From this day forward, Chuck won't ever have to blow out his candles. He'll be able to extinguish each flame with a bullet. You'll be the life of the party.
This is a little specific, but one of my backup plans is to change my name, become a lawyer, then subsequently become acquainted with a bald guy dying of cancer who’s the kingpin of a methamphetamine empire.
Considering that I don't even know what I'm going to have for dinner tonight, I'd say I'm quite impressed by your big plans. Also, you might as well persuade the producers not stop at season 5.
Stopping at season 5 is no issue -- shortly after it’s finished I’ll get my OWN series that’ll run for 6 seasons. Call that a contingency to a contingency.
Clip in the post above plays and, after the first shot is fired, it cuts to the scene in ‘Fight Club’ of Big Bob getting beaned in the back of the head.
I have a friend who took me on a falconry hunt a year ago. It was fascinating. Tried to meet with him and the other falconers a few weeks ago but it got all messed up.
I’m super excited! I’ve never had good experiences with birds (parakeets, parrots, ya know, birds people keep in cages), but I have a small family of red tail hawks who live on the mountain behind my house, and we’ve developed a rather close relationship. Where do falconers keep their birds?
I have a pair of red tailed hawks that I see playing in the sky regularly. There was a family of woodpeckers last year but I havent seen them in a long time.
Didn't Tony Robbins make that a big thing a long time ago? Within the past few years, he had a fire walking event and someone got injured. Medium-rare feet. Guess they weren't thinking positively enough.
Sky diving? If you want to make the experience more interesting, you could throw the parachute out of the helicopter before you and then dive after it.
For real though, skydiving would probably be a good exercise in tension building (granted that one isn’t particularly fond of the idea). The journey to the airstrip, getting briefed, the ascent to the sky, and then the boiling point: edging ever closer to the open door, hearing the wind howling outside, then seeing the view from above and all of the distance that your going to fall.
Just make sure it is the parachute and not your own backpack you threw out and subsequently dived after. Pulling a cord only to find not a parachute but the debris of your packed lunch in the air above you would be rather unfortunate.
You read my mind. After I dissociated doing a reading in Youngstown, I started looking for methods to manage anxiety/panic. Landed on an expert archer who teaches people how to deal with target panic.
I took public speaking 3 times in school. Played music and sang on stage dozens or hundreds of times. But a few years ago I started getting awful tremors when I went up. Quit playing music because of that. Then in Youngstown last week it was even worse. Walls closing in on me. Tunnel vision. Plus the tremors. But I pushed through and it got better after a few minutes. One of the things he coaches is talking yourself through it, and I know from experience that talking helps it. So I will be the freak talking out loud to himself next time. "Youre good enough, youre smart enough, and gosh darnit, your story is swell."
You read for Story Night? Awesome! Looking forward to seeing the video if you agreed to be recorded. You can always take comfort in the fact that you got back on stage despite the anxiety or fear. Some folks don't take that first step, even if they want to. I'd include myself in that group.
Something to notice. People who get "into character" when they read seem more comfortable, and present their work much, much better. People who simply read the words off the page usually seem more anxious. The public reading itself can be just as much a "vacation from self" as the writing is.
Managed to do that despite the overzealous adrenaline. Its not a conscious thing. Somatic reaction plus retreating into the self. Dont know if you watch all of them, but I choke on my tongue a bit. Which is funny, because something similar happens in the story.
Ive got some tricks to try next time. Talk to myself and other people during lead up time. Keep moving. State the things Im doing. All of the things to stay outside of the self. Just another problem to solve.
Yes! Apparently I echolocate because I backed up hard into one of the coat hooks on the far wall (kept bumping into everything with the ear protection and fogged up eye protection on haha.)
Wanna get blocked?
From this day forward, Chuck won't ever have to blow out his candles. He'll be able to extinguish each flame with a bullet. You'll be the life of the party.
You crazy americans
It seems crazy ... until you try living here.
I have some videos and pictures and I'm happy to share!
Do. Please send them via Dennis.
Was hoping we’d get to see some live action! Thank you!
They even said there's a law against putting photos on the targets.
Really? I'd love to hear the logic behind that one.
Aahaha turning up with a bunch of printed photos of your mother-in-law, ex-boyfriends and childhood bullies, and ask, "Anyone's got duck tape?"
But what about drawn portraits?
Ahah Brandan, mate, you've got a talent to spot cracks in the system. Have you looked into a lawyer career yet?
This is a little specific, but one of my backup plans is to change my name, become a lawyer, then subsequently become acquainted with a bald guy dying of cancer who’s the kingpin of a methamphetamine empire.
Considering that I don't even know what I'm going to have for dinner tonight, I'd say I'm quite impressed by your big plans. Also, you might as well persuade the producers not stop at season 5.
Stopping at season 5 is no issue -- shortly after it’s finished I’ll get my OWN series that’ll run for 6 seasons. Call that a contingency to a contingency.
Ha. This is great.
“Did I hit anything?”
Clip in the post above plays and, after the first shot is fired, it cuts to the scene in ‘Fight Club’ of Big Bob getting beaned in the back of the head.
Where are we sending the pictures to? I have one with Chuck and the AR
Right here, please.
https://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/contact
Thanks again, Chuck! Amazing time.
Some other "research" ideas:
• Taxidermy Class
• Kung Fu / Self Defense Class
• Survival Skills Class
I’d love taxidermy!!!
New reality show: Naked, Afraid, and Armed
How about falconry? I just decided to get into it. Seems... eccentric.
I have a friend who took me on a falconry hunt a year ago. It was fascinating. Tried to meet with him and the other falconers a few weeks ago but it got all messed up.
I’m super excited! I’ve never had good experiences with birds (parakeets, parrots, ya know, birds people keep in cages), but I have a small family of red tail hawks who live on the mountain behind my house, and we’ve developed a rather close relationship. Where do falconers keep their birds?
Cage indoors, I believe, which breaks my heart. But the birds always come back to them so I reckon they dont mind?
I have a pair of red tailed hawks that I see playing in the sky regularly. There was a family of woodpeckers last year but I havent seen them in a long time.
That’s what I thought, and it breaks my heart, too. I definitely don’t have the scrap to build an aviary.
Survival skills! That would be so much fun.
And.... fire walking.
Yessssss!!!!
Lets walk on water after. My current protagonist is a carpenter and suggested it.
That’s next level. Seems terrifying, so I’m in.
Didn't Tony Robbins make that a big thing a long time ago? Within the past few years, he had a fire walking event and someone got injured. Medium-rare feet. Guess they weren't thinking positively enough.
Yes! I've always wanted to try fire walking. There you go again showing off your feet!
That should be Chuck's next book.
"My Feet - The Coloring Book."
Sky diving? If you want to make the experience more interesting, you could throw the parachute out of the helicopter before you and then dive after it.
For real though, skydiving would probably be a good exercise in tension building (granted that one isn’t particularly fond of the idea). The journey to the airstrip, getting briefed, the ascent to the sky, and then the boiling point: edging ever closer to the open door, hearing the wind howling outside, then seeing the view from above and all of the distance that your going to fall.
Okay, so don't listen to Brandan's first skydiving idea. You will splatter on someone's farmhouse lol
Not if you catch up to it you won’t!
Just make sure it is the parachute and not your own backpack you threw out and subsequently dived after. Pulling a cord only to find not a parachute but the debris of your packed lunch in the air above you would be rather unfortunate.
Speak for yourself! That tuna fish sandwich and BBQ potato chips are to die for. I'm going out with a full stomach haha
Archery would be fun too.
You read my mind. After I dissociated doing a reading in Youngstown, I started looking for methods to manage anxiety/panic. Landed on an expert archer who teaches people how to deal with target panic.
That's fascinating. Target panic. Has the teachings been effective for you?
We shall see the next time I go on stage.
I took public speaking 3 times in school. Played music and sang on stage dozens or hundreds of times. But a few years ago I started getting awful tremors when I went up. Quit playing music because of that. Then in Youngstown last week it was even worse. Walls closing in on me. Tunnel vision. Plus the tremors. But I pushed through and it got better after a few minutes. One of the things he coaches is talking yourself through it, and I know from experience that talking helps it. So I will be the freak talking out loud to himself next time. "Youre good enough, youre smart enough, and gosh darnit, your story is swell."
You read for Story Night? Awesome! Looking forward to seeing the video if you agreed to be recorded. You can always take comfort in the fact that you got back on stage despite the anxiety or fear. Some folks don't take that first step, even if they want to. I'd include myself in that group.
Shout-out to Stuart Smalley lol
Something to notice. People who get "into character" when they read seem more comfortable, and present their work much, much better. People who simply read the words off the page usually seem more anxious. The public reading itself can be just as much a "vacation from self" as the writing is.
Managed to do that despite the overzealous adrenaline. Its not a conscious thing. Somatic reaction plus retreating into the self. Dont know if you watch all of them, but I choke on my tongue a bit. Which is funny, because something similar happens in the story.
Ive got some tricks to try next time. Talk to myself and other people during lead up time. Keep moving. State the things Im doing. All of the things to stay outside of the self. Just another problem to solve.
And thanks!
Can you elaborate on " get into character?" Do you mean like when a person takes on the role of the narrator who may have different accent?
Fabulous!
Thank you again Chuck. Such an amazing experience.
I'd love to see more photos/videos if anyone has any. I never thought to grab my camera.
Thanks for helping me be brave and get in there, Chuck. It was amazing!
Try shooting intuitively next time. From the hip. You never see the sites when you actually need the gun anyway.
Omg! This looks so cool. Brings me back to when we were kids shooting stones at empty beers. But, not even a close experience.
The Lizzie Borden house can be rented out, that's all I gotta say about field trips......
So can the Silence of the Lamb House!
Yes! A friend of mine owns it!!
And you've been holding out on me????
Chuck, New England is to ghosts what the Midwest is to serial killers......
I meant North West lol
BLED & Breakfast!
That's so awesome lol
Also. Anyone else crazy sore from yesterday?
Yes! Apparently I echolocate because I backed up hard into one of the coat hooks on the far wall (kept bumping into everything with the ear protection and fogged up eye protection on haha.)
So jealous... Everyone post as many pics/vids as legally possible!