My Blog

In “Cooking With Werner”, Part One. Special guest: Scott Rodgers as Jim Jarmusch!

Also, we’re written up on the Mental Floss website right now! Check it out:

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/31441

Cooking With Werner, Part 1 of 2 - watch more funny videos

Here is some more info on the real Herzog: http://www.wernerherzogeatstheworld.com/Reel%20Herzog.html and http://www.wernerherzog.com/

Be sure to click “Funny” if you liked it.

This is Mochi. 

I’ve been trying to unlock its powers.

Its mysteries.

Here it is again:

Mochi.

It comes from Trader Joe’s. 

There are four flavors:

Why
those four? Well last night I found out that when the Chocolate,
Strawberry, and Mango or Green Tea get melty on the plate, when you
lick it afterwards it tastes like astronaut icecream–astronaut ice cream that’s been turned into real ice cream!!  Like neopolitan, i guess. 

Here is the wikipedia entry on mochi.

Mochi.

Pure, unadulterated, blisss.

I first encountered mochi over at Lissette’s apartment in ‘02, I think, with Paul Feldman.
I think it was later on in the same night that Paul and I had gotten mugged at knifepoint [--Don't ever stand at the intersection of Weddington and Lankersham in North Hollwywood for too long or you'll get mugged by two guys in a van with a kitchen knife. Okay, prolly not, but it happened to us]. Anyway, if you’ve
all known about mochi for millions of years and are like "duh, Will", just lay off a little okay?
I’m trying to catch up and take a break from tape
recorders.

For those of you who don’t know about Mochi, please, take this opportunity to change your life!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Last night we rented "The Producers".
I had forgotten how hysterically and awesomely funny that movie is.
Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder in the first office scene are absolutely
otherworldy: no way you could plot those moves with math of any kind. I
can’t imagine Nathan Lane and Ferris Buellar are gonna come anywhere
close. You need to see it if you haven’t, for Dick Shawn’s performance
of the song "Love Power" if nothing else. Crazy.

Right now I’ve got "Manhattan"
on the tv in Summerland; Jen’s at tennis, I’m alone working (accept for
right now, of course). There are oil rigs in the water outside the
sliding glass window.

My sister gets here on Tuesday.  She’s playing the show at Ultimate with us on Friday.  That’ll be kinda otherworldy.  I have a feeling the whole summer will be. 
Ok
Bye bye now.

So I’ve blogged about the fact that my friend Jared was in a bad auto wreck, and that he survived with minor physical injuries despite the whole thing being very grizzly. I posted some ‘before’ photos of Jared in front of his vehicle, which was a 1985 Mirage camper thing that he had modified to look like a spaceship to promote his one-person-show, for lack of a better term, and his ongoing project to document every Garage Sale in Florida on video. Here’s some photos I got last week of what Jared’s vehicle looks like now, I think youll see how it’s a miracle that he survived (thanks to krebstar for taking the photos and originally posting them):

-click each for larger-

There are a few more close-up shots available at krebstar’s medicine films profile.

You can see here that the force of the crash propelled the rubber tip of a vaccum cleaner throught the passanger seat:

I’ve sat in that seat many times. Luckily no one was sitting there that night.

I talked to Jared briefly Saturday night. I was getting ready to leave for a party with some folks. Jared said to be sure to drive carefully. Last thing he said to me over the phone was “You’ve already won the lottery, Bill…You’ve already won the lottery.” I’m trying to remember that each day now.

Zac at the website Medicinefilms has set up a get-well-fund with the permission of Jared’s family, to help cover some of the medical costs and to get Jared back on his feet. Only if you can and want want to:

Finally, a short video that krebstar made of Jared in the hospital:
The Return of Jared Whitham

I know I’ve blogged about this quite a bit in the last week and I hope nobody feels hassled. There have been many interested people so I’ve wanted to keep the information flowing. Also, Jared’s been my friend for 12 years, and I’ve been learning about the value of friendships that stay in your life, so there’s that. Thanks to all who have kept reading and held him in your thoughts.

All the best,
Will Maier.

I talked to Jared on the phone for about a half hour yesterday. He says he’s able to get up from his bed and walk around and get back into his bed, so they’re thinking of letting him out of the hospital in a few days. He’ll definitely be recuperating in Venice for awhile - if you want the address to send cards, etc, then please email me at wmaier @ gmail.com. His Dad will be coming down from Tennessee for awhile to help Jared out - Jared is super excited about this.

A donation fund has been set up at Medicinefilms, which will go towards paying some of Jared’s medical bills and also raise funds to get Jared a replacement vehicle: his modified camper / space ship The Mirage was totalled in the accident. Jared is a founding member and chief contributor to Medicinefilms; you can find videos of The Jared Whitham Show there.

Oh yeah, if you don’t know, Jared was hit by a drunk driver while heading south on Florida’s I-75 near the Tampa area. It was his cousin Dan’s recent modifications of the Mirage that contributed to Jared’s surviving the crash.

Jared’s been a painter, performer, and filmmaker since I’ve known him (12 years), and for many years before that.
Please take a moment to see Jared’s artisitc work: here are his paintings, his music, his videos, and his fan club page.

I feel really lucky to have not lost my friend.

Hey everybody, Jared’s doin fine. He’s resting in the hospital with a cracked pelvis, he’ll be mending up for awhile. Thanks so much for all the great responses and well wishes, they’ll all be passed on to Jared and his family. The response has been incredible. Check back at my blog for any updated information as to where to send cards, etc (i guess his mother’s house, I’ll get that address). It’s great to see how many people’s lives he’s touched and how much they love him.

Dirty South was sadly not victorious last night in the final rounds of the Ultimate Improv March Madness tournament, but our passion and gusto shall live on like Willy Wonka on a soap opera (OMG, you had to be there). Also, there’s this show tonight that you should all check out:



It’s actually their first show in 4 years, somebody made a mistake…actually I think they played somebody’s birthday party last week. Who knows. Come check them out before they break up again.

WmF / SMM

<3,
Will;

Dear friends,

My beloved friend of 12 years, Jared Whitham, was seriously injured last night when a car jumped the median and struck his Mirage camper van as he was heading south on I-75 near Tampa, FL. He was airlifted to St. Joesph’s Hospital, where he is mending in Intensive Care. Jared sustained injuries including bruised ribs, a cracked pelvis and a broken hip. I just spoke to him on the phone: it’s difficult for him to talk much becuase of his hurt ribs, but I am happy to report that he still has his spirits and was making the nurses laugh when I picked up the phone. He’ll get through this.

Please, if you’ve ever met Jared, or seen his paintings or seen him perform, if he’s ever made you laugh or if he’s hugged you like a brother, please take a moment and have him in your thoughts, or prayers, however you choose to look at it or what the case may be. I could never imagne a world without Jared in it. I know he’ll get through this; he’s too strong a soul not to.

I’ll leave a few links to his sites with his work on it. If you’ve never met him or don’t know him, please take a moment to look, and if the spirit moves you, leave a note or message of hope. Thank you very much for reading this message.

Jared’s website with his paintings
Jared’s myspace with his music
Jared’s “fanclub” myspace
Jared’s videos on Medicinefilms

Photos of Jared, from this past Christmas in Florida:

Jared & I in front of my parents’ house

Jared with the Mirage, his all-purpose vehicle which he detailed himself; he was travelling in it when the accident happened. It’s reinforced sides probably saved his life when the other car jumped the median (it is now totalled):

Jared with my Mother.

—–
<3.
Will Maier