Killing Batteries

Did you know that I juggle? Yep. Since I was 12 years old. Related, I did not first kiss a girl until much later than the average guy.

Last week I went to the International Jugglers’ Association annual festival for the first time in a decade. While I was there I decided to shoot a video profile on the festival for kicks and to have an excuse to shamelessly show off my dope juggling skillz. Here’s the result.

Semi-related, here’s a video starring Steve Birmingham and I doing what we do best: uniquely ungraceful, yet lively six club passing.

Pretty self-explanatory.

If you can’t see the video or if YouTube is blocking it in your country, try here.

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During my (fleeting) downtime in Timisoara, I went around the city making a spectacle of myself for the locals while shooting my (abridged) retelling of the events of the 1989 Revolution. Check it.

Bucharest has precious few, outdoor, calm retreats from the frantic drivers and crowded sidewalks. Here’s one, with atmosphere to boot.

It wasn’t an easy drive, but me and a merry band of Moldovans road-tripped up to Soroca last week and I took some gripping video.

Using my faithful Dacia Logan, I test the magnetic properties of a notorious hill in central Moldova. There’s really not much more to add. You gotta see it to believe it.

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Anyone who’s every spoken to me for more than seven minutes knows that I reap the same warm, comforting feelings from the Minneapolis Skyway system as most people would experience on a quiet, tropical beach. Moving into a Skyway-connected building instantly transformed my outlook on Minnesota winters – in that winter was no longer my problem.

As such, I hatched this tribute video. [If you can't see the video, click here]

I had a lot of help making this video. Foremost thanks goes to Kaeti Hinck, who probably spent more time working on this thing than I did, and whose directing, editing and creative input significantly affected its overall awesomeness. Thanks also goes to actors Rachel Hunsinger and Jill Wigert.

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I’m often reverently described as a modern Renaissance Man, to which I always answer, ‘Damn straight, mom!” So in case any of you were curious about what the 2008 version of a Renaissance Man looks like, I present you with the following evidence.

First, going straight to Renaissance Ground Zero, the long awaited video where I semi-coherently describe Florence:

Of course, no Renaissance Man is complete without some sort of circus skill, so here’s a video of me doing what we in juggling refer to as ‘passing clubs’. (there’s several guys in this video, I’m the cutest one, obviously):

Finally, lest any of you forget, I make a mean omelet:

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Way back in February, I taped a few destination pieces for Lonely Planet TV while I was their guest in San Francisco. The Tuscany video went online today. (If, like me, your blog reader doesn’t show the embedded video, click here.)

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I apologize in advance for the length, but not really. I vblog like I write – it’s either 2,000 words or nothing at all.

[Cross-posted at This is Why I Love Minneapolis]