Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Now

So, I'm currently writing. I'm currently writing quite a bit too. First, I've had three new coverletters to write in the last two days for 3 positions that just opened up at UC Berkeley. None of them are for permanent spots, but the big picture of things I really want to work at CAL, either in one of the archives or one of the libraries. I wouldn't have to move and the work would be great for now. But I kind of don't think I'll get a call back on any of them. I'm either overqualified for the position or really not quite qualified. For instance they need a processing archivist for a one year position in their ethnic studies library. I'm well qualified except for the fact that I don't know HAN Chinese, at all and of course they need someone who does as the collection is in chinese. Oy Vay. I also keep finding positions that I put off applying for, then finding they closed the door on the position 2-4 days later when I do have time to really sit down and write up a new cover letter. This is super irritating especially when you consider that the 2-3 times that this has happened to me it has been for for a position that I really would like to do! The last was for a processing archivist down at USC. Ugh, great project too dealing with old historical photos from LA. Oh well. I've also been writing up a script for a how-to on rebuilding a carburetor. I'm almost done with the writing and need to sit down and record my monolog. I've shot most of the footage for this too, but am not looking forward to having to hear my voice over and over again while recording and editing this. Ugh. Should keep my constructively busy for the next week or so. Oh also spent the better part of the last two days dealing my unemployment claim. I've been on the dole for 3 weeks now and no sign of a check. Found this out late on Saturday (3 day weekend). Spent Tuesday on the phone being hung up on after listening and pushing buttons for 10 minutes a time then having them hang up as too many people were trying to contact em. Finally got threw this morning. Complaints about my employer and waiting to hear back from them. More phone calls and email. Sounds like my employer might have been giving out the wrong SSN number. Will call back tomorrow or Friday to see where this at. Ugh. I hate being unemployed. My hopes are not that high at the moment I hate to say partially due to the lack of responses I've gotten and partially since it's nearing the end of the year when no one will be hiring due to the holiday season. Ugh, and now not getting paid doesn't help either.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Columbus Day

So, I just took a nice hike to the local post office, which was close. ANyway along the way I'm crossing a busy street with another person and using legal crosswalk. After getting halfway across someone in a BMW SUV pulls into the far end of the crosswalk and begins to park. Me and the other person keep walking and find this guy backing up and forth across the end of the crosswalk keeping us from getting to the sidewalk. So I knock on his rear window to let him know that we are there. He stops and we proceed to walk behind his BMW SUV using the crosswalk. End of story? NO! So a half block later I hear from the street the end of a someone yelling " . . . fat fuck!" Honestly no idea what the first half of the statement was. But I see it's that same BMW SUV and some late 40 year old and his gal old enough to be his mom are parallel to me and the guy is pissed and he's rolling up the window. From what I can guess the guy was trying to let his mom out of his car in what he thought to be a safe place. Honestly though he wasn't paying attention to the road and I would note the other person in the cross walk was a pregnant. I'd guess 4-5 months pregnant too. So in my head I see that this guy thought he had the right away and should have kept us in the middle of the street (a pretty busy street) while he dropped his mom off. I can kind of get this after the fact. But I still think a folks, especially when one is pregnant trump old lady having to wait a minute to illegally park. Anyway I simply roll my eyes and keep walking. A half block later I'm cutting across a small parking lot and mr BMW SUV had turned right and very slowly driving across my path. He looking at me with this huge but hurt face and trying to menace me. At this point I start laughing my ass off at him. Very visibly laughing too. First, there's a Berkeley cop car at the intersection behind him and second the Berkeley police station is around the corner, just down the block from the post office. So the post office was close and the whole trip back I felt dumb as shit for forgetting it was Columbus day!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The Hottest Hell (III) Scooter Rally

My first Hottest hell, it was in the low 90's which isn't so hot concerning the fact that it was Sacramento CA. I went for a day only and of course had scooter problem. Ugh. Pictures can be found here Oh and the night after I was back in Berkeley and caught a friend's band play locally. A few photos (and a lot more of folks simply playing music of some sort) can be found here

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Run from the Sun Scooter Rally

So last week I was in Portland for a few reasons. I was finally done with the current project and my mom's birthday was coming up. So I used the opportunity to come up for a week and see the family, do some hiking and take part in the Orphans Run from the Sun scooter rally. The rally starts in both Portland and Eugene with a long ride threw the countryside the coast. Then either a ride north or south (depending on your start) to a camp ground just south of Newport Oregon for a night filled with much sorry and future hang overs.

You can find a few of my photos of the event at here

Enjoy em!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Sloggin it out

This is week two since the production shut down. I've been asked in twice to run shots, otherwise I'm being paid to sit at home. Ugh. Hate it. I ran out of local jobs to apply for late last week and started on a few down in LA. I think I've sent out 20ish resume's in the last few weeks. I'm not sure what to expect on most of these I hate to say. I hate being unemployed.

Monday, July 23, 2012

I AM . . .

. . . trying to self motivate. I've been letting myself go and keep letting myself find the path with the least resistance. When I do hunker down and fight it out, it's over the wrong things or fighting with retards. I can't keep doing that much anymore, mainly for my own sanity. I'm finding that getting by isn't going to cut it so to say. I need to get some direction back into my life and stop just coasting. Well maybe coasting isn't quite the right word here. But I've had a hard time looking at the future so to say. Actually it's been years since I've been able to look at my life and see where I think I'll be 2-3 years down the road. When I first moved to Portland I could think this way. It was easy actually. I wanted to give up and get away from old job and work and position myself to move on to the next stage of my life. I knew for instance I'd be spending the next 2-3 years learning. No daunting task. I wanted to learn, I wanted to move forward since felt my life wasn't moving forward. School was means of moving forward after all and looking forward was easy. I wasn't sure about afterwards, but I was OK with that. But after working and getting bogged down in school it was hard to think that way. Work really became hardship when you work 50-60 hour week and try to keep up with school work. It lightened when I switched jobs, but the job which should have been perfect had no real direction. Many of the folks I was in school with were actually jelious, but I could tell quickly that it was directionless. My boss was kind of cluesless about what wanted from the position and I couldn't see that I wanted to move up the ladder either. Too much politicking too. I was actually happy to leave and finish up school. But fter school it became worse. Finding local work was difficult to say the least and I ended up going with my back up plan. I super happy with that decision actually. It helped me get out of psychological hole I was in at the time. I needed space, distance and change. I got them, but I've found another hole that I've been happy to hide in for much of the last year. I'm thankful for the job, but I know it's time to leave this hole and head back or really forward with my life again.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Vacation?

Ukia138
We had the last week off from work, as such I did shit. Actually spent far too much time trying to find a used kayak. The bay being the bay really needs to be explored via the water from time to time. So for 4 days I spent way too much time trolling craiglist and other places looking for a kayak. No luck. I did find a decent deal on a older rowing scull. And being the dummy that I am, I bought it. I partially bought it because I know it's actually going to give me a better work out then a kayak will. Really, what the hell was I thinking? well day one on the water and I was reminded why I stopped rowing. It's boring. You can't take it into a lot of places either. It's a pain to store and Ugh, stupid me. I'm now trying to sell it.

My other thing was small trip up north to the Vichy Mineral Springs. 3 days of soaking and hiking.
Ukia125
OK, now to try and get rid of that row boat . . .

Friday, April 20, 2012

Drama and Headache avoided

At least at this point. Seems I don't qualify under local 600 (stage), but might for local 700 (editorial). I've been told I will not be replaced if this is the case. Question really at this point is if I do have to join local 700, what do I qualify as?

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Headaches and Drama . . .

So right before lunch our local union rep came a knockin. Seems one of my co-workers filed a reverence not against me, but that my position should be union (most likely 700 the editors guild). So what does this mean? Not sure at this point. But:

Worst Case:
Union wants me out to put a Union member in. Very very low possibility here.
Position goes union, but the production can't afford it, position eliminated.
Again very small chance here.

Most likely: per my employers I am part of production and not unionable on this show.
Lots of dumbness to ensue.

Possible: Possible bump in pay, but a more defined role. Meaning I have certain duties that I can do, and many that I can not. Do a number of jobs outside of defined work including scheduling (2nd AD) and some photography work. I suspect these quasi parts of my job could get eliminated. I'll be bored. Ugh.

I'm 99% sure I know who did it too. It's either a someone known for playing games, or it's our ahem, whoes a good friend and probobly thinking this is the right thing to do. I kind of wish they had asked me first.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Fun and frustration

Up until this evening this weekend has been fantastic.
Actually the last few weekends have been fantastic.
But tonight was frustrating.
MAybe too much of a good thing is always going to have a downside.
Actually it always will.
Anyway, fun weekend but a frustrating evening.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Love and Other Drugs

While it was kind of nice to see Anne's rack, this movie was a completely predictable and a bit of a bore.
Edward Zwick should return to his White Man burden of films and leave romantic comedy to those who are at least amusing.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

An old reminder

today that is, of why I generally don't get involved with scooter girls.
Way, way too much drama