I found out today that only my boss man in this office is a republican. The other two (Even Lil Hitler) are voting for Kerry. Thank GOD for that. It's weird though. My boss is so nice. How can he want to vote for the anti-christ? I can understand people being fiscally republican (like my dad) but if you're not homophobic, extremely Christian or retarded why would you vote for Bushy? WHY? WHY? WHY?
I still haven't asked my dad if he's voting for Bushy. I don't know if I want to know the answer.
loud shout of 'Hup!'
constitution clothesbrush antic prorogue
Another whirlwind weekend! Fun but, at times, weird.
Friday, Faye and I ditched work to putz around. We shopped a little, to finish off our Halloween costumes. Then we hit happy hour at Julia's. We were waited on by a man who looked like a young Giles from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. That made me rather giddy, despite the fact that he was pretty gay. We ate delicious food and drank beer at 4pm. Then we headed back to Faye's to watch the debates with Dom and Sherrard. As most of you know, the debates were ABSOLUTELY FUCKING INSANE. Bushy was grasping on to sanity by a tiny tiny thread, as illustrated by the fact that he was yelling at the audience and coining such catch phrases as “The Internets” and “Babbling Green Eyeshades”. Meanwhile, Kerry was intelligent, gentle, personable, and for the first time, I wanted to vote for him because I liked what he was saying and not because of necessity. That still could have had something to do with who he was juxtaposed against. But when he gave his answer to that raving pro-lifer about his stance on abortion, I was very close to standing up and cheering.
We then tried to watch Lady in White, but it was curtailed because we were just to drunk at that point. That's what we get for making drinking game rules for the debates.
Saturday, I went to see DiG! with Faye, Elyse, Gene and Andrew. It was a REALLY well orchestrated documentary about a band called the Brian Jonestown Massacre and their one-sided rival with the Dandy Warhols. Basically, the premise is that the main guy in the BJM is a mad genius with severe emotional problems. He has every opportunity to be a much bigger star than the Dandy's but he constantly sabotages himself with drugs and hissy fits. The film was extremely intense, and at times, hilarious. Afterward, I had a mini anxiety attack because I had just watched a man's life fall apart before my eyes. I do, however, recommend the film.
Later, we supped at the Canterbury and rushed off to see Dom's short “Kitchen Soup For the Soul” play at the NW Film Forum Local Sightings Festival. It was part of the “Tragedy and Comedy” series of shorts. Dom's played right after a very long “short” about people dying/killing themselves/living in drafty houses. The best part was that the women who played the dying, neglectful mother in the previous short, also played the mother in Dom's short. That's comedy, baby.
After a day in dark theatres, we went to the Wok and Grill and were horrified to discover that the greatness of the place is catching on with the locals. This is upsetting as I was hoping we would be the only ones who would annoy the old lady who runs the place and make her stay up way past her bedtime. If other people do it too, we won't be special in her eyes. Sad.
After a brief excursion to the Rosebud, where we realised we never want to go there again, we had one final (probably unnecessary) drink at The Satellite and then retired. Good times and loud conversations were had by all.
Sunday I nursed a hangover (why do I even TRY to drink hard alcohol anymore?), fucked around in the apartment, went to yoga (great class!!) and then it was MY turn to see my work on the big-er screen. “Terry” played in a series called “Dancing and Dating”. I'm pleased to say that “Terry” looked great on the big screen. The music was a little loud, but that's what happens when you ROCK. It was also, in my opinion, one of the better pieces. But there was one, called “Rent's Due” that seriously kicked the asses of all the shorts I've seen so far. I hope you can all see “Terry” on Thursday at 7:30 and you will also be able to catch “Rent's Due”.
This morning, we all arrived for our Monday morning 7am crapfest. Everyone, that is, apart from the Lil'est Dictator, who fucking requested the 7am meeting time in the first place. She arrived at 7:50 and her only contributions were to bitch at Boss Man for making jokes, violently smack her tea bag around inside her cup, and ask me if I've done my homework. (She assigned me readings to do “outside office time” in order to “better acquaint” myself with my “new position”. I haven't done them). Hate. Her.
It's going to be another long week.
constitution clothesbrush antic prorogue
It's FRIDAY!
Well, not really. But I'm taking tomorrow off to gallivant around the city with Faye so it's LIKE Friday for me. Especially since this week has seemed like a goddamned eternity.
I'm not sure what Faye and I are going to do tomorrow. We were originally going to crappy matinee and then maybe hit Shorty's or something. But the matinees that we haven't already seen are just TOO crappy. So we need a plan B. Either way, I'm just relieved as hell that I don't have to be here tomorrow.
Tonight is the NW Film Forum Grand Opening Bash. I can't wait to see the new space. It will be even more exciting when I see my music video on the big screen there, next week. (I'm assuming the screen will be big instead of bigger than small, as it was at the old NW Film Forum space).
Even though it's my Friday, I might call it an early night because, man, I have felt like crap this week. So maybe a little tour of the new space, a free drink or two, and then home to watch “Lost” and straight to bed. We'll see what happens.
Even though I'm pretty tired, I'm also a little overexcited right now because last night we had our first official production meeting for Snow Day, Bloody Snow Day. We decided to plan a big-assed zombie holiday carnival as a fundraiser. That's going to happen sometime in December. I've been brimming with ideas and emailing everyone and everyone has been telling me to chill the fuck out. :) Stay tuned for details.
mow woods
****WARNING****
THE FOLLOWING ENTRY IS LADEN WITH MELANCHOLY. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
It's pretty gloomy outside. For some reason, though, I was happy about it when I walked out the door this morning. The warm dampness hit my skin and I smiled. But now I am in my office where this is no weather. It's always 60 degrees and fluorescent in this place.
My mom called me last night to tell me she has a spot of melanoma on her back that she has to get removed. It's not a huge deal as long as she acts on it fast. And she's had cysts before. It's all because she's been living in sunny places for 30 years. She's a walking advertisement for sunscreen. Makes me very glad I live in a place where you don't see the sun that often.
She also told me about how she had to kick out her new roommate because the lady was starting to mooch. I worry about my mom because, since the divorce, she has been letting people take advantage of her in this way, letting them stay with her and eat her food and make demands. She has no leech radar and doesn't get rid of people until they've been sucking her dry for a while. My mom's lack of self-sufficiency has become the #1 reason why I don't want to get married. She was married to my dad for 30 years and she completely forgot how to be on her own. As a result, she makes poor decisions. I had to tell her that for a while, she need to stop trusting people outside her immediate family and learn to say no to people who ask her for favors. Hopefully, this will help her. She will have to get a job soon and she's terrified. She hasn't worked since I was a small child. I never ever EVER want to find myself in such a situation. Obviously, times are different, married women, even stay at home moms, are a lot more independent than they used to be. But it still worries me. Sometimes you don't know you're complacent until it's too late to do anything about it.
Re: This could create bad feeling for you
This morning, as I was walking toward my office, I very nearly got hit it the face by a crazy woman who was gesticulating wildly and shouting obscenities at a passing bus. Ah, city life.
I just found out that, contrary to what I originally thought, my office is open on Columbus Day. Apparently, the discovery and subsequent assimilation of a nation is cause to celebrate for banks and lending institutions, but not so for financial advisors. Oh well. At least I get to skip on Friday.
Other good-ish news:
Both “Terry” and “Love and 145 Watts” were excepted into the Bellingham Projections Film Festival. This will take place the weekend of November 7th. I'm not sure when my films will be playing, but if it happens to be on Saturday or Sunday, Dom and I will be taking a little roadtrip to Bellingham. Anybody wanna join us? Rooms at the Day's Inn are only $45/night.
Re: knife and blind eye,
The weekends just go by too fast.
Friday night, Meep and I had a very successful writers meeting wherein we attempted to develop backstory for our characters so that they won't be so 2-dimensional. We also tried to think of movies that we wanted to emulate to “look” of but we decided, in the end, that we wanted to create our own look instead. Take that, other movies!
Then we invited people over for the first Halloween Classic Friday wherein we watch a classic horror film (old and new) each Friday for the month of October. We chose Carnival of Souls for the first Friday. However, we had been drinking wine for some time before everyone arrived. And Elyse and Gene arrived already reasonably intoxicated, so it was very difficult for us to pay attention. I was the only one who had seen it so luckily, I was able to explain what was going on whenever people drifted their attention back toward the TV. This didn't happen often, however. We then put in Night of the Living Dead because the night was still young. After that, it was pretty late and we were all pretty drunk. Plus Dom had come home and needed to go straight to bed, as he had to wake up at 5am the next morning for this 48-hour film project that sounds like fun only to the unemployed.
The next day I did a noon yoga class with Elyse and Gene. I had hoped that it would energize me for the day of Halloween shopping that was to come. Sadly, it kicked my ass more than energized it. Meep, Elyse, Gene, Sherwood and I assembled. We lunched at the Red Line where I had THE MOST AMAZING greek sandwich which I will dream about for weeks to come. After that we went to the Halloween store that Sherwood mentioned in his blog. Then we went to Value Village. Meep and I didn't find anything we needed. Elyse, however, found everything and is now done. At 6:00, or so, we finished. Gene and Elyse went home, and Meep and I got take away from Ballet which boast Mock Meats. And boast they should, because it was DELICIOUS! Meep and I had big plans Saturday to see The Muffs at the Croc. But it turns out, we are old. The show wouldn't start until 10:00 and who KNOWS when the Muffs were playing. So instead we watched The Ruttles (good) and 50 First Dates (baaaaaad) and were in bed by 11. Good LORD we're old. Also, I think I am incapable of doing a yoga class during the day and expecting myself to function after.
The reason we watched 50 First Dates is because it was written by a local man who, now that he has everyone's attention, is doing very well for himself. So we thought we'd see what he had going for him. Well, from the finished film, it would appear that he has inanity going for him. Dom said the final shooting script was very different from the original. But I'm assuming the basic PREMISE was the same. And the basic premise is flawed at best and retarded at worst. And it was worst. Blech.
Yesterday I cleaned the apartment a bit, watched bad movies on TV, went to yoga again (two days in a row is ROUGH) and then watched Midnight Express which I had never seen. For those of you who don't know, it's the feel good romp of 1978 with a guy who looks suspiciously like Brad Pitt.
At some point during the night, Dom came home and appeared beside me. Our interactions this weekend have consisted of either him waking me up or me waking him up. I'm so glad it was only a 48 hour film project.
It's Monday Monday. Time for another exciting week. Though this week, it's cut short because Meep and I are playing hooky on Friday. Hooray!
atchison hagen
Much to report.
First of all, I got my raise! That is very exciting for me. I will finally be able to start putting some money aside. It will take effect November 1st!
Second, last night Dom, Faye and I saw a sneak preview of I Heart Huckabees, the new film by David O. Russell (Three Kings). I was a little nervous at first because the previews made it look like an Eternal Sunshine rip-off (and indeed critics have been perpetuating that rumor). But this is not at all true. (I also realised that the reason these comparisons are being made is a sad one: There just aren't that many introspective films out there). Where Eternal Sunshine examines ONLY the effects of romantic relationships, I Heart Huckabees goes whole hog. It is about the meaning of existence in a meaningless and often cruel world. That sounds very heavy, and sometimes, it can get emotional, but the film is also hilarious. At times, uproariously so. Mark Walberg, it turns out, is not just a good actor, but a GREAT one. Jude Law also does a great job and it appears that he has the Johnny Depp curse of beauty and it will take a lot for him to convince casting agents that he's more than a pretty face. But this will help. Jason Schwartzmann was as good as he was in Rushmore. He's got perfect, dry comic timing. I loved this movie and I will see it again. You guys should too.
Third, tonight, after Faye and I have a writer's meeting, we will begin our annual October Friday Film Fest wherein we watch a classic horror film each Friday during the month of October (we're all about literal titles around here, people). Tonight's selection will be “Carnival of Souls” which is one of the first (if not THE first, but don't quote me on that) zombie films. And also one of the best. You should ALL come over and celebrate the best month with us, zombie style.
Anecdote: Last night, while we were waiting in line for the movie, an S.U.V. (of course) full of frat boys drove by, grunted and threw a banana peel at us. They found this hilarious and drove away laughing like buffoons. Back to school, indeed.
pouring from the ceiling
Hello my little breakfast pastries.
This morning was my first ass-early meeting. Boss man and I were the only ones there because Lil D. is on vacation (till Wednesday, I am Lil' D.-less!!) and the other guy forgot. It was a good opportunity, though, because I was able to go over all my bullet points that I wrote out on the bus on the way home on Friday. The end result is that Boss Man is going to re-visit the raise thing. He saw my point about deserving to be compensated for doing two jobs. He also saw my point about doing Lil D's work and said that maybe we can get her to officially hand over some of her clients to me (since I'm doing the work on them anyway) and then I will get commission on it. Yay! Again, nothing immediate is going to happen, but I could be seeing a significant increase in income very soon which ALMOST makes getting up at 5:30 worth it. ALMOST…
This weekend was great. Our readthrough on Friday was very successful. People seemed to enjoy it and laughed at all the right places, so that is promising. We video taped it so that Faye and I can re-visit it and pinpoint exactly what works and what doesn't. We realise that while we have a pretty solid comedy, we want to make it a little more meaningful than that. We need to inject some character into it (in other words, we need to Whedon-ize this mo fo). So Faye and I need to have a few more beer-laden writing sessions. I believe we can make this thing more than just “entertaining”! Yipcha! After the reading, we bought more beer and got a little crazy with the karaoke machine. Our neighbors must LOVE us.
The next morning, my landlord came by with a plumber to fix our shower fawcett. I had totally spaced on the fact that she was coming and so, when she walked in, she was greeted to a mess of a living room including beer bottles strewn everywhere and a video camera set up. Uh…hello elderly landlord. Welcome to the home of the “Indies Gone Wild” video series.
Saturday we saw the opening of Shaun of the Dead. The theatre was chock full of die-hards. You could tell because the clapped at the end of the movie even though no one involved in the making of the movie was in attendance. Also, you could hear people playing “I know more than you” (AKA “AintItCool Trivial Pursuit) before the movie started. No sign of Fan Boy though. He must have been grounded. Everyone seemed to enjoy the movie so we won't be having another LJ spat :) After, we went to Wallingford and ate some pretty delicious (albeit overpriced) food.
Sunday was pretty typical. Laundry, grocery store, yoga class, impending doom about Monday morning.
And here I am slacking off as usual. The difference is today I am dog tired. But hopefully, I gots me a raise comin'.
OOH! The ps: is that late last night, after I was SURE we were out of the running, I got an email that stated that “Terry” has been selected to be shown in the NWFilm Forum Local Sightings Film Festival. It will be playing October 10th at 9pm and October 14th at 7:30 pm. Please come and check it out on the big(ish) screen! Jub jub!
Somebody Please Kill Me
So I just got a decree email from my boss regarding that “Meeting After Hours” thing. His decision is as follows:
-Since we couldnt agree on whether to come in an hour early or stay an hour late, we are now doing both. So on Monday we come in at 7am and Wednesday we leave at 6pm.
-I had to open my big fucking mouth. In an attempt to get him to NOT make us work an extra hour unpaid, I suggested that since we usually leave early on Fridays, that we just maintain the normal office hours on Friday and use THAT as our meeting time. Well, he liked that idea. So he tacked that on too. And now we are meeting 3 times a week with no leaving early ever.
Obviously, this puts a damper on many things for me. If I want to have time to have film meetings and work on film projects, my evenings are even more full. No more yoga twice a week, I reckon. Unless I want to have exactly ZERO evenings a week at home to chill.
No staying out late on Sunday nights ever either.
And I STILL make fucking ass peanuts compared to everyone else in this company. On Monday, I am going to talk to my boss and see if he can't expedite the raise process for me because this is fucking bullshit. I can understand these lifers wanting to put more into the company, but why me? WHY ME?!
AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGG!
Maybe I'll get lucky the apocalypse will happen soon and swiftly.
bigger stronger
IT'S FRIDAY! I'm very excited for 3 reasons. 1) I don't have to come to this stinking place tomorrow, 2) Tonight we are having a readthrough for mine and Faye's zombie script complete with actors and beer and 3) Shaun of the Dead opens this weekend!!!
We are going to see Shaun tomorrow night so if anyone's interested in joining in, let me know. Faye and I already saw a sneak preview of it so we can guarantee that it is classic cinema in the making!
Segue—
Last night I went to yoga and it wasn't a good class for me. My knees weren't cooperating with me at all. In some of those balancing positions, I looked like Bambi just learning to walk. It was also kinda painful. It didn't help matters that I had a teacher I'd never had before and I don't think she was familiar with my knee problems because she kept telling me to go lower. I couldn't say “I can't go lower because this is incredibly painful as it is”. So that broke my concentration even further. Luckily, things improved when we got to the sitting portion of the class. But I was already pissed at my body for being so crappy. Oh well. A crappy yoga class is probably still better than no yoga class. Hopefully things will be better on Sunday. I blame the cold weather. Last winter, my knees ached pretty bad and I think they feel the cold weather coming and are starting to give up again. Well, I won't let them. Bastard knees.
ANYWHO, things have been pretty busy here this morning but they've started to slow down and will hopefully continue to do so for the rest of the day so that I can fuck about and leave early. Ha!
Effed by the Wind 