The Adventure Began!

It was on this day, waaaay too early in the morning on February 22, 2003, that my brother took me - as well as the 2 bags and 2 carry-ons containing my life (and an assload of toiletries) - from his house to the Orlando International Airport for a 6:45 a.m. flight to New York, the first leg in my epic-length journey to Japan to get paid to play a character I looked nothing like.

I'd like to say my brother and I had a deep meaningful conversation when he dropped me off but it was bit closer to this:

"Dude, you're going to Japan!"
"I know, right??"
"Have fun, man!"
"Dude, I so am!"

I cocked an eyebrow in a wave. We exchanged grins. We gave each other a big, un-self-conscience brotherly bear hug and then he was off. That was when it all really began.

7 years ago today.

I can't believe it's been that long.

Anyway, I spent pretty much the next 24 hours in transit, most of it on the 13 and a half hour flight from JFK to Tokyo.

13 and a half hours is a long time. A loooooong, long time.

For some perspective, that's enough time to:

• Listen to the entire, unabridged audio book of Homer's "The Odyssey" (read by Sir Ian McKellen)
• Watch "Gone with the Wind" 3 times (with Overture, Exit music and Intermission)
• Watch 35 episodes of Friends. (That's all of Season 1 and nearly half of Season 2)
• go slightly mad from boredom

It was also during this flight that I shyly mumbled an arigato to a flight attendant. This would have been my first official use of Japanese, a language I'd have to perform a show in less than 2 weeks later.

7 years ago. Crazy.

Would you look at that?

Seems someone finally got around to making an iPhone app for Blogger!

I might actually have to start updating this site again.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This Is Heavy Duty, Doc!

Today's a red letter date in the history of science!

54 years ago today, Doctor Emmet Lathrop Brown had a vision.

A picture in his head.

A picture of this:

This is what makes time travel possible. The Flux Capacitor!

Happy Flux Capacitor Day!

We Barefootin'!

So, back in June, I bought me a pair of the freakish-looking Vibram FiveFinger KSOs:

I got them in black because I figured that color would be the least noticeable. (And because the other ones looked like they'd been used to run through a field of Smurfs.) Sadly, when contrasted with the blinding white of my calves, these shoes are still pretty hard to miss.


Plus, they make my feet look like Mickey Mouse's, which doesn't help.

Anyway, the main reason I bought them is because I really believe in the benefits of running without shoes. That's why I'm doing this post. (Also, I want to show my younger brother that I'm not making this stuff up.)

Here's an article from the Boulder Daily Camera which, I swear, is an actual news source:

Barefoot running: enthusiasts swear by weird-looking shoes:

"McDougall, who now runs exclusively in Five Fingers and other low-support shoes, shined a light on scientific research that, in his words, shows that “running shoes may be the most destructive force to ever hit the human foot.” In fact, he writes, modern running shoes actually cause all those persistent running injuries, from plantar fasciitis to bum knees. Essentially, they make wimps of runners’ feet."

(updated link here)

Also, aside from all the potential benefits of running essentially barefooted, you'll also often have this song stuck in your head, which I consider a bonus.

Here's a video of McDougall talking about his book "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" on The Daily Show:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Christopher McDougall
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

I really liked "Born to Run" but I'm glad I read it before seeing this interview. Not sure how far I could have gotten if I had to hear Christopher McDougall's pronunciation every time I read the word "Tarahumara".

Now please stop picking on my shoes, Ken.

In the 80s (with DeLorean cameo!)