Sunday, October 30, 2011

"Racist" Halloween Costumes & Who's "Too Old" to Trick or Treat

Well, I got invited to a Halloween party tomorrow night that is free. This after I went to a Studio 54 themed event on Friday night in Queens wearing a short dress and having nothing but pantyhose between my legs & the cold wind outside. Takes a level of chutzpa to do that, let me tell you!

Anyhow, after a little thinking with limited resources, my reserve of costumes & considering the cold weather tomorrow night (banning anything sexy or skimpy), I decided to go with the scariest costume of all that is also somewhat accurate & intellectual: a Christian fundamentalist. Not a mainstream Christian, mind you but one of those whackjobs that religious folk I know would shake their head at & say "God help us all!"

I have to go get materials to make a sign tomorrow & I need to see if I've got a Bible lying around but otherwise, you have my husband to thank for this one. I tried on this old dress I have recently to make sure it still fit me & he told me it looked too frumpy on me. It's a long sleeved one with a longer skirt that looks like something you'd wear at a church. As fundies are hardcore about clothing length & not showing stuff, I figured this outfit was perfect. I'd also never get to wear it under normal circumstances. Sadly, I thought of dressing as that woman who complained about Married with Children in the '80s but since I'm a redhead, that doesn't work.

You haven't heard about the best touch though: I'm also going to wear devil horns since I believe these sorts of fundamentalists are just as bad as any "sinner" they dare to condemn. It's a reaction to religious hypocrites.

If you're a religious person who objects to this outfit? First off, maybe you should be taking these fundies to task as a religious person. They are reflecting badly on you, after all. Second, I've earned the right to attack this contingency considering I lived in a religious household, went to a religious school as a child & had to deal with this crap due to my years of living in the South. By the way, my husband has earned this right as well. Third, if you're not a fake Christian, you shouldn't get offended because I'm not attacking you. If you're offended, maybe you should take a good hard look at yourself and see if maybe you're upset because I've hit too close to home & you don't like admitting that you are a hypocrite.

On that note, there are many costumes that are offensive that I would never do. For one thing, I wouldn't go around in black face or dressing as a poor person. Some foreclosure law firm in Buffalo apparently did this for last year's Halloween party.

I think this theme is completely tacky, lacks in class and is horrible PR for the law firm. If you asked me to participate in such a theme, I'd refuse since I do know people who are in dire economic straits. I also think these fuckers are just making themselves into targets for angry people who were victims of the housing crisis, especially the big name partners at this firm. Stuff like this is just stupid to do. I wouldn't feel the least bit of sympathy if these morons ended up on the business end of a shotgun held by some disillusioned individual they personally ousted from their home of however many years.

Believe me, no rational person would feel sympathy for this trash either (and yes if you would suggest insulting people who are in a victim position with respect to your business, especially as an attorney who presumably should know better & is held to higher standards of ethics then you are trash).

That being said, however, I don't think it's necessary to outlaw such themes or ban certain costumes like this group proposes to do.

For one thing, let's have a sense of humor, okay? Some people most definitely fit that stereotype & trust me, the self-aware ones aren't offended. You know, dressing as a hooker says something about me as a woman. Should I get all pissy & demand that no one ever dresses that way again?

Before you get all high & mighty on racial stereotypes & "white privilege," let me give you some perspective on "white privilege": that shit exists for RICH, white people (oftentimes, males)!!!!!! Talk to me about how much white privilege I've had when you have people assume you don't need financial aid because of YOUR race, ignoring your family's financial condition or how much need you actually have. That has happened to me.

How much white privilege have the injured Occupy protestors been recipients of? I saw white girls getting maced & white men being dragged off in handcuffs as well as roughed up by the police. Take your head out of your ass & see the world around you as it really is.

Stop being a martyr & making assumptions you don't know shit about. Live incognito as a white person for a few months if you want to make these grand proclamations about how easy white people have it, especially if they don't come from money. Until then, shut up! You don't hear me making proclamations about your personal experiences or how easy your life is. I certainly could but since I know a fair amount of people outside my race & don't view them as my "token" friend from XYZ group, I know a basic truism: someone else always has it worse than you do.

Second, I strongly think if you get easily offended by something as simple as a costume you're never going to make it in the real world. You also really ought to save that venom for things like tokenism & inequality for women in the workplace. Go try to solve real problems instead of trying to take away one day in the year people get to blow off steam & be something they wouldn't get to be otherwise (unless, of course, they are actors). You're as bad as the people who force out Christmas from the public realm.

Third, social stigma is a powerful thing. Let's use that instead of direct regulation or forcing retailers to stop selling particular costumes. I remember where groups dealing with illegal immigrants got all offended by illegal alien costumes & tried to get retailers to remove them from the shelves. Maybe these people should spend more time encouraging folk to have loyalties to THIS damn country or getting employers to pay them minimum wage like everyone else so we wouldn't have the pay problems we're having. How about that, huh?

On trick or treating: this story asks "how old is too old?" I say you're never too old. If you feel compelled to go beg for candy, do so. Some adults look like kids because they are short & tiny. Some actors look like high school kids (I've been told I look like a kid though I would hope I don't look younger than college aged).

Plus, you're as young as you feel. Don't let some snotty adult who was 100 when they were 10 tell you what to do! Those jerks probably never take their kids trick or treating in costume or know how to have any fun whatsoever. We call them "killjoys." I think if there were fewer of them, the world would be a much better place.

I heard about nighttime curfews on Halloween night in various places & that also bothers me on a fundamental level, considering my whole history. Read last year's Halloween rant for details on that.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Getting Good Veggies For a Fair Price

I've been working on video blogs for Mobli lately but don't fear: I will continue to write here. For one thing, some of my rants would take way too much time to do in 1 video. I mean, who's going to watch a 20 minute video of me ranting?

Not to mention getting those out is harder than you'd think. I'm a perfectionist on that sort of thing so I don't stumble on my words or lose my train of thought. One slip up & (for me at least) you have to start again.

I also think you need the literary take on it and I'm not going to start writing out links for viewers to go read & then have to come back to. Doesn't make much sense, does it?

So for now, I'm doing both.

One issue that's really been a thorn in my side is trying to get fresh vegetables at a fair price & in the proper condition. This pisses me off because I happen to like salad. I've actually liked carrots & bell peppers ever since I was a little kid. If you've not read enough of this blog to conclude that I was a strange child (consider how we played Barbie, for instance), that fact should clinch it for you. Didn't grow up in a health conscious, pro-hippie household or anything but yeah, I do happen to like salad.

I also like finding lettuce and other fixings that are actually fit for human consumption.

So I know there's been all the bad crops, seasonal change & the like. I also know about the presence of farmer's markets (and if you can find me one in or near NYC with fair prices for bell peppers, lettuce & the like that is fit for human consumption + doesn't require me to pay a toll to get there, I'm all ears; $2.50+ a lb. for green pepper is NOT fair in my book). I would love to grow my own bell peppers (did so successfully when I was younger) but the problem is, I don't have land for it & if I tried planting anything in my home, the cat would inevitably chew on any plant that grew. He does this all the time with flowers but for some unknown reason, he barely touched any of the cat grass we grew specifically for him.

What do I mean by "fit for human consumption"? Let's see:

1. No lettuce that has brown sogginess outside it! I've actually seen this on heads in the grocery store & it disgusts me. It also makes me not want to continue digging in that lettuce pile for anything good since the rest are probably just like it (or worse).
2. No lettuce with excessive rust discoloration! I know that means the lettuce is old/in the process of going bad. I've sliced it enough myself to know what it means.
3. No wrinkled peppers!
4. No peppers with black spots on them! My husband once got one for me at the store. When I cut it open, it had what appeared to be worms in it. There was whiteness & movement that looked worm like. I still have trauma from that when I slice open a green pepper.
5. No produce with any hit of bugs nearby. No one wants to buy anything that's got fruit flies or anything else on or near it.
6. No rotten produce! I saw black apples being offered for sale just yesterday.

I think there should be some changes in the law, merchant policies or someplace to stop this crap being sold at full price in grocery stores. Do you really think I'm paying $1.99 for a head of lettuce that's got brown sogginess on it? If you do, you're a moron & you're insulting my intelligence. Nice way to encourage shoppers to return to your store! How about a little personal pride?

Just yesterday, I got a pepper that showed no problems on the outside but when I opened it, half of it was black inside. Isn't that gross? So let's also have a rule against produce with hidden nastiness if the store or the seller should have known about it but didn't bother to tell anyone!

There are some locations that I adamantly will not shop at for fresh vegetables because their policies are so lax on many things or I've just seen crud quality anytime I bothered to look. Wal-Mart is one of them. I know all the stories about people buying perishables there only to have them turn very quickly. The meat stories alone are enough for me to distrust their produce. I also remember hearing some horror stories about veggies bought there as well.

So in light of this, I find it very funny that Michelle Obama wants to encourage places to have fresh produce for poor neighborhoods & to make them accessible to all to combat the obesity issue. Maybe she should be making sure these places aren't just pricing them at $1.00 a pound or some reasonable price when the vegetables are turning and slimy. You can find cheap produce in many places but the quality is dubious to say the least (a green market down the street from me is a prime example; unless you get there right when the shipment arrives, you'll be getting rubber peppers and stuff in a condition guides would tell you should be thrown away & not fed to your loved ones).

Those things I mentioned have been present at places I go even when those particular veggies weren't on sale. Sorry, but I shouldn't have to pay $5 a pound for something just to get fresh quality. There needs to be some truth in advertising and basic standards involved. TV dinners & processed food do, in fact, make you sick. My husband & I noticed this most strongly after I started to do my own cooking, coming up with much better food that didn't cause nasty stomach pain after eating it. We also cut out soda & haven't missed it, especially when the prices for that have been sky high.

Now, if you think that means I'm a vegetarian or only eat organic, you're wrong. I've not noticed much positive difference in getting organic food & at the end of the day, I am frugal.

I don't view buying organic food or even getting fresh produce as true choices for most people. A choice isn't real if you can't afford it or you can't carry it out without some excessive cost. If I can't go recycle the special lightbulbs in a convenient way (since you can't directly thrown them in the trash b/c of the mercury in them), how would I possibly be able to make that choice? The "choice" has been made for me!

The "choice" is being made for others if organic items cost too much money or all the produce sold someplace is moldy, wrinkled, covered in bugs, rotten, etc. There's no real choice if the farmer's market is 2 hours away or you don't have a car to drive there or you have to pay tolls or who knows what else. You can call these explanations excuses but I call them being pragmatic & realistic about human behavior. When you don't make something convenient, accessible to all, and affordable within everyone's budget, you aren't going to get the result you want.

So while I think it's a noble goal to make fresh produce & healthy foods accessible to all, you have to do a little more than tell the local bodega to sell them. You have to have them priced fairly. You have to insist on a quality standard for what people sell & punish people for violating it. Otherwise, people are going to choose the fast food hamburger over the chemically sprayed meat that will go bad tomorrow any time.

For you harpies who want to scream about health care costs & environmental damage, why don't you get off your overindulgent behinds & start subsidizing the costs & hassles so people WILL make those choices? How about you employers start offering fresh, healthy food at a price equal to the junk or at a comparable rate? How about those of you spending your money on organic food or "going green" start an organization or fund one that tries to make these true options for people with less money? Until then, you can shut the hell up & kiss my ass.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The Vlogging Channel I Mentioned

Did my first installment on my vlog channel at Mobli.com today. Go here to see it.

I'll be maintaining both of these but stay tuned for more. Keep in mind I'm still trying to get the hang of my iPhone.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

My Vlog Channel & The Great Phone Debacle

So, I finally have my new iPhone 4. I wasn't originally going to get one. The iPhone 3 was free for me in an upgrade but in order to take advantage of a vlogging opportunity I was given, I needed an iPhone 4 (or I could have gotten an Android or Blackberry phone but hubby was getting an iPhone, I've heard mixed reviews about everything including people telling me about the massive problems they had w/other smartphones & we were at the point of total information overload).

Seriously, one of the hardest things to deal with is getting a cell phone whether it's a smartphone or not. I also was shocked at the full technological leap of the smartphone vs. my basic phone that served me well since 2009. To give you an idea of how behind on tech I tend to be, the phone I upgraded from in 2009 was the one I got in 2003 before starting law school. Before that, I had 2 pay-as-you-go phones (the result of being poor in college & before that, the result of my parents' credit rating since I was a minor when I got my first cell phone in high school; I would have had to pay a $500 deposit to get one, which made me mad since it wasn't based on MY freaking credit). I needed a cell in high school since I was in after school events, didn't have a car & the office tended to close so I had the choice of hoping I had change for 1 of 2 pay phones to call my mom or having a cell phone so I could call for free + not have to wait for others to finish so I could use one of the phones.

So, I'm not kidding when I say having an iPhone of any type is a technological leap. I'm still learning how to do things on it. If anyone knows how to upload your own ringtones & pictures onto the phone from a computer, would you let me know? I want to figure that one out & no store is going to have songs I like in the format I want as a ringtone. I also have some sweet pics I'd like to have in the phone, particularly to ID people who call me or just b/c they're so darn unique & fascinating. I also adamantly refuse to pay for music I already own. I may be a lawyer but I do agree with the principal of not obeying laws that serve no rational purpose or basis.

Laws against murder/rape/child pornography = good.

Laws charging people $750,000 for downloading ONE song off a file sharing service, even if they own it on another medium like a CD = bad & likely funded by lobbyists. Screw them! It's called "create a better mousetrap & stop relying on an outdated & obsolete business model." There's a well-known truism in business: adapt or die.

As I continue to write this blog, you'll also get to see some video rants & maybe an adventure or two if you go to Mobli. Mobli is a website where users can create their own video channels & create their own series of vlogs. You can find me under "angryredheadlaw". They have some good reviews as well as some celebs there. Check it out!

By the way, that pic is darker on purpose. I had that taken when I was on a VIP tour of the Empire State Building recently. We got to go on the 103rd floor, which is closed to the public. That pic is from me being there. Warning: if you're scared of heights (which I'm definitely not), you don't want to be there. They also aren't kidding when they tell you it's windy & you could get hurt if you aren't careful.

Now, some words about AT&T. I'm not big on giving endorsements but they really went above & beyond so I have to give them a special shout out for this whole thing.

Originally, I'd considered going with Credo Mobile. Do you know that company? Their big platform is that they give money to progressive causes while Verizon, AT&T & the other major carriers are giving their money to whackjob Republican candidates + causes that really shouldn't be funded like legislation to outlaw abortion and turn anyone who isn't a white, rich male into a second class citizen.

While I'm not a supporter of this type of legislation & definitely don't support any Republican candidate (or really anyone for that matter, but especially Republican whackjobs), I do understand why a major corporation would contribute to Republican campaigns. They are, after all, more business friendly than Democrats as history will show. People also tend to identify with those who are like them so I'm sure major corporate heads see the Republicans as more like them.

Personally, I think these companies would be better served giving money to moderate Republicans who aren't obsessed with evoking God in every public appearance or show themselves to be national jokes on TV (Sarah Palin, anyone?). I can respect moderates since they at least seem to have some common sense unlike the whackjobs. It does seem like someone lives up there & they have their faculties in order.

However, that decision is between these corporations & their lobbying committees. These people would either hate to see me coming or would love me insisting on carefully researching candidates, their platforms on significant issues, public perception, etc. so the giving was useful instead of money wasted + we weren't considered whackjobs/kooks/bigots by association. Give me a nice common sense person who stands by what they say, isn't a closeted or open bigot & actually cares about moving the nation into modern times! Someone who uses LOGIC, not religion or political correctness/popularity concerns, to make decisions. I'm not obsessed with the party, as you may recall. I think the person would need to be a political outsider & would definitely have to be someone who's actually had hard times & still remembers what that experience is like. You'd need to murder the religion & party obsessed morons in society to get that person elected but I can dream, can't I?

That being said, let me tell you about an incredible irony with Credo Mobile. They claim to be "progressive," right? Do they realize that potential customers may not have sterling credit? That stupid loan crap is apparently enough reason for me to get "extra screening" on my application to get a cell phone, despite that being a debt that's at least $800 more per month a typical monthly cell phone payment. I was also told they didn't do deposits if you wanted to be their customer: it is either they approve your credit or reject you. Does anyone else find that a bit fucked up? How many people have student loan debts? How many lawyers have PRIVATE student loan debt (remember those "fuck you, pay me" plans?)? You're not motivating me to sign with you if you're going to give me static over a "fuck you, pay me" loan & base a decision to have a contract with me based on being too destitute to pay that ginormous payment every month!

Why not base decisions on how I've handled other LIKE accounts like cell phone companies? If my record was bad with another cell phone provider, a rejection or extra screening would be fair.

Since I have been with AT&T for years, was currently due for an upgrade, have never had a customer service issue with them (they've also corrected problems promptly when I had them) & wouldn't have to speculate on if I'd be able to get my phone or not, I chose to stay there since I figured "if it's not broken, don't fix it." Plus, AT&T had a better selection of phones. My husband wasn't particularly happy with Credo's phone selection & I didn't like the negative reviews I read about their service.

Credo's "extra screening" that they couldn't give me an instant decision on made the choice to upgrade with AT&T very easy. AT&T also made that choice easier when I found out I'd have to exchange the iPhone 3 I ordered for myself for an iPhone 4. The reps I spoke to were helpful, seemed to give a damn about my problem and gave viable solutions. I also reordered accessories that I'd ordered in my initial shipment that I was instructed to reject so I could effect the exchange (since I thought you couldn't take items you ordered online to a store to get them exchanged & didn't want to have to pay full price for all the accessories).

My initial order arrived on Thursday morning. My post office didn't bother making it available to me until Friday morning. The hatred for my local post office is legendary & well deserved: more on that in a future post.

To make a long story short, my post office's incompetence actually helped me for once. On Saturday morning, I had to go see if my package had been on the path to being returned & I learned that I could still use it + do the exchange in a store. No one had marked my package, even though they were supposed to the day before.

I was able to go to the AT&T store yesterday & get my items exchanged + both phones set up. Despite it being crowded when I went in, I was actually helped pretty quickly, got above & beyond service + really appreciated the people who helped me out. I definitely felt like AT&T cared about having my business & valued me as a customer. If you can do that, I'm a very happy customer, will recommend you to friends & will make damn sure that the people who helped me are publicly recognized since that sort of thing seems to be a rarity these days.

So now I'm an archetype: the iPhone owner. As you know, I have mixed feelings on it though aspects of having a smartphone have helped make things easier. For one thing, I have an app that tells you when the subway is supposed to arrive at your stop. It's proven to be accurate as well. Second, texting is actually helpful if you're in a subway station & need to meet up with someone or you can't hear anyone on your phone because of noise or bad reception. I'll still shudder at the huge bill increase but if the service keeps up & people continue to solve problems we have effectively, I'll be a happy camper. Beats the battle we're having with Verizon!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Everyone Always Says "Give Me Money!"

So, if you've read this blog & know my stances on things you know that I'm not someone who came from privilege. You know that I actually had to (gasp) WORK to get where I am. I didn't have parents, friends or most importantly, money to get me places. Much of what I've been able to do was based on my own abilities, good fortune and some smart people who saw a spark in me.

For instance, I'm still working on that vlogging opportunity but I found out I'll have to get an iPhone 4 instead of an iPhone 3 for it. Now, I'll have to pay about $100 for the iPhone 4 & while I'm able to afford it I've been having a moral conflict on getting one. How come, you might ask?

Well, I feel a bit decadent about spending $100 on it. I also feel like I'll become a cliche of an elitist since the newest model just came out this week. I'm also not an early adapter or even a present time adapter: I'm a late adapter, God damn it! This ruins my concept of myself as a late adapter & is a cruel irony in my book.

However, to reconcile this I've told myself that maybe I should treat myself once in a while & stop living like a miser. I tend to be very much in that "live like a student" mindset though I'm certainly not the cheapest or most frugal person ever.

I do have my limits: no reused sandwich bags or compost piles. There will also be flush toilets anyplace I live. I'd also consider hiring someone to pick up my husband's comics if we had $ for it. No living somewhere unsafe & no Dollar Store underwear.

I think this is foreshadowing for if I make real $ & everyone having to yell at me about spending some of it vs. living as though going out to dinner one evening fucks up my entire budget for the month (this was true when I was a student). If people don't do it, I could easily see myself becoming one of those old people who lives in abject poverty only to die with an estate worth hundreds of thousands of dollars & up. I do veer more to that direction that spendthrift territory.

Today, I was listening to a telephone seminar on a topic I found interesting. However, I'm to the point of not wanting to go to free programs on anything pertaining to the entertainment industry or creative things in general. Let me explain.

Every single damn time I go to a free program on just about anything, you always without fail hear a presenter telling you you MUST have money to do things. You have to pay for publicity, rent a theater, get an agent, etc.

Now, while I do agree that you get what you pay for and quality does have a price the whole process of that just bothers me. Then, when someone makes a money grab afterwards, it really hits the point home for me: If you don't come from money, you shouldn't even bother improving yourself or your life.

"Don't bother writing a book, creating a 1 person show, writing a film, going to a good college, anything. You don't come from money so who cares if you have any natural talent or skill!"

That's what I feel like telling someone to pay for stuff is implicitly saying. This is also an ethic you'll find all through law school. If you ask me, a chimp with a million dollars could be on law review b/c that chimp could afford study aids & anyone without a million dollars can't, regardless of any natural intelligence or ability. Coincidentally, this is the primary reason I think the class ranking system in law school is utter bullshit & that people hiring for jobs seem to ignore this reality in hiring.

If you're going to tell someone they need to have wads of cash to do something, why not tell people HOW to make money? Saying "go beg to family" isn't an option for everyone. If I had that, I wouldn't have anymore student loan debt.

How about a seminar telling someone how to get a benefactor? Or how to make money without demeaning yourself (no telling someone to work as a stripper or turn tricks)? While we're at it, how about telling someone how to make money without breaking the law or demeaning themselves?

Any chucklehead can say "Oh, you need money to do that." How about suggestions on ways to get benefactors or who to network with so we can get around those hurdles? How about suggestions on networking events where we might meet these people?

I find "Get $10,000 [or some other high ass crazy amount you'll never get in this lifetime unless you live with your parents or start breaking the law]!" or "Ask Mommy & Daddy for $," to be as useful as the average law school career services center (and you know how useful they are if you've been to law school; if you haven't, their helpfulness is nil at best).

This whole attitude that you must have money to do anything doesn't inspire someone who came from nothing to dream or bother working on those dreams. Nor does it encourage one to do anything pro-social (i.e. work an honest job, get an education, do something that helps society vs. harms it). Hell, I think it encourages people to become teen parents, sell drugs, never do anything beyond whatever sector of the economic ladder they were born into.

Is the US a fiefdom or can one actually get anywhere? What do you think? I'll say this: if I believed I was never going to do better than where I came from, I'd have killed myself long ago after taking out my oppressors.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

General Musings Part 27

So, now I've got more stories to do mini-rants on. Here goes:

Tell me, why doesn't this shock me at all? And why do idiots continue to encourage women who are unprepared, irresponsible & in no way fit to be parents to continue to pop out babies? Why are legislators in places like Kansas and other states where they're trying to outlaw abortion not publicly castigated in their own home states & areas for being utter & total morons? If I were one of the psychologists who did this study, I would want to smack some sense into these people. Granted, I'm always wanting to smack sense into people though.

For instance, people who believe in "the rules" of relationships. Seems this recent study blows some of your theories out of the water. I'm not so sure we could say it's due to modern times or if it's just that the things they debunk just weren't good ideas to start with. I'll go with #2 myself. On the subject, I recently decided on my first vlog topic. Look for it in the coming week or so; I'm determined to get the damn smartphones ordered before Wednesday. We're at "enough is enough" with those.

Now, this bitch apparently apologizes for her harsh remarks. I call her a bitch for a couple reasons:

1. I saw a few episodes of her show Confessions of a Matchmaker (I believe that's what it was called. It was set at her agency in Buffalo, NY) & that's how she came off.

2. She claimed redheads were second class citizens & ugly compared to blonds & brunettes. A colleague of mine at the scam TV network told me about this & said she thought it was a load of crap since my hair's pretty + it violated her experiences. I should mention my colleague is a model.

Where's your apology to natural redheads, you bitch?!?!? I'm still waiting! I think she's jealous of redheads since one must have caught the eye of her man or caused some kind of horrid experience that she's not recovered from. Don't blame genetic reality because you can't measure up or aren't in a class by yourself; try improving YOURSELF. Funny but I'm pretty sure I could find millionaires who'd threaten to kill me if I dyed my hair & who'd probably tell me the same things most other people do about my looks. I'm sure some of them would also want a word with the guys I went to school with who declared me ugly & ran like Hell from me.

The biggest reason for my venom here? I could swear she had reddish hair when I saw her on that earlier show. Don't blame us because you couldn't hack it in our world.

Now, as for reasons to be glad you aren't famous, I beg to differ on some of these:

1. Some celebs do whatever the hell they want & could care less about the press. Some, in fact, make it their mission to fuck with the paparazzi. Personally, I'd do that if I ended up famous. The people close to me would know what was up so it would be an ongoing inside joke among my inner circle & me.

I'd love messing with people like TMZ or tabloids. They're vultures, as we've seen a billion times.

I also respect celebs who give the metaphoric middle finger to the press & the public on matters such as this. I ended up having to do that when I was getting tormented by gossips who were as vicious & pervasive as tabloid reporters. I felt like a mini-celebrity & that was enough; the experience is probably why I'm highly protective of friends who work with celebrities or celebrities who are my friends.

2. Some celebs don't have to diet. Heather Locklear was known for not having to do that. I certainly don't diet now & finding clothes to fit me is a challenge. If I DID diet? I'd have to buy from the children's section or would end up being taken to some eating disorder clinic since people would think I was starving myself.

So yes, some people can eat junk food & that includes (gasp) chocolate cake! Heck, I probably should eat chocolate cake so I don't get thinner.

3. Pimples are nothing. They have make-up for those. If they can cover tattoos on set, pimples are no problem. Heck, Katy Perry & other famous people have been making $ from doing Proactiv commercials. Admitting to having skin blemishes (even presumably) certainly isn't harming them.

Being fat? Yeah, that's an issue but you do have $ for trainers & plastic surgery. The average person doesn't.

So as for reasons to be glad you aren't famous? I can come up with better:

1. You get to have a private life.

2. You aren't always getting photographed, especially if you don't want to be "on" that day.

3. You don't walk in with heavy baggage known by everyone. At least if you're the average person, you may be prejudged but you can go to another city or another profession & not get that. If you're famous, you don't get that luxury.

4. People don't want to date you or reject you b/c of your career. Thank God I'm married & don't have to worry about dating while working in this field. That would make life truly suck for me. It's hard to find someone who's devoted to YOU & not your star power or your industry reputation + its perks. Just like #3, it's harder when everyone knows all about it vs. only one segment of the population (one town, industry, whatever).

5. You can give people the benefit of the doubt. Even working in the business & not actually being the star out front, you still have to wonder what one's angle is. It's why I've said my friends will probably end up being just rich people or industry peers. There's less on the line if you're not famous; famous people can't just go somewhere else & start over like the average person can. With the Internet, it's even harder for them to hide their past though some average people may have the same problems.

Speaking of celebrities, my elitism may be showing here shortly. Apparently, Penn Badgley who is on Gossip Girl (remember I don't watch the show despite doing that extra gig there) decided to join the Occupy Wall St. protest.

Okay Penn, you've pissed me off by calling these protests "cheesy." First off, do you think the 1st Amendment is "cheesy?" Do you even know what the 1st Amendment is all about?

You most likely wouldn't have a job if we didn't have a 1st Amendment because your show wouldn't be on the air. How much controversy has been reported on Gossip Girl over the years? I may not watch it but I do remember the stories & do recall the parental outcry over some of your story lines (like the threesome episode).

Second, do you think the occupation of attorney is "cheesy?" Because the basic fundamentals of being an attorney to start with is ensuring that everyone has EQUAL access in society. That includes civil rights. I'm sure you like having an entertainment lawyer, do you not (this presumes you have one since clearly you don't have respect for my profession if you're making such remarks about peaceful protests)? At the very least, I'm sure you like that they exist in the industry to protect you & other actors from breaches of contract or abusive set conditions while you're working. If you don't, you go right ahead & see how you're treated when there are no attorneys in the picture & contracts are only enforceable by the party with the most money. You can have millions but if the opposing party has billions, you're just like the 99% dealing with the 1%.

For the record, if you hire me for entertainment services & then make a public statement like this, I won't be your attorney anymore + will share these insights with you.

Third, do you think standing up to the NYPD is "cheesy?" What are your thoughts on these blatant intimidation tactics (which is what they are, pure & simple)?

Free tip to you & others making more $ than sense in public: when these protests start getting violent (and with the NYPD white shirts keeping this shit up combined with the lack of immediate access to the guilty parties, they certainly will), you will be on the list of targets for rage & harm. Flaunting your wealth & "I'm better than you" status by calling the protests "cheesy" (nobody twisted your arm to join in, Penn or you should have stood up to it), blaming Obama for them or making fashion critiques/bemoaning lack of leadership & other nonsense taking away from the issue is likely to get you injured in some way. I foresaw this type of uprising for years & years (and you can read back in this blog if you doubt this). Ignoring & belitting this type of force will lead to violence.

See, if these corporate types had been smart, they'd have made damn sure to leave people enough money to live meaningful lives & consume so they'd not have idle time to express outrage & protest against them. Since they were too stupid to do that, they're just going to have to face the consequences. You shut down people's voice & they'll be violent just because they feel they won't be heard in any other way.

Okay, enough with that tirade. On to more articles.

This was interesting to me since it was concerning teen suicide due to homophobia. I'm also reminded of a PSA I saw on Cartoon Network on bullying where they told kids to get an adult involved & if the adult did nothing, to keep going to them or find someone who would do something.

So what do you do if it's involving homophobia & the school is in the middle of Bigotville, USA? I feel as an adult it's my duty to call someone a spineless piece of garbage if they are allowing bullying to happen toward anyone. Considering I lived it (bullying not accusations of being gay though apparently people tried starting that rumor), I do have a bit of insight on it. It seems like in those situations, you do need the power of litigation to compel action.

Now, for more schoolroom idiocy. Who else finds this whole argument asinine? Let's discourage common courtesy a little more, eh? Maybe this teacher should ride the NYC subway for inspiration on other instances of common courtesy he should discourage in class. Next thing you know, these kids won't tell anyone when a classmate drops some money since that would mean talking in public. If this teacher dropped a $50 bill in class & no one said anything when someone else took it, it would sure teach him a lesson, huh? I certainly wouldn't tell him.

Finally, I'm happy to see this & annoyed that the federal government has the gall to try to challenge it.

If someone goes to the Supreme Court, I'd love someone to ask "What good is federal law on the subject when the federal legislators have been bought by corporate America & refuse to enforce the laws? What good does it do when they're too busy trying to kiss ass in Latin America instead of protesting the CITIZENS of THIS country? For that matter, what good does it do when they're kissing the asses of foreign leaders instead of protecting permanent residents & others who aren't going to be welcomed back to their countries of origin as full citizens?" I say until these countries give Americans the same rights as foreigners get in this country, they have no cause to say a word when the US bothers to enforce its immigration laws. They should also make up their minds: either you want to leave the borders open to illegal terrorists coming in & have no real hassle for citizenship or you want to enforce the damn laws & not give amnesty to criminals who broke the law + whose free pass will discourage those who actually bothered to take the steps to become LEGAL citizens.

See how big the whole Occupy movement is? Yes, you're a fascist & a pig if you oppose peaceful protests in America, the land of the free! I don't give a damn if you agree or disagree with one's views (though if you disagree & aren't in the 1%, I'll hope social Darwinism takes you out).

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

What the Holy Fuck?!?! Craig's List Ads, Part 1

I know I've been talking a lot about the recent Wall Street protests. Not because it's fashionable or vogue to do so. If you think I care about being trendy, you don't know me well. I'm a trendsetter, not a trend follower. People tend to follow MY lead on stuff like that & if I follow something, it's usually not popular enough to be a trend.

Since I don't want this blog to become an endless commentary on Occupy Wall Street, I'm going to lighten the mood a little bit. Mind you, I still consider it a deeply serious issue & think any lawyer who doesn't support the basic 1st Amendment right to peacefully protest without the police trying to intimidate you should be kicked out of the bar immediately since they're violating the basic principle of being an attorney in the first place.

I personally have not made an appearance at the protest despite the macing happening in an area I'm well acquainted with since I've been dealing with my own shit & have now caught my husband's cold (communal living: you've got to love it). Life still feels surreal since that whole private student loan situation but I'm moving onward with that smartphone thing since there's legitimate reasons for it, much as I hate spending all the $ on it.

Oh, and if you see my ass at that protest, I'll be in a business suit. Stick that in your crack pipe & smoke it, mainstream media bitches!

But, seriously. You have to see some of these Craig's List ads. Most of these are long gone but the fact that they were there in the first place still shock me. They warrant a "What the Holy Fuck?!?!" Here goes:

Action Movie Seeks Stunt People,Martial
Artists,Military,Hunters,Swat (Manhattan, New York)

Date: 2010-12-26, 11:02AM EST
Reply to: gigs-cawfg-2129585441@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


NOT A PAID GIG.
There is no help for gas.
THIS IS A ZERO BUDGET FEATURE.
This is only for Copy & IMDB Credit.
This is a collaboration.


Action Movie seeks ACTION EXPERIENCED people only who have Improv Dialogue & Method Dialogue ablity.
.
To be shot in January.

Shoot based in N.Y. City, Manhattan.

Storyline: Assassin seeks revenge for the murder of his dad.

Purpose of Movie: Film Festivals.


Stunt choreography & stunt coordination collaborative.
Safety #1.
EACH PROVIDES OWN STUNT GEAR.

Shooting Style:
Director Johnnie To. 'Vengence'.
Any Donnie Yen movie.

Email:
pic of self
action experience
reel link
what your availablity is-weekdays,weekends,daytime,night time,specific days,etc.


Story goes from childhood to the characters in their 20s to the characters in their 30s.
So if you have a sibling or relative that looks like you to play your character when you are a child, that is a plus.
The child needs to be o.k. with doing action.

No set nationalities, races, etc.
Characters- wide array of action skills.


Stunt possiblities:
martial arts
mma
precision driving: vehicles, motorcycles
being: on fire, dragged, hit
high falls
weaponry
high work
stair falls
rappelling
zip line
free running
parkour
underwater
going through: fake walls or fake glass
wrestling
climbing
Location: Manhattan, New York
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Compensation: no pay

PostingID: 2129585441


Those in the stunt persons' unions: I hope you saw this ad & nailed this idiot. Can we say "unrealistic expectations?"

More sickening content:

MODEL

Date: 2010-12-26, 1:56PM EST
Reply to: gigs-rzh9r-2129795992@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


Major Network TV Senior Casting Director, in charge of casting for new television shows, seeks attractive female actresses or models that are in search of starring or supporting roles upon the successful completion of a "casting couch" interview. You MUST CONFIRM your that you understand the meaning of the "casting couch" interviewing process with me (otherwise no reply). Please send a face and full body photo, and CONTACT PHONE NUMBER with your email marked "NBC TV." All appointments will be scheduled via telephone. I look forward to your submissions.


it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Compensation: $2000 to $5000 per episode

PostingID: 2129795992


I would hope no legitimate person at any television network, forget a mainstream network, would do this. Surely those people can find model types to sleep with them without having to go on Craig's List & post ads like this. Plus, if you run your TV network that way, I want zero to do with you since clearly you know nothing about talent unless it relates to porno.

Unless I've shot a porno film, I don't want you making decisions about my content, capice? You'd probably tell me to put tits into a courtroom scene if I had a dramatic, dark project (in comedy, asking for bare tits in a courtroom could be a legitimate request). Really, I hope most of those people are happily married or at least free from sordid influences: if they aren't, wouldn't most of the actors & actresses on TV be former hookers & porn stars?? I'm talking 90% vs. whatever number it might be now.

An ad reply I LOVE (the bold within was from the ad):

RE-Videographer -video editing - Reality Show Style (Downtown)

Date: 2011-08-15, 12:42PM EDT
Reply to: gigs-p24hr-2547924120@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


This is the kind of language that get you flag.

off-Broadway musical gay comedy production needs someone to shoot and edit a 3-minute reality TV(do you have any idea how much work take to edit a 3 minute segment?) show style teaser. Shooting last week of August to second week of September, best case scenario two days only. One day for sure September 7, other days must be flexible.
Amateurs or students with past experience and sample work highly encouraged to apply. ( Fishing for people to work for free is not Ok. ) Applicants must have their own equipment. Small project fee depends on experience, range of $400 to $500, (if you have a small budget said that and ask what you can get for that. $500 only buy a freelance with or no equipment) plus 4 tickets to show (you can keep your tickets I am going to see your show many times while I edit this.)

Please e-mail resume preferably with clear photo (So you don't care about my work a longest I am pretty? professional work require professional payment if you require a resume ) and any related items such as links to credited past work or professional website.

Compensation: depends on experience, range of $400 to $500, plus 4 tickets to show


You tell 'em, sister (I don't foresee many men pointing out physical discrimination)! Anyone asking for pictures in my book as a condition to a job interview is saying just that. For the millionth time, we have the Village Voice, the Craig's List personals section & I imagine a trillion adult websites where we can find people willing to give us sexual favors.

This obviously doesn't apply to jobs where one's looks really do matter like casting for films or modeling work but it sure as heck applies to "internships" and "personal assistant" work. Do these people even consider what these ads tell us about their business & how legit they are? To me, it says "Discrimination lawsuit waiting to happen." & "They don't have legal counsel since no lawyer would let them post this."

If you think a company asking for pictures of job applicants for a non-looks based job isn't engaging in illegal discrimination, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

Now, let's talk about this deluded snowflake. Notice the ad's date:

$10,000 - Get My Ex to Date/Love Me Again (New York, NY)

Date: 2011-09-13, 9:51PM EDT
Reply to: gigs-w3xyp-2597529280@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


The love of my life left me many years ago. We are still very close friends. I want him back. It must be done in secrecy and a binding legal contract will be signed. The details will follow. This will absolutely not be easy. It might be the most difficult job you ever have. If you do this, you will receive $500 per month for the 20 months to follow. I will be bound to that as well.

I will not lie about whether we get together. If you do this, we will go to dinner with you as a couple.

Are you up for this task? If so, please email me a VERY detailed description of yourself and the reason you feel you can make this happen.

NO LECTURES PLEASE!
Location: New York, NY
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Compensation: $10,000

PostingID: 2597529280


This one was so appalling, I had to respond to it. Here's what I wrote:

You can't write a "binding legal contract" on this. This is for personal services & furthermore, a judge would laugh at you if you dared to try suing on something like this.

And since you posted this in a public place (Craig's List), you can't tell people not to lecture you. You opened that Pandora's Box, honey so take the ribbing like a grown up.


Oh, where do we begin with this one?!?!? First off, how about just telling this lost love what's what? If this person says no, that's their problem. I pointed this out to a friend of mine worried about women not liking him. He's hardly a deadbeat or the sort of guy you wouldn't want around your children. If anything, I'd think most women would at least respect him for his ambition & trying to do good things vs. being a deadbeat with no job skills or even problems with drugs or alcohol.

Nobody's better than anyone else & the minute you start thinking your shit stinks less than someone else's is the minute you set yourself up for problems. In literature, we call that hubris. What happened to the folks who had hubris? Bad, tragic things. Want that to be you?

Second, I'm a strong believer in not going backwards. I don't even have friendships with my exes and I'm not sure I'd ever be in a place in life to do that with most of them. My husband feels the same way about his exes. I don't see anything good coming from that. I reconciled with an ex after my brother in law died but that's because he'd treated me with compassion the night I learned about & provided comfort. That was more an experience in closure than a new beginning since we were both moving away; it just showed that you can't go back to yesterday. He fell away before I left for law school & at least that's one ex I can leave alone.

The author of this ad sounds like (s)he only kept being friends with the person with the hope of getting back together. If it didn't happen already, that ship has sailed. Any psychologist would tell you that keeping someone in your life because you want more than they're willing to give is unhealthy. How many people think the author is a woman? I honestly do since it sounds like something the average woman would do.

Third, why the fuck would you degrade & demean yourself for someone who doesn't care? This reminds me way too much of my high school self, who was all too willing to let people shit on her in order to get their friendship, affection & approval. Learned later that kind of thing is for the birds.

That guy I had a massive crush on? Totally reminded me of that, though I wasn't friends with him just to get more. He did treat me as a human being at one time.

If I saw that guy today though, it would be to show him up & say "Boy, did you lose out! You're full of crap since a higher authority than you deems me pretty while you treated me like Dawn Wiener. You'll never be good enough to sit at my table so you can fuck off now." Maybe I'd make an assistant say that & instruct the person to look like (s)he is reading from a piece of paper. That should be even more insulting: someone's assistant telling you this & doing it with no feeling at all. Maybe even a Katy Perry style reaming for millions of fans, which you can read about here.

From life experience, it's not worth it. He should thank his lucky stars I don't have plans to blow his manhood away with a gun. Not every guy I knew can say that.

Finally, I know there are ugly people in the world but no one looks so bad that they have to demean themselves in that way. You could take that $10,000 & go work on yourself. Get a makeover, join a gym, take up a sport, move, go on vacation. Do SOMETHING! Anything has to be better than this plan.

$500 per month could get you some new clothes or membership into a decent gym. Heck, you could hire someone to be your wingman/wingwoman & find out that someone finds you desirable.

It's my fervent & sincere belief that no one should have to change their personality or who they are to find a romantic partner. Maybe some people should tone it down but I think it ultimately comes down to finding the right location, social group, whatever. "Location, location, location" as they say in business.

Changing locations helped me & despite all my protests that I'd never find a "one", I still did. The "one" is someone who accepts you for who you are, nothing more & nothing less. You don't have to change who you are for "the one." If you think you have to, guess what? That person isn't "the one."

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Wow, More Reason to Hate Lawyers

So I've written a bit on the Occupy Wall St. protests in NYC. More people were arrested from it yesterday since it went onto the Brooklyn Bridge. Now, of course I'm not actively participating since I do have a place to live & some incentive to a pro-social existence. Let me tell you, it will be a very dangerous day for mankind as a whole if I don't have that.

I decided to do some researching to see if any other lawyers are really speaking about it or have observations. I go to the National Lawyers Guild website since this group is the one I mentioned that is supposed to be advocating for 1st Amendment protections and helping protestors who are the victims of police brutality. They are also supposed to attend major protests to keep things under control. I actually am not a member because I strongly disagree with their stance on illegal immigration.

Well, do you think I've seen a SINGLE announcement or remark on this on their website? HELL NO! Nor do you see a word about it on the ABA website. If you didn't think the ABA was controlled by big money interests, this is your obvious proof. Yet, I do see this mentioned among the scam blogger crowd, non-traditional media outlets & people I know on social media.

Seems it's a very good thing I don't watch mainstream US media. I did learn that apparently, the Canadian media is covering the story. Good to hear someone is.

Honestly, I stick by my earlier story that it's not going to end well for these defenders of the man or the man himself. However, I'm also truly disgusted with the legal community as a whole.

I don't see a word about any of these attorneys going to help any of the arrested people at the protests. No getting arrested themselves, no donating money, nothing. Maybe some of them should get off their butts, stop whining about their own problems & get "legal experience" by taking on some defense for these people. How many unemployed lawyers are there in NYC? If you believe the reports, there are a TON. This should confirm whose pocket some of these groups are in & should be an obvious answer to any question about why I dislike bar associations & lawyers as a whole.

I think attorneys who aren't even talking about this or acknowledge that The Angry Redheaded Lawyer was right in foreseeing this prove that they only care about being virtual prostitutes for Corporate America. As in, they could care less about advocating for the people or anyone who actually NEEDS legal services but would rather do their best to keep the common person down. Guess what, guys? It affects you as well as any police officer, though I know the police are protected by a strong union & lawyers aren't.

Consider your ethical obligations, being a public servant & all that noise. Seems most attorneys are simply hypocrites. Don't even get me started on politicians. I think I'm going to keep the phrase "political cockroaches" to describe career politicians; that is what they are, right? It's next to impossible to get rid of them & they are a plague. One of my friends wondered what would happen if a member of Congress gave up their high priced salary & medical benefits. Commenters predicted that the person would go MIA or such a bill created for all would die in committee but I'd personally have respect for that person whereas right now, I have none for politicians. For you politicians, you'd better hope I know you from some other context or if you end up in a life-death situation where I'm the only one who can help you, I'll most likely watch you die & not feel very guilty about it.

At least I have other anti-lawyers to talk to who get it since I know most of these whiny attorneys will not (read some comments on ABA stories if you wonder what I mean by that).

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Undercover as a "Telemarketer" & How Adults Acting Like Children Ruin Things For Everyone Else

Just finished a 5 month gig doing follow up marketing calls for law firms that I thought was going to last about 1 month. Guess that tells you someone liked me or my work, huh? I think I was the last person working on the list & still shocked I lasted as long as I did. If those private student loan pricks could be bothered to get with modern times or negotiate with folk instead of wasting money, we'd all be better off.

But aside from that, I vowed after finishing that job that I was going to take a hiatus since it seems jobs like that aren't coming up so much. Very little also fits into my personal situation or background + I've got that list of tasks to perform. I've gotten maybe 1 or 2 done right now but had to add more like getting something that will allow me to create vlogs, which will be linked here (don't worry, it's just more in-person ranting by moi).

The interesting thing about the job I was doing is that it called for someone with an acting background. Since I had both acting and telephone interviewing experience, I made my case to be considered. Guess I was that good & my being an attorney actually helped for once since I started on it pretty quickly. I also got paid promptly & had my travel covered. Even having a laptop helped even though I learned that it's heavy to lug one around.

So, some highlights from my calling law firms:

1. Be selective in your hold music. The best ones are classical or jazz in my book. They seem to be less intrusive, disturbing and annoying (especially if you're on hold for a while). Though one place was cool considering they left me on hold so long I got caught up in listening to "Brick House" by The Commodores. Using The Commodores' greatest hits as hold music? Interesting concept, you have to admit.

The problem in that place though, is the person I was talking to was utterly incompetent. I asked to speak to an individual (who received the company's letter) and it seemed that was far too much to ask.

2. Google Voice is a good product, as long as the reception holds. I like the not having to use my own telephone # aspect of it all. The only downside was when people had fuzz on the line or said they couldn't hear me. That got frustrating at times.

3. I'm shocked to say this but some of the big firm lawyers behaved like human beings. More than I've personally encountered as an attorney, in fact. Interesting that some of these people were more congenial and nicer to me when they thought I was simply a solicitor than they'd probably be if they knew I was an attorney. Reading comments on ABA stories will also give you a very low opinion of attorneys as a group.

I really didn't have to tell many people I was an attorney. I usually did it if someone told me they were busy to establish commonality or with one person, when the attorney actually researched me & found out on his own. I was astounded, though not completely shocked. I wrote the guy explaining my situation and that I can't exactly have my company & go work in some law firm while maintaining that status quo.

If you wish to debate me on that one, then offer me a job paying a suitable wage to cover loan repayment with no restrictions on my company ownership, online persona or any creative work. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut since if you can't get me such a job it's obvious that I'm right.

4. Just like in the entertainment field, you never know just who you're speaking to. For those of you who were rude to me during this job, I've got your profiles bookmarked as people & law firms I'll be avoiding + telling others to avoid. One of these assholes was an entertainment attorney dealing with theater matters. She was a total bitch to me & accused me of being a robot. Believe me, I will mention it if I ever meet her or she deigns to speak to me. I'll also make sure any creative person I know doesn't work with her.

It's my opinion that if you're a bitch/bastard to me (especially if you think I'm some "telemarketer"), then you're a bitch/bastard to everyone. It's the exact same thing in my book as going on a date with someone & being rude to the server: it's a warning sign to stay away from that person. Plus, if you're paying that type of attorney you are implicitly co-opting the behavior. I'll also promise you that such an attorney will never give you prompt follow up, be as prepared in court as (s)he should be & generally further the negative stereotypes of attorneys. In other words, if you want someone who's going to be a good advocate, that person needs to be respectful of you: your desires, viewpoints, what you want to accomplish. If you don't have that, it doesn't matter where the person went to law school. A prick is a prick is a prick.

One person who got in my face during this job & apparently ascribed me to some other person who'd called her even had her LinkedIn profile come up in my "People You May Know" list. It made me wish LinkedIn had a rejection button that listed the following as a reason not to show the profile: This person was an asshole to me & it will be a cold day in Hell before I do anything to benefit him/her. Or even something like: I wouldn't pee on this person if (s)he was on fire.

There's a polite way to decline something & there's being a prick. Generally, there weren't as many pricks as you might think but hanging up on me, getting attitude with me, etc. is going to get you on my shit list pretty quickly.

5. Most law firm secretaries/paralegals are helpful, decent folk. Let them help you. I'm generally nice to these people since I did that job before. The ones who are assholes may want to consider how people are viewing their boss (Guess what? It's not a good impression at all).

6. Great inspiration & material comes from this shroud of mystery in your affairs. Not to mention the fun in deceiving jerkwads only to make them look stupid at some future date. At least, I like this shroud of mystery since it keeps me grounded.

The people who hired me on this knew how to handle a freelancer with a lot of education & experiences properly. Chiefly, by:

1. Paying on time and with a set schedule
2. Not engaging in micromanagement
3. Treating me as an equal, not a slave
4. Not putting pressure on me to get a "yes"

These kinds of things make working a joy & the immaturity you see in the average corporate workplace is a huge reason I have no motivation to bother with it. Sadly, I don't say this at 50 or 60. I'm not even near 40 & I'm that jaded.

These are not hard things to do or unreasonable demands. Why is it that most workplaces don't get that? Oh, yeah because they are filled with douchebags like the guy who wouldn't refill the milk in the fridge despite the fact that the CEO was paying for it. I'm with the CEO on this one: how can people expect to be treated like adults when they want to act like little kids at work? I'd fire you as well or come up with some of the creative punishments other people suggested. How about you?