Around the World is now on youtube and
videos.antville.org

Please view it there, and leave your comments.

Here’s another one, my favorite from the bunch. What if, hypothetically speaking, I were to create a website called baghead.com (which I’m pretty sure is already taken), in which people take pictures of themselves with bags over their heads in front of national monuments?

Last week we decided to do some experimental photography. We went to 7-11 and got these paper bags. The man behind the counter charged us for them and I started bargaining with him until I eventually put a 5 dollar bill down on the table. He shoved it back and politely replied in a heavy accent. “Just kidding man.” J Kim (now known as forehead) took these photographs.

Today was eventful; a day undeniably the opposite of what you would call frivolous. We decided to go hiking so we headed over to the El Camino Real, the path followed by the late, great Gaspar de Portola. The sun was high in the sky and the day looked beautiful. We looked at pretty flowers, crossed cute little bridges over small creeks, and even played tag and lied down on hills overlooking other hills.

“Hey Nature Boy,” I exclaimed, looking at Derek Birdsell, as he cleared brush with his rugged outfit of khaki shorts and bear chest. “It’s getting pretty late and Garden Wok (the restaurant I wanted to eat at) is closing soon. Don’t you think we should head out of these here woods before that there sun goes yonder over those hills?” He looked at me. Cold and stern. “No.” He led us through some more brush and before you knew it we were toppling down large hills, completely off course.

At this point in the day, the backpack Robert Nichols was sporting was completely out of water bottles, Nakisa had run ahead with Ryan, and Kia was somewhere in the middle, running to safety. I should also mention that at this point the sun had set and things were getting pretty shady. This left Robert, Derek (Nature Boy), and me as we walked back to our cars to go to dinner. I forgot what we were talking about but it’s not really important because I pretty much don’t remember anything that happened within these few transition minutes.

As we continued walking I had my right foot hovering about 2 inches above a coiled rope. However, this coiled rope had a rattle and immediately jumped up and struck at my leg (missing me by a mere centimeter) as the rope hissed with mouth completely open. What did I do? I ran.

I ran for dear life as a million thoughts rushed through my head. Most of these thoughts were snake related. I ran so far and so fast and then I looked back up at Robert and Derek; they were practically holding hands. For the first time all day, I saw something I had never seen before. Nature Boy was scared.

As I was running, I got a phone call. It was my mother. Breathing hard, I answered. “I can’t talk now mom, I’m hiking and I just got attacked by a snake bye.” I hung up. It occured to me that she probably thought I was dying or something but I decided I might as well give her the news early if that snake gets me on the way back.

So I ran back up the hill. I looked at Robert. “Let’s hold hands,” he said. I said, “Ok.” We held hands and then immediately realized the awkwardness of the situation. “1…2…3…” We ran. We ran and we didn’t look back. We got to our cars and I told the story I am now telling you to Ryan, Nakisa, and Kia. I am writing this still covered in mud and fox tails.

Nature Loves You,
Abteen

This is me at Amoeba Music in Hollywood, purchasing the Neutral Milk Hotel album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Photo credit: Brenda Rosenthal.

Misty mouth, originally uploaded by abteen.

This is Misty. She’s a dog. She sometimes falls asleep with something in her mouth. In this case, she has fallen asleep with a piece of paper in her mouth. Why am I posting a picture of Misty? To try out the flickr.com blog option of course.

· Last night I saw Scoop, the new Woody Allen film, with Brenda Rosenthal.

This movie has it all: murder, suspense, comedy, beautiful women, magic tricks, love, and Woody Allen babbling like a small child. Like all Woody Allen films, it has had limited advertising and publicity but it is probably playing at a theater near you. So go check it out and laugh, cry, sigh, and lie … to your wife.

· I’m trying this new vegeterian-esque lifestyle, and by esque I mean I don’t eat meat while I’m with Brenda. You should all try it some time.

· In other news, Super Smash Bros has taken over the lives of my friends and me in the last month or so.

So you won’t hear from me until I die. In smash bros. Which is hardly ever. Well actually it’s a lot of the time.