It's been an interesting day. I hate the fact that our society is so celebrity-obsessed. It feels to me like the fact that we hang on every celebrity's word, breathlessly waiting to pounce on them at their first sign of weakness, says really negative things about us. (And don't tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I'm so quick to comment on politicians and, after all, aren't politicians celebrities, too? Politicians work for us. Watching and commenting on them isn't sad. It's called performance evaluation.)
This morning I read Dooce, and she wrote, without question, the best entry she's written in the time I've read her blog. It's about her reasons for not judging Britney Spears. I can't identify with her reasoning, having never suffered from post-partum depression, but I can certainly respect it.
Then, while home at lunch, I watch the episode of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson I'd tivo'd on Monday Night/Tuesday Morning. His entire monologue was devoted to his reasoning for not making fun of her. It was tremendously heartfelt, sometimes funny, sometimes a bit scolding, tremendously eloquent, and, from start to finish, both touching and thought-provoking. Thank God to YouTube. It's 12-and-a-half minutes long, but it's worth it.
I've often said that I try (and regularly fail) to live my life in a way that would make my grandfather proud. Obviously Heather at Dooce and Craig both have/had great grandparents too.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
ABCs of Music
It's kind of strange. For months, I was up to my eyeballs every day at work. But since I expected for last Friday to be my last day of work here, I spent the week trying to get all my ducks in a row. As a result, since they asked me to stay on one more week, I don't really have a whole hell of a lot to do. Therefore, it's Meme time. I don't know where this is originally from. It's just one of the random things you sometimes find floating around the web.
List your favorite bands (or artists) from A to Z.
A. Alice Cooper
B. The Band
C. Colin Hay
D. David Lee Roth
E. Elton John
F. Fats Domino
G. George Harrison
H. Huey Lewis & the
J. Jeff Lynne
K. Kiss
L. Little Richard
M. Moody Blues
N. New York Dolls
O. Ozzy Osbourne
P. Pete Townshend
Q. Queen
R. Randy Newman
S. Sex Pistols
T. Tom Petty
U. U2
V. Van Morrison
W. Warren Zevon
X. I thought of a couple bands, but nobody I'd willingly listen to.
Y. Yes
Z. ZZ Top
Monday, February 19, 2007
Beating her to the punch.
S.A. and I have pretty divergent taste in movies. To be exact, we have a good friend who serves as each of our "date' when one of us wants to see a movies in which the other has no interest. However, there are lots of movie genres where our taste overlaps. Romantic comedies, as a general rules, tend to fit that category.
On Saturday, S.A. and I went on a belated Valentine's date to see Music and Lyrics. I have no doubt that she'll be posting a movie review in her blog at some point in the near future as she felt rather strongly about the film. But I thought I'd try to beat her to it, just to get my two cents in.
IMDB currently has the user ratings in the mid-6's for Music and Lyrics. We try to check out IMDB before seeing a movie. We find that those user ratings correspond more closely with how we feel than the movie reviews you read in the newspaper.
I felt that was just about right. S.A. felt it was about 5.5 too high.
Let me start by saying a couple things. If someone tells you it's predictable, they're right. If they tell you and both Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore play the same character that they play in every other movie they're in, I can't argue. If they tell you the supposedly "hit" music is less than spectacular, they're spot-on. The thing is, in my ever-so-humble opinion, it doesn't matter.
Now in the interest of full disclosure, I should make sure you all understand one thing. I would happily pay to watch Hugh Grant balance his checkbook. And though I think Drew Barrymore is pretty much talentless, watching her movies, for me, is a little like watching a 5-foot-tall glasses-wearing geek trying to play high-school basketball. I'm not saying he's any good, but I kind of root for him anyway.
The movie IS predictable. Very. It's not gonna win any awards. But I'm okay with that. I LIKE happy endings. I don't like movies with anti-heroes. I don't want to have to sort though symbolism. I respect more complex, nuanced romantic comedies like Lost in Translation. But I don't ENJOY them. So knowing that the two main characters would end up together and would write a hit song in the end before the movie had actually started was good by me. (And if you're now howling that I've slipped spoilers ::GASP:: into my movie review, shut up. If you're honestly interested in seeing this movie but don't already inherently know this stuff, you're an idiot, so I don't want to hear it.)
And as for the music... S.A. complained that the songs in the movie could never be hits because the faux-80s songs were cheesy and insipid. She felt that the supposedly modern songs would never succeed because they were tuneless and slightly insulting. I'm left to assume that she does not, in fact, own a radio. The 80s-style stuff sounded A LOT like a great deal of 80's music. The modern stuff was HORRIBLE. And it sounded EXACTLY like 90% of the crap you hear on the radio today. The "hit" song that Hugh & Drew supposedly wrote was insipid and cutesy and if it was recorded by a couple of the fine folks on American Idol, I guarantee it was be a huge hit. I apologize to anyone who's offended by this, but the vast majority of the music-listening public know absolutely nothing about music. They're not looking for Motzart. (Which is good, because they're not gonna find it anywhere.) And that's okay, too. I am pretty well musically-trained. And I downloaded the soundtrack last night, anyway.
Anyway, when it's all finished, Music and Lyrics is probably not going to make you think. But if you let it, it'll probably make you smile. Unless you're my wife. And she liked XXX, so i don't really care what she thinks.
Laterz.
On Saturday, S.A. and I went on a belated Valentine's date to see Music and Lyrics. I have no doubt that she'll be posting a movie review in her blog at some point in the near future as she felt rather strongly about the film. But I thought I'd try to beat her to it, just to get my two cents in.
IMDB currently has the user ratings in the mid-6's for Music and Lyrics. We try to check out IMDB before seeing a movie. We find that those user ratings correspond more closely with how we feel than the movie reviews you read in the newspaper.
I felt that was just about right. S.A. felt it was about 5.5 too high.
Let me start by saying a couple things. If someone tells you it's predictable, they're right. If they tell you and both Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore play the same character that they play in every other movie they're in, I can't argue. If they tell you the supposedly "hit" music is less than spectacular, they're spot-on. The thing is, in my ever-so-humble opinion, it doesn't matter.
Now in the interest of full disclosure, I should make sure you all understand one thing. I would happily pay to watch Hugh Grant balance his checkbook. And though I think Drew Barrymore is pretty much talentless, watching her movies, for me, is a little like watching a 5-foot-tall glasses-wearing geek trying to play high-school basketball. I'm not saying he's any good, but I kind of root for him anyway.
The movie IS predictable. Very. It's not gonna win any awards. But I'm okay with that. I LIKE happy endings. I don't like movies with anti-heroes. I don't want to have to sort though symbolism. I respect more complex, nuanced romantic comedies like Lost in Translation. But I don't ENJOY them. So knowing that the two main characters would end up together and would write a hit song in the end before the movie had actually started was good by me. (And if you're now howling that I've slipped spoilers ::GASP:: into my movie review, shut up. If you're honestly interested in seeing this movie but don't already inherently know this stuff, you're an idiot, so I don't want to hear it.)
And as for the music... S.A. complained that the songs in the movie could never be hits because the faux-80s songs were cheesy and insipid. She felt that the supposedly modern songs would never succeed because they were tuneless and slightly insulting. I'm left to assume that she does not, in fact, own a radio. The 80s-style stuff sounded A LOT like a great deal of 80's music. The modern stuff was HORRIBLE. And it sounded EXACTLY like 90% of the crap you hear on the radio today. The "hit" song that Hugh & Drew supposedly wrote was insipid and cutesy and if it was recorded by a couple of the fine folks on American Idol, I guarantee it was be a huge hit. I apologize to anyone who's offended by this, but the vast majority of the music-listening public know absolutely nothing about music. They're not looking for Motzart. (Which is good, because they're not gonna find it anywhere.) And that's okay, too. I am pretty well musically-trained. And I downloaded the soundtrack last night, anyway.
Anyway, when it's all finished, Music and Lyrics is probably not going to make you think. But if you let it, it'll probably make you smile. Unless you're my wife. And she liked XXX, so i don't really care what she thinks.
Laterz.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Oooookaaaaayyyyy...
And so it ends - not with a bang, but with a resounding "WTF???"
I gave my notice today. In all honesty, considering that A) my company doesn't generally accept 2-week notice and B) I'm truly kind of fucking them, I expected to be escorted from the building and deposited on a curb. Instead I get this email sent to all my co-workers.-
I don't get it. I've been treated, to be blunt, like shit for the past few months, but now that I'm leaving it's "Congratulations! Would you like to continue doing the part of your job you actually enjoy and be paid three times as much as you've been making?"
Honest to God... I need a drink.
I gave my notice today. In all honesty, considering that A) my company doesn't generally accept 2-week notice and B) I'm truly kind of fucking them, I expected to be escorted from the building and deposited on a curb. Instead I get this email sent to all my co-workers.-
Owen is moving on to the education field where he will be warping young children’s minds!
I don't get it. I've been treated, to be blunt, like shit for the past few months, but now that I'm leaving it's "Congratulations! Would you like to continue doing the part of your job you actually enjoy and be paid three times as much as you've been making?"
Honest to God... I need a drink.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Huh
It occurs to me that I started blogging about a month after I started working with my current employer. I can't help but wonder if I'll do any kind of decent job keeping this thing up to date when I work somewhere that doesn't require me to sit in front of a computer with nothing productive to do for hours at a time.
Not that anyone really cares, I suppose.
Not that anyone really cares, I suppose.
I'm outta here! Well, almost...
Let me start by saying thanks to everyone who dropped me a line to commiserate about my work situation. I truly appreciate the support. Even I didn't realize how stressed my has been making me until I reached the end of my week of vacation and realized that I'd forgotten to take my anti-depressants for a week and I still felt the best I've felt, mentally, in a very long time.
We had a tough weekend, as S.A. had to go to the emergency room on Saturday with severe abdominal pain and didn't emerge from the hospital until Tuesday, having had multiple gall stones removed and still needing another operation.
The good news is that I was officially offered a new job on Friday. Needless to say, I accepted. I'll be getting up earlier, paid ALOT less, and I'll no longer have the kind of job title that makes you want to hand out business cards. I couldn't be happier.
I'll be giving my notice tomorrow. It'll be one-week notice. I currently work for an agency that's notorious for accepting people's two-week notice and then cheerful escorting them out of the building. They're very concerned about corporate espionage. Someone should probably point out to them that employees would be less likely to sabotage them if they didn't treat people like shit. I'm giving one-week notice in an effort not to be a complete dick, but I couldn't afford to risk going two weeks with no paycheck.
On an unrelated note, my mouth f***ing HURTS. I had a dentist appointment this morning to put in a crown. I'd like to point out that my mouth felt FINE when I went into the dentist office. Only now that my "problem"is "fixed" and I in significant pain. Not only were they unable to get me completely numb, but now that what numbness I was blessed with has worn off, the entire right side of my face hurts. If any of you intrepid readers feels like driving to Northern Michigan to share any good painkillers, I won't argue.
Oh yeah, one more note- Dooce posted an entry yesterday that is one of the best descriptions I've ever read of why being a parent is so great. Don't miss it.
Anyhoo... It's up to 18 degrees today. A friggin' heat wave, so everybody enjoy the balmy weather. I'll check back in later.
We had a tough weekend, as S.A. had to go to the emergency room on Saturday with severe abdominal pain and didn't emerge from the hospital until Tuesday, having had multiple gall stones removed and still needing another operation.
The good news is that I was officially offered a new job on Friday. Needless to say, I accepted. I'll be getting up earlier, paid ALOT less, and I'll no longer have the kind of job title that makes you want to hand out business cards. I couldn't be happier.
I'll be giving my notice tomorrow. It'll be one-week notice. I currently work for an agency that's notorious for accepting people's two-week notice and then cheerful escorting them out of the building. They're very concerned about corporate espionage. Someone should probably point out to them that employees would be less likely to sabotage them if they didn't treat people like shit. I'm giving one-week notice in an effort not to be a complete dick, but I couldn't afford to risk going two weeks with no paycheck.
On an unrelated note, my mouth f***ing HURTS. I had a dentist appointment this morning to put in a crown. I'd like to point out that my mouth felt FINE when I went into the dentist office. Only now that my "problem"is "fixed" and I in significant pain. Not only were they unable to get me completely numb, but now that what numbness I was blessed with has worn off, the entire right side of my face hurts. If any of you intrepid readers feels like driving to Northern Michigan to share any good painkillers, I won't argue.
Oh yeah, one more note- Dooce posted an entry yesterday that is one of the best descriptions I've ever read of why being a parent is so great. Don't miss it.
Anyhoo... It's up to 18 degrees today. A friggin' heat wave, so everybody enjoy the balmy weather. I'll check back in later.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Capitalism Sucks.
Sorry I haven't been around for the past couple weeks. I know it's been way too long since I've written anything, if only because S.A.'s cousin Amy has blogged twice since I last wrote anything and she only blog's about once every 3 months or so...
It's been kind of stressful couple weeks. My job is kicking my ass. Everything we do is driven by the almight dollar. In itself, that's frustrating for me. I'd probably be a socialist, given complete choice in the matter. But what's worse is that even when our sole criterion for decision-making is "How much money will this make/cost us?", we can't even make rational decisions within that limited framework. Never in my life have a worked at an agency that was so penny-wise, pound-foolish.
What makes it worse is that they've spent thee past two weeks driving it home to me that my only value to the company is how much money I bring in to the company. My job title is EDUCATION COORDINATOR! I'm supoosed to be the educational arm of the company. Exempt from the nickel-and-dime crap. WTF???
Yesterday, I got email from my boss explaining to me that my priorities were screwed up because I stayed up at night with my 10-month-old son, who has an ear infection, and is not sleeping well right now. Evidently, my attempts to pull my weight on the family front (This is especially important right now, considering the fact that S.A. is student-teaching and really needs her sleep) inconvenience my boss, (who is, by the way, female) because she feels it's hurting my productivity. To quote- "believe it or not, although maybe not said, you’re not kidding anyone here, or in your personal life that you’re pulling it off."
As you might guess, I'm a bit pissed. Luckily, I'll find out in the next couple days if I'm being offered a new job. All indications look good. If that happens, I'll definitely take it, even though it pays less with worse benefits. And I'll definitely be leaving with no notice.
As far as I know, no-one from my company knows I have this blog. I suppose if I'm wrong, I'm probably getting canned for this entry. Well, at least I can hit 'em for unemployment.
F*** 'em.
It's been kind of stressful couple weeks. My job is kicking my ass. Everything we do is driven by the almight dollar. In itself, that's frustrating for me. I'd probably be a socialist, given complete choice in the matter. But what's worse is that even when our sole criterion for decision-making is "How much money will this make/cost us?", we can't even make rational decisions within that limited framework. Never in my life have a worked at an agency that was so penny-wise, pound-foolish.
What makes it worse is that they've spent thee past two weeks driving it home to me that my only value to the company is how much money I bring in to the company. My job title is EDUCATION COORDINATOR! I'm supoosed to be the educational arm of the company. Exempt from the nickel-and-dime crap. WTF???
Yesterday, I got email from my boss explaining to me that my priorities were screwed up because I stayed up at night with my 10-month-old son, who has an ear infection, and is not sleeping well right now. Evidently, my attempts to pull my weight on the family front (This is especially important right now, considering the fact that S.A. is student-teaching and really needs her sleep) inconvenience my boss, (who is, by the way, female) because she feels it's hurting my productivity. To quote- "believe it or not, although maybe not said, you’re not kidding anyone here, or in your personal life that you’re pulling it off."
As you might guess, I'm a bit pissed. Luckily, I'll find out in the next couple days if I'm being offered a new job. All indications look good. If that happens, I'll definitely take it, even though it pays less with worse benefits. And I'll definitely be leaving with no notice.
As far as I know, no-one from my company knows I have this blog. I suppose if I'm wrong, I'm probably getting canned for this entry. Well, at least I can hit 'em for unemployment.
F*** 'em.
F***ing f***ers.
p.s. It should probably be said that I truly like the vast majority of people with whom I work and so I certainly would never do anything to make their lives more difficult. My problems are all specifically with one person. F***er.
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