Saturday, September 20, 2003

Live from the Austin City Limits Music Festival

Yep. I'm at the Austin City Limits Music Fest. Thanks to the SBC Yahoo tent for the net access.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, Liz Phair was not seen for by me. But, I have more than made up for that by seeing plenty of wonderful bands and hearing some great music.

So far, my favorite been the Los Lonely Boys. Check 'em out if ya got the change. Dwight Yoakam sang "I want you to want me" by Cheap Trick. And today, there was a wonderful tribute to Johnny Cash. They played his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt." This was the first time I've heard or saw his version. I'm not a big Johnny Cash fan, but by the end of the video, there were a few tears in my eyes. We just saw Robert Randlph and the Family Band and they were excellent.

Now, I gots ma buzz on and there's more music to hear and dancing to do. So, 'cuse me while I gets ma party on!

Thursday, September 11, 2003

5 Questions with ML

Trish asked the questions, so I'll do my best to answer. Thankfully, she provided me with questions that where very introspective and require thought, unlike say, The Friday Five. This new interview a blogger fad is tougher than I thought it would be...

1. Why did you start blogging and how do you feel you have changed from doing so?
When I started blogging, I guess it was an outlet for my creativity, as well as a way to refine my writing. I remember when I first got on the internet, I wanted to create a personal website. But more than the usual list of thinks I like. I wanted a place people would continue to come to. So, I thought I would have a �random thoughts� section where people could get to know me through that. However, back then, the technology that makes blogging a snap didn�t exist and I didn�t know how to work with the available technology. Somewhere down the road, I learned about blogger and blogging and revisited old ideas. When I started this place up, I was trying to keep it totally anonymous only giving clues to my personality through my writing. Lately, I�ve let the veil fall a little. But, this is mainly a place for people who don�t and won�t know me in real life to get to know me. It�s a place where I can leave my mark on the world without force-feeding myself down people�s throats. Like of like Jesus... (that was a joke... laugh, damn you!)

2. How did you end up in your current career field?
The simple answer: I went to college. But it�s more detailed than that. I picked Mass Communication as my field because it required I only take one math class in college. I tested out of Math 101, but Math 102 was still a requirement. Lucky for me, I found that I enjoyed certain aspects of the Mass Comm field. I specialized in Broadcasting. After college, I learned a lot from my first TV station. Produced commercials, some promos and did various simultaneous jobs with a newscast. From that, I discovered I was not only good at editing, but enjoyed it as well. From there, I ended up at another TV station, where I learned more about promotions. I�m still in TV promotions, but I don�t like it as much as I enjoy the editing. Presently, I�m playing the bills as a promotion producer, but hoping I can get on at a post-production house and edit full time. Crossing my fingers for getting paid to edit music videos and movies. There�s not much money in the field, but as long as I enjoy my work that�s what matters.

3. What stereotypes about men and women do you think are true?
I don�t really get into stereotypes because for every one, I can think of someone who doesn�t fit it. Men are supposed to like football, yet none of my close friends watch it with me. Women aren�t supposed to like sports, but I�ve heard there are plenty of them that exist. Seriously, would we have professional cheerleaders if Women didn�t like sports? Well, maybe if the price was right I guess. I know Men could never live with the pain of childbirth. And despite the old-time view that women should stay in the kitchen (I don�t believe that for a minute), I have yet to see a female Master Chef.

4. Do you think the belief that southerners are more polite is true or not?
Well, I haven�t met a lot of Northerners, so the field is a little skewed. But, I haven�t really been wronged by a southerner I didn�t know. I mean, no one has ever given me bad directions when driving in an unfamiliar city. Then again, I haven�t been in the backwoods and forced to squeal like a pig.

5. If you were starving and had no food, what's one food item you would never eat if it was offered to you?
Beans. I hate beans. I will not eat them in any form. Not even in chili. Give me broccoli for life before I will eat beans. Beans upset me so much that when I feel bad enough that throwing up will make me feel better (like when you�re way too drunk), I�ll think about beans and franks mixed up in kitty litter. Works like a charm. Excuse me for a minute...

OK, so there ya go. Now's the part where I ask for volunteer(s) to be interviewed. So, come on and volunteer. Please don't let me be the person who stops this chain. That would be a crushing blow to my ego. Thank you.

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Learning Curve

First off, you have to understand my kid is dyslexic. That basically means something in his head mixes things up making it hard to read. I don't mean to be oversimplitic, but dyslexia is not really the problem. In real life terms, it means he scores very low on standardized tests. According to the tests, he is presently reading at a 2.5 grade level. That's about half way through second grade. He's in 5th grade, by the way. Do not call him stupid or a dummy. This kid is very bright and talented (and that's not just his parent talking). This is a kid who is writing and drawing his own comic book. This is a kid who wants to get good grades so he can skip a few years and start high school already. Not because he hates school, but because he wants to be THAT intellegent.

He has a book report due. He wanted to do the report on a book he's read very recently: The Classic Illustrated Edition of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Well, he was informed that he can't do his report on that book because it's not on his reading level. He has his report on a book on something at his tested reading level of 2.5. You know what book he's reading now? Super Diaper Baby. Super Friggin' Diaper Baby, as opposed to a Classic like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Granted, I haven't read Super Diaper Baby, but just browsing through the book, it looks like a dumbed-down, babyfied comic book.

I really don't understand this. He goes to a dyslexia class 3 times a week at the school. His teachers know about his dyslexia, yet, they never seem to challenge him or take that into consideration. Shouldn't they be inviting him to challenge himself? How is Super Diaper Baby going to help him, or challenge him? How will he learn to survive with his learning (dis)ability if he is coddled and spoon-fed with such babyfied drivel? He won't.

I also don't understand how kids in 5th grade don't have to write in cursive. That's another thing his teachers don't seem to push. Maybe this is a "when I was in school" issue and times have changed. I learned cursive in 2nd grade and had to use it in school ever since. Is this not the practice anymore?

Perhaps, his teachers and I should discuss this. I really have a problem with this Super Diaper Baby crap. Push him to succed. Don't set the bar so low that he can trip over it. That's not an education.

Friday, September 05, 2003

It's Friday. This post is boring.

It's hard to be funny with the Friday Five sometimes. Allow me to attempt...

1. What housekeeping chore(s) do you hate doing the most? I LOATHE cutting the grass. Thankfully, we live in a townhouse and don't have a lawn to cut. The plan is not to have a lawn until the kid is old enough to do it himself. Then, I'll NEVER have to cut the lawn again. Seriously, I hate it so much the wife did it more than me. That's not a gentlemenly think to say or do, but THAT'S HOW MUCH I HATE CUTTING THE GRASS!!

2. Are there any that you like or don't mind doing? I bet I'm one of the only persons who doesn't mind cleaning the bathroom. Granted, it takes me a while to work up the *ahem* energy to get cleaning, but it's the bathrooms I tackle first. Laundry I don't mind so much. Except for the whites load. All those socks and only half of them have matches, drives me fucking nuts.

3. Do you have a routine throughout the week or just clean as it's needed? The weekend is for cleaning... if I feel like it... Laundry is a weekend chore. Always.

4. Do you have any odd cleaning/housekeeping quirks or rules? I am not allowed to vaccum. Why? I don't know. The wife say I wasn't allowed to vaccum, even though she never saw my vaccuming skills. I say, fuck it, one less thing for me to do. I think it has to do with her obsessiveness when she vaccums. It's like no one can do it up to her expectations, so she has to it.

5. What was the last thing you cleaned? My body. Yesterday. It's early and I haven't taken a bath yet. Coincidently, my body will be the next thing I clean. Yes, Today. Shortly, in fact.

Thursday, September 04, 2003

Dealin'

Ok, I've been very busy. Deal with it. The comments are down. Deal with it. They should be back tomorrow, according to the YACCS people. I'm half-asleep at noon. I'm dealing with it. Free food will be here soon. I'll be dealing nicely with that. Yesterday sucked until 5:30pm. I dealt with it. Yesterday after 5:30p helped to deal with it. I've decided that I want to say working in television, but I don't want to deal with TV stations. For now, though, guess what? I will have to deal with it. I am also dealing with the independent short I'm working on. My current way to deal with it is only go to the shoots that I am needed to be on camera. Tomorrow, I will have to deal with editing some of the footage. I will have to deal with the pain of biting my tongue. I guess that's the motto for now, eh? I can deal with that...