Monday, September 13, 2004
Not that it's anything out of the ordinary — it seems to happen every time I leave town — but my email crashed within a day of leaving so now I've got an immense download. I hugely upgraded my spam filters though so it's only 10,000 emails, most of which will be legitimate I imagine.
There will be an experience update later today, an image update on Wednesday, a BME/extreme update on Thursday, and then a video interview posting on Friday… Lots of work to get caught up on, and I came up with a few really cool ideas for IAM software upgrades as well when I was gone.
Saturday, September 11, 2004
I've been seeing a lot of tattooed people while I'm here — I guess it is true that one in seven Americans are tattooed. Lots of big forearm pieces and quite a lot of nape work as well — although what's most interesting to me is that I can probably count the number of pierced people I've seen on one hand. Tons of tattoos, but no piercings…
The other thing we've seen that surprised me was having people in the audience at Zumanity (more) storm out after the “gay” scene (which was basically two guys fighting a la capoeira and then at the end they kissed) — although no one was bothered by the girl-girl action it seems. I liked Zumanity but it was really unsophisticated and dumbed down in comparison to Alegria.
Our (very obviously gay) concierge was telling us that the show actually was much more risque in the past but they had to cut it out because so many people complained or left during the show… I guess it surprised me because Canada is such a gay-positive place on the whole (even my small town highschool fifteen years ago had openly gay teachers), but now I understand that people here really do hate homosexuals for some strange reason.
Not that they have a problem with depravity (other than the dudes with the Jesus/Sin bilboards in front of the Bellagio I guess) — the “escorts to your hotel in thirty minutes” services and the in-room strippers seem to be doing very well — and getting the most mainstream of customers if the card-advertisers on the street are any indication. We're off to see a magic show tonight with Rachel's continued Big Wheel of Gold winnings, and then tomorrow we fly back.
In the right photo (the Luxor one), check out the dude staring at us. Just can't get away from it I suppose. Staff here are incredibly nice, but tourists are looky-loos anywhere you go in the world… I still want to make the shirt that says “If you're not interesting enough to talk about yourself, talk about me” on it, but it's a knockoff of a tattoo shop shirt I saw a decade ago and I'm not sure if I'd feel too guilty ripping it off. Rachel proposed a more blunt version (which i think I'm about to misquote):
“If you're staring at me, fuck off.”
Thursday, September 9, 2004
Just finished a video interview (and lunch) with BadApple, so expect that to be posted some time probably at the end of next week… Also just finished reading Lionhearts: Heroes of Israel which I really enjoyed, and I definitely recommend to anyone with an interest in revolutionary struggles, sovereignty, or Zionism in general. It's of course a very pro-Israel book, but it really gave me some different ways to look at the whole mess (and it's a very inspiring book in general).
Wednesday, September 8, 2004
No, I'm not (yet) in a US immigration gulag.
It was strange crossing the border — I was like the “anti-random search”. Every single other person had to take their shoes off. Every other person was asked all sorts of questions and had their electronics swabbed down. I wasn't photo'd, fingerprinted, or asked anything at all… literally just waved through which was an experience I haven't had in a while.
Rachel's meetings in LA went far better than expected and now we're in Nevada… Anyway, just wanted to post so people weren't worried I'd been arrested!
Tuesday, September 7, 2004
I wasn't entirely sure if there was going to be enough in the queue to do a full experience update, but all fears abated there are 145 new stories posted. Thanks to the writers and review team, and to Kivaka for the cover shot of thomasj (bored at work).
I've got some more work to do today before I take off, but Rachel's already (well, she will be in an hour) in Los Angeles so I've got to remember the white rabbit's fears — No time to say 'Hello,' 'Goodbye.' — and hurry up. If you need to reach me while I'm gone just send me an IM or email me at bmezine@gmail.com (which I only use for travelling really). Oh, that reminds me, I have seven gmail invites. If you want a gmail account, just send me an IM with your name and current email and I'll shoot one your way.
I have a big stack of paperwork that will hopefully keep me out of trouble at the border, so with luck I won't end up in some detention centre… I guess if you don't see me post here for 48 hours you can start assuming that happened after all.
Finally, more fanmail:
Fuck you all my story was fine who gives a shit if "I" put i in lowercase everybody knows what it mean oh and fuck your stupid ass 800 word count thats bullshit anyways by the way whoever said that it is unsafe to strech your ears too fast and ill find that out soon enough can eat my nuts cuz my ears are fine and if nothing to a 2g is too fast for you shitheads whats this whole scalping from nothing to a 00g about yeah so what it was done in my bathroom instead at tattoo shop who cares well what i guess i am saying is that it was stupid of yall to denie me for the reasons yall did and i dont realy give a shit so in all fuck off (oh did you notice there was no capital words and it is all a run on sentence) bitches
love always the 17 yr old punk
