Thanks for all the replies =) They made me feel better, and I I got a lot of good suggestions. The audio book idea sounded great, I never thought of that! I think I'll bring either an ipod, or maybe even try to see if I can snatch Net's DS, or whatever portable he has (obviously I have never touched it myself since I don't even know wich one it is, duh..)

I'll think about the Dramanine/Xanax thing.. I'll have 2 very quick plane changes in Stockholm and Helsinki, I don't want to be too stoned/sleepy/drunk to figure out where to go for the next leg =)

Though I have to mention: the only time I was not afraid during a whole flight was one December flight from NY to Cincinnati. We took off at right after sunset, and all the lights of NY were fantastic. Then, it was a totally clear night and it looked like the whole country was lit up with Christmas lights, and I could just watch them the whole flight.

When we approached Cincinnati, we had to circle a bit, and we flew over Downtown Cincinnati. TWICE! I could even see where the Zoo was with its huge light display. I was actually disappointed when we started to head towards the airport and landing.. I wanted yell 'Keep going! This is fantastic!' =)

So, I guess if I just get distracted enough, I'll forget the fear and enjoy the ride.. It should be fun... =)

Again, thanks for the replies, and for making me feel better.

Trinity Broadcasting... my fucking favorite. I drove by their gawd-AWFUL gaudy-ass "palace" in Costa Mesa, CA before I knew what it was, and I wondered why it COVERED in Christmas lights all year 'round. All they money they'd save in electricity costs if they took off all the stupid lights could probably feed a million starving children. Please, for the love of all that is good, would people please stop supporting goddamn televangelists???

If anyone knows of other videos of exceptional Christmas light displays, leave me a comment w/the url and i will add throw it in the mix. Let me know which one is your favorite, please.

I had one of those color wheels! ..on the ground in front of the drum kit. If you older sifters remember the aluminum trees popular in the 60s, then you recognize the color wheel.

(for the youngins.. Aluminum trees back in the day couldn't deal w/ the heat of christmas lights. (melt or worse) So they were sold with a lamp w/ a rotating plastic disc in front alternating colors. Pointed toward the tree, the tree would reflect the colored light.... Groovy )

Reminds me of the crazy Christmas light house... Where does he get all those pumpkins?

woah. thanks for the awesome list !

qruel

In reply to this comment by meow:
Here you go:
Drama King
Star Wars Kid
Numa Numa
Back Dorm Boys
Napster Bad
Winnebago Guy Mad
Bert is Evil^
Goatse (WIKI, not direct link)
Jib Jab
G.I. Joe
You're The Man Now Dog
Spongemonkies Like the Moon
Superbowl is Gay
Ask a Ninja
Average Homeboy
LonelyGirl^
House of Cosby
Chad Vader
Ze Frank^
Lazy Sunday
Kid from Brooklyn
Bubb Rubb
George Lucas in Love
Kramer
Myspace the Movie
Chuck Norris List^
Geriatric
Kiss You Guy^
Kubrick Audition
Leroy Jenkins
Homestar Runner
Grape Stomp Lady
Paris Hilton (Wiki)
All Your Base
Diet Coke and Mentos
OK Go
Shining Trailer Remix
Sneezing Baby Panda
Dick in a Box
Rocketboom Amanda
Yacht Rock
Sn
akes on a Plane / 2
Angry German Kid
Otters Holding Hands
Daxflame
Bride Cutting Hair
Colbert Disses President
Little Superstar Moves
Lightning Bolt LARPers
Kelly Likes Shoes
Tom Cruise Shocks Oprah
Weird Al - White and Nerdy
K-Fed Popozao
George Washington
Ashlee Simpson
Boom Goes the Dynamite
Lily Tomlin in a Fight
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
Christmas Lights
Shatner Sings Rocketman
Evolution of Dance
Chocolate Rain
Zombie Kid Likes Turtles

Appendix (not referenced in video):
Will it Blend^
Badger Badger Badger
Kenya
Gonads and Strife
Hamster Dance
And anything from Albino Blacksheep's popular flash videos.

Here you go:
Drama King
Star Wars Kid
Numa Numa
Back Dorm Boys
Napster Bad
Winnebago Guy Mad
Bert is Evil^
Goatse (WIKI, not direct link)
Jib Jab
G.I. Joe
You're The Man Now Dog
Spongemonkies Like the Moon
Superbowl is Gay
Ask a Ninja
Average Homeboy
LonelyGirl^
House of Cosby
Chad Vader
Ze Frank^
Lazy Sunday
Kid from Brooklyn
Bubb Rubb
George Lucas in Love
Kramer
Myspace the Movie
Chuck Norris List^
Geriatric
Kiss You Guy^
Kubrick Audition
Leroy Jenkins
Homestar Runner
Grape Stomp Lady
Paris Hilton (Wiki)
All Your Base
Diet Coke and Mentos
OK Go
Shining Trailer Remix
Sneezing Baby Panda
Dick in a Box
Rocketboom Amanda
Yacht Rock
Sn
akes on a Plane / 2
Angry German Kid
Otters Holding Hands
Daxflame
Bride Cutting Hair
Colbert Disses President
Little Superstar Moves
Lightning Bolt LARPers
Kelly Likes Shoes
Tom Cruise Shocks Oprah
Weird Al - White and Nerdy
K-Fed Popozao
George Washington
Ashlee Simpson
Boom Goes the Dynamite
Lily Tomlin in a Fight
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
Christmas Lights
Shatner Sings Rocketman
Evolution of Dance
Chocolate Rain
Zombie Kid Likes Turtles

Appendix (not referenced in video):
Will it Blend^
Badger Badger Badger
Kenya
Gonads and Strife
Hamster Dance
And anything from Albino Blacksheep's popular flash videos.

Cool! Next Christmas lights Christmas lights!
Hahaha! LMFAHS! *applaud for swampgirl

Oh, and it was very obviously CG altered at the first shot of the cat on the floor eating. The headphones are extremely solid black while everything else is kind of hazy. Very entertaining still.

Cool! Next Christmas lights Christmas lights!

The Christmas lights were the coup d'etat! Big laugh!

Winterzauber, "Winter Magic"

More info from the artist's website: http://www.p-geist.de/start.html

Multimedia art in Zurich: A restaurant is turned into a work of art

english version (translation Julie Draper)
Zurich, 11.27.2005

Beginning at sundown from 11.27 through 12.31.2005, the historically protected building housing the Lake Side Restaurant in Zurich will be transformed into a 450 sqm. three-dimensional video art installation.

It is the work of Berlin-based multimedia artist Philipp Geist, a rising star in the young art scene. Together with the symphony orchestra OBC Barcelona and the Finnish sound ensemble Pan Sonic, Philipp Geist appeared as a video artist at the opening of the Sonar Festival in Barcelona in 2004. He was represented at the Dissonanze Festival in Rome, at Clubtransmediale in Berlin and at the Mutek Festival in Montreal which is renowned for new media. His video works have been exhibited at important international art institutions including the Central House of Artists (CHA) in Moscow, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in London, the National Gallery in Warsaw (Zacheta), at the opening of the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich – and now for the first time in switzerland.

For his work in Zurich, the 29 year-old Berlin-based artist deliberately avoids the use of canvases and instead projects directly onto the concrete building façades and windows which have been prepared with a special projection foil. Every evening, visitors can expect to see a selection of images alternating between purist, dreamlike and intangibly fragile compositions. The starting foundation for all of Philipp Geist’s work is video material solely filmed and produced by himself. Geist finds the subjects for his work in everyday things like hairbrushes, leaves, raindrops and curtains. He releases these objects from their usual setting and places them in new visual and correlated contexts by employing special camera and video techniques using motion blur and superimposition.

Especially for Winterzauber (Winter Magic) in Lake Side, Philipp Geist went in search of wintry, Christmasy motifs which attempt to break the link to consumption and indulgence, and instead direct visitors’ attention toward the pure aesthetic component that is all too often obscured by the kitschy madness of Christmas.

It is in this way that a ride along the highly commercialized Oxford Street in London takes on a completely new appearance as it is seen through a window pane. Distorted by the raindrops at night, it allows viewers only a vague impression of the twinkling Christmas lights. Microscopic close-ups give sparklers, burned down candles and snowflakes an element of diversity that would have remained unappreciated by the human eye without the aid of technology.

By opting to use the three-dimensional, defined structure contours as projection surfaces instead of canvases, Geist increases the motifs’ abstraction while simultaneously regaining depth and diversity. In this way, Geist initiates a dialogue between the historically protected architecture, his artistic work and the people going in and out of the structure: The visitor himself becomes part of the projected image on the threshold between the inside and outside of the building.

Geist allows a wintry world to emerge in front of visitors’ eyes. The subject matter and motifs, although familiar, astonish with their size and unusual presentation while altering the observer’s perception and challenging conventional viewing habits.

Given that the opening of Geist’s work will coincide with the first day of Advent, it will be intriguing to see how he uses his playful, artistic interpretation to approach winter and Christmas themes. One thing is for certain: Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in a tranquil, wintry, dreamlike world of lights.

"Winterzauber" 2005 at Lake Side
Videoart installation by Philipp Geist
open daily from 11.27 - 12.30.05, 6:00 pm – 12 am
12.31.05, 6:00 pm – 5:00 am

Uh thanks but they aren't it. Oh well. I guess the don't exist.

In reply to your comment:
“Well ant, no videos, just live versions. this in studio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkAhmH40kiM
and this one in concert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSHSzGzqwfs (caution, may be seizure-inducing!)
feel free to post!

In reply to your comment:
“OK that was a cool music video.

Is there one for Trans-Siberian Orchestra Wizards in Winter? I love this tune, but didn't see a real music video of it. Just live versions, people playing it, Christmas lights, etc.””

Well ant, no videos, just live versions. this in studio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkAhmH40kiM
and this one in concert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSHSzGzqwfs (caution, may be seizure-inducing!)
feel free to post!

In reply to your comment:
“OK that was a cool music video.

Is there one for Trans-Siberian Orchestra Wizards in Winter? I love this tune, but didn't see a real music video of it. Just live versions, people playing it, Christmas lights, etc.”

OK that was a cool music video.

Is there one for Trans-Siberian Orchestra Wizards in Winter? I love this tune, but didn't see a real music video of it. Just live versions, people playing it, Christmas lights, etc.

For those living under a rock, this is the audio portion of the "Fix it Robot" THX intro mashed up with Christmas Lights. Well done and Happy Holidays!