Demetri Martin finds Clearification: "Hand Toss" basketball facial

HAND TOSS: Demetri Martin

WARNING: Hand Toss alert!
New readers unfamiliar with my writing might find this blog perplexing. '30 Home Games' began as a basketball-themed offshoot to my 'Loz in Translation' travel blog. Both blogs incorporate epiphanies I've discovered though my twin passions (travel + basketball). Using articles, conversations and art found in each hobby, I relate it to grander themes as I explore the meaning of life and pursue happiness.

Comedian Demetri Martin in a series of viral ads for Windows Vista sheds some light:

VIDEO: Demetri Martin finds Clearification

DEMETRI MARTIN (voiceover): For a select few, life gets complicated quickly and gradually it gets out of control. I guess you could say I'm one of the select few.

I was winning at life. Focused, professional, protected, forgetful - a little bit. And all business. I was also an a$$hole...

I'm not quite sure how things got out of control. I thought I had things figured out but I didn't... Far from it. What I had was a condition "Hyper Achiever with No Direction and Tendency to Overcomplicate Situations Syndrome". Its a rare condition...

30HG Destination Spotlight: Pixar Studios (Emeryville, California)

crossposted on the 'Loz in Translation' blog >>

Carpetbagger: A Rare Look Inside Pixar Studios

I've been writing a to-do list for my mission to visit the 30 NBA Cities of America. After reading Joel Stein's article for Time Magazine of Pixar's upcoming project, I corrected the oversight adding the Studio to my fantasy list alongside Troublemaker Studios and DetourFilm.

Pixar's Girl Story by Joel Stein

Until I visited Pixar's offices, I did not know that 12-year-old boys were allowed to run major corporations. Yet I am walking through the lobby, and the room to my right is full of plastic bins dispensing every kind of cereal, free. Men pedal scooters past me. On Friday mornings an employee named Mark Andrews stands on the front lawn in a kilt, challenging co-workers to actual sword fights.

On my recent EuroTrip I realised that what I enjoyed most about travel was the social exploration. I just liked being around people, I enjoyed searching for the connections I might have with strangers. Travel is certainly conducive to sociability, we are in an exploratory and social state of mind. We are around like-minded people and are in settings that encourage interaction. New York Times Columnist David Brooks has dubbed this 'The Haimish Line'

The Haimish Line by David Brooks

I know only one word to describe what the simpler camps had and the more luxurious camps lacked: haimish. It’s a Yiddish word that suggests warmth, domesticity and unpretentious conviviality. It occurred to me that when we moved from a simple camp to a more luxurious camp, we crossed an invisible Haimish Line. The simpler camps had it, the more comfortable ones did not. This is a generalized phenomenon, which applies to other aspects of life. Often, as we spend more on something, what we gain in privacy and elegance we lose in spontaneous sociability.

More posts featuring David Brooks

- The "Haimish Line": Pixar and TroubleMaker Studios

- "Limerence": Snowboarding, Skating, Surfing, Christmas and Love

- The 'Social Animal' - Change your behaviour and you change your mind

Update:
Adam from The 'Disney, Etc.' blog lived the dream by touring Pixar. He has a great summary of the Pixar experience on his blog including a goal I can shoot for - Hooping at the Pixar basketball court. I'd like to sink a Hail Mary shot from where the Luxo ball is :)
Find the blog here - Disney, Etc.

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Pixar Studios appears on my Pacific Division wishlist of the 30 Home Games mission.

Explore my to-do lists for the other Western Conference States
1) Northwest Division
Colorado | Minnesota | Oklahoma | Oregon | Utah
2) Southwest Division
Louisiana | Tennessee | Texas

30 Home Games mission: Pacific Division map

'30 Home Games' Pacific Division wishlist

My tentative to-do-list for the Pacific Division:
Arizona | California | Hawaii | Nevada

NBA Tickets
Golden State Warriors - Chase Center
1 Warriors Way,
San Francisco, California, 94158

Los Angeles Clippers - Crypto.com Arena,
1111 S. Figueroa Street,
Los Angeles, California 90015

Los Angeles Lakers - Crypto.com Arena,
1111 S. Figueroa Street,
Los Angeles, California 90015

Phoenix Suns - Footprint Center
201 East Jefferson,
Phoenix, Arizona 85004

Sacramento Kings - Golden 1 Center
500 David J Stern Walk,
Sacramento, California 95814

Comedy
- Comedy Store (LA)
- Comedy Bang Bang (LA)
- Tiger Lily (LA)
- Largo (LA)
- SF SketchFest (SF) February
- MaxFunCon West, Lake Arrowhead (CA) June

Other
- E3 Gaming Expo (LA) June
- San Diego Comic-Con (CA) July
- Meltdown Comics + events (LA)
- Resisting Gambling in Vegas

- Comedian David Gborie took San Francisco with his 1st pick

- Going to the new cookie room at Chase and trying Bert Jr's special cookies

Destination Spotlight
- Pixar Studios (Emeryville, California)

NBA Postcards: Greetings from the Pacific Division

Greetings from:
Los Angeles (Clippers), California | Golden State (Oakland), California | Phoenix, Arizona | Sacramento, California | Los Angeles (Lakers), California

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Explore my to-do list for the States of the Western Conference
1) Northwest Division
Colorado | Minnesota | Oklahoma | Oregon | Utah
2) Pacific Division
Arizona | California
3) Southwest Division
Louisiana | Tennessee | Texas

Sneaker tribute to the NBA All Star Game

All-Star Weekend Kicks: San Antonio 1996

All-Star Weekend kicks: Orlando 2012

As a tribute to the coming All Star Game in Orlando, I've made graphics of sneakers I've geeked out on:

Nike Air Flight One - Penny Hardaway
Jordan 11 - Michael Jordan
Nike CB34 III - Charles Barkley
Reebok Kamikaze II - Shawn Kemp
Reebok Shaqnosis - Shaquille O'Neal
Fila Grant Hill II - Grant Hill

30 Home Games mission: Southwest Division map

'30 Home Games' Southwest Division wishlist

My tentative to-do-list for the Southwest Division:
Arkansas | Louisiana | New Mexico | Tennessee | Texas

NBA Tickets
DALLAS Mavericks - American Airlines Center
2500 Victory Avenue,
Dallas, Texas 75201

HOUSTON Rockets - Toyota Center
1510 Polk Street,
Houston, Texas 77002

MEMPHIS Grizzlies - FedEx Forum
191 Beale Street
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

NEW ORLEANS Hornets - New Orleans Arena
1501 Girod Street,
New Orleans, Louisiana 70113

SAN ANTONIO Spurs - AT&T Center
1 AT&T Center Parkway,
San Antonio, Texas 78219

Comedy Clubs
- Capitol City Comedy Club (Austin, TX)
- Comedy Moontower (Austin, TX)
- Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club (San Antonio, TX)
- Skitz Comedy Club (Memphis, TN)
- South Street Comedy Club (Memphis, TN)

Films
Troublemaker Studios (Robert Rodriguez)
4900 Old Manor Rd,
Austin, TX 78723

Detour Film Production (Richard Linklater)
1901 E 51st St
Austin, TX 78723

Others
- Jerry Lawler's Memphis Wrestling
- Mardi Gras New Orleans (February)
- The White Horse (Austin, Texas)

Destination Spotlight:
- Troublemaker Studios (Austin, Texas)

NBA Postcards: Greetings from the SouthWest Division

Greetings from:
San Antonio, Texas | Houston, Texas | Memphis, Tennessee | Dallas, Texas | New Orleans, Louisiana

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Explore my to-do list for the States of the Western Conference
1) Northwest Division
Colorado | Minnesota | Oklahoma | Oregon | Utah
2) Pacific Division
Arizona | California
3) Southwest Division
Louisiana | Tennessee | Texas

NBA Graphics: 30 Home Games logo and Wallpaper

30 Home Games mission: Destination wishlist

Unveiling new graphics for 30 Home games. For those playing at home, the 30HG logo is modeled after the Route 66 sign. The pictogram is a person making a 'travel' call.

I will be creating wallpapers for each NBA division
Find 30HomeGames here:
- 30HG on Twitter
- 30HG on Blogger
- 30HG on Facebook

Find Division maps featuring the NBA stadiums and a cursory to-do list of places and events:


Eastern Conference
1) Atlantic Division
Massachusetts | New Jersey | New York | Ontario, Canada | Pennsylvania
2) Central Division
Illinois | Indiana | Michigan | Ohio | Wisconsin
3) Southeast Division
Florida | Georgia | North Carolina | Washington DC

Western Conference:
4) Northwest Division
Colorado | Minnesota | Oklahoma | Oregon | Utah
5) Pacific Division
Arizona | California
6) Southwest Division
New Orleans | Tennessee | Texas

Top 5 Knick reactions to Jeremy Lin's surprise highlights

As my blog is devoted to relating basketball to themes of life, happiness and dreams you'll have to forgive all the ink on Lin. It began as a mild Linsation on February 4, back when the floor was shared with Amare and Carmelo. The unheralded Jeremy Lin came off the bench to provide a career night of 25 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals on 10-19 FG in 36 minutes.

The commentators noted whilst the game hung in the balance:

Commentary at Knicks/Nets Game (Feb 4)
C1: In one special night, Lin has become a Garden favourite
C2: Well deserved but will it be remembered? The Knicks will have to prevail.
C1: Right. If the Knicks lose this game, it will be long forgotten except for the Lin family

6 wins in a row and its been full blown Linsanity! Jeremy's second family, the Knicks have been showing their amazement along with the fans and with that -
30HG presents its 'Top 5 Knick Celebrations for Jeremy Lin':

Number 5 (LAL 78 NY 88)
After a tricky reverse over Pau Gasol, even the suits are impressed. B-Diddy and Melo show their appreciation.

Number 4 (LAL 4 NY 11)
After co-escorting Lin to an easy lay-up off a Laker turnover, Jeffries celebrates under the rim

Number 3 (NJ 88 NY 92)
Carmelo Anthony bows and gives a brotherly congratulation after a Lin And-1

Number 2 (LAL 71 NY 81)
Jeffries gets the rebound and dishes it out, before Lin even gets into his shooting motion Jared has the 3 fingers up. Lin didn't make his teammate look foolish

Number 1 (NY 84 TOR 87)
In the Knick of time! After Lin delivers a clutch And-1 to tie it, Landry Fields and Iman Shumpert choreograph an excited Double Jump. When Lin hits the game winning triple, Bill Walker bows in respect during 'Rush Hour'.

VIDEO: Jeremy Lin Clutch And-1 vs. Raptors