Wednesday
Some of you may already know that Wednesday is a ‘special’ day for me. 34 years ago on Wednesday, my mom and dad and a few doctors met me for the first time. And I like my mom and dad a lot (the doctors are cool too, although we don’t really keep in touch)… so yeah… ‘special’ day.
In honor of it, and as a way to forget the fact that one more year of my life is over… I’m going on a little field trip with some friends.
As I get closer to the day, I’ll reveal more. But here’s what I’ll say for now:
On August 26th, 2009 from 11am to 1pm PST we’re gonna be given a tour of a seriously bad ass local. It’s pretty famous, super nerdtacular, and the work they do there there is just out of this friggin world!!! Can you tell I’m excited.
This just came together over the last few days, so I’m still trying to figure out how I’m gonna organize everything. But my plan is to keep all of you as up to the minute as I can. That means twitter, tumblr, and this blog. But it also perhaps means some live streaming video via qik.com. I say perhaps because I’m not sure about reception there… and I’d have to figure out the hardware situation between now and then.
But there should be pictures galore, both during and after… some vimeo video uploaded on Thursday… and of course as many tweets, tumbles, and FB junk as I can hammer out there… without annoying my company too much. In case you hadn’t guessed, yeah, I’m one of those guys.
So until then, watch my various streams for clues to where I’m going… and if you wanna take a guess, you can do so in the comments here (please don’t tweet the answer publicly though). If you’re right, I won’t approve your comment and I’ll give you a high five via twitter, FB, email, or here.

ed r on 24 Aug 2009 at 11:14 pm #
Sounds like skywalker or digital domain. Awesome! Happy early birthday!
Crix Lee on 24 Aug 2009 at 11:18 pm #
ooh…Stan Winston Studios…Jim Henson Studio…Skywalker Ranch…Activision…EA…
am I even f’in close?!
John Cabrera on 24 Aug 2009 at 11:27 pm #
Crix, Ed, I suppose all of those places are pretty nerdcore so in that respect, you’re close… but otherwise, nope.
Crix Lee on 25 Aug 2009 at 12:53 am #
Nickelodeon! Cartoon Network! G4!
work with me here!
caren on 25 Aug 2009 at 3:31 am #
Rockadine? (I always spell that wrong) Boeing? another NASA contractor?
Disney?
Vicki on 25 Aug 2009 at 3:52 am #
NASA space simulation?
Whatever it is, have a blast! (Literally…?)
Aimee on 25 Aug 2009 at 5:30 am #
This is a serious long shot, but is it the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena??
MarmaLady on 25 Aug 2009 at 5:45 am #
Is it Pixar Studios?
Either way, glad to hear you’ll be having fun on your “special” day.
=)
Jeans on 25 Aug 2009 at 6:01 am #
Hm. If the Eames House was something I would describe as nerdtacular, I would say you were going there. But it doesn’t seem like you can tour the interior if you’re not a member, so.. probably not the Eames House. Even though you DID say you were going to make that field trip within the month.
And if this was like last year, I would have guessed the Ackerman Mansion but I seriously have no idea what happened to his estate after his death. A google search reveal basically no travel information to the house so I’m assuming it’s not available for tours anymore.
So in short, I have absolutely no idea.
Jasmine on 25 Aug 2009 at 7:17 am #
Would it be too obvious to guess that the locale is in some way related to Lost? Naturally, I consulted Wikipedia, which tells me that scenes from the season 3 finale were shot in L.A. Which doesn’t do much to inform my guess, so never mind.
Happy (almost) birthday.
itzel on 25 Aug 2009 at 7:32 am #
Have to admit the first thing I thought was Skywalker Ranch or something SW related. But, after careful deliberation I’m gonna go with Whale Migration… mmm I don’t know it that’s nerdastic but it’d be pretty awesome, lol. And yeah, I too am the one with the iPhone permanently attached, tweeting and whatnot, in my circle of friends. They even say I have a problem. I thoroughly disagree haha.
lizz on 25 Aug 2009 at 7:43 am #
Drat. My initial suggestion of BevMo was probably off. Probably…
JPL? — though I doubt you could take a bunch of photos and videos there.
Legoland?
A place where sewage gets made into potable drinking water? No, too smelly for a birthday field trip.
Are you going gold panning?
Spelunking? (I made my parents take me to Mammoth Caves on my birthday… it was AWESOME. I was 12.)
OOOH. Duff Gardens!
Jen on 25 Aug 2009 at 8:56 am #
I should have done a super cool field trip for my birthday yesterday. I can’t wait to find out where you are going.
lizz on 25 Aug 2009 at 10:16 am #
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach
Jim Henson studios
The WB VIP Tour (just kidding)
The gambling school at UNLV, where you get to learn the science of slot machines. Sorry, “gaming.”
Scrabble tournament.
Actually, I bet it’s something involving architecture… that house near Venice that you were drooling over on Tumblr a few months back.
Ed R on 25 Aug 2009 at 10:46 am #
Caprica set? Dollhouse? The Gunn Boys and Their Strange Toys? Blackhearte’s Magic Condo? The bar where they filmed ‘High Poon’?
I seriously think ‘The Gunn Boys and Their Strange Toys’ ought to be a real show. Pitch that to them!
Ed R on 25 Aug 2009 at 11:24 am #
Apple HQ?
kT on 25 Aug 2009 at 11:34 am #
so i’ve ruled out skywalker ranch even though that was my first thought.
Cool out of the this world nerdtacular? JPL (Jet Propulsion Lab?) granted i’d be more worried about clearance over reception. ..
gonna have to think some more
JL on 25 Aug 2009 at 11:37 am #
skywalker ranch – duh
John Cabrera on 25 Aug 2009 at 11:43 am #
LOL. Caren, how do you go from two big NASA contractors to Disney?
Jules on 25 Aug 2009 at 11:44 am #
I don’t have a guess, but happy day-before-your-birthday!!! and Happy actual Birthday in case I don’t get a chance to say it tomorrow!!
I love other people’s birthdays, they’re my favorite!! I’m so so glad you’re doing something awesome. can’t wait to hear all about it!!!
xoxoxo
Pauline on 25 Aug 2009 at 11:50 am #
The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory @ Cal Tech?
I would have said The Columbia Memorial Space Science Learning Center as my first choice because of the Mars Robotics Lab that gives visitors the opportunity to design and program their own robots in order to complete a remote exploration mission to the planet Mars… but they only broke ground in 2007… unless you are getting some VIP birthday treatment.
goldglv17 on 25 Aug 2009 at 12:05 pm #
Please let it be Chuck E. Cheese!
Alyzabeth M on 25 Aug 2009 at 1:09 pm #
Can’t think of anything that’s already been guessed cept maybe a planetarium?
Alyssa_Stewart on 25 Aug 2009 at 1:48 pm #
The google headquarters?!? IDK. Is that even in LA ? I don’t even know… Happy early birthday though!
jennhoney on 25 Aug 2009 at 2:28 pm #
Happy Birthday! I’m not going to guess. I like mystery and building anticipation. May the day meet your every nerdtacular expectation!
Johnny Hugel on 26 Aug 2009 at 5:17 am #
Hmm, your hint really helped. A Styx concert!!! Have fun Mr. roboto. (I couldn’t seem to locate any robot plants or competitions in the area).
caren on 26 Aug 2009 at 9:34 am #
Happy Birthday John!
,,,,,
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{~*~*~*~}
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I was close!
Kinda.
I’m not sure anyone can explain the way my mind works.
lizz on 26 Aug 2009 at 9:35 am #
will you let us know if they serve astronaut ice cream in the cafeteria? (i applied to be a web producer for them last month, partially on that hope and partially because science is rad.)