Solitary 4.0
by Jeff on Feb.07, 2010, under Television
I’m sick and I’m miserable right now. I have a cold, and when I’m sick I turn into a big baby. I usually spend the day under my covers in bed watching a lot of junk TV. I usually catch up on all the shows I am currently watching and sometimes discover a new reality show or two. The last time I was sick, I discovered the FOX Reality series, “Solitary.” While browsing through the Apple TV during my most recent sickness, I found out version 4.0 (season 4) of the “Solitary” series has just started airing.
The “Solitary” series pits 9 contestants against… well, themselves. Each contestant is placed in their own octagonal pod. The pod is an empty room that isolates each contestant from the rest of the world. The contestants only interact with one thing – the reality show ‘host’ known as VAL. VAL is a faceless, female sounding electronic voice. VAL provides the contestants instructions for each challenge or ‘treatment’ as she likes to call them.
The treatments are usually some sort of physical endurance challenge or nasty food challenge. Each contestant participates in the treatment in their pod. They are not aware how the other contestants are performing during the treatment. The contestants are allowed to stop participating in the treatment at any time by pressing the red button (that is usually tied to a timing device) that is in their pod. Pressing the red button indicates that the contestant has given up – if they are the first to give up on the treatment, they will be eliminated. The other contestants are not told when the others have given up and continue with the treatment until the final contestant hits the red button.
Aside from the physical aspect of the treatments, “Solitary” adds an additional layer of competitive complexity by pitting the contestants against themselves. I believe the compartmentalized twist to the show makes “Solitary” much more interesting than some of the other reality series that are on television. I only hope after the dissolution of the Fox Reality channel at the end of March that this reality series is able to find a new home.
Season Four’s first episode already has me anxious to see more. The show began with 9 contestants. VAL had the contestants engage in aerobic activities in their pod and, using the tools she provided, they were asked to collect vials of sweat. The person who collected the least amount of sweat at the end of VAL’s treatment was eliminated. Number 6, a 40 year old mother of three, was the first to be eliminated. However, VAL through in a twist and had Number 6 replaced with a veteran Solitary contestant from another season.
After the episode’s treatment was over, VAL just leaves the contestants to themselves. For hours, they sit in the middle of their octagon with no comforts for sleep, no food, and no water. They are simply left to just sit. It’s interesting to see how quickly each contestant begins to break down. One contestant starts to hallucinate and believes he sees tiny spiders running across the floor. Others complain about the lack of sleep.
After a few hours of isolation, the contestants are given a set of dark goggles that act as a blindfold once they are worn. After putting the goggles on, the contestants are asked to spin around 9 times and then told to find their meal slots. After hours of sitting in the room staring at the 8 walls, you would think this would be simple challenge, but it is not. As each contestant finds their meal slot, they are rewarded with a small, foul tasting nutrition bar.
It will be interesting to see how this batch of contestants reacts to the different challenges. Although the physical requirements are definitely exhausting, I think that the contestants have a much more difficult time with the mental aspect.
I’ll let you know how the show progresses. If you’re in to reality TV, check out “Solitary 4.0,” you might like it.
iPad – Just An Oversized iPod!
by Jeff on Jan.27, 2010, under Technology
I am an Apple fan and therefore by default, also a gadget whore. But even I’m going to throw the bullshit flag up in the air on this one. I was really hoping that I was going to be wrong about today’s big announcement from Mr. Jobs. I honestly thought that Apple couldn’t possibly rebrand the iPod yet AGAIN and still cause the commotion we’ve seen today – and all for nothing more than what I see as an oversized iPod.
Don’t believe me? Go to the Apple website and watch the video for yourself. Watch the video and then tell me if you see anything different than what the iPhone already does. Am I supposed to run out and spend $500 just because they are going to build Apps specifically for the iPad? (And isn’t that just rebranding of the slogan, “There’s an App for that!”)
Mind you the $500 is if I want the watered down version of an iPad. However, if I’m willing to spend almost $300 more, I can get an oversized iPhone, err iPad, with the same shitty 3G service AT&T has been overcharging consumers for years now. Ok, ok – so it will now have iBooks with an iLibrary that you can see in color. And the way it handles e-mail – it’s optimized for a device that has a multi-touch display and no physical keyboard. WOW!! REVOLUTIONARY!! See Apple’s video for the iPhone when it was first released, I think they said the same thing back then, too.
Again – I love Apple. I’m sure I will eventually even own an iPad. The thing is – right now I have no living expenses. I’m not paying rent. I’m traveling for work living off the company. Did I mention I’m a single, gay man with no dependents? Basically, I can afford to be stupid and throw my money at an overpriced, oversized iPod, can you? I hope I can fit the iPad into my backpack with my MacBook Pro, 32GB iPhone, and 120GB iPod.
So Many Things…
by Jeff on Jan.23, 2010, under General, Travel
Usually the expression goes something like, “So many things to do, so little time.” I couldn’t exactly use that as the title for this post because it just isn’t true. It seems that I have nothing but time to get so many things done. Whether I will use that time wisely or not is the question at hand.
Although I enjoy the holiday season, the rest of winter is really a pain in the ass. It is often dark outside when I have finished my work day, and the weekends fail to yield enough sunlight as well. I find myself sleeping later and I have less energy. Some may describe my mood as a mild form of seasonal affective disorder. While I wouldn’t go that far, I definitely notice the change in my behavior and mood during the winter. Add the stresses of international travel and the uncertainty of where I might be living for the next couple of years and you definitely have one stressed out and bitchy Jefferey.
It’s no question that 2010 has come in with a roar. I have been asked to consider permanent relocation to the UK / Europe. Without sounding too full of myself, I fully expected to be asked to relocate to Europe, but not until my temporary assignment completed, which was supposed to be in February or March. I found myself surprised to be asked in December while back in the United States.
This opportunity may not present itself again; I am fortunate to be doing so well professionally, especially considering that many people are still unemployed and looking for work. In lieu of an adequate offer, I have accepted relocation to London. While I am excited and thankful for the opportunity, I still feel I have unfinished life in New York City. I just know that there is more for me to do there. Only time will tell.
As my professional life continues to flourish, my personal life pales in comparison. I feel that I am unintentionally neglecting my personal relationships with friends and family while abroad. My relationships with Amazon.com or other online retailers have been used to fill the emotional void. Why do I find it easier to buy a new gadget than to pick up a telephone and catch up with an old friend? The five hour time difference doesn’t help, but that’s not a valid excuse. Maybe that’s something I can work on while wandering the streets of Paris until March.
Re-reading this post before publishing, my voice comes across as somewhat negative. I assure you it is meant to be more introspective. I am trying to make clarity from the state of limbo I feel I am in. I feel like a nomad with no place to call home. I know I am not really homeless. I have outstanding friends and family that are more than willing to share their homes with me, but it’s not the same. I have no place of my own, no personal space, nowhere to put my stuff. Living out of the same two suitcases for over five months is starting to take its toll on me.
