A horrible combination, in fact.
I need another job. I need a job, period, and the longer I go between gigs makes me realize that at some point in the near future, I am going to get sucked back into the corporate world.
Question: Will I go kicking and screaming, or will I simply surrender to it and forget the fun, gypsy lifestyle of freelancing on film productions?
Mom says "no prospective employer will hire someone with an attitude like yours." I [wait for it] am a "hornet's nest."
Really? And which prospective employers are reading my 2-cents-worth on any given day?
Hey, if they read it on a good day, on a positive day, does that increase my chances? Because, quite frankly, I was about as Pollyanna and honestly positive as I could have been much earlier in the year (for a long time), and it really didn't get me anywhere.
But, just for grins and giggles, here are the most positive things I can say for 2010 -
I had several paying production jobs, and one of them even paid me my worth (for eight days of the month and one week that I worked).
I met a load of neat people...worthy colleagues, whom I hope to work with again, sooner rather than later.
I had multiple successes as a Scripty (each job more challenging than the previous one), and a positive experience as Boom Op. Still hoping to be paid for 1.5 of those gigs before too much (more) time passes.
Karl has finished all but the sound portion of his final project, and the instructor has offered to allow him to finish and turn in the last two projects for grading!
Thanks to my mom I have a great car, and managed to work several times throughout the year.
I have great friends.
I plan to enjoy having my oven/range in my house rather than in my garage in a crate...oh, but that's more a 2011 thing. However, this year's progress has given me hope of that happening.
Convinced Brian to finally swap the tires on his car for the extra set (of new tires on rims) that came with his car (and have been sitting in the garage ever since) when he purchased it over a year ago! Also, Brian is still working at Michael's, and is shortlisted for a permanent FT position that is opening shortly. Both very good things.
I did finish a few quilts, although not as many as I had wanted to. I am pleased with my work, and when I compare it to quilts I look at - of some of the women online who have a huge following (watching and commenting, oohing and ahhing) - I feel satisfied that I like my work and don't feel as though I skipped corners to get something finished just for the sake of notching up another finished project. I feel that the quality of my work (in all aspects of the finished quilt) is quite good.
Yeah, I know that last one sounded like sour grapes, but I am ok with that. I am giving myself credit for my talent - what could be more positive?
Not as expected - or promised - last Friday, or this past Monday, or even Wednesday. Nope, they picked it up a full week after they initially began their promisory service.
This last week of 2010 has not been a satisfactory week - in any way, shape or form, and not just because of the trash non-service.
After I rolled my little car back into the driveway (remind me to remind the 'slaves' that clearing the driveway of snow means actually clearing the driveway, and not just a foot path for the tires), I put the trash out - AGAIN - per my phone conversation with the WM customer service person's instructions on Friday.
See, our small but affordable - and efficient -trash service was gobbled up by a much larger trash conglomerate while I was away. Of course, care was taken to warn (er, that is to say....'announce') the change to those who used the little garbage haulers...sort of. A letter came saying that we shouldn't worry; no needless changes to pick-up dates or times would be made, no large jumps in rates or limitations would occur; that the changeover would be seamless.
Rrr-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ght.
A secondary postcard was also waiting in my stack of mail when I arrived home, stating that our usual pick-up day of Thursday would now take place on Friday. Ahem....our usual pick-up day for trash collection was already on Friday, so what does it all mean?
Well, when I called the customer service number Friday afternoon, around 4:50PM, to inquire after the languishing pile of trash at the end of the driveway, and to find out approximately when the truck might get there, I was surprised to learn that our pick-up day had been moved to Thursday. (You could see that coming, couldn't you?)
"OK," I said, "but the post card quite clearly states that our day is on Friday and not Thursday, and for the past several weeks my sons have been putting out the trash per your instructions (with much the same result)."
"Yeah," said the very un-enthusiastic voice at the other end of the phone, "those were kind of wrong. Those cards were sent to the wrong customers."
Hmmm, what about sending out a corrected piece of mail? I'm sure hundreds of phone calls weren't any easier to field.
"So what do I do with my bags of lonely garbage between now and next Thursday?" I asked.
"Well, I could schedule you for an exta pick-up some time on Monday, if that will help," said the bored representative.
Hmmm....an "extra" pick-up would imply that there had already been a first pick-up, but I wasn't going to argue symantics with someone who obviously wouldn't get the difference, much less care.
I agreed to the Monday pick-up, donned my boots and a jacket, gathered the trash and placed it once more into the garage. Now (of course) I am curiously watching and listening for signs of garbage gathering on a much larger scale. I miss my little garbage company, I really do.
Ugh and argh!
Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer, somewhere in the mid- (probably low) 30*F range. If that happens, there will undoubtedly be some melting going on, and a whole lotta shoveling for my sons and myself. Yesterday, I saw a few of my icepickles dripping in the afternoon sun, but not all of them...just a couple here and there. When there is selective melting I am horrified to think what the reason might be (because I know it must also mean water damage somewhere in a wall).
I have a load of things I want to do, and a smaller load of things I need to do, but I don't know which to tackle first. The better thing would be to start with the needful before touching the 'want-to's,' but I am so wanting to quilt and move my furniture around, and do the fun stuff. Maybe if I begin in the middle of each pile and work my way out. ??
Began working on Karl's last assignment for animation class yesterday afternoon. He never went to the last class, and didn't turn in what he had done!!!!!! Argh! I guess my sharper stick is better than his older brother's, and my methods of keeping him incentivized work better, too. We cut and edited the video so that it lasted a bit longer than the eight seconds he had scanned/animated. Karl was happy with those changes, and then we began adding end credits. Now, he needs to add his bit of silliness (a graphic that will fly in from the right) and we will record sound and add it for the final touch.
He doesn't see the point, since the class ended a couple of weeks ago, but his instructor was so very kind and offered to let Karl come in when the new term starts to use the lab to finish and turn in his last assignment for a grade! How often does that happen? I had thoughts of sending an email and asking for that favor, but here the instructor has offered it up...so I am making Karl finish his task - yes, this long after the fact. This is a lesson he needs pounded into his brain. FINISH WHAT YOU START!
OK, I feel a little better for having ranted a tad. Thanks for letting me kvetch.
Some of you celebrate Hanukkah, Diwali, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, Festivus, and 100 other religious or non-secular festivities that I am far too lazy to look up at the moment. So, to you I say "Season's Greetings," whatever those may be.
Here's to racial and religious tolerance and understanding; to peace on Earth; and, to a marvelous time of sharing with your family and friends. Neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend, new acquaintances and old school chums, co-worker to co-worker, prince to pauper, party leader to the corporate nameless - let's all clasp hands and defiantly challenge the future by letting go of past grievances. Let's strive to understand one another and stop demanding that the 'other guy' needs to make all the concessions and change.
The world is too populated with far more differences than similarities to try and make everyone the same. The vastness and beauty in the diversity of skin tones, languages, nationalities, cultures, sexual orientation and passions has been on the earth for nearly as long as it has turned.
Shouldn't humanity start with being humane?
You, with the gun blindly following the first guy with a gun, stop bullying the oppressed. They aren't hurting you, and they aren't a threat. Don't teach your children to hate simply because you can - teach them respect for others and instill a sense of curiosity and patience. Nobody has to convert, the strong just have to allow others to be who they are. Don't let your fears override your common sence and decency. Don't let your rulers allow bullying and torture to be the way a nation operates.
And you, civic and political leaders, stop analyzing and researching and identifying problems we already know exist and start doing something about them. It's taken you thirty years to realize that thirty years ago you (or your predecessors) were right, and that everything [we] did to the earth is now coming back to haunt our fate and shape our bleak environmental future.
Don't forget, we weren't the first people on the planet, but at the rate we're going, we could very well be the last.
Season's Greetings. Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Humans...and the Creatures of the World.
Remember, all quilt blogging and photos are now at: www.truenorthquilter.blogspot.com
By the time I arrived most of the folks were 'toasted' - that, or 'glowing' wildly....or just plain drunk. That makes conversation hard, but I suppose that's the point. But then, what's the point (of going)?
I know, I know...I am too pragmatic.
Yes, some people acted rediculous. Yes, there was karaoke. Yes, things were broken. Oh, yes...I got pictures.
I handed off the final reports to the 2nd AD, and that took some doing. Nobody wanted to take them. Nobody.
Nobody would loan me a key to the office so that I could put them safely there (although they all thought that was a grand idea)...and nobody would part with their car key long enough for me to slip the reports onto a car seat instead of leaving them in the party zone. But three people witnessed the hand-off (not including myself)...and there is now an email in my inbox asking for the reports so the editor can have them to get to work.
Hellooooooo!
Still waiting for a response to my email response, and answers to my questions regarding the third paycheck, OT, a time card for the last day and my bloody crew shirt. (Yes, it's all pretty typical.)
Still trying to make straight in my head what day it is, and trying not to fall asleep in the afternoon, awaking near midnight and haunting the house for hours until I can fall asleep again.
It's grey and bitter outside, but I still have things to do. LOTS and lots of things, and most require that I put on warm clothes and head outdoors to get them done. [sniff] I also need to edit (a bit) photos and send them out to various people from the production. Folks whose homes we used for sets, and people whose photos were taken with the director, etc. Some are talent and others are crew...but still, I need to get them cropped and sized for sending (and I am going to add my own watermark as well). It all takes time, but it will happen.
Everything takes time, even getting used to being home.
I still have the last of my reports to finish and turn in, but that is ok as the immediacy of a tight deadline no longer hangs over me. I will crank out the work, turn it in this afternoon, pack up the car, tool around GR getting photos I've wanted to snap for the last three weeks, stop in to the wrap party for a small while....and then point the car for home late this evening.
Boys....mama is coming home!
Last night was a tense night - for everyone - so I imagine people are enjoying the kick-back time today (myself included). I still have work, but without the added stress of time constraints built around sleep requirements, and then the drive time biting into it all.
Got 'home' this morning around 5:15 or so, and despite the fact that I didn't truly feel sleepy, I laid down and looked at some email, and reviewed some of the images and "film" snippets I shot with my camera from the monitors, and some of the silliness behind the scenes. Before I knew it, I was asleep.
I awoke around 1:30pm or so, and felt tired but awake. My sleeping hours were fitful, as most of these production days have been. When there are reports hanging over my head, I dream in scenes and sequences, and log everything; not much rest with that. Tonight I intend to sleep peacefully and deeply.
Before leaving location this morning, the photog took a crew picture, and this was a first for me. Sadly, the confines of the space made the picture nearly impossible, but I think Jason may have pulled it off. I also believe I am actually going to get a crew shirt - after all of this time, how cool is that!!
Then, the capper of the evening, a goodnight hug from Imani and then Dave!! Usually I get across the room 'good nights' and a wave, but Dave made a point to come over and give me a hug. Yea! (Of course, he hugged other folks, and/or fist bumped people on the way, but still, I was included in the activity.) Then, he invited me to a small crew activity at a place called "The Intersection" in GR. I think it is a dance club sort of thing - this I am still considering, but it was very cool that he asked. I am 15 again, and yes, I am 'crushing.'
:")
Ah, well.
Tomorrow we are back at it, with roughly 20 more scenes to cover, and only two more production days to get it done in. Let's hear it for 20*F-something days and lake-effect snow! My day off is quickly coming to an end.
Hello!
Woke up about an hour ago, but I would like to sleep a little more. Hoping that the paperwork will make me drowsy again (mentally, it knocks me out; the association is enough to make me loopy), so I am fixing to start on it fairly soon.
It was a long night last night; I jinxed it when we got to lunch, saying out loud that the first six [hours] went so quickly and I was still feeling energized. Woohoo! It was the wrong thing to say, because we ended up working hours over. [GROAN]
We had a noon to midnight shoot day, but we ended up going to 2:30! AM!! I felt badly for the owners of the house we commandeered. Killed two people in their lovely rumpus room and kept them awake - if not out of their own home - way beyond what would be reasonable. The husband was all for our filming there, but the wife wanted nothing to do with it. Their dog...well, the dog loved everybody. Anyhow, tonight is another overnight, beginning at 5:50PM. Ugh.
YES, I have the long underwear, it is warming in front of a heat vent as I type, and will go on immediately after a shower. Had new gloves, but last night they disappeared when someone moved my bag on a turnaround. Still have the hat, tho, and the gloves I arrived with, but will try to stop at a Walmart and grab another insulating pair on the way in. We will be filming mostly exteriors (EXT) tonight, with some of that on the river, so I expect video village will be fully outfitted with sides and heaters. Ah yes, and I need to grab another heavy duty mechanical pencil, too. Had my best working one yesterday for the first scene, but somehow dropped it (or had it "borrowed" and never returned) once we made our mini company move. Love you, and will talk with you in a day or two. me
P.S. By the way, Mom, if you read this later, I am getting back and forth alright, and we have a WONDEFUL locations manager who lives in (and knows) GR like the back of EVERYbody's hand. When I get lost, I call him and he guides me wherever it is I need to be!
I am just so excited to have gotten more than three uninterrupted, non-fitful hours of sleep. No report deadlines, not a shadow of "what-did-I-miss?" looming over my braincells as they shut down (or tried to). I actually sat upright trying to do something just for me after getting home this morning...and I was yawning up a storm doing it, when finally, I just picked myself up and travelled to the bedroom and allowed myself to crash.
It is too bad I am now acclimated to nights! After recharging, I now wish we had a day of filming to attack! I will most likely head to back to bed in a few hours - putting myself in the drowsy mode by doing paperwork - and over the next day off I will prepare to accomplish the last six days with great aplomb and energy. Woohoo! I know, I hear you out there. 'The best laid plans...'
We head back to work Monday at noon, filming at an Italian restaurant (our third such location), and then do a company mini-move to a private residence to round out Day 10.
We be gypsies!
Our three leading actors are Dave Batista, Amy Smart, and Dominic Purcell, with several other known credited performers in smaller supporting roles.
Dave is an absolute gentleman, and Amy is a doll.
There are certain scenes where Amy just glows, and it isn't the lighting; what a fabulously talented pixie she is. There is a long career in the wings for his woman, and I plan to look at more of her previous works once I am through with this gig.
Dave is not what you would expect of a wrestler whose stage name was "the Animal." His performance to date has been understated and overwhelmingly real.
His hesitancy and trepidation in his abilities is beautifully transferred to the screen -to his character's benefit. Just watching the monitor during filming is a joy.
Dominic is a voice chameleon and an engaging screen presence, and I am giving him huge extra credit for tolerating our harsh weather and still remaining the consummate performer. I am now a fan of them all!
I have a great job.....what a dream!
At home, our UPS fellas rarely knock once before depositing the package on the doorstep and charging off. Here, they are oh, so polite - and cautious - about leaving things. Three knocks, three rings...and they asked for a signature. I have never signed for anything at home. Our brown guys drop and run! Go figure.
Not only that, but the driver laughed when my bed-head answered the door and my half-opened eyes tried to focus. I'll get you, UPS. [LOL]
Anyhow, the sleep was short, but harder than yesterday, so even though I would like another 2 hours before heading back to GR tonight, I am not going to get it. I'm up.
Deep down, in our little, twisted production hearts, we all knew that at some point we would have to go out and do more exteriors. The question was really "what sort of weather conditions would we be working in when it happened?"
Uncle Tom told me that the weather had shown a storm heading directly for GR, with a few inches predicted for overnight. Holland typically will get the white stuff by the buckets full, and GR will remain unscathed - but not last night! Nope, when I arrived, the sky had already deposited just under an inch on the ground, and the winds were making set-up a nightmare - and there was still so much more to come. Those poor grips and gaffers.
Because it was a Thursday evening (and due to the weather), we managed to make it through the night with nary an onlooker to worry over or admonish. There were an awful lot of trucks, though - more than we have dealt with (noise-wise) thus far - and the salt trucks seemed to make more than their necessary two passes to get the small two lane street a dose. Last night was a sound man's horror story. Happily, however, we did only inconvenience one resident trying to park at the condo next to "the House" - our home for the last week. Ah, well.
Of course, when we fired off rounds at 2AM - several times over - that may have been a bit of an inconvenience as well. Cheeky buggers.
Day 9 of 15 -- We are more than halfway through with our shoot schedule (hallelujah), and the film is due out in April, at least that is what one of the producers told me last night. Tonight we are back to interiors (yeah!), good thing, too. I checked my boots, and they are still quite wet, so I am wearing sneakers tonight. We are filming not far from an earlier location or two, and just 'down the street' from Taps (the defunct bar we've been using as one of two locations to pose as "the House"). It's all very surreal and cool. We will be in an apartment complex, annoying residents all around for 12 overnight hours. This is sure to be an experience for the uninitiated.
The House of the Rising Sun is taking it on the road, breaking set in the heart of downtown GR and bunking down for Jenny's apartment scene with Ray, Tony's late night visit, and Jenny's side of a phone call with Ray. Oh, yeah, it's gonna be fun.
Lion's Gate is going to love the finished product, I think. For the small budget, this is looking truly amazing. There's just a little too much of the f-bomb for my liking, but it is what it is.
Last night we even had those real squad and unmarked police cars again, and real cops for the finale shoot out! I think they enjoyed the experience, even if the guns and our use of their cars made them a bit nervous. They were a great help in making the scene believable, giving pointers to the actors on how to approach the suspect and during the take down as to how to handle the firearms with a professional look, and how to drive a squad car onto the scene to make a great entrance. Holy cow, no geriatric cops in that bunch.
I find myself feeling really sleepy and completely capable of some good decent z's while I am commuting from location to Holland at the end of each day. You know, that lovely drowsy feeling that smacks you upside your brain and closes your eyes when it is time to slumber? If it could be possible to just pull over on the shoulder of 169 and close my eyes right then and there, I think I would really feel so much more refreshed.
To make matters worse, tonight/today, we are back outside for EXT's, again. This is punishment for answering an ad for a scripty position in MI in December.
Last night/this morning (a.k.a. yesterday, or Day 7) was cramped. We had numerous visitors to the set for much of the beginning of the night. Room for video village was at a premium, and I fought like mad to grab and hold my own position, vying for elbow room in a very tight space. Now add 10 more heads to that herd and pack them all into a space the size of a dining room table - with gear and workaround objects. Argh!
We were examined by the Lion's Gate folks, who came to see how the film was coming along, what conditions were like, etc, etc. Then, somehow, Ben Stiller, 50 Cent and the the director (and posse) of Set Up stopped in at the same time. Of course, they all wanted to stand and watch, too.
No, sadly, Bruce was not among the heads in the crowd.. Ah well, maybe next time.
I have some photos to post, which I will do over the weekend, but for now I need to find a way to wake up. Darn it.
I won't (shouldn't/can't) drive home for those days here and there, but I will be able to do a little 'recreatin'' on the other side of the state for those delicious hours off.
Six day work weeks are the standard in the industry, with one full 12-hour day off in between. Sometimes you gain a little extra time off when the production office schedules a turnaround to move from daytime filming to nights - or, from nights to days - and they then have to add acclimation time for that transition to the day off (ex: 12 hours + 8 hours = happy crew). So, you see, this unnatural two day break is a luxury, and I say "thank you."
We wrapped Saturday morning, after working 4:30pm to 6:20am (yes, Friday afternoon to Saturday morning), and on a larger scale project, all union, that overrun on the day never would have happened. That would have been a cost overrun of humongous proportions. Our AD was already wearing a mask of panic as it was. Poor Drago. They are working with some union folks behind the lens, so that little 2+ hour OT will create a little dough-re-me trouble - but there is usually some slush built into the budget for issues and extras, it just can't happen too often (if it happens at all).
I finished my paperwork that morning (yea for getting caught up and staying there), but the people in the prod office left early, so my chance to give them a copy left with the key to that door. It was odd walking to the parking ramp through empty streets - especially in downtown GR. Bustling downtown GR - it was a ghost town. It was a scene from "Omega Man," and I was Charlton Heston.
Drove through town to the nearest expressway entrance and headed for home. Home home. By that time it was about 7:50am, and I was drooping and physically fatigued. My brain was willing - on autopilot, but willing - although my body was pooped. At some point west of the city my eyes had had enough and were threatening to shut down. To me this signals that my brain has also decided to give it up, but I was having conversations in my head that would make you think otherwise. My main objective from that moment was to get to a rest stop and pull over for a nap.
A little before 10am or so I awoke from a light nap to find I was freezing, but fully awake and functional (I need to get a small pillow for the car to make naps like these 100% comfy, just to optimize the time), and I made a note to myself to let the car idle from now on - NO MATTER WHAT - just for the heat. Totally worth it.
Home just a squeak after 11am and greeted by Cleo's little disbelieving face at the window (awww) and a mound of freshly washed dishes in the strainer, and many more glasses in the sink and on the counter.
Took a shower (by the way, I am still frozen on the inside), did some laundry and vacuumed. Then I made the mistake of sitting down! What I need to do now is turn my internal clock around a bit more so I can get some rest before driving back, just to be ready for the long stretch of nights. I hate running out of steam while writing out the last of the reports following filming each day. Math and detail work is impossible when you are "brain stoopid."
I wanted to put out the trees and decorate them before going away again, but it looks like that won't be happening. I also wanted to help Karl get the last of his final project done, but he didn't film it, so setting sound to the video track is a no-go.
Jean came by in her Suburban so we could unload the books remaining from the earlier craft sale we sold some at. Karl helped to move them from the truck to the garage, and everything went back onto shelves. I had planned on selling more off at another show yesterday, but the last minute call to duty on this film sort of messed up those plans. Ah well...next year. Although, I am convinced to sell some online just to reduce the bulk and put more cash in the bank. Yes, it's work, but I am OK with the idea of keeping busy and making money.
The wind is howling outside, a foretelling of the snow storms they are predicting. I am praying the snow holds off until I am safely on the west side again, from there I will figure out the rest. For now, I am home; rubbing kitty tummies and leaving piles of catnip for the girls, making something nice for dinner for the boys and myself tonight, and enjoying the last of this reprieve. Tomorrow the game mask goes back on, and I am back in full scripty mode.
Stay well everyone, and be safe.
You'll find all of my quilting blog entries and photos now at: www.truenorthquilter.blogspot.com
Day one of the shoot began and ended on a wet note. Drove to the location in the rain, drove "home" in the rain. Oh, yeah, and we filmed in the rain. Although, I must admit, the dampness abated just before lunch, but by then the temps had fallen and we were all wet. So, there we were...a crew of 'meatsicles' running all over the locations, attempting to stave off the cold with activity, warm beverages, humor and smiles.
At some point in the early evening, right before sundown, 3 small, vertical, portable propane heaters were wheeled in, and you never saw so many people try to get warm and not go up in flames in one place.
Picture penguins on an ice floe or at the edge of the water - all huddled up and keeping warm - but hungry and needing to move into the water...and hopefully not get eaten by a predator in the dark, icy water (or, in our case, just having to move about and keep working/filming). Who was going to move first? And there were always more penguins trying to shoulder their way in to the huddle. Trying to get some of that heat, to replace the toasty one who had moved out.
Pathetically funny - but I guess you have to be there to enjoy the humor.
By the end of Day 1, we were all quite happy to break set and get outta "Dodge."
Oh yeah, and we killed a guy. Actually, we killed two guys that day. Welcome to film.
Bring on Day 2.
Also wet, but in another more extremely hazardous way. Snow. Snow and ice. Snow and ice and cold, cold, cold.
Aside from attempting to navigate unfamiliar territory in a sane, timely manner (a.k.a. meeting your call time), was the added distraction of dodging 'snow bullets' and finding a last minute solution to the road sign along 196 North which read: "196 N. closed at Market Street, seek alternate routes."
WHAT!?!!??!!?! I don't know any alternate routes!
Ah, but my loving hosts might!
Ring, ring [17th phone call to Aunt Deb and Uncle Tom in about two days]
Hello. [Sweet, sing-song A. Deb's voice]
Hey there, hi, it's me [again...tired of me, yet?]. Say, do you know of any alternate routes from 196 to get across town? The sign on the expressway says 196 is closed way south of where I have to get to. What exit to hit in order to bypass the jam but still cross GR to my location?
See, the night before we spoke on the phone, while I drove "home" to Holland, after wrapping Day 1, to let them know I was on my way there, and we talked about the next location for the following day. A. Deb kindly Googled it and had a map already on the computer for me to get directions from by the time I had arrived! See, I was all set and prepared...thank you, Aunt Deb!
Then that ol' monkey wrench appears.
Any how, between Deb and Uncle Tom, they air-traffic-controlled my mounting northbound panic into a dull roar, navigating me off the highway and on to surface streets to make it to where I had to be in the best, safest fashion for the circumstances.
Snow, snow, snow.
We began filming in the gently falling stuff, giving a completely different look to the Director's project - but it is looking beautiful. Sort of a lovely powdered dusting on a rough and vicious story.
Lipstick on a hoodlum pig.
Last night I arrived "home" somewhere just after 11PM. I hadn't been here in a day and a half. I ended up falling asleep, face down on my paperwork (long story...another time). I was sitting at a desk in one of the rooms reserved for the film, and clunk! Lights out and drool pool forming. So I went over to the little sofa and curled up for a nap, hopefully to refresh my frozen, very sleep-deprived brain cells.
Maybe half an hour later, the Production Coordinator stumbled in and the lights came on! I was awake! Not functional, but awake.
I pushed through the rest of the owed paperwork (he left and went to another room - also reserved for the production - and passed out there), finished in time to get to the set at the hotel, and have a pseudo-breakfast (I was starving). Thus began the long day into night which was Day 3.
To this point we have been in six basic locations. The Lazy T Motel, a rather old trailer park, the Herkimer Apts, GRPD (front door, parking garage - fascinating, by the way - and city street), an alley, and a Radisson Hotel (posing as three sets).
Well, I need to move about. My time is growing short and I need to be ready to travel back to GR in a few short hours. Tonight will be a seventeen scene day. Lots of reverse shots, extra setups, lots of notes and LOTS of paperwork. My goal is to try and keep up, even outdoors (although rain and wet paper are not conducive for this job, and the time line you must work within to meet end-of-day reporting).
In truth, yes, I am struggling. I guess this is a good firing ground to test my mettle, to forge my skills. It's also a way to break my resolve and make me see I may not be cut out for this particular job. I'll let you know which way I fall on the meter.
For now, my overflowing thanks and deep appreciation to Aunt Deb and Uncle Tom for allowing me to come into their beautiful domicile and throw turmoil and late night (and early morning) noises into their well-ordered world. Thank you, THANK YOU! Oh, and I'm sorry for the inconveniences, too. You are God-sent.
Stay warm everyone.
Two paying jobs...not whopper paychecks, but hey, work is work. Credit builds reputation. Reputation brings more work. More work = more pay.
Cannot argue with it, no matter how arduous the road travelled. I am blooming where I am planted!
Brian started that part time seasonal job at Michaels less than 5 working days ago, and then last night came home with wonderful news - at least as wonderful as can be for him for the time being. They are asking him to consider becoming full time after the holidays, working as a "front end supervisor" and at the framing center!
I know!
Remember, he was not thrilled with the job after the first couple of days, but he perservered in spite of how he felt and did his usual bang up work...being helpful and quick and trying to improve things where he could without making waves. It's amazing what one can do when they need to earn a dollar.
Bloom where you are planted, Bud, and God will do the rest.
Had dinner with a small extended unit of the family at Grandma's for Thanksgiving. Mom cooked quite a spread, and Andy even dropped in for dinner. Haven't seen him since his surgery, and a post-visit last year at this time. He has lost so much weight, and looks gaunt and very tired. Even the boys thought he looked remarkably like Grandpa Schaffer in his condition.
As we were preparing to leave, the phone rang and we had a chat with brother Aaron! So the family was complete - or as much as could be with (long) distance between us.
And now, I am trying to ready last bits in order to head out on the road in a very short while, leaving my sons prepared, taking along necessary items, being ready for the first day of filming, tying up loose ends (or dragging them along to work on in free minutes found here and there). I am trying to not worry over things I have no control over, and trying like mad to take care of everything at once that needs doing. I am only succeeding at making myself crazy with worry.
I am in need of exercising my faith in myself and in God, and I need to continue believing He will guide me and events around me, as He has thus far.
Blooming, blooming, blooming. [deep breath]
Yes, it's been a good month.
Not a big whoop ordinarily, but due to the holiday everybody's pick-up is pushed back one day - so here we are with garbage trucks rushing through the neighborhoods early on a Saturday.
At any rate, up roared the truck, and I looked down at the door to see something I had intended to add to the pile to be taken away.
Darn!
I jumped up and headed to the door to yell out to them, but when I looked, there was the refuse man swinging my two bags into his truck and hopping onto the bumper for the bumpy ride down the street....and it wasn't even my trash hauling company! ? ! ?
I am now imagining them driving back to my driveway after sundown and gingerly extricating two fairly well-shredded bags, leaving them on their marks from where they were first plucked, and tearing off down the street before anyone is the wiser.
Karl is so close to the end of each of his classes, I am having a hard time with separation anxiety already. It's hard enough to keep him motivated and active with his work even being here, in the house, within arms reach! Letting go of sheparding him...pushing him, urging him, making him work to finish his projects.....this is going to be my undoing.
And now that I am not going to be here for the final weeks to get stuff done and turned in - I am terrified at the idea that all of the time and energy (and the tuition) will be for naught if he doesn't see it through to the end, as I know he can.
Please send some encouraging thoughts our way, and throw a prayer in, too. Karl really needs the positive energy to cross that finish line.
I've been home for the better part of an hour now, and I really should tell you all the good news.
I got the scripty position in GR on "The House of the Rising Sun."
OK, honestly, it's more like: I GOT THE SCRIPTY GIG! I GOT IT...I HAVE A THREE WEEK - AND IT'S ALL PAID!!!! This makes the fifth legit job this year, and the forth actual paying gig (would've been five had the rip-off artist in Flint not gyped me).
Haven't read the script, yet, obviously, since I've just spent the last 4.75 of the last 5 hours on the road, and then talking to my sons about the month to come, but I have to turn around and head back for an all day read and dept head meeting in two days - so I will have to stumble through it in short order just to be familiar with it for the meeting. So forgive me tonight if I just limp away to bed nod off until tomorrow morning. Once I am fresh I can regale you with a little of the tale and a few of the pertinents.
Thank You, Lord, for your blessings - which are many.
Please Lord, I would very much like to work on this production. Thank You for the opportunities You are arranging for my future.
There are a bazillion things to accomplish today...this week...in the next three days.
Yeah, I know "the next three days" is a portion of this week, but they are the critical three, so they get a special mention.
Yesterday was a strange mix of complete contrasts. It began with cold temps (but not as bone-chilling as the two days/nights before...thank you, Lord), overcast skies - which broke for brighter lighting conditions three times (inconvenient and ill-timed for continuity purposes), and became completely temperate (for late November), climbing to 60*F by the time we wrapped at midnight...or thereafter.
I know!!!! Sixty freaking degrees! What the &%$#@!?? Why could we not have had that three days ago? (Really, inside, I'm smiling and shaking my head at the irony.)
We also started the day in a dump. I'm sorry, make that a 'recycling facility.' Some people would call it a scrap or salvage yard, because they do something with the metal to make money, and the metal doesn't rot or decay like garbage per se', but it was a dumping ground. Fine line.
Poh-TAY-toh / po-TAH-to.
So, anyway, back to the comparison. Here we are, in this dump for hours (HOURS...again!), then we pull up stakes and hi-tail it to the northern reaches of Bloomfield Hills, where people with money build impossibly grand homes for no good reason. I mean, really....???? Two spiral staircases (one of them marble and guilded metal), three ballrooms and an illuminated onyx bathroom floor? Not to mention the dozen bathrooms (or more - I lost count), the smoking room on the third floor, an elevator, a walkway over a moat to the main front door...and a secondary front door (yes, there were two front doors), and on and on. There's more, but I am not trying to sell the place (but it is for sale).
Quite a contrast to say the least.
The two things I must concentrate on now, are getting the continuity notes transcribed and turned in by Wednesday, and fixing our bathroom plumbing situation. The drain problem comes first, so I am leaving the keyboard now to become a DIY plumber. More about the production in another post, and yes, there are some photos to share, but let me get my drain fixed so we can take decadent showers without all the wading in my non-illuminated bathroom.
Mean cold.
NASTY cold.
I've no real time to fill you in just now, as I just checked my email to find two conflicting call times for crew - and they are in complete disagreement with the revised time given last night (this morning) as we left the set in the weeee small hours. Oh, yeah, and they are pushed up (of course), meaning they are earlier than they were.
You may ask yourself "How can they work until 1:30 in the morning, and then be expected to turn around and get back to set less than 12 hours later?"
Well, in all honesty, you aren't supposed to force (expect) a crew to show up the next day in under 12 hours.....but do you really think many above the line folks give a rip about what is right and fair, blah, blah, blah? They are working on a time and money budget, and that is what they see. They figure since they are tired, too, and cold, and hungry....'we're all in the same boat, so rah rah rah.' Yeah, that works, except for the fact you (director/producer/person who hired a bunch of eager film beavers) are getting far more out of it than the folks busting their asses for you hoping it will lead to much bigger things.
You almost have to expect this is what is going to happen (the changing tide of call times and overruns) - most especially on indies, low/no budget, and so on. If it isn't SAG or union, or run by industry professionals, you are going to get shafted on the turn-around time (without fail, without exception). You will be running on adrenaline and very little to no crafty, or decent conditions period (read that as adequate shelter to work in - and I don't mean shooting conditions), so you have to love the job.
More later, I need to move away from the keyboard in order to re-pack my stuff and get out of here, and I still have pages of work to do, transcribing my notes from the 15+ hour-day yesterday, but I am going to have to finish it on set today. Ideally, Scripty can get the report in to the AD/Editor in a few hours or less following wrap on a day....I began last night, but fell asleep on the sofa, surrounded by papers.
Will I get it done before I roll out of here? Nuh-uh.
PS - I will have photos to view after this is all said and done - stay tuned.
Here's a suggestion - after you've set your genius to paper, try reading it over a couple of times for content, then hand it to another party (or two) who can spell and read and comprehend, and then take notes (criticisms - constructive and otherwise) and do what is necessary to make the best work possible.
Argh!
Now, if you will excuse me, I must go breakdown the newest version and line it all again, trying to ignore the remaining issues (or, at least, keep them to myself until we are on set).
Example: Their call sheet states filming 1-2/8 pages for scenes 1, 3, 5.....and that is not right. The only way you get 1 and 2/8 pages is if you cover 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Typos like that by a 2nd AD are unacceptable and can make for a LOT of confusion for several departments. Now, I can point this out and look like a squawk-box (helping 'drobe and all in the process), or I can say nothing, look like I don't know what I am doing and plain just don't care. Do you see my conundrum?
Triple argh!
By the time Karl and I walked out of his class and began the outdoor portion of the hike to the car, we were noticing raindrops on the ground. Very quickly we began to feel them, and by the time we hustled into the car it had begun to rain.
The clouds were light and high, so it wasn't a tremendous rain, really, and it lasted just a short while. In fact, we drove in and out of the giant lumbering rain cloud area a couple of times on the way home . We stopped at an art store on the way home so Karl could collect some items for class, necessary to complete his final project. By the time we exited the store, the clouds had thickened and were now hanging lower and more ominously in the sky. It was all too gloomy and winter-esque in appearance. What had happened to our beautiful, late fall day?
As I sit here typing I am amazed at just how grey and almost depressing it's become out there.
38 days to Christmas, and roughly 30 weeks until spring - and all its glorious shiny days and lingering daylight hours!
I am off to make dinner and concentrate on something less dreary.
Incentive, I guess.
Karl's class at CCS is coming to a quick end...just a couple more weeks and it will be over. I'll reserve my critique of [everything] until that time. We will have to see if he wants to continue with more instruction, and what/if they offer anything that will build on his knowledge base and improve his Maya skill sets.
Went to the bank to deposit the money and checks from the sale on Saturday. So hoping and praying that the four checks I accepted are legit and are not of the bouncing sort. By the end of the week I should be able to call the bank and ask if all four cleared.
Bathtub drain won't....drain, that is. The stopper is inexplicably stuck in the trap area (in the down position), which means I must become a plumber and crawl into Karl's closet (where the access panel is) and perform a 'Mario.'
Life was so much simpler when I was five. Can I have a 'do-over'?
Jean was absolutely the best person I could have had there for the entire day, and even though I know she is going through a rough time right now, and there were probably one hundred thoughts going through her head, and a dozen other places she would rather have been......
The boys helped to load 'the General' when she arrived Friday night (she kindly brought her Suburban to ferry the books to the sale), and that chore was accomplished in short order. It was a good thing we went that route instead of the alternative idea we toyed with (which was for each of us to take a load of the stock in our two tinier cars). Everything went into the vehicle beautifully, traveled well, was easy to unload (and reload afterwards) - I think getting it all into smaller vehicles would have been like stuffing clowns into a Mini Cooper.
Her SUV tank was a blessing - THANK YOU, JEAN!!!!!
We had an hour to get set up - that was the time allotment from the church committee where the sale was held. No, an hour was hardly enough to get the boxes (and boxes and boxes) out of the Suburban, down the stairs and to the tables, let alone set it all out (which never happened), but somehow we made it work. I had commissioned two tables, which was a good and bad thing, but that was paid for within three purchases. Made up the rest of the costs for being there ($10), and more than made up for the pay lost not going to the sound gig I could have had this weekend.
The tables were in a great location, at the end of an aisle and nearest the doors to get back up and out. There was an elevator, but it was quirky, s-l-o-w and small, making the movement of the books darned near more work than it was worth, so needless to say, we got our aerobic workout - and then some - yesterday. Holy smokes!
Last night, after the ride home from Flint, we found it nearly impossible to make ourselves move from the SUV to the house. But this morning, there wasn't a moment when we weren't moaning or creaking or groaning with every movement! Too funny. As a thank you treat I took her to breakfast at a Greek diner in Blfd Hills - a favorite place to get a good meal for not a lot of cash. After all, we deserved it.
As we sold books all day Saturday, we chatted with neighboring vendors, some of the folks who glanced at the merchandise as they drifted by, and kidded around between ourselves. Somewhere mid-afternoon we were approached by a couple of other ladies drumming up vendors to come to their own church holiday bazaars to sell wares. One of these invitations was to the School for the Deaf on December 4th. Did we want to participate?
We talked about it for a couple of minutes then decided "why not?" Once the books were packed back into their boxes and loaded once more into the Suburban (which took over an hour to do), they could stay that way - safely packed and ready for the next show - and all we would have to do is travel (and then unload and schlepp them, of course). "Why not" indeed.
If I can double my sales at this final holiday bazaar, take home fewer boxes of book (and perhaps open an online account with Amazon or Half.com or some other such venue), I could potentially finish the kitchen work entirely (and perhaps get the stairs completed)! It's all good.
Anyhow, it was a pretty good day - fun and monetarily-wise.
Oh, and a lot of people went home with great books and Christmas gifts for very lucky recipients!
It turns out the trouble is/was the battery!
Even though we tried to jump it to get the car started, the poor battery was "fried." According to the mechanic, the battery wasn't going to give power nor receive it, ever again...and "it just happens sometimes."
I am hoping that the battery they sold Bud (and installed) is absolutely new (for the cost of the repair, it had better be!), and that it has a good long life in Brian's car.
The good thing about this whole episode (and yes, I can find a good aspect in all of this) is that while looking for the trouble with the vehicle, the mechanics ran electronic/electric diagnostics on Bud's vehicle to ascertain the issue, and before replacing the battery could absolutely assure Brian that there were no other issues they could see with the vehicle beyond the dead battery. Yea!
Whenever I hear that phrase I can never help but think of that little girl figure drawn on the Morton's Salt container. You know the one; she's walking in the rain, carrying an umbrella and holding an inverted (and open) box of salt under her arm, which is pouring on the ground as she walks.
I put out several interest letters and credit pages (a production version of a resume) over the last week, but there isn't much going on, so pickings are slim. On Sunday/Monday I sent out three in particular, which oddly garnered me two swift response calls! Yeah, I know!
It never rains, but it pours!
Sadly, I can't accept either of them because they are two day gigs that fall over this weekend...and if you will remember, I have that craft show/sale all day Saturday. Since I paid for the space, I would lose out on the cash and all of the work I put into getting ready.
YES, I know it is production work, and it would put something more on my credits, but the pay is either nil or exactly what I paid for the spot at the sale, but I stand to make more at the sale....and quite frankly, it all comes down to the 'scratch' at this point in time.
Yes, I would have loved to be on set, and working, plying my trade and out in the fresh air booming and getting more face time with a crew, but I have to make choices - and this one was a toughy, but a no-brainer. Besides, I do have a three day gig next weekend on a thesis film, so it isn't all bad.
As for Brian's car - it was towed to the mechanic late yesterday afternoon, and we have yet to hear what the diagnosis is. Will keep you updated.
More later. Tomorrow is a big day, and I need to get ready to move it all out of here. Plus, it's garbage day, and I have boys to wrangle into duty. :)
In other news: The day began early for me (good). Cleo let me know my breathing had changed - and that her tummy was grumbly - somewhere around the 7AM hour....but because of the dense fog blanketing the area, it was hard to tell what time it was (really).
She kept repeating, "breakfast, breakfast, breakfast" in her slobbery sweet purr, as she groomed my arm diligently. Moments later Hobbes noisily perched on the stairs and watched (with disdain) Cleo's efforts to get me up and out of bed. Hobbes is an instigator and a drill Sgt; a conversationalist and an ever-ready, appetite-fulfilling opportunist. A cunning conniver of the kitty persuasion.
She is cat.
She spoke to the dog and reminded her of the duty 'at paw.'
"Get herz outs of the beds! Feedz us!" she meowled at Cleo in her low, patient-but-stern reminder voice.
Cleo prutted, grabbed my forearm and held it to her sandpaper tongue for the last few slurps. Seems there must have been a freckle she was after.
Hobbes shifted on her perch and then Flop appeared just above her. Timidly she mewed a very typical Flop request noise, and Cleo rolled over to stare at (or challenge) her.
All at once Cleo was off the bed and lumbering up the stairs in an effort to get to Flop. Flop retreated quickly (more quickly than Clee could mount the stairs), but she gave Cleo enough time to get to a point where the activity quickly became a chase - one of their random games. A little bit of growling, some hissing for effect, a few swats here and there, culminating in the famous Cleo What?-I'm-just-lying-here-all-cute-n-stuff roll. For as much as she protests and snarls and growls, Flop loves the game (and truth be told, she also starts the sh*t most of the time).
Girls were fed, chores were done, dense fog lifted, calls have been made and the day continues.
In still other news: Lists are checked and I am dressed and off.
By the end of class yesterday, Karl had managed to get his project scanned and saved to a thumb drive...but not without error. In frustration (his with everything, mine with him), we left campus and headed home. Brian's car was still not starting (from two nights ago), and he still needed to get his tires swapped out. Now, "on the clock" in a serious way, I was making an attempt to get home with jumper cables (hoping against all hope the issue is as simple as battery trouble), and then get to the place where the tire thing was to happen. Stopped at one of the little hardware places in town (trying to keep my dollars local) to get the cables - and guess what they had a spot for on a shelf but none of? That's right! I could have stopped at Home Depot, but I didn't. [forehead smacking]
The next little local hardware may have just had them, but they are SO outrageously priced, I try not to go there if I have a choice. So, today I am back on the road to purchase more paper (for class), jumper cables, milk crates (more on that later), and to meet up with the instructor of Karl's animation class to hopefully save the project on another external source (so that it will hopefully open at home) for editing. Yes, yes, he needs sound added before he can turn it in (of course). Yea sound! [lots more grumbling from Karl]
While Karl remains at home to work on his assignment for Maya class tonight, I will get the running done, and then get home to help Bud start his car so that he can get to the garage where they will change his tires.
Why isn't Brian doing that himself? Oh, good question. A: The jack in the trunk does not fit the configuration of the nuts on the wheels. Go figure! Why would it? Sheesh!
Since it turns out that he isn't on the schedule for the part time job he has at the craft store until Monday, this is great timing to get this auto work done. And, if he has issues beyond the battery, it will be good to know now instead of in frigid weather and inches of snow. Besides, there is another place nearby hiring one extra person in their store through the holidays, so if he can get there and turn in an application, he may have two part time jobs for just that much more cash to bankroll.
Anyhow, I need to get rolling, things need to get done and it's not going to happen if I sit here and chat with you all. More another time - thanks for stopping by.
Trouble was he never gave thought to the time when he would actually have to fill that black hole in in order to shoot the project (image it) for editing.
A-ha....you see where I am going with this, don't you?
The day of reckoning arrived two days ago, when he let it 'click' that Tuesday was the day he would have to image the work in order to make Wednesday a turn in day.
Ummmmm, no....the filling in of the large, ever-present hole still was not complete. It was all he could do to complete the "punchline" of the story. Drawing the outcome, and then, make himself go back to another gag he planned for the middle of the story (and actually had begun to draw), and complete that. Those last two pieces had the pessimist inside doing cartwheels and handstands. Karl didn't/couldn't allow for thoughts of success and completion to work in his head, only that he couldn't make it look the way he wanted, therefore if "I don't draw it, I can't fail at it."
[heavy sigh]
Brian and I filled in a good number of the open holes, but there were still SO many to do that not every cell was completely filled in by the time he/we left the lab last night. However, he did finish the cataclysmic events in the middle and end - his two important gags!!
However, however....when the computer rendered (or, was rendering) the imaged work for saving, he received multiple error messages until the final one popped up. That's when he blew his cork. The final message told him there was no room on the PC (Mac) to save the work - no memory! That meant all of his 2-stepping and last minute work was going to have to be repeated today! Argh and @&#$@!!&#@!
I don't really think he took anything more away from the experience other than "what's the point," "Macs are useless tools and the devil's playthings," "I'm never taking two classes at the same time ever again," and "this school sucks," among others. But you get the idea, right?
No, he is not going to see reason regarding doing his work in a timely fashion, that he chose his story and how to execute it and just how detailed he made it, and on and on....and that the choices were all on him - nope, that stuff is not registering. Or, it is and he is just covering with all the rest to assuage his 'guilt' in knowing he blew things (blows things) off, and puts things off, and generally ignores deadlines and responsibilities. It doesn't matter how many reminders, how much cajoling, pleading, threats, warnings, bribes I throw in there.
Couple this whole set of circumstances with an earlier meeting that afternoon with his MRS representative, and the day was wonderful from beginning to end. More on that another time (maybe, if I've had enough to drink first).
For now, for this morning (in the time remaining before heading back to the lab/classroom), I have a huge load of shading to do so those unfinished cells are camera ready. I know, I hear you. Get him up and make him finish his own work. Well, I'd rather stick my keester over a hornets nest than have that argument before class. I want him functioning and engaged today, not fuming and unreceptive, biting and rude....and if we begin something explosive now, nothing will be gained from the experience. NOTHING, but thanks for the back-up.
More later.
Oh, and for the record, I tackled 26 boxes that first day. 26! I......am a monster!!!
With any luck I will be coming home with far fewer boxes of books to put away. Even if I only manage to sell half of the stock I am taking, I would be satisfied...but I KNOW I am going to sell a lot more. It's in the Master plan.
Made Brian come out to the garage and move his tires from the middle of the floor to right next to the door, so tomorrow (or Wednesday) he can get them loaded into his car and up to the mechanic, to swap with the wretched old (bald) tires he's been riding around on for easily the last year. One more thing checked off the list - yea!
The rest of the week is pretty full, and I am going to need all of the daylight hours I can get my hands on to fit it all in. So, if you will excuse me, I am off to bed because I am bushed. I barely kept my eyes open for the last part of Castle - sheesh.
But that's OK, because I got a lot accomplished, and I worked hard for these sleepy eyes.
The weatherweenies are predicting a warmer day today, with a trend of warming throughout the entire week, so I have ample enough time to get my sorting done - and in relative comfort, so there. After this craft show is over I can re-focus and re-channel my efforts back into the kitchen and the quilting, where they belong (that, and job searching - my three major 'food groups' of late). Although, the job searching is neverending; I am forever combing, sifting, sending cover letters and resumes or my credit sheet somewhere.
For now...today, I am heading back out to the mountain of books, trying to make the best selection of stock to take with me to Flint for that sale.
No matter what, though, there are going to be glaring holes in what it is I have to offer, and that means lost potential sales. Choosing one title over another is not how I like to do it, but with limited space, limited time to set up, the possibility of making no sales in this economy, the prospect of moving a giant amount of reading material 40 miles north - only to have to repack it and schlepp it all back home again is crazy.
Please, Lord, let [these] people buy the books and toys. My faith is stronger than my doubts...but I am still afraid. Make me strong and confident, and bring out those people who are going to help clear my tables. I know this was Your plan and the reason You had this sale brought to my attention. Thank You for the opportunity and success You have laid out ahead of me. Amen.
Where's that grindstone?
The little pose-able doll is roughly 8" tall, and the taller M (in the red holiday coat, dress, muff and hat) is about 19" in length. I also have Madelines the same (large size) in the original blue coat/yellow hat combo.
Seems like I have a Madeline doll somewhere in the middle of those two sizes, and outfits to change her in to (2 or three changes), but I haven't located those just yet.
Aaarrrgh! ah-iiii-eeeeeee!!
Oh, yeah, if you haven't read up in a while, I will simply say I am selling books at a sale next Saturday - in Flint. Back to the entry.
This is crazy, and all in such short order. Ah well, it really needs to happen, so I suppose it doesn't matter what forces the change (but, if it means ending up with some badly needed capital at the end of the day and making room in the garage, then who am I to stand in the way of progress, fate, karma....the soul train?).
[sorry, ran off on a bad tangent, there -- I'm back]
In sorting through and selecting the merchandise to take to this "ladies day out" sale, I have located a small number of items that aren't price marked, either by the manufacturer or myself. I've looked these things up online, and in some instances found they aren't even referenced by their own manufacturer or publishing company any longer, or have been phased out by newer items.
Collectables!!!!
Of course, if I want to get rid of this stuff (and I do), I need to keep the prices low enough to make buying piles of books (or, more than one item, anyway) by anyone a good ($) idea, and not an 'oh-I-don't-know-I-guess-I'll-think-about-it-maybe-I'll-be-back' sort of coin-toss decision.
Yes! America!!!! Buying books is worthwhile. Noble! Exhilarating! Intelligent! A way to send a message to the youth of the world who learn by example! Buy a book and read it with your children...your grandchildren! Give a book to your favorite teacher, for crying out loud. Gift the classroom for decades of kids to come! I even have upper L reading material. :)
[hairpulling, teeth gnashing, saliva flowing]
I guess I am a little crazed on the subject, but not purely as a purveyor of literature. My deeply twisted feelings on the subject are what got me into selling children's books in the first place.
Do a girl a favor, please. Buy some books (from me, preferably) next weekend.
Thanks.
Now, if you will excuse me, I need to toddle back out to the garage and sort some more merchandise to sell to the masses. It's not easy needing 'green'.
Perhaps he was hoping the job was permanent, but I am fairly certain he knew he was applying for seasonal help to begin with. At any rate.......it will be several days a week, for approximately 4-7 (maybe 8) hours each day (no telling until the schedule comes out), so that's something.
He's just going to have to keep digging, but for now, he has a job. Thank you, Lord, for answering that prayer.
Today is a sunny day, and perhaps a smidge warmer than yesterday, so I am going back out to the garage to clean out more, move things around and get boxes of books ready to go to that craft show I wrote of earlier in the week. If the parochial school is indeed filled with voracious readers, and parented (and taught) by book-loving people, I should have no trouble selling a portion of my stock.
I am choosing to remain very positive and thinking only huge thoughts as far as what (and how much) to take, but because everything is boxed up (in not as much order as there once was), it is a process to get the stuff sorted through and decided over. Definitely the Christmas books are going, and American Girl series (if I can locate them), Madeline (books and the plush dolls), and anything else PBS-oriented (Magic School Bus, Arthur, etc), dinosaurs....
Oh my gosh! I need to get out there or this is never getting done.
The sale is a week from tomorrow, so if you find yourself in the Flint area, come shopping! I know a great book dealer with fabulous new children's books at really crazy low prices (deals and freebies included).
And Brian got a job!!!!
Just click on the link and let the video load completely before playing. An explanation of the project is posted with the video, so you can read that while the video loads.
The whole thing is less than 2 minutes, and really neat. Karl's bit is the robot (well, from the witch reaching for, and dropping her wand, to more than midway through the dancing robot), and yes, a good bit of the soundtrack is me. What can I say, it was fun to do; I filled in the holes and put a music bed under it, but Karl's robot is a show-stealer!
My only complaint is that the skeezer student who said he/she would put together end credits really shafted a bunch of kids by not illustrating their names as prominently readable as the first bunch (their own and a few friends). The last dozen or so kids really got screwed (and yes, Karl was one of those). But, on the positive side, this project is over and there soon will be something new and fun to view! Karl's short (the next class assignment) is close to being finished. So far, so good. He has over 170 cells drawn so far, and he's not done, yet.
:)
Can I get an "amen" from the choir?
November!! It's November. Yikes!
Karl is doing well in his classes, and Brian is successfully getting through his Comp class (to hear his answers to my questions), so I am relaxing a bit. Thursday afternoon he will have an interview in Auburn Hills for seasonal work (i.e. holiday shopping period) at an art supply house, so I will be saying a prayer that it goes well. I had to "urge" him to go online and apply (a lot) because their overhead announcement said they were hiring, and when I asked the check out person about the process she said they might not have that many positions open (if any), so the application work had to be done immediately!
Let's hear it for nagging, er....I meant "urging."
I am still looking daily for work on top of keeping Karl moving forward (more "urging"). Trying to get the kitchen to a place where the carpenter can come in and do next steps. Cleaning out the garage...oh, and now I have added a craft show to the fray. On top of all that, I am currently trying to complete a quilt for a competition which closes mid-December - first prize is $2500.
Now you understand the fact that it is November already is such a 'gulp' realization for me.
It's funny, but this year has seemed to be such a race to the finish in almost all aspects. Nearly every single month everything has always seemed so rushed - and not just for me personally. I am in no hurry to see 2010 evaporate, but here we are, standing on the ledge looking down at 2011, and everyone is yelling "jump"!
Well, I have two more months before I have to switch calendars, and no one is going to make me live it in fast forward.
As time passed, other stuff was eventually added to the piles of photographs, and pretty soon there was a mound along one wall and spread over three chairs.
**May I add that the three chairs were added as a result to the remod work in the kitchen. EV-erything in the kitchen-dining area had to go somewhere, and it was easiest to store the dining chairs in my area in the lower level. Besides, it gave me surfaces to stack (more) stuff on.
[mumble grumble]
A day or so ago I grabbed the boxes of photos and began to sort through them for relevant pictures to share online, mostly because my sons were adorable when they were young, and because the pictures are bright and clear and they make me smile...so why not share them? Then I realized I could create a sort of chronological layout to view of Brian and Karl from year one to their late childhood years...possibly early adolescence.
Stay tuned, I'm still scanning the images, but I should have something for you very soon. Until then, how about the colors in this photo?
We were sitting in the living room eating stew and talking, when the wind suddenly gusted at just the right angle and speed and deftly blew (and pulled) at the rippled underside of the sheeting, peeling one piece completely free of the track holding it in place. Not only that, but the track itself - insufficiently stapled in place - was pulled and twisted with that same riotous gust. 
The father of the previous owner had NOT nailed (or screwed) anything in place in any truly permanent fashion. Rather, it looks as though no thought was given to how it all may look or behave or last over time. It was all just slapdashed enough to get the inspector here and gone, and the construction permit signed off on.
So, faster than a New York minute, there were four rather surprised humans congregated on the porch, grabbing, holding, thinking and scheming as to how to get the loose piece back in place, while trying to keep the two additional pieces (now hanging precipitously from the 'ceiling') from whipping about and hurting anyone, or allowing them to also fall to the ground.
Most of the work centered on how to get the track back in place with another loose piece still hanging from it - all the while not damaging anything too much more than already was.
We scrounged up a ladder and step stool, the drill, screws to make the repairs to the sagging track and covering, a hammer, and something to ply the edges back into the tight-fitting track.
Thinking back on it now it all didn't take very long, but it wasn't something I had planned on having to do. At first I couldn't see how we could fix it given the visual damage and the high winds still wreaking havoc, but after a few moments of deliberation (and somewhat calm behavior), we were all excitedly re-entering the house, proud of the work and geeked from having repaired the odd wind damage.
Invigorating!
Sadly, the blogger program won't upload the bits and pieces from his class work. :( They are mostly Flash projects or .jpgs, or small .mov files...but for some reason the uploads are stalling - and it isn't the sizes of the pieces being uploaded.
Perhaps this weekend I will load the items onto my YouTube account and set up links to them here - then all you need do is click on the link to view them...if you are so inclined.
In other news - it's grey and windy and beginning to look a lot like winter. Brrrr.
Brian's jeep is finally gone; he sold it to a low-balling scrapper, but it is now history as far as we are concerned. 
The person who bought it paid him cash Friday evening, and then said he'd be back to collect it on Monday - which he did! Bud made grown-up plans to use the cash to pay for his car insurance (for the next couple of months) and to replace his broken phone. Still, his expression was hard to look at, and his attitude was bleak for several days.
Once the vehicles pulled away Monday afternoon, Brian's melancholy grew, but there were pangs of relief mixed in with it all. Life lessons that leave you with a lot of knocks and bruises (and which take a great deal of money besides) are sometimes not easily gotten over. Hopefully, you retain the knowledge and take it to heart and you make better choices down the road.
'Why Pickles?' I hear some of you asking, a-n-d how do you know it's a she?
Well, I'll tell you. She was a lovely green and quite lively, so there were many descriptive 'names' that came to mind, but none of the typical monikers you would assign to a living creature (bug) in one's home really suited her.
We came to enjoy watching her move about - she wasn't at all as mechanical as I would have thought - and she could really move with some speed when she set her mind to it (without taking flight). Whenever she realized the lid had been lifted, she was off to the races, and she seemed more than happy to simply rest on the rim of the jar. We'd have left her that way overnight, but fear of chomping kitty jaws prompted us to replace the cover - with her safely inside - although, the lid was always ajar for her to have fresh air moving around.
Spritzing the inside of the container with water always resulted in a great show. You could hoist the jar over your head and watch as she sucked up puddles from the bottom or sides. Good-sized amounts of water vanished in seconds when she was particularly thirsty, and this happened more frequently after she'd layed her eggs! Her appetite all but vanished once the eggs were left on one of the sticks in her jar - and, oh, how I wish I could have watched that miracle unfold.
And that, my dear fellows, is how I know that Pickles is a "she-did" and not a "he-did."
Sadly, we allowed Pickles outdoor time again today, and on this second sunny, warm October day, she decided to bid us adieau and not return to the door or window for the first time in 5 days. We will miss her company, but we are planning on taking care of our new charges over the coming winter months, so that in the spring we might have the pleasure of watching the new little Katybugs hatch and begin a new generation of cool bug madness in our gardens.
The girls have found our enigmatic green guest hard to resist, but even harder to play with, and the first night we caught Cleo in several attempts at trying to push the lid of the jar off to get more paws-on (and nose) time with the rather large Katydid.
Flop would just sit patiently with her nose pressed to the outside of the glass watching the lumbering movements, but Cleo wasn't happy unless she could get her nose right on it.
Karl and I arrived home Wednesday from his class to find the specimen sitting on the doorstep, somewhat tangled in cobweb in a corner of the door. He/she was hard to miss - that's how large it is. Karl freed it from the spiderwebbery and we decided to keep it inside for a bit to observe, and to simply marvel over its size. The cats, on the other hand, were keenly interested in playing! If Cleo could have put a saddle on it, I swear she would have ridden it around the house!
The next day Brian tried to turn it loose outdoors (after a romp with the girls) but several hours later, when I opened the door to get the mail, there it was again! It had made the journey back across the porch to our front door, where it perched.
K theorized that the warmth attracted it, despite the food source we endeavored to turn it loose on. I would have thought eating would have been higher on his priority least (or even mating), but apparently we have a rather alluring door. So, I gathered some items from the flowerbed for it to eat, crawl around in and feel a little more at home in, stuck it all in the jar (with the Kdid) and went about our daily activities. When we looked in on it later, it had eaten a good portion of a leaf and had become comfy pretending to blend in the rest of the 'decor.' Kind of cool!
Incidentally, I always thought critters like our Katydid met their moisture requirements while eating the greenery, BUT it turns out they actually go about gathering moisture all by itself, too. I know!
I watched my little green friend lap up all the rain mist from the new leaves without a break. The leaves were all damp when I stuck them into the jar, but after just a few short moments of careful and methodical turns, he had completely dried every surface of several leaves! It was amazing. Poor bugger must have been parched.
I feel badly that the temps have gotten so chilly lately, I guess this is why he prefers Casa Us over doing the normal buggy thing, and goodness knows I don't mind watching after it, but I am going to hate looking in that jar one day to find a dead bug.
Until that happens though, I guess we will just have some fun watching nature take a vacation.
These beautiful bisquits aren't the thing I miss the most (though it's really a close second...hmmm, third. No, make that the fifth most missed thing), and while the boys had their fair share of lovely snacks too (like these and more), and delicious dinners every night, courtesy of Mike and Andrew (just way later than an American meal should be eaten), I do miss the ease of bringing home good food already prepared. Fewer dishes, less work, no thinking or planning necessary.
Dinner tonight will be beef stew. If I had a working oven we would also have biscuits...mostly because I am in a warm-bread-mood lately. Yesterday I made some pretty good turkey burgers for a late lunch, to help fill Karl's stomach before heading off to class, but none of them remain in the fridge (that's how I know the boys liked them), so it looks like we will be having that stew...not that I mind.
Hey, maybe for dessert I'll make chocolate pudding.
What's on your dinner table tonight?
