rorykramer

[rorykramer]

Haven’t wrote in a hot minute.  I love to write tho but that has nothing to do with this.  So where do I start.  Do I start with the long conversations over text or do I just cut to the chase that I was partying too much and didn’t realize what it was doing to me ??   I guess I’ll start with the partying.  Two years ago I was hiding vodka in a water bottle and taking it to work each day because I hate where my life was at and I was too much of a coward to make a change.  Luckily for me, my personal videos caught the attention of others that already had a platform and they took me away from that bad habit and that job all at once.  Fast forward two years and my life is beyond anything I have ever dreamed of, working for some of the biggest names in the music industry, have 3 videos generating over 500 million views alone, and get to live a dream life…BUT i was always on tour, always around a party, always partaking because I was on cloud 9.  

However, for about the last 6 months, I have noticed that I found myself depressed more often, insecure about my work, and second guessing what I’m doing in general…but it makes no sense, how can a guy like me who is cranking out successful content for legendary artists be depressed, insecure and second guessing himself ????  

Well we already know the answer because I’ve already referenced it A LOT but…I was lost in a deep text conversation with a friend named Yasmine, for those of you that don’t know her, she’s in singer songwriter DJ in the group Krewella, a group that gave me my first job in the EDM scene that jump started my career.   Anyways, I was being vulnerable to her and opening up about my problems and insecurities and how I was finding myself blocked as an artist (yeah i was finding myself blocked even tho I just put out a music video for Bieber that already had over 100 million views).  I was able to create but I was blind in my vision, i was insecure in my execution, and no one could see it but me.  After hours of text exchanges back and forth we addressed the issue was I had been partying way more than normal (I mean I did just get done inventing Motherbirding to the social platform).   Yasmine had asked if I had ever thought of taking a break…I told her that I was currently at my lake house about to partake in the biggest drinking holiday known as 4th of July…so keeping to tradition, I out partied everyone on the lake and documented it on my GoPro for the highly anticipated Lake Life 4 that my cult YouTube subscribers have been begging for since I have neglected them by only producing videos for my clients instead of the reason i started making content in the first place…myself.

Lets cut to the chase…its 4:28am in Austria and my alarm is set for 4:30am when Justin Bieber facetimes me.  After he greets me with a giant smiling hello, he asks me if Ive been drinking a lot.  I said yes, I just left the lake after July 4th (the thing with Justin, I always wonder if he has my phone tapped because he always reaches out when I’m at my lowest).  He then told me he was giving up alcohol for a month (he referenced this on an Instagram post by stating he went out but didn’t drink) and he was a week and a half in and wanted to know if I would do it with him, he said we could hold each other accountable.  I agreed and we talked about the shows I would be filming in New York to close his USA tour out and then we talked about a special project I had coming up for my own.

Throughout the month, we exchanged text messages checking in on eachother.  I texted him…see picture below.

I made it through an entire month made up of multiple shows with endless alcohol with some of my best friends, a wedding with my lake friends, and shots offered from random people that wanted to just party with me.  

In the end, I learned a lot about myself.  I learned that I am capable of making a change in my life.  I learned that I have two amazing friends that care about me.   I learned that I needed to make a change for my artist side.  There are plenty of other things I can list but its 1am and I want to edit my dream project that Ive been teasing people about but can’t say what it is…HA !!!  

What I will say is I’m grateful for my friends Yasmine for planting this idea in my head and for Justin for making me tag along on his month long challenge.

Here is a picture of Yasmine and I cheers’ing to a beer after a long month of no alcohol…she just finished 3 months no alcohol.  Justin made it a month as well.  So I’m trying to conclude this blog post with an ending, I guess what I’m saying is even i struggle at times but its important to keep strong people around you and believe in yourself.  This past month has taught me a lot and has made me a better person and has showed me I can do anything I set me mind too.  

#RunIt

8.10.2016  12:56am

[rorykramer]

“Where is some place you’ve never been but want to go?”  I asked.  

Justin responded, “Iceland!”  

“Me too!” I said.

From there we both looked at pictures of Iceland on Instagram.  Little did I know Justin had something up his sleeve.  We were in Greece when I said on the way home he wanted to surprise us and go to Iceland for 2 days.  At this time I was in a state of shock.  First off, I didn’t have warm clothes and secondly, I couldn’t believe this was really happening.  Just seemed like a dream.

All week in Greece, we raced 4-wheelers (I flipped mine doing about 40mph, SHOCKER.  Thats a story for another time), swam in the ocean, rode jet skis, explored and took fun photos, finished the songs ‘Children’ and Been You’ for his album, and just enjoyed life.

When I first became a part of Justin’s team months ago we bonded over a very talented photographer named Chris Burkard.  I admired and looked up to his work and Justin loved his work as well.  Every photo I took in Greece and showed Justin, became a little joke…”Great picture, but Chris would’ve took a better one.”  “You’re my 3rd favorite Instagramer…right behind myself and Chris Burked.”  Always joking around…that’s what I love about Justin…his humor…it sometimes reminds me of Vince Vaughn.  Then I took a picture of Justin and he was like this is a dope photo….I want to post it.  Well he posted it saying “Rory Kramer channeling his inner Chris Burkard.”  After he posted that Chris started to follow me.  I started to freak out because a legendary photographer followed me.  

That gave me the idea to reach out to Chris about locations to check out in Iceland since he has been.  Chris immediately responded asking for my email and number so he could give his suggestions on places to go.   I told Justin he responded and was going to suggest places for us to check out.  So Justin heads back into the booth to record vocals when he stops and says “Just ask Chris if he wants to come with us.”

Thats when Chris got a message at 6am, packed, and caught a flight an hour later to meet us in Iceland.

The rest of the trip is what you will see in this music video for Justin Bieber’s new single “I’ll Show You.”

My vision for this video was simple.  Im gonna let Justin do his thing and let it unfold naturally.   We actually weren’t trying to shoot a music video, we were just trying to enjoy a vacation.   I always film my vacation for the memories…this time it just happened to be very powerful, I saw moments that were inspiring me as a human and I knew it could help others who see it.  When you watch the video, I want you to become Justin.  I want you to feel what he feels.  I want you to imagine sitting on those cliffs, looking at those views, thinking about LIFE.  

This trip was the best one I had ever been on.  I learned a lot about myself.  At one point, I saw the most beautiful view in my life and I shut off my camera and took in the moment for myself.

RUN IT !

Watch the music video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfGaX8G0f2E

[rorykramer]

I just went on my first bus tour and it was "Tight."  I'll get to the "tight" joke in a bit.  So this company called Recess hired me to go on tour and capture their idea and music festival. At first I turned them down because I was too busy but once I heard my friends The Chainsmokers were going, I quickly signed myself up.

The schedule went as follows: Wednesday - Travel Thursday - (Kent State) - Shoot (Kyle, Rae Sremmurd, Jeremiah, and The Chainsmokers) Friday - Travel & Edit day before recap Saturday - (Fairfield, Connecticut Beach Party) - Shoot (Kyle and The Chainsmokers) then Travel to Amherst - Shoot (Kyle, T-Pain, and The Chainsmokers) Sunday - Day off in Harrisburg, PA - Edit day before Monday - (Virginia Tech) - Shoot (Kyle and The Chainsmokers) Tuesday - Day off at some college...cant remember Wednesday - (University of Maine) - Shoot (Kyle and The Chainsmokers)

So after the first show The Chainsmokers stole me from the production bus to spend the rest of the tour on their bus.

People on this bus: The Chainsmokers - Alex and Drew Craig aka Ike Love Jones - The Chainsmokers personal videographer Clancy - The Chainsmokers Tour Manager Me The bus driver

The rules were simple...No going #2 on the bus and have fun...I guess my idea of fun and Clancy's idea of fun were nowhere near the same idea.  His was making sure everything went down and mine was making sure everything came down.  For example, one night after a show I played Loudpvck & gLAdiator - Tony and hung from the roof on the inside of the bus and broke the ceiling.  That's when I looked at Kyle and said "Im in trouble."  Not sure why Clancy was mad because everyone laughed and we fixed it.  Actually I do understand, when you are a tour manager, you are basically certified as the most mature and make everything run smoothly...so Clancy being mad at me was well deserved.

Another favorite time on the bus was at night when we would all be going to bed and I would have to get one last joke in.  I would wait for it to get really quit before playing The Chainsmokers - Selfie...then the whole place would break out in laughter.  After several nights of this, Drew found out I was in the Avicii video and he began playing this every night before bed.

The best story of all (this is the tight joke) was an email we received about a guy wanting The Chainsmokers to come play his school.  This is the email:

We have this giant ass blue pyramid where we host basketball games and concerts.  If Chainsmokers played there itd be was dope.  It would sell out and the venue would be packed.  Chainsmokers would throw down.  Itd be sick.  We'd rage.  And those who are graduating would have a good time.  They'd be like "Woah, this is pretty tight."  We'd all be like "Yo this is pretty tight."  It'd be pretty tight tbh.

Basically, i started reading that email out loud in this California surfer voice and everyone lost it.  Craig quickly said we should make a video.  We did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSw83d3zuc

There were tons more stories from the awesome week but I will save those for my book I write...if that day ever comes....ok it won't, so long story short:  We stole golf carts, played Mario Kart dressed as Mario aka Maribro, fell out of the top bunk, crashed a frat party, ate a lot of ice cream after we said we were gonna be healthy, crashed a house party that was ending and made it crazy within 2 minutes, influenced a lot of young kids with our stories about life, and made lots of memories.

The thing I learned on this trip was how lucky I am to work with people I consider my friends.  I think the key to a happy life is to find something you love to do, do it, and make sure its with your friends...AND NEVER MAKE IT ABOUT MONEY OR EGOS.

Speaking of which, I was nervous to be around Ike Love Jones because I didnt want him to think I was stepping into his territory...turns out he is the nicest guy and was all about working together and just straight up having fun.

Til next time, keep living life...

East Coast - April 22 - 30, 2015

[rorykramer]

Let's start last October, I had been hit up by Ross Festenstein who manages Justin Blau (3LAU - producer/DJ) and he wanted me to go on tour with 3LAU and film the whole tour.  Prior to this I had been offered to be flown to Abu Dhabi to film my friend Eric Silverman compete in the World Championships of Flowboarding.  I told Ross about this other job and that I was sorry to turn down the chance to film Justin and he simply said, "I don't blame you, I would do the same thing.  There will be another chance to work together." Fast forward to April, I went on a midwest tour with Justin and we instantly became friends.  He loved my video style and said, "You have to come with me everywhere."  Uh yeah, Im down for that. This opportunity gave me the chance to leave a job I had for over 4 years.  It was a great job that paid my rent, gave me health benefits, but really constricted my creative side.  I remember being at the holiday party that year and the owner telling me, "My goal this year is to find a way to utilize your talents before someone steals you away."  I ended up betting on myself since I had this new freelance client 3LAU (and his team) who believed in me.  When we were on this tour I told him about my idea of leaving and he agreed it would be a good idea and he could foresee me getting a lot of work after just working for him around a week. Enough back story. I got to LAX, Friday morning an hour before my flight as usual, just enough time to make it thru security, snag some McDonald's and then hopped on my flight to New York City.  When I landed in NYC, I hit up Nick who is Justin's tour manager, he suggested grabbing a cab so I could meet them for dinner.  $68 later I got to our hotel called Dream that was located in the meat packing district.  The place was super hip and had two beds which was perfect for jumping back and forth...yes I am 30.  I quickly showered and made my way to one of my favorite restaurants Catch (epic seafood place).  Walking over I noticed Justin and Nick just ahead of me, so I bolted towards them and put my shoulder into Justin's back and kept going and then turned around to see Justin's face looking identical to a deer in headlights.  When he noticed it was me, he busted out laughing. "Dude, I thought you some asshole trying to start a fight."  It was hilarious.  We got to Catch, ordered drinks, and just about everything on the menu.   After dinner, I jetted back to the hotel, grabbed my camera gear and cabbed it to this club called Pasha.  Nick and I went down to DJ booth to get everything set up.  Nick, is this clean cut on top of his game guy.  He was rocking a full suit like a lawyer and looked like a totally baller.   When we got down there I was scooping things out when I took a step back and fell down some stairs.  It was dark and honestly who puts stairs in a dark corner. The set who so freaking hot.  It was an instant sweat fest.  Justin killed as always.  The fans were going crazy.  During his sets, I tend to grab fans phones and snap cool pictures then give them their phones back and they just stair at me like I gave them gold. After the set, Justin made time for some fans outside and got pictures with them, after that we went back to our hotels to crash. I woke up around 9am (went to be around 4am) said bye to Nick and then start editing a recap for Justin's social media before going to the airport for a 1:40pm flight to Toronto.  It was like 10 o'clock when Justin text me asking if I could come to his hotel instead of my hotel at 11.  This is typical Justin move...running behind lol.  So I cabbed it over, grabbed some coffee with him, turned on the camera and we rolled to the airport.  Got to the airport, and checked in (Justin upgraded his seat, leaving my alone in the back with some sketch ball watching me edit the whole hour flight).  Once we landed we got in the car, went over the recap, then he got to work on his set.   It was my first time being in Toronto, and me being me. I had Googled all the places to explore near my hotel downtown.  In the car to the hotel I had my face pressed against window with my camera in hand ready to capture the downtown skyline...turns out the hotel was in the middle of nowhere, not even close to downtown.  HUGE BUMMER!   After dropping our gear at the hotel we went to the festival.  We watched Milo & Otis while waiting for Justin's girlfriend and her friends.  While waiting, a bunch of people recognized Justin and asked for pictures.  Then comes this kid with no shirt sprinting by yelling "Dude I loved Lake Life."  What the F ?!?!?!  5 minutes later Justin's crew of friends show up, we grab Graham from Milo & Otis and start making our way to the main stage when this guy comes running after us yelling "Hey wait up !!!"  I figured it was another 3LAU fan wanting a picture when he says, "Rory oh my gosh, I am a huge fan of your videos, they are so inspiring."  I am completely blown away to be in another country and have people recognize me from my work.  It was the coolest experience ever.  I asked to get a picture with this guy named Brandon. Later that night, some amazing Canucks took us to Justin's set at the Guv...DOWNTOWN...finally got to see Toronto.  It was super dope.  We got to the club, Justin is playing his set when DVBBS shows up and hops in the booth to rage out to their song 'Raveology.'  We got some epic footage and called it a night. Back at the hotel it was about 4am.  I knew I could crash and get a hours of sleep before waking up and going to the festival.  But I knew it would be good if Justin posted a recap to his social media to get his fans hyped for the festival...so...I pulled an all nighter and cut a sick recap.  The next thing I know its 7:30am and I am super delirious.  I decided to go for a few mile run to McDonald's to grab hotcakes and an ice coffee.   That night reminded me of how much I loved touring with Justin and getting to create with him.  He always would say I was crazy for pulling all nighters to work, but I didn't see it as work, I simply saw it as me getting to do what I loved and to put the icing on the cake, get paid to do it. That day at the festival, I made it there a few hours before Justin since I stayed at the hotel and he stayed with his lady.  I figured I would walk around and snag some b-roll shots and get that out of the way.  I went to the main stage and watched Martin Garrix play.  I saw his manager Michael (Ross's roommate oddly enough) and went over and said what up.  We hung out and watched Martin for about 40 minutes before he was like, "Hey could you possibly snag a few shots of Martin for us ?"  I said sure because I liked Martin's stuff and Michael was a cool guy.  I asked him what he wanted and he said, "Go where ever and get whatever you want."  For the next 20 minutes I ran around like a chicken with his head cut off and get the shots I needed.  The set ended and I started packing up when I realized that my screw and washers to my glidecam had falling off.  I started freaking out.   I ran back to Justin's trailer as he was arriving and was ready to put my fist through the wall.  I told him I lost a screw and he began to panic.  I told him don't worry because I would figure it out.  I had about 45 minutes to figure it out.  I ran over to festival's crew station, talked to this tatted up guy and told him what I was looking for.  He returned with the right size screw but it was too long...he went to cut it and I was left to wait his return.  We he returned 5 minutes before Justin's set time and the screw was still to long.  We didn't have time to cut the screw again.  I quickly grabbed 6 Red Bulls opened them, slammed one, and ripped off the tabs and used them as washers to make up the difference of the long screw...it looked ugly but it worked.  Justin saw me running to the stage with a smile and knew things were ok.  I was running so fast that I coulda beat Usain Bolt in a race...Im being sarcastic. His set was epic...35,000+ people !!!!  Even though I got great shots with Martin, it was nothing compared to what I get with 3LAU.  Justin and I are so in sync with each other that we know each others every move.  We never bump into each other.  We feed off each other's energy and and give the fans what they paid for.   Justin doesn't care what I do during his set because he knows whatever I am doing is for the sake of an epic shot for his brand.  During his set, he tells the crowd to go crazy for me and I stand on the DJ booth like a rockstar swinging my hands to pump up the crowd.  I crowd surfed twice during his set to get unique shots.   After the set we hung with the other artists and celebrated a great performance.  Then it was time to head out.  And as we were heading out this girl comes up to me and is like "Hey how are you?" I immediately start laughing and say, "You act like you know me or something."  And she says. "Are you a DJ?"  I was like nope and just laughed at how stupid that was. When I got home I received a bunch of awesome emails from 2 people who found my email address and said they were fans of my work and loved that I crowd surfed with my camera and a GoPro in my mouth to get shots.  The best was a tweet from someone asking about my shirt that said "Im not a whore but my camera is."  Crazy that they paid that close attention to me to read my shirt I had made. That trip was special to me because I realized how far I had come since leaving my job 4 weeks prior.  I was a guy with a dream of working for himself and it was coming true.  My hard work was allowing me to travel to another country (btw the people of Canada war some of the nicest people I have ever met) and work for someone who I actually listened to.  I have been blessed with a great life and at times I take it for granted but after a weekend like that it makes me realize how good i have it and why i put so much pressure on myself...because it could all end tomorrow or someone better could take my place, so thats why I pull all nighters and put my body through hell...I want people to get what they pay for. This is dedicated to anyone that follows my work...its you that makes me continue to create. Check out 3LAU's recap: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=731329233579653 Check out Martin Garrix's recap: http://instagram.com/p/rQ3RAow_7D/?modal=true NYC x Toronto (August 1st - 4th, 2014)

[rorykramer]

It was 6AM Friday morning, I got up went for my morning run, showered, ate breakfast, and got picked up by 7:05 to go to the airport by my buddy Nick.  He dropped Kate and I off around 7:30ish...our flight is at 8:45 and over the course of the year I went on 16 flights and I get there about an hour before...3 international flights...all about an hour before.  Well we stroll into the airport and I quickly realize that its Christmas time meaning everyone and their brother is flying and on all those other flights I carried on.  Now I have to check a bag and this line is literally 100 yards long.  Im about to cry at this point.  I get to the end of the line and say to Kate, "We arent going to make our flight."  The lady in front of us says just go to the front and say your flight is leaving soon.  Well we go to the front and try that and this guy points to the long line and I point right back at him with my middle finger...ok I didnt flick him off but I thought about it.  So we are running out of options flight is about to board and we see this line of about 10 people on the other side and I am like I dont know if that is for blind people or what but we are getting in that line now !!! We get over there and I am still trying to weasel my way to the front because I am now in panic mood.  The lady next to us goes when is your flight leaving and I say soon and shes like yeah but when because if its after mine then I should get in front of you.  Im thinking to myself, "Lady, maybe you should've gotten to the airport 2 hrs before like they suggest...gheez...probably some Beverly Hills housewife that thinks the world revolves around her...but then that would make me her son because technically I was doing the same thing she was. Is it too late to delete that last section, because now I sound like some Beverly Hills jerk like agent...I mean I did have a 3 piece suit on...really I did.  Long story short, we get the bag checked, go through security, snag McD's, get on our flight, have a beer, and watch a movie.

OK...so why am I wearing a 3 piece suit when the last time I wore one was on a webshow that paid me too?!?!?!  Oh because when I went home for Memorial Day my friend Taylor Hastings picked me up at the airport in dress clothes with a sign that read "Mr. Sapsimmeyun."  I figured I would do the same to him.  Pause for a moment, I havent even told you where we are going and who is all going...we are going to Big Sky, Montana with our friends the Hastings (Jeff who grew up in Portland Indiana which is 50 miles south of Ft Wayne, Clear Lake Kate, and T-Bear aka Taylor) also coming along is Kelby Geiger, Nick Johnston, Charlie Crosby, and LA Kate (that's my girlfriend Kate that was at the airport with me when we almost missed the flight but now she is LA Kate because having 2 Kate's in the house was too much for Jeff).  Alrighty, so if you know Taylor and I, we tend to play jokes and pull pranks on each other.  So the whole airport thing started 5 years ago when his dad Jeff invited me to come along, Taylor didnt know Jeff invited me so Jeff and I teamed up to pull one over on him.  That year I got in before him and had a sign over my face that said "Need a ride to Big Sky" and when I moved it he freaked out.  Another year I came dressed head to toe as a cowboy.  Man, one thing I learned when doing these blogs, they are a lot like the video birthday cards I use to do meaning I have real bad ADD and my stories get all side tracked.  We've landed, Im in the suit, got the sign that says "Hastings" and they walk out and are greeted by me and this terrible Mexican accent saying, "Welcome to BIG..SKY Montana, best skiing in the world."  That's when I realized Taylor pulled one over on me...he had everyone wearing a Sapsimmeyun t-shirt, parents and all.  

After that we went to the grocery and while there we had to track down a Shmirnoff Ice to put in Taylor's x-mas gift...those of you that arent familiar with the game, you hide a Shmirnoff Ice lets say in someone's sock drawer and if they open it and see it they get ICED!!!  This has been another running game with my friends and I. The real reason we wanted to do it was because Taylor suspected that we got him shoes for x-mas and we wanted to have it in the box of shoes when he opened them.  Me, Kate, Kelby, and Nick decided to go in on some gifts for the Hastings for taking us out there...I was in charge of getting Taylor's stuff, I found a pair of shoes he would like but didnt know his size...I hit his mom up and she replied 11.  I bought the shoes and the next time Im on the phone with him he goes did you ask my mom my shoe size?  You cant get much past this kid after being friends for 10 years, let's be honest if you have met me I tend to joke around and when it comes to Taylor he is like a kid brother so he has learned to be super cautious around me.  One time I called him and he literally thought I was in his house...I wasnt, I was in California. ANYWAYS you get the point.  So we couldnt find a single Ice unless we wanted to buy a 6-pack and no one really wanted to drink the other 5 so we got a Mike's Hard Lemonade...kinda the same thing but not really.  Well we should have bought the darn 6 pack because Taylor bought one and got everyone…he even taped one to the bottom of my ski so I would find it after we had lunch !!!!!  We bought the whole grocery, grabbed something to eat, and drove up the mountain.

The Hastings house or as Taylor likes to call it , The Fortress," is amazing.  Its the perfect ski in ski out mountain like place with a hint of John Wayne.  During the course of the trip each couple was required to cook dinner one night.  But Jeff didn't want us to stress about that just yet so he took us out to dinner.  When we got there they sat us down only to find out the table was for another party of 8.  They said we didn't have a reservation.  Jeff said that is impossible because I called to check and its at 6:30pm.  The lady didn't know what to do because we were already sitting down…luckily a table opened up and the other family sat there…that's when Taylor pulled up the itinerary that Jeff made to outline the entire trip.  "Dad, our reservations are for tomorrow night, not tonight."  Jeff asks to see the phone and is shocked that it was for tomorrow night.  That's when LA Kate says, "It's ok Jeff, we all make mistakes."  And Jeff replies, "I don't."  It was hilarious.  

Ok now it's time to poke fun of myself.  Remember how I said each couple was required to cook one of the nights?  Well, LA Kate and I were up first.  Kate made a tuna casserole which was awesome, she even made me my own that didn't have dairy in it.  I made my mom's famous ice cream cake for desert.  As if that wasn't enough food I thought I would make a "memorable" batch of bang bang shrimp.  Well, I have never done this so I googled how to make it and it says to deep fry the shrimp…they didn't have a deep frier so I figured I would just boil them in oil.  If you know anything about cooking you know where this is heading. But first let me fill you in on my experience cooking.  I worked 4 years at McD's that had everything on an automatic timer much like starting a microwave and my mom packed my lunch until I was 25 years old so it's safe to say I don't know what the heck I am doing when it comes to cooking.  By this time the oil has been sitting there for 20 minutes and its still not boiling and I got Kelby Geiger looking over my shoulder asking what I'm doing and Im basically making up things to tell her.  Still the oil isn't boiling and I asked her why it wasn't and she's like "We can ask Nicolas (that's Nick if you couldn't decipher the girlfriend lingo) he's a really good cook.  So he comes over and he wasn't too sure.  That's when I stick a meat thermometer in the oil to see if it hot enough…POOF a huge flame explodes almost taking my eyebrows off.  Obviously it was an indication that we should stop but I see it that the oil is hot enough to boil the shrimp.  So I grab about 25 shrimp and toss those suckers into the oil that was so hot it didn't register on thermometer…it was like science class in this kitchen…liquids go shooting all over and smoke fills up the house like a magician making a building disappear.  I yell to have the door opened and tossed the pot outside as Kelby is snapping photos like a paparazzi and Taylor is GoProing the whole thing.  I could  barely breathe as I inhaled so much oily smoke when the phone ran.  Of course its the Fire Department asking if they need to send up the trucks.  I felt terrible about making a mess and filling the house with smoke but everyone else seemed to think it was hilarious.  So I ended up just cooking them in a skillet, they didn't look the best but according to Jeff they were really good.  

Those were some of the highlights that needed a bit of storytelling.  Other highlights include Kelby's perkiness at 7am that caught Jeff off guard (to quote him "Get her away from me."), Clear Lake Kate's non-dairy chocolate chip cookies, Taylor icing everyone, Kelby dumping snow on Taylor to wake him up, Taylor "sleeping in" on the last day, LA Kate's snowboard wreck, how much Taylor and Nick look alike, Charlie's mustache, the pyramid we built on the bridge, shotgunning beers in our underwear, skiing down the mountain naked (the locals are still trying to figure out how many gnar points that is worth), waiting 45 minutes on Taylor to get in the hot tub first so he would find the Ice we hid for him, and ringing in the New Year by puking my guts up. 

It was another amazing trip spent with quality friends that I consider to be family.  It seems every time I hang out with these people I learn more about them and about myself.  I even find myself maturing a little tiny wee-bit.  On that note, "I'm out!"

Check out the video:

http://youtu.be/bu4DrKaCFD0

Big Sky, Montana (Dec 27th - Jan 4th 2014)

[rorykramer]

This Thanxgiving my family decided to go spend it in Jamaica. 

First thing I noticed when I got there was how humid it was because my almost nipple length hair shot into a bush.  So I made it through customs and hit up the currency exchange.  I swapped $100 US for $8597 Jamaican Dollars…then we hopped on a shuttle to our Villa at the Half Moon.  When we got there the driver said I didn’t have to tip but we could.  Well, me being very blessed to be taken along on this vacation I thought since I don’t have any money invested in this trip I am going to give him $100 JD.  After he left, I pulled out my iPhone that I hadn’t switched over to airplane mode (Don’t tell my brother Ryan but Im trying to run up the cell phone bill for all the hidden fees from my last blog in South Dakota).  ANYWAYS, BESIDES THE POINT…I did the math to find out how much I gave the driver AND…wait for it…drum roll…and the answer is…about ONE DOLLAR US.  HAHAHAHA classicK !

Where’s the pool its hot ?!?!?!?!

We roll up to our villa that is freaking sick (older people reading the blog, sick is not referring to throwing up from having too much to drink the night before, but meaning its DOPE…dang it that probably didn’t help explain it either…lets just say it was magnificent) and here comes Charles (our butler…what little does he know about me and my home movies, hes about to be a star).  I had my brother roll the camera, follow me outta the bedroom and when I got to the bottom of the stairs I had Charles serve me a Pina Colada then I jumped in the pool.

Everything was yeah mon, no mon, alright mon.  And after 7 days I was like hey mon youre jamician me crazy.  Yeah yeah I know you’ve heard that Jamaican me crazy quote before, Rory being so unoriginal once again…but its not like I'm gonna be using it in my next blog so BEAT IT !!!!

I think Cooper was the trip favorite.  Always up to something...probably gets that from his dad...sometimes he doesnt get his way and he cries...probably gets that from his mom (Blayr relax you know I love to poke fun of you).  You would think we were staying at a nudist colony because Cooper was constantly stripping down and going in the nude.  After seeing him skinny dip, I'd be lying if I said I didnt want to drop my pants and take a dip.  Reminds me of the time I went skinny dipping in high school in the golf course lake at our country club. I wont name any names but my buddy Ross (he is a doctor now) was the first in and last out.  Opps I dropped a name (Im sure my other mother Lois is calling Ross right now to give him a lecture).  This is all beside the point...another story for another time.  BACK TO MY LITTLE NAKED NEPHEW.  Cooper would eat his breakfast and take his pants off and throw them to the side.  My brother Ryan would be telling him to put his clothes on or he is going to time out ( i sent Ryan to time out when he broke part of my GoPro clip, I said to him "Ryan, why would you play with something that is not yours, this is exactly what you lectured Cooper about earlier today and sent him to time out, I see where he gets it, now go sit in time out while we pet the dolphins.) and Cooper would just take off and jump in the pool.

One day we went to town.  This was hilarious. We got greated by this guy about 100 yards before getting to town.  We saw him 2 days in a row...1st day with my mom and we thought it was after us and the 2nd day with my sister and girlfriend Kate.  The 2nd time he said "You back mon, you gonna come see my store today?" I replied, "You have a store, why didnt you say that the first day? We thought you were trying to rob us."  It makes sense now.  He greated us so far from the town that way he could take us to his store in the back of the town instead of being grabbed by the stores at the front...smart guy.  At his store they were giving us free rum shots...I was like this is awesome free drinks but I did know what they were trying to do...get you lose so you bought all their souvenirs.  Most of the stores had no light besides natural sunlight, no A/C, and were about the size of my closet.  Imagine walking into a 3x3 ft closet to look at some 80 year old lady's wooden carvings and turn around and she is in the room with you...uh little close arent we? Then she hands you gourds she has painted in Jamaica colors saying, "Here hold this gift, my brother made this for you, he lives up in the hills."  I swear everyone in this town "had a brother that lived in the hills who made their wood carvings."  Their hills are a little different than the Hollywood Hills which are covered in mansions with infinity pools...their hills are legit jungles with Rastafarians living in huts.  Every girl in town thought I was cute…since I don't get called cute that often I was a little confused. "Mom do they really like me or are they just trying to get me to buy something?"  I ended up telling all the girls I had a girlfriend and broke about 4 hearts.  Not only did they think I was cute, they wanted to braid my hair…sorry I already had my cornrows this year…seriously I paid $30 in LA for some ghetto hair stylist to do my rows YO!

The best part of the trip had to have been when my dad took Ryan, KT, and I horseback riding at 7AM.  The locals were hilarious and loved all our GoPros.  They taught me the phrase, "Wah gwan?" meaning "What's up?"  So picture riding horses on the beach during an epic sunrise and the locals telling you to strip down to your swimming attire…I was thinking I might get my feet wet…boy was I wrong.  We ride these saddle-less horses into the water gripping their manes (SWEAR, watch my video) and one of them takes a dump almost hitting my feet, good thing I was watching the horses huge butt waiting for him to BM (another word for poop that my Mom uses…while we are talking about Susan and her bathroom vocabulary, she would refer to a fart as "Making a noise." LOVE MY MOM.) Ok so he BMs and I yank my feet right outta the water.  Then we start going deeper into the ocean, I wasn't sure if I was on a submarine or a horse at this point because we are so deep the horse is swimming and I am hanging on to this mane having the time of my life.  Just when I think it can't get any better the guide says let go and hold on to the tail. WHAT?! You know me I love the water so this is beyond anything I have ever done. 

Quick random side stories: Picture my sister KT sleeping…then picture me seeing this sleeping girl alone on the beach and scaring the living sheet out of her.  Oh also we were playing cards one night and I said she had something on her shirt so I leaned over the table and flicked her neck (right in the adams apple)…classick running joke we have…still cant believe she fell for it.  I also messed with my sister-in-law Blayr.  We were riding in the golf cart to the pool and I asked if anyone wanted a sip of my Coke.  Blayr said sure and took a huge drink.  She started coughing and her eyes were watering and she goes "That is not Coke…there is definitely rum in there.  I thought it was weird to see you drinking a Coke!"  What can I say, we went to high school together and we have this brother/sisterly love now…just a little inside joke between us.

Not good with transitions so this is where I get all serious.

It was a really neat experience to be able to travel to another country and get to interact with the people.  The workers at the resort made you really appreciate life and how good we have it as Americans.  They said they travel around an hour to an hour and a half by taking 1 or 2 taxis just to get to work.  One guy said he made $20 a day working on a beach and that was good money.  He also said his cousin could get him a better job at another resort but he couldnt leave because his friend recommended him for this job and he couldnt do that to his friend.  In Jamaica it was all about respect.  The people were always happy.  

Oh yeah I ended up writing my brother that check from South Dakota…that one for all the hidden fees.

Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo0kEjJ0a1Q

Montego Bay, Jamaica (Nov 24th - December 1st, 2013)

[rorykramer]

My brother Ryan "shot" me a text (like my humor ?!?) and asked if I wanted to go to South Dakota to hunt.  Like everything I get asked to do, I want to but I find some reason to talk myself out of it.  As I was replying something like, "Man I want to but I dont have the vaca days," I began to think more about life...about how little I get to see my family as I live in California...about people I know who are sick...about how my dad is getting older...so I deleted my excuse and said "I'm in !!!!"

  Bought a plane ticket for $337, borrowed all my brother's hunting gear (an excuse he now has to tell his wife to be able to buy more gear), and went to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

  Hopped off the plane and immediately wanted to go home...IT'S FREEZING (45 degrees) yeah I know...the California weather has made me a baby.  Snagged the rental car, hooked up a few GoPros to it and drove around Sioux Falls making a pit stop at McDonald's before picking up my dad and brother.

  At this point I'm thinking we are gonna chill and catch up...then out from the airport walks this fluorescent orange man carrying a camo duffle bag.  It's my brother Ryan.  He tosses me a bag and says "Put these on in the car, they are already hunting without us."  To give you an idea of what I was putting on, I am a 29 and the pants he gave me wear 36 and I don't wear underwear.

  In the car, dad is giving me the run down on the do's and dont's...he might as well have been speaking Spanish because I had no clue what he was talking about.  "We will probably hunt slews, and you will need to decide if you want to wing, push, or block." One thing I learned was shotguns take shells and not bullets.  Come on tomato tomahto. 

  The next 4 days were filled with walking through fields of cow craps, chomping on jerky, and blasting birds out of the sky....straight up man stuff.

  I'll be honest, it took me 3 days to get my first pheasant.  My dad said he couldntve been more proud while my brother said he coulda shot it if he wanted (typical Ryan Kramer). 

  Some of the highlights were: My dad lecturing me that you cant shoot the hens and then blasting one down himself swearing it was a rooster (he does have a great shot tho), my brother getting 11 pheasants in one day when we had a limit of 30, my Uncle Dan unable to get his dog to listen, the kiss me joke Uncle Dan told all the waitresses (picture a 76 year old Havard/MIT grad asking a 20 something 'Smile if you would like to kiss me.') He is quite the jokester, meeting a lot of nice people, and getting to do something new.

  As I look back on the trip I realize how special it was because it was a chance for me to experience something that my dad/brother love to do and learn more about them.  It was well worth all the hidden fees my brother didnt tell me about. 

  One last thing, when we were in the airport going home I followed my dad into the bathroom.  I looked to see if anyone else was in there and then said "Ladies and Gentlemen, flight 404 with service from Sioux Falls to Minneapolis has been cancelled."  My dad then stopped going to the bathroom pulled out his ticket and I couldnt hold it, i burst out laughing and my dad spun around..."THAT WAS YOU ?!?!  You sounded just like her with your voice echoing off the marble walls."

  Wouldn't be a trip without messing with my dad, right ?

  Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Nov. 14-17, 2013)