The drives have been going faster than expected. We find endless conversation in the car (well, Matt and Elysa usually talk as I listen to podcast after podcast) and before we know it we’re at our next stop.

It’s fun to host each show, but the best part comes afterwards when we get to say hi to everyone. It’s so nice, heartwarming, flattering, and inspiring to speak with the listeners face to face.

It makes me think, why would I ever stop doing this? People rely on these shows to get them through work and hard times. They’re used to enlighten and entertain. And hearing these stories directly from the listeners motivates me more than anything. It’s also nice to hear that they think the podcasts are really really good when referring to the quality of content, hosts, and sound. It gets me REALLY excited for my start at CSU Fullerton in the Fall, where I fully intend to rock the school with the best radio program the institution has ever seen.

Not to mention, I LOVE planning, hosting, and editing these podcasts. People love what we’re doing, and we love doing it. It’s a great cycle, and the reason why even MuggleCast is still running strong as it approaches its fifth birthday.

So there are some thoughts from the tour. I’m also staying in good shape. Most of the hotels we’ve been in have had small gyms (some better than others). Good stuff.

LASTLY, I have this idea for a site that is going to be the next Twitter/Facebook. It’s something people do practically every day on Twitter and Facebook, but said content is not being organized/utilized properly. That will change with this brilliant new site. I’m working on it with MuggleNet programmer/designer/friend/Springsteen-addict Richard and I promise you it will take over the world. It’s addicting, social, and all about you and your friends.

We’re going to be spending a lot of time on the road. I love road trips to death, so this is one aspect that I’m most excited for.

Lately I’ve been thinking that I want to somehow have my own log of the trip. I decided today the best way to do this is via the social networking site Daily Booth.

So I made a profile – if you have an account, follow me here! Honestly, I’ve always thought the concept of Daily Booth was dumb. But people love it, and it seems like a fun way to keep a log of the trip. As you can see once you click the link, I’ve already added my first ultra corny/awkward photo.

What I plan on doing is taking a picture of me at the same angle using iPhone 4’s front-facing camera at least once or twice a day (starting on the 4th). The background will just be different every time, and I hope to make the backgrounds interesting.

On a related note, I usually get car sick easily from reading, but I’m going to TRY to read the ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo‘ series while on the road. I’ve heard a ton of great things about the books lately!

I wanted to blog about something I did differently this time in regards to covering the event for MuggleNet. It all came down to having a Sprint Mifi card, which gave my MacBook, iPad, and iPhone SOLID 3G internet access wherever I was.

During the press conference, I was able to upload high-res photos of the stars directly to Twitter (example). I’d take the pictures, pop my camera’s SD card into the MacBook, and send them online.

At the nighttime Grand Opening I shot little bits of video on the iPhone and uploaded them directly to Twitter (example). I first attempted to do this with AT&T’s 3G connection straight from the iPhone but it kept failing. I can only blame that on AT&T’s network. I turned on the Mifi and it worked like a charm. I was basically a walking wireless base station that whole night.

Instead of bringing my laptop to the nighttime Grand Opening – and looking like a huge nerd – I brought the iPad and used the iPad Camera Connection Kit to upload high res photos from my SD card to the iPad to the internet right in the park. Even though this picture didn’t turn out great, it grabbed 12k views – I think it went somewhat viral as it was “in the moment”.

In today’s internet-reliant world, instant is everything. Getting the high-res pics up – and some decent iPhone video – were icing on the instantaneous cake.

I live for doing this live coverage kind of thing. It’s so much fun to serve the community.

First – about that podcast network. I really appreciate all the feedback.. it was definitely motivating. I think, if I am to start it, it’ll happen in the Fall. Got enough going on this Summer and there’s still a lot to consider with the network.

Second, we recently relaunched MuggleNet. It has had the same design since Emerson birthed it in the Fall of 1999. I’m really, really happy with this new design. It’s coded beautifully (thanks to the equally beautiful Richard Reid) and includes lots of new features and functionality that we hope will bring more people to the site. We got a lot of feedback – good and bad – but I think it’s fair to say the majority was good. As for the negative, I think many of those people are just shocked to see this new design on a site that has been the same for ten years. With that said, we’ll continue to tweak the site as we get more feedback.

Related side note – this new MuggleNet got me really interested in learning CSS/HTML5. A goal this summer is to get a strong command of it.

Third, I got a lot of fun stuff going on this summer. We’re taking our Twilight podcast, Imprint, on a cross-country tour through the month of July. We did this for MuggleCast in the Summer of 2007 and it was a ton of fun. Part of the reason for doing this is it’ll be a really nice BFF trip for Matt, Elysa, Laura and I. Doing 11 live podcasts along the way adds to the fun. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park is having its Grand Opening on June 18th and I can’t wait for that. I recently learned they’re serving Strongbow in The Hogs Head. I had it for the first time in London a couple months ago and fell in love with it. So good. Anyway, I’ll be back in Orlando for Infinitus 2010 in July. Harry Potter symposiums are one of the funnest things. A large group of your best friends all converging on one place to mainly socialize for four – five days.. it’s too good. You always meet great new people too. At the end of every Harry Potter con I always end up with two or three new good friends. So I can’t wait to see who I meet this year.

Fourth, here’s what I’ve been listening to recently: U Smile by Justin Bieber (his Idol appearance got me into him), Nothin’ On You by B.o.B., Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz, Backstreets (alternate version) by Bruce Springsteen, Thundercrack (live) by Bruce Springsteen, Airplanes Part 2 by B.o.B. featuring Eminem/Hayley Williams, and The Only Exception by Paramore.

Fifth, I turned 21 last week. All the happy birthday wishes really, really made my day. I was in Vegas with a few friends and it was a ton of fun. The happy birthday wishes were a nice reminder of all the people who enjoy the podcasts and websites – it’s really motivating. So thanks!

The idea is to create a network of podcasts that all hold the same high level of audio quality, timeliness, and content. Each podcast focuses on a certain topic. They would all be showcased on one website.

The reason MuggleCast and Imprint have become so successful is because they hold high standards. There are other podcasts like this for other specific topics, so that’s why I think a network to hold all of them would be successful.

There’s one podcast network online that has proven this formula works. The TWiT network is an all-tech podcast network that releases shows on a variety of topics on a weekly basis. Each one is entertaining, well produced, and timely. Obviously there’s a big tech audience using the internet, so this network has a large audience.

I think there’s room for a network like TWiT but for fandoms. Other than technology, one of the other big markets on the internet are fandoms. Harry Potter, Twilight, Glee, True Blood, Reality TV shows all have big online communities. People love MuggleCast and Imprint because we feel like their “Harry Potter/Twilight friends” (these are their words). When they don’t have anyone to talk to about Harry Potter or Twilight, they listen to us.

As I said, all the podcasts on the network would have to agree to guidelines. Podcasts would have to be released at least every other week. The hosts have to be entertaining and have good chemistry. The audio quality has to be really nice. These are all essential parts of the formula for a good podcast.

There are a few incentives for podcasts to join this network. Example: A Harry Potter fan has been listening to MuggleCast, and they hear that MuggleCast is now part of a podcast network. They visit the network site, and they see the other podcasts offered. They’re also a fan of Glee, so they check out the Glee podcast. They expect it to be worth listening to since it’s on this network of podcasts that hold high standards. Boom – the podcast just got another listener.

Now the reason I’m blogging about this: What do YOU think of this idea? While I’d love to hear amazing support for it, I’d appreciate honest opinions the most. Feel free to suggest podcast/genres you’d like to see part of the network too.

I’ll answer some questions here, but first I’ll update you on…

My current situation:

I’m still at my goal weight (135 lbs) and have been working on building muscle. Abs, arms, chest, and a little in my legs and my back. I’m still going to the gym a minimum of five times a week. Muscle building is going pretty well. It’s a slow moving process but it really pays off when you see the results. To aid muscle building I’ve been drinking Newtek’s Pro5 protein. This stuff is DELICIOUS (I have the chocolate flavor). You drink it three times a day: in the morning, post work out, and before bed.

As for my diet: in the morning I’ll usually have the Jimmy Dean D-Light Turkey Sausage Whole Grain Bagel. THE MOST DELICIOUS HEALTHY BREAKFAST PRODUCT IN THE WORLD. I can’t stop eating these, which is why I have one almost every morning. On top of that, I’ll drink a mix of non fat milk, the Pro5 and Carnation’s Breakfast Essentials (the no-sugar-added version). The combo of the Pro5 and Breakfast Essentials makes a delicious morning milkshake.

Lunch time: I’ll mix it up. Usually a homemade sandwich, a Lean Cuisine meal, or a turkey burger. Sometimes I’ll get lunch at my favorite it’s-not-bad-for-you restaurant like Chick Fil A. I’m also lucky to have great healthy restaurants around here. Most notably: The Veggie Grill or Fitness Grill. Google them if you’re in the Orange County, CA area.

Dinner time: Something like lunch time. Sandwich, Lean Cuisine, Turkey Burger.

Snacks once or twice during the day: those 100-calorie packs or a Fiber One bar.

Now, is this the most exciting diet? Maybe not to you, but I genuinely like this kind of food. I hate healthy foods. I’ve never had a taste for them. Fruits, vegetables… ugh. Yes, I’m 4 years old. But I hope you get the idea of what I’m doing. Low fat foods, most pre-cooked. It’s an easy way to keep track of exactly what’s going in you.

Questions, answered:

From Julie:

“When you say to only drink water, tea and skim milk, does that mean no coffee?? I can’t live without my coffee. I’ve also tried skim milk and don’t like it…”

Okay, this was a big mistake on my part. I left out coffee – something I am a big fan of. I think coffee is fine to drink too, AS LONG AS you’re not adding any type of stupid cream in it. I drink coffee/iced coffee with non fat milk. The first couple times I had it I wasn’t a fan, but I quickly got used to it and now love it. Coffee can also speed up your metabolism – which is obviously very helpful when trying to lose weight.

From Samantha:

Should you work out when you’re sick (stuffed up, congested, coughy, snotty, gross)? I know that being sick you wouldn’t be able to run like, 10 miles or whatever, but should you at least try to do what you can or just let your body rest?

I would use that as an excuse to just rest. It can’t be good to work out when you’re SICK. If you just have a cough or a runny nose, take some DayQuil and hit the gym. If you’re SICK SICK – like fever sick – you’re body is actually burning more calories throughout the day to fight off your fever, so you’re basically working out by just laying in bed! Woo! Plus you don’t have as much of an apetite. So if you’re sick sick, don’t worry about going to the gym.

From Vicky:

Ooohh, these are really helpful actually. My question is; the only gym I have in my area is waay too extensive and I just can’t afford it. Instead, I choose to walk home everyday (that takes close to an hour), and I have weights and pulls that I use at home, do you think that will be good enough??

Walking an hour a day has got to be helping you. If you’re combing that with a good diet I would think you’re in good shape! Just keep up the good work with the weights that you have at home.

From Charee:

Hey Andrew! I was just wondering if you put any sweetener in your tea, and if so, what kind?

I really like Truvia. I don’t have any particular preference though. When I’m in Starbucks I always use Splenda.

From Arialle:

When you go to the gym, do you use the eliptical, stairmaster, treadmill, or a combination of the 3? How long do you work out and at what speed?

Since this blog post focused on the food, in my next post I’ll focus on answering what I do at the gym and why! Short answer: I use the Precor 100i at my gym. It’s a cross between an elliptical and a treadmill. It’s basically a flexible elliptical (it moves how you want).

From Katie:

I also have a weakness for late-night snacking insanity (goldfish) when I’m stressed. Any suggestions?

Read The End of Overeating – it’s a great book that sheds light on WHY THE HELL we want to eat snacks. The author argues that it’s not that we want the *food*, we want the 5 seconds of pleasure we get with the food in our mouths. This book helped me a lot.

Okay, that’s all for this post. If you have questions feel free to leave ‘em and I’ll answer them in the next Andy Active post!

… Is it too late since I already called a computer ’sexy’?

Overall, I’m VERY happy with it. There’s something really really nice about relaxing with this thing. It’s so simple and unobtrusive. It’s clear why all the ads for the iPad depict the user kicking back on a couch – that’s EXACTLY where you’ll want to use it (or a bed).

The apps are really what make the iPad shine. My favorites so far are USA Today, Sneezies HD, ABC Player, Flight Control HD, and Pages. I plan on picking up Plants VS Zombies HD soon too.

The large screen makes all the difference and separates it from an iPhone/iPod touch. It’s ridiculous to call it a iPhone/iPod when we all know that size, in the case of technology, makes a big difference. It’s the reason people upgrade their TVs or insist they get a laptop a certain size. It’s the reason you want more ram, or a bigger hard drive, or a faster processor. BIGGER IS BETTER. Oh, and that big size means BIG battery – hello, solid 10 hours of use on one charge!

With all the extra screen real estate, app developers have more room to work with. With this screen, you can comfortably read a book or a newspaper, experience a vibrant/interactive game, watch movies comfortably, draw, etc. I never read or watched a thing on the iPhone because the screen isn’t one you want to stare at for more than a few minutes. I really can’t wait to see new apps come into the App Store over time. And iPhone OS 4.0 will be brillllliant on this.

Some miscellaneous positives:
- It doesn’t get hot. This is part of what makes it nice to relax with. Unlike a laptop, the iPad can sit on your lap for as long as you want and still be as cool as when you picked it up. Even if you watch a movie, this baby is CHILL.
- The screen is beautiful. Video – like digital copies of DVDs and the ABC Player – really show off the capabilities.
- I quickly picked up good typing skills. The catch is you have to have the iPad angled the right way to type optimally. The fact that it supports bluetooth keyboards is convenient. The case I bought angles it at just the right position for efficient typing speed and accuracy.
- I LOVE THE 3RD PARTY APPS.
- Multitasking – which will be available in OS 4.0 – will make this thing near perfect.

Now, to make this as fair and fanboy-free as possible, I will try to compile a list of BAD things about the iPad:
- some sites don’t work how they should because they need Flash. This is the problem everyone is talking about. I don’t use any sites regularly that require flash so this doesn’t bother me much. Moreover, a lot of companies seem to be listening to Steve by supporting devices that don’t include Flash.
- the screen smudges more than the iPhone’s does. annoying when you view the iPad at an angle and see smudges.
- it’s a little heavier than I expected.
- they should have introduced folders with this. The Weather, Stocks, Voice Memos, and Calculator apps are missing and this is likely because they didn’t want to clog up the screen with apps. I’m guessing they’ll add these smaller apps once folders are available in OS version 4.0.

That’s about it for now. I’m eager to start reading books on this and seeing how it is on the eyes. I stare at screens a lot as it is so I’m not too worried about my eyes going crazy about another screen.

Have you used/purchased an iPad? What do you think of it?

Pictured above is me at the Absolut Ice Bar in London. EVERYTHING inside is made of ice. Bar, seats, drink glasses, etc. The drink I’m holding glowed on its own.

The Orange County Register is holding a Disneyland photo contest, where the winner will receive tickets to a Disneyland party being held in the park for the diehard fans.

For one part of the contest, a winner will be selected based on how many votes they receive. I submitted 5 photos I took last year. If you could PLEASE pick your favorite of mine and vote for it, I’d really appreciate it!

Just click the photo you like the best below, then hit the orange “Save Vote” button on the page it brings you to. Thanks a ton!

Minnie and Pluto enjoying a stroll down the Hollywood Backlot in California Adventure.

Pluto needs help deciding which ice cream to get.

A small statue of Minnie outside Cinderella’s Castle.

Pluto begs for some free ice cream.

Flowers along Disneyland’s Main Street.

- Lia and my friend Pam suggested talking Oscar predictions. I love watching the Oscars, but I’m not a big movie watching person. The only three films I’ve seen that are nominated this year are Avatar, District 9, and Up In the Air. In fact, I don’t watch movies in general. I haven’t seen any of the Star Wars or Lord of the Rings films. That’ll give you a good idea of how few films I’ve seen compared to the general public, lol.

But if I WERE to predict, I’m sure it’s going to be another landslide year like it was for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009. Avatar all the way.

- Nat suggested I talk about idiots at the gym. WOW, this girl read my mind. I’ve wanted to bitch about people at the gym for a while.

In a nutshell, I hate when people at the gym: 1) do not put their free weights back on the racks, 2) sit on machines – not using them – just to socialize with people, 3) SMELL, 4) sit on machines using their phones, and 5) scream loud when they’re struggling with their weights. I understand some grunting cause you’re pushing yourself, but I dislike the obnoxious people who go ‘AGHHHHHHHHHHHH’ and then let their weight hit the floor with a huge thud.

- Gabrielle suggested I make book recommendations. I wish I had something more recent to talk about, but sadly I don’t. I plan on spending a lot of time at the pool and/or beach this summer so I want to have a couple really great books to read. If YOU have any recommendations, let me know in the comments. Let me know why I would like it!

- This wasn’t a request, but here’s a product I’ve wanted to rave about for a while: Keurig coffee makers. Possibly one of the greatest home inventions in recent years. These coffee makers are special in that they make coffee really fast. You turn it on, it heats up, you insert a “K-Cup” (the coffee type/flavor you want), and it pours the coffee into your cup.

There are a few different brewers available. I got the “Select Home Brewing System” for Christmas and love it to death. My current favorite K-Cup flavors are CoffeePeople’s “Donut Shop Coffee“, “Black Tiger“, and “Santa’s Buzz“.

The best part about these K-Cups are the price. You can buy a pack of 50 of most flavors from Amazon. If you order through Amazon Subscribe, you get free shipping AND 10% off. For Donut Shop Coffee and Black Tiger, that equates to 35 cents per cup. And these are Starbucks-like sizes. Keurig’s can dispense up to 10 ounces at a time. If you want more coffee in a cup, then just use two K-Cups for a price of *gasp* 70 cents. Check ‘em out at Target, Costco, or online.

There are so many other flavors I’m dying to try. This new Tree Hugger flavor is described as sweet and chocolaty. Mmmmm.