A quick glance at YouTube proves that you just can't stop writers from writing. There are any number of humorous (and educational) videos created by WGA members most of which are linked from the United Hollywood blog.
I'm also enjoying some of the speechless videos. http://speechlesswithoutwriters.com/ In today's installment, actors were reduced to using the phone book as a source of dialog. Hee!
(I'd feel bad about enjoying this aspect of the strike but the videos that people have come up with are just so entertaining.)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
New International Scoring System for Gymnastics, part 2 (broad overview)
So you know the perfect 10.0? Gone. No longer exists. In fact, if a gymnast scores a 10 in a major international meet nowadays, he or she did very poorly. In fact, there is no "perfect" score any longer. A very good score, one that could earn a medal, is in the high 15 or low 16 range (depending on the apparatus). For now anyway.
There are now 2 judging panels for each event.
Panel A will give a score that reflects the difficulty of the routine. On bars, beam and floor, that means that they will add the difficulty ratings of 10 elements in the routine. Each move is assigned a difficulty rating of A, B, C, D, E, F or G. An A element is worth 0.1, B is worth 0.2, etc. up to a G element which is worth 0.7. There are also 5 element group requirements worth 0.5 each. Skills count towards both the element group requirement and the difficulty value - it doesn't have to be just one or the other. There is also a connection value that is added into the A panel score. If this is confusing so far, don't worry. I'll explain these things more in depth in the coming days.
Panel B judges start each gymnast with a 10.0 but then subtract for errors in execution and artistry. These judges are very picky. Judges in general have always been picky, but this system is even more so. Falls are now a 0.8 deduction (instead of the familiar .5). Many moves on bars must be completed in a handstand otherwise there are deductions based on how far away from vertical the gymnast is.
Both panels scores are added up to get the gymnasts' event scores.
(I totally wrote this on Tuesday and just saved instead of posted. Ooops.)
So you know the perfect 10.0? Gone. No longer exists. In fact, if a gymnast scores a 10 in a major international meet nowadays, he or she did very poorly. In fact, there is no "perfect" score any longer. A very good score, one that could earn a medal, is in the high 15 or low 16 range (depending on the apparatus). For now anyway.
There are now 2 judging panels for each event.
Panel A will give a score that reflects the difficulty of the routine. On bars, beam and floor, that means that they will add the difficulty ratings of 10 elements in the routine. Each move is assigned a difficulty rating of A, B, C, D, E, F or G. An A element is worth 0.1, B is worth 0.2, etc. up to a G element which is worth 0.7. There are also 5 element group requirements worth 0.5 each. Skills count towards both the element group requirement and the difficulty value - it doesn't have to be just one or the other. There is also a connection value that is added into the A panel score. If this is confusing so far, don't worry. I'll explain these things more in depth in the coming days.
Panel B judges start each gymnast with a 10.0 but then subtract for errors in execution and artistry. These judges are very picky. Judges in general have always been picky, but this system is even more so. Falls are now a 0.8 deduction (instead of the familiar .5). Many moves on bars must be completed in a handstand otherwise there are deductions based on how far away from vertical the gymnast is.
Both panels scores are added up to get the gymnasts' event scores.
(I totally wrote this on Tuesday and just saved instead of posted. Ooops.)
Monday, November 26, 2007
New International Scoring System for Gymnastics, part 1 (personal editorializing and ranting)
After the 2004 Olympics, there was a hue and cry saying that we needed a new way to score gymnastics. Said hue and cry was raised based on a couple of occurrences, neither of which are addressed by the new code of points that was put into place in 2006.
The controversy that got the most attention was notable not because of the actual events but because of the way certain of the people involved handled the events. The central fact is that a South Korean gymnast was not given enough points for the difficulty of his parallel bars routine. Incorrectly credited difficulty ratings are a common problem in gymnastics competition. In fact, it is so common that there is a long established method of dealing with such situations. The coach who wants to challenge his or her gymnast's score submits a verbal and written inquiry immediately. That is it. Simple and straightforward. You see a discrepancy, you submit an inquiry. The judges review things and, very often, a new score is awarded. Gymnasts move fast and judges have to blink, or look down at what they are writing. A judge mis-counts the number of elements that were performed at each level of difficulty. Or a judge simply adds incorrectly. There can be human error which is why there are checks and balances built into the system.
What happened in this case is that the coach failed to submit in inquiry right away. In fact, it was the next day before anyone complained. Then they pushed the case in front of any sporting authority and media outlet that would listen. This "controversy" was entirely caused by coaches not doing their job correctly. Period. At the time I read comments by South Korean officials that it wasn't necessarily so much about this particular incident, but that they wanted to make a point because they felt their athletes had historically been given short shrift in judged athletic endeavors. One article I read mentioned an incident that they feel was unfair that took place in a different competition AND in an entirely different sport!
Controversy #2 was the score given to Alexei Nemov on his high bar routine. The first score awarded was a 9.725. Afterwards the crowds booed long and loudly enough that 2 judges (from Malaysia and Canada) raised the scores they had given resulting in the final score being raised to 9.762. What this says to me is that the judges are wusses. The crowds should not have any influence over the scores and changing the score after prolonged booing simply makes it seem like the judging is random. It isn't. Nemov's routine was great. It *looked* great to the crowd. But some of his skills, while flashy, were not actually as difficult as those that other gymnasts performed. They just aren't. It was not a surprise to anyone in the sport because the difficulty levels of all the moves are published well in advance.
Actually, there was a third controversy. Or at least a third irregularity in the men's gymnastics competition. The day before the competition started, International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) officials informed Blaine Wilson, Brett McClure and Jason Gatson (all from USA) that the start values on their high bar routines, which they'd been using for two years in international competition, were being lowered from 10.0 to 9.9. One of the skills that each included in his routine was suddenly not going to be given the same difficulty value as it had been given for the 2 preceding years. While the FIG *does* set the difficulty level of all moves, changes to the values do not normally occur right before major competitions. In fact, that type of determination generally happens once every 4 years right after the Olympics with, perhaps, smaller yearly touch-ups that are published, in writing, during the non-competition season.
No major changes really needed to be made to the judging system at all as the controversies were caused by the incorrect application of perfectly good rules and the complete inability of a coaching staff to follow well established methods of dealing with such errors. Having said that, however, I will devote parts 2 and following to explaining the new judging system since we seem to be stuck with it.
After the 2004 Olympics, there was a hue and cry saying that we needed a new way to score gymnastics. Said hue and cry was raised based on a couple of occurrences, neither of which are addressed by the new code of points that was put into place in 2006.
The controversy that got the most attention was notable not because of the actual events but because of the way certain of the people involved handled the events. The central fact is that a South Korean gymnast was not given enough points for the difficulty of his parallel bars routine. Incorrectly credited difficulty ratings are a common problem in gymnastics competition. In fact, it is so common that there is a long established method of dealing with such situations. The coach who wants to challenge his or her gymnast's score submits a verbal and written inquiry immediately. That is it. Simple and straightforward. You see a discrepancy, you submit an inquiry. The judges review things and, very often, a new score is awarded. Gymnasts move fast and judges have to blink, or look down at what they are writing. A judge mis-counts the number of elements that were performed at each level of difficulty. Or a judge simply adds incorrectly. There can be human error which is why there are checks and balances built into the system.
What happened in this case is that the coach failed to submit in inquiry right away. In fact, it was the next day before anyone complained. Then they pushed the case in front of any sporting authority and media outlet that would listen. This "controversy" was entirely caused by coaches not doing their job correctly. Period. At the time I read comments by South Korean officials that it wasn't necessarily so much about this particular incident, but that they wanted to make a point because they felt their athletes had historically been given short shrift in judged athletic endeavors. One article I read mentioned an incident that they feel was unfair that took place in a different competition AND in an entirely different sport!
Controversy #2 was the score given to Alexei Nemov on his high bar routine. The first score awarded was a 9.725. Afterwards the crowds booed long and loudly enough that 2 judges (from Malaysia and Canada) raised the scores they had given resulting in the final score being raised to 9.762. What this says to me is that the judges are wusses. The crowds should not have any influence over the scores and changing the score after prolonged booing simply makes it seem like the judging is random. It isn't. Nemov's routine was great. It *looked* great to the crowd. But some of his skills, while flashy, were not actually as difficult as those that other gymnasts performed. They just aren't. It was not a surprise to anyone in the sport because the difficulty levels of all the moves are published well in advance.
Actually, there was a third controversy. Or at least a third irregularity in the men's gymnastics competition. The day before the competition started, International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) officials informed Blaine Wilson, Brett McClure and Jason Gatson (all from USA) that the start values on their high bar routines, which they'd been using for two years in international competition, were being lowered from 10.0 to 9.9. One of the skills that each included in his routine was suddenly not going to be given the same difficulty value as it had been given for the 2 preceding years. While the FIG *does* set the difficulty level of all moves, changes to the values do not normally occur right before major competitions. In fact, that type of determination generally happens once every 4 years right after the Olympics with, perhaps, smaller yearly touch-ups that are published, in writing, during the non-competition season.
No major changes really needed to be made to the judging system at all as the controversies were caused by the incorrect application of perfectly good rules and the complete inability of a coaching staff to follow well established methods of dealing with such errors. Having said that, however, I will devote parts 2 and following to explaining the new judging system since we seem to be stuck with it.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Everyone is thankful for friends and family and health and stuff like that. Here are some non-obvious things that I am thankful for because they make life easier or more comfortable or simply bring me enjoyment:
* Public Libraries
* Hanging file folders
* Online banking and bill paying
* Ziplock bags
* Down comforters
* Crossword puzzles
* Hand-me-down furniture
* My own washer and dryer
* Space heaters
* Disposable cleaning wipes (I know, but they're so convenient!)
* TiVo
* Safety pins
* Excel
* Chai with sugar and milk
* Fizzy water
* Public Libraries
* Hanging file folders
* Online banking and bill paying
* Ziplock bags
* Down comforters
* Crossword puzzles
* Hand-me-down furniture
* My own washer and dryer
* Space heaters
* Disposable cleaning wipes (I know, but they're so convenient!)
* TiVo
* Safety pins
* Excel
* Chai with sugar and milk
* Fizzy water
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
It looks like New York is happening. On dates around December 6.
And that is as planned as the whole thing gets so far. I have no plane tickets. I have no place to stay. I have no plans of things to do. But I'm going and I'll be watching a show Dec. 6. (That is assuming there is still a show since there were strike things happening with stagehands last I checked. The show I won tickets to is still going. As of now. I'm not sure why they aren't included in the strike, so I have no idea how stable that condition is.)
So, suggestions? What should I do? What must I see? Where must I go? If they could be semi-budget conscious suggestions, that would be best.
And that is as planned as the whole thing gets so far. I have no plane tickets. I have no place to stay. I have no plans of things to do. But I'm going and I'll be watching a show Dec. 6. (That is assuming there is still a show since there were strike things happening with stagehands last I checked. The show I won tickets to is still going. As of now. I'm not sure why they aren't included in the strike, so I have no idea how stable that condition is.)
So, suggestions? What should I do? What must I see? Where must I go? If they could be semi-budget conscious suggestions, that would be best.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
When I was younger, I used to split a Carl's Jr. fried zucchini with my mom and consume lots of diet coke for an after school snack on Fridays. Right after that I went straight to gymnastics and worked out for 4.5 hours. No problemo.
Nowadays I carefully time my pre-workout snacks. I eat something light 2.5 - 3 hours before I head to the gym. Any earlier and I'm hungry. Any later and whatever I eat sits in my stomach making me uncomfortable.
Saddest of all? In my youth that 4.5 hour workout included fancy skills including flips and twists and everything. Now my workout is 1.5 hours and includes cartwheels. Maybe a few handsprings on the tumble track (like a trampoline).
I'm not sure I'm 100% behind this whole "getting older" thing. It beats the alternative, but there is room for improvement.
Nowadays I carefully time my pre-workout snacks. I eat something light 2.5 - 3 hours before I head to the gym. Any earlier and I'm hungry. Any later and whatever I eat sits in my stomach making me uncomfortable.
Saddest of all? In my youth that 4.5 hour workout included fancy skills including flips and twists and everything. Now my workout is 1.5 hours and includes cartwheels. Maybe a few handsprings on the tumble track (like a trampoline).
I'm not sure I'm 100% behind this whole "getting older" thing. It beats the alternative, but there is room for improvement.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Topic for today: TV shows, part the second
Gossip Girl - I will admit that I both watched and enjoyed The O.C. Probably because I was invested in several of the characters. That has not happened so far in watching Gossip Girl. Not that I dislike all the characters, but even the "likable" ones haven't drawn me in much yet. I'll give it time, but this is another one that I allow to languish a bit on the TiVo before I watch it. Maybe I'm simply not their target audience. 5 out of 10.
Private Practice - The Grey's spin off. Where Addison turns from a strong, smart, sure-of-herself surgeon to a whiny, relationship-obsessed shadow of her former self. I'm not the first to say it. I actually like the show, but not as much as earlier seasons of Grey's. And Addison, who was one of my favorite people before, is not so much my favorite on this show. 7 out of 10.
Life - I enjoy the ongoing story (who set up Crewes to go to jail in the first place) and so far even the case-of-the-weeks have been decent. I've read of people trying to say Crewes is like House which is not something I see. Sometimes quirky, sure. Occasionally a little vague. But not rude or egocentric and all that. 6.5 out of 10.
Big Shots - I'm pretty sure this is now permanently off the air. Oh was it bad. Mysoginistic. So... it's perfectly fine for one of the male leads to cheat on his wife, but when a different wife cheats on her husband - the horrors! The "look at how girly we're being" jokes. A couple of the characters/storylines (Duncan/Lisbeth/Cameron/Terrence) were drawing me in towards the end. But I don't think the show could have been saved. Which pains me as it was a weekly dose of Michael Vartan on my TV screen. 2 out of 10.
Women's Murder Club - I like this show more than I expected to. It is yet another crime-solving show. And there are a lot of those. This one is not too terribly different from the others but I like the characters and it's an easy, fun, lightweight show. And I have a soft spot for Rob Estes from way back in his Silk Stocking days (which I used to sneak up to watch as it was on past my bedtime). 6.5 out of 10.
Gossip Girl - I will admit that I both watched and enjoyed The O.C. Probably because I was invested in several of the characters. That has not happened so far in watching Gossip Girl. Not that I dislike all the characters, but even the "likable" ones haven't drawn me in much yet. I'll give it time, but this is another one that I allow to languish a bit on the TiVo before I watch it. Maybe I'm simply not their target audience. 5 out of 10.
Private Practice - The Grey's spin off. Where Addison turns from a strong, smart, sure-of-herself surgeon to a whiny, relationship-obsessed shadow of her former self. I'm not the first to say it. I actually like the show, but not as much as earlier seasons of Grey's. And Addison, who was one of my favorite people before, is not so much my favorite on this show. 7 out of 10.
Life - I enjoy the ongoing story (who set up Crewes to go to jail in the first place) and so far even the case-of-the-weeks have been decent. I've read of people trying to say Crewes is like House which is not something I see. Sometimes quirky, sure. Occasionally a little vague. But not rude or egocentric and all that. 6.5 out of 10.
Big Shots - I'm pretty sure this is now permanently off the air. Oh was it bad. Mysoginistic. So... it's perfectly fine for one of the male leads to cheat on his wife, but when a different wife cheats on her husband - the horrors! The "look at how girly we're being" jokes. A couple of the characters/storylines (Duncan/Lisbeth/Cameron/Terrence) were drawing me in towards the end. But I don't think the show could have been saved. Which pains me as it was a weekly dose of Michael Vartan on my TV screen. 2 out of 10.
Women's Murder Club - I like this show more than I expected to. It is yet another crime-solving show. And there are a lot of those. This one is not too terribly different from the others but I like the characters and it's an easy, fun, lightweight show. And I have a soft spot for Rob Estes from way back in his Silk Stocking days (which I used to sneak up to watch as it was on past my bedtime). 6.5 out of 10.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Topic for today: TV shows, part the first
I watch a lot of TV now. Lots. I added quite a few of the new ones to my TiVo line up. What with the strike many won't survive. But as of now anyway...
Bionic Woman - I am not normally into sci-fi, but I love Heroes, so I thought I'd try this out. It is kind of blah for me - not great, not terrible. I'll keep watching it because it's conveniently recorded. But if it disappears, I will be ok with that. 4 out of 10.
Chuck - I like this one! And not just because Chuck attended my alma mater. Though that doesn't hurt... I like the characters (except Morgan who is annoying, not even humorous, just flat out annoying). It's fun. Light. The episode quality has been variable, but I would definitely like this one to stick around a bit. 8 out of 10.
Journeyman - I have liked time travel shows in the past (so maybe I like *some* sci-fi) Voyagers, Quantum Leap, etc. all held my interest. There are some interesting differences from those previous shows - the main character keeps jumping back to his "home" time period and his abilities cause some interesting problems in his family and work life. This is well done for the most part, but not must-see-TV. 6 out of 10.
Aliens in America - It's on the TiVo because Luke (from GG) is on it. And it is still there because I have been too lazy to remove it. It is occasionally funny. The general plot is: American teen and Muslim exchange student are facing a situation or an issue, American teen wants to deal in one way, exchange student wants to deal a different way, American teen does it his way, messes up, apologizes to the exchange student because his way was best all along. I think I just don't like sit coms any more. I used to. In high school. Not so much now. (Although Samantha Who? is good, but I can't watch now because there is a time conflict and I was watching the episodes online and now I refuse to do so while the WGA strike is going on.) 3 out of 10.
Pushing Daisies - I like the stylized look of the show. I like most of the characters. The narration occasionally bugs. Kristin Chenowith singing is great! The pacing, however, is crazy-making. Too slow. I only watch this when I've cleared other shows off the playlist. 5 out of 10.
That is it for this part. More tomorrow.
I watch a lot of TV now. Lots. I added quite a few of the new ones to my TiVo line up. What with the strike many won't survive. But as of now anyway...
Bionic Woman - I am not normally into sci-fi, but I love Heroes, so I thought I'd try this out. It is kind of blah for me - not great, not terrible. I'll keep watching it because it's conveniently recorded. But if it disappears, I will be ok with that. 4 out of 10.
Chuck - I like this one! And not just because Chuck attended my alma mater. Though that doesn't hurt... I like the characters (except Morgan who is annoying, not even humorous, just flat out annoying). It's fun. Light. The episode quality has been variable, but I would definitely like this one to stick around a bit. 8 out of 10.
Journeyman - I have liked time travel shows in the past (so maybe I like *some* sci-fi) Voyagers, Quantum Leap, etc. all held my interest. There are some interesting differences from those previous shows - the main character keeps jumping back to his "home" time period and his abilities cause some interesting problems in his family and work life. This is well done for the most part, but not must-see-TV. 6 out of 10.
Aliens in America - It's on the TiVo because Luke (from GG) is on it. And it is still there because I have been too lazy to remove it. It is occasionally funny. The general plot is: American teen and Muslim exchange student are facing a situation or an issue, American teen wants to deal in one way, exchange student wants to deal a different way, American teen does it his way, messes up, apologizes to the exchange student because his way was best all along. I think I just don't like sit coms any more. I used to. In high school. Not so much now. (Although Samantha Who? is good, but I can't watch now because there is a time conflict and I was watching the episodes online and now I refuse to do so while the WGA strike is going on.) 3 out of 10.
Pushing Daisies - I like the stylized look of the show. I like most of the characters. The narration occasionally bugs. Kristin Chenowith singing is great! The pacing, however, is crazy-making. Too slow. I only watch this when I've cleared other shows off the playlist. 5 out of 10.
That is it for this part. More tomorrow.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
The post I would have written Saturday, had I been near a computer:
I love this group of women. We see each other all together once a year for this retreat weekend. Some of them I see *only* on this one weekend (some have moved out of the area since we started our annual get-away). But I feel right at home with all of them. We come, we share where we are with no holds barred, and this group - they listen. They just listen and hug and commiserate and congratulate and most of all, they care.
(Here my writing veered off into stuff I won't be sharing publically since it involved things told in confidence. That is another aspect that I love about this group - we don't gossip.)
I love this group of women. We see each other all together once a year for this retreat weekend. Some of them I see *only* on this one weekend (some have moved out of the area since we started our annual get-away). But I feel right at home with all of them. We come, we share where we are with no holds barred, and this group - they listen. They just listen and hug and commiserate and congratulate and most of all, they care.
(Here my writing veered off into stuff I won't be sharing publically since it involved things told in confidence. That is another aspect that I love about this group - we don't gossip.)
Friday, November 09, 2007
I'm off on a retreat with a bunch of friends. We try to have one weekend get together each year. We do exciting things like sit around and talk, hike a bit, and do arts and crafts. Like coloring. It's so much fun. And even more so now that the core group no longer all live in the same area. Some of these women I only see once a year any more.
This time it is very close to where I live, but I'm away from my computer and thus, will continue with the NaBloPoMo project on Monday. (Such a cheater. Yes, I know.)
This time it is very close to where I live, but I'm away from my computer and thus, will continue with the NaBloPoMo project on Monday. (Such a cheater. Yes, I know.)
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Is it stupid to try to get a flight to the New York area just because I have a chance to go see a Broadway show for free?
Seriously, I'm sure I'd spend more on the flight than the tickets would cost were I paying. OTOH, I've never been to NY. I want to. Someday. Should I take this excuse? Of course, this would just be a short trip. And there is a chance I could get lodging in NJ. Am I crazy for wanting to try?
Seriously, I'm sure I'd spend more on the flight than the tickets would cost were I paying. OTOH, I've never been to NY. I want to. Someday. Should I take this excuse? Of course, this would just be a short trip. And there is a chance I could get lodging in NJ. Am I crazy for wanting to try?
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Topic for today: The WGA strike
Why my opinion on this should count: I have read at least 3 blogs by TV writers. Also I watch a lot of TV. Especially now. I watch mostly scripted TV dramas. I hate the vast majority of "reality" TV. I refuse to watch TV news. So basically, without the WGA my TV viewing goes down to The Amazing Race. People, I am unemployed here - I *need* TV to fill my days. (Kidding! Sort of.) Plus, I once appeared on a game show and when it re-aired I got a second "thanks for playing, loser, here is your parting gift" - so that's basically a residual, yes?
Point the first: Calling full length episodes watched on the internet "promotional" to avoid paying residuals to writers (and Actors? Crew members?) while getting ad revenue from the same is a slimy, slimy move. Selling episodes for iPods and saying that revenue doesn't count for residual-calculating purposes? Slimier.
Point the second: One of the writers' blogs I read, and a YouTube video I have watched use the "but we *need* the money, we might lose our houses" argument. Or "almost half of us are unemployed at any given time." Which... huh? These things are assuredly very, very important to the writers themselves. But I do not see what they have to do with how residuals should be paid.
The strongest way to spin this point would be to say something like "when I took this job residuals were about $x per year and they have gone down a lot so my salary has, effectively, been reduced." The "but we *need* the money" thing? To me? Sounds like the whining of people who didn't plan their financial future very well. Just like the people who took on home loans that were ridiculous imagining that it would all work out (by magic I guess) in the end.
As a currently unemployed person, I do understand what it is to have no active income. But I am not in danger of losing my house because I saved up. I have an emergency fund. I did not buy a house that I could not afford. I factored the cost of COBRA into my "how much money would I need to support myself for a year if I had no income" calculations. If I had chosen to work in a field where prolonged unemployment was virtually guaranteed, I would have had an even larger emergency fund. Were I a writer, for financial planning purposes, I would treat residuals the same way I treat stock options. Not real actual money until it is in my hot little hands. Not even something I consider a part of my compensation. Am I all judgy on this point? Yes. Deal. If you choose to work in a field that has intermittent work, then you plan for the intermittent income financially.
Conclusion: I agree with the writers. I may disagree with how the argument is being framed. But I agree with the basic premise - if residuals are part of the industry-wide compensation practices, and they are, then they should apply every time money is made off of the works in question. Period. This is just as true for someone who has never been unemployed as for someone who has only worked 1 out of the past 5 years. This is true for someone who has $100, 000 sitting in a savings account and true for a writer who lives month to month.
Why my opinion on this should count: I have read at least 3 blogs by TV writers. Also I watch a lot of TV. Especially now. I watch mostly scripted TV dramas. I hate the vast majority of "reality" TV. I refuse to watch TV news. So basically, without the WGA my TV viewing goes down to The Amazing Race. People, I am unemployed here - I *need* TV to fill my days. (Kidding! Sort of.) Plus, I once appeared on a game show and when it re-aired I got a second "thanks for playing, loser, here is your parting gift" - so that's basically a residual, yes?
Point the first: Calling full length episodes watched on the internet "promotional" to avoid paying residuals to writers (and Actors? Crew members?) while getting ad revenue from the same is a slimy, slimy move. Selling episodes for iPods and saying that revenue doesn't count for residual-calculating purposes? Slimier.
Point the second: One of the writers' blogs I read, and a YouTube video I have watched use the "but we *need* the money, we might lose our houses" argument. Or "almost half of us are unemployed at any given time." Which... huh? These things are assuredly very, very important to the writers themselves. But I do not see what they have to do with how residuals should be paid.
The strongest way to spin this point would be to say something like "when I took this job residuals were about $x per year and they have gone down a lot so my salary has, effectively, been reduced." The "but we *need* the money" thing? To me? Sounds like the whining of people who didn't plan their financial future very well. Just like the people who took on home loans that were ridiculous imagining that it would all work out (by magic I guess) in the end.
As a currently unemployed person, I do understand what it is to have no active income. But I am not in danger of losing my house because I saved up. I have an emergency fund. I did not buy a house that I could not afford. I factored the cost of COBRA into my "how much money would I need to support myself for a year if I had no income" calculations. If I had chosen to work in a field where prolonged unemployment was virtually guaranteed, I would have had an even larger emergency fund. Were I a writer, for financial planning purposes, I would treat residuals the same way I treat stock options. Not real actual money until it is in my hot little hands. Not even something I consider a part of my compensation. Am I all judgy on this point? Yes. Deal. If you choose to work in a field that has intermittent work, then you plan for the intermittent income financially.
Conclusion: I agree with the writers. I may disagree with how the argument is being framed. But I agree with the basic premise - if residuals are part of the industry-wide compensation practices, and they are, then they should apply every time money is made off of the works in question. Period. This is just as true for someone who has never been unemployed as for someone who has only worked 1 out of the past 5 years. This is true for someone who has $100, 000 sitting in a savings account and true for a writer who lives month to month.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
This does not bode well. It's day 6 and already I'm casting about for blog topics. So today the topic is... my health. Yeah, scintillating, I know.
I'm on something like week 4 or 5 of my annual winter cold. The thing is, it is cold and flu season and everyone gets sick. Yes, I know. But I get sick and stay that way for months. As in 3 or 4 or even 5. At some point I will get annoyed and go to the doctor and she will tell me that I have a cold.
It isn't a bad cold. If I had a job I'd still be going to it every day. And hey - at least this year I don't have to deal with the well-meaning advice to just stay home for a few days and get totally well and cut this thing short. Because I do stay home and sleep in and all that and I'm. still. sick.
I'd like to ignore the whole thing. I really would. But it seems to come up in every conversation I have. And then I feel obliged to somehow expand on the topic. And I hate myself for that because - what, am I 80 now?
I'd like even more for it to go away. I do vitamins. I do fluids. I do soup. I do over the counter medicines. I'll try pretty much any whacked out cure anyone advises. Anyone?
I'm on something like week 4 or 5 of my annual winter cold. The thing is, it is cold and flu season and everyone gets sick. Yes, I know. But I get sick and stay that way for months. As in 3 or 4 or even 5. At some point I will get annoyed and go to the doctor and she will tell me that I have a cold.
It isn't a bad cold. If I had a job I'd still be going to it every day. And hey - at least this year I don't have to deal with the well-meaning advice to just stay home for a few days and get totally well and cut this thing short. Because I do stay home and sleep in and all that and I'm. still. sick.
I'd like to ignore the whole thing. I really would. But it seems to come up in every conversation I have. And then I feel obliged to somehow expand on the topic. And I hate myself for that because - what, am I 80 now?
I'd like even more for it to go away. I do vitamins. I do fluids. I do soup. I do over the counter medicines. I'll try pretty much any whacked out cure anyone advises. Anyone?
Monday, November 05, 2007
First, an organizational point for NaBloPoMo. I will not be posting on Sundays. Why? I do not generally use the computer at all on Sundays. It is my mini-version of a day of rest. No computers, no shopping, no cleaning. Anyway, I forgot to mention this before yesterday, so I'm saying it now. Oh, and also, I'll be out of town next Saturday and not near a computer so I'll miss that day too but I'll be writing something on paper and transferring it the following Monday. I'm probably breaking all sorts of rules for NaBloPoMo.
One of the things I do in my spare time is lead the youth group at my church. Every year we babysit while a local elementary school holds its annual auction. (We get paid, so it's a fundraiser for us too.) Last Saturday was the big babysitting gig. It went so-much-better than it ever has before. Normally we open at 6:30 and by 7:30 I'm glancing at my watch wondering how much longer until I can go home. This year I first glanced at my watch at 9:30. It felt controlled rather than like barely controlled chaos.
Part of the reason is, I'm sure, that we had only 50 kids show up. We've had up to 70 in the past. Another part is that the children who did come seemed much calmer. It is my theory that there are one or two kids who, if they come, can incite chaos among their peers. Not bad kids, just exitable. And those kids did not come this year. (I don't know which specific children, well, I have a clue about one, but I'm talking about the type in general.)
One of the things I do in my spare time is lead the youth group at my church. Every year we babysit while a local elementary school holds its annual auction. (We get paid, so it's a fundraiser for us too.) Last Saturday was the big babysitting gig. It went so-much-better than it ever has before. Normally we open at 6:30 and by 7:30 I'm glancing at my watch wondering how much longer until I can go home. This year I first glanced at my watch at 9:30. It felt controlled rather than like barely controlled chaos.
Part of the reason is, I'm sure, that we had only 50 kids show up. We've had up to 70 in the past. Another part is that the children who did come seemed much calmer. It is my theory that there are one or two kids who, if they come, can incite chaos among their peers. Not bad kids, just exitable. And those kids did not come this year. (I don't know which specific children, well, I have a clue about one, but I'm talking about the type in general.)
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Spain 2005 - the odds and ends edition
* I do not think that people in Madrid bake. I say this because I did go to several grocery stores and only in one did I see flour. I already mentioned that I could not find chocolate chips at all even after several days of searching. I suppose you just buy baked goods if you live there. I also never saw vanilla, or pesto, or hummus in the stores there. Not that the last 2 have anything in particular to do with baking.
* The milk is not refrigerated before you open it. It comes in boxes like boxed soup does here. It didn't taste all that different. But it did surprise me at first.
* Someone who was more outgoing would probably have met people in a month and made friends and gone out. I did not. It was a very isolating experience in a way. I talked to my host mom. And the host son. And wait staff and museum attendants and the like. Which is pathetic but the best I could manage combining my natural introversion and reticence to use my so-so Spanish.
* On the other hand I did get to see a lot of Madrid and feel like I didn't stick to just the touristy areas. I actually experienced daily life there which was one of my goals.
* I do wish I had been able to travel around the country more. I also wish I had made it to some of the famous nightlife areas or at least one measly discoteca. Also a Flamenco show.
* I regret all those times I rushed to be back in the condo for English lessons that never happened. On one hand I feel like I didn't uphold my end of the "teach us English and we'll put you up for a month" bargain. On the other hand, I tried. I really tried. And if you aren't going to be there at all one day (never mind the times you are technically there but refuse to interact with me) tell me because I really could have found something else to do. Something more fun than sitting by myself in an otherwise empty condo.
* I do not think that people in Madrid bake. I say this because I did go to several grocery stores and only in one did I see flour. I already mentioned that I could not find chocolate chips at all even after several days of searching. I suppose you just buy baked goods if you live there. I also never saw vanilla, or pesto, or hummus in the stores there. Not that the last 2 have anything in particular to do with baking.
* The milk is not refrigerated before you open it. It comes in boxes like boxed soup does here. It didn't taste all that different. But it did surprise me at first.
* Someone who was more outgoing would probably have met people in a month and made friends and gone out. I did not. It was a very isolating experience in a way. I talked to my host mom. And the host son. And wait staff and museum attendants and the like. Which is pathetic but the best I could manage combining my natural introversion and reticence to use my so-so Spanish.
* On the other hand I did get to see a lot of Madrid and feel like I didn't stick to just the touristy areas. I actually experienced daily life there which was one of my goals.
* I do wish I had been able to travel around the country more. I also wish I had made it to some of the famous nightlife areas or at least one measly discoteca. Also a Flamenco show.
* I regret all those times I rushed to be back in the condo for English lessons that never happened. On one hand I feel like I didn't uphold my end of the "teach us English and we'll put you up for a month" bargain. On the other hand, I tried. I really tried. And if you aren't going to be there at all one day (never mind the times you are technically there but refuse to interact with me) tell me because I really could have found something else to do. Something more fun than sitting by myself in an otherwise empty condo.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Week 4 of my Spain trip. In 2005.
Day 22 - My trip diary notes that Diana apparently did not return at all during the previous night. It also mentions the possibility that she could have gone away for the weekend. I spent the day puttering around the condo. I headed in to Madrid in the evening with the intention of catching a Flamenco show. Though the place recommended by the guide book was in a busy-ish area of town, I could not find the actual address. Plus the street that it was supposedly on wasn't so much a street as a mostly-deserted alley. At night. In a foreign country. So I admit I only walked up and down where the address should have been about twice. Having given up, I walked around Madrid, hit a Starbucks to hear a few words of English, and finally caught one of the last busses back to Las Rozas.
Day 23 - Started the inevitable shopping for gifts for the people back home. I also discovered that writing post cards while dining alone made me feel less conspicuous. This was a Monday, so after wandering Madrid a little, I headed back to the condo in time for the English lessons or whatever small amount of work in that area that Borja would allow. However, neither Borja nor Diana were there so I did a bit of shopping and made dinner. I also started musing about whether I should contact anyone about Diana's continuing absence.
Day 24 - Finally got to El Prado. Really enjoyed the bulk of my day there. There's something about seeing the real actual paintings and artwork you read about (in high school most likely) that is just cool. An art student was copying "Las Meninas" when I went past and another was trying to copy something by Hieronymous Boch ('El Bosco' in Spain) and while I've never really had artistic talent, I sort of envied them.
Lunch was the vegetarian restaurant and my notes say that the food was really good even though I had no idea what, exactly, I was eating. Post-lunch I took a quick side-trip to the Principe Pio mall but didn't have much time because I had to hurry back to the condo for English lessons at 5:30. Which never materialized. Again.
Day 25 - The alarm went off before 8 a.m. Ugh. But I did manage to take the bus into Madrid, the Metro to another bus station (Estacion Sur) and catch the 10 a.m. bus to Toledo.
I did some wandering down streets just because they looked interesting. I did actually pay the entrance fee to see the Catedral. While paying to enter a church still seems wrong to me, it was impressive. Lots of nooks and crannies instead of one large unified apse. It was beautiful inside and very, very ornate. Parts were set up almost like a museum with paintings and old vestments on display.
At one time there were 12 mosques in Toledo. Only one is still standing. It was very very small, but worth the admission all the same because it is more than 1000 years old. It had the typical Moorish arches and was well preseved considering the age. Several of the gates into the old part of Toledo also have a clear Moorish influence.
Bussed back to Madrid then Las Rozas. No Diana, no Borja, no English lessons. Convinced myself that if Diana's disappearance was really a problem, someone would have been by the condo to look for her. Like her husband. Did laundry and ate dinner and enjoyed the fireworks from the festival from the balcony of the condo.
Day 26 - The plan was to sleep in and try to finish off my souvenir shopping. Sleeping in didn't happen. As to the shopping, I think I will quote directly from my trip journal:
So, no, I didn't buy anything. I did walk a lot. I was also watching my cash because in Diana's absence I was trying to figure out how I, and my humongous suitcases, were going to get to the airport the day after my all-metro monthly pass expired. During morning rush hour.
Day 27 - Woke up early again even without the benefit of an alarm. I did manage to get the last of my shopping done including a hostess gift for Diana. I got back to the condo and lo and behold - Diana was back. Yay!
I am *sure* that she explained to me that she was going to go on vacation. She thought that I understood the whole thing. And, in general, I did understand much more than I could communicate. But I misunderstood what she said (I thought she was talking about a vacation she had taken to the coast in the past) so to me, she left one day saying only "I'm going now" and didn't show up again for a week.
The English lessons that I kept rushing back to the condo for could have happened. She told her husband to bring Borja by, but he never did. I only wish I had known ahead of time. I definitely would have stayed out later on several occasions. I would even have managed a couple of days in Cordoba.
Day 22 - My trip diary notes that Diana apparently did not return at all during the previous night. It also mentions the possibility that she could have gone away for the weekend. I spent the day puttering around the condo. I headed in to Madrid in the evening with the intention of catching a Flamenco show. Though the place recommended by the guide book was in a busy-ish area of town, I could not find the actual address. Plus the street that it was supposedly on wasn't so much a street as a mostly-deserted alley. At night. In a foreign country. So I admit I only walked up and down where the address should have been about twice. Having given up, I walked around Madrid, hit a Starbucks to hear a few words of English, and finally caught one of the last busses back to Las Rozas.
Day 23 - Started the inevitable shopping for gifts for the people back home. I also discovered that writing post cards while dining alone made me feel less conspicuous. This was a Monday, so after wandering Madrid a little, I headed back to the condo in time for the English lessons or whatever small amount of work in that area that Borja would allow. However, neither Borja nor Diana were there so I did a bit of shopping and made dinner. I also started musing about whether I should contact anyone about Diana's continuing absence.
Day 24 - Finally got to El Prado. Really enjoyed the bulk of my day there. There's something about seeing the real actual paintings and artwork you read about (in high school most likely) that is just cool. An art student was copying "Las Meninas" when I went past and another was trying to copy something by Hieronymous Boch ('El Bosco' in Spain) and while I've never really had artistic talent, I sort of envied them.
Lunch was the vegetarian restaurant and my notes say that the food was really good even though I had no idea what, exactly, I was eating. Post-lunch I took a quick side-trip to the Principe Pio mall but didn't have much time because I had to hurry back to the condo for English lessons at 5:30. Which never materialized. Again.
Day 25 - The alarm went off before 8 a.m. Ugh. But I did manage to take the bus into Madrid, the Metro to another bus station (Estacion Sur) and catch the 10 a.m. bus to Toledo.
I did some wandering down streets just because they looked interesting. I did actually pay the entrance fee to see the Catedral. While paying to enter a church still seems wrong to me, it was impressive. Lots of nooks and crannies instead of one large unified apse. It was beautiful inside and very, very ornate. Parts were set up almost like a museum with paintings and old vestments on display.
At one time there were 12 mosques in Toledo. Only one is still standing. It was very very small, but worth the admission all the same because it is more than 1000 years old. It had the typical Moorish arches and was well preseved considering the age. Several of the gates into the old part of Toledo also have a clear Moorish influence.
Bussed back to Madrid then Las Rozas. No Diana, no Borja, no English lessons. Convinced myself that if Diana's disappearance was really a problem, someone would have been by the condo to look for her. Like her husband. Did laundry and ate dinner and enjoyed the fireworks from the festival from the balcony of the condo.
Day 26 - The plan was to sleep in and try to finish off my souvenir shopping. Sleeping in didn't happen. As to the shopping, I think I will quote directly from my trip journal:
Calle de Hortaleza. Supposedly good for traditional Spanish
goods. Actually good for clothes, art supplies, eateries, tattoo parlors
and sex shops. Also prostitutes if I'm not mistaken.Calle de Fuencarrel. Supposedly good for quirky and
kitch. As advertised if a teen mall, skateboarder vibe is what you
consider quirky.
So, no, I didn't buy anything. I did walk a lot. I was also watching my cash because in Diana's absence I was trying to figure out how I, and my humongous suitcases, were going to get to the airport the day after my all-metro monthly pass expired. During morning rush hour.
Day 27 - Woke up early again even without the benefit of an alarm. I did manage to get the last of my shopping done including a hostess gift for Diana. I got back to the condo and lo and behold - Diana was back. Yay!
I am *sure* that she explained to me that she was going to go on vacation. She thought that I understood the whole thing. And, in general, I did understand much more than I could communicate. But I misunderstood what she said (I thought she was talking about a vacation she had taken to the coast in the past) so to me, she left one day saying only "I'm going now" and didn't show up again for a week.
The English lessons that I kept rushing back to the condo for could have happened. She told her husband to bring Borja by, but he never did. I only wish I had known ahead of time. I definitely would have stayed out later on several occasions. I would even have managed a couple of days in Cordoba.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
I am an expert avoider.
For example, today I have:
* watched a TV show that I recorded last night
* gone to lunch with 2 former co-workers
* puchased half-price Halloween candy at Target
* visited a few web sites
* played a couple of computer games
* started this blog post
Today I have NOT:
* looked for a job
* applied for a job
* thought about what kind of job I might like to have
(um, hi unemployment office, please keep sending the checks anyway, thanks)
Why? Because the decision of what to do seems so enormous. Which I realize is silly. If I choose the wrong thing, it's not as if I am stuck in that career for the rest of my life. Getting started is hard. But it must be done. I hereby promise to look at job listings and read another chapter of I Don't Know What I Want But I Know It's Not This. Today. Now.
For example, today I have:
* watched a TV show that I recorded last night
* gone to lunch with 2 former co-workers
* puchased half-price Halloween candy at Target
* visited a few web sites
* played a couple of computer games
* started this blog post
Today I have NOT:
* looked for a job
* applied for a job
* thought about what kind of job I might like to have
(um, hi unemployment office, please keep sending the checks anyway, thanks)
Why? Because the decision of what to do seems so enormous. Which I realize is silly. If I choose the wrong thing, it's not as if I am stuck in that career for the rest of my life. Getting started is hard. But it must be done. I hereby promise to look at job listings and read another chapter of I Don't Know What I Want But I Know It's Not This. Today. Now.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Well, I just signed up for NaBloPoMo so I should be posting something every day. Not that it will necessarily be anything interesting. Since "what should I do with my life" is just about the biggest thing on my mind nowadays, I'm sure that will play a big role in my musings. I'm just saying - you have fair warning.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Topic for today: What do I want to be when I grow up? Part 1.
Since being laid off 3 (4?) weeks ago, I haven't been in a huge hurry to find a new job. I mean, this is why I have an emergency fund, yes? And also, there were gymnastics National Championships nearby. And my sister's wedding things to think about. But really, I haven't done more than peruse craigslist because I have no idea what type of job I actually want.
Most everyone else who was laid off (most of them went almost 2 months before I did) found a new job and are happily adjusting to the post PhotoSite work-place. I'm sure I could do something similar if I wanted to jump back into another QA or QA manager position. But I think I'd rather take a job an In-n-Out (they pay well for a fast food place and treat their employees fairly) than another QA job. In fact, other than letting down our users and not working with the same group of great people, I'm thrilled about the shut down and layoff because it got me out of that job.
What is so bad about QA? For a lot of people, probably nothing. For me? I was bored beyond belief. There is a lot to the QA job that I could have done but didn't; I could have gotten more involved with automating tests for one. But I never wanted to. The mere thought of trying some of the stuff my manager wanted us to start working on made me tired. Not that I didn't start doing it, but I had little to no enthusiasm about it. The main tasks my team did were repetitive in a way. I did them for 9 years. At a certain point, I started not caring. Which is really, really dangerous for someone doing QA. Because if you aren't going to get upset over a misspelled word on the splash page, it isn't going to get fixed. I truly don't know how I didn't make a huge mistake sometime in the past 2 or 3 years. I was forcing myself to do all the necessary parts of the job but very little beyond that. I was unhappy and depressed and had at least 30 extra pounds to show for it.
What about QA was a good fit for me? I'm a little bit nit-picky naturally. I like knowing about the code without having to actually write it. I like having an idea of how all of the moving parts work together. I like organizing things logically. I enjoy working with all the various groups - development, project management, design, etc. I like the consumer internet space. I love the casual atmosphere of software/internet companies.
Part 2 , I promise, will have less whining.
Since being laid off 3 (4?) weeks ago, I haven't been in a huge hurry to find a new job. I mean, this is why I have an emergency fund, yes? And also, there were gymnastics National Championships nearby. And my sister's wedding things to think about. But really, I haven't done more than peruse craigslist because I have no idea what type of job I actually want.
Most everyone else who was laid off (most of them went almost 2 months before I did) found a new job and are happily adjusting to the post PhotoSite work-place. I'm sure I could do something similar if I wanted to jump back into another QA or QA manager position. But I think I'd rather take a job an In-n-Out (they pay well for a fast food place and treat their employees fairly) than another QA job. In fact, other than letting down our users and not working with the same group of great people, I'm thrilled about the shut down and layoff because it got me out of that job.
What is so bad about QA? For a lot of people, probably nothing. For me? I was bored beyond belief. There is a lot to the QA job that I could have done but didn't; I could have gotten more involved with automating tests for one. But I never wanted to. The mere thought of trying some of the stuff my manager wanted us to start working on made me tired. Not that I didn't start doing it, but I had little to no enthusiasm about it. The main tasks my team did were repetitive in a way. I did them for 9 years. At a certain point, I started not caring. Which is really, really dangerous for someone doing QA. Because if you aren't going to get upset over a misspelled word on the splash page, it isn't going to get fixed. I truly don't know how I didn't make a huge mistake sometime in the past 2 or 3 years. I was forcing myself to do all the necessary parts of the job but very little beyond that. I was unhappy and depressed and had at least 30 extra pounds to show for it.
What about QA was a good fit for me? I'm a little bit nit-picky naturally. I like knowing about the code without having to actually write it. I like having an idea of how all of the moving parts work together. I like organizing things logically. I enjoy working with all the various groups - development, project management, design, etc. I like the consumer internet space. I love the casual atmosphere of software/internet companies.
Part 2 , I promise, will have less whining.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
I am battered and bruised and a little bit burned today.
Tuesday I went whitewater rafting. For the first time I tried it on a Class IV river (before I stuck to Class III). It was *much* less crowded than any time I've rafted before. Our two rafts were the only ones we saw on the river all day long.
I think my favorite rapids were the first class IVs we came to called Tunnel Shoot. Some people even call this a class V rapid. Here's a picture (not my trip) - http://www.gikialumni.org/doc/portal/gallery/picture.jsp?view=imagedetail&picId=192. Yeah - that? We went down backwards for the most part. We got turned around at the beginning and there wasn't much we could do about it until the tunnel which is right after the rapids.
There was one rapid on the river that we weren't allowed to raft since it is a class VI. I can't say I'm upset about that having seen them from the river bank. Those looked scary! Our guides, however, ran them alone since we had to get the rafts down somehow.
The only thing that could have been better about the trip would be if I not fallen out of the raft. Twice. The second time onto some sort of rock that left me with a big bruise on my thigh. But it was fun and exciting nonetheless. I can highly, highly recommend rafting on the Middle Fork of the American River.
(Oh, the burned thing. Sunburn in a weird shape near my left ankle. Par for the course. I *thought* I covered every possible inch of skin. But maybe I missed it on the post-lunch re-application of sunscreen.)
Tuesday I went whitewater rafting. For the first time I tried it on a Class IV river (before I stuck to Class III). It was *much* less crowded than any time I've rafted before. Our two rafts were the only ones we saw on the river all day long.
I think my favorite rapids were the first class IVs we came to called Tunnel Shoot. Some people even call this a class V rapid. Here's a picture (not my trip) - http://www.gikialumni.org/doc/portal/gallery/picture.jsp?view=imagedetail&picId=192. Yeah - that? We went down backwards for the most part. We got turned around at the beginning and there wasn't much we could do about it until the tunnel which is right after the rapids.
There was one rapid on the river that we weren't allowed to raft since it is a class VI. I can't say I'm upset about that having seen them from the river bank. Those looked scary! Our guides, however, ran them alone since we had to get the rafts down somehow.
The only thing that could have been better about the trip would be if I not fallen out of the raft. Twice. The second time onto some sort of rock that left me with a big bruise on my thigh. But it was fun and exciting nonetheless. I can highly, highly recommend rafting on the Middle Fork of the American River.
(Oh, the burned thing. Sunburn in a weird shape near my left ankle. Par for the course. I *thought* I covered every possible inch of skin. But maybe I missed it on the post-lunch re-application of sunscreen.)
Friday, June 15, 2007
Week 3 (I *am* going to finish these posts about Spain. Hopefully before I take another big vacation.)
It's been so long that now I'm mainly going off the trip diary I took, but re-reading it is bringing back memories.
Day 15 - I heard my host mom come into the condo at 8 a.m. That's when she got home from being out partying the night before. No wonder she looked at me as if I were crazy what with my early midnight to 1 a.m. bedtimes. Anyway, I slept more after that and finally got up and headed to Madrid for El Rastro. Which I actually found this time. At first I was in a part of it that was in the alleys between buildings. It wasn't as sketchy as that sounds. I wasn't super impressed - yes people had stuff out to sell, but it wasn't huge or even all that crowded as the guidebook had warned. Then I found the actual heart of it. And yes, it *is* huge. And crowded. And a teeny bit crazy. There were tons of stalls selling all sorts of things. There wasn't anything I needed or wanted to buy, plus it was intimidating, so I basically just walked through the masses and looked around. Then I headed to Plaza Mayor and grabbed another lunch from a restaurant on one of the side streets. I sat at a little outdoor table and just watched people come and go. Lunch took something like an hour and a half. There was just no hurry. It was really relaxing. And the waiter was extremely nice. A group of 4 people with British accents was at the table next to me for part of it and I got to overhear English again. Then on the way back to the Metro I was able to give directions to a couple from Singapore that was looking for the outlet mall in Las Rozas. In English.
Reading my trip diary and noticing every mention of English-speaking reminds me again how almost desperate I was to be able to talk and be understood. My Spanish was passable - I understood at least the gist of everything around me - but it took so much effort all the time. Plus I am worse at the speaking thing than at the listening.
Something that I really enjoyed about the trip was the feeling of accomplishment at mastering the public transportation. It's a silly thing to take pleasure in, but I really liked that I could get anywhere I wanted on the Metro. And when I could even start help with giving directions? Even better.
Day 16 - I spent some time in some of the shopping areas in Madrid. I do not know why. Because I am not a shopper. So I should not spend time shopping just because the guidebook says "Hey - cool shopping areas in location A and B." That means that if you like to shop, go to A and B. Not, go to A and B and what is there will wow even a veteran non-shopper. But hey, I did go into Old Atocha Station which is indeed almost tropical inside. And there are turtles. So that was marginally interesting. I'm not sure if it was this day or another one later (or earlier) that I located one of the few vegetarian restaurants in Madrid. It's near Atocha, so maybe it was this day. The food was very good. Some of the best I had while I was there.
Day 17 - Much more eventful. I managed to get up and out of the house early. Like by 8 a.m. The buses were way more crowded at that time than on my usual 10 or 11 a.m. trips! The reason for my sudden industriousness was a day trip to Segovia. After taking a bus to Madrid, a train to the right section of Madrid, walking to the private bus company that handles these trips, and riding on that bus for about an hour, I was in Segovia.
Practically the first thing you see when getting off the bus is the Roman Aquaduct left over from the 1st century. It looks stable and not like it is going anywhere which is impressive. As is the no mortar thing. It's also just attractive anyway. After that I walked to Plaza Mayor (small shops mostly, also the Catedral) then the Alcazar.
The Alcazar was really quite pretty. Painted and decorated ceilings, fancy tilework in the floors, etc. Really great views of the surrounding countryside from most of the windows. Very pretty precise gardens. That sort of thing. Also a room full of armor some of which looks like it would fit a modern 6 year old. They say that Cinderella's Castle in Disneyland is based on El Alcazar, but Neuschwanstein makes the same claim. Having seen both castles, I'd have to go with Neuschwanstein.
I think this is when I successfully located and used a post office. Including communicating my needs with an actual Spanish-speaking person. Yay me! It was so much easier to read and write essays in Spanish than it was to use it to communicate with people...
Afterwards I made a typical tourist faux pas - I ate lunch. I knew it was too early at the time (it was only about 1 p.m.) but I hadn't had breakfast and was starving. They were perfectly nice, but since I was at an out of the way place recommended by my guide book, I think I mainly confused them. So then during the actual lunch time I was left with little to do - mainly wandering the very narrow cobblestone streets and sitting in the Plaza Mayor listening to some piano music. And then some jackhammers. (Ugh. More of that "getting ready for the Olympics which - ooops - we didn't get" stuff.) I did a bit of souvenir shopping. Then I hurried back to Las Rozas expecting there to be English lessons which I specifically asked about the night before. But neither my host mom nor her son were there. *sigh*
Day 18 - Amusing tidbit: my host mom left the house at 11 p.m. on day 17 and returned, I think, at 6 a.m. on day 18. The guide book really wasn't joking when it said people stay out late to party. Oh, and day 18? Was a Wednesday.
I spent the day in the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. It was a relaxing and fun day. The collections were sort of spread out chronologically - some older, some modern. Lots of early triptychs, some Degas/Monet/Renoir, some Juan Gris. Then, because I thought it would be amusing, and it was close, I had lunch at Planet Hollywood. Where I had the caprese salad made with grated hard mozerella and dried basil. Which was not what I expected. Oh well. Also they had VH-1 on several TVs. Sort of funny.
Day 19 - I started the day by trying to shop for ingredients for an easy pie I wanted to make with the host family son as a way to practice English. So I walked to the Carrefour near the condo - no tofu, no vanilla, no chocolate chips, no pre-made cookie pie crust. So I took the bus into Madrid and checked out a few stores there including the grocery section of El Corte Ingles. No vanilla or chocolate, yes on the tofu, but only the hard kind and the recipe called for soft. Nothing else to note except another verging on non-existent English lesson.
Day 20 - Another day wandering in Madrid. I checked out yet another store looking for ingredients. Taste of America had a few cake mixes, marshmallow fluff, Jiffy, etc. But no chocolate chips. No vanilla. (Okay - HOW do they survive? No vanilla? No chocolate chips?!?!)
I hit Petra's International Bookstore again and grabbed the latest (in 2005) Harry Potter. In English. Which I ended up leaving behind for the host son if he ever decides to read it. I loved that store. It was basically a used book store, but in several different languages. Lots of English. I really, really liked it there. Bookstores - my home in whatever country I happen to be in.
Day 21 - Stayed close to the condo. Did laundry. Walked to the outlets nearby. Read a bit. Listened to the Las Rozas festival that was taking place about a block from the condo. (Each little town has a festival - which is basically a big fair - for about a week. Carnival games and rides, food stands, very loud live music being performed, etc. It was in Las Rozas the last week I was there.)
Diana left the apartment sometime in the late afternoon saying "I'm going now." She was carrying her purse. So I said "Okay, bye." Remember this because it will be important later.
It's been so long that now I'm mainly going off the trip diary I took, but re-reading it is bringing back memories.
Day 15 - I heard my host mom come into the condo at 8 a.m. That's when she got home from being out partying the night before. No wonder she looked at me as if I were crazy what with my early midnight to 1 a.m. bedtimes. Anyway, I slept more after that and finally got up and headed to Madrid for El Rastro. Which I actually found this time. At first I was in a part of it that was in the alleys between buildings. It wasn't as sketchy as that sounds. I wasn't super impressed - yes people had stuff out to sell, but it wasn't huge or even all that crowded as the guidebook had warned. Then I found the actual heart of it. And yes, it *is* huge. And crowded. And a teeny bit crazy. There were tons of stalls selling all sorts of things. There wasn't anything I needed or wanted to buy, plus it was intimidating, so I basically just walked through the masses and looked around. Then I headed to Plaza Mayor and grabbed another lunch from a restaurant on one of the side streets. I sat at a little outdoor table and just watched people come and go. Lunch took something like an hour and a half. There was just no hurry. It was really relaxing. And the waiter was extremely nice. A group of 4 people with British accents was at the table next to me for part of it and I got to overhear English again. Then on the way back to the Metro I was able to give directions to a couple from Singapore that was looking for the outlet mall in Las Rozas. In English.
Reading my trip diary and noticing every mention of English-speaking reminds me again how almost desperate I was to be able to talk and be understood. My Spanish was passable - I understood at least the gist of everything around me - but it took so much effort all the time. Plus I am worse at the speaking thing than at the listening.
Something that I really enjoyed about the trip was the feeling of accomplishment at mastering the public transportation. It's a silly thing to take pleasure in, but I really liked that I could get anywhere I wanted on the Metro. And when I could even start help with giving directions? Even better.
Day 16 - I spent some time in some of the shopping areas in Madrid. I do not know why. Because I am not a shopper. So I should not spend time shopping just because the guidebook says "Hey - cool shopping areas in location A and B." That means that if you like to shop, go to A and B. Not, go to A and B and what is there will wow even a veteran non-shopper. But hey, I did go into Old Atocha Station which is indeed almost tropical inside. And there are turtles. So that was marginally interesting. I'm not sure if it was this day or another one later (or earlier) that I located one of the few vegetarian restaurants in Madrid. It's near Atocha, so maybe it was this day. The food was very good. Some of the best I had while I was there.
Day 17 - Much more eventful. I managed to get up and out of the house early. Like by 8 a.m. The buses were way more crowded at that time than on my usual 10 or 11 a.m. trips! The reason for my sudden industriousness was a day trip to Segovia. After taking a bus to Madrid, a train to the right section of Madrid, walking to the private bus company that handles these trips, and riding on that bus for about an hour, I was in Segovia.
Practically the first thing you see when getting off the bus is the Roman Aquaduct left over from the 1st century. It looks stable and not like it is going anywhere which is impressive. As is the no mortar thing. It's also just attractive anyway. After that I walked to Plaza Mayor (small shops mostly, also the Catedral) then the Alcazar.
The Alcazar was really quite pretty. Painted and decorated ceilings, fancy tilework in the floors, etc. Really great views of the surrounding countryside from most of the windows. Very pretty precise gardens. That sort of thing. Also a room full of armor some of which looks like it would fit a modern 6 year old. They say that Cinderella's Castle in Disneyland is based on El Alcazar, but Neuschwanstein makes the same claim. Having seen both castles, I'd have to go with Neuschwanstein.
I think this is when I successfully located and used a post office. Including communicating my needs with an actual Spanish-speaking person. Yay me! It was so much easier to read and write essays in Spanish than it was to use it to communicate with people...
Afterwards I made a typical tourist faux pas - I ate lunch. I knew it was too early at the time (it was only about 1 p.m.) but I hadn't had breakfast and was starving. They were perfectly nice, but since I was at an out of the way place recommended by my guide book, I think I mainly confused them. So then during the actual lunch time I was left with little to do - mainly wandering the very narrow cobblestone streets and sitting in the Plaza Mayor listening to some piano music. And then some jackhammers. (Ugh. More of that "getting ready for the Olympics which - ooops - we didn't get" stuff.) I did a bit of souvenir shopping. Then I hurried back to Las Rozas expecting there to be English lessons which I specifically asked about the night before. But neither my host mom nor her son were there. *sigh*
Day 18 - Amusing tidbit: my host mom left the house at 11 p.m. on day 17 and returned, I think, at 6 a.m. on day 18. The guide book really wasn't joking when it said people stay out late to party. Oh, and day 18? Was a Wednesday.
I spent the day in the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. It was a relaxing and fun day. The collections were sort of spread out chronologically - some older, some modern. Lots of early triptychs, some Degas/Monet/Renoir, some Juan Gris. Then, because I thought it would be amusing, and it was close, I had lunch at Planet Hollywood. Where I had the caprese salad made with grated hard mozerella and dried basil. Which was not what I expected. Oh well. Also they had VH-1 on several TVs. Sort of funny.
Day 19 - I started the day by trying to shop for ingredients for an easy pie I wanted to make with the host family son as a way to practice English. So I walked to the Carrefour near the condo - no tofu, no vanilla, no chocolate chips, no pre-made cookie pie crust. So I took the bus into Madrid and checked out a few stores there including the grocery section of El Corte Ingles. No vanilla or chocolate, yes on the tofu, but only the hard kind and the recipe called for soft. Nothing else to note except another verging on non-existent English lesson.
Day 20 - Another day wandering in Madrid. I checked out yet another store looking for ingredients. Taste of America had a few cake mixes, marshmallow fluff, Jiffy, etc. But no chocolate chips. No vanilla. (Okay - HOW do they survive? No vanilla? No chocolate chips?!?!)
I hit Petra's International Bookstore again and grabbed the latest (in 2005) Harry Potter. In English. Which I ended up leaving behind for the host son if he ever decides to read it. I loved that store. It was basically a used book store, but in several different languages. Lots of English. I really, really liked it there. Bookstores - my home in whatever country I happen to be in.
Day 21 - Stayed close to the condo. Did laundry. Walked to the outlets nearby. Read a bit. Listened to the Las Rozas festival that was taking place about a block from the condo. (Each little town has a festival - which is basically a big fair - for about a week. Carnival games and rides, food stands, very loud live music being performed, etc. It was in Las Rozas the last week I was there.)
Diana left the apartment sometime in the late afternoon saying "I'm going now." She was carrying her purse. So I said "Okay, bye." Remember this because it will be important later.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Jan and Pam tagged me with the 8 things meme. And though I doubt 8 people even read this and thus cannot tag 8 more people, the least I can do is come up with my own 8 random facts or habits. Which is harder than it sounds.
Here are the rules: Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules. At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.
1. I am not a naturally neat person, but I am an extremely considerate person. Thus my personal bedroom might be a disaster area, but if I am sharing a house or an apartment, the common areas will always be picked up. I also have no problem snoozing my alarm. Multiple times. But in college when I shared a dorm room? I woke up a few minutes *before* the alarm went off almost every day so that it wouldn't wake my roommate.
2. I like school. I don't have any desire to get a Ph.D., but if I could stay an undergrad and major in everything, I'd do it. In fact, the one thing I don't like as much (because I'm not as good at it) is learning languages, but I am so very excited that one of my local public libraries gives their patrons access to the Rosetta Stone online software that I think I might just learn another language or three. I am starting with German.
3. I was bald in kindergarten. While at a back-to-school party the week before I was due to start school, I did a back flip off the side of the pool and hit my head. In my defense I had done back flips off of diving boards with no problem. But this time landed me with a blood clot under my skull. Which was removed surgically. Leading to me being bald in kindergarten. And a lifetime of family jokes about how Mom and Dad paid to have a brain implanted for me since my formerly white-blond hair came back in reddish-brown.
4. I make lists. I don't always complete the items on my lists, but I write them down. They make me feel in control and also like I won't forget important things. Every night I do a crossword puzzle and make a list of things to do the next day (or soonish) on the back before I go to sleep. This stops me from staying awake obsessing over what needs to be done.
5. I am not good at making decisions. Even easy things like what to order off a menu. Because, see, once you decide on one thing, all of the other things are no longer options. Sometimes I trick myself into making decisions by doing eenie-meenie-miny-moe. If I am happy with the result - that is my decision. If I am unhappy with it - I go with the other option. If I have no strong feelings one way or the other - I go with whatever choice won just to have the decision made. I even selected which college I went to by drawing it out of a hat.
6. I do not quit easily. For example, I did gymnastics when I was younger. It was a huge part of my life. As in, I worked out for 30 hours a week (6 days a week, 5 hours a day) while I was in 7th, 8th and 9th grades. At some point I got injured. And took a whole month off to heal. And then went back and tried again even though I could only really work out for the first two or three hours and had to stick to easy, non-back-hurting things after that. For another year. Because admitting I was injured and couldn't hope to advance much further would be quitting. This also explains why I have held jobs that I have outgrown and don't even like way (way, way) past their expiration dates. I am not a quitter!
7. On occasion I might get slightly more into certain things than is "normal" for your average human. Some people might consider me obsessed with these things. Those people simply do not know what they are missing. Examples: TiVo, Trader Joe's, Television Without Pity, The Milk Pail, social dance (waltz, swing, contra, etc.), Veronica Mars / Joan of Arcadia / other really *really* good shows that network execs cancel without any consideration for my feelings...
8. I am a fiddler. No, I have no musical talent, but I seem to be incapable of sitting still without having something to do with my hands. On the table next to my couch there is a fan which I open and close, open and close. Also a paperclip and a binder clip that I play with as I watch TV. On my desk at work I have a paperclip, a small post-it pad, a pen and one of these. I used to have a small slinky too. I don't know when, why or how I became this fidgety because I was not always like this.
Here are the rules: Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules. At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.
1. I am not a naturally neat person, but I am an extremely considerate person. Thus my personal bedroom might be a disaster area, but if I am sharing a house or an apartment, the common areas will always be picked up. I also have no problem snoozing my alarm. Multiple times. But in college when I shared a dorm room? I woke up a few minutes *before* the alarm went off almost every day so that it wouldn't wake my roommate.
2. I like school. I don't have any desire to get a Ph.D., but if I could stay an undergrad and major in everything, I'd do it. In fact, the one thing I don't like as much (because I'm not as good at it) is learning languages, but I am so very excited that one of my local public libraries gives their patrons access to the Rosetta Stone online software that I think I might just learn another language or three. I am starting with German.
3. I was bald in kindergarten. While at a back-to-school party the week before I was due to start school, I did a back flip off the side of the pool and hit my head. In my defense I had done back flips off of diving boards with no problem. But this time landed me with a blood clot under my skull. Which was removed surgically. Leading to me being bald in kindergarten. And a lifetime of family jokes about how Mom and Dad paid to have a brain implanted for me since my formerly white-blond hair came back in reddish-brown.
4. I make lists. I don't always complete the items on my lists, but I write them down. They make me feel in control and also like I won't forget important things. Every night I do a crossword puzzle and make a list of things to do the next day (or soonish) on the back before I go to sleep. This stops me from staying awake obsessing over what needs to be done.
5. I am not good at making decisions. Even easy things like what to order off a menu. Because, see, once you decide on one thing, all of the other things are no longer options. Sometimes I trick myself into making decisions by doing eenie-meenie-miny-moe. If I am happy with the result - that is my decision. If I am unhappy with it - I go with the other option. If I have no strong feelings one way or the other - I go with whatever choice won just to have the decision made. I even selected which college I went to by drawing it out of a hat.
6. I do not quit easily. For example, I did gymnastics when I was younger. It was a huge part of my life. As in, I worked out for 30 hours a week (6 days a week, 5 hours a day) while I was in 7th, 8th and 9th grades. At some point I got injured. And took a whole month off to heal. And then went back and tried again even though I could only really work out for the first two or three hours and had to stick to easy, non-back-hurting things after that. For another year. Because admitting I was injured and couldn't hope to advance much further would be quitting. This also explains why I have held jobs that I have outgrown and don't even like way (way, way) past their expiration dates. I am not a quitter!
7. On occasion I might get slightly more into certain things than is "normal" for your average human. Some people might consider me obsessed with these things. Those people simply do not know what they are missing. Examples: TiVo, Trader Joe's, Television Without Pity, The Milk Pail, social dance (waltz, swing, contra, etc.), Veronica Mars / Joan of Arcadia / other really *really* good shows that network execs cancel without any consideration for my feelings...
8. I am a fiddler. No, I have no musical talent, but I seem to be incapable of sitting still without having something to do with my hands. On the table next to my couch there is a fan which I open and close, open and close. Also a paperclip and a binder clip that I play with as I watch TV. On my desk at work I have a paperclip, a small post-it pad, a pen and one of these. I used to have a small slinky too. I don't know when, why or how I became this fidgety because I was not always like this.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Those who know me could easily guess that the title "The Pursuit of Happyness" would bug me. In fact, my youngest sister took great joy in bringing up the title multiple times when I was at my parents' house for Christmas. And yet, no one has intuited that I was equally bothered when I heard of "The Last Mimzy" (previewed when I went to watch Bridge to Terabithia which I heartily recommend - great movie!). Because, you see, mimsy is *clearly* an adjective, and yet the title is using it as a noun! However I have been able to maintain my sanity because the two words are really not the same word at all. One is spelled with an s, the other with a z. Whew! Crisis averted!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Hmm, it's January 30 and I think I can say with confidence that my "15 minutes a day of cleaning" thing has been a moderate success. I'm getting better at doing the cleaning each day instead of just saving up those quarter hours for Saturday. Certain tasks take me easily beyond the 15 minutes, but once I get started I don't care so much. The big gain has been that the goal makes me get started. Started is good. My houselet isn't the most beautiful thing on the planet yet - not by a long shot. But it is better on the whole.
February's goal will be to stretch every day. Up until a few months ago I could just plop down into splits anytime. No warm-up needed. That isn't so much the case any longer. (Which I know because I have a gymnastics class every Tuesday night.) I don't know why, but it isn't a trend I wish to encourage so I guess I'll have to actually work at staying flexible now.
February's goal will be to stretch every day. Up until a few months ago I could just plop down into splits anytime. No warm-up needed. That isn't so much the case any longer. (Which I know because I have a gymnastics class every Tuesday night.) I don't know why, but it isn't a trend I wish to encourage so I guess I'll have to actually work at staying flexible now.
Monday, January 08, 2007
So I don't really do New Years' Resolutions. I do smaller, more frequent resolutions throughout the year. Which I am adept at breaking just about as quickly as the average American breaks his or her New Years' resolutions. Yay me?
Anyway, in addition to a vague intention to really start thinking about maybe getting on some of my 101 in 1001 list items, I'm going to make a New Years' resolution this year. Really. Except it is going to be spread out over the year so I can flake 12 times instead of all at once. My resolution is to pick up 12 good habits this year - one per month.
January is the dawn of the "clean or pick up for 15 minutes each day Monday - Friday leaving weekends free for fun." The benefit is that if I flake, I *can* pick up a missed day on Saturday (but NOT Sunday). But that is no fun. Since I hadn't thought of this resolution until Friday nightish, I did all of last week on Saturday (and also I had a friend coming over and the house was not even up to 'friend who claims to be bad housekeeper' standards). But starting today, it's 15 minutes per day.
Anyway, in addition to a vague intention to really start thinking about maybe getting on some of my 101 in 1001 list items, I'm going to make a New Years' resolution this year. Really. Except it is going to be spread out over the year so I can flake 12 times instead of all at once. My resolution is to pick up 12 good habits this year - one per month.
January is the dawn of the "clean or pick up for 15 minutes each day Monday - Friday leaving weekends free for fun." The benefit is that if I flake, I *can* pick up a missed day on Saturday (but NOT Sunday). But that is no fun. Since I hadn't thought of this resolution until Friday nightish, I did all of last week on Saturday (and also I had a friend coming over and the house was not even up to 'friend who claims to be bad housekeeper' standards). But starting today, it's 15 minutes per day.
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