Trying a video blogging format. What do you think (other than “OMG! WTF happened to your ear?”

Basically, my ear has been giagantic for 16 hours or so now… maybe I got angry, and am slowly changing into a mix of elephant man and the hulk? Thought I’d exercise, so… watch the video.

Fireworks - seems like a good pic for the new year

As of 2pm on January 1^st, I will have been couchsurfing a full 3 years. I have to admit, it’s gone by quickly. Everyone says “Where did the year go?” But because I blogged more this year, I actually know where it went.  I didn’t blog everything- but here’s my summary.. Read the rest of this entry »

Many people have asked me for more “Day in the life” kind of stuff. I was at Kevin & Will’s to hang, and eat fried Deer and southern food. I’ll start with a video (shot on my webcam): Read the rest of this entry »

Merry Christmas everyone.  Whether you believe in Jesus, or (like me) not, it doesn’t matter. I still wish you an amazing day today.

In our world of instant gratification, rushing everywhere, and a trend towards isolation – though, on the internet talking more briefly to many more -  it is great to have a day where your job is probably closed down.  I hope you spend this time with people that inspire you. Family if you got ‘em…. Life is short, and some strange crap can happen. If you’re not talking, you should try to. If you are talking, go for a hug.

Instead of a short e-mail, or an e-card, why not send them a video? Get a hug today– family if they’re close enough, random strangers if they are near, friends, or of course, the person who’s couch you’re surfing on.

I hope you share dreams, and smiles.  I hope you take some time to reflect upon your life, your year, and what you want to get out of this experience we call life.

I hope of course that you get some great food… doesn’t even have to be home made… in fact, there’s many chinese food places that I know are open!

Whatever you do… remember, you’re alive, eating, and are at least healthy enough to read this blog-post… that means that you’re luckier than 97% of the world’s population.  Spend this day wisely…. invest it in yourself, and your friends and family if you have them.

May you reach your dreams, may you be inspired

Ori “Couch Surfing Ori” Bengal

Happy Hanukkah

Hi everyone!  I just wanted to wish you a Happy Hanukkah.  Even if you’re not Jewish…. enjoy it. I suppose this shouuld be my favorite Jewish holiday, as I was born during Hanukkah.  The 1st thing I despise about it is that in America, no one knows how to spell it.  Is it Channukah? Hanukah?  Hanukkah?  And many more variations.  It’s always on a different time of year, since we Jews have an older calendar than y’all.  None of the calendars I use (Palm Treo, computer, etc) use that calendar system… but I know it exists, ’cause Hanukkah is always on a different time.  Anyways… it’s known as the Festival of Lights, and that’s why my name is Ori, which means “My Light” in Hebrew (unless you misspell it– then it’s “My Skin” or “My Leather” which is great if you’re going to a Fetish Club.).  Of course, I bring much light and joy to my parents’ lives, as well as many others… I bring other things too… but that’s life.

Wikipedia says (and my personal insights afterwards): Read the rest of this entry »

A photo I took of Tellman at Underground

I’d like to start by apologizing that my site was down today… er… yesterday (now that it’s 2:40am).  My host (Bluehost) had moved me to another server, and it took them longer than expected.  They’re usually awesome, so being down for a day sucked (My analytics were starting to look pretty too!). The site’s back up now though!

My friend Kate Buck Jr. is here. She got to crash on my couch today, which is cool, ’cause she’s one of my couches from Austin.  I love returning the Karma.  She’s in town like many others, to attend Matt Bacak and Mark Joyner’s “Survival Tactics for Tough Times” event… This is an awesome event.  I am really impressed with the selection of talent here.  These are internet marketers, but also non-internet legends (like Jeff Paul, and Ted Nicholas).  There’s a good energy, and lots of hugs were exchanged, as I’ve met many of these people in other states, for other events.

Anyways- 3 days of partying and learning the latest and greatest tools and tactics to grow YOUR business, and make the competition poop their pants   (that’s kind of my new slogan).

I am here to learn, and I always enjoy meeting new people, brainstorm, mastermind, and help others…and of course, it’s an excuse to wear my furry hat

I ran into Tellman Knudson, who has already run over 540 miles barefoot this year on his new project “Run Tellman Run” – he’s running across the country barefoot.  He’s breaking a world record. He runs about a marathon distance a day (and he often uses the photo I took of him),  crossing the whole USA.  Despite that I’ll get back to the hotel at 3:40am, I’m going to go running with Tellman at 7am!  Wish me luck!

Someday I'll dance like this

I’ve written about OkCupid.com numerous times now. I guess I’ve been on it for slightly over a year, though, many times I forget. Last year, while couchsurfing in Florida (I was day trading for my parents, while watching their house.  It was stressful, but I kicked ass, so they took me on a cruise to the Bahamas with my cousins from Israel), I was in talks with 2 girls from Atlanta. One of them I list in my list of crazy-as-Ori-women (It’s up to 3… maybe 4 women so far. She was the 2nd), while the other one seemed more normal.  Normal isn’t bad. We emailed, traded photos, and finally made it to the phone.

After a little while, I just felt the vibe wasn’t there…. Some religious differences, some business belief differences, and then… just the simple vibe.  You know, when you start a conversation, and it falters?  So… I didn’t call back after that call, and neither did she, and that was that… until Read the rest of this entry »

The CouchSurfingOri mobile survives another crash.

There’s my car…. another ding.  It’s not so bad, like I said.  I wasn’t dinged up, I don’t think the other lady was too messed up.  Luck… huray!  But… if you believe in luck, do you believe in being able to give other people luck?  Like blessing or cursing?  The reason I ask is because just the night before this happened (less than 12 hours ) I was at my friend Cymmone’s, when her friend Nina said Read the rest of this entry »

Just a quickie– then I gotta get back to it.  I’m digitizing over 70 hours of video!  Back in 2007 / 2008 I was actually shooting stuff on tapes.  Mini-DV tapes, in HDV format.  It’s kind of like High-Def, but slightly compressed.  Anyways– the bitch about shooting on tape is that you have to then rewind the tape, connect the playback device to the computer, and then play it back in real time to capture it.  Take 70 hours of footage, and it’ll take 70 hours + rewind time to capture them.  That doesn’t include any type of editing, nor does it include the output time… a 30 minute clip may take a few hours to encode, and 30 minutes to upload.  This is definitely a process!  The bonus is that it jogs my memory.  I have the best video!  I am so excited! I just watched an hour of me taking a tour of Marshall Brodien’s house… Marhsall was Wizzo The Wizard on the Bozo The Clown Show.  His magic kits have started many of today’s magicians in the business– such as Lance Burton.  I even tell him some of my dumbest jokes, and he makes my business card disappear!  Good times!  There’s Couch 22 juggling Fire.  There’s Couch 59  & the fellows from Couch 60 freestyling about CouchSurfing, while making a ton of mother jokes.  Good times!  Now.. I said there was a lesson in procrastination…. Read the rest of this entry »

What do these2 photos have to do with each other?  Combined, they make this next video: a wearable Hummingbird feeder!

Would you wear this?  I would!

The NOOK e-book reader

Mashable, and the rest of the world started tweeting/blogging/posting about The Nook- Barnes and Nobles’  Kindle Killer, a faster, sleeker, fancier e-book reader.  They matched the new price drop of the Kindle (at $260).  Just in case you haven’t heard of E-book readers, let me tell you about them:

They are portable devices (much of this functionality is finding its way into phones too) – many with screens at 6″.  The screens use something called E-Ink.  This lets you view the black and white (Some day in color– Nook claims color, but that’s not actually for the book reading area– just the menus) book/photos like you would see a regular (paper) book.  There is no glare, and you can read it without a problem in the sun, in bed, etc… You flip the pages by pressing a button.  Amazon started the trend of using the 3G network, so you can always purchase books right into your E-Book reader without needing  a  computer.  Now that you know what they are, let me tell you why I need one (my theory anyways) Read the rest of this entry »

Seriously!  This song is super catchy, traverses across many genres of music.  I love the snappy rhodes piano sound.  Smooth vocals… and it gets stuck in your head.  But, while that’s what originally caught my attention, I then saw the video!

Try to tell me this is not the best stop motion video ever!  Sorry Wallace and Grommit!

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie