Hey, it's back on TV20 - TONIGHT!

What do you mean, "What's back?"

Haven't you been listening? I know a lot of you have been asking about it.

It's a HOWLING good time on My TV20 - Fox 20, in Detroit.

Watch it! I dare ya!

Another thing I dare you to watch...this video by the Swamp Sisters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOa3fTmYfno

See you tonight at 12:30am, for the return of Nightmare Sinema with Wolfman Mac. Oh, and notice the new opening - you can't help but love it!

And watch for the homemade commercials in between the movie and the real thing (no, not Coke ads...our SPONSORS!!)... you'll see ME, as Maude Balmer (that's Mrs. M. Balmer, thank you).

ENJOY!!

OK, time to cast a vote, give me some help, please

So, yesterday I had an interview, directly after taking a call from one of the producers of the little indy film I was to be working on. What a crunking mess!

I mean, what would you do?

Let me lay it out for you.

The indy "job" is sporadic AT BEST, but when I initially spoke with Fred (indy producer), it was going to be 3 SOLID weeks of work...mostly at night. Mind you, "solid weeks" are comprised of 6 days, Monday through Saturday, from 10 to 12 hours each day. So, I can do that. I was looking at the experience and the chance to say I worked on a real movie production as a PA in the Art Department. Cool, right?!?!

But now, Fred is saying I may work Monday the 19th, sewing draperies, and not actually on the sets. Doggone it! Still, it is credit.

Here's the rub...I had an interview with the marketing people for the Michigan Renaissance Festival. Much closer to home. MUCH! So... less gas expended. It is a definite M-F job - everyday, from 8:30am to 5pm. It starts right away, and runs longer than 3 weeks - all summer, in fact.

Of course, the pay is less. Well, is it really?

Hmmmm.... let's do the math.

At $8 per hour, multiplied by 8 hours per day, that's $64 a day - pre-tax. Taking out estimated taxes, I figure take-home pay about $256 per week x 4.3 weeks in a month = roughly $1100 to pay bills, get food, etc.

HOWEVER...if the production job did give me 2 full weeks of pay - no matter WHAT the hours...that would equal $900 bucks. Since they don't take out taxes (you get a 1099 at the end of the year - and you pay the tax amount, SS$, etc. to the gov't), it would be that amount in pocket right now as I need it.

Again, though, keep in mind, there is no confirmed schedule I can expect to work with the production. Fred even said I may not use you all six days of any one week. So, I may only work one day the week of the 19th, and that's it! $75 one time....and I burned up eight to ten dollars in gas! Not to mention, I still don't know if they intend to pay me for the day I was called down (and went) to the apartment set to paint.

Question marks all around.

I realize that this is the nature of the production beast. My difficulty is that I have responsibilities to deal with. A mortgage and bills and a family to care for financially. I need the exerience and the good street cred, but I also need to find a balance until I can do what it is I really want to do - AND THAT I AM GOOD AT!!!

What would YOU do? Right now, it appears there may be conflicts, and it's not good.

Anybody want to weigh in with an opinion? Thanks!

Has it really been a week?

Wow, these last few weeks have really flown by. With nothing to occupy my time other than to look for work, send out an endless stream of resumes, have an interview here or there, look for work, clean and sort through papers/files, send out more resumes, beg for work, follow-up on interviews and previously sent out resumes...it's just flown by.

Look out!

DUCK! There goes May!

Has it really been a week since my last entry? Holy Spam-chops, Porkman-do!

I mean, I know it's only just begun, but it seems May is going to be an SST of a ride. There are only 2 more unemployment checks before it runs out, and then things are gonna squeak if I can't find something to pay the bills.

Dear Lord, please help me get to a paying job that will cover the bills and mortgage.

And while I am praying, please keep our family and friends in your loving care:

JOYCE, who is just beginning the next phase of her cancer treatment, and who also needs to be strong for a procedure to fix some trouble with her heart. She needs her strength for chemo, beginning next month. Help JEAN, who needs to keep her eyes on the prize and her spirits up, during the big D crap she is experiencing just now. She can do it! BRIAN, my oldest, who needs faith and determination. HE could do with a swift kick to the kiester to motivate him into ANYthing just now. With his recently printed artwork in an international horror story mag, he needs to accept that sometimes you really have to apply yourself to get somewhere. KARL, my youngest...please put on some sunglasses and come into the lighted/lighter areas of the world! Plan a future, or at least...think about working towards one. My brother, ANDY, he is also going through some trevails physically and job-wise. Carry him to some relief, please.

In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Oh! One more thing

Happy CINCO de MAYO, everyone!

And Happy UN-anniversary to a friend who needs to un-remember things, now. It starts off hard, but trust me...you'll get there.

One week later...

...and it's May!

Still applying for jobs...still following up on letters of interest, researching known companies and sending, sending, sending out those resumes. Aaaarrgh!!!

The one true bright spot is that I did get a 3-week gig with a production company, which begins the 19th of May! By the same token - I got a 3-week gig which begins the 19th...what happens if fortune and God open "the door" and hand me a job which begins before the production thing ends?!?!

Wouldn't that be just exactly what you'd expect to happen? LOL

The job I landed is a PA role in the Art Department - set dec and props!! Very cool, I know! Good experience and a real movie production role, so I am psyched. The biggest trouble issue could be the hours - 10 to 12 hours per day/6 days a week...working from sundown to sunrise. LOL Three weeks ought to be enough to make a real mess out of my sleep cycle, oui?

I have told the kindly folks at Nightmare Sinema that I will be absent for a few weeks for writer's meetings and a few tapings, and they were alright with it.

Hhmmmm??..................

Oh! one neat thing...I was asked to do a voice over for a "World of Pole" commercial to air on the Nightmare Sinema. No, it didn't pay, but it is exposure...so I will take it and run. Run like a sea monkey. I will be heard and identifiable, so there! Listen for it, as it should air either the 17th or the 24th.

Between that, and the 'Mrs. M. Balmer' character on the show, I am having fun and gaining experience and valuable resume time. Oh, and the "M" stands for "Maude." Hey, it was either that or "Marigold." Some of the others love the nagging bitch ability, and it appears as though she may be on every once in a while.

Look at him...you'd nag, too. Ick!

Sunday the cast and crew spent the afternoon at the Ford-Wyoming Drive-In in Dearborn, filming a good portion of the new opening for the show. The premise is: Wolfman Mac comes to own an old drive-in next to a cemetery, so of course the theater has some ghostly issues...or, should I say 'monstrous' issues? If people only knew how much fun working with a bunch of stiffs can be. I even pitched a bit (an idea) for one of the zombies to try and get a "gumball" from a dispenser, which turned out to be an eyeball...which he chased across the floor.

12 members from Hearse Clubs across the area joined us for the afternoon, lending their beautiful autos to the production. It was a perfect day, and it seemed to go about as smoothly as you would expect for chaos.

Naaaaw, really, it was pretty well-run considering the scale of the project and the ground to cover, versus the size of the production team.

Enjoy the pictures that follow.