Oddity Odysseys
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      • Nike Missile Site LA-96C
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      • The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
    • 2016 Episodes >
      • The Laguna Beach Pirate Tower
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THE HIKING EFFECT

6/15/2017

6 Comments

 
Before I moved to Los Angeles, I never hiked. I did not start hiking until I met Drew. For our third date he wanted to hike to the Hollywood sign. After secretly panicking and wanting to impress, I invested in some hiking clothes. Sitting atop the mountainside behind an “L” of the Hollywood sign, I fell in love with hiking. What a concept! If one can move one’s arms and legs, every inch of this city is reachable! 

Hiking is also a way to immerse in nature while still in an urban city. L.A. is famous for traffic, rambunctious people and congested streets. Hiking to Cave of Munits or Escondido falls, is a way to drink in some fresh air, enjoy the mist of a waterfall and have no cellphone reception. People are different on a hike than in the city. Everyone you pass on a trail smiles and says “Hello”. Imagine if you were walking down Hollywood Blvd and everyone smiled and said “Hello”. I call this, the Hiking Effect. Maybe those of us who hike can bring the patience, consideration and kindness back to the boisterous streets. 

It is healing to stand on a high peak in Griffith Park at night and see the city’s beautiful lights. A reset button gets pushed and the traffic on the way home is bearable. Now it’s not all Instagram worthy and easy. Hiking is work. Drew and I had to hike to film about 80% of our show. We hiked five miles into the ten miles to reach the Bridge to Nowhere. But it was a scorching summer day in August and we did not have enough water. I remember the final stretch before the car. Water seemed like a distant dream, my head was pounding in my ears and I kept looking at the ground at my feet willing them to move. The next time we went we were much more prepared. 

I also learned that hiking is such an “L.A.” thing! There are several hiking groups with people of all ages, shapes, sizes and race. Drew and I have made friends with the good folks of L.A. Trail Hikers and all because of the simple concept of: You can use your body to walk and hike through this city and realign with your core and connect with others because everything else is behind you when you hike. 


So, hiking. I’m a fan. 
6 Comments

WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT YOUTUBE

4/29/2017

8 Comments

 
​Before we created “Oddity Odysseys”, I was not savvy to the world of YouTube. I had no account and would maybe watch an occasional movie trailer, cat video or The X-files bloopers. That was over a year ago. Since then, my knowledge of that Red-Play-Button Logo has blossomed and while there is much left to explore, here are a few things I’ve learned about YouTube.

Anyone can create a YouTube Channel. 

It never dawned on me that human beings posted the videos I watched. They don’t appear on their own from the social media gods?? Nope. Those posting are Channel Owners. 

According to YouTube Help: Once you have a Google account you: 1.) Sign into YouTube 2.)Go to Channel List 3.)Click “Create a new channel” 4.) Fill out the details to name your new channel and verify your account. Then click “done”. 

With the revelation that these creative souls were the ones posting content I had a new appreciation for YouTube. One does not have to go through the stress of pitching show ideas to Networks, one can post content themselves. It allows an open platform for those with cameras, phones, drones and ideas to allow everyone on the web to see their vision. It is a wonderful concept. 

However, there are vulgar videos and content that I do not find entertaining. I tend to not spend a click of them and watch what interests me, but there are others out there who show their distaste with distasteful comments. Which is another thing I’ve learned about YouTube. 

Cyberbullying and harassment on YouTube are alive and well.  

Drew and I are not naive enough to think everyone who watches our videos are going to like them. (They SHOULD, they’re amazing!) But there are those out there who hide behind their computer screens and keyboards and throw slander and insults in the comments section. Luckily, as a Channel Mediator, we’re allowed to block, remove and flag unwanted comments. But first, we still have to read them. Drew once said “Par for the course.” Took me a while to accept this and not slash back at those spewing poison. Then I realized: those people are cowards. They’re hiding behind a screen all day watching YouTube while we’re out there creating, living and experiencing. And now when I see hateful, spiteful and uncalled-for comments towards fellow YouTubers videos and fellow commenters, I try to think of a nice comment to post for them. YouTube can show ugliness at times due to the people who try to spread hate, but it also has it’s rewards. Which leads me to the most recent thing I learned about YouTube.

 YouTube has it’s own recognition program! 

It’s called the YouTube Creator Awards. The tagline for these awards is: “Build your audience and be recognized for your success”. This whole time I thought the viewers and subscribers were the reward. YouTube created this program to inspire and empower their channel owners. The program has three levels which bestows three different plaques to creators. The Silver Play Button plaque (Silver-plated) is awarded to those who reach one hundred thousand subscribers. The Gold Play Button plaque (Gold-plated, not solid…darn) is awarded to those who reach one million subscribers. And the holiest of all holy grails is the Diamond Play button. The Diamond marks the feat of a channel owner reaching an astonishing 10 million subscribers. Each time Drew and I earn a new subscriber, we celebrate. Not one goes unnoticed and unappreciated. While we’re far from a play button plaque to hang on the wall, it is a goal to stride towards. As for now, thank you to all the YouTube Channel owners for your entertaining content. Thank you to everyone who gives our videos a thumb up or leaves a pleasant comment. And thank you to all the viewers and subscribers for giving our channel some legs to walk on through the map of the YouTube world. We appreciate you all. 
8 Comments

THE PEE MONSTER

4/7/2017

8 Comments

 
I wanted to take this time to discuss an issue. An issue that plagues all, shows no remorse and causes one of the most frustrating obstacles during shooting. 
The need to pee.

Once it begins, it will not unclench it’s hold from your body until freed. It starts slowly too. Slightly uncomfortable. Then causes you to twist your legs in the car. Then causes you to hold out the seatbelt (like THAT’s going to help) then suddenly it’s ALL you can think about. Conversation, hunger and seeing your surroundings become void. 

It’s horrific when you drink as much water and coffee as I do. It’s a catch-22. I need water and coffee to hydrate and make me flip the switch from robot to human being. Plus, it’s healthy to pee often. It rids your body of toxins and prevents those burning, tormenting and punishing UTI’s. 

Each shoot has been unique in when and where I had to pee. On hikes such as Murphy’s Ranch and the Bridge to Nowhere, it was acceptable to pop an unladylike squat because….nature. It’s what all hikers do. However, needing to pee for Bridge to Nowhere came with a certain trauma since Drew was on “guard” and happened to find a rattlesnake. At least I discovered NOT to pee there!  

The Dominator was tricky. The Pee Monster began right as we got out of the car. And not a bathroom in sight. In hiking to the shipwreck ruins, one has to keep a close eye on the ground due to slippery rocks. I was not about to try to pee and slip to my death or have THAT second be the second someone from a boat saw me through their binoculars! 

Drew was a trooper then too. He held out having to pee (Damn men with their designed TO pee pants and perfect aim and having it be publicly acceptable) and even said,  “I’ll pee when you get to pee!”. It didn’t last long. But I don’t blame him. 

He even brought me a she-wee. Considerate and practical gift. But it tends to just take care of the aim. My biggest concern (having to drop my pants) is still something that cannot be avoided. 
So, a big thanks to all the Starbucks, Walgreens, Gas stations ,(not the ones that asked for a quarter, that WAS their “thanks”) CVS’s and random porter potties for letting me relieve myself from evil. I appreciate you more than I will ever be able to express. 

As for a solution: We’ve taken the time to map out places to pee before/during/after the shoot. It’s also been suggested that I cut back on the coffee…… Ahem. Yeah. Right. ​
8 Comments

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  • New Episodes
  • Adventure Archive
    • 2023 Episodes >
      • Zzyzx
    • 2022 Episodes >
      • The Salton Sea Naval Base
      • Desert Christ Park
      • Rubel Castle
      • The Radford Art Walk
      • George Air Force Base
      • The Cal-Earth Institute
      • The Venice Canals
      • Mount Rubidoux
      • Queen Califia's Magical Circle
      • Scary Dairy
      • Fort MacArthur
      • Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch
    • 2020 Episodes >
      • The Lummis Castle
      • The Sky Slide
      • The Galleta Meadows Sculptures
      • Burro Schmidt Tunnel
      • The Global Angel Wings Project
      • The Topanga Time Tunnel
      • Solstice Canyon
      • The Kea Mill
      • Tankland
      • Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village
      • Cabot's Pueblo
    • 2019 Episodes >
      • The Shoemaker Tunnels
      • The Canned Heat Suicide House
      • Angels Flight
      • Echo Mountain
      • Amir's Garden
      • The Amboy Crater
      • Hazel's Volcanic Gardens
      • East Jesus
      • Rock-a-Hoola Waterpark
      • The Mojave Lava Tube
      • The Mosaic Tile House
      • The Krampus Run
    • 2018 Episodes >
      • Devil's Gate Dam
      • Salvation Mountain
      • The Cat House
      • The Sutro Bath Ruins
      • Bring Your Own Big Wheel
      • The Wave Organ
      • The Bay Bridge Troll
      • The Peephole Cinema
      • Nike Missile Site LA-88L
      • The High Tower Elevator
    • 2017 Episodes >
      • The Bridge to Nowhere
      • The Musical Road
      • The Old Los Angeles Zoo
      • The St. Francis Dam
      • Phantasma Gloria
      • The Sunken City
      • Nike Missile Site LA-96C
      • The Prohibition Tunnels
      • Vasquez Rocks
      • Big Horn Mine
      • The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
    • 2016 Episodes >
      • The Laguna Beach Pirate Tower
      • The Great Wall of Los Angeles
      • Murphy's Ranch
      • The Chemosphere
      • The Los Feliz Murder Mansion
      • The Music Box Steps
      • Bronson Cave
      • The Shakespeare Bridge
      • The S.S. Dominator Shipwreck
      • The Last Bookstore
      • Picnic Table #29
  • Map
  • Contact Us