Getting To Know the iPhone 4, Too Much Politics and More

It's no secret that I have a very cynical view of politics & politicians. Any smart political candidate would want to have me around since I know how one becomes cynical & how to get people to give a crap about some issue. I like to think of myself as the crash that will lull you out of your complacent sleep. I sort of view it as my goal in life to shake things up, not be a "yes" woman & tell unpleasant truths to people who never hear them but actually should + would benefit from hearing them.

I have a friend (I won't say who) who lately, has been posting political diatribes. Now you'd think this person would just create a rant blog like yours truly. If you come here, you know you're going to get rants. Since I agree with people's rights to have their own opinions & have plenty of people in my life who don't follow lockstep behind every cause I support or reject, I didn't de-friend this person like some other people apparently did because of it.

However, after seeing more of it today, I'm wondering whether some conservative leaning political pundit has hacked that social media account. It's been EVERY SINGLE status update. That gets old for me.

A) If you want to rant about politics, create a political rant blog. That way, people know what to expect & what they're getting. People friending you on a social media network aren't necessarily expecting that. While I take great care in who I friend on certain sites, I don't post about the same thing ad nauseaum. I try not to overwhelm folks with Occupy Wall Street stuff or anything else (though I pass on important links).

B) I do believe it takes all types in the world but I'd rather debate folk in person. That way, you can catch tone, subtleties & things you miss in the written word. It's too easy to think you're being patronized, insulted, etc. when the other person didn't actually mean it that way.

C) I wonder if this person has considered backlash to career. The person works in the entertainment business & has a similar path to mine (though I've been an attorney longer & this person has done more than me). However, this individual doesn't strike me as someone who is so hard core set on their views that they are willing to risk alienating people. This is not someone who did humorous rants or came up with hyperbolic suggestions on how to reform things (in other words, if you were the average person who saw these, I'm not sure you'd find humor there). I as a colleague would certainly be influenced as to who I'd refer or not refer. I'd certainly not refer anyone who loudly favors the ethic of the Occupy protests. If you think I'm being a hypocrite, I disagree.

You might disagree with me but at least I try to entertain & not speak with judgment. This person, not so much with these updates. You felt like you were dealing with that fundie cousin at Thanksgiving or something.

As for my Thanksgiving, it was actually decent. Went to the in-laws again but next year, we have to go to NC. For one thing, my husband's finally got a work schedule where he can get the time off (in over 5 years of marriage, we've never spent a holiday at my parents' home as a married couple--yeah, I'm still pissed about that). Second, my sister recently learned that she was pregnant. If things go well, we'll have another niece or nephew to corrupt & spoil (by corrupt, I mean teaching that kid to think for himself/herself, believe in doing anything (s)he puts his/her mind to and that if I could do what I'm doing, so can (s)he). If it doesn't, everyone will be bummed out & depressed. Either way, I'll have to go. We're hoping for a girl this time to balance out the male/female ratio. This will add up to 6 nieces & nephews for hubby & me. No way do I need to be having kids.

Yesterday, I managed to avoid Black Friday shopping hell & am thankful that I did. I know people who did in smaller places who said they couldn't see going out in it in a major city. Since I don't have small kids & still remember the ethic of What Would Jesus Buy? (you can also become a fan of the Rev. Billy on Facebook), I'm just not into shopping for things I don't really need. Even coming up with a Christmas list means me thinking of things I will use, stores that sell things I will actually buy & of course, considering asking for things we think are too expensive for us to buy. However, people in my family plan this way in advance. We've even finished all retail shopping at this point so we don't have to go out in that shopping hell. I'd be interested to see how much the Internet has displaced brick & mortar shopping over the years, especially during the holidays.

Wouldn't you know the dumb asses at the MTA decided to shut down my local subway line this weekend? Last year, they shut it down during the weekend of Comic Con. Do these idiots think no one in my area goes shopping? Are they trying to harm the city's tourism & commercial dollars? My area's never going to be some great alternative to Manhattan until they stop with that BS. The only good thing is I live in walking distance of another subway line that is running so I'm not at the mercy of a shuttle bus.

Yesterday, I finally discovered how to create & put custom ringtones on my iPhone. I'd been able to get the ringtones on there as music but not get them added as actual ringtones in the ringtones section of the phone. Figuring this out has been significant for me, along with the discovery that you can use apps to create ringtones from your own songs. I hate being at the mercy of big business or having to get something everyone else likes but not songs that are more obscure & that I'd rather have. I generally also like my ringtones instrumental & made some great ones, including some from the opening song in Office Space. No store will cater to my tastes & preferences so it's best that people like me get to create their own stuff.

Today, I've continued working on the ringtone project. One thing I really hate about iTunes is that it seems to be all or nothing with files. For instance, I created test ringtones. Why can't I just delete them with a right click or a button, though?! I don't like how they came out so I don't want them. iTunes seems to make it more complicated than it should be to get music on your iPod or iPhone or get rid of songs. That's something I really don't like about it. Once you get the hang of it, though, you're good. I feel like I'm going to have to keep a written tutorial for myself, though since it's not one of those programs where the obvious solution works.

Oh, and I continue doing video blogs periodically on Mobli. If you want to find them, I'm under "angryredheadlaw". Don't think I got that hosting job but when I saw an ad later stating that it would be unpaid, I think it's for the best. The saga that is my life continues.

General Musings, Part 2

Here we go.

My thoughts on this:

1. I have to agree w/people who claim this story & the media as a whole are taking a liberal bias on illegal immigration. This would be the same as letting a murderer who escaped from jail be exonerated for calling 911 for a rape victim. You do the crime, you do the time. Whether a particular law should be enforced or even on the books is a whole other issue but I think the immigration laws should be enforced equally for all & the punishment for hiring illegals should be so severe to even damage the business of multi-million dollar corporations. Jail some of these executives in, to borrow a term from Office Space, "Pound me in the ass Prison" w/no bail & they'll get their act together.

In short, I don't have sympathy for illegals who whine about having to face the music when they perform their civic duty like we expect people to in an orderly & decent society. They should have thought about that before getting involved in a situation. Could this man not have made an anonymous phone call?

2. I also agree that illegals should not be using the state tuition rate, resources & seats in educational programs that citizens should be using and very well may have wanted to but for the illegal. There's a little thing called the library; if your city government is still funding your system, I suggest you use it. They don't care if you're an illegal & some even offer free English courses. Use them if you truly want to be an American & move up like so many people have done before you.

Second rant: Yesterday, after seeing an ad for an unpaid internship requiring 30-40 hours of work per WEEK (but "flexible") in a start-up beauty company I have to post a link to this petition.

The petition is here.

Demanding, aren't we? At least in my industry, the people I've come across are well aware that they're not paying you & actually appreciate you helping them. More people I see in the entertainment industry don't make those kinds of demands on people working for NO pay. I would never expect anyone to give up a paying day job & devote that kind of time to me w/out some kind of payment. I would certainly never label a person working that many hours for months on end an "intern."

I also agree heavily w/another ad I read there.

Some of us DO get paid for our writing talent. I actually have, being a lawyer notwithstanding.

Also reminds me of the old adage "you get what you pay for." Pay substandard or nothing & you will not get high quality. I've worked w/starting businesses but I only pick those that have some staying power & are organized. Everyone thinks they can write but it's a lot harder than it looks & there aren't many good writers. There are fewer superior writers. Anyone who's been asked to read a film script can tell you this.

You also have to have a lot of passion to do such things & if the environment is not one of respect and treating people like human beings, you're not going to get very far finding people to work for no pay regardless of their employment status. People always want to know what's in it for them so if you don't have a good answer to that, you're doomed. That's just how it is.

When You No Longer Care About Impressing People

So today, I get a phone call from someone seeking legal representation. Keep in mind that I don't actually solicit clients at this point. The biggest reason is because I've been burned by them not paying me after I put in significant time, work & effort for them. Not a single client I've had has ever paid me for my services (as a result, the number is very small).

Not getting paid for my time & effort pisses me off. I'm sure you'd also be pissed off. The best analogy is working for a large company that decides to arbitrarily not give you a paycheck without any warning or explanation.

Apparently, someone I likely met at a networking event passed my name along. Who knew? I largely go to events to meet more entertainment industry people but if I become the go-to legal counsel, okay. That's not something a lawyer should complain about. If someone asks for entertainment work & I don't have the time or experience to help that person, I will happily direct them to a lawyer I know who might have the expertise or time to help.

As long as you don't ask me to represent you in litigation (too time-consuming), ask me to violate the state ethics rules & you don't mind that I don't have an office or have to go to bar association libraries to do legal research, it's cool. You'd also better be paying me & not trying to get freebies. Would YOU want to be giving freebies to strangers? I didn't think so.

If you can do those basic things, then we're all set. I don't pretend to be the expert on everything (I'll be the first to tell any prospective client that fact) but I am a stickler about being treated w/basic respect. That's another thing I don't take kindly to & probably a big reason why I'm not really suited for work in big business. I just realized I'm operating like a drug dealer getting clients: dealers won't sell to or work w/anyone who can't be vouched for by someone the dealer already knows. I wouldn't represent someone who can't be vouched for due to my horribly bad experiences. The upside is I've developed business relationships w/some collection agencies & know more about the Part 137 Fee Dispute resolution program.

My husband thinks that I haven't been able to find a day job for myself b/c people are too intimidated by me. Yeah, I have done a lot of things & a legal colleague said I pretty much had to work on my own to find jobs since my background is so unusual. Guess that theory is possible.

I think I've also become like Peter Gibbons in Office Space after he went to the hypnotist (again, see this movie if you haven't already). At least I have that stance with new opportunities since the people I already deal with do appreciate me.

Seems like so many people I know have become like that lately. The plus side to it is I think it definitely prompts one to be more honest & direct with people than the average applicant. Maybe I've gotten some results b/c the honesty throws them off. Maybe my personality is helping me. I don't completely know but since I'm happier doing that, I'll keep it up.

Either way I'd rather work someplace where my personality & go-getting is seen as an asset. Don't know why I'm able to have some of the conversations I have w/people but maybe I did inherit some of that sociability that my sister & father have mastered. No one's a stranger to them; you'll hear some interesting conversations & insights from the most random people if you hang around them. Travel w/either of them is particularly interesting.

One example: during a massive blizzard in December 2003, my father & I drove up from NC to CT for me to see the law school campus I was considering attending. Thank God he was driving for this trip b/c we had more than one close call (he's also a former truck driver who's driven in many bad weather situations).

The day after we arrived & had seen the campus, we stopped into a Friendly's in the midst of all of it before hitting the road to go home. There weren't a lot of people there since there was a blizzard, but he ended up starting conversations w/the waitress & some other patrons. We were talking to this couple that I believe were heading to Florida or visiting from there. I told them about my seeing the law school campus & we were all just chatting. He also spoke to our waitress & had very kind words for her. Face it, if you came to work as a server in the middle of a blizzard you deserve some generous tips.

Anyhow, by the time we were going to pay the couple from Florida had left & the waitress told us they'd paid for our meal. It certainly wasn't expected or asked for; it was just one of those random acts of kindness.

I try to perform those from time to time. I may be assertive but that doesn't mean I don't have a caring side.