] – John Williams
14. Space Mountain [Old] – A Musical History of Disneyland
15. There’s No Place Like Home [From LOST Season 4] – Michael Giacchino
16. Singin’ In the Rain – Gene Fucking Kelly
17. Space Mountain [New] – A Musical History of Disneyland
18. Flying Theme [From from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial] – John Williams
19. It’s Not Easy – Pete’s Dragon
20. The Edge of Glory – Dreamy Nick Pitera

I know… genius. You’re welcome.

Beautiful and so damn true. Thanks Greg… Theg.

Thanks, Jason. Thason.

Good, right? You want more?!?!?! Here!

Love it.

Love him.

If you’re on Twitter and not following Mr. Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak)…

YOU’RE A GOD DAMNED FOOL!.

I am dedicating my weight loss to his memory. Because I can.

I loved you, Bangarang. Rest in Peace.

I other news… I ORDERED MY SCOOTER!!! It should be in sometime this week, and I cannot wait! I still gotta go buy my safety equipment, but I am so damn excited that this is actually happening!

Also… my pet scorpion is now named Bangarang. Thanks to Nicole for the name!

Rufio! Rufio! Ru-fi-ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

John Boehner is still a fucking douchebag.

Another interview!!! This time, I interviewed a man by the name of Kyle Showers. Him and I have known each other since high school and have had a pretty rocky friendship. Fucking LiveJournal. Silly drama. Bah! No matter… all is well now! So yeah… the interview… here you go:

Would you mind giving the readers a little “Kyle Showers 101″?

In other words: who are you?
I’ve never been interviewed before, so this’ll be fun!

Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked to summarize myself before. I’m just a guy, really. Originally from Florida, I moved out here with family in 2001 and went to high school with you, graduating in ’04. I took my time getting an Associates degree from Mesa Community College, and I’ve been working at FedEx for about 6 years. I’m usually pretty focused on just making it through my day, but my long term goals involve establishing a career doing something creative. I’m not sure of the medium, but I would love to get paid for putting something new into the world.

What’s it like working at FedEx?
It can be pretty rough at times, especially during the summer and “peak season” (the Christmas season). But for the most part, it’s a solid job. There are a lot of “lifers” in the company. It’s given me a chance to see the inner workings of a global corporation and I’ve learned a lot about the service industry. And at the end of the day, despite how dirty my hands get or how sore my back is, I’m thankful that I can reliably help someone. We ship a lot of medication and time-sensitive business documents. It’s a good feeling knowing that you helped get an organ transplant to someone who is on life-support, or helped to deliver a paycheck to a struggling single parent.

I really hadn’t thought about how crucially important the delivery system is, but you’re definitely right.

When you’re not delivering awesome things around the valley, what do you enjoy doing? Hobbies? Passions?
As of late, spending way too much time on Facebook, haha! I like to keep a few things going at once. I love music and DJed for a while. My tastes are all over the spectrum. I enjoy reading, although most of it is done online or in comic book form. Drawing was my passion for a long period in my life, and I definitely still enjoy it but things come and go. I get a real buzz from staying fit and it’s become a central part of my life and identity. If I’m not doing any of those things at home, I’m usually out with my close circle of friends creating mischief and joy wherever we go. If I had to choose a passion as of right now, I’d definitely say it’s strengthening my relationships with those around me and most importantly, with myself.

I’m probably going to end up devoting an entire blog post to them, but tell us a bit about the “Man of Value” notes you’ve been posting on Facebook.
It’s funny how life will throw you problems and say “Here, you figure this out.” and you’re left with not choice but to tackle it head-on. After a series of difficult points in my life, I looked backwards and saw that I never felt like I grew up from a boy to a man. A while back I was really interested in gender relations and playing the pick-up game. I filled my head with knowledge on social dynamics and various philosophies of mating interactions. My motives weren’t saintly, lol. Out of all the authors I was reading, I kept coming upon this idea of the prototypical bad-ass, the real man, so to speak. Clint Eastwood meets Shaft meets James Bond. The idea was that if you could internalize the various qualities of this guy, you could leave behind all the pick-up lines, tricks, strategies, etc. We called it “being natural”. The ultimate goal was to be a natural. The guy who was in a good mood no matter what he went through, the guy who could have a blast with total strangers and get anything he wanted through relaxed charm and innate coolness. Steve McQueen.

So this went on for a while, I got involved with various guys all striving for the same goal. We would meet and discuss various topics related to this idea. On the outside it looked pretty skeevy and shallow, but on the inside of the group there was a real sense of camaraderie and self-improvement. I quickly realized that we weren’t chasing women so much as trying to bridge the gap between how we felt about ourselves and how we wanted to feel about ourselves. I saw a lot of positive changes come from those conversations. Lots of self-acceptance, too.

I eventually left the group due to differences of opinions and some abrasive personalities. I also got into a serious relationship and was faced with the challenges that it implied. Fast forward to a year later and I found myself single again and almost completely out of touch with my own self. After all that time trying to better myself, I had slid back into unhealthy immature behaviors and thought patterns. I was left wondering what happened and was a bit disillusioned with myself. My thoughts came back around to the phrase “A Man of Value”. I began wondering just what that meant. I kept wondering just when I would look at myself and feel like a man. I began writing a list about just what qualities a man of value had. How would he behave, what separated him from other men? I never had any intention of sharing this list or doing anything other than clarify my own thoughts. I didn’t consult anyone else’s work. I dug deep down inside and carefully tried to find some universals of manliness that have always existed regardless of culture, time, or fashion. At first only a few dim light bulbs came on but then they just started flowing almost faster than I could write them down. I realized that he lived and thought on a different level than most other men. He wasn’t concerned with jockeying for position because he instinctively felt that he wasn’t competing with anyone but himself in life. He knew the value of differences and always supported those he interacted with, etc. The list is quickly nearing the 100th item mark and I’m considering stopping it there. I feel as though anything over that would be unwieldy and repetitive. Plus, an even hundred looks like an awesome number, lol.

I originally wrote the list for my own benefit, as an ideal to reach. I’m really happy that other guys are picking up on it and I hope it brings them as much clarity and peace of mind as it has me. My plans are to expand each point for commentary and then further expand each point into practical steps and exercises to fully integrate each quality. Again, I just want to say that I’m doing this for my own sake. I’m not interested in anything other than organizing my thoughts and bettering myself first and foremost. Part of the whole process was to destroy any grandiose tendencies I have. I know that some of this Man of Value stuff can come of really preachy and I don’t presume to know how to tell anyone else how to live their life.

It’s definitely been a learning experience and every day I feel stronger in myself and more connected to those around me and the world. That nagging feeling of being adrift in the world is slowly quieting down.

What’s your take on current American society / culture?
Oh dang, man. I havpop culturee no idea. I’m not apolitical or anything, I just have my own life to deal with. I don’t like to get caught up in politics much. As far as culture goes, I’m sure it could be much better, but it seems like the lowest common denominator is setting the pace of the day, you know? Then again, I’m sure it always been like that. I find that as I get older, I’m kind of losing touch with pop culture.

That’s an awesome attitude to have. Especially with politics. I wish I could stop caring about that shit. Drains the life out of ya!

Speaking of life! You and I have both got plenty of life to live, but we’re pretty much official grown ups now. How do you feel about getting older?
I feel like growing up is a great movie that everyone but me has seen, you know? I hear about it happening to everyone around me, but I can’t seem to feel like an adult. I know I must be close because the years keep racking up. I think growing up is one of those things you have to decide to do consciously. I know someone who is younger than me and yet feels much older and wiser than me. And conversely, I know people much older than me who still act like children.

Are there any movies that you absolutely loved as a child?
I was a big Star Wars fan as a kid. I also loved anything Robin Williams was in. Hook and Mrs. Doubtfire were always being played in my house.

What were you like as a kid?
I was precocious as hell. Full of questions. I learned early on the power of the cute smile and would generally try to charm my way out of being a little shit sometimes. As I got older I got hooked on reading and started reading well above my grade level. lol I’m not trying to brag, but I remember a kid at the bus stop one day asking what “psychophysiological” meant when he saw me reading a lucid dreaming book. Yeah, I was pretty weird.

I was obsessed with ancient Egypt for a long time, and spent many weekends in the library. Oh man, I remember having all these tamagotchis and digimons and spent a lot of time and energy trying to keep those dumb things alive. I like to think that I was pretty average in terms of popularity. I had my friends, but wasn’t particularly part of the in-crowd. Although, how much of an in-crowd is there pre-high school?

I had cycles of doing really well in school, and then getting lazy and my grades plummeted. I never had too hard of a time bringing them back up, but I did have a problem with math. I’ve never really been too good at math past algebra. Not that I couldn’t learn, just that I had a really hard time understanding some concepts. And since math builds upon previous concepts, after a certain point, I was too far behind to catch up. I was pretty good at english, although I hated writing essays. Come to think of it, I can’t really recall any subjects that I genuinely loved. Guess that’s just the juvenile mind stuck in compulsory education. You’re too young to appreciate any of the knowledge you’re being force-fed. I was more interested in goofing off with friends and the rapidly advancing internet-age, than learning history about countries I’d never been to or solving word problems. But now, I really wished I’d been paying less attention to girls and friends, lol.

I grew up in the suburbs of Florida, so I spent a lot of time exploring the woods around my neighborhood. My friends and I found an abandoned tree-house once. It was awesome! We put carpeting in it and gathered up all the girly magazines we could find and made a pretty awesome hideout. In the summer, the lake behind our neighborhood would dry up, so I made many treks across the mud just to see if I could do it. My friend John and I made the journey too early one year and got sunk in all the way to our knees! Definitely miss those days of playing in nature. Once we moved to Arizona, I couldn’t find the same kinds of places. Sure there are desert trails here, but no large patches of woodlands to wander around in.

How do you feel about living in Arizona? Would you ever move back to Florida?
I don’t really like Arizona. Its usually around this time of year that I really start to hate it, but I don’t currently have any plans to leave. I did move back to FL for a few weeks a couple years ago, but some drama went down and I ended up moving back to the valley. For a long time I didn’t consider myself as being “settled” here, but I’ve sort of resigned myself to being here now. As soon as I can leave, I will.

Last Question! What… is your favorite… Pixar movie?
That’s an easy one. I love Wall-E. The story was wonderfully told and the environmental message wasn’t heavy handed.

THE END!

Well… almost. I like to have my interviewees give me a video they enjoy. This is what Kyle gave me. It’s a video that I have watched many times. Louis CK is insanely under-appreciated. Enjoy:

There you go. Another fantastic interview in the bag!

1. Just bought a Groupon for 2 nights at the Stagecoach Trails Guest Ranch in Yucca, AZ! Not sure when we’re gonna go yet, but I’m pretty excited. It’s a cute little secluded desert ranch where you get three yummy meals and a couple horseback rides a day for free! We were going to go to a place like this in Wickenburg, but this deal was too good to pass up.

2. I have a pet scorpion that I caught in our bedroom. It’s adorable! But it’s probably gonna die as I’m not going to feed it. Poor little horrible mean insect jerk.

3. I’m getting my super awesome Puma Romeo 150cc scooter this Saturday!!! Ahhhhh!!!

4. I’m about halfway through Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl and I love it. Now, his logotherapy is pretty awesome, but I’m still not convinced of its validity. I do like it, but it was definitely created by a man with strong religion faith. That’s not an immediate disqualifier, but it does make me question it more than a purely secular (and thus, more scientific) theory. Really looking forward to finishing the book though.

5. Bah. I’m done. Four is enough. Bye bye.

Well. I like Disneyland. I’ll write about that. So, we technically have Premium Annual Passes to Disneyland. Right now. Yeah. Like… we could go whenever we want. The thing is… they’re just paid-for PAP vouchers. The year of unlimited Disneyland fun hasn’t started yet. It starts the day we go. Which isn’t until December. Blah. It’s okay. I’ll live. That doesn’t mean I don’t think about those ready to be redeemed vouchers every fucking day. When I’m having a shitty day at work (which is just about every day) all I can think about is the fact that I could be in Disneyland in a mere 6 hours. And when we actually redeem the passes and start the year… fuck. I don’t know how I’m going to stop myself from begging Heather to go every damn weekend. It’s been so long since I’ve been. I am having some serious withdrawals. We did stop by Downtown Disney a few months ago, but that was only a temporary fix. I need the real shit! I need more of this:

Isn’t she just the cutest wittle shmoopy poopy doggie in the whole wide world!?!

So I’m staying in Flagstaff at the Drury with Team Willis and there was just a freaking wedding right outside our balcony! Awwwww!

P.S. Check out the hooligan running on the sidewalk.

Yes… Super Bass was censored in an even more horrible way than before. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, the word panties was censored out of the song Super Bass on the radio. Well… hold onto your butts because this shit just got real. The horrible, vile, despicable radio censors are at it again. What did they censor this time? A single letter. The letter F.

I’m not kidding. A single letter of the alphabet was censored. Now, you may want to make sure there are no children around because I am going to post the dreaded lyrics right now:

You’re like slicker than the guy with the thing on his eye, oh!
Yes, I did, yes, I did
Somebody please tell him who the F I is
I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up,
Back coupes up, and chuck the deuce up…

Anti-censorship army… RISE UP! RAISE THE FLAG! DEFEND FREEDOM!

Really though… this is bullshit. Panties. F. What’s next??? I don’t wanna know. I do know that our country would be a much better place without social conservatives fucking shit up for us rational folk. They’re bringing our country down. Down to the middle ages. Down to shit. Stinky shit. Really wish George Carlin was still around right about now…