Nothing I can
write to you is gonna keep you from thinking I'm not a
little nuts. In my mind, the series of events that
lead to this make all the sense in the world - but as
I've started to put them in order for this entry I'm
realizing this is gonna seem like an insane risk to
the majority of you. And, as the following picture
clearly shows:
...that point
isn't lost on me either. So here it is: For the entire
month of June I will be in 5 other countries including
England, France, Italy, Germany and Kenya. Yes
that Kenya in Africa. If you ever wondered what
it felt like to leverage a small fortune you
don't have on credit because you believe
it will end up paying dividends afterwards - it goes
something like this:
If your computer
can handle it (meaning it doesn't stutter once it's
loaded) click the "HD" button...
incredible.
So Adam... what,
the, fuck? Here's the series of events - tell me if
you wouldn't do the same thing:
-Linda is in
India and has been trying to get me to come out
there for months. India is a pretty dirty place,
with very little that even remotely interests me.
How she's been there since February is beyond me.
It hasn't stopped her from trying to dream up an
adventure for us to go on. She's making a living
doing video journalism and actually making quite a
name for herself. Just sold a piece to the Wall
Street Journal online. As I mentioned in one of the
Inauguration entries... girl is just inspiring man.
She just up and DOES it. She will most
definitely be a lifelong friend and I love
seeing what she'll get into next. I however have 2
mortgages and can't just get up and leave for a
month.
-I have a
project that I'm going to be announcing in a couple
months that is quasi-forcing me to make this year
special. Hard to explain without giving it away,
but I am gearing up for the 10 year
anniversary and I have been trying desperately to
make shit happen. If the 4-Square didn't prove
that, what will right? The thought of doing another
"Japan" type trip has been brewing in my mind,
but I just cannot afford it.
-Linda tells
me, she has work for us - if I meet her in
Africa. It isn't even enough money to cover even a
week's worth of work here, but it is something...
and I ponder it a bit...
-Andrew IMs me
and says he can't believe the rates for overseas
tickets. He's finding all sorts of round trips to
europe for $550 to $800. They were nearly double
that a couple years ago... and man... my head
starts to spin. I start lookin' up flights and I
start seein' it come together. I tell him what I'm
thinking and he straight up says: "Dude, if you do
that I'll paypal you $100 immediately just to
read/watch the entries."
-I start to see
that getting to Africa from Europe is actually
pretty cheap and I start to scheme. Skype with
Linda and she can feel that my heart is jumping.
She thinks we can make more money doing more pieces
once she tells everyone we're there. With her
journalism contacts and my "1st video blogger"
moniker, as a tandem we make an attractive
team.
-Meanwhile the
4-square thing blows up and I'm meeting with Atom
Films. I was going to just pitch the 4-square idea,
and maybe The Egos... but it occurs to me that they
may be interested in "The Journey". Especially if
the 1st video blogger ever is going to Africa. If I
can promise them certain types of videos, some
songs, some political stuff, some funny stuff -
hell perform in some cafe in Italy... they just
might buy a couple videos - and I just might be
able to break even here.
-I throw a
status on Facebook: "Adam Kontras is asking - does
anyone need a house to rent in LA for the month of
June?" and within 3 hours I find a friend who is
moving out here at the end of May with a buddy and
would need a place for a month while they find a
permanent home.
...so just how
many more things have to align before I just say
"fuck it" and run with it? It will end up being a
fortune, it will come out of my home equity line, it's
absolutely a hail mary... but honestly? What do you
guys care? How freaking cool is the month of June
gonna be? As an actual fan of following this story
(even though it's mine) I want to see it happen - and
now it's happening.
I am jumping off
the cliff and finding the pieces of the parachute on
the way down - and I've already gotten enough pieces
that I'm going to land relatively safely. Oh, I may
break a few legs at this point, but I'm not gonna
die... but potentially? This could change my entire
life. If Atom Films sees the value in this? If the
pieces Linda and I put together give us recognition?
There's so much potential for this trip to change my
entire life and the coolest part? It's 100% from
Facebook and Journey fans. I'm actually going to be
able to meet my German Journey Player! Linda is from
Facebook as well. For all the flack I caught for
"adding people I don't know" (and you cannot fuckin'
fathom how much I get) I have opened up my entire
life, made unbelieveable friends/contacts and am now
choreographing an adventure completely from the "add"
button. So call me a Facebook whore.
...just learn how
to say it in French, Italian and German BITCHES.
'Cause I'm goin' 'round the world - couch surfin' all
the way and taking all of you with me.
