Happy Holidays Part II

Not much to add, but another few days in Portland for Xmass. This year I had my portrait taken in large format in both a tintype and ferio type for my dear old mom. I had few paper copies made for the rest of the family.

The first is tintype and I have to say it came out rather dashing

This is the Feriotype, ya it doesn't look really that different then the tintype, but in real life you'd be seeing a mirror like effect and some faint other stuff depending on the angle you looked at these.

I spent an afternoon with the old rents and hung some old art of theirs too. Most of the rest of the family I gave cash too since they have a better idea of what they want then I know! Teh rest of my time was spent visiting friends of various sorts. On the down side this will be my last visit to Portland for a while as I'm need to save my money and vacation for this spring/summer period. Oh well.

Hope all is well with everyone otherwise.

Happy Holidays!

Tizz the holiday season, this time around I starting with a long trip to Portland for Thanksgiving. The drive was highly irritating to me as nearly everyone was driving in clumps of cars around slow moving big rigs. It could have been worse, such as snow or a lots of accident and similar crap, but still it was highly irritating. So irritating that I'm whining like a small kid over a week later. Anyway . . .

. . .my birthday is up next, followed by all those other seasonal holidays. Since it's mostly family that actually reads this, I thought I might post a few things I wouldn't mind getting as a gift.

I can use 10" Gordy camera strap.

http://www.gordyscamerastraps.com/wrist-lug/index.htm

I can also use lug mount 1/4" natural 45" camera strap + Integral Strap Bumpers.

http://www.gordyscamerastraps.com/neck-horiz/index.htm

If you want to spend a little bit more, you can buy similar to the above at

http://www.tapanddye.com/collections/all-products/leather-camera-strap

I can also use a Domke FA-230 3-Compartment Insert - for Domke F-802, F-803 or F-804 Satchel Bag

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/16065-REG/Domke_720_230_FA_230_Insert.html

or a lowepro memory wallet

http://store.lowepro.com/modular/s-f-memory-wallet-20

Fototek wireless remote

http://www.amazon.com/FotoTech-Wireless-Shutter-Release-Replaces/dp/B00FP1BQ1Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1386393131&sr=1-1&keywords=canon+6d

LCD Timer Shutter Release Remote Control Cord for Canon 6D - TC-80N3 Compatible

http://www.amazon.com/FotoTech-Wireless-Shutter-Release-Replaces/dp/B00FP1BQ1Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1386393131&sr=1-1&keywords=canon+6d

If I find more, I'll post em here.

Worshiping the Beast 2013

So, rally season (for me) is over. WTB is my end of year (scooter years that is) rally to attend. This year it was me, and maybe 12 others. *Sigh* That having been said, riding the delta is always fun, mostly since it's flat, it's colorful, it has twisties and I always break down. This year I did all the above and got lost too. Best yet is that completed about 90% of the ride before my bike went poop. We even ran into a Wizzer rally. Ya, Wizzer Here's a picture of a Wizzer I think they had less breakdowns then us. Anyway, that was Saturday for me. Sunday I drove back to Sacto for the Barber extravaganza. Mainly it's a lot of socializing and lots of home made pasta sauce. Definitely a fat kid type of day for me. Oh and lot of old italain vehicles (that run). Anyway., what few photos I took can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/filmtwit/sets/72157636529519214/with/10285009063/ Enjoy

The Power of Loneliness

So a friend of mine forwarded an interesting article (see below) to me about loneliness that of course struck a nerve. Much like the author I moved to Portland about 7 years ago, mainly to go to grad school, but also to get the hell out of LA. Unlike the author I have family and few friends and had more then enough acquaintances well before I moved. The first few months were great mostly because I was also working out 2 hours a day and dropping about 50 pounds as a whole. But I had problems connecting to people, so even when surrounded by friends, family and great people I wouldn't really socialize, or mainly minimized my real socializing. Now jump forward about a year and I had finally landed a job and was trying to do grad school full time. My exercise regime slowly was going into the toilet and I was starting to bing eat to deal with the stress. Worst of all I had basically stopped socializing as I didn't have the time for it. Now fast forward 2 years when work ended for me, I had basically dug a big hole for loneliness for myself. On the good side I had pushed myself back into grad school full time to deal with the extra time I had since I wasn't working. But to be honest I needed the work time as it was main source of interaction. So for about a year I kind of unlearned how to socialize. I also didn't want to sad sack and fill my family and friends with my overall depression. On the good side I was exercising regularly again. But threw it all I was still bing eating to deal with the stress of it all. Today, I'm no longer in Portland and away from that world. I still feel lonely at times, but I'm actually less stressed. But my years of bing eating starting to play havoc with health. Loneliness in my case has led me to be unhealthy in my daily diet and as such I am starting to deal with the health risks that went along with it. ugh. OK, I'm done sharing. Loneliness Is Deadly Social isolation kills more people than obesity does—and it’s just as stigmatized. http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2013/08/dangers_of_loneliness_social_isolation_is_deadlier_than_obesity.html

The morning After . . .

The morning after what? No idea, but work was kind of festive last evening due today's board meeting. These guys OK our paychecks, so yes this was important. I spent part of the week setting up our boardroom for various activities and sprucing up some of other meeting rooms to make them look more professional. So yesterday morning I could see the look of dread on my boss's face when I arrived in shorts and tshirt like I usually do. Really I wasn't dressed any different then I normally do nor any different then half the staff. But I got to surprise the hell out of everyone because I had brought a change in clothing with me including my favorite tie. We were served some tastie Hors d'oeuvre and and served various drinks that were easy to spike with a wee bit of vodka. Flash forward to late in the evening and I was nodding off at about 9:30. I did get a bit of water into me but I also put myself into bed at 10pm, which is still pretty early for me. I slept well till about 4am, then of course all that water wanted out and rest of this morning was spent light sleeping. So at 7am I awoke and found I had a bit of the hangover. 3 hours later and lot of black tea later and I still have one. I am way too old if I'm nursing a hangover like this over so little alcohol. What is wrong with me?

Kubrick Exhibit at LACMA

So, as a few of you know I've been itching to see the Kubrick exhibit at LACMA in LA for the last 9 months. Itching might not be the right word here, obsessing might be better term. But with my temulchuous times with EDD I had to constantly put it off. I even made last ditch try to see the exhibit days before starting my new job, only to have to pass because of the need to fix up the car. Anyway, after the big move here at DSC I found myself with 2 days of comp time and small window to finally jet down to LA to catch the show. SouthWest was even nice enough to give me a decent deal on tickets ($90 each way), I had even staked out a higher end single room hotel/hostel in Hollywood for $50 a night. I ended up getting dicked on the car rental though. Ugh. Anyway, flight booked, hotel booked, rental booked and flurry of emails to friends and what not in LA to make sure I saw as many folks I haven't seen in years now and the trip was a go. The flight down was less then stellar (thanks Oakland airport and BART) and I arrived in Burbank at about 10:30pm. The rental ended up being a pain and taking twice as long as it should have too. I didn't get to Hollywood till midnight and most places I might have liked to see/stop at were closed. I did make a special trip over to my old hood for a burrito at Benitos for old time sake.

Gotta love the fat kid food, and Oakland still can't match a good LA burrito if you ask me.

I think I finally reached the hotel about 1am. It was small, clean and decent bed. On the down side my bedroom was out front so I heard a little too much traffic noise as a whole. Oh well. Slept OK otherwise.

Saturday started off with a much needed shower and lazy trip over to the west side to meet up with the Flynn's, Harpo and a few others. I used to dread the westside as a whole due to parking restraints and expenses. I had told myself before coming down to expect to shell out upwards of a $100 in parking for the weekend, I was ready for it and knew that's that price of LA. Luckily though the Flynn's actually let me in on a nice little secret parking structure that doesn't charge for the first 2 hours and you can leave and come back without a charge. We ate at Barny's Beanery due to conveyance and pet friendly outdoors location, which meant good company, mediocre food. I hate to say it, but the conglomeration of many LA joints really does devalue the original place to start with. Barny's was always a decent OK place to start with, but opening more of them really wasn't wanted or needed. I had a great time catching up with the Flynns and their silly beagle Harpo none the less. Afterwards it was time to move the car (and not pay for parking) and hit Armand Hammer museum. AH is pretty small place, but usually has something good to see. This time around was a retrospect on mid century architect A. Quincy Jones. I think it took me an hour and half to see everything and then it was meandering drive across LA to my room for a shower and few stops for light shopping and photo work too. Mainly I wanted to see the Innes house up in the Hollywood Hills, which was in less then fantastic shape 6 years ago when last I visited. This time around it was very apparent that it was really in rotten shape and I suspect it's now no longer really restorable. Mainly the concrete blocks that make up most of the house are rotting away due to having been made from decaying granite and beach sand. If they do really try it they'll either have to replace most of the outer concrete blocks or some how seal them completely. Anyway, it does look like they are trying do something with the house, but I won't hold my breath.

Next up was a trip down south to Dean's shop in the hood. I really only wanted to take one stop, that being to the Watts Towers, which oddly enough having passed about a 1000 + times in my life time I had never actually stopped to see. So this time around I did. I now need to process the 35mm B&W stuff to show what I saw. Oh well. Anyway, it was fun but after an hour I headed off to Dean's shop to see Dean, Armondo and Steve. We ended up catching up and having a BBQ. I think I meandered back to my room about 1am again.

Sunday ended up being a hustle to Canters with some old MGM pals. Found out the best pizza in fairfax area had closed or should I say been bought out up an upscale food joint that wanted into that hood badly. Good times on Dad's day with old MGM pals, mainly Frank, Dean and Doug. We caught up and probably offended the booth besides us with our our morning antics. On the other down side I noticed I had damaged both my camera and one of my lenses. Fck. The camera's rewind was lightly damaged while the lense (which is 50+ years old) was having problems with it's f-stop. It looks like one of the blades was either damaged or sticking causing problems. Anyway, the brunch was fun, but I kind of feel bad for the family next to us as it was father's day. I think I got out of Canters around 1ish and made my way west to Pasadena and Norton Simon. Now I grew up on Norton Simon museum and really stopped in just to see it again. It's lightly changed, but always a good stop and one of those less traveled museums in LA. At about 4 I left and hurried across LA again to Venice to meet up with a friend and woman. We had drinks and what not at Cock and Bull. Fun and it was off to bed again afterwards.

Monday was Dday for me. 10:30am to LACMA for my Kubrick tour. I picked this day and time to keep down on traffic and wasn't disappointed. For the first hour I think only 10 of us were wandering the halls. After an hour their was maybe 30-40 folks and still kind of sparce, but I was fantastic to see how others reacted to the exhibit. At 1pm I walked out and met up with an old friend for lunch. We only had an hour it was apperent we needed another 2-3 hours to really catch up. Oh well, maybe next time. After lunch I headed back in to LACMA to catch other parts of the museum. Mainly I wanted to see their new Serra sculpture "Band" and I wasn't disappointment. I liked it, but still like "Sequence" more. Come 3pm I had to pack up and head to Burbank airport and get home. Oh well. Most trips to LA over the last few years and I was ready to leave LA after a day or two. I kind of missed it this time.

Buh bye LA, Buh Bye - oh come back later and I'll have more photos.

more pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/filmtwit/sets/72157622473915845/with/9075214271/

Scoutouring 2013

OK, it's been a while since I've posted here and gone to a rally. I headed out for Sactromento the weekend before starting my new job with a lot of expectations. Mainly seeing few folks I hadn't seen in year or two. Even the greek with Orlando in tow was coming up from Bakersfield. Fuckin win-win situation going on here if you ask me. I had some last minute repairs to do on the Rally including getting insurance and registration taken care of the day before. Great. Anyway, the Rally as always fits into the Element just fine, much easier then any of the Lambretta's ever do.

2 hourish drive was pretty uneventful, and getting out of the Bay area was the long part of it. Pulling into Sacto the sun was going down and I already knew a few folks had beaten me into town. The Friday night meet up was pretty scooter uneventful, and by scooter uneventful I mean only few scooters were ridden to the bar. Most drive in like myself. After all the rally really doesn't start till Saturday in my book.

I ran straight into Dave K, Mickey, Andey and Sanchez. First rounds were made. An hour to two later I made my way forward and ran into more and more folks. By the end of the evening I was outfront just off the patio where most could drink and smoke.

Saturday morning was spent at the local hotel eating what ever was free in the downstairs foyer. I'm surprised I could keep it down as it was tasteless and awful. Gotta love road food. Anyway I loaded up and headed to the meet up place. Oddly enough I was first to arrive. I did get to catch some guy in a Miyata drop off his hook up who had to make the walk of shame across the parking lot. Brilliant. Anyway, 15-20 minutes later Ryno and family arrived followed by everyone else. As such I finally pulled the Vespa out of the Element and loaded up my camping gear.

An hour or two later were out on the open road. Some place beyond Folsom lake I ended up getting kind of lost. And by lost I mean that I'm following Alex and he misses the turn off. Great, a mile and a bit of backtracking and we're back on track, but about 15 minutes behind everyone else. I ended up losing Alex and few others who were lost and caught up to the main group and had to wait maybe 5 minutes for them to catch up. Anyway, about 15 minutes into riding again I developed an airleak and that was it for my ride as I also soft seized. The Soupcan picked up me and the Rally and were off straight to the camp ground. Great!

We were quick to set up camp and get the BBQ started. This year's theme was "Scouting" and I had a left over Halloween costume based on the Khaki scouts uniform from Moonrise Kingdom I donned and well was the only one to do this year. Fuckers. Anyway, the BT'z were quick to hit the stump liquor at this point. Stump liquir is the left overs from previous Scootourings left in a stump. Afterwards it was Beer bungee times. Anyway, the beer bungee started off with a bang of whole new lot of folks. But after round 3 things turned for the worst when Mr Zorn took a tumble and landed on his hand and well, fractured it. Ouch Mr Zorn to say the least. Zorn was wrapped up and sent to the hospital and is doing well, better at this point. Mr Zorn could use some help with the medical bills so if you can, please help him out. http://fixthezorn.com

Zorn of course was declared the winner and everyone had great BBQ and the drinking began. Hours later the BTz gave great praise to the dearly departed Janice Ashrat, who had been coming to Scootouring for over a decade and had lost her battle with cancer earlier in the year. Anyway, more booze, more food, more fun. Time for old far me to pass out and I did.

Anyway, the next morning was filled with much pain as almost everyone was nursing some sort of hangover. Some food was brought in and confee coffee to boot. Afterwards everyone packed up and jolly ride was made back to Sacto. End of story for the most part. Anyway, more pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/filmtwit/sets/72157633374736938/

WOO HOO!? . . . Umm . . .

So as most of you already might know, I landed a job. Or I should say a job landed on me. It all seems so nearly perfect. or is it?

I found the listing for this job in question back in January, back when EDD was shutting off my unemployment for the 2nd time (and not telling me). At that time the description was nearly perfect, dealing with media assets for a educational foundation. The description was such that I'd be taking care of a DAM and cataloging educational video assets. I had till the end of the month (2 weeks) to apply and took my time rewriting my resume and coming up brand new cover letter, specifically for this job. I had my eldest sister proof read the shit out of it. A week or so later I submitted and waited.

February came along and nothing. Actually I was waiting to hear about 3 jobs I thought I was perfectly qualified for, and was hearing nothing back on any of them. Ugh, and EDD was still not giving me unemployment.

I've only had minor luck in finding full time positions in the bay area that I'm really qualified for. I've mainly been finding jobs that I'm either over qualified for, or not quite qualified for. Which means, anyone reading my resume would either pass on me knowing that I'd land a job with them, then take off after 6 months to a year when a more appropriate job came along. Or I was facing positions where my resume would be looked at and in comparison to other applicants, their was better suited folks to interview. In reality I was finding myself over writing my cover letters and resume in order to make sure the HR person had way too much info about me. Anyway . . .

March rolled along and I was finally starting to get some hits on my resume. Nothing good I hate to say though, a case in point: I had 2 interviews with a local stock footage house and deathly afraid they would hire me. Why was afraid? well I had done the job in question years before and was over qualified or it. After interviewing me, the owner was sure I knew more about film handling and preservation then he did. Other then sales, I could probably do his job better then him. Problem number 2 was that it paid $15 an hour and was part time. Ya, part time. He needed a 6 month commitment to it too. I'd be working 2-3 days a week and making what I was making from unemployment, that is, if I was receiving unemployment. Which means if he offered me the job I would have had to take it. Economically living in the bay area making so little money means I would be slowly sinking. Actually I was slowly sinking due to EDD screwing me, but this actually scared me more then EDD's screw ups with me.

Anyway, coming back from that interview I sat down and did another major revision to my resume and base cover letters. Mainly I stream lined them and simplified. Anyway, I was lucky and didn't land the job in question. Also EDD finally starts to pay me again all the unemployment they haven't been paying for the prior 2.5 months.

So 3 weeks ago I received an email from place at the top here telling me they really liked my resume and wanted to interview me. I made sure to email back by the end of the day that I was interested and when I'd be available. First up a telephone interview. I should say, I hate telephone interviews. Talking with a stranger over the phone isn't a strong skill for me. I can't judge the other person very well. Actually for anyone who has gotten me on the phone you will know that I'm very straight to the point and want to end the conversation as quickly as I can. Ya I suck at these, and have had several in the last 6 months and had the same problems on all of them. I tend to blow it. So when I emailed back I hinted that I was also available for in person. I had gotten the in person interviews with the stock footage place in part because I hinted that could do in person in SF. Anyway, they didn't bite, so it was phone interview for me.

I took next few days to research the shit out of the place and read everything I could find on telephone interviews. So I was ready for it when it came, with about 5 pages of notes. Oh I should point out that I also had to take the interview in my car, since my cell phone sucks donkey dick reception wise here in my apartment. Anyway, the phone interview was odd. The guy I was talking too mainly gave me info about the position and didn't really ask me anything. I was expecting a chance for dialog and mostly just listened to monolog. See, how the hell can you like having conversations on a phone when they go this way? Anyway, in the back of my mind I'm mildly freaking, I'm not getting a chance to sell myself here and only getting in small amounts of info for him. Again, he's not asking me anything, just letting me know more about the place and position at hand. He did give me more info about their DAM system, which they currently did not have in place and no one really knew much about it. Anyway at the end of it he tells me that wants see about having me in to interview. Great!

So a week later I'm all dolled up and in for an interview. The interview mainly went well, but all four of the folks I was interviewing with hand spread out and being able to address them all was tuff, since someone might ask a question and I'd answer it, but constantly found myself needing to look and address everyone, which at best was 2 of them due to them having spread out around a large conference table. I was honest, but wasn't happy about 2 of the questions then gave me near the end. So I went out of the interview with a mixed opinion. I was set to be out of town the next week so I wouldn't hear anything till then. But I also know that long interviews were always good for me, the more they are really interested in me, the more they will ask after all. I think coming out of it, I was the guy to beat and gave myself a 75% chance of landing the job. So the next day I'm off to Oregon, taking my time along the way and of course over thinking the interview and really wondering if I'm going to land this. The job in question wasn't quite as perfect it read. I'd be dealing more IT work then I have in the past and less with production. The place is kind of stuffy too as it's education based too.

Anyway, the week goes by and I return to bay area and nothing. Actually I'm here 3 days and nothing. OK, so I guess I've gone from 75% win here my little mind to 0%. What the hell did I do wrong and how do I make sure I don't do it again>? But late on Friday I get an email from the place and with a sorry note and asking if I could come back in for a 3rd interview. Fuck, I hate 3rd interviews nearly as much as I do telephone interviews. Selling one self once, easy as a whole. Reselling myself, well that harder as you don't want to over repeat yourself so to say and of course I've been dawting the shit out of myself too. So anyway, another long interview this time around. I made sure to sit in a place where I could see everyone during this interview as well. I sell myself to everyone. Everyone seems happy. Only down thing is at the end they ask if I have any questions. I don't as I had asked them at the end of the 2nd interview and during the 3rd interview. They'll let me know on Friday (it's Thursday at this point). They also ask when I might be able to start. Good signs, but I'm mildly freaking about not having any new questions to ask. A lot of what I've read from HR folks is that not having questions can be a killer in an interview as it shows how uninterested you are in the place in question. Anyway, I remind them what questions I had were I had asked during the interview.

Friday rolls around and I'm mild bundle of nerves. I make sure to be ready with the phone. Come 4pm, nothing, even via email. My nerves need a break, so I assume that reception can't be any worse then in my apartment and go for a long hike behind UC Berkeley. I need the exercise. Anyway I found worse reception behind UCB then in my apartment, because suddenly I find that someone has left me message 15 minutes prior on my phone. 10 minutes later I finally hear all of my phone message. I got it. But I have to text them back and can't call back for another 30 minutes.

Anyway I'm set to start this new job next week. I need to get a bunch of work done on my car and the rally. I've also been buying stuff left and right since i now know I'll have a full time job again. Oh my unemployment is set to end in about 3 weeks. I should still be getting an extension, but with my recent history with EDD, who knows if If they would have fucked with it. So it's really a god send to have landed this job. Now, of course my mind is swimming about how I can fuck this up!

Oy Vay.

Amazing Spiderman Reboot

Complete poop. Avoid like the plague. That is all.