One of my best friends zipped me a copy of a video today that has just blown my mind. This video is simply called Dancing – and it follows a guy named Matt Harding as he travels the globe and does just that – dances. Matt dances with everyone, everywhere – from Zulu Warriors to folks in New York and from the Red Light Districts of Vietnam to zero gravity. My friend, who is a film editor, sent it to me to point out the beauty in the simplicity. While that’s true there is just so much more to this video than the technical aspects. This is one of the most moving and beautiful things I’ve ever see. I’m not a super emotional man, but I was moved to tears of joy while I watched this. And not just the first time I saw it.

This video is really all about the shared experiences that we (human beings) have. It’s about the commonalities that make us people. Despite language, location and the myriad differences we have – there are more basic and inherent feelings and experiences shared between us. From now on if I get down about terrorists in the news, or wars, or any of the day-to-day crap that we are fed by our news outlets, all I have to do is turn on this video to remember that people are basically all the same.

And I’m really jealous. I have done a good bit of traveling in my day – more than 30 countries. But this just relight my fire – it’s time for me to get back out there. If you’ve never left the U.S., just go and do it! I know I will. Asia and Australia are still on my to-do list.

Thanks so much to my good friend Nathan for showing me this. If you want to follow Matt Harding – he’s a really interesting guy with some cool looking future projects – check him out here.

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Home to an endangered specie of flea

To be completely honest with you, I don’t obsess too much about people’s personal hygiene habits. As long as I can’t smell you and I can’t see you, I don’t really care.

Don’t get me wrong here – I support bathing and flossing and washing your clothes and pretty much that whole regiment of making yourself presentable. If the Air Force taught me anything it was that cleansliness is important, especially when there are 80 guys living in a dorm together.

Having said that though, I realize the homeless struggle with these neccesities because, obviously, they are homeless. I mean, they charge folks to bathe at the truck stop or to get a room at the YMCA even. If I saw this poor soul, or if anyone else does – give him/her/it a few bucks to get a quick shower…and haircut. (Alright, maybe more than a few bucks to get someone to cut these dreads!)

So I’m in Atlanta for the next few days working on a new web project that I think has a ton of potential. I’ve been on camera tonight making a huge fool of myself, which I’m sure everyone (except me) will laught at one day soon. I’d tell you more about it, but I’m not allowed to disclose much about what we’re up too until it launches. Also they haven’t told me everything about it….so I don’t even know all the ins and outs. I guess it’s one of those ‘need to know basis’ things – and I don’t need to know.

Anyway, I hope it all plays out like I want it to, and maybe I’ll end up here in Atlanta for good. I could use the change. It’s always good to shake things up a little bit and get reinvigorated about life. That sounds like what I need. That or a chuckabowkoo – def. a swift spiritual kick to the head that alters one’s reality forever. (Courtesy of John Cusak in Gross Pointe Blank.)

So that’s where it stands at this moment. I’ll be filming more in the morning, so I’ll see if I can get a clip or a screenshot or something to send across for everyone to check out. Until then, take it easy!

Logitech Orbit QuickCam

I went out a few days ago and picked up a really cool (and somewhat pricey), shiny new toy – the LogiTech Orbit Quickcam AF. I don’t really know why I bought it. I think I just wanted to spend some money and try out some new gear. I mean, it did give me something to do. Besides, I have a few plans.

I have to start off by saying that I’ve never owned a webcam before. Something about my computer watching me kind of freaks me out a bit. And the cam doesn’t comfort me much in that regard. It has a setting that causes the camera to follow you around the room – I swear the thing has a mind of its own. Needless to say, watching porn at the computer is out of the question. Not that I ever did that, though…

I dabbled a bit with Oovoo and a couple other chat clients that can use the cam and so far so good. I actually shot a video message off to an old friend on FaceBook just a few minutes ago and all went well. So now I guess I can start sending out some video blogs so you all can see my pretty mug. Contain your excitement!

If anybody out there uses their webcams, give me a shout. We can chat and maybe I’ll think of some really cool, creative way to get my $100 back out of this thing.

I've got a master's in horribleness...

So I stumbled across this strange little 42-minute musical, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, starring Neil Patrick Harris. It’s a story that’s all about love, hate, loss and superheroes. (Who didn’t see that coming?) It is a really cool little film and you can check it out for free until midnight tomorrow. It was a side project several writers from Buffy the Vampire fame worked on during the writer’s strike. It’s a little of the beaten path, but very, very cool. Check it out for free while you can – come Monday you’ll have to buy it in the iTunes store.

Here’s what gangsta’ rap sounded like back when I was growing up courtesy of the S.S. Posse. And now you know why I’m SO hard! Schizzle my nizzle!

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Warcraft account….$17.99 a month.

Buying 5000 gold from Chineses farmers for flying mount….$175.76

One-hour session with a shrink to discuss game addiction…$75

The Onion lampooning us for being geeks…PRICELESS!

Someone had WAY to much free time on his hands…an oldie but a goodie!

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Errrr….I finally got my new iPhone update this morning. The problem was that it ‘bricked’ my phone for most of the day. So I was frustrated to say the least. I did get up and running at about 6 p.m. and it is freakin’ sweet! The Twitter and Facebook apps are stellar. Twitteriffic is just great. I already have a quickly growing unhealthy addiction to Twitter, this app is going to just push me right over the edge.

There are several really nice looking games out as well, something the iPhone has been sorely missing. Since you pay for most of them I’ll just wait until more reviews are in. If anyone has purchased any drop me a note and let me know what ya’ think.

Despite the fact Apple dropped the ball a bit with the planning and implementation of this whole thing, I am still satisfied and impressed. I am up-to-date. That makes me so happy, I could…well, do what this guy did.

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Show me the IPhone!

So I was stoked about the new IPhone coming out. Well, not really the new phone itself. Honestly, I don’t use my first generation IPhone for surfing enough to justify spending a LOT more money on a faster data speed. And the Global Positioning System, well….it doesn’t even do turn-by-turn directions. I don’t need a GPS that’s sole purpose is to monitor my movements. That’s just creepy.

On the flip side I am extremely excited about the software upgrade to 2.0. The application store is open and I’ve downloaded the apps I want, but my stinkin’ phone hasn’t updated yet! THANKS A LOT APPLE! I love your product, and you have great support…but don’t toy with my emotions by letting me download software that I can’t use on the device. It should all just come out at once, right? Maybe I need to just step away from the CPU for a bit.

If anyone cares about the release of the new phone, stores in the U.S. will be opening in about one hour on the east coast. You can check out non-stop coverage by the Grand-Poobah of Geeks, Leo Laporte. He’s been streaming video since 1 p.m. yesterday and is still going strong – 24 straight hours of IPhone coverage! It’s Geek heaven! Check him out a Tech Guy Labs.