Wolf-crying ping pong ball

That's me. I'm a wolf-crying ping pong ball. Something like that, anyway. Let me explain.

Monday night my dad gave me 24 hours to get the fuck out of his house, which I obviously disregarded...

[Non-sequitur moment coming up. Now flash forward to this morning.]

This morning, with me only hours from hitting the road forever, sans parental goodbye, I found a printout of an e-mail placed strategically atop my toilet. It said something about my uncle's buddy Mike and how he's going to open a bar/restaurant in Dayton. It also said something about pizza and me, but I didn't read it for any longer than it took me to piss.

So I go downstairs and drink a glass of water. My dad, who I've mostly avoided since Christmas, asks me if I'd read the printed e-mail. In a move that surprised me, I actually answered him, instead of just going to another room without a word.

I answered, "No," and quickly went to another room.

A moment later he came into the living room and started telling me about how he and Mom have been considering teaming up with my uncle's friend Mike, and that this might be my chance to enter the pizza business.

I didn't want to hear it. I've heard it all before. So many times they have built me up and made me believe they're my serious allies. Each time, believing they're serious about it, I've proceded to put my heart and soul into writing business plans and marketing plans, designing logos, creating accurate financial statement projections, and doing all the things you need to do when planning to open a SUCCESSFUL pizzeria. (A few of them actually exist.) But every time it gets to the point where they have to make a serious decision, they've always ended up chicken-shitting out. Basically it's been like them crying 'Wolf.'

Now, I love roller coasters, but I don't like this roller coaster kind of life. I don't like being a fucking ping pong ball.

I no longer trust my parents. Whenever they cry 'Wolf' now, I don't believe them; I ignore them.

Is the wolf really there this time? I don't know. It sounds like this might be a good opportunity, but so did all the other opportunities, at least until my parents just walked away from them, leaving me with metaphoric blue balls each time.

Anyway, I don't like the timing of this. I wanted leave right freaking now, but I don't want to just walk away from what MIGHT be the best opportunity I've ever had to begin a real life.

I have a lot of thinking to do right now.

--
Aimless
Aimless Video Evidence
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Did ya catch it?

I suspect some readers may be unaware that I uploaded a new video the other day, mostly because the newest video's title is very similar to the previous video's title. Just wanted to let you know, in case you didn't catch it. Also, for those of you who cannot watch QuickTime movies, all Aimless videos (except the blog exclusive, which I just remembered) are now on YouTube. (My YouTube profile.)

I've only been able to watch a couple of the YouTube videos so far, so I don't know if they all survived YouTube's processing. From what I've seen, though, they appear to be in decent shape. Still, I prefer that people watch the QuickTime movies, if possible.

--
Aimless
Aimless Video Evidence
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Word explosion

---

Attention: Before reading this post, read this post, unless you have already read it. In that case, do whatever you want.

---

OK, now that you've read the other post, let me continue...

Direction for the Aimless One
I had an idea today. (Actually I had lots of ideas today.)

I would like to offer my services to people who need to transport automobiles to various parts of the United States. It could be a good way for me to make some money (which I desperately need just so I can get some of the most basic gear and clothing). Also, it could help keep this Aimless thing fresh by constantly changing the scenery. To the best of my knowledge, most of the prospective clients would be snowbirds moving to and from warm climates.

If you're thinking, "Yeah, right. No one pays people to relocate their car from one region to another," stop thinking that. I've met people who do it for a living and I've met people who have done it as a one-time thing. For example, the girl who gave me a ride from Eugene to Bend decided to stay in Oregon after driving someone else's car to the Pacific Northwest from the east coast.

Anyway, the opportunity exists, especially with the snowbirds heading back home in the coming months. It could be a really great opportunity for me. Here's why:

1. I am a very safe driver with a very good driving record;
2. My schedule is totally flexible;
3. As things stand right now, I NEVER need to be anywhere specific, so the cars' owners would usually not have to pay the costs of getting me to the pick-up point and back home from the delivery point;
4. I could offer to do it for a lot less money than the people who do it for a living, yet it would still be like hitting the jackpot for the Aimless version of me.

There are probably some other good reasons, but I'm too sleep deprived to think of them right now.

The problem is: I don't have time right now to put out the word. So I ask for your help. If anyone can put out the word for me, I'd happily pay you a percentage of what I make from jobs you get me. My immediate thought would be something in the neighborhood of 25%, but I haven't given it any real thought yet.

Basically all I'm hoping is that someone will post ads for me on specific web sites--like Craig's List, I guess--where car owners might look to find vehicle transporters. I just can't do it myself right now. I wouldn't even know where to start.

I don't really expect anything to materialize from this idea, but it would certainly be awesome if y'all could help me try.

---

On the Road
My brother and his wife gave me a copy of On the Road for Christmas. I've already tried reading that book a couple times over the last fifteen years, but each time I couldn't make it past about halfway through because it just became boring. Doesn't sound right, does it: Aimless Ryan bored by On the Road? It should be one of the major inspirations for something like Aimless, right?

Well, not so. Not even a bit.

Anyway, I decided to start reading my new copy today at Dino's in Yellow Springs, and some things stood out. (Did I catch ya with the 'Yellow Springs,' Jafabrit?) These things stood out to Aimless Ryan, but never would have stood out to 1995 Ryan.

Early in the book, only a few days into the protagonist Sal's hitchhiking career, he gets a ride with a trucker. He describes the driver: "...a great big tough truckdriver with popping eyes and a hoarse raspy voice who just slammed and kicked at everything and got his rig under way and paid hardly any attention to me."

But it was what he says next that really caught my attention.

So I could rest my tired soul a little, for one of the biggest troubles hitchhiking is having to talk to innumerable people, make them feel that they didn't make a mistake picking you up, even entertain them almost, all of which is a great strain when you're going all the way and don't plan to sleep in hotels.

Immediately after reading that passage, I had a huge grin on my face. See, you just cannot possibly understand what those words really mean unless you've been there and done that. (It's like that when someone invites you into their home, too.) This does not mean either Jack Kerouac or myself has ever been the slightest bit ungrateful or unappreciative when someone offered a ride. I'm just saying hitchhiking requires an intense amount of labor; physical labor and unrelenting mental labor. You rarely get a chance to turn your brain's master knob to anything below 11.

So after several seconds of grinning big, my eyes welled up a little and I got back to the book.

Not long after his ride with the trucker, Sal got another ride.

"Where you going?"
"Denver."
"Well, I can take you a hundred miles up the line."
"Grand, grand, you saved my life."
"I used to hitchhike myself, that's why I always pick up a fellow."

Now, that is probably the one thing I hear most frequently from people who pick me up because hitchhiking changes you. It frees your mind in many ways. I haven't had an opportunity to pick anyone up yet, but it most certainly will happen.

This sentence also stuck out to me: "[He was] a traveling epic Hassel, crossing and recrossing the country every year, south in the winter and north in the summer, and only because he had no place he could stay in without getting tired of it and because there was nowhere to go but everywhere, keep rolling under the stars, generally the Western stars."

There are some other things I'd like to mention here, but I'm freakin' tired. I have to get up early, too. I hope my stuff comes tomorrow because I really want to get the hell out of here. There's nowhere to go but everywhere.

--
Aimless
Aimless Video Evidence
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

The boy who cried 'Wolf'

I want to apologize for what may have seemed like another punk-ass bitch move on my part.

Yeah, I know you're sick of reading every couple months that I'm quitting. Some of you probably think I'm a little brat who throws a fit every time things don't go my way. And maybe you're right.

Please allow me to explain my recent outburst:

It had nothing to do with Aimless or the apparently universal lack of interest in Aimless. It had nothing to do with you, the readers of this blog. Mostly it had to do with the fact that my parents have always treated me like I'm the stupidest motherfucker on the planet, coupled with the realization that they will always see me that way, regardless of what I accomplish.

Fuck them for that. I will not apologize for how I feel about them. I'm just sorry I have to feel that way. No one should have to feel that way about their parents.

This is not a sob story; I'm not crying about it. It's simply a matter of fact. It pisses me off that my parents have fucked with my head my entire life, and sometimes that anger builds to the point where I can't help but release it, perhaps inappropriately.

If that bothers you, I hope you'll accept my apology. I'll try to keep that kind of stuff to myself in the future. (But don't count on it.)

---

Regarding the future of Aimless:

I will be back on the road within a couple days because 1) I'm no longer welcome here, and 2) I don't care if I ever see my parents again. (The only reason I'm still here is because I'm awaiting the shipment of a sleeping bag.)

HOWEVER, I still don't know if I'll bother taking a camcorder this time, nor am I sure if I'll take my phone. I'm starting to think I probably will take them, but I may choose not to. I don't know. And even if I do take the phone, my service may be discontinued next week anyway.

This isn't about appealing to people's emotions; it's about learning how to stay alive out there for real. (Not to suggest that it wasn't real before.) From now on, there won't be a home for me to go back to whenever I need to recover. There will only be more trying to stay alive.

All this stuff presents some questions I need to answer really damn quickly: 1) Should I complicate things further by taking a camcorder, which would demand tons of extra energy to gather footage for a movie that will probably never exist? 2) If so, what the hell am I supposed to do with the eventual accumulation of tapes?

I want to continue Aimless with 100% effort, but if I keep trying to do it all by myself, especially considering the new circumstances, I'll be dead within months. Maybe I'm better off that way.

--
Aimless
Aimless Video Evidence
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Join the Hobos video comment page

If you arrived here by following the link from the Aimless video page, please leave a comment about the Join the Hobos video.

Don't just meet them

New video in a minute. This shit is probably over. I'm going to hit the road again, but I'm just going to disappear this time, without a camera and without a phone. And it might begin sooner than planned (like before you even see this).

Goodbye.

An update and an introspective rant

I've fixed up the latest video. Cut over 20 seconds and improved the quality. It has the same file name as before, but here's a new link anyway.

It's going to be a little tougher for me to make the upcoming videos in a timely manner. First of all, the footage is tougher to edit than the stuff I've already done. Also, my dad is a total prickwad asshole whose #1 goal in life has been to keep me from achieving anything, so it's probably going to be difficult for me to access the computer in the coming days (or weeks?).

---

Y'know, I have absolutely NO training or job experience in ANY of the things I've done on this web site, including web design, graphic design, photography, videography, pizza making, pizza formulation, video editing, writing, and a shitload of other things. Furthermore, I've done it all without anyone's help (excluding the aid I've received from people on the road, which I certainly appreciate, despite what some people claim). I'm not trying to pretend I'm a master of any of these things, but I think I've done a pretty damn good job so far. There are probably only a handful of people on this planet who could do what I've already done, yet it still doesn't seem to mean anything.

God damn, I don't even care if people ever know who I am. I don't want to fuck movie stars. I just want to be able to live in my own place someday and maybe take a nice girl out on a date. I just want to do some kind of work that's valuable to someone else, whether it's my boss, my customers, or my viewers. All I want is to get paid what I'm worth. Nothing more, nothing less.

I've worked thousands and thousands of hours on this project over the last 18+ months without earning a single cent. To this day there is no guarantee that I will ever make a single cent. Additionally, I have suffered what seems to be permanent nerve damage in my left arm/hand from carrying a heavy-ass backpack for six straight months.

Who else does that?

And my parents have always believed I'm a worthless idiot. No evidence to the contrary will ever change that. By the way, my parents are fucking pieces of shit who could have capitalized big-time on this worthless idiot's talents if they weren't so fucking stupid. That's all I have to say about them right now because I didn't intend for this to be a bitchfest.

Anyway, I spend a lot of time on the edge of tears. I've given my heart, my soul, and some of the feeling in my left hand in an effort to do something great, and apparently all I can do is hope I'll get something back from it.

To the people who have supported me: Thank you. (I know who you are and you know who you are.) I hope you realize how much I appreciate your support.

To the people who are more inclined to call me ungrateful and twist my words into shit I never said: It would be a waste of energy to say 'Fuck you.'

(Oops.)

Oh yeah, and I bowled my first 300 four years ago today. (No one taught me how to do that, either.)

I probably had other shit to say, too.

--
Aimless
Aimless Video Evidence
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Meet the Hobos video comment page

If you arrived here by following the link from the Aimless video page, please leave a comment about the Meet the Hobos video.

The people you meet

I'm uploading a new video as I write this. By the time anyone reads this, it should be fully uploaded, so here's the link.

I still plan to make some minor changes, but mostly I think this video is already presentable. It's hard for me to tell how presentable it is right now, though, because I did the whole thing over the last 8 or 10 hours. One thing that's really bugging me is that the camera lens was visibly dirty throughout most of this stuff. More about it soon.

--
Aimless
Aimless Video Evidence
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Bo & Hobos

Oh my god, the train-hopping footage is freakin' INCREDIBLE!!! I haven't even watched all of it yet, but the hour and 45 minutes I have watched is amazing. I mean, this stuff could almost be a movie in itself.

From what I've watched so far, I don't know if I'll be able to cut it to less than half an hour. This is going to take a lot of work, but it should be fun.

So don't expect to see it in the next couple days or anything. Assuming I am able to use the computer when I want to use it, I estimate it will be at least a week before I'm ready to upload any of this stuff. But who knows? Keep an eye out.

About the title of this post: If you watched and listened to the cop encounter video, you may know my childhood/teenage nickname was Bo. Every once in a while someone still calls me Bo, but it's very infrequent.

--
Aimless
Aimless Video Evidence
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Championship game

No prediction from me this time.

Go Bucks!

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Blog Exclusive: Crazy Ryan

I probably won't put this short video on the video page. It's from the Naples on-ramp where I lived for a few days. It's in the same place as the cop encounter, but two days later.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Back to Florida?

Right now it's looking like I'll probably wait until mid or late February to hit the road again. That'll give me more time to work on posting as much video as possible, plus it should mean I'll be able to stay on the road for 4 months, rather than just 2 months.

I was thinking about heading toward southern California/Arizona next, but I'm starting to consider going back to Florida, partly to see if I can handle Florida now that I'm a little more experienced at this stuff. The one thing I know for sure is that I'll be going south for winter/spring 2008.

It's starting to frustrate me that I've been unable to attract any collaborators/sponsors. Not because I need them to make me feel important or anything like that, but because I know how much incredible footage would exist right now if I only had a crew around every once in a while (in addition to higher quality equipment).

In all honestly, I know Aimless would be 100 times more entertaining than most of the crap on TV if only I had some backing. I don't even want anyone to make it easier for me when things get unbearably tough. I just want someone to recognize the potential of this project and assist me in achieving that potential.

All I know is that if HBO or A&E or the Travel Channel had come up with this idea, it would already be on TV and it would be making them a lot of money, assuming they could actually find someone with enough balls to do what I do.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Escape from The F Word (Florida) comment page

If you arrived here by following the link from the Aimless video page, please leave a comment about the Escape from The F Word (Florida) video.

Escape from The F Word (Florida) teaser

I'm finished cutting and editing the next video, but it's not quite ready to upload yet because I'm having trouble creating a decent-quality movie without a huge file size. It's really pissing me off because it takes a lot of trial and error and each error costs about an hour.

Anyway, I really like what I have with this one, even though it makes me look like a GIANT asshole (because I am a giant asshole). It's about nine and a half minutes, and I hope I can get it up here sometime tonight.

Jeff and Brad: Thanks for the comments on the previous video. Would you mind copying and pasting your comments onto the Impressions and Comments page? And Jeff, you were a couple days late on the "Happy Birthday." (That's OK, though, because you have to give me at least a week's margin of error when your birthday comes.) Thanks, Jeff.

Update: Here's Escape from The F Word.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Post-Naples stuff

All right, most of the interesting Florida footage (post-Naples) is now in the computer. It looks like there's just under 15 minutes of raw footage to start with, so maybe I'll manage to cut it down to 8 minutes or less. (I don't know, though; this one might be 10 minutes or longer.)

Most of this stuff is me talking to the camera. It's a lot different than the stuff I've already uploaded. I like it. Hopefully I'll feel the same about it when I'm done cutting it.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Hail to the victors

Congrats to the University of Michigan Wolverines for beating the Florida Gators yesterday in what should have been at least a 20-point win.

I made a couple cracks about Michigan in September, following their losses at home to Appalachian State and Oregon (as required by Buckeye law), but I actually root for Michigan most of the time. Considering the circumstances, though, it was impossible not to say anything about Michigan's ultra-pathetic start.

Anyway, good job Michigan. Way to win a big one for your outgoing coach. (I guess that one was for Bo, too, because y'ain't done shit in the thirteen-and-a-half months since he died.)

Go Bucks!

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

'The Rick Nash Hat Trick'

1 short-handed goal + 1 power play goal + 1 empty-net goal = "The Rick Nash Hat Trick." I guess it was worth it to go to a hockey game tonight instead of sitting around watching a bunch of crappy bowl games. (Pic: Sweeping the hats off the ice after Rick Nash's 2nd career hat trick.)

Columbus Blue Jackets 4
Edmonton Oilers 2

Irishman video comment page

If you arrived here by following the link from the Aimless video page, please leave a comment about the Irishman on a Dirt Bike video.

Irishman video

Here's a new video. I'll have more to say about it later, and I may make some minor revisions.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Coincidental basketball

This is weird.

Earlier today I noticed that Georgetown and Memphis were playing each other in men's college basketball. I thought that was kind of interesting because Ohio State played both of those teams in the NCAA tournament last season.

Then, five minutes ago, I noticed that Tennessee and Xavier are playing each other, too. That's two more of Ohio State's six NCAA tournament opponents.

By then I was beginning to wonder if Ohio State's other two tournament opponents are also playing each other today, but it quickly occurred to me that Ohio State is playing Florida today in a "rematch" of last season's national championship game, which was probably tipping off at the moment I thought about it.

Not that anyone cares--I don't even care--but that's just kind of weird.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Tape 22

It doesn't feel right to go right into this post after writing the previous one, but I'm going to.

I finally got around to watching some more video yesterday. I began by skipping nearly two hours of conversation with Tim Kenneally, the Irishman I met at a gas station near I-75, Exit 101 in Naples, Florida (the last exit before Alligator Alley). Why did I skip that stuff? Because I'm already pretty sure there is a lot of good stuff there, and there is no reason for me to watch all of it, taking notes, since I already know I'm going to watch it all again when I hook up the camcorder to the computer.

Tape 22 begins with Tim riding off toward Miami on the dirtbike he had already ridden from Miami to California and back. Following Tim's dramatic departure, there's some footage of me talking a bunch of nonsense beside the on-ramp, when all of a sudden a white cargo pulls over behind me.

I had forgotten all about that. I am almost never using the camcorder at the exact moment that someone stops to offer me a ride. (I can't think of any other time that has happened right now, but I haven't spent any time thinking about it yet.)

Anyway, the driver of the white cargo van was Lew Graff.

Once I started watching this part of the tape, I began thinking maybe I'd include some footage of Lew in one of the upcoming videos. Since I have mentioned Lew quite a bit, and because Lew has participated regularly on the Aimless Blog, I figured I should kind of introduce him, even if there ended up being no real interesting footage of him.

Strange thing happened, though. Even though I have less than 15 minutes of footage from my ride with Lew, there IS interesting stuff. While riding with him, I had originally hoped to get some good footage of the Everglades on fire, but it appears that the fires were pretty much under control by then. And I suspect the main reason I didn't keep the camera on Lew much is that the van was very loud. Considering this stuff (and a whole bunch of other factors), I'm very glad I ended up with some good Lew stuff. (Hint to Lew: The good stuff is when you were talking about how you used to work in dorm rooms, and how it helped you pick up on the popular trends among college students.)

Tape 22 has a lot of interesting stuff. It was actually fun watching that tape. I want to wrap this up now, but I hope I'll be able to show you some of this stuff very soon. Keep an eye out.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

A grieving friend

I was about to write a post about the current state of things when I turned on the computer today, only to be sidetracked by an e-mail from my friend Jay. Unfortunately, during a recent surgical operation, Jay's mother suffered a stroke, putting her in a deep coma from which she is unlikely to awaken.

Out of respect for Jay's privacy, I will not reveal anything more about this.

I know at least one Aimless Blog reader has gotten to know Jay a little bit, but there may be others I don't know about. If any of you would like to say anything to Jay, I guess you can either leave a comment here or e-mail him at [His Name] AT docrivs.com. If you would like to call him, contact me for his phone number.

Stay strong, Jay. I love you, dude.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

I'm so stupid

There are four tickets to today's Cleveland Browns game sitting right in front of me. My dad was supposed to use them to entertain a potential client or something like that, but they decided not to go yesterday because the forecast called for really bad weather today.

When I found out the tickets were available, I texted someone I thought might be interested in going to the game, but he couldn't go because he had stuff to do today. With him being unavailable, I pretty much decided I'd just stay home, even though I wanted to go, particularly because of the weather.

Now that the game is on TV, I wish I'd gone, even if I'd gone alone. I mean, have you seen the conditions of this game? With the blizzard conditions, this is one of those games that people will remember for decades.

I'm so stupid for not going.

And I'm not even a Browns fan.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Dumpster Diving video comment page

If you arrived here by following the link from the Aimless video page, please leave a comment about the Dumpster Diving video.

Dumpster diving video

If you've ever been curious to see what the dumpster diving footage in the Quasi-Aimless trailer is all about, here you go. Five minutes of more new video for you. (I uploaded a similar version of this video several months ago, but I don't think I told anyone except Brad.)

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Cop Encounter video comment page

If you arrived here by following the link from the Aimless video page, please leave a comment about the Collier County Sheriff video.

Collier County Sheriff video

Here's a brand new video. It is still a pretty rough edit, and it will probably remain a rough edit, although there are some things I think I can clean up a little.

This is not the most horribly exciting footage I have. In fact, it's not even close. But it provides a glimpse into one of many cop encounters. This particular cop encounter does have some unusual stuff, which becomes more evident in the last minute or so, but mostly this video provides a good representation of the typical Aimless cop encounter.

You'll probably think the camera is all over the place, but I am actually amazed by how frequently the subject is in the picture. Y'see, I wasn't standing there looking through the camera when I captured this footage. Most of the time I was holding it in one hand or the other, at about waist level, kind of pointing it toward someone or something, having no idea if I was anywhere near my target. Not bad considering.

If you watch this video, I would really appreciate your feedback and criticism. What's good about it? What's bad about it? What do you think should be cut? Yada yada...

Whatever you have to say about it, I'd like to hear. If you are hesitant to criticize because you know me, then comment anonymously.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Duke Fish

This is pretty cool.

Duke Dewey (pic) is a guy I know from Yellow Springs. Before I knew him, he was just a familiar face at Dino's Cappuccinos. I used to see him pretty much every time I went there, and in time we began to acknowledge each other's presence--we'd nod or say hi--whenever our paths crossed.

Eventually Duke initiated a friendly conversation with me, and I learned that he is a drummer. Being a former passionate drummer myself, Duke and I had something in common, so our conversation flowed smoothly. However, in the weeks following that conversation, our weekly interaction devolved back into "Hey, what's up? See ya."

One day several weeks after our conversation, when I popped into Dino's, the tiny room was full of customers, so I had nowhere to sit. Seeing Duke alone at a table for two, I asked him if I could join him. He didn't mind, so I sat across from him and we began a new conversation.

As Duke and I talked drums and drumming, seemingly from out of nowhere he mentioned that he is in the Woodstock movie. Puzzled and curious, I responded, "W-W-Wait a minute... What!?!" I continued, "Are you IN the movie or are you just in the movie?" He then explained that he was the drummer for Country Joe and the Fish. (So he is IN the movie.)

I still didn't know Duke's name at this point, so I asked him. He answered, "Greg, but most people call me Duke." He also told me some of his aliases (or stage names), which include Duke DeGreaze and Dewey DeGreaze.

That was about a year ago.

---

About a month ago I saw Duke for the first time since passing through Yellow Springs at the end of Aimless Leg 1. Because Country Joe and the Fish is from San Francisco, I asked him if he made it to San Francisco in September for the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love. He said he didn't go, I think because he was not offered enough money. (Don't go thinking that was some kind of greedy rock star response, because it wasn't. Duke may have been borderline famous nearly 40 years ago, but he has to pay the bills just like everyone else.)

On this day at Dino's there was also a woman and her twentysomething daughter. The daughter didn't know who Duke is, but she had a laptop with her, so Duke and the girl's mother suggested that she visit YouTube and search for "Country Joe and the Fish." She did, and one of the search results brought up a western movie featuring Country Joe and the Fish as a saloon house band called The Crackers. I never knew Duke was in any movies other than Woodstock, so it was cool for me to see the YouTube video.

The movie is called Zachariah and I'd never heard of it. (In fact, I just found out the name of it today.) If you watch the video below, the blonde guy in the bar is a young Don Johnson (pre-Miami Vice).

(I didn't even know this exists, but Duke has a web site. It must be relatively new because I never found it when I googled his name after meeting him.)



--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Coppers

Don't everyone jump at once to comment on the revised trailer. Kinda makes me want to spend hours and hours every day editing more video.

Anyway, so far I have cut the cop video down to just over 10 minutes. It requires a lot more editing than I expected, which won't be obvious by watching it. I may be ready to upload it within a day or two, but I'm not making any promises.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Quasi-Aimless video comment page

If you arrived here by following the link from the Aimless video page, please leave a comment about the Quasi-Aimless trailer.

It's up

Even if you've already watched the Quasi-Aimless trailer, I hope you'll do me a favor and watch Part 1 again (only as far as the "AIMLESS" sign on notebook paper), and then watch my new revision (the whole thing). I'd really appreciate your feedback regarding the new version, even if you are ultra critical of it. Tell me what you think I could do to make it better and stuff like that.

If you have anything to say about it, just leave a comment on this post. I'll provide my own critique in about a week (unless I don't).

Thanks.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Update on video stuff

Since returning home, I've struggled with a severe lack of motivation, which I can't explain. But recently I've managed to get my sorry ass over to my dad's Mac to start working on some video stuff. The Florida cop stuff didn't pull me in very well the other day, so yesterday I decided to make some changes to the Quasi-Aimless trailer.

If you've watched Quasi-Aimless, you probably think the first minute or so of the first video--the part where I tell my story to Jeff--is boring as hell. If you do think it's boring as hell, you are correct. So I've removed all of that stuff and replaced it with just enough text to explain the situation. Also, I've combined Part 1 and Part 2, which is what I originally intended.

Right now I'm trying to convert the Final Cut Express file to a QuickTime movie of high quality but reasonable file size. This is not easy, and it's a hassle because it takes a lot of time to figure out the right settings. I'm on my fifth try right now. The first three attempts each produced unacceptably low quality videos. The fourth attempt produced a fantastic video, but it was 74.3 MB, which is way too big. I think my goal is to end up with something under 40 MB.

I don't know how long it will take me to get it right, but I will upload the new video as soon as I get it all worked out. And when I'm done with that, I'll get my ass working on some new stuff.

Update: At 3:55 EST, I'm almost there. Should be uploaded by tonight sometime.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Evil Peyton Manning

This is really funny, especially if you are familiar with Peyton Manning's public demeanor. I think it is from Saturday Night Live. (Embedding has been disabled for this video, so go here to watch it.)

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Redemption?

Beep... Beep... Beep...

Back it on in, Buckeyes!!! All the way to New Orleans.





--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Oh what fun

I just finished watching Tape 18 and began watching Tape 19. Tape 19 begins on the night of May 20, 2007, with the Everglades on fire.

In case you may have wondered: Yes, most of this video footage is boring as hell. And it's hard to tell when any particular moment of footage may be interesting because watching and listening to videotapes kind of numbs your brain. I'm just trying to take note of the remotely interesting moments and write down each interesting moment's time code.

This is not the slightest bit fun. I hope you--both of you--appreciate how much unfun work goes into the making of something like Aimless.

Update (3:01 PM): The second Collier County Sheriff encounter on the Naples, Florida on-ramp is pretty interesting. You may remember, my first encounter there was when some asshole deputy pulled up and harassed me, saying through his loudspeaker, "What're you doin' on my Interstate, boy?" Unfortunately I did not catch it on tape. But only 15 or 20 minutes later, when another cruiser pulled up, I had the camera running. It's over 15 minutes of pretty good stuff. These guys were cool, even though they stopped because I fit the description of a perp. I may upload most of it unedited.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Intro to Idiocracy

If you have not seen the movie Idiocracy, see it now. There is a whole bunch of stuff I want to say about it, but I'll just quote some stuff from an IMDB message board for now. (You'll probably have to register before you can read any of the boards. It's OK to register; no hassles or fees or anything like that.)

I watched "Idiocracy" on DVD last night, which happened to be Australian election night. Flip-flopping between the DVD and the TV news coverage, the people started to become interchangeable - one set of morons for another. Crowds on the TV were screaming and roaring at the slightest provocation, drowning out commentators, much to their annoyance, and raising the ire of politicians trying to make their points. Any sign of intelligence was sadly missing, and politicians appealing to the lowest common denominator were rewarded by the loudest cheers (and votes).

In addition to stupidity, the film notes how life 500 years from now is preoccupied with sex and violence. What do we see on the TV news every night, and in our newspapers - rapes, internet predators, pedophiles, Paris Hilton, accompanied by pub brawls, neighbourhood brawls, people being glassed, stabbed, bashed.

You're right - sadly, it's already happening.

Mike Judge is brilliant. I want to work with him for free someday. Writing, acting, or anything. I don't care.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

RHCP

From Yahoo News: Red Hot Chili Peppers sue Showtime over series. I haven't read this article, nor do I plan to read it, because... give me a freakin' break.

Showtime has a series called Californication, which you may know is also the title of an RHCP album. Now, I think the Red Hot Chili Peppers are a great band--one of the very few whose music has gotten better as they've aged, particularly the album Californication--but there is no need to go all Lars Ulrich just because some movie channel stole a word you coined.

Titles are not intellectual property. I could call Aimless Californication if I wanted to, and RHCP's lawyers would have no legal beef, nor would Showtime. Conversely, RHCP could make a film called Aimless if they wanted to, and I would have no legal beef.

In all likelihood, Showtime's title-theft has boosted the sales of RHCP's Californication CD. So please get over it, RHCP, and realize that Showtime's continued use of the title Californication is in your best interest because it creates brand recognition.

Don't be a Lars, RHCP.

* * * * *
10 minutes later... I MAY have changed my mind, but only because 'Californication' is a word RHCP created (or at least they were the first to use it commercially). If 'Californication' had already been a word, that would be different.

Still can't say I think they have much of a foundation for a law suit, though.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Unplanned sports talk

So Barry Bonds has been indicted and it sounds like there is a good chance he'll end up spending some time in prison.

For what?

For allegedly lying about whether or not he took steroids.

Is it really such a big freakin' deal? How does something so petty and insignificant even make it into the court system? What a waste of American tax dollars!!!

Now don't go thinking I'm some kind of Barry Bonds fan or anything like that. I hate baseball, and as far as I can tell, Barry Bonds is a cheating-ass jerkwad. But being a cheating-ass jerkwad of a baseball player is not a crime.

I can think of another cheating-ass jerkwad who also happens to be a war criminal and an enemy of the American people. He ought to live in the Big House--the pound-me-in-the-ass variety. Instead he lives in the White House.

Why isn't George Bush facing this kind of scrutiny and prosecution?

PS - I've watched some of my footage from the night Bonds broke the home run record, and I think there may be some compelling stuff. Perhaps I'll be able to upload a rough edit of some of that stuff soon.

* * * * *
I read somewhere that a New York Knicks player was fined $180,000 for missing a game the other night. Big deal; he won't miss it.

$180,000 may be chump change for most professional athletes, but you know what I could do with $180,000?

I could open a really nice, well-equipped pizzeria and support myself for the rest of my life. I could create some decent jobs for a handful of people who currently have crappy jobs. I could do a lot of good stuff for myself and my community. Oh yeah, and I could pay it all back, plus interest.

But these guys just throw away $180,000 like it's nothing. What a waste.

* * * * *
One more thing:

Go Bucks!
Beat the shit out of those Michigan pussies!!!

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Aspiring Pro Golfer Seeks Sponsor

As I've mentioned before, one of this blog's regular readers is a young aspiring professional golfer named Luke Swilor. Luke spent the summer of 2007 playing on the Canadian Tour, which hosts events all over Canada, as well as the western United States and Mexico.

After months of occasional e-communication, Luke and I finally crossed paths this September, meeting at a public house in Portland. He had a long drive back to Salt Lake ahead of him, so he could only hang around for an hour or so, but our short encounter made me a huge Luke Swilor fan.

OK, so what's the point of this post?

I wrote this post to prepare for the remote possibility that a prospective sponsor might stumble here and consider backing Luke's future golf endeavors.

Now, why should you consider sponsoring Luke?

1. Luke is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. He's easy to like and I have no doubt that you would feel you've done the right thing if you invest in him.


2. I don't know much about ascending the ranks of the professional golf hierarchy, but something inside tells me Luke is on his way to doing it.


3. Luke is driven to succeed, both in golf and as a person.


4. I could extend this list a long way, but I want you to figure out the other reasons for yourself. Start by reading Luke Swilor's Road to the Tour and continue by getting to know the man. You will be impressed and you'll give yourself an opportunity to avoid the rush on Luke Swilor sponsorship.

Go Luke!

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

New e-mail address

For those of you who sometimes communicate with me via e-mail, I have a new personal e-mail address. It's the initials of my first name and my middle name, followed by my entire last name (all one word) @ att.net. If you don't know my first and middle initials, you can find them at the bottom of this post.

Jeff: I tried calling you last week and got a message saying I'd reached a non-working number. What's up with that? Did you move again or something? Are you all right? Let me know what's up, eh.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Classy

Has anyone seen this yet? It's a bunch of asshole Penn State frat boys throwing full beer cans at Ohio State fans last Saturday before the game. From what I've read, the guy with the camera actually uploaded the video for the world to see because he thought their actions were cool. What a dumbfuck fuckface!?!

I saw no behavior like this at either of the Ohio State road games I attended (at Washington and at Purdue).



--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
You can contact me at 614-738-3867.

Dry-mouth

I haven't said much the last couple weeks because I can't keep up with my brain. So many thoughts. So many distractions. So much pizza to bake.

Whenever I am able, I will spit it out here.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
If you'd like to contact me, call me at 614-738-3867.

See Jackie

Remember the girl who gave me the ride to Big Sur? The actress, Jaclyn (Jackie) DeSantis? Well, if you want to see who she is, IMDB says TBS will be airing Road Trip a couple times this weekend:

Sat. Oct. 27 10:10 PM
Sun. Oct. 28 4:15 PM

Jackie's character's name is Heather. I really like Road Trip, but I haven't seen it since a long time before I met Jackie, so it will be interesting to see it again (if I even watch it).

If I remember correctly, Luke told me he actually recognized my picture of Jackie as a character in Road Trip.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
If you'd like to contact me, call me at 614-738-3867.

I heard it's time to rock

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
If you'd like to contact me, call me at 614-738-3867.

Trampin' ain't easy

Now is a good time to stray from all the negativity of late, so I'll respond to Lew's comment from the previous post.

First I said:

6) Keeping yourself alive is two full-time jobs in itself--the hardest two jobs you will have ever had.

Then Lew commented:

I wouldn't mind hearing you expound upon this idea. I think there is some juice in there that could be squeezed. I daresay that most people think that homeless people are drugged up and lazy.

* * * * *
I am not a professional tramp; I am merely a tramp in training (but not really). Unlike real tramps and homeless people, I very rarely ask anyone for help or assistance because my objective is not to solicit. My objective is partly to be a catalyst for people to choose, with their own free will, to do something nice for someone out of the kindness of their heart, without expecting anything in return.

Lew, I'd say you are a perfect example of someone who has done exactly that. If I remember correctly, I wasn't even paying attention when you pulled over on the I-75 on-ramp to offer me a ride across Alligator Alley. I just turned around and saw a white van sitting there, so I picked up my stuff and walked to the van to see what was up. Within a few seconds, I was riding with you toward Fort Lauderdale and we quickly established a very friendly conversation. We talked the whole time, about music and beer and whatnot. You also told me about some bar in the Smoky Mountains. Then, when we arrived in Davie, you took me to a restaurant and bought me fish & chips and a beer. You did it out of the kindness of your heart, without provocation and without the expectation of anything in return. (If I'm not mistaken, though, you feel like you did receive something in return from me, and you also know I keep you on the short list of people I hope I can repay someday. Does that sound right?)

Anyway, to answer your question, when I'm out on the road, I spend most of my time walking somewhere or trying to get a ride somewhere. When walking, I lug at least 55 pounds of stuff for 10-20 miles a day (or sometimes 28 miles). That takes a lot of work, as can currently be evidenced by my enlarged calf muscles and shrunken belly.

When not walking, I'm usually beside an on-ramp or at a truck stop. Although neither of those activities requires much physical effort, each requires a lot of mental labor because you can't just sit there with your brain turned off. You have to keep your head up and make eye contact with the drivers passing you on the on-ramp. You have to keep your head up and make eye contact with the truckers walking past you on their way to the fuel desk.

I must also engage in conversation with people so they can size me up. Sometimes, like when I was in the Flying J restaurant in Gary a couple weeks ago, it becomes a four-hour conversation, which may lead to nothing. (In that case, I talked for four hours with a really cool guy named Al Garcia from Brownsville, Texas. He ended up buying me a lunch buffet before he left. I've been meaning to say something about my encounter with Al for a while.) But sometimes that's how you end up with interesting video footage, too, even though I never turned on the camera during my conversation with Al.

When I have money and choose to buy food from a grocery store, first I have to walk to the grocery store, which may be 2-5 miles away. I usually end up walking another mile inside the store because I have to walk down every aisle at least once, then return to certain aisles after I've sorted everything out in my head. (I carry all my gear the whole time.) How much are apples, clam chowder, Chef Boyardee, Pay Day? Any specials I might want to take advantage of for tonight's dinner--something I must eat ASAP or end up throwing away? Do I dare treat myself to something special tonight, like 3/4 of a pound of cold boneless chicken "wings" for $5? Are there any day-old specials, like a dozen of yesterday's donuts for $2 or less? Don't forget to grab some plastic spoons before you leave. Oh yeah, and fill up your water bottles at the water fountain.

And sleepytime isn't always good rest, either. Like last Friday night, my first night back in central Ohio. Friday night was by far the coldest night I've spent outside. Very, very cold, but not freezing. I didn't get much sleep that night, and it took me a long time to pack up in the morning, due to excessive condensation inside the rainfly. I probably would have been fine, in terms of temperature, if I had an appropriate sleeping bag, but I don't have one yet, although I probably have enough $$ remaining on my REI gift card to get one.

There is a lot more to say here. To be continued...

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
If you'd like to contact me, call me at 614-738-3867.

Comments

OK, I have read all or most of the comments, and I think I "get it" now: Every time I thank someone for their kindness, it actually means I've taken advantage of them. Also, if I tell a story about something negative that happened, then I'm a negative, spoiled brat. Additionally, it doesn't matter what I say or do because no matter what I say, I'm an asshole.

To Mugen and all the other anonymous pussies who have pointed out how negative I am by calling me names and spewing hateful rhetoric: Fuck you. I dare you to try what I've been doing for the last six months. You wouldn't make it because: 1) You're too chickenshit to use your names here; 2) It takes huge balls to even try to do what I've done; 3) You'd be in constant pain; 4) You'd be hungry about 90 percent of the time; 5) You'd have to get up off your asses; 6) Keeping yourself alive is two full-time jobs in itself--the hardest two jobs you will have ever had; 7) Producer/director/cameraman/interviewer/editor is just the beginning of the movie-related jobs you'd have to do all by yourself...

Here's the best one: 8) Unlike the way people helped me, no one would help you because you really are assholes...

I could go on and on.

Yes, I have said a lot of negative things throughout these last six months, and sometimes I am an asshole. I don't like sounding negative, but that's how it really is out there. If you don't like it, then start doing nice things for people. Start giving a shit about people less fortunate than yourself. That's one thing--well, two things--I can say I HAVE done over the last six months, even when I haven't been able to take care of myself. I have been fortunate enough to end up in the presence of some really great people who have helped me stay alive, but I've been around a lot more people who would rather kill me for fun, just because they assume I'm homeless.

You go try it, Mugen & Co. I dare you.

To Brad, Jay, Lew, Jeff, M&D, Stefan, Bend Guy, Luke, and anyone else I may have left out: Thanks for the supportive comments and thanks for the constructive criticism.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
If you'd like to contact me, call me at 614-738-3867.

Enough

My mom and dad had tickets to the Ohio State football game Saturday, so I planned to meet them sometime after the game and ride home with them. It turned out, though, that Dad didn't really want to go, so I met my mom before the game and went to the game with her. We met Dad after the game and ate at Tommy's Pizza, then we went home. (That means I'm home now.)

I have so much to say, but I don't know if I'll ever say it. I have nearly 70 hours of video footage--some of it really incredible--but I don't know if I'll ever do anything with it. I haven't had a chance to read any blog comments since early September, and I may never read any of them. I may be finished with this project.

--
Aimless
The Quasi-Aimless Trailer
If you'd like to contact me, call me at 614-738-3867.

People of God Part 1

PART 1: The Springfield PD responded to a call this morning from Southgate Baptist Church ("A Place to grow"). Apparently a disgusting, filthy, worthless bum had taken up permanent residence on the church's property overnight, so someone called the police specifically to run him off. --> As you may have guessed, the bum was me. You probably think I'm going to badmouth the church for calling the cops on me, right? Well, I'm not going to. Their call didn't inconvenience me the slightest bit. In fact, I was already preparing to leave when the cops showed up. --> Instead, I'm going to badmouth the church for being total hypocrites. They choose to subscribe to a religion that doesn't allow them to make judgments, yet they still feel compelled to make completely uninformed judgments at a rate beyond comprehension. First they judged a tent's hidden occupant to be a lower form of human life
than themselves. Then they judged the bum to be unworthy of spending a morning on God's property...

I made it to C-bus

I made it to C-bus early this afternoon. Lots to say about this morning. I'll try to get to all of it sometime today.

I'm leaving YSO. Gonna camp

I'm leaving YSO. Gonna camp near Springfield tonite, try 2 get 2 OSU tomorrow, then camp outside Ohio Stadium and go home w/ my folks after game.

I finally got out of

I finally got out of the Lebanon Flying J and I'm now walking south on US 68 to Yellow Springs. I hope someone offers a ride within a few miles.

Feast or Washington

I will say more about Washington whenever I get to a computer again, probably when I get home. I don't think I've had access to a computer since I was in Portland. --> I can't believe there is even an ounce of fat left on my body, yet I'm probably much thinner than I realize. I haven't eaten anything today and I ate almost nothing yesterday. I've been in a pretty constant state of hunger for about two weeks. However, when I haven't been hungry, I've usually been very full, thanks to the people who have bought me buffets. This feast-or-famine routine surely has not been a healthy way to live. --> If I didn't have white skin, there is no doubt I'd be in a world of shit, if not dead. Believe whatever you want, but merely having white skin creates a lot of privileges that people of color don't receive in the United States of America. Yeah, I get judged, too, particularly because I have long
hair, but it's nothing compared to the prejudices I'd receive if I had ANY shade of brown skin.

Flying J cares

Last night I figured out one of Flying J's inhumane corporate policies: Throw out tons of perfectly good food every day, ESPECIALLY if there are starving folks on the premises. I'm not just talking about the buffet; I'm also talking about the 60-80 Krispy Kreme donuts they trash every night. I'm also talking about the "deli" items they toss periodically throughout the day and night. I'm also talking about the dozens of pizza slices they regularly dump. Fortunately some of their employees have enough humanity to occasionally disregard the ridiculous policy. Nonetheless, I went hungry yesterday after sitting in the restaurant for 7 hours instead of trying to get to Ohio from just outside Indy. --> I was really starting to like Flying J, particularly because most of them have a restaurant, where I usually end up with a meal if I sit around minding my business for a while. Usually my meals
come from kind truckers who recognize that I'm hungry, but sometimes the waitresses take care of me.

A waitress at this Flying

A waitress at this Flying J tried to lay some kind of God trip on me, then offered nothing when they threw away dozens of lbs of buffet food.

Blackout blowout etc.

For those of you who don't know, "blackout" refers to the idea that Purdue fans were supposed to wear black to the game Saturday night. Most did. Regardless, about 30% of the crowd wore red (from my perspective). "Blowout" refers to what OSU did to Purdue. --> I ate almost nothing Saturday, yet I was given 5 beers. Two of them (Bass!) were courtesy of a guy named Mike, who played linebacker for Purdue in about 1984 (and his friends). --> The reason I didn't get into the game until the 3rd quarter: I had to find a safe place to put my stuff. --> It has been really freakin' hot ever since I arrived in Indiana, even at night. --> There is a very good chance that I will NOT hit the road again after I return home next week. This just isn't much fun anymore and I have too many other valuable skills and talents that are currently being wasted. Furthermore, I don't feel like my efforts are
appreciated by more than a few people. If you wanna make some serious $$, invest in "Ryan's Pizzeria."

Boiler Blackout; Buckeye blowout

Surely someone has already called me a bigot for what I said about truckers. I don't care; I'm just the messenger. --> I received a ride out of Gary at 2:00 AM Friday night, getting me to the West Lafayette exit at 3:30, which was actually 4:30 because I lost an hour. I put up the tent canopy, sans rainfly, and took an extended nap near the interstate before walking toward town late in the morning. Taking a break almost 2 miles up the road, I asked a young man, as he fetched his mail, how many more miles it was to the stadium. Christian Beaver said it was about 7 or 8 miles. He then gave me a ride. --> I walked around Ross-Ade Stadium all day, talking to both OSU and Purdue fans, telling my story when asked. There was a group of 3 or 4 people who recognized me from Washington; they gave me a beer. Well before the game, I drew up a sign reading: "YOU SHOULD GIVE ME YOUR EXTRA TICKET."
Someone gave me a ticket after the 1st quarter, but I didn't get in until early in the 3rd quarter.

Hate

Most white truckers are at least *kinda* bigoted--even those who are otherwise likeable--and I'm really sick of hearing all the hateful rhetoric. They direct most of their senseless hatred toward Mexicans, but anyone who's not white, heterosexual, and male is fair game. Their justification for the blatant, ignorant racism goes something like this: "When our ancestors came here, they at least learned the language and tried to fit in." --> BULLSHIT! The non-English-speaking immigrants of the past DID NOT try to learn English any more diligently than Mexicans try to learn English today. "Our" ancestors stuck with their own kind and held on to their native languages and traditions, just like Mexican immigrants do today. That's why we have so many Little Italys and Chinatowns, etc. --> I encounter lots of hate on the road, though it's rarely directed at me. Most people assume I share their
hate, either because I'm white or American or non-Muslim or whatever, but all bigotry disgusts me.

I made it to Gary,

I made it to Gary, Indiana @ 3:00. Got a shower & now I need to find $$ for laundry & food. Too busy to say much now. More whenever I find time.

I'm finally out of Gretna,

I'm finally out of Gretna, but not with the driver I expected; he's still there. I'm camping in Des Moines but will be in NW Indiana tomorrow.

Gretna

I'm still at the Flying J in Gretna, Nebraska. Yesterday morning, when I wasn't really awake yet, I heard someone outside the tent saying my name. When I asked who it was, the answer was "Josh." He stopped by to fuel up and return my hat, although he surely couldn't have known I was still here until he went looking for me. That was very cool of him. I wish I'd been more awake when he showed up because being half asleep really limited my communication skills. I hope he realizes how ungratefully I appreciate his kind acts. --> I don't know what's up with Travis because he has not returned my recent calls. The main reason I'm still here is that I expected to hear from him days ago. I already have a ride set up for tomorrow. I'm going to head toward West Lafayette, Indiana before next weekend; it's another OSU road game I can easily attend. It'll be cool if some traveling Buckeye fans
recognize me from the game in Seattle. Maybe I'll manage to get into the game early this time.

Gameday (retro) Part 3

PART 3: At Husky Stadium I learned from Buckeyeman that my Portland buckeye is actually a chestnut. He then gave me a real buckeye. --> Most of the UDub fans were very friendly and hospitable, although there were a few minor a-holes. Overall I give Husky fans an A-. I'm happy to report that I did not see any bad behavior from OSU fans. --> The Husky Stadium experience is totally unlike going to a game at Ohio Stadium, beginning with the free distribution and consumption of adult beverages in the parking lot. You won't see that at the 'Shoe because the Alcohol Nazis don't allow fun. Also, UDub allows re-entry, which means half of the crowd hits the parking lot at halftime to get re-drunk. Not at OSU. --> For whoever may be wondering: Yes, I did get into the game, but not until the 4th quarter. I also ended up accepting 3 beers and one gulp of whiskey, courtesy of UDub fans. --> A couple
hours ago, I decided I may accept a ride to Minneapolis, if offered. OSU plays there tomorrow night.

Ping-ponging the west?

You may wonder why Travis is still in Iowa. You thought he was going to Texas a couple days ago, right? Well, his truck broke down right after he left for Texas, so someone else ended up taking that load while Travis waited for his truck to be fixed. That's the last I heard from him (yesterday morning). I left him a message this morning, letting him know I'm in eastern Nebraska; I'm guessing his truck is still in the shop because he hasn't called me back. He's probably pretty pissed off about the delay; it's costing him a lot of money. I hope Travis will be back on the road tomorrow, stopping here and taking me right back through Utah before heading to California and back to Des Moines. --> I've been here since 3:00 this morning and I'll be staying again tonight because I'm not even trying to get a ride. There's a great spot to camp in the back corner of this Flying J. The grass is so
soft there, I didn't even use my Therm-A-Rest last night. --> If no word tomorrow, I'll find a ride.

Free again

I drew up a sign yesterday morning that read: "HE NEEDS TO BE IN RENO ASAP," with an arrow pointing to my right. I planned to fly the sign near Flying J's truck exit, with Chuck standing beside me, but I was offered a ride east before I finished writing it. Neither accepting nor declining the offer, I asked the driver to let me defer my decision until he passed me at the truck exit. I had a tough time deciding whether or not I'd accept the ride if I was unable to get Chuck on the road, but I ended up deciding I would take it. --> 15 or 30 minutes later, my driver approached the exit. I told Chuck I hate to leave him alone but I really wanted to get out of there. Before I left with Josh Lake, I gave Chuck 3 smokes and $5. I hope he found a ride, but I suspect he's still waiting. --> Also before I hit the road, Travis returned my earlier call, telling me he was still in Iowa, so I rode
1,000 miles with Josh to Gretna, NE, instead of Cheyenne. I accidentally left my hat in Josh's truck.

Gameday (retro) Part 2

PART 2: As I bobbed and weaved through the maze of cars, RVs, and football fans, a small group of Buckeye supporters planted an OSU window flag on the side of my backpack. Some game-goers stopped to ask me if I walked all the way from Ohio; others asked if I hitchhiked all the way. Lots of each team's fans were intrigued by my story. --> Near the stadium I saw a woman wearing a Todd Denlinger OSU jersey, so I asked her if she is a Denlinger. She said yes. I then told her my mom is a Denlinger. I'd like to have spoken to her longer, but an ESPN cameraman showed up and took her (and her group) away from me for some cutaway footage. I suspect she is Todd Denlinger's mom; we're probably distant relatives. --> Later a Husky fan placed a couple necklaces on me. Each necklace was made up of a bunch of tiny UDub-colored footballs. One had purple (or blue) balls; the other gold. (Due to my
ambiguous display of each team's colors, a drunk guy later said to me, "You confuse people.")

We hit SLC y-day. If

We hit SLC y-day. If I'd stayed w/Jo, I'd already be where Travis is heading (Texas). He just found out today, tho. Trying to coordinate w/him.

Gameday (retro) Part 1

I woke up outside Husky Stadium pretty early on 9/15. There were already a handful of UDub fans setting up their tailgating operations in and around the parking lot. I chatted with the group setting up beside me as I tore down my tent; they were friendly. When I finished packing up, I walked around the parking lot to experience gameday in Seattle. As I encountered folks clad in scarlet & gray Buckeye gear, some would exchange "Go Bucks" greetings with me. Soon a group of tailgating Husky fans invited me to have a seat and hang out. They offered me a beer, too, but I wasn't ready to accept beer from anyone yet. A sign of things to come, these Husky fans were very friendly and hospitable to me. They treated me to some oysters and other tailgating snacks, but eventually it was time for me to move on. I thanked them and began exploring other areas of the hopping parking lot. Carrying my
gear everywhere I walked, I was a bit of an attraction myself, to Husky fans and Buckeye fans alike...

Begin Washington recap

After getting off the train in Seattle on September 14, Dave Treadwell invited me to join him in a cab to his hotel. He probably would have invited me to stay in his room as well, but his reservation was for the floor of a packed room, so that just wasn't an option. When I split from Dave outside his downtown hotel, I began walking toward the University of Washington, even though I had no idea where it is. I started out walking the right direction, but I ended up going the wrong way. Very hungry, I looked for some cheap eats, but I found myself climbing a very large hill in a neverending residential area, ultimately entering commercial civilization somewhere on Queen Anne Ave N. With no cheap eats in sight, I stepped into Pizza Hut to ask if they had any mistake pies that were destined to find a new home in the garbage. They did, and I had 75% of a large lukewarm pepperoni pizza for
dinner. I ended up finding my camp site (Husky Stadium) without too much trouble at 1:00 or 2:00 AM.

Ogden Utah Part 2

PART 2: Early yesterday afternoon I received my first ride offer from a lady trucker, Jo. I immediately told her I was trying to help another guy get a ride, and I asked her if she would consider one of two alternatives: 1) Giving Chuck a ride instead of me, or 2) Letting both of us ride with her. As you probably figured out already, she took both of us to Ogden. Upon reflection, Chuck and I would probably be in a better position if she'd dropped us off east of Salt Lake on I-80. Jo was cool. --> I've been very stressed out the last few days because my primary objective has been to help Chuck get to Reno. He has no money, so I've been sharing my smokes, money, and food with him. He has smoked more of my fags than I have, and I've barely had any money myself. I've put about $11 into him so far, but I only have $7 left, so I can't give him anything else. Additionally, it's tough for me to
find funds when I'm not alone. I expect to meet up with Travis in 2 or 3 days; should make some $$.

Ogden Utah Part 1

We're in Ogden, Utah. We? Yeah, WE are in Ogden. I've been hanging with a guy named Chuck since Friday night. Friday evening I was waiting by an on-ramp when a guy named James called me over across the street. At first I thought he was a trucker from the Boise TA walking his dog, but he turned out to be a tramp drinking a beer. Moments later someone else assumed my post on the on-ramp and quickly got my ride. Sporting a huge wad of cash, James invited me to join him at the Motel 6 down the road. First he called a cab from the TA, where we met Chuck, a clean-cut guy who'd already been trying to get a ride to Reno for a couple days. Before we took the cab, James also invited Chuck to the motel, where he showed up a few hours later. Chuck has never hitchhiked before, and he doesn't look like someone who's trying to get a ride. Long story short: I've been trying to help Chuck get to Reno
because he'd never make it on his own. When I was offered a ride yesterday, I got Chuck aboard, too...

Familiar faces Part 2

PART 2: After I responded, "Insomnia?," my fellow Amtrak passenger countered, "That's it!" He then said he used to frequent Insomnia in the mid-90s with his friend Eric, who dated a girl named Jackie. --> Bingo!!! --> As soon as he said 'Jackie,' it all started coming together for me. Y'see, Jackie Walton was my closest friend in the early/mid-90s, when we were both Insomnia regulars. In fact, Jackie introduced me to Insomnia, so she and I had a lot of common friends and acquaintances at the coffeehouse. --> By this point in our conversation, there was no doubt: Dave Treadwell (pictured) and I definitely knew each other 12-14 years ago. Dave continued to occupy the seat beside me for the remainder of the ride to Seattle. We talked about the old days at Insomnia and the people we'd both known during our time spent at Insomnia. We talked about Buckeye football and a lot of other things,
too. Dave had a ticket to the Ohio State/Washington game the following day at Husky Stadium. I didn't.

Familiar faces

My face looks familiar to a lot of people. I can't tell you how many people have approached me over the years and asked, "Don't I know you?" Or sometimes they say, "Aren't you So-and-so?" Usually I am merely a look-alike, but occasionally I actually am the person they think I may be. --> Halfway between Portland and Seattle, during my ungrateful train ride, it happened again. A gentleman walked by my seat and asked me, "Do I know you?" My immediate thought was that he had probably never seen me before, considering I was about 3,000 miles from home, but I gave it a chance. I said, "Well, I live in Columbus, Ohio." Interestingly, he said he is from Columbus, too, so I started thinking maybe he's onto something. Looking at his face and thinking, 'This guy does seem kinda familiar,' I asked him if he was ever involved in drum corps. He said no, so I examined his face a little more and said,
"Insomnia?" (Insomnia is a long-gone coffeehouse that was located on High St at 13th, near OSU.)...

Conclusion

Now that I've finished my rant, I'll share some related thoughts. First, the broken tent pole was not the reason I almost called it quits. Rather, I nearly quit because I am human, thus I am sensitive to ass-brained criticism. Sometimes I just care too much what people think of me, even when I shouldn't care at all. Some people DON'T think, but I guess my nature is to expect everyone to think. --> I have self-censored this blog a lot over the last couple months because I don't like sounding negative. Well, negative shit happens, and some people are assholes. If you only knew how it feels to do what I'm doing, you'd be amazed by how positive I keep things here. --> Considering I'll probably never make a dime from this project, I have nothing to lose by calling it how I see it, regardless of how negative or profane I may sound sometimes. So no more self-censorship. I'm not out here to
tell the ROSY story; I'm out here to tell the REAL story. If you don't like it, don't read it.

Washington stories coming soon

I got a new tent Thursday--the REI Half Dome 2 HC--and it's nice. At 90 inches long, I can actually fit in it. Plus it's like 52 inches wide, so there is also plenty of room for all my stuff. It's heavy, though, at almost 6 lbs. My first night with the tent, I slept at a park near BSU. Shortly after setting up, the sprinkler system started. No big deal, I thought, because the tent has a monster rainfly. Wrong! Y'see, these sprinklers were more like firehoses, at a 30-degree angle from the ground, and one of them just happened to shoot directly at the rainfly's vent, so I got all wet the first time it sprayed in my direction. Even after I closed the vent, the perfect angle and force of the water pried it back open, soaking me yet again. Oh what fun. --> As I charged my phone and wrote blog posts at Starbuck's Friday, I met a very intelligent, pretty girl named Melanie (sp?) after she sat
near me so she could plug in her laptop. She's from Salt Lake but lives in Dallas. Smart is sexy.

I'm so ungrateful Part 6

PART 6: Now that I've suggested that one or two of this blog's readers may be ungrateful for what I've given them, let me make something very clear: I DO NOT consider them ungrateful, nor do I believe there is any reason for them to be grateful to me. They DID NOT ASK for the entertainment I provide, nor do they need it. --> As I've said before, no one owes me anything. (Well, those assholes that ripped me off last year each owe me $350 plus interest, but I wasn't talking about them.) And realistically I don't owe anyone, either, because everything I've received on this journey has been a GIFT, excluding the money I've received as payment for my labor. That doesn't mean I feel no obligation within my own heart to repay the people who have done things for me; it simply means I have not made a deal with anyone that REQUIRES me to pay them back in any way. And when you feel, in your own
heart, that you owe someone, even though their favor was a gift, THAT is gratitude...

I'm so ungrateful Part 5

PART 5: And how about you, "Mugen" (or whatever you call yourself)? A couple months ago you commented about how ungrateful I was after meeting Father Winter. You also said my negativity keeps you from telling friends about Aimless. But you keep reading this blog anyway, presumably because it entertains you. Maybe you don't realize this, but in the real world of supply & demand, this Aimless program would have been canceled a long time ago due to lack of interest and unprofitability. The only reason it's still around is because I'm paying the dues to keep it around. So where's the gratitude? --> When something entertains you, do you not realize why it is in your best interest to promote such entertainment? If no one else gives a shit about it, it goes away. Just think of all the ways you could have strengthened the foundation of Aimless if only you were grateful for what you receive from
Aimless. --> Before anyone else starts yapping about how ungrateful I am, take a look in the mirror.

Football spying

I just read an article in the newspaper about college football coaches being paranoid that people are spying on their practices. An excerpt: "In Miami earlier this season, new Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon dispatched security officers to a parking garage next to the practice fields after allegedly seeing someone with a video camera. People in the program suspected it was a case of spying, since detailed stories about what went on in practice kept showing up on web sites and message boards." --> I think that's kind of funny because I walked by an Oregon Ducks practice when I was in Eugene. They have fences and hedges around the practice field to limit visibility, but you can still see what's going on if you really want to. Near the practice fields, I got out my camcorder to get a shot of Autzen Stadium, but I never pointed it at their practice, specifically because I didn't want them to
suspect me of spying. --> I'm gonna try to get a look at the "smurf turf" at BSU's stadium today.

I'm so ungrateful Part 4

PART 4: The person accusing me of being ungrateful needs to take a look in the mirror. How grateful are you for the entertainment I provide? My life currently consists of living outside, busting my ass, freezing, getting drenched, being hungry, dealing with cops, making a movie, writing blog entries, taking pictures, trying hard to be a good guest, eating foods I dislike, and a million other things, all to entertain you. It might be a small daily dose of entertainment, but it entertains you nonetheless. And how do you thank me? You thank me by telling me I'm ungrateful. Oh, but you didn't ask me to put myself through all that to entertain you, did ya? It doesn't matter because we're using YOUR criteria here, and according to your criteria, I'm ungrateful. Your criteria must also apply to you, right? But you can't say you don't want what I offer. You CHOOSE to read this blog every day,
which shows that you want or need what I offer on this blog, so you must be even more ungrateful...

I'm at REI in Boise.

I'm at REI in Boise. Parts 4 & 5 should be up later today. So much 2 say about the last week. (Hint: Don't expect any more Aimless visits to WA.)

I'm so ungrateful Part 3

PART 3: Yes, there are a few people who have assisted me during this journey to whom I don't feel grateful: Father Winter, Jan Gee, Mark in Portland, and the asshole who damn near molested me. Although I appreciate what they did "for" me, I am not grateful to any of them; I have no reason to be grateful to them. Their objective was not to help me; they each did whatever they did because they believed it entitled them something FROM me. Well, it entitled them nothing from me, which is exactly what they'll get from me. I have no apologies for feeling this way about them. Conversely, I am extremely grateful for what everyone else has done for me, and I intend to give something back someday because they didn't EXPECT anything from me when they CHOSE to help me. The short list of people to whom I am especially grateful includes Jay, Jeff, Don, Dave, Lew, "Tuna," Galen, Vernon & Jane, Mom &
Dad, Tim, Allan & Ann, Larry & Carolyn, Travis, Jack & Phyl, Luke, Stefan, Betty, Brad, and others...

I'm so ungrateful Part 2

PART 2: When Kristin offered me a ride to Seattle, I told her right away that someone else had already offered to put me on a train that afternoon. Because I was about 70% sure I'd successfully catch the train that day, I told her I would gladly accept her offer IF I MISSED THE TRAIN. And you know what? She was not upset by my decision to take the train. She didn't feel like I was obligated to accept her offer. She just wanted me to call her before 3:30 to let her know whether I needed the ride or not. She made the offer out of the kindness of her heart, without expecting anything in return, which is a concept some people apparently can't comprehend. --> You (whoever you are) judged me to be ungrateful precisely because I expressed the extent of my gratitude in the original post on this topic. If I hadn't expressed the fact that I felt like I should ride with her, you never would have
thought twice about how grateful I am. Do you have any analytical or critical thinking skills?...

A change of plans

When I said the other day that I'm quitting, I wasn't kidding. I had every intention to go home and stay home, regardless of the supportive comments I've surely received from the true friends of Aimless, urging me to keep going. However, I received a ride and a phone call today that made me rethink my plans, and I've decided to stick with it. As I rode with Ronald Weber, I received a call from a German fellow named Stefan (sp?), who I met last week at the Portland REI. He offered to buy me an REI gift card so I can replace my tent. He just didn't want to see me quit, and he wanted to give me a good reason not to quit. The material offer certainly helped, but his words made the difference. I'm not sure exactly what Stefan said, but he said several things that made me start reconsidering. Once I started reconsidering, though, the friendly chit-chat with Ronald also helped me change my
mind. --> I have A LOT to say about the last few days, but I'll finish the 'Ungrateful' rant first.

My tent just broke. I

My tent just broke. I quit; I'm going home. To the people who think I've been ungrateful, screw you. You have no idea what gratitude is.

I'm so ungrateful Part 1

I haven't been able to read this blog's comments in a while because I've been too busy walking 1,000 miles and generally trying to stay alive, but I've been told someone thinks I'm ungrateful because I accepted one person's transportation offer instead of another person's offer. Well, let me ask you this: If I'd accepted Kristin's ride offer instead of the train offer I received 4 days before I even met Kristin, wouldn't that make me ungrateful to the person who offered me the train ride? Aha! Didn't think about that, did ya? So please tell me how I could've possibly come out of that situation looking grateful. Maybe I'm just incredibly stupid, but I still can't figure out how I could have been in both a car and a train to Seattle at the same time. However, I do know that I could've written that post in a way that would've conveyed the same message without causing anyone to question how
grateful I am. All I had to say was I would've ridden with her if I'd missed the train again...

Onward to Seattle

I debated for a couple hours about what I should do regarding my mode of travel, but I successfully met my contact at Union Station today, and I am now on a train bound for Seattle. I also called Kristin to let her know I won't be needing the ride. I wish I could have taken the train AND ridden with Kristin, but unfortunately I am human, so I could only do one or the other. --> For a few minutes at the train station I spoke with a Buckeye fan who'll be attending the game tomorrow. I probably won't get into the game, but it should be fun anyway. I'll definitely be at the stadium and I think I'll keep an eye out for the Buckeye football coverage teams from the Columbus television stations. It'll be really cool if I run into Dimitrios Stanley, a former OSU wide receiver and current member of WSYX's Buckeye football coverage team, because I went to elementary and middle school with him.
Even though I haven't seen him in 15+ years, he'd probably remember me; he's just that kind of guy.

Train or car?

It looks like I'm in good shape, in terms of making it to Seattle today. I now have a solid backup plan that'll get me there if I somehow miss the train again, thanks to Kristin Van Huysen, who will be leaving Portland for Seattle at about 3:30. She gave me some food and also offered me a ride, which my conscience is telling me I should accept even if I am able to take the train. Even though I don't think she would hold it against me if I take the train, I just feel like accepting her offer is the right thing to do. But I love trains and I rarely have the chance to ride them, so I don't know what I'll do. --> I never met Brian Spangler yesterday at Apizza Scholls, but I did leave him a poorly written note with the Aimless URL and my phone number. He hasn't contacted me, so it looks like I walked 7 or 8 miles--from downtown to 4741 Hawthorne Blvd and back--for nothing. --> I have seen as
many buckeye trees in Portland the last couple days as I have seen in Ohio my entire life.

Report card

I like Portland; it felt like home from the moment I arrived. In saying 'home,' I don't mean the place where my bed is; I mean being here just feels right. In fact, I've met at least three people who came to Oregon just to visit but never left. However, Portland is a little stinky in some places because there are a zillion breweries. (At Laurelwood I smelled hops for the first time; what a wonderful aroma!) The people of Oregon have been very kind to me. Oregon has definitely been a close 2nd on the kindness scale of states (behind South Carolina). It's really hard to compare the two states, though, because I have evolved so much as a traveler since I was in South Carolina. --> It may be a good thing that I didn't catch my train to Seattle yesterday because today I remembered a place I wanted to check out called Apizza Scholls. When I went to Memphis to see the pizza movie, Michael
Dorian told me I'd probably get along well with the owner. I got here at 3:20, but they open at 5:00.

Stuck

I expected to be on a train to Seattle this afternoon, but I'm still in Portland. In order to have gotten on the train, I was supposed to have met someone at a specific time and place earlier today. I was there, but I didn't see him, probably because I was a little confused about where to go and what to do. The offer was good for either today or Friday; I think I now know what to do when Friday comes around. I am a little worried that it could happen again Friday, but I'm going to hang around and try again anyway. If it doesn't work out Friday, it may keep me from getting to Seattle in time for the OSU game vs. Washington. That would really suck. Even if I can't get into the game, I really want to be at the stadium during the game. --> Oh my god, I just walked past a freakin' HUGE buckeye tree near the Willamette River; very close the HUGE Greg Oden jersey that just about drapes the
basketball arena. Buckeyes in Oregon? Sweet. I kept a buckeye as a souvenir.

Chance

Yesterday at 4:00 or 5:00 PM, near the downtown Portland library, I turned my head and saw a pretty twentysomething girl walking toward me, looking at me. Making eye contact with her as she approached, I smiled; she smiled back. A moment later she was gone. At 6:00, in about the same place, as I picked up my backpack, she walked past me again in the opposite direction. (I didn't see her this time until she'd already passed.) After securing all the straps and belts on my backpack, I headed the same direction she'd gone. Only 50 feet down the street, as she waited at the light rail station, we made eye contact once again. I smiled; she smiled back. With each of these encounters, it was clear that there was some kind of two-way attraction (or something like that). Naturally, I did nothing about it, partly because I'm a wuss but also because her train showed up. Maybe someday she'll stumble
onto the Aimless web site. Even if she does, though, she'll probably never see this post.

I'm a doofus

I don't like how I behave when I drink, even though I don't get drunk. I now wish I hadn't consumed those 3 beers in the hours before I met Luke yesterday, but at the time I didn't want to waste the additional value of the gift card beyond the cost of my meal. I probably should have just given the bartender/server a ridiculously huge tip instead of having the beers. Luke is a really nice guy. It was a pleasure meeting him. I definitely consider myself a Luke Swilor fan, and I hope y'all will throw a little support his way. He deserves it more than I do. Thanks Luke! --> After spending a couple days in the Hollywood District, I slept under the stars in a park just north of downtown Portland last night. Fortunately it was pretty warm. --> I already have something set up that will get me to Seattle via Amtrak Wednesday afternoon/evening. --> To the couple I spoke to during the Bengals game
(Craig & Suzie?): I'd like you to contact me so I can at least find out your names.