Feb 29, 2012

Guest posting on 'Nod n Smile' - Things that make you go hmm in Portugal

'A Memento Year' exhibition - Portugal tribute

Thank you Lanthy of 'Nod n Smile' for featuring my Portugal experience on your wonderful blog. Kindly check out Nod 'n' Smile, its one of the few travel blogs on my reading list. Its full of insightful musings, genuine interaction and features creative adventures particularly of her hometown New York.

nod smile, blog
NodnSmile.com - Things That Make You Go Hmm in Portugal
Find other samples of my Portugal experiences below:
- Portugal: Eat, Pray, Love (1 of 3)
- Tudo Bom: The first 3 days in Portugal (1 of 3)

- Trigger: Ego Tripping in Portugal - Sintra, Obidos, Ericeria, Coimbra
- Trigger: "Qualidade de Vida" in Casa dos Gauchos, Porto
- Trigger: Day 114: An NBA day in Portugal

Find my other Guest Posts:
- Nod n Smile: Things that make you go hmm in Portugal
- The Facial: Finding Basketball around Europe
- Couple of Sports: How I won personalised sneakers in Lisbon, Portugal
- Nomadic Samuel: The many faces of the South of Spain, Andalucia

Feb 28, 2012

David Brooks on the "Haimish Line": Pixar and TroubleMaker Studios

crossposted on the '30 Home Games' blog >>


I've been writing a to-do list for my mission to visit the 30 NBA Cities of America. After reading Joel Stein's article for Time Magazine of Pixar's upcoming project, I corrected the oversight adding the Studio to my fantasy list alongside Troublemaker Studios and DetourFilm.
Pixar's Girl Story by Joel Stein
Until I visited Pixar's offices, I did not know that 12-year-old boys were allowed to run major corporations. Yet I am walking through the lobby, and the room to my right is full of plastic bins dispensing every kind of cereal, free. Men pedal scooters past me. On Friday mornings an employee named Mark Andrews stands on the front lawn in a kilt, challenging co-workers to actual sword fights.
On my recent EuroTrip I realised that what I enjoyed most about travel was the social exploration. I just liked being around people, I enjoyed searching for the connections I might have with strangers. Travel is certainly conducive to sociability, we are in an exploratory and social state of mind. We are around like-minded people and are in settings that encourage interaction. New York Times Columnist David Brooks has dubbed this 'The Haimish Line'
The Haimish Line by David Brooks
I know only one word to describe what the simpler camps had and the more luxurious camps lacked: haimish. It’s a Yiddish word that suggests warmth, domesticity and unpretentious conviviality. It occurred to me that when we moved from a simple camp to a more luxurious camp, we crossed an invisible Haimish Line. The simpler camps had it, the more comfortable ones did not. This is a generalized phenomenon, which applies to other aspects of life. Often, as we spend more on something, what we gain in privacy and elegance we lose in spontaneous sociability.
Its not surprising that I would include Film Studios on my places-to-visit list. You might be wondering, "Why don't you just pursue a career in Digital animation so I can actually work there?"

I've realised that I'm driven by curiosity more than permanence. I enjoy travel, blogging and 'Ego Tripping' - I could be a journalist or a documentarian perhaps. Alas maybe my allergy to hard work and repetition dooms me to life as a "Big tourist".

More posts featuring David Brooks
- The "Haimish Line": Pixar and TroubleMaker Studios
- "Limerence": Snowboarding, Skating, Surfing, Christmas and Love
- The 'Social Animal' - Change your behaviour and you change your mind

Update:
Adam from The 'Disney, Etc.' blog lived the dream by touring Pixar. He has a great summary of the Pixar experience on his blog including a goal I can shoot for - Hooping at the Pixar basketball court. I'd like to sink a Hail Mary shot from where the Luxo ball is :)
Find the blog here - Disney, Etc.
pixar, basketball, disney, luxo

Feb 26, 2012

Home movies: Life isn't a movie

In honor of the Oscars:
Life isn't a movie and you can't really live a dream. If a movie or dream lasted as long as our lives, it would just be life. Movies and dreams by definition are simply moments in time.

Unless our lives are interesting enough for Hollywood to adapt into a movie, the only way we may ever see our story condensed would be the movie trailer we create when life flashes before our eyes just before we die.

a) Total Recall (1990)
b) Before Sunrise (1995)
c) Fight Club (1999)
d) Lost in Translation (2003)
e) Megamind (2010)

Find these movies referenced in the travel posts below:

a) Home Movies: 'Total Recall' - Ego Trip (A vacation from yourself)
b) Home Movies: 'Before Sunrise' - "I've never been anywhere" quote
c) Mixtape: 'Loz in Translation' Sampler (Spain)
d) Day 365: Life as a movie - Movie tropes and Travel cliches
e) Home Movies: 'Megamind' - Plastic drinking bird

Feb 20, 2012

A question answered with a quote: Comedy Podcasts

marc maron, pete holmes, you made it weird, comedy podcast
Comedians Marc Maron and Pete Holmes
When people get you
Traveling around Europe I enjoyed conversing with people. The most poignant exchanges would often make me cackle, I'd usually follow it up by typing it into my phone to later add to my compilation of quotes:
'You Made it Weird' with Pete Holmes: Episode 14 - Marc Maron
MARC MARON: (27m 30s) See, that's another thing I must envy . You are seriously innocent on some level. I think that what I must perceive as annoying might just be genuine exuberance at a colossal lack of experience
PETE HOLMES: Yeah, that's the retarded golden retriever. I really am kinda going around, pretty happy just sniffing stuff wondering what's going on

MARON: So life hasn't really fucked you?...
HOLMES: Yeah. Enough to make me creative. That's what I'm saying.
Then I look at you saying "Your humbling will be great" and I'm thinking "What's Marc talking about? (feigning obliviousness) Lollipops?"
MARON: No no, that was me being a mean, bullying snipe
HOLMES: You did know it would delight me though? You would have heard my cackling laugh as you closed the door

MARON: You have the sickness that I have. Its like when someone gets you, when someone can hone in. They've got your wiring somehow and they can hit your button. There's a joy in that pain...
I really appreciate the relationships with people, I like having my ass handed to me comedically. There's nothing more indicative of someone understanding you - because especially me "Noone really knows me, People judge me". Then I have these friends, guys that just hit me where it hurts with a joke. And I love it cuz it means that...
HOLMES: They know me
MARON: They know me. I'm not that weird. I'm not that mysterious.
Find the collection of quotables here:
- A question answered with a quote: German + Italian edition
- A question answered with a quote: Spain edition
- A question answered with a quote: Portugal edition
- A question answered with a quote: Holland Edition
- A question answered with a quote: UK Edition
- A question answered with a quote: Lithuania Edition
- A question answered with a quote: Latvia + Estonia edition
- A question answered with a quote: England edition
- A question answered with a quote: Germany Revisited edition
- A question answered with a quote: Turkey edition

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cool kids at a punk rock Flamenco show in Sevilla
Where people get you
In every place I'd visit I found myself looking for the same types of haunts I'd hit up when wandering around back home: Art galleries, Comic book shops, Independent record stores and Comedy clubs:
MARON: (31m 30s) I was never a disciplined person, I never did a lot of homework. I didn't understand how people compartmentalised their life... I was always on this search for a sense of self. From being a very young man I would just wander around. Find an area, I did it in High School with the University area. I'd go and hang out at the guitar place for a while... then I knew the guy at the bookstore. I'd spend my days making these rounds and hanging out with the people that I thought were impressive somehow and just sit there and talk for an hour.

I spent a lot of my life in conversation with people, sometimes with strangers. Just because that was nourishing and that was engaging. And that connection was great and I learnt about other people's lives
- Coolspotting in Sydney
- Coolspotting in Istanbul
- Coolspotting in Frankfurt and Barcelona
- Coolspotting in Netherlands
- Coolspotting in Netherlands Pt II
- Coolspotting: Nerding out in England - Comics, CosPlay, Video Games and Wrestling

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

How people get you
Brilliant podcasts and sharp comedy can really touch a nerve and cut straight to your being
HOLMES: (40m) Interrupting is how I listen. If i'm not interrupting you its because I'm not participating
MARON: Every conversation you have is about you. Whatever the other person is saying, they're just adding to the conversation about you that's about to happen
HOLMES: That's the worst way of looking at it but that is one interpretation
Find previous Marc Maron podcast references here:
- Adam Carolla - On being sedentary
- Doug Stanhope - On happiness
- Norm MacDonald - On being in the moment

Find previous Pete Holmes podcast references below:
Pete Holmes collection: Adjacent experiences
- Zach Cregger: Being a kid again and the power of "play"
- Matt Besser: Travel coincidences and Counting the serendipities
- Duncan Trussell: Traveling, living the dream and remembering it
- Kyle Kinane: Being excited everyday
- The Sklar Brothers: Performing, possibly failing - That's living the dream
- A question answered with a quote: Comedy Podcasts

Feb 19, 2012

'30 Home Games' to take centerstage for Loz in Transit

nba map, teams, cities, states
I launched this journal a year prior to my odyssey so there's no lack of inspiration to be found in Sydney. More that my focus will be transferred to the '30 Home Games' blog.

30HG was a Basketball blog launched in Vilnius, Lithuania during EuroBasket 2011. I achieved my goal to have a basketball experience in each European Country I set foot in and wanted to replicate the same in America. Instead of creating content through my experiences traveling and meeting people, I will achieve it through the analogy of Basketball.

If I had to describe my ambition it would be to apply the curiosity and exploration found in Louis Thoreaux's Weird Weekends documentary series but rather than BBC credentials I hope to use my blog as the passport. I was able to glimpse this style of traveling via Ego-Tripping but hope to delve even deeper with preparation.

30 home games, logo, nba, travelingFind 30 Home Games content here:
- Introducing the new 'LozinTransit' blog - "30 Home games"
- FAQ: Questions I Frequently ask myself
- 30HG on Twitter
- 30HG on Blogger
- 30HG on Facebook
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nba, western conference, pacific, northwestern, southwesternExplore my to-do list for the States of the Western Conference
1) Northwest Division
Colorado | Minnesota | Oklahoma | Oregon | Utah
2) Pacific Division
Arizona | California
3) Southwest Division
New Orleans | Tennessee | Texas

Feb 14, 2012

Home Music: Songs to be happy to (First impressions, Last show)

My farewell music Soundtrack was titled 'Last time, First lines' so its fitting I herald my return home with first impressions. Its with sad news that I farewell 'Thursday' as they perform their final dates. I reminisced about Sage Francis as I watched him at his final Sydney show. I hope to pay the same tribute for one of my favourite bands but unfortunately the price is too steep, especially for a return traveler as broke as myself.

In fact that has sadly been the glaring impression upon returning to Sydney, how expensive things are and how much cost of living has risen. I won't fall into the trap of idealism and "good old days" revisionism however. If travel has taught me anything its that we have to face and negotiate around the reality presented to us.

Thursday will be supported by another of my favourite bands, 'Saves the Day'. I've seen both bands before so I have no overwhelming regret. I've devoted my ears to podcasts the last few years, rarely listening to music or going to shows. It would have been good to pay my respects to the band but I shall instead offer it with this heartfelt post. I hope you can *Pay* the respects for me.

Thursday are performing two dates in Australia
'Thursday' with supports 'Saves The Day' & 'Circa Survive'
Mon 27 Feb (Lic/AA) - Metro Theatre, Sydney
Wed 29 Feb (18+) - Billboard, Melbourne (Sold out)

VIDEO: 'At your Funeral' by Saves the Day


VIDEO: 'War All The Time' by Thursday

Thank You (press release excerpt)
Well, if you’ve been touched by our music or our dedication or our embarrassingly out-of-fashion sincerity, then this is for you, friend: thank you for letting us make No DevoluciĆ³n. We hope you’ve heard it. We say “beg, borrow or steal… music is an idea… ideas are free” but we encourage you to support our fantastically sweet and hardworking label, Epitaph, by buying it if you can afford to.

Despite the fantastic year that the band has enjoyed, creatively, things haven’t been as easy for us on a personal level... We haven’t had any falling out and are all still close...

Underneath it all, the personal circumstances involved make it impossible to continue Thursday in the spirit that has made it special. So, we stop. For now, at least.
- Find the entire 'Road Music' Track listings here
- Thursday featured as one of New Year's anthems here
Punk rock found on the road
- The kids are alright: Subculture in the South of Spain
- Tudo Bom: The first 3 days in Portugal (3 of 3)
- Road Music: Hipsters and Hardcore in Lisboa, Portugal

Feb 10, 2012

Two words: “I'm Back” - 30HomeGames in the 2013 NBA season?

<< crossposted on the '30 Home Games' blog

jordan, comeback, headline, i'm back
The Next Chapter
LozinTransit released a press statement which consisted of two words, "I'm Back". The Bohemian retired from his EuroTrip on February 11, 2012 after spending close to 380 days abroad. LozinTransit had a great year and has expressed looking forward to spending time with family and is grateful to the people who made his trip so special. He plans to continue his creative pursuits and will focus his energy on his latest project, the 30HomeGames NBA Roadtrip.

'30HG' was an endeavour launched in September of 2011 during the European Basketball Championships in Lithuania. After a successful run finding basketball experiences around Europe, LozinTransit has set his sights on accomplishing the same feat by visiting all 30 NBA Cities of the United States.

'30 Home Games' retired jersey,
presented at the Basketball tribute corner .
After having a basketball experience in the dozen+ countries visited, LozinTransit retired his European Jersey in a Ceremony in Hamburg, Germany at the end of 2011. A Charity basketball event is scheduled at some point for 2012.

Feb 7, 2012

Road Music: Songs to be happy to (Last time, First lines)

Its the final few moments before I head home after a year+ of travel. I've been humming these songs in my head, more specifically the opening lines as they capture my current homeward bound mood.

VIDEO: 'Juicy' by Notorious B.I.G.

"It was all a dream..."

I feel like I've lived a dream, the more I speak with others the more I've realised its human nature to build things up in your head. It might seem like a movie trope/travel cliche but it truly was a great year. During the course of my trip I learnt the gravity of being in the moment and that living is already the dream.

A Punk Rock title, a reference to Istanbul and my current catchphrase.
All the layers on one shirt.
I spotted this T-Shirt at an Istanbul Mens store. Not sure if they knew it was Punk Band (New Found Glory) merch, I think they were just stocking it because of the famed Turkish Video Game character "Bald Bull" of NES Classic 'Mike Tyson's Punch Out'.

A Zeitgeist photoshoot
On my last week in Europe, I found a photoshoot promo in the London NikeTown as part of the #MakeitCount campaign gearing up for their 2012 Olympics. I posed for a photo and was asked to write up a slogan for motivation. LL Cool J's iconic intro had been stuck in my head all week

VIDEO: 'Mama Said Knock You Out' by LL Cool J
"Don't call it a comeback..."

I started this blog during my 'Yes-Man year' leading up to my year of travel. All the great results from my trip I believe came as a result of the energy I adopted and grew into back home in Sydney. I like to think of it as "taking awesomeness on the road", I'm simply returning it to where it began - At home and within.

- Find the entire 'Road Music' Track listings here