Sofia and I just went to see 'Sicko', the new Micheal Moore movie. Oh my god, this should be a national requirement. It's so subversive it's like stumbling across a pot of untaxable gold. I sat in the theatre clentching my fists watching those lucky bastards the French, British, Canadians and Cubans laughing at our shitty health system. Every cell in my body screamed out "I want the fuck off this boat!! I want to go to England!" Get me the hell out of this country. How is it that we are the only, (ONLY, ONLY, There are no others) Industrial country that doesn't have universal health care? The poorest British citizen is in better health than our wealthiest because of the preventive and FREE care that their country provides. They understand that to take care of the problem before it begins, and to take away the burden of debt that lingers over the sick means their patients will either stay healthy, or get better quicker, and then be able to return to being a productive member of society. They aren't trapped in a cycle of poor health care and mounting debts. They don't have to choose between going to a hospital that is 'in the company's network' or the one that is closest. Dying on the way to the pre-approved network hospital isn't an option for these citizens. Their country actually cares about the well being of ALL of its citizens, rather than the ones that donate the most amount of money to the politicians' campaigns.
I propose a change. I refuse to vote for any politician that does not make these three topics part of their platform
1. Exit Strategy. Getting us out of the war, and rebuilding the country we've destroyed, in a peaceful healthy way should be a priority. We would save billions of dollars a month, not to mention the lives.
2. Global Warming. We can do a lot as private citizens but we could do so much more as a nation if our government would sign the bills that would help this along.
3. Universal Healthcare. Reforming our healthcare system is a necessity at this point.
All of these issues would show the American people that our government does care about THEM, not about themselves. We want a government for the people. That was our initial reason wasn't it? Somewhere along the way our ideals got lost and now we have a government that is for themselves. The point of democracy is to have a government that is afraid of the people and will work for them. This kind of candidate is the only kind I'm interested in. Once I've found him, or her I'll let you know.
I just wrote a letter to my Congressman and Senators telling them what I wanted. You can too. Do it HERE.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Go Get A Job, You Bum!
"I'm freakin' out here, man!" Those words, so true, so true, were spoken by an old hippie but they could have been stolen right out of my mouth. Except for the fact that I was quoting that old hippie in an ironic way. It's always ironic! I never say stupid things without the old ironic excuse to back me up. Thank you hipsters.
Sorry, I'm drinking my coffee very strong and black today. We ran out of sugar. Waht was my point? I've completely lost it in the haze of irony and coffee. Which is a good thing because now as I've remembered why I decided to write this post I'm starting to freak out again.
Looking for jobs is HARD! I've never really had to begin this process. Jobs have sort of come easily to me. Especially jobs I don't really care too much about. I've gotten every single job I've ever interviewed for, except one. That's a pretty good track record when you consider how many jobs I've had, and the fact that I rarely bother filling out the application and then returning it. That holds true for restaurant jobs, retail jobs, internships, you name it, I can interview for it.
And the past few jobs I've had I haven't had to apply or interview for. I think I was a little spoiled by the TV community. Someone recommends you and then all of a sudden you're hired. Now I have to look up jobs, send them my resume and hope they'll call me back for an interview. I get the distinct feeling that my resume doesn't meet standards. Who knew people would be so picky about who tutors their kids? (just joking...sigh.) I've applied at tons of places (okay, maybe not tons but it feels like it) in NOVA and haven't really heard back from many of them. I haven't heard back from Fairfax County yet about substitute teaching and I know they probably have tons of resumes and assessment tests to slog through but it's making me antsy, like I can't even get a job as a substitute teacher.
I'm sure I should keep at it and give it time, all those reasonable responses but I really hate this. I feel like once someone deigns to hire me I'm just going to be so angry at this whole process that I'll throw it back in their face. Or be so servile and grateful that I spend the next 6 months on weekend duty. All my experience and college degree doesn't seem to get me far. They seem to want people who have experience teaching or tutoring rather than experience in running for coffee or the subway.
Sorry, I'm drinking my coffee very strong and black today. We ran out of sugar. Waht was my point? I've completely lost it in the haze of irony and coffee. Which is a good thing because now as I've remembered why I decided to write this post I'm starting to freak out again.
Looking for jobs is HARD! I've never really had to begin this process. Jobs have sort of come easily to me. Especially jobs I don't really care too much about. I've gotten every single job I've ever interviewed for, except one. That's a pretty good track record when you consider how many jobs I've had, and the fact that I rarely bother filling out the application and then returning it. That holds true for restaurant jobs, retail jobs, internships, you name it, I can interview for it.
And the past few jobs I've had I haven't had to apply or interview for. I think I was a little spoiled by the TV community. Someone recommends you and then all of a sudden you're hired. Now I have to look up jobs, send them my resume and hope they'll call me back for an interview. I get the distinct feeling that my resume doesn't meet standards. Who knew people would be so picky about who tutors their kids? (just joking...sigh.) I've applied at tons of places (okay, maybe not tons but it feels like it) in NOVA and haven't really heard back from many of them. I haven't heard back from Fairfax County yet about substitute teaching and I know they probably have tons of resumes and assessment tests to slog through but it's making me antsy, like I can't even get a job as a substitute teacher.
I'm sure I should keep at it and give it time, all those reasonable responses but I really hate this. I feel like once someone deigns to hire me I'm just going to be so angry at this whole process that I'll throw it back in their face. Or be so servile and grateful that I spend the next 6 months on weekend duty. All my experience and college degree doesn't seem to get me far. They seem to want people who have experience teaching or tutoring rather than experience in running for coffee or the subway.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
A Capitol Fourth
Sorry about the lack of writing recently. I was pretty overwhelmed by the show for a while and then after that I didn't want to think about it for a while and relax. But the show was interesting and so much happened that I wanted to write about it, all while it was going on. I just didn't have a spare moment. Really. Starting the Monday before the show on Wednesday I was completely crazy all day. Tuesday we had to sit through an hour long security sweep. All of us in the catering tent. I had so much work to do when I came back from our forced lunch break. It was the busiest part of the day for me. As soon as we got back from lunch I had about 5 interns that were coming to volunteer for us. I was spinning faster than a tornado trying to get everything ready for the dress rehearsal. People needed their guest passes for the night but we ran out of Tuesday night passes and had to come up with some way to make some up. I printed "Tuesday Night ONLY" on white labels and made the interns put them on extra Band & Chorus badges. It's nice having interns that can do these time consuming boring tasks. I was one about 3 months ago and I totally appreciate it.
Apparently though, I hurt someone's feelings. This girl, Candice, who is the full time receptionist in the main Capital Concerts office. I thought nothing of her at first, she was nice enough, cute. After hanging out with her for a while I started to get annoyed. She was young, thought she was funny and was pretty fake nice. She was coming over to help us out on Tuesday and came shortly after all the interns had arrived. I had showed the interns around the stage and backstage and then told them they could watch the show because I didn't have much for them to do and was already overwhelmed. Candice, however, wanted to be part of the team because she worked for us too. Well, she'd been working in the main office, far removed from anything we were doing. She also hadn't brought a computer to help us out with the paperwork. She was basically reduced to an intern's role and she resented it. She thought I had been rude to her. I don't really know why or how she got this impression. I was busy and so not really able to chat but I was trying to be really nice to everyone because I know I can get short when I'm busy but I didn't want the interns to be intimidated. Anyway, she wrote my boss an email saying she didn't feel part of the team and I had been rude to her and therefore she was going to go help the Talent people instead. You don't do that! You can't decide you don't like where you are and change your job like that, without asking anyone. My boss was annoyed, and so was I. If you can't deal with a little rudeness, or what you perceive to be rudeness how are you going to make it out in the real world, and especially TV? It's a rude, crude place. Get the fuck over it. And I'm one of the nice ones.
Apparently though, I hurt someone's feelings. This girl, Candice, who is the full time receptionist in the main Capital Concerts office. I thought nothing of her at first, she was nice enough, cute. After hanging out with her for a while I started to get annoyed. She was young, thought she was funny and was pretty fake nice. She was coming over to help us out on Tuesday and came shortly after all the interns had arrived. I had showed the interns around the stage and backstage and then told them they could watch the show because I didn't have much for them to do and was already overwhelmed. Candice, however, wanted to be part of the team because she worked for us too. Well, she'd been working in the main office, far removed from anything we were doing. She also hadn't brought a computer to help us out with the paperwork. She was basically reduced to an intern's role and she resented it. She thought I had been rude to her. I don't really know why or how she got this impression. I was busy and so not really able to chat but I was trying to be really nice to everyone because I know I can get short when I'm busy but I didn't want the interns to be intimidated. Anyway, she wrote my boss an email saying she didn't feel part of the team and I had been rude to her and therefore she was going to go help the Talent people instead. You don't do that! You can't decide you don't like where you are and change your job like that, without asking anyone. My boss was annoyed, and so was I. If you can't deal with a little rudeness, or what you perceive to be rudeness how are you going to make it out in the real world, and especially TV? It's a rude, crude place. Get the fuck over it. And I'm one of the nice ones.
Monday, July 02, 2007
The National Anthem Makes Me Weirdly Patriotic
Unlike Memorial Day I am much more inclined to be patriotic on the 4th of July. I know a lot of people are, but I'm usually never patriotic. I feel like those people who only go to church on Easter and Christmas, I'm only patriotic on Independence Day.
The whole 'rocket's red glare' and the 'flag through the night' thing really sets me off. Especially when it's sung by someone who's got a soaring voice. I guess it's the whole day, like Christmas is so much more Christmas-y when the tree smells good and the people around you are kind and the snow falls. When the weather is balmy and the picnic is great and the people are good and the fireworks explode so inticingly and the sky is that dusky blue shade and the fireflies blink. The smell of hot dogs and gunpowder really makes me happy. I feel oddly elated and amazed to be a part of this country. It doesn't happen often, that I'm proud of who we are and even on the Fourth I get angry and upset, but I still somehow think it will turn out alright. Overall we're decent people who believe in these abstract things like Freedom and Liberty and we have fought wars to keep it that way. Even though we screw up often, and I wish we never went to war, especially the current one, I think Americans have this funny decency buried somewhere and after a while the cruelty gets intolerable and we do something about it. Granted, it's usually followed by bloodshed. It's strange, isn't it, how many of our boys have felt the same way, and how many of them have decided that they would be willing to die for that. I wish they could decide that and feel good about that decision, but not actually have to prove it by dying, or getting maimed or scarred, emotionally or physically. I wish we could show our pride in our country without having to sacrifice these boys needlessly. Even though I think these things I am amazed at the fact that someone would care enough about these things to do that. Amazed, awed, grateful and saddened.
Man, this wasn't supposed to go down that path. I was actually just going to comment on how cute the cheerleader from 'Heroes' is, and how she has a decent voice after all. Thank god she's not just some actress who THINKS she can sing, or a singer who thinks she can sing coughbritneycoughjessicacough cough.
That's all I meant to say. And that her singing 'The Star Spangled Banner' makes me oddly patriotic, something I never really intend.
The whole 'rocket's red glare' and the 'flag through the night' thing really sets me off. Especially when it's sung by someone who's got a soaring voice. I guess it's the whole day, like Christmas is so much more Christmas-y when the tree smells good and the people around you are kind and the snow falls. When the weather is balmy and the picnic is great and the people are good and the fireworks explode so inticingly and the sky is that dusky blue shade and the fireflies blink. The smell of hot dogs and gunpowder really makes me happy. I feel oddly elated and amazed to be a part of this country. It doesn't happen often, that I'm proud of who we are and even on the Fourth I get angry and upset, but I still somehow think it will turn out alright. Overall we're decent people who believe in these abstract things like Freedom and Liberty and we have fought wars to keep it that way. Even though we screw up often, and I wish we never went to war, especially the current one, I think Americans have this funny decency buried somewhere and after a while the cruelty gets intolerable and we do something about it. Granted, it's usually followed by bloodshed. It's strange, isn't it, how many of our boys have felt the same way, and how many of them have decided that they would be willing to die for that. I wish they could decide that and feel good about that decision, but not actually have to prove it by dying, or getting maimed or scarred, emotionally or physically. I wish we could show our pride in our country without having to sacrifice these boys needlessly. Even though I think these things I am amazed at the fact that someone would care enough about these things to do that. Amazed, awed, grateful and saddened.
Man, this wasn't supposed to go down that path. I was actually just going to comment on how cute the cheerleader from 'Heroes' is, and how she has a decent voice after all. Thank god she's not just some actress who THINKS she can sing, or a singer who thinks she can sing coughbritneycoughjessicacough cough.
That's all I meant to say. And that her singing 'The Star Spangled Banner' makes me oddly patriotic, something I never really intend.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Another Day Closer
Sorry, I know I'm just feeling sorry for myself and I should quit gripping, like I did in my last post. I know that this job is short and then I get to go home and have days off. It's just that when I'm in the middle of working a lot, and don't get much time off to do the things I like to do, I forget that I have it alright and I sink into that blind frustration that sees no end. This might be why I hate working so much. I should remember that when I do have a real job I won't have to work weekends (or at least, not constantly) and I won't have to work a second job and go running from place to place like I did last summer. It also doesn't help that I spontaneously like to do things like bake or paint and so to be constricted in an office where I can't just do that seems so very cruel. The days seem long now and they're fairly boring, but in a few days I will be past all that and can indulge in things and people. And do yoga again. It's surprising how much I miss it.
As you might know, if you have been following this blog assiduously, as you should be, you would know that I have come to the conclusion that I would much prefer the lifestyle of an educator. Being able to educate young people and help them see the world in a different way, and the freedom of summers and not working in a boring office are all things that I kinda want. And the freedom to write and go back to grad school. So, after this show is finished I'm going to retire from the entertainment business and hang up my credentials and get a full time job and go to grad school. As interesting as this career blip has been, seeing the other side of all those live shows broadcast throughout the country, or filmmaking, I don't think this is for me in the long run. There are too many things that I want out of life that I see myself compromising if I continued on in this career. I don't want this badly enough. I want academia and time to read and contemplate and discuss.
As you might know, if you have been following this blog assiduously, as you should be, you would know that I have come to the conclusion that I would much prefer the lifestyle of an educator. Being able to educate young people and help them see the world in a different way, and the freedom of summers and not working in a boring office are all things that I kinda want. And the freedom to write and go back to grad school. So, after this show is finished I'm going to retire from the entertainment business and hang up my credentials and get a full time job and go to grad school. As interesting as this career blip has been, seeing the other side of all those live shows broadcast throughout the country, or filmmaking, I don't think this is for me in the long run. There are too many things that I want out of life that I see myself compromising if I continued on in this career. I don't want this badly enough. I want academia and time to read and contemplate and discuss.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
