I'm sitting at work. This is my schedule of things to do for the next hour:
Take the stuff out of my old bag and put it in the new bag Shannon gave me.
Throw out my garbage.
Blog.
Look at phones on T-Mobile website (that referral money should hopefully be coming at the end of the month.
And...that's about it.
Classes are good. I like TV Program Development a lot. The story I'm working on right now is called Leper High. Yeah, pretty straightforward title there. It should be fun. Oh, and I love Improv class. I'm auditioning for the Improv team tomorrow. Yeah, as if I need more activities to keep me busy. Speaking of which, I didn't get cast in the show I got called back for, but the truth is, that's a good thing. If I was in a show right now, I would be at school from 9am until 10 pm every day of the week for at least a month. And two or three saturdays. This would not include time to train for the marathon either. Sad I didn't get cast? Yes. Relieved? Also yes. I guess all my classes are good. I'm busy, but it's a good busy. I'm busy doing things I enjoy. I'm busy running. I'm busy writing. I'm busy working.
Coming Soon: I'm throwing a benefit to raise money for Leukemia & Lymphoma. It's going to be about $20 or so per person, with all of that going to charity. It's not really a donation, however, because that will entitle you to all of the alcohol you want. And if I hear one more person say "people won't want to do that, there are cheaper ways to get drunk" I will shoot someone.
1. It's a benefit. It's for CHARITY. Getting drunk is a positive side effect of that. It's not a kegger. (although if I have another party, I fully intend on calling it "Kegger for Cancer"
2. 20 dollars is a HELL of a good deal for as many drinks as you want. Ever been to a bar before? Yeah. Exactly.
3. I talked to Steph and we might even try to find a bar to host it at. If that's the case, the young ones can't come anyway, and will be free to shotgun beers and do shots of Skol without any complaining from me.
So, mark you calenders for either the 20th or the 21st of October. If you are one of my out-of-town readers, start looking into train or plane tickets. It's going to be a good time for a good cause, and I'd love to see you there. I might even charge $15 to people who wear green and purple. I would be more worried about getting people to come, but with all of the stuff I've done on campus, I've met enough stand-up folks through Student Government and Orientation and everything else that I know I can count on some of you.
http://www.active.com/donate/tntil/SSzlaga
On an unrelated but equally relevant topic, I got my graduation audit. And it's official! I can graduate. This means nothing to me, since I have been well aware of this fact for the past three years, but it does make my mom feel more comfortable having it in writing on a piece of paper with Columbia letterhead. So Semester in LA next summer is a definite go. I've already started looking at apartments online, just for fun. Hopefully things work out with Flavin so I don't have to do this alone.
And that's about all I've got.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
PLEASE HELP!
http://www.active.com/donate/tntil/SSzlaga
that is the address to the website where you can make donations for my Team In Training Fundraising. Remember, all of your money is going to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It is NOT going to pay for my trip to Florida. If you would also like to pay for my trip to Florida, that's cool too.
Again, that address is
http://www.active.com/donate/tntil/SSzlaga
Please send it to all of your family and friends. This is really something big that I'm taking on, and I need all the help I can get. So be sure to visit the website. It's
http://www.active.com/donate/tntil/SSzlaga
that is the address to the website where you can make donations for my Team In Training Fundraising. Remember, all of your money is going to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It is NOT going to pay for my trip to Florida. If you would also like to pay for my trip to Florida, that's cool too.
Again, that address is
http://www.active.com/donate/tntil/SSzlaga
Please send it to all of your family and friends. This is really something big that I'm taking on, and I need all the help I can get. So be sure to visit the website. It's
http://www.active.com/donate/tntil/SSzlaga
Saturday, September 16, 2006
bite off more than you can chew
I don't know what possessed me to become so involved and active this semester. I guess it's not that much of a surprise. Ever since I came to Columbia I've been taking on more and more, but this semster I am really pushing it.
Taking six classes was somewhat necessary. I need to make sure that I am done after Spring. And taking six classes now will hopefully help so that I can be part time next semester, meaning I can have a full time job and save up money for LA.
Then there's SGA. I was the TV Department Senator last year, so of course I came back to do it again. Actually, I did NOT want to do Student Government again, but once I had competition for the Senator position, it suddenly became much more important for me to run for Senator again.
And a job. Thanks to Baggy, and the fact that I happened to be friends with his new boss, I managed to snag a job as an office assistant at Student Affairs. It's pretty laid back and there's even time to do homework, so it's hard to complain about the work situation.
And the other job. I told my cousin I would start walking Shilo again in September. I had to stick with my word, despite the fact that I barely have time to get over there and back between classes on some days. I'd say that I can't do it, but the other dog walkers have already made their fall schedules, and I would be causing a big hassle if I quit two weeks after starting again. And it's an extra forty bucks a week.
And the marathon. I've been following the training schedule (even getting up at 6am to run on Saturdays) and things haven't been too hard yet, but that's only because we're on four miles. Once I'm running double that, running is going to be harder to fit in
And the fundraising. To do the marathon I have to rasie $3,900. That's a lot of money. But I can do it. I have full confidence that I can raise that much, if not more. I've even set up a website for people to make their donations online. I've compiled an enormous mailing list for the site. Now I just need to type up a letter and send it out to everyone. I've also got some Team In Training stationary and envelopes for the people who don't know about internet.
And I entered Off The Clock into a teleplay competition.
And I'm going to help Maggie and some other people write a screenplay.
And I auditioned for a show, even got a callback.
Basically I am gone from 9am-9pm Monday through Friday. But it's not bad. In two years I'm going to look back on these college days, which are rapidly decreasing, and be glad that I did so much.
Classes are good. I'm going to be doing a lot of work, and a lot of writing especially. I'm definitely glad I finished Off The Clock before classes started.
Oh, and I just found out that my friend's mom reads this. I'm quite excited. I hope that wasn't a secret that I wasn't supposed to know about, but I haven't been this exciting about other people's parents since Carrie Burnett's mom cried when I jumped in front of the subway train in After The Fall.
I bought two books online because they were cheaper. Too bad they never came and the sellers at half.com are no longer registered users. Too bad they have about 20 pieces of negative feedback claiming to never receive their books. Too bad I now have to go buy them for their full outrageous price at the bookstore. Too, too bad.
Taking six classes was somewhat necessary. I need to make sure that I am done after Spring. And taking six classes now will hopefully help so that I can be part time next semester, meaning I can have a full time job and save up money for LA.
Then there's SGA. I was the TV Department Senator last year, so of course I came back to do it again. Actually, I did NOT want to do Student Government again, but once I had competition for the Senator position, it suddenly became much more important for me to run for Senator again.
And a job. Thanks to Baggy, and the fact that I happened to be friends with his new boss, I managed to snag a job as an office assistant at Student Affairs. It's pretty laid back and there's even time to do homework, so it's hard to complain about the work situation.
And the other job. I told my cousin I would start walking Shilo again in September. I had to stick with my word, despite the fact that I barely have time to get over there and back between classes on some days. I'd say that I can't do it, but the other dog walkers have already made their fall schedules, and I would be causing a big hassle if I quit two weeks after starting again. And it's an extra forty bucks a week.
And the marathon. I've been following the training schedule (even getting up at 6am to run on Saturdays) and things haven't been too hard yet, but that's only because we're on four miles. Once I'm running double that, running is going to be harder to fit in
And the fundraising. To do the marathon I have to rasie $3,900. That's a lot of money. But I can do it. I have full confidence that I can raise that much, if not more. I've even set up a website for people to make their donations online. I've compiled an enormous mailing list for the site. Now I just need to type up a letter and send it out to everyone. I've also got some Team In Training stationary and envelopes for the people who don't know about internet.
And I entered Off The Clock into a teleplay competition.
And I'm going to help Maggie and some other people write a screenplay.
And I auditioned for a show, even got a callback.
Basically I am gone from 9am-9pm Monday through Friday. But it's not bad. In two years I'm going to look back on these college days, which are rapidly decreasing, and be glad that I did so much.
Classes are good. I'm going to be doing a lot of work, and a lot of writing especially. I'm definitely glad I finished Off The Clock before classes started.
Oh, and I just found out that my friend's mom reads this. I'm quite excited. I hope that wasn't a secret that I wasn't supposed to know about, but I haven't been this exciting about other people's parents since Carrie Burnett's mom cried when I jumped in front of the subway train in After The Fall.
I bought two books online because they were cheaper. Too bad they never came and the sellers at half.com are no longer registered users. Too bad they have about 20 pieces of negative feedback claiming to never receive their books. Too bad I now have to go buy them for their full outrageous price at the bookstore. Too, too bad.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
I'm going to take a nap before you're even up.
You know, I've never come up with the title of a blog entry before I've written it. I'd suggest other people do the same. It makes things more interesting. Especially for those of you, who shall remain anonymous, that tend to come up with entries such as "23-pdjsakxjaps" and so forth.
Today was my first day of training for the marathon. Only problem was, I couldn't find it. Driving directions to the Wilson exit off Lake Shore don't do much good when you're getting off the Montrose Brown Line. By the time I even got to Lake Shore, it was 7:20. And I was a mile south of where training had started twenty minutes earlier. Realizing that I wasn't going to make it, and that my first official training day would be next Saturday instead of today, I decided to make something of the fact that I got up at 6am for this, so I ran home from Montrose. Now I'm tired. Fighting the urge to nap, but in a situation where it's either nap or shower, I choose the one that requires less energy.
When I got home, I went to Dominick's and bought ingredients for an omelette. So yeah, an early morning run and a healthy breakfast. Look at me.
Today was my first day of training for the marathon. Only problem was, I couldn't find it. Driving directions to the Wilson exit off Lake Shore don't do much good when you're getting off the Montrose Brown Line. By the time I even got to Lake Shore, it was 7:20. And I was a mile south of where training had started twenty minutes earlier. Realizing that I wasn't going to make it, and that my first official training day would be next Saturday instead of today, I decided to make something of the fact that I got up at 6am for this, so I ran home from Montrose. Now I'm tired. Fighting the urge to nap, but in a situation where it's either nap or shower, I choose the one that requires less energy.
When I got home, I went to Dominick's and bought ingredients for an omelette. So yeah, an early morning run and a healthy breakfast. Look at me.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
It's Obligatory
This summer I...
Moved out of the UC and into Lincoln Park with Jeff and Matt
Got a job at My Pie, a pizza restaurant.
Tried to go to the beach as much as possible.
Spent a lot of time alone.
Took Shilo to the beach.
Went to the Zoo with Jenny, Christian, Jeff and Baggy.
Decided to stop putting a comma before the "and" when listing things.
Said goodbye to Ashley about 7 times.
Said goodbye to Dani twice.
Stop going to work at My Pie so that I could go home for my Aunt's pool party.
Saw Dangles' boobs in the elevator at her brother's condo.
Made politically incorrect Mad Libs and did summersaults off of a bed.
Went to Lollapalooza and loved it.
Worked New Student Orientation for the second year.
Made some awesome new Orientation Leader friends.
Joined the gym again.
Decided to train for a marathon.
Got wasted and sang "Colors Of The Wind"
Found an awesome beer pong partner in Carolyn.
Comforted Millie on the night we're not supposed to talk about.
Made up the most ridiculously fun ID card games with Cameron.
Found out Annie was having my baby.
Went back to Novi for two weeks.
Tanned.
Said goodbye to Alicia as she moved to China.
Said nevermind to the goodbyes I said to Ashley.
Got EXTREMELY silly and watched Final Destination 3 with Jacob, Millie and Cam. (By far my favorite moment of the summer)
After waiting for months, FINALLY saw Snakes On A Plane (loved it)
Played Garfield Drinking Game with Dean and Dangles.
Rearranged my desk.
Finished writing my script for Off The Clock.
Bought earplugs due to the noisy people coming home from bars at 3am.
Bought a fancy journal/notebook for $15.
Wore sunglasses.
Went back to Kalamazoo for a night.
Turned 22.
Rollerbladed all over the city.
Missed my Upass
Looking back on this summer, have you...
01. Drank alcohol?
Like I need to answer that.
02. Cried?
When Millie spit her pizza into her hand three times
03. Kissed anyone?
yes
04. Been on a vacation to a different state?
Michigan? No Iowa for me this year...
05. Been on a vacation to a different country?
No.
06. Been to the beach?
I went there quite a few times at the beginning.
07. Been to an island?
Not that I know of
08. Done drugs?
Final Destination 3. That's all I'm gonna say about that.
09. Smoked?
No. Shut up!
10. Snuck out?
Yes, and my roommates grounded me when they found out.
11. Had a sleepover?
Kalamazoo
12. Stayed up all night?
No! Pretty close though that one night at Cam's
13. Slept in someone elses bed?
Maggie Ness.
14. Went pee in a pool?
Sick. Never
15. Went skinny dipping?
No.
16. Been on the computer a lot?
Too much
17. Played video games?
At the beginning. Whatever happened to Resident Evil 4...
18. Listened to an ipod/mp3 player?
yes
19. Been on over 30 car rides?
Doubt it.
20. Been grounded?
This is gay.
21. Been to a party?
A few
22. Regret something?
Nope!
23. Been dumped?
Nope!
24. Lied?
Yeeessss
25. Done anything against the law?
Final Destination 3
26. Been camping?
Nope
27. Got in a fight?
Nope
28. Got a new hair do?
I got it cut?
29. Stayed at a hotel?
No.
30. Talked on the phoNe all night?
Yeah right, and use all my minutes?
31. Went shopping?
yes
34. Someone ask you out?
Nope. Stupid.
35. Got in a car with a stranger?
no
36. Lost someone close?
No.
37. Had someone sleep in your bed?
No
38. Been to a movie?
Snakes on a motherfuckin' plane
39. Been to a club?
No.
40. Slept in?
yes
41. Got tanner?
yup
42. Watched TV for more than 5 hours?
Oh god. When I had the first season of Veronica Mars, you can bet I did.
43. Tried something new?
I had a roast beef sandwich
44. Did homework?
No.
45. Learned something new?
Probably
46. Went surfing?
No.
47. Went dancing?
No.
48. Been to a concert?
Lollapalooza
49. Quoted a movie?
We quoted a lot of FD 3 and SOAP
50. Played with fire?
No.
51. Made new friends?
A bunch of awesome OLs
52. Who is the person/people you were with the most?
Millie, Cameron, Jacob, and Carolyn.
53. What is your favorite ice cream this summer?
Rocky Road
54. What was the best day?
Final Destination 3 at Jacob's with Millie and Cam. Don't even start me on this.
55. What is your biggest regret so far this summer?
Breaking too many plans.
56. What is your favorite song this summer?
Hmmm...hard one. Probably Colors Of The Wind
57. What is your favorite movie this summer?
Little Miss Sunshine
58. Is this the best summer so far?
It's up there
59. Are you looking forward to school starting?
I suppose...
Moved out of the UC and into Lincoln Park with Jeff and Matt
Got a job at My Pie, a pizza restaurant.
Tried to go to the beach as much as possible.
Spent a lot of time alone.
Took Shilo to the beach.
Went to the Zoo with Jenny, Christian, Jeff and Baggy.
Decided to stop putting a comma before the "and" when listing things.
Said goodbye to Ashley about 7 times.
Said goodbye to Dani twice.
Stop going to work at My Pie so that I could go home for my Aunt's pool party.
Saw Dangles' boobs in the elevator at her brother's condo.
Made politically incorrect Mad Libs and did summersaults off of a bed.
Went to Lollapalooza and loved it.
Worked New Student Orientation for the second year.
Made some awesome new Orientation Leader friends.
Joined the gym again.
Decided to train for a marathon.
Got wasted and sang "Colors Of The Wind"
Found an awesome beer pong partner in Carolyn.
Comforted Millie on the night we're not supposed to talk about.
Made up the most ridiculously fun ID card games with Cameron.
Found out Annie was having my baby.
Went back to Novi for two weeks.
Tanned.
Said goodbye to Alicia as she moved to China.
Said nevermind to the goodbyes I said to Ashley.
Got EXTREMELY silly and watched Final Destination 3 with Jacob, Millie and Cam. (By far my favorite moment of the summer)
After waiting for months, FINALLY saw Snakes On A Plane (loved it)
Played Garfield Drinking Game with Dean and Dangles.
Rearranged my desk.
Finished writing my script for Off The Clock.
Bought earplugs due to the noisy people coming home from bars at 3am.
Bought a fancy journal/notebook for $15.
Wore sunglasses.
Went back to Kalamazoo for a night.
Turned 22.
Rollerbladed all over the city.
Missed my Upass
Looking back on this summer, have you...
01. Drank alcohol?
Like I need to answer that.
02. Cried?
When Millie spit her pizza into her hand three times
03. Kissed anyone?
yes
04. Been on a vacation to a different state?
Michigan? No Iowa for me this year...
05. Been on a vacation to a different country?
No.
06. Been to the beach?
I went there quite a few times at the beginning.
07. Been to an island?
Not that I know of
08. Done drugs?
Final Destination 3. That's all I'm gonna say about that.
09. Smoked?
No. Shut up!
10. Snuck out?
Yes, and my roommates grounded me when they found out.
11. Had a sleepover?
Kalamazoo
12. Stayed up all night?
No! Pretty close though that one night at Cam's
13. Slept in someone elses bed?
Maggie Ness.
14. Went pee in a pool?
Sick. Never
15. Went skinny dipping?
No.
16. Been on the computer a lot?
Too much
17. Played video games?
At the beginning. Whatever happened to Resident Evil 4...
18. Listened to an ipod/mp3 player?
yes
19. Been on over 30 car rides?
Doubt it.
20. Been grounded?
This is gay.
21. Been to a party?
A few
22. Regret something?
Nope!
23. Been dumped?
Nope!
24. Lied?
Yeeessss
25. Done anything against the law?
Final Destination 3
26. Been camping?
Nope
27. Got in a fight?
Nope
28. Got a new hair do?
I got it cut?
29. Stayed at a hotel?
No.
30. Talked on the phoNe all night?
Yeah right, and use all my minutes?
31. Went shopping?
yes
34. Someone ask you out?
Nope. Stupid.
35. Got in a car with a stranger?
no
36. Lost someone close?
No.
37. Had someone sleep in your bed?
No
38. Been to a movie?
Snakes on a motherfuckin' plane
39. Been to a club?
No.
40. Slept in?
yes
41. Got tanner?
yup
42. Watched TV for more than 5 hours?
Oh god. When I had the first season of Veronica Mars, you can bet I did.
43. Tried something new?
I had a roast beef sandwich
44. Did homework?
No.
45. Learned something new?
Probably
46. Went surfing?
No.
47. Went dancing?
No.
48. Been to a concert?
Lollapalooza
49. Quoted a movie?
We quoted a lot of FD 3 and SOAP
50. Played with fire?
No.
51. Made new friends?
A bunch of awesome OLs
52. Who is the person/people you were with the most?
Millie, Cameron, Jacob, and Carolyn.
53. What is your favorite ice cream this summer?
Rocky Road
54. What was the best day?
Final Destination 3 at Jacob's with Millie and Cam. Don't even start me on this.
55. What is your biggest regret so far this summer?
Breaking too many plans.
56. What is your favorite song this summer?
Hmmm...hard one. Probably Colors Of The Wind
57. What is your favorite movie this summer?
Little Miss Sunshine
58. Is this the best summer so far?
It's up there
59. Are you looking forward to school starting?
I suppose...
Monday, August 28, 2006
Chapters 8 and 9: Glow Sticks & Waffle Cones, Respectively
Despite everything I put myself through, I managed to survive my first year at Western. The parties, beer bongs, staying up all night drinking and doing another shot at 8am on my way to class, and daily beer pong games was tuition money well spent. The best part was that I never had to get a job. All of the money from my graduation party had pretty much become a limitless supply of all of the drugs, alcohol, and late night Taco Bell runs I could ask for. And that was after I bought a computer! I was lucky to make it all the way through, but by the time I got home, I knew it was time to find a job. And fast. Since every other returning college student was coming home and looking for a job at the same time, I needed to be on top of things.
And it just so happened that a new mall was opening in Novi. The Fountain Walk, deemed a necessary addition to the city by absolutely no one, was starting to open a few stores. And a few of those few were hiring. Finding a place of employment really wasn't as hard as I had feared, and within a week of being home, I had interviews for Putting Edge (glow-in-the-dark mini golf. Perfect) and Coldstone Creamery.
Did I say interviews? I'm sorry. I meant "auditions." Not interviews. I guess the best piece of advice I could give someone looking for a part time job would be...be weary of places that hold "auditions." Putting Edge's audition wasn't too bad. That was more or less a group interview. Nothing strenuous. Just making sure you can play well with others, really. Coldstone, on the other hand, was a little bit more garish. You had to sing. Yes. Sing. For a part time job scooping ice cream for the summer. You had to sing. Have you ever been to Coldstone? You know those terrible songs they sing about ice cream, to the tune of "The Flintstones" or "If You're Happy and You Know It" and all that shit? The ones they sing when they get a tip? Yeah. I had to sing one. Let's just say, when you base your hiring completely on how someone sings some tacky rendition of The Addams Family song instead of on whether they have any customer service or cash handling skills, it shows. I sang this:
(To the tune of 'Row Row Row Your Boat')
Choose choose choose your cone
Put your ice cream in
Lick it up lick it up lick it up lick it up
Wipe your sticky chin!
The only reason I chose that one was because it was the shortest, and therefore, the least embarrassing.
Actually, we had to make up a song at the Putting Edge interview too. So maybe it was a little bit like an audition after all. I did mine to 50 Cent's "In The Club," cleverly titled "With A Club," (miniature golf, remember? Shut up. It's funny).
I ended up getting both jobs. Are you surprised? With these pipes of mine I can sing my way into any situation. The problem is, both places planned on over staffing, in the most severe sort of way. Because of that, I decided to work at Putting Edge and Coldstone. The funny part is that despite having two part time jobs, I was still pulling in roughly 20 hours a week. Talk about big money.
Now, I don't use this phrase lightly, but Putting Edge was one of my favorite jobs ever. That may seem hard to believe, but try to remember, I've hated almost every place I've worked at. It doesn't take much to get into the top 3. I was an Entertainment Coordinator there, which sounds like I had a lot of responsibilities and jobs. Actually, it's just a fancy way of saying "regular employee." There were three aspects to being an Entertainment Coordinator. Retail, which is working the register and selling merchandise and admission. Marshaling, which was walking around the course, having fun with people and enforcing the rules. Being a Party Host was, well, self-explanatory. Although I suppose "retail" and "marshaling" were pretty self-explanatory also. Marshaling was pretty fun. It was basically walking around playing mini golf for an entire shift. I would be armed with a putter and 2-for-1 passes burning a hole in my pocket. I would challenge people on certain holes, and tell them that if they did better than me, I would give them a 2-for-1 pass. The only problem was, when I first started, I pretty much sucked the big one when it came to mini-golf. I'm surprised I didn't single-handedly put Putting Edge out of business.
But my favorite duty of all was being the host for birthday parties. You got to spend the entire afternoon with the kids. Taking them on the course to golf, serving them pizza, entertaining them with games and such. Most people were not a fan of party hosting, but I loved it. I got tipped pretty well, too. The kids liked me, believe it or not. There are some people who can't believe how good I am with kids. But believe me I am. You'll learn more about that in Chapter 11, though.
The best party I ever hosted was for this kid who was turning 11. Actually, I have no idea how old he was turning, but ages 9-12 are pretty much the same thing to me. It was all boys, which is so much more fun than girls, because the boys like to compete and roughhouse and cause trouble in general. The girls on the other hand, reach their peak of excitement when picking out a ball color, and never seem to achieve that level of fun on the actual course. So I had these boys, all about 9-12 years old or so. And about halfway through the course, they decided that I was more fun than actually golfing. So they made it their priority to annoy, bother, entertain, mock and hurt me. Basically, anything that would get my attention, they would try. I can't say I didn't enjoy it. I mean, in order for them to get my full attention, they were giving me their full attention, and God knows how much the attention slut inside of me loves an audience. Maybe that's why I loved hosting parties so much. Sure, it was the birthday kid's big day, but I was in charge of everything. I was the fucking host. All eyes were on me. I was the Pied Piper of Putting Edge. I'm not even sure what the Pied Piper did, to be honest. Whatever. I was the Pied Piper, Peter Pan, and Papa Smurf all rolled into one. Okay, Papa Smurf makes no sense, but alliteration is a very effective literary device.
The boys in the party took to asking me every question they could think of. Including, but not limited to:
"Are you the boss?"
"Is your dad the boss?"
"Do you get paid?"
"Are you in college?"
"Are you gay?"
"Is your dad gay?"
"Is the boss gay?"
"When is your birthday?"
"Can I kick you in the crotch?"
"Do you like cake?"
"Is the cake gay?"
These questions and more were fired at me like spit-balls in a rapid succession. The answers were, in this order: Yes, no, yes, yes, no, no, yes, May 19, no, it's ok, queer as shit. An added bonus to party hosting was that you got first dibs on leftover pizza. Which many times became the highlight of my day.
The manager at Putting Edge was Craig. Craig did not get me. I often wondered if he hated me. He did not seem to appreciate my wry humor or my sarcastic ways. But he did appreciate that I was a damn good employee, which is why he had me go with him to the Novi Town Center Cinema on opening night of Terminator 3 to play games with people and promote PE. Unfortunately, nobody goes to the Town Center Cinema, so about 7 people were actually informed about our new glow-in-the-dark mini-golf funtown.
On the other side of the Fountain Walk, Coldstone Creamery's popularity was snowballing at an alarming rate. Alarming only to those of us who worked there, since it meant an extremely long line that took an extra 45 minutes after closing time to serve. At times people would have to wait an hour for ice cream. I've never understood people's urge to wait in line for so long for something so inconsequential. It's ice cream, for crying out loud. Sure, you can get fresh sponge cake or a Twix bar mashed in it, but it's still just ice cream. And it's not cheap. Someone who was more economically minded (aka my Dad) would skip the Coldstone line and go buy a gallon for the same price at the grocery store.
The singing at Coldstone was not bad. I would usually try to find reasons to not sing. Like act as if I was concentrating really hard on making a waffle cone, or pretending there were dishes that needed to be done in the back. Of course these little tricks didn't work all of the time. I sang my share. I refused to sing for less than a quarter though. That bullshit of dropping a penny in the tip jar just to get us to sing didn't fly with me, and I refused to acknowledge any coin other than a quarter. Even a quarter only warrented a half-assed rendition of "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain." If you wanted the real gold, if you wanted the Addams Family song or "That's Amore" you had to break out the George Washingtons.
Coldstone was a franchise store. It was run by Kevin and Michelle, a married couple with an adorable little girl. They named the ice cream maker Aunt Bea. They put their blood, sweat, and tears into that place. I found it hard to slack off when working there, because Kevin and Michelle were literally always around. You really don't want to be cutting corners when working with the people who just spent crap upon craploads of money to open the store they are paying you to work at. It's bad form.
I left both Coldstone and Putting Edge at the end of August when it was time to go back to school. Around September or October I found out that Kevin had died. A bunch of crew members from Coldstone went to the funeral, but I wasn't able to make it out there. I did send Michelle a sympathy card, and a teddy bear for their little girl. Sometimes I wonder how Michelle and her daughter are. I'd like to go back to Coldstone and see. Hopefully she wouldn't be there. If she wasn't there, it would mean she could afford to hire more shift managers. And if she could hire more shift managers, it would mean the store was doing well. And if the store was doing well, then Michelle and Kevin's dream of owning an ice cream parlor was a success.
I did go back to work at both places during the Fall semester. I went back to PE for just one weekend. Despite my greatest efforts to work there in the month between leaving WMU and moving to Florida, Craig insisted that they were fully staffed and couldn't use me. Coldstone, on the other hand, always found a little bit of room on the schedule for a few hours. It was never the same though. The old summer crew was gone. I was working with new kids I didn't know, and white trash supervisors who listened to Nickelback on repeat. Plus it was winter, so nobody really wanted to come try the ice cream. Which meant less work for me.
I've noticed that I didn't mention my coworkers this time around. I probably should. At Putting Edge, it was Scott and Jennifer than I remember having the most fun with. Scott was just as offbeat and sarcastic as me, and Jennifer had crazy energy and made every shift exciting. Also, there was Kerry, who was another fun person to hang out with. The Coldstone Crew definitely gelled more than the PE people. We all went out after work together every night. Me, Arlie, Mark, Greg, and all the other people would spend all of our tip money (and seeing as how we embarrassed ourselves constantly, there was always quite a bit of tips) at Buffalo Wild Wings. Not only that, whoever got off work early would even drive back to the Fountain Walk late at night to hang out with everyone. Arlie and I even started the first Coldstone romance when we used my free movie passes to see Uptown Girls. Her choice, not mine.
Putting Edge and Coldstone were the perfect summer jobs. Easy and carefree. Fun people to hang out with. When compared to my other friends, like Todd, who was standing at Sam's Club all day trying to sell Empire Carpet, it sure was a plum gig.
And it just so happened that a new mall was opening in Novi. The Fountain Walk, deemed a necessary addition to the city by absolutely no one, was starting to open a few stores. And a few of those few were hiring. Finding a place of employment really wasn't as hard as I had feared, and within a week of being home, I had interviews for Putting Edge (glow-in-the-dark mini golf. Perfect) and Coldstone Creamery.
Did I say interviews? I'm sorry. I meant "auditions." Not interviews. I guess the best piece of advice I could give someone looking for a part time job would be...be weary of places that hold "auditions." Putting Edge's audition wasn't too bad. That was more or less a group interview. Nothing strenuous. Just making sure you can play well with others, really. Coldstone, on the other hand, was a little bit more garish. You had to sing. Yes. Sing. For a part time job scooping ice cream for the summer. You had to sing. Have you ever been to Coldstone? You know those terrible songs they sing about ice cream, to the tune of "The Flintstones" or "If You're Happy and You Know It" and all that shit? The ones they sing when they get a tip? Yeah. I had to sing one. Let's just say, when you base your hiring completely on how someone sings some tacky rendition of The Addams Family song instead of on whether they have any customer service or cash handling skills, it shows. I sang this:
(To the tune of 'Row Row Row Your Boat')
Choose choose choose your cone
Put your ice cream in
Lick it up lick it up lick it up lick it up
Wipe your sticky chin!
The only reason I chose that one was because it was the shortest, and therefore, the least embarrassing.
Actually, we had to make up a song at the Putting Edge interview too. So maybe it was a little bit like an audition after all. I did mine to 50 Cent's "In The Club," cleverly titled "With A Club," (miniature golf, remember? Shut up. It's funny).
I ended up getting both jobs. Are you surprised? With these pipes of mine I can sing my way into any situation. The problem is, both places planned on over staffing, in the most severe sort of way. Because of that, I decided to work at Putting Edge and Coldstone. The funny part is that despite having two part time jobs, I was still pulling in roughly 20 hours a week. Talk about big money.
Now, I don't use this phrase lightly, but Putting Edge was one of my favorite jobs ever. That may seem hard to believe, but try to remember, I've hated almost every place I've worked at. It doesn't take much to get into the top 3. I was an Entertainment Coordinator there, which sounds like I had a lot of responsibilities and jobs. Actually, it's just a fancy way of saying "regular employee." There were three aspects to being an Entertainment Coordinator. Retail, which is working the register and selling merchandise and admission. Marshaling, which was walking around the course, having fun with people and enforcing the rules. Being a Party Host was, well, self-explanatory. Although I suppose "retail" and "marshaling" were pretty self-explanatory also. Marshaling was pretty fun. It was basically walking around playing mini golf for an entire shift. I would be armed with a putter and 2-for-1 passes burning a hole in my pocket. I would challenge people on certain holes, and tell them that if they did better than me, I would give them a 2-for-1 pass. The only problem was, when I first started, I pretty much sucked the big one when it came to mini-golf. I'm surprised I didn't single-handedly put Putting Edge out of business.
But my favorite duty of all was being the host for birthday parties. You got to spend the entire afternoon with the kids. Taking them on the course to golf, serving them pizza, entertaining them with games and such. Most people were not a fan of party hosting, but I loved it. I got tipped pretty well, too. The kids liked me, believe it or not. There are some people who can't believe how good I am with kids. But believe me I am. You'll learn more about that in Chapter 11, though.
The best party I ever hosted was for this kid who was turning 11. Actually, I have no idea how old he was turning, but ages 9-12 are pretty much the same thing to me. It was all boys, which is so much more fun than girls, because the boys like to compete and roughhouse and cause trouble in general. The girls on the other hand, reach their peak of excitement when picking out a ball color, and never seem to achieve that level of fun on the actual course. So I had these boys, all about 9-12 years old or so. And about halfway through the course, they decided that I was more fun than actually golfing. So they made it their priority to annoy, bother, entertain, mock and hurt me. Basically, anything that would get my attention, they would try. I can't say I didn't enjoy it. I mean, in order for them to get my full attention, they were giving me their full attention, and God knows how much the attention slut inside of me loves an audience. Maybe that's why I loved hosting parties so much. Sure, it was the birthday kid's big day, but I was in charge of everything. I was the fucking host. All eyes were on me. I was the Pied Piper of Putting Edge. I'm not even sure what the Pied Piper did, to be honest. Whatever. I was the Pied Piper, Peter Pan, and Papa Smurf all rolled into one. Okay, Papa Smurf makes no sense, but alliteration is a very effective literary device.
The boys in the party took to asking me every question they could think of. Including, but not limited to:
"Are you the boss?"
"Is your dad the boss?"
"Do you get paid?"
"Are you in college?"
"Are you gay?"
"Is your dad gay?"
"Is the boss gay?"
"When is your birthday?"
"Can I kick you in the crotch?"
"Do you like cake?"
"Is the cake gay?"
These questions and more were fired at me like spit-balls in a rapid succession. The answers were, in this order: Yes, no, yes, yes, no, no, yes, May 19, no, it's ok, queer as shit. An added bonus to party hosting was that you got first dibs on leftover pizza. Which many times became the highlight of my day.
The manager at Putting Edge was Craig. Craig did not get me. I often wondered if he hated me. He did not seem to appreciate my wry humor or my sarcastic ways. But he did appreciate that I was a damn good employee, which is why he had me go with him to the Novi Town Center Cinema on opening night of Terminator 3 to play games with people and promote PE. Unfortunately, nobody goes to the Town Center Cinema, so about 7 people were actually informed about our new glow-in-the-dark mini-golf funtown.
On the other side of the Fountain Walk, Coldstone Creamery's popularity was snowballing at an alarming rate. Alarming only to those of us who worked there, since it meant an extremely long line that took an extra 45 minutes after closing time to serve. At times people would have to wait an hour for ice cream. I've never understood people's urge to wait in line for so long for something so inconsequential. It's ice cream, for crying out loud. Sure, you can get fresh sponge cake or a Twix bar mashed in it, but it's still just ice cream. And it's not cheap. Someone who was more economically minded (aka my Dad) would skip the Coldstone line and go buy a gallon for the same price at the grocery store.
The singing at Coldstone was not bad. I would usually try to find reasons to not sing. Like act as if I was concentrating really hard on making a waffle cone, or pretending there were dishes that needed to be done in the back. Of course these little tricks didn't work all of the time. I sang my share. I refused to sing for less than a quarter though. That bullshit of dropping a penny in the tip jar just to get us to sing didn't fly with me, and I refused to acknowledge any coin other than a quarter. Even a quarter only warrented a half-assed rendition of "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain." If you wanted the real gold, if you wanted the Addams Family song or "That's Amore" you had to break out the George Washingtons.
Coldstone was a franchise store. It was run by Kevin and Michelle, a married couple with an adorable little girl. They named the ice cream maker Aunt Bea. They put their blood, sweat, and tears into that place. I found it hard to slack off when working there, because Kevin and Michelle were literally always around. You really don't want to be cutting corners when working with the people who just spent crap upon craploads of money to open the store they are paying you to work at. It's bad form.
I left both Coldstone and Putting Edge at the end of August when it was time to go back to school. Around September or October I found out that Kevin had died. A bunch of crew members from Coldstone went to the funeral, but I wasn't able to make it out there. I did send Michelle a sympathy card, and a teddy bear for their little girl. Sometimes I wonder how Michelle and her daughter are. I'd like to go back to Coldstone and see. Hopefully she wouldn't be there. If she wasn't there, it would mean she could afford to hire more shift managers. And if she could hire more shift managers, it would mean the store was doing well. And if the store was doing well, then Michelle and Kevin's dream of owning an ice cream parlor was a success.
I did go back to work at both places during the Fall semester. I went back to PE for just one weekend. Despite my greatest efforts to work there in the month between leaving WMU and moving to Florida, Craig insisted that they were fully staffed and couldn't use me. Coldstone, on the other hand, always found a little bit of room on the schedule for a few hours. It was never the same though. The old summer crew was gone. I was working with new kids I didn't know, and white trash supervisors who listened to Nickelback on repeat. Plus it was winter, so nobody really wanted to come try the ice cream. Which meant less work for me.
I've noticed that I didn't mention my coworkers this time around. I probably should. At Putting Edge, it was Scott and Jennifer than I remember having the most fun with. Scott was just as offbeat and sarcastic as me, and Jennifer had crazy energy and made every shift exciting. Also, there was Kerry, who was another fun person to hang out with. The Coldstone Crew definitely gelled more than the PE people. We all went out after work together every night. Me, Arlie, Mark, Greg, and all the other people would spend all of our tip money (and seeing as how we embarrassed ourselves constantly, there was always quite a bit of tips) at Buffalo Wild Wings. Not only that, whoever got off work early would even drive back to the Fountain Walk late at night to hang out with everyone. Arlie and I even started the first Coldstone romance when we used my free movie passes to see Uptown Girls. Her choice, not mine.
Putting Edge and Coldstone were the perfect summer jobs. Easy and carefree. Fun people to hang out with. When compared to my other friends, like Todd, who was standing at Sam's Club all day trying to sell Empire Carpet, it sure was a plum gig.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Doo run run run
OK. I'm running a marathon.
Or a half marathon.
It's the weekend of January 7th.
It's at Disney World.
I'm going to start training this week (Giving me a little over 4 months, so I need to get my ass in gear)
Anyone interested in joining?
I'm registering by Monday, so there really is no time to hem and haw, but I definitely would like to do this with someone. (Although I know if I am the only one RUNNING, there are at least two people who will be going to Disney at the same time. ::COUGH COUGH::)
I've decided to do it. That's the easy part. The hard part is...how do I want to do it? There are a lot of different groups that participate in it. I'd really like to join Team in Training, because they raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma, but I think it might be too late for that. Another option is the AT Children's Project, which will reimburse me for travel, and provide a group for me to run with. My other choice is to book reservations through a travel agency, get the discount since I'll be running the marathon, then raise money for any charity of my choice. I'd prefer to do that, but I don't want to run the marathon alone. And train alone. No fun there.
I'm leaning towards the AT Children's Project, just cause it's for the kids.
Or a half marathon.
It's the weekend of January 7th.
It's at Disney World.
I'm going to start training this week (Giving me a little over 4 months, so I need to get my ass in gear)
Anyone interested in joining?
I'm registering by Monday, so there really is no time to hem and haw, but I definitely would like to do this with someone. (Although I know if I am the only one RUNNING, there are at least two people who will be going to Disney at the same time. ::COUGH COUGH::)
I've decided to do it. That's the easy part. The hard part is...how do I want to do it? There are a lot of different groups that participate in it. I'd really like to join Team in Training, because they raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma, but I think it might be too late for that. Another option is the AT Children's Project, which will reimburse me for travel, and provide a group for me to run with. My other choice is to book reservations through a travel agency, get the discount since I'll be running the marathon, then raise money for any charity of my choice. I'd prefer to do that, but I don't want to run the marathon alone. And train alone. No fun there.
I'm leaning towards the AT Children's Project, just cause it's for the kids.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
noodles
I have 8 coupons for Noodles In The Pot. They are sweet coupons, too. Buy one entree get one free. The catch is that the bill AFTER the coupon must be at least 12 dollars. This means that each person getting an entree is not enough. You must also get an appetizer. So, an appetizer to split, and your own entree (may I suggest the pad thai or cashew chicken), and you're only paying about 6 dollars. And there will be leftovers. You can try to be like Won Jargo or Kara Would and pretend you can finish it all. But you can't. So yeah, eight coupons. And they are on the back of Dominick's receipts, which means I'll only be getting more. Who wants to come? Any takers?
I want to watch Vanished, Heroes, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, 30 Rock, Lost, The Nine, The Office, and Nip/Tuck this season. Think I'm gonna need a VCR.
I want to watch Vanished, Heroes, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, 30 Rock, Lost, The Nine, The Office, and Nip/Tuck this season. Think I'm gonna need a VCR.
Allow me to dispel the rumors
I will not be uploading my blog to facebook notes. Don't hold your breath. Or if you do, at least breath through your nose silently. What a neat parlor trick.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
facebook notes
Are you familiar with the newest facebook feature? Facebook notes. It's basically useless.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Ummm
It's called Snakes On A Plane.
It's about a plane. With snakes on it.
How do you NOT get that?
If you can't stop taking things seriously for one second to understand how fun that is, then it really sucks for you. Because I think it's a blast.
"Snakes on a Plane doesn't speak volumes about shit. It just says people are still making movies that people are having fun going to watch."
-Samuel L. Jackson.
Sam couldn't have said it better. I wish he was my brother :)
Not every movie you see has to be life changing.
It's about a plane. With snakes on it.
How do you NOT get that?
If you can't stop taking things seriously for one second to understand how fun that is, then it really sucks for you. Because I think it's a blast.
"Snakes on a Plane doesn't speak volumes about shit. It just says people are still making movies that people are having fun going to watch."
-Samuel L. Jackson.
Sam couldn't have said it better. I wish he was my brother :)
Not every movie you see has to be life changing.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Coming soon...
Chapters 8 and 9 are almost ready. They go together. Are you drooling? I know Dani is....
Sorry Dani, but Java Shitty is still a long way off.
But yeah. Soon. I promise.
It'll be a double shot of you love it
Google is taking over Blogger. Eep
Sorry Dani, but Java Shitty is still a long way off.
But yeah. Soon. I promise.
It'll be a double shot of you love it
Google is taking over Blogger. Eep
I've seen my share of movies this week
It was actually really funny. No Lilo & Stitch by any means, but still decent. I saw it with Ashley and her family (go figure) when we drove back to Michigan.
I bought it without watching it. Loved it. And the best part is you can definitely watch it more than once because there are a lot of things you don't quite pick up on. I guess it's a little like Veronica Mars.
Freak
ing
loved
it.
I can't say enough about it so I won't even start. So good.
Tough one. I thought the good parts were really good, and the boring parts were really boring. Halfway through you forget it's even about 9-11 because it's all about the guys stuck under the rubble. It was decent. It was definitely safe, and not controversial in any way. It tells a good story though, and I think anyone who thinks that it is "too soon" for a 9-11 movie is wrong. It's a good way for people to remember this. Because it did happen, and there's no point in pretending it didn't.
What a way to follow up a 9-11 drama (and that's the gospel truth)
It was ok. Not nearly as funny as Shrek and The Incredibles, which is sad because I was hoping it would be. It was actually surprisingly clever, though.
Season 2 is far and away better than the first season. And that says a lot. It's nominated for like 5 Emmys, which is completely deserves. Too bad I don't have Showtime. And the newer episodes aren't even on iTunes yet, damnit.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
101 blogs already !?!?
Despite the fact that the pool is this awful color, I still fully intend to hop on a raft and do some reading in the sun.
But first, I have some important things to get done.
-Watch Celebrity Fit Club (Carnie Wilson is an inspiration to us all)
-Look at apartments in LA, despite the fact that I have a whole year left in Chicago
-Send a resume, cover letter, and transcript to Upward Bound to apply for a tutor job
-Look at pets online even though I know I can't get a dog yet (ferret? guinea pig?) I found a beagle that I must have. I wish it was going to be put to sleep because then I'd have an excuse to get it and no one could argue.
-Check every new MySpace blog. Baggy has Mono? Dangles got a haircut?! Dani went to the mall? Ashley hasn't found an apartment!
-Wonder why I'm still inside
-Check half.com for TV show DVDs for cheap
I went to the dentist this morning. He said I had a cavity. I told him that I haven't drank pop in about 5 months, so I can't have a cavity. He said I did. I told him that if I can give up pop and still get cavities, that everything he's ever told me was a lie.
I parked on an incline at the dentist, and when I was leaving, I put the car in reverse and pulled out. But the car stopped and wouldn't go anywhere. I had no idea what to do, since it's a brand new Explorer. Well, turns out I didn't start the engine. The only reason the car backed up is because it was going down a hill. Dumb.
But first, I have some important things to get done.
-Watch Celebrity Fit Club (Carnie Wilson is an inspiration to us all)
-Look at apartments in LA, despite the fact that I have a whole year left in Chicago
-Send a resume, cover letter, and transcript to Upward Bound to apply for a tutor job
-Look at pets online even though I know I can't get a dog yet (ferret? guinea pig?) I found a beagle that I must have. I wish it was going to be put to sleep because then I'd have an excuse to get it and no one could argue.
-Check every new MySpace blog. Baggy has Mono? Dangles got a haircut?! Dani went to the mall? Ashley hasn't found an apartment!
-Wonder why I'm still inside
-Check half.com for TV show DVDs for cheap
I went to the dentist this morning. He said I had a cavity. I told him that I haven't drank pop in about 5 months, so I can't have a cavity. He said I did. I told him that if I can give up pop and still get cavities, that everything he's ever told me was a lie.
I parked on an incline at the dentist, and when I was leaving, I put the car in reverse and pulled out. But the car stopped and wouldn't go anywhere. I had no idea what to do, since it's a brand new Explorer. Well, turns out I didn't start the engine. The only reason the car backed up is because it was going down a hill. Dumb.
Monday, August 14, 2006
100 blogs already!?!?
Well, I suppose there's no sense in celebrating my 100th blog when the reality is that it's only my 100th on Blogger. If you were to count my Deadjournal, Livejournal, and Myspace accounts, there would be quite a few more. More than the stars in the sky, I'd assume. Please don't be distracted by those links. I know how fascinated you must be by my theory that Anna Nicole Smith is the reason for terrorism, or what my trip to California with Brent Beeler in the summer of 2002 was like, but please, try to focus.
I guess making it to 100 is kind of cool. There are a few people I'd like to thank, while I'm up here. First and foremost, I'd like to thank my parentheses. I use them quite frequently (at least once every entry) and I doubt my blog would be what it is without them. Thank you (. Thank you ). I'd also like to thank Alicia Hirshfield for telling me to make a Deadjournal account. Not only that, she is the one that got me the registration code for Livejournal. Remember when you couldn't make an LJ account without getting a number from someone who already had one? Well, thanks to Alicia for that as well. She's moving to China tomorrow. I'll miss her. I'd like to go visit, since I've always wanted to go to Shanghai, but my mom insists that I don't. She is convinced that some stranger will plant illegal narcotics in my suitcase and I will be falsely persecuted and spend the rest of my life in a third world prison. And yes, she came to this conclusion after watching Brokedown Palace on Lifetime. Fucking Claire Danes always finds a way to ruin my international affairs.
I'd also like to thank those of you that comment here. It is no secret that in my writing, much like my entire life, for that matter, I seek constant validation. I'd like to thank those of you that comment frequently for supplying me with that. Mostly that means Dani and Dangles. If my blog were a Subway and you got your card punched for commenting, those two would be munching on a 12 inch Daily Special right now. Although Twigger, Baggy, and Jenny often jump in with things to say as well. So does Ashley Rush from Disney, which is slightly random but that's why I love it. If you don't comment, I still appreciate that you at least read what I say. No. That's a lie. Fuck off. Either comment or jump off a fucking cliff. You ingrates.
I really need to finish Catch 22. I really love it. I just don't love reading. I used to read all the time. I was a big reader. My mom would always say, "Oh yeah, Steve loves to read." She'd take me to Borders once a week so I could get a new book. I was reading in the intermediate section way before anyone else! I was onto Fear Street when everyone else was still reading Goosebumps. Not that I didn't read Goosebumps too. But they really only took me about 3 hours to get through. I didn't notice at the time, but Goosebumps sure had some ridiculous titles. What was RL Stine
thinking?
Seriously?
My mom used to tell me that RL Stine didn't write all of the books. That he had writers that worked for him, because it was impossible to write an entire novel once a month. Yeah, I can see that. But come on. The Horror at Camp JellyJam? A Shocker on Shock Street? Yeah, I could believe that Shakespeare had help writing his plays, but to say that RL Stine needed help to make Egg Monsters From Mars just doesn't seem right.
Back to Catch 22. How is it that I am a writer (I've been published on websites, I go to SCHOOL for writing, I have a blog, I've written and registered a treatment and script for an original pilot) and I just can't sit down and read? I'll finish it eventually. Besides, I DID read Grapes of Wrath for fun once. That's gotta count for something.
My two biggest priorities right now are to finish my Off The Clock script and to finish reading Catch 22. Having my computer die made it a little harder to finish OTC, but once I get back to Chicago, I'm buckling down. I've had a few other ideas that I'd like to work on, but not until I finish this. My other pilot idea is about a family of carnies. Also I have an idea for a show based on all my friends in Chicago. But OTC comes first. I forgot my Batman notebook in Chicago and it's killing me that I can't write down my ideas. Then again, it's not like I've had that many. Hmmm. Uh-Oh. Am I boring now? I mean, the Goosebumps part, that was pretty good, right? Now I'm just talking about myself and my writing and I feel I've lost my audience. Quick Steve, think of something.
Yeah. There you are.
Annnyway. I went to my grandparents house this weekend. They just moved to a farm. My grandmas brothers used to live in the house, and I used to go up to the farm a lot when I was little. However, it seems that the years of Oakland County, Novi Public Schools, 12 Oaks Mall, Fountain Walk, and living in Downtown Chicago have really taken the country boy out of me (was there ever one in me? No. Probably not). It was a weekend of picking corn and potatoes, burning garbage, and going out after dinner to look for deer. I really really wanted to go to the Demolition Derby at the county fair, but that didn't happen. It brought back a lot of memories of my childhood trips up to the farm. Like the cats that lived in the barn and scratched the hell out of my arm when I tried to pet one. Or the time I went swinging on a rope in the barn and accidently let go and fell about 10 feet on my back. Or the time I went walking around with my Dad and ran ahead and shouted "Follow me Dad!" and without looking jumped right into a giant pile of cow shit. You know the Beatle's song "Mother's Nature's Son?" It's about me.
It really was a good weekend though. I got to relax and work outside and not even think about cell phones or internet or anything.
Happy 100! Here's to 100 more. Oh wait, didn't I used to write about jobs or something? Eh...Peace out.
I guess making it to 100 is kind of cool. There are a few people I'd like to thank, while I'm up here. First and foremost, I'd like to thank my parentheses. I use them quite frequently (at least once every entry) and I doubt my blog would be what it is without them. Thank you (. Thank you ). I'd also like to thank Alicia Hirshfield for telling me to make a Deadjournal account. Not only that, she is the one that got me the registration code for Livejournal. Remember when you couldn't make an LJ account without getting a number from someone who already had one? Well, thanks to Alicia for that as well. She's moving to China tomorrow. I'll miss her. I'd like to go visit, since I've always wanted to go to Shanghai, but my mom insists that I don't. She is convinced that some stranger will plant illegal narcotics in my suitcase and I will be falsely persecuted and spend the rest of my life in a third world prison. And yes, she came to this conclusion after watching Brokedown Palace on Lifetime. Fucking Claire Danes always finds a way to ruin my international affairs.
I'd also like to thank those of you that comment here. It is no secret that in my writing, much like my entire life, for that matter, I seek constant validation. I'd like to thank those of you that comment frequently for supplying me with that. Mostly that means Dani and Dangles. If my blog were a Subway and you got your card punched for commenting, those two would be munching on a 12 inch Daily Special right now. Although Twigger, Baggy, and Jenny often jump in with things to say as well. So does Ashley Rush from Disney, which is slightly random but that's why I love it. If you don't comment, I still appreciate that you at least read what I say. No. That's a lie. Fuck off. Either comment or jump off a fucking cliff. You ingrates.
I really need to finish Catch 22. I really love it. I just don't love reading. I used to read all the time. I was a big reader. My mom would always say, "Oh yeah, Steve loves to read." She'd take me to Borders once a week so I could get a new book. I was reading in the intermediate section way before anyone else! I was onto Fear Street when everyone else was still reading Goosebumps. Not that I didn't read Goosebumps too. But they really only took me about 3 hours to get through. I didn't notice at the time, but Goosebumps sure had some ridiculous titles. What was RL Stine
thinking?Seriously?
My mom used to tell me that RL Stine didn't write all of the books. That he had writers that worked for him, because it was impossible to write an entire novel once a month. Yeah, I can see that. But come on. The Horror at Camp JellyJam? A Shocker on Shock Street? Yeah, I could believe that Shakespeare had help writing his plays, but to say that RL Stine needed help to make Egg Monsters From Mars just doesn't seem right.
Back to Catch 22. How is it that I am a writer (I've been published on websites, I go to SCHOOL for writing, I have a blog, I've written and registered a treatment and script for an original pilot) and I just can't sit down and read? I'll finish it eventually. Besides, I DID read Grapes of Wrath for fun once. That's gotta count for something.
My two biggest priorities right now are to finish my Off The Clock script and to finish reading Catch 22. Having my computer die made it a little harder to finish OTC, but once I get back to Chicago, I'm buckling down. I've had a few other ideas that I'd like to work on, but not until I finish this. My other pilot idea is about a family of carnies. Also I have an idea for a show based on all my friends in Chicago. But OTC comes first. I forgot my Batman notebook in Chicago and it's killing me that I can't write down my ideas. Then again, it's not like I've had that many. Hmmm. Uh-Oh. Am I boring now? I mean, the Goosebumps part, that was pretty good, right? Now I'm just talking about myself and my writing and I feel I've lost my audience. Quick Steve, think of something.
Yeah. There you are.
Annnyway. I went to my grandparents house this weekend. They just moved to a farm. My grandmas brothers used to live in the house, and I used to go up to the farm a lot when I was little. However, it seems that the years of Oakland County, Novi Public Schools, 12 Oaks Mall, Fountain Walk, and living in Downtown Chicago have really taken the country boy out of me (was there ever one in me? No. Probably not). It was a weekend of picking corn and potatoes, burning garbage, and going out after dinner to look for deer. I really really wanted to go to the Demolition Derby at the county fair, but that didn't happen. It brought back a lot of memories of my childhood trips up to the farm. Like the cats that lived in the barn and scratched the hell out of my arm when I tried to pet one. Or the time I went swinging on a rope in the barn and accidently let go and fell about 10 feet on my back. Or the time I went walking around with my Dad and ran ahead and shouted "Follow me Dad!" and without looking jumped right into a giant pile of cow shit. You know the Beatle's song "Mother's Nature's Son?" It's about me.
It really was a good weekend though. I got to relax and work outside and not even think about cell phones or internet or anything.
Happy 100! Here's to 100 more. Oh wait, didn't I used to write about jobs or something? Eh...Peace out.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
so much to catch up on!
I hate MySpace. I just hate it. For all intents and purposes, I should love it. (When I was little I thought the phrase was "for all intensive purposes," isn't that hilarious!?!?) I mean you can decorate your background, put tons of sweet pix up in your bio, even play songs and videos! Baggy certainly couldn't post such a salacious picture of buxomed beauty Charo on my FACEBOOK wall, could he? That's out of the question! And you can blog on MySpace too!
Hard to believe there is ANY reason for me to hate MySpace, I know. Here is a short list:
1. It never works. On the off chance that the page actually works, you are still waiting a good 10 minutes for it to frackin' load. But don't worry, there is never any error in loading those John Tucker Must Die pop ups.
2. People who I don't know adding me. I don't mind cool people checking out my profile and seeing how awesome I am and wanting to be my friend. I can't blame them. What I don't like is when SexyVMonica tries TWICE to add me because she "saw my profile and loved it. Wants to hook up for webchat with her sexy friends" Not to mention all of the crappy bands, which leads me to...
3. MySpace Music. Useless. Pointless. Annoying. Consists of nothing but shitty Fall Out Boy wannabes and wierd goth/punk/metal/folk/lullaby craziness. Sure, a lot of big bands have MySpace music pages now too, but they don't need them. And what's the difference between a MySpace profile and a MySpace Music profile? You can play songs in both of them.
Annnnywaaaay....
Summer is almost over. Can you believe that? I guess we still have a whole month left, but I'll be home. Plus, I count my chickens before they hatch.
Orientation is done for a few weeks. Boy did we have some fun times. I'm genuinely looking forward to going back to work with everyone at the end of the month. Well, I'm more or less looking forward to our after-work parties. The most memorable OL experience so far definitely has to be when Jacob, Cam, Millie, and I watched Final Destination 3. Holy shit, what an evening that turned out to be. If you don't know why, then I guess you'll have to just wonder. It was bucknutty, to say the least.
Sorry Dangles, I've really been typing a lot, so I don't even know if I can get to Flavor of Love 2 in this post. But does every girl on that show have a lisp or gap teeth? I'm pretty sure they do. I love the white girl who wants a man that can "hold me, and hold me DOWN!" Classy. Best line so far, "I threw the first punch, yeah, but she threw flowers at me!" followed closely by, "Dear God, please forgive me for beating this bitch ass." That girl was too nuts to be real. She was a plant. She was put there to go nuts and get kicked off first and set the tone for the show. I mean seriously, she was CARRIED out. She wasn't real. I wish she was real, because I'd marry her, but she was just a plant.
Lollapalooza was awesome. I was wondering if I would have as good of a time this year as I did last year. I most definitely did. even though I wasn't nearly as excited about the line-up, there were tons of bands that blew me away.
On Friday, the Raconteurs were by far the best. I love White Stripes already, and now Jack White is in another one of my favorite bands.
The two best shows on Saturday were The Go! Team and Manu Chao. Two shows that most people didn't seem to see beside me. I loved how crazy The Go! Team got, despite it being about 11117 degrees outside. Celsius. And I never wanted to see Kanye. I don't like him. I never did. I wish more people felt the same way, but nobody seemed adventurous enough to trek over to check out Manu. Those who did got to enjoy dancing barefoot in Grant Park, under the glowing skyline, to some awesome latin rock. Everybody there was having an awesome time, and if more of my friends (you know who you are) would have just fessed up to not liking Kanye and TRIED something different for once, they would not have been disappointed. Alicia made her way over, and we had a blast. No doubt, the best part of the weekend.
By Sunday I was dead. 30 Seconds to Mars was great, especially because I spent most of it with a wasted Twigger who had snuck in an Aquafina bottle full of wine. The Shins were decent. A perfect band to listen to while you nap in the trees and try to keep your back turned to the line of a million porta-potties that are less than 20 feet from you. I wanted to check out Broken Social Scene, even though I didn't know a lot about them. Most people seemed to choose Blues Traveler, which I thought was strange. I didn't know people actually liked them (much like my discovery last year that everyone in the world loves Cake besides me), and the only song I know is that "sure fire way to keep things up" song, which is by no means one of my favorites. I'm glad I watched the Social Scene. They blew me away. Of all of the music that I need to download after Lollapalooza (and trust me, there's a lot), Broken Social Scene is the top of my list.
And who can forget the Chili Peppers. I couldn't find Alicia, which was sad, since I didn't get to say goodbye to her, but I did come across some other friends and we rocked out. But not with our cocks out. Well, Dangles had hers out, but only for "Dani California." After a relatively uneventful summer, aside from working, drinking, and sometimes going to the beach, Lollapalooza was just what I needed.
Oh, and my computer is broken. Did I say that yet? Oh, probably last time. Yeah, it went off during the thunderstorm last week and won't turn on. And yes, I have a surge protector so don't even fucking ask. Obviously a 5$ surge protector from Walgreens is hardly capable of living up to its name. The kicker? A little over a year ago, when I got my laptop, I couldn't decide if I wanted the 1-year warrenty, or if I should spring for the 2-year. After seeing Matt go through hell with his laptop and not having the warrenty cover it, I decided I better go with the 2 year.
THANK GOD.
Although the hour and a half I spent on the help line answering questions like "No it doesn't work plugged in with no battery. No it doesn't work not plugged in with a battery. No it doesn't work plugged in with a battery. No it doesn't work not plugged in with no battery," was not very helpful (If it doesn't work plugged in and with a battery, how the HELL is it going to work NOT plugged in with NO battery?!?) but they sent me a box to FedEx my computer to them. They should be sending it back to me next week. But don't worry, I'm going home tomorrow, so I'll have an all-you-can-eat internet buffet. And you better bet I'm stuffing rolls in my pocket.
Hard to believe there is ANY reason for me to hate MySpace, I know. Here is a short list:
1. It never works. On the off chance that the page actually works, you are still waiting a good 10 minutes for it to frackin' load. But don't worry, there is never any error in loading those John Tucker Must Die pop ups.
2. People who I don't know adding me. I don't mind cool people checking out my profile and seeing how awesome I am and wanting to be my friend. I can't blame them. What I don't like is when SexyVMonica tries TWICE to add me because she "saw my profile and loved it. Wants to hook up for webchat with her sexy friends" Not to mention all of the crappy bands, which leads me to...
3. MySpace Music. Useless. Pointless. Annoying. Consists of nothing but shitty Fall Out Boy wannabes and wierd goth/punk/metal/folk/lullaby craziness. Sure, a lot of big bands have MySpace music pages now too, but they don't need them. And what's the difference between a MySpace profile and a MySpace Music profile? You can play songs in both of them.
Annnnywaaaay....
Summer is almost over. Can you believe that? I guess we still have a whole month left, but I'll be home. Plus, I count my chickens before they hatch.
Orientation is done for a few weeks. Boy did we have some fun times. I'm genuinely looking forward to going back to work with everyone at the end of the month. Well, I'm more or less looking forward to our after-work parties. The most memorable OL experience so far definitely has to be when Jacob, Cam, Millie, and I watched Final Destination 3. Holy shit, what an evening that turned out to be. If you don't know why, then I guess you'll have to just wonder. It was bucknutty, to say the least.
Sorry Dangles, I've really been typing a lot, so I don't even know if I can get to Flavor of Love 2 in this post. But does every girl on that show have a lisp or gap teeth? I'm pretty sure they do. I love the white girl who wants a man that can "hold me, and hold me DOWN!" Classy. Best line so far, "I threw the first punch, yeah, but she threw flowers at me!" followed closely by, "Dear God, please forgive me for beating this bitch ass." That girl was too nuts to be real. She was a plant. She was put there to go nuts and get kicked off first and set the tone for the show. I mean seriously, she was CARRIED out. She wasn't real. I wish she was real, because I'd marry her, but she was just a plant.
Lollapalooza was awesome. I was wondering if I would have as good of a time this year as I did last year. I most definitely did. even though I wasn't nearly as excited about the line-up, there were tons of bands that blew me away.
On Friday, the Raconteurs were by far the best. I love White Stripes already, and now Jack White is in another one of my favorite bands.
The two best shows on Saturday were The Go! Team and Manu Chao. Two shows that most people didn't seem to see beside me. I loved how crazy The Go! Team got, despite it being about 11117 degrees outside. Celsius. And I never wanted to see Kanye. I don't like him. I never did. I wish more people felt the same way, but nobody seemed adventurous enough to trek over to check out Manu. Those who did got to enjoy dancing barefoot in Grant Park, under the glowing skyline, to some awesome latin rock. Everybody there was having an awesome time, and if more of my friends (you know who you are) would have just fessed up to not liking Kanye and TRIED something different for once, they would not have been disappointed. Alicia made her way over, and we had a blast. No doubt, the best part of the weekend.
By Sunday I was dead. 30 Seconds to Mars was great, especially because I spent most of it with a wasted Twigger who had snuck in an Aquafina bottle full of wine. The Shins were decent. A perfect band to listen to while you nap in the trees and try to keep your back turned to the line of a million porta-potties that are less than 20 feet from you. I wanted to check out Broken Social Scene, even though I didn't know a lot about them. Most people seemed to choose Blues Traveler, which I thought was strange. I didn't know people actually liked them (much like my discovery last year that everyone in the world loves Cake besides me), and the only song I know is that "sure fire way to keep things up" song, which is by no means one of my favorites. I'm glad I watched the Social Scene. They blew me away. Of all of the music that I need to download after Lollapalooza (and trust me, there's a lot), Broken Social Scene is the top of my list.
And who can forget the Chili Peppers. I couldn't find Alicia, which was sad, since I didn't get to say goodbye to her, but I did come across some other friends and we rocked out. But not with our cocks out. Well, Dangles had hers out, but only for "Dani California." After a relatively uneventful summer, aside from working, drinking, and sometimes going to the beach, Lollapalooza was just what I needed.
Oh, and my computer is broken. Did I say that yet? Oh, probably last time. Yeah, it went off during the thunderstorm last week and won't turn on. And yes, I have a surge protector so don't even fucking ask. Obviously a 5$ surge protector from Walgreens is hardly capable of living up to its name. The kicker? A little over a year ago, when I got my laptop, I couldn't decide if I wanted the 1-year warrenty, or if I should spring for the 2-year. After seeing Matt go through hell with his laptop and not having the warrenty cover it, I decided I better go with the 2 year.
THANK GOD.
Although the hour and a half I spent on the help line answering questions like "No it doesn't work plugged in with no battery. No it doesn't work not plugged in with a battery. No it doesn't work plugged in with a battery. No it doesn't work not plugged in with no battery," was not very helpful (If it doesn't work plugged in and with a battery, how the HELL is it going to work NOT plugged in with NO battery?!?) but they sent me a box to FedEx my computer to them. They should be sending it back to me next week. But don't worry, I'm going home tomorrow, so I'll have an all-you-can-eat internet buffet. And you better bet I'm stuffing rolls in my pocket.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Just a quickie. But worth it. (That's what she said)
My computer is broken right now. I am on Jeff's while he takes a shower and eats cereal. No, not at the same time. Milk, although a necessity to the cereal eating process, already causes sogginess, so consumption in the shower would only hasten the process.
No time for everything I want to say so I'm not gonna start. Stay tuned. Lollapalooza, last days of Orientation, summer fun, Flavor of Love 2, and what happened to my computer are only a few of the topics that I will be touching on. Are your pants still dry?
Didn't think so.
No time for everything I want to say so I'm not gonna start. Stay tuned. Lollapalooza, last days of Orientation, summer fun, Flavor of Love 2, and what happened to my computer are only a few of the topics that I will be touching on. Are your pants still dry?
Didn't think so.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Hi friends
Millie is coming to pick me up so I am blogging while I wait. Every so often I will check out the window and see if she is here. I love not having to take the train this morning! Hopefully I'll be able to find a RedEye at the 1104 building, since I usually pick one up on the way to the Fullerton stop and read it on the train. Now, don't worry about me not having enough time to read the RedEye at work. My 10 hour days consist of about 9 hours of downtime. So not only will I read it front to back (Wait, it's the RedEye. We all read it BACK to FRONT) but I will most likely read it 4 times, and finish both Sudoku and the crossword puzzle. OK, that's a lie. I probably won't finish the crossword since there's always like two words left at the end and I have absolutely no idea what they are. I've gotten pretty good though.
Tomorrow is the last day of Summer Orientation. Hopefully there will be a big blowout tomorrow night to celebrate. Perhaps I should host it since Cam, Jacob, and Millie have already done one.
Lollapalooza is this weekend, and yes I am going. I'm not nearly as excited to go as I was last year. Mostly I just don't know the bands as well and am NOT looking forward to how hot it's going to be, but I know I'll still enjoy myself. Plus I have three, yes THREE separate friends coming into town who will be leaving shortly after Lolla and I will not see for a long time. So all in all this weekend will be busy but it's necessary.
Then I have Monday off. Then I go home for 2 weeks on Tuesday. Holler.
Tomorrow is the last day of Summer Orientation. Hopefully there will be a big blowout tomorrow night to celebrate. Perhaps I should host it since Cam, Jacob, and Millie have already done one.
Lollapalooza is this weekend, and yes I am going. I'm not nearly as excited to go as I was last year. Mostly I just don't know the bands as well and am NOT looking forward to how hot it's going to be, but I know I'll still enjoy myself. Plus I have three, yes THREE separate friends coming into town who will be leaving shortly after Lolla and I will not see for a long time. So all in all this weekend will be busy but it's necessary.
Then I have Monday off. Then I go home for 2 weeks on Tuesday. Holler.
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