So the next couple of weeks will be busy for me. First off, have a job interview on Tuesday for a job I'm actually not overqualified for + would want to do. Wednesday is the NYC premiere of "Uptown," a feature film from One Way. If you get a chance, see this movie. It's really good.
Saturday I'm going to go visit family in NC for a week. Scary that my NC views may just increase if I use their computer to write any entries here. Not sure if I will b/c my week's going to be pretty booked up. Right now, I'm looking forward to having some food items there that you can't get here. Seeing family & friends who live there is a no-brainer. Some of these people should visit ME, though (hint, hint).
NYC's a fun place to visit & my husband + me know of decent, low cost things to do that won't be crawling w/tons of tourists. If you walk down the street in a touristy area like Penn Station or Times Square, you can pick out the locals & the tourists pretty easily. The tourists will stand in the middle of the sidewalk, marvel at things & walk very slowly while the locals just walk in the bike lane to get past everyone. The locals also walk a lot faster on the whole. If you want to get someplace quick, just follow the locals.
Anyway, food items I plan to see about having:
1. Real hushpuppies: Whatever you do, don't go to ACME Restaurant to get them. I was very, VERY disappointed. My family knows of places that have good ones so I'm definitely taking advantage while I'm down there.
2. Chick-Fil-A: There's no official one in NYC (as in, open year round & has a full menu) & driving to Paramus is not something I can do every single weekend. Tolls & gas $ add up; I + plenty of other city residents would like to see one here, damn it! This place is healthier & I don't like their chain competitors.
3. Steak & Shake: Haven't gotten to go in years since hubby & I went on vacation to FL & drove from FL to my parents' house in NC. I'll have to see if I can still eat it or not.
4. Krispy Kreme doughnuts: their headquarters are in my hometown, you know. I'll be going to another doughnut shop as well but I do plan to ask about this since I'm not sure if the store at Penn Station will be open when I have to get the train. With my luck, it won't be.
I still have to think of more stuff but visiting has more appeal than it used to since my family moved to a different area, got a house w/room in it & generally seem much happier. I can't live there again since I'd miss NYC too much & my husband + I would fit in as well as Joe Pesci & Marisa Tomei's characters fit into Alabama in My Cousin Vinny. I can visit for about a week, maybe 2 tops but that's my limit.
Yes, even though I'm from there originally I do feel like that. At least my friends & family that I deal with aren't pushing motherhood on me; I'm very happy being an auntie. Ideally, the cool auntie who always has adventures w/stories & fun gifts to give.
Seriously, I'm still mad about the hushpuppies. That experience has stopped me from trying any more in NYC & don't care to fry food in oil at home. Too many stories about serious injury & I like not getting burned, thanks. I swear, if I get bad ones again I'd probably have to ask for the cook's head on a silver platter.
Now going to get some water & hopefully get some sleep. I'm not really tired right now but maybe that's b/c it's a bit warm in my house.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
An Article on Redheads
Thanks to my hubby. He showed me this one & I found it funny.
Not sure where I fit but no one had better steal my Halloween costume idea or I'll hurt that person. Especially if it's some fake redhead trying to do it; I'm far better at doing a costume w/a redhead, thanks. When your body dimensions actually match up to the description of Jessica Rabbit in Who Censored Roger Rabbit? (the book the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" was based off of), you tend to be a bit protective about your look.
I'm not kidding, read the book to find out.
Not sure where I fit but no one had better steal my Halloween costume idea or I'll hurt that person. Especially if it's some fake redhead trying to do it; I'm far better at doing a costume w/a redhead, thanks. When your body dimensions actually match up to the description of Jessica Rabbit in Who Censored Roger Rabbit? (the book the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" was based off of), you tend to be a bit protective about your look.
I'm not kidding, read the book to find out.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Workers Wising Up & Crazy Stories from Mississippi
This is a sight for sore eyes.
It's no wonder, when you're making the remaining employees do the work of 2-3 people you've laid off & didn't replace without any promotions or salary increases. So seems this flies in the face of the "50 hours is the new normal & we'll just have to suck it up" crowd, doesn't it?
That makes me happy. Finally, some people are wising up & saying "Enough is enough." If this happened on a mass scale & people started using common sense again, I'd be even happier.
And this just makes me laugh.
Sorry but if you believe this, then I've got a bridge to sell you in Alaska. I saw Prom Night in Mississippi & I have to say that while there may be some intelligent, decent people in the state of Mississippi it's not been my experience that intelligent, decent people exist in the average county school district anywhere in the country.
If anything, I hear more about school administrators who lack any kind of capacity for rational thought based on news headlines & stories from family, friends, acquaintances, etc. Stories about denying diplomas to people whose guests applauded at their graduation, teachers trying to ban words, principals exercising double standards & even in my own high school days, we had some teachers who conducted themselves so poorly that a hobo deserved more respect than they did.
When your own mother says that a particular teacher doesn't deserve respect from students, it's a sign. Granted, my high school was known as Thug High when I went there but if a teacher can't even bother to do some basic things to earn respect from his/her students, it's time for that teacher to find a new profession.
It's no wonder, when you're making the remaining employees do the work of 2-3 people you've laid off & didn't replace without any promotions or salary increases. So seems this flies in the face of the "50 hours is the new normal & we'll just have to suck it up" crowd, doesn't it?
That makes me happy. Finally, some people are wising up & saying "Enough is enough." If this happened on a mass scale & people started using common sense again, I'd be even happier.
And this just makes me laugh.
Sorry but if you believe this, then I've got a bridge to sell you in Alaska. I saw Prom Night in Mississippi & I have to say that while there may be some intelligent, decent people in the state of Mississippi it's not been my experience that intelligent, decent people exist in the average county school district anywhere in the country.
If anything, I hear more about school administrators who lack any kind of capacity for rational thought based on news headlines & stories from family, friends, acquaintances, etc. Stories about denying diplomas to people whose guests applauded at their graduation, teachers trying to ban words, principals exercising double standards & even in my own high school days, we had some teachers who conducted themselves so poorly that a hobo deserved more respect than they did.
When your own mother says that a particular teacher doesn't deserve respect from students, it's a sign. Granted, my high school was known as Thug High when I went there but if a teacher can't even bother to do some basic things to earn respect from his/her students, it's time for that teacher to find a new profession.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Spending Life as a Worrywart
My husband just unknowingly triggered a rant. He's watching this program about earthquakes & apparently NYC is the 4th most at risk city in the US for an earthquake.
Basically, I don't think you can live your life worrying about things you can't control. This includes terrorist attacks, weather conditions & unfortunate things that might happen b/c you took the subway, went to a club, went jogging in the park or did anything basically known as living your life. If a terrorist wants to attack something bad enough, it's going to happen. However, it doesn't mean you become a shut-in & let the government take all your rights away.
Let the government & the police worry about terrorism. You're more likely to get molested by a friend or relative or get in a car accident than be in a terrorist attack. Crime happens everywhere. Even little towns where no one thought crime would happen get their share of gruesome events. That doesn't mean don't be aware or do stupid crap like hang around bad neighborhoods but it does mean not to act like Wade Duck.
For those who haven't seen the Garfield cartoon of the '90s, it featured a series called U.S. Acres (Orson's Farm if you live outside the US or watch the Region 1 DVDs). Whatever title you want to call it, the main characters were a bunch of barnyard animals living on a farm. One of them was a duck named Wade who was terrified of everything. Wade always ran screaming from scary situations; he even had a theme song that started "Wade, you're afraid of every little thing..."
The doomsday clique annoys me to no end. If you think you're going to die soon, why bother doing anything? Why go to work? Why obey the law?
Under that rationale, we should all be murdering each other, raping children & strung out on drugs. After all, we'll all be dead soon, won't we? Why shouldn't the pedophiles & everyone else run wild?
I said this years ago & I still believe it now: I'd rather live a short, happy life than a long, miserable one. Seeing what living in misery does to someone has made me rage even harder against living that way myself.
Basically, I don't think you can live your life worrying about things you can't control. This includes terrorist attacks, weather conditions & unfortunate things that might happen b/c you took the subway, went to a club, went jogging in the park or did anything basically known as living your life. If a terrorist wants to attack something bad enough, it's going to happen. However, it doesn't mean you become a shut-in & let the government take all your rights away.
Let the government & the police worry about terrorism. You're more likely to get molested by a friend or relative or get in a car accident than be in a terrorist attack. Crime happens everywhere. Even little towns where no one thought crime would happen get their share of gruesome events. That doesn't mean don't be aware or do stupid crap like hang around bad neighborhoods but it does mean not to act like Wade Duck.
For those who haven't seen the Garfield cartoon of the '90s, it featured a series called U.S. Acres (Orson's Farm if you live outside the US or watch the Region 1 DVDs). Whatever title you want to call it, the main characters were a bunch of barnyard animals living on a farm. One of them was a duck named Wade who was terrified of everything. Wade always ran screaming from scary situations; he even had a theme song that started "Wade, you're afraid of every little thing..."
The doomsday clique annoys me to no end. If you think you're going to die soon, why bother doing anything? Why go to work? Why obey the law?
Under that rationale, we should all be murdering each other, raping children & strung out on drugs. After all, we'll all be dead soon, won't we? Why shouldn't the pedophiles & everyone else run wild?
I said this years ago & I still believe it now: I'd rather live a short, happy life than a long, miserable one. Seeing what living in misery does to someone has made me rage even harder against living that way myself.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Childfreedom--An Overview
Of the many stances I have written about in this blog, one of the things that I haven't really covered is the concept of being "childfree." First, I'll define a couple terms.
Childfree: you have never had a biological child & are perfectly happy with this
Fence-sitter: you haven't had a biological child & don't want any right now but might want them sometime in the future
Childless: you have never had a biological child but it's one of your life dreams to have one sometime before you die or hit menopause
Okay, now that we have that out of the way I'll explain some details on this to bring my views into context:
A) There are MANY misconceptions about people who don't want kids, especially women. Society believes that childfree women hate children, want them to suffer unspeakable harm (physical, emotional, take your pick), hate mothers & are right up there w/Satanists & the terrorists as people to be hated.
B) Society assumes that ALL women want to breed. In fact, so do many male law firm partners & perhaps many male leaders in other industries. I only really know about law firms, though.
C) If you are a woman without children, you will most likely have friends, family members, co-workers, acquaintances, somebody pestering you about pro-creating. Statements such as "You'll change your mind" and "It's different when they're your own" are known as a bingo. The verbal form of the word is known as "being bingoed" or "bingoing".
* I don't come up w/these terms, I'm just passing this along for your benefit.
Now, I'm fortunate in a number of ways:
A) My family is very much "live and let live." The relatives I speak to have known me for a very long time & know that I was always going to be a career woman. They also knew I'd be living in the Northeast & wasn't particularly maternal.
My sister, on the other hand, has been a natural with kids since she was a kid herself. She always wanted them & is one of the best mothers I know. Between me & my husband, we have 5 nieces & nephews so there's already enough grand kids for everyone to be happy.
B) The legal industry & the entertainment industry aren't the types of fields where motherhood is overly encouraged. In fact, you're going to have a much harder time as a mom working in either field depending on what you do for a living. I would go so far as to say there aren't as many family friendly workplaces in these fields as there ought to be & finding one is difficult.
You're just not going to find a lot of people trying to push parenthood on you in entertainment or in the average legal job. If anything, you'll find people trying to talk you out of parenthood.
C) I found a great surgeon who performed sterilization surgery on me so I don't have to worry about accidental pregnancies or not being able to get an abortion if religious fanatics get their way. You can't leave a tubal pregnancy or the woman will die when her tube bursts. I'm far happier having gotten that done.
So my basic view is "different strokes for different folks." There are some good parents out there & people who've wanted kids their whole lives. They love their kids unconditionally & would do anything for them. I know many parents & if they're doing right by their kids, I have no problem with the fact that they made the choice to have them. It's also not my place to shun anyone for having kids.
However when you start invalidating someone's intelligence b/c they don't have kids or try to sell me on having kids like you were a dealer selling me crack, then there's a problem. Just as I don't get to pry into your reproductive business, you don't get to pry into my reproductive business. Unless you will personally have said child, raise it, pay for it & I have no changes to my life whatsoever, you don't get a vote in the matter.
I've got nothing against responsible adults having kids raised in a loving household & teaching them to become productive members of society. But the fact is, my husband & I have no patience w/them, prefer our alone time & like having our lives be our own. We don't want that kind of responsibility & have no apologies for it.
Memo to Society: Some people have NO business having kids. Some people are or would make shitty parents & I really wish you could mandate parenting licenses. Take YOUR religious views to YOUR church & keep them off everyone else's bodies.
So society would likely brand me as childfree. That's not quite accurate, though b/c I do have some problems w/being lumped in that group.
A) Some childfree people hate their own child relatives such as nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. This is not b/c of those kids being bad but just b/c of the fact that they are kids. Some of these people actually try to get advice to avoid seeing infant & child relatives. This is a HUGE issue for me.
While I'm all thumbs when it comes to children under 5, that child hasn't done anything to piss you off yet. Plus, what about leaving your mark on that kid? Don't you think that kid might want to be like you & admire you if you're nice to him/her? Why make an enemy of a little kid who could turn out to be a really great person & someone who learns good things from you?
Shades of my childhood also come into this: I had an aunt say something shitty to me as a child that you should never say to a kid. She actually told me that she loved my male cousins more than she did me & my sister.
B) There are childfree people who hate all parents & all kids. I don't. I just dislike anyone who tries to butt into my personal life or who causes problems for society, the courts, social services, etc. by bringing a child into the world & not bothering to be a parent. This includes not having the money to take care of those children & having the taxpayers support them.
My nephew is a little sweetheart & if anyone dared to mess w/him or the one I'm going to meet in a few weeks, they'd better pray their parents or my mother got to them first b/c as we all know, I'm not someone you want to start trouble with.
We don't need any more breeders in this country. Don't get me started on the Octo-Breeding Bitch.
C) I don't hate all conversation about kids. Don't tell me about the color of the poop or marvel at minute details I won't really care about, but you don't have to pretend your child doesn't exist at all to speak to me. If you have other interests but make a comment or two about your child, that's fine. Just don't turn it into a 3 hour discussion on kid stuff; save that for other parents. Moderation, it's a beautiful thing.
I also avoid new parents unless they are family & wouldn't want to go to a child's birthday party unless that child is a family member or close enough to me that he/she might as well be family. I know people who didn't change after having kids but also know others who became ex-friends; childfree people really don't like those types. They wonder where their old friend went.
I think I just have problems aligning myself with most groups since no one ever gets my philosophy or thoughts on things 100% on target. Not even 95% or a number close enough for me to overlook other things. There's usually at least a few fundamental disagreements I have with particular groups someone might try to lump me in with.
Guess that's why I'm your classic lone wolf.
Childfree: you have never had a biological child & are perfectly happy with this
Fence-sitter: you haven't had a biological child & don't want any right now but might want them sometime in the future
Childless: you have never had a biological child but it's one of your life dreams to have one sometime before you die or hit menopause
Okay, now that we have that out of the way I'll explain some details on this to bring my views into context:
A) There are MANY misconceptions about people who don't want kids, especially women. Society believes that childfree women hate children, want them to suffer unspeakable harm (physical, emotional, take your pick), hate mothers & are right up there w/Satanists & the terrorists as people to be hated.
B) Society assumes that ALL women want to breed. In fact, so do many male law firm partners & perhaps many male leaders in other industries. I only really know about law firms, though.
C) If you are a woman without children, you will most likely have friends, family members, co-workers, acquaintances, somebody pestering you about pro-creating. Statements such as "You'll change your mind" and "It's different when they're your own" are known as a bingo. The verbal form of the word is known as "being bingoed" or "bingoing".
* I don't come up w/these terms, I'm just passing this along for your benefit.
Now, I'm fortunate in a number of ways:
A) My family is very much "live and let live." The relatives I speak to have known me for a very long time & know that I was always going to be a career woman. They also knew I'd be living in the Northeast & wasn't particularly maternal.
My sister, on the other hand, has been a natural with kids since she was a kid herself. She always wanted them & is one of the best mothers I know. Between me & my husband, we have 5 nieces & nephews so there's already enough grand kids for everyone to be happy.
B) The legal industry & the entertainment industry aren't the types of fields where motherhood is overly encouraged. In fact, you're going to have a much harder time as a mom working in either field depending on what you do for a living. I would go so far as to say there aren't as many family friendly workplaces in these fields as there ought to be & finding one is difficult.
You're just not going to find a lot of people trying to push parenthood on you in entertainment or in the average legal job. If anything, you'll find people trying to talk you out of parenthood.
C) I found a great surgeon who performed sterilization surgery on me so I don't have to worry about accidental pregnancies or not being able to get an abortion if religious fanatics get their way. You can't leave a tubal pregnancy or the woman will die when her tube bursts. I'm far happier having gotten that done.
So my basic view is "different strokes for different folks." There are some good parents out there & people who've wanted kids their whole lives. They love their kids unconditionally & would do anything for them. I know many parents & if they're doing right by their kids, I have no problem with the fact that they made the choice to have them. It's also not my place to shun anyone for having kids.
However when you start invalidating someone's intelligence b/c they don't have kids or try to sell me on having kids like you were a dealer selling me crack, then there's a problem. Just as I don't get to pry into your reproductive business, you don't get to pry into my reproductive business. Unless you will personally have said child, raise it, pay for it & I have no changes to my life whatsoever, you don't get a vote in the matter.
I've got nothing against responsible adults having kids raised in a loving household & teaching them to become productive members of society. But the fact is, my husband & I have no patience w/them, prefer our alone time & like having our lives be our own. We don't want that kind of responsibility & have no apologies for it.
Memo to Society: Some people have NO business having kids. Some people are or would make shitty parents & I really wish you could mandate parenting licenses. Take YOUR religious views to YOUR church & keep them off everyone else's bodies.
So society would likely brand me as childfree. That's not quite accurate, though b/c I do have some problems w/being lumped in that group.
A) Some childfree people hate their own child relatives such as nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. This is not b/c of those kids being bad but just b/c of the fact that they are kids. Some of these people actually try to get advice to avoid seeing infant & child relatives. This is a HUGE issue for me.
While I'm all thumbs when it comes to children under 5, that child hasn't done anything to piss you off yet. Plus, what about leaving your mark on that kid? Don't you think that kid might want to be like you & admire you if you're nice to him/her? Why make an enemy of a little kid who could turn out to be a really great person & someone who learns good things from you?
Shades of my childhood also come into this: I had an aunt say something shitty to me as a child that you should never say to a kid. She actually told me that she loved my male cousins more than she did me & my sister.
B) There are childfree people who hate all parents & all kids. I don't. I just dislike anyone who tries to butt into my personal life or who causes problems for society, the courts, social services, etc. by bringing a child into the world & not bothering to be a parent. This includes not having the money to take care of those children & having the taxpayers support them.
My nephew is a little sweetheart & if anyone dared to mess w/him or the one I'm going to meet in a few weeks, they'd better pray their parents or my mother got to them first b/c as we all know, I'm not someone you want to start trouble with.
We don't need any more breeders in this country. Don't get me started on the Octo-Breeding Bitch.
C) I don't hate all conversation about kids. Don't tell me about the color of the poop or marvel at minute details I won't really care about, but you don't have to pretend your child doesn't exist at all to speak to me. If you have other interests but make a comment or two about your child, that's fine. Just don't turn it into a 3 hour discussion on kid stuff; save that for other parents. Moderation, it's a beautiful thing.
I also avoid new parents unless they are family & wouldn't want to go to a child's birthday party unless that child is a family member or close enough to me that he/she might as well be family. I know people who didn't change after having kids but also know others who became ex-friends; childfree people really don't like those types. They wonder where their old friend went.
I think I just have problems aligning myself with most groups since no one ever gets my philosophy or thoughts on things 100% on target. Not even 95% or a number close enough for me to overlook other things. There's usually at least a few fundamental disagreements I have with particular groups someone might try to lump me in with.
Guess that's why I'm your classic lone wolf.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
General Musings, Part 1
From time to time, I have mini-rants that don't quite merit a full post or have more to say about something I've already ranted about (usually b/c some cruddy situation has reached a new low). Anyhow, I figure we could just call this "general musings." I'll likely do more of them in the future but I don't want this to be a fully autobiographical account of my life. This is a semi-public forum & I'm paranoid.
I saw this story yesterday & it really burned me.
Okay, a few things to consider:
1. While I agree that you definitely don't get honest answers from people in interviews & stuff, plenty of former co-workers & bosses aren't exactly pillars of honesty. I personally know people who'd be badmouthed by former bosses for not putting a dead-end job ahead of their education, not dating or having sex w/him/her or b/c the boss is a complete & utter bigot. You don't know someone's motivation for speaking + if you don't think these things happen in the real world, you're naive.
2. If I were ever asked to sign something saying I wouldn't sue for possible defamation, I would tell the person that we'll be ice skating in Hell before I sign it. I'd also go into the details I've mentioned above as to why you'd be a fool to sign it.
3. Some former bosses & co-workers are manipulative, jealous freaks who might hate the person in question + want to see that person fail miserably. How will you know they're liars unless you're getting a lie detector machine & hooking them up to it? Even then, lie detectors aren't 100% reliable or accurate. That's why the results aren't admissible in court.
Same thing for checking credit. If I'm not applying for a job where that's actually relevant, you're not getting it. I might even see about the possibility of initiating legal action against you.
I was reading comments to a story on that issue & someone posted this link. You can use it to see where prospective employers are digging. Someplace in there, there's a way to get that information for free but I can't find it.
Final rant. As I watch the GSN show Baggage, I notice many of the contestants (many of them being women, I might add) showing bad sides to their personality that make me dismiss them as hypocrites, selfish, gold-diggers, etc. Here's an example:
Female contestant. 3 male bachelors, one of whom has dropped out of high school. Her justification for making that an issue: "The economy is bad & education is valuable." Did someone not get the memo that thousands, if not millions of college grads are out of work? Did we not hear about the lawyer job market?
So when she's down to this bachelor & another guy who golfs 5 days a week, has an MBA (basically blue collar guy vs. white collar guy), she gets all whiny b/c the high school dropout has a sugar mama. This after she's told Jerry Springer (who strikes me as a cool guy) that she's looking for a rich guy to "take care of her."
Sorry, honey but you're a hypocrite! If you run around trying to get a sugar daddy & won't bother advancing yourself in life, you have no cause to get pissy at a man for doing the exact SAME thing w/a woman. For me, if you don't bother to take care of YOURSELF & have to rely on some rich guy to "take care of you," you need to just start working in a strip club or become a hooker b/c that's what you are. Go sleep w/one of our nation's politicians if you want to be rich & famous w/out trying.
I'll give Anna Nicole Smith this: at least she made no bones about being in it for the money when she was stripping in her early days. For all the badmouthing you want to do about her marrying an old man for money, at least she was more honest about that than your average woman. Evolution or not, we're living in modern times now.
I don't base my romantic views & certainly never picked boyfriends based how much money they have. While I think more of my friends will be those w/money as time goes on, it's certainly not going to convince me to leave my husband.
Another contestant on this show who pissed me off was this one woman who trashed the dog of one of the bachelor's, implying homosexuality on him for owning a small dog.
Let me tell you something, bitch. A dis on my pet or anyone I care about is a dis on me so you'd better be ready to throw down if you say certain things to me (especially if you're a stranger). My husband & I immediately branded this woman as a bitch for that.
If I was the casting director, I think I'd be trying to find better contestants. Some Everyman/Everywoman types that people can like & root for instead of skanky types that you hope end up getting a bad match b/c they deserve it. Not every attractive person out there is an asshole. Nor is every ugly person a saint. Generalizations are an ugly thing.
Now I'm sliding into another rant I just realized I had in me but would rather wait for another post to probe.
I saw this story yesterday & it really burned me.
Okay, a few things to consider:
1. While I agree that you definitely don't get honest answers from people in interviews & stuff, plenty of former co-workers & bosses aren't exactly pillars of honesty. I personally know people who'd be badmouthed by former bosses for not putting a dead-end job ahead of their education, not dating or having sex w/him/her or b/c the boss is a complete & utter bigot. You don't know someone's motivation for speaking + if you don't think these things happen in the real world, you're naive.
2. If I were ever asked to sign something saying I wouldn't sue for possible defamation, I would tell the person that we'll be ice skating in Hell before I sign it. I'd also go into the details I've mentioned above as to why you'd be a fool to sign it.
3. Some former bosses & co-workers are manipulative, jealous freaks who might hate the person in question + want to see that person fail miserably. How will you know they're liars unless you're getting a lie detector machine & hooking them up to it? Even then, lie detectors aren't 100% reliable or accurate. That's why the results aren't admissible in court.
Same thing for checking credit. If I'm not applying for a job where that's actually relevant, you're not getting it. I might even see about the possibility of initiating legal action against you.
I was reading comments to a story on that issue & someone posted this link. You can use it to see where prospective employers are digging. Someplace in there, there's a way to get that information for free but I can't find it.
Final rant. As I watch the GSN show Baggage, I notice many of the contestants (many of them being women, I might add) showing bad sides to their personality that make me dismiss them as hypocrites, selfish, gold-diggers, etc. Here's an example:
Female contestant. 3 male bachelors, one of whom has dropped out of high school. Her justification for making that an issue: "The economy is bad & education is valuable." Did someone not get the memo that thousands, if not millions of college grads are out of work? Did we not hear about the lawyer job market?
So when she's down to this bachelor & another guy who golfs 5 days a week, has an MBA (basically blue collar guy vs. white collar guy), she gets all whiny b/c the high school dropout has a sugar mama. This after she's told Jerry Springer (who strikes me as a cool guy) that she's looking for a rich guy to "take care of her."
Sorry, honey but you're a hypocrite! If you run around trying to get a sugar daddy & won't bother advancing yourself in life, you have no cause to get pissy at a man for doing the exact SAME thing w/a woman. For me, if you don't bother to take care of YOURSELF & have to rely on some rich guy to "take care of you," you need to just start working in a strip club or become a hooker b/c that's what you are. Go sleep w/one of our nation's politicians if you want to be rich & famous w/out trying.
I'll give Anna Nicole Smith this: at least she made no bones about being in it for the money when she was stripping in her early days. For all the badmouthing you want to do about her marrying an old man for money, at least she was more honest about that than your average woman. Evolution or not, we're living in modern times now.
I don't base my romantic views & certainly never picked boyfriends based how much money they have. While I think more of my friends will be those w/money as time goes on, it's certainly not going to convince me to leave my husband.
Another contestant on this show who pissed me off was this one woman who trashed the dog of one of the bachelor's, implying homosexuality on him for owning a small dog.
Let me tell you something, bitch. A dis on my pet or anyone I care about is a dis on me so you'd better be ready to throw down if you say certain things to me (especially if you're a stranger). My husband & I immediately branded this woman as a bitch for that.
If I was the casting director, I think I'd be trying to find better contestants. Some Everyman/Everywoman types that people can like & root for instead of skanky types that you hope end up getting a bad match b/c they deserve it. Not every attractive person out there is an asshole. Nor is every ugly person a saint. Generalizations are an ugly thing.
Now I'm sliding into another rant I just realized I had in me but would rather wait for another post to probe.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
This is Why The General Public Thinks Copyright Laws Need to be Reformed
My husband occasionally shows me stories from this website. Some of them are very funny.
Here is a basic idea of why the general public hates the RIAA & the old people in federal government need to reform copyright laws.
Yes, I'm still depressed & concerned. I have learned that you never put all your hopes in one prospect or assume that one particular prospect will turn out well.
Something else that would make me laugh (especially true in the course of helping my husband find work in the career he went to school for) is someone who puts in a high minimum years of experience requirement for a job adding the statement "only old dinosaurs need apply."
Crazy minimum year requirements make no sense to me. Here's why:
A) I have 7 years of retail experience but there's no way on God's green earth I could do that job today. Even if I weren't a lawyer, I'd never be able to be that civil to the general public.
B) These requirements are usually couched w/a pathetic salary far below market value. Why should I consider a job requiring 2 years experience when you're paying me $10 an hour & you're not in an industry known for this type of pay rate?
C) They ignore teach-ability aspects. Some of us are very fucking smart!! Some of us aren't that slow & can get with the program in a very short time. I myself have a talent for picking up new things pretty quickly. In some cases, I've had to teach myself out of sheer necessity.
D) Burnout, idiots!! People w/many years of experience at something are stuck in the same old way of doing things & plenty are burned out. Burned out people don't give a shit & aren't in the mood to be innovative. They simply do not care & might put in 75% effort if you're lucky. Unless you're smart, you're not going to catch this unless you look beyond the veneer of a job interview or a resume. Look for the subtleties & ask the right questions.
E) Finally, you can learn something from the younger generation. Not everyone is a spoiled, entitled princess. Just hire the people who don't fit that mold & treat them w/some basic human dignity. They could show you new technologies & help create some sane workplace policies on such things.
Oh, and I say these things as a lawyer who was very mature for her age & pretty much is an old soul in a young body.
I've seen things like this for jobs as low skilled as housekeeping or janitorial work. Give me a damn break, all right? I'd like to grab some people's shoulders, shake them hard & ask what mental defects these people have.
If you give me that opportunity, I'll do something nice for you.
Here is a basic idea of why the general public hates the RIAA & the old people in federal government need to reform copyright laws.
Yes, I'm still depressed & concerned. I have learned that you never put all your hopes in one prospect or assume that one particular prospect will turn out well.
Something else that would make me laugh (especially true in the course of helping my husband find work in the career he went to school for) is someone who puts in a high minimum years of experience requirement for a job adding the statement "only old dinosaurs need apply."
Crazy minimum year requirements make no sense to me. Here's why:
A) I have 7 years of retail experience but there's no way on God's green earth I could do that job today. Even if I weren't a lawyer, I'd never be able to be that civil to the general public.
B) These requirements are usually couched w/a pathetic salary far below market value. Why should I consider a job requiring 2 years experience when you're paying me $10 an hour & you're not in an industry known for this type of pay rate?
C) They ignore teach-ability aspects. Some of us are very fucking smart!! Some of us aren't that slow & can get with the program in a very short time. I myself have a talent for picking up new things pretty quickly. In some cases, I've had to teach myself out of sheer necessity.
D) Burnout, idiots!! People w/many years of experience at something are stuck in the same old way of doing things & plenty are burned out. Burned out people don't give a shit & aren't in the mood to be innovative. They simply do not care & might put in 75% effort if you're lucky. Unless you're smart, you're not going to catch this unless you look beyond the veneer of a job interview or a resume. Look for the subtleties & ask the right questions.
E) Finally, you can learn something from the younger generation. Not everyone is a spoiled, entitled princess. Just hire the people who don't fit that mold & treat them w/some basic human dignity. They could show you new technologies & help create some sane workplace policies on such things.
Oh, and I say these things as a lawyer who was very mature for her age & pretty much is an old soul in a young body.
I've seen things like this for jobs as low skilled as housekeeping or janitorial work. Give me a damn break, all right? I'd like to grab some people's shoulders, shake them hard & ask what mental defects these people have.
If you give me that opportunity, I'll do something nice for you.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, May 17, 2010
More Links to Stories & Thoughts
Realized I have another mass load of links to stories that I want to comment on but don't want to have sitting forever. Plus, one just goes back to a rant I've done a few times here. So, here goes:
1. Reality TV Star Gets Jail Time
My thoughts: stop doing stories on these stupid reality TV idiots. This moron doesn't deserve media coverage b/c it just encourages more people to do stuff like this. Oh, yes & a newsflash.
Being on a reality show does not make you an actor or a star.
It makes you a common idiot. If you acknowledge this, then I can have a tiny bit of respect for you. This is common knowledge among industry professionals. You will not be known in a good way if you start out on a reality show, trust me.
2. Lawsuit Filed Over Arizona's Ethnic Studies Law
I don't really get this. I think there are free speech issues on this & why in God's name would you exclude people from one of these classes b/c they're not of that particular race/culture? If you're excluding people who want to actively participate & learn something new, you have no right to cry racism or complain about intolerance b/c that's just what you're practicing. I have also never heard of such a class being closed to people who weren't members of that race/culture.
3. 9 Ways to Ensure You Don't Get the Job
I just know there are worst things to do. Say scratching your back with a fork, performing any type of bodily function during the interview, talking about the aliens coming to get you, talking to yourself like some homeless person on the subway or doing your best imitation of Filburt Turtle from Rocko's Modern Life.
Now, I love the show Rocko's Modern Life but I think references from that show would fly over the heads of most interviewers. If I ever meet a hiring person who loves that show & understands references from it, I'll die from shock. I'd also have to work for that person b/c that would be evidence of a personality.
4. Meet the Unemployable Man
I'm the first person in favor of reforming the education system. However, I don't notice the author discussing the sexism factor in more women being employed. If this keeps up, it will be interesting to see how women handle dating. I wonder if more will become single or will they just date other women if they want a mate w/money?
5. I just saw this one today, after returning from my day trip to my old stomping grounds in CT.
This goes back to a rant I've had for ages & ages. Personal time = Personal time. Work time = Work time. The two do not meet unless false or confidential information about the business is being spread or personal activities are done on company time. Read the comments to this story. A lot of people seem to assume this pizza place in Charlotte of all places had a written policy on this type of thing. I'll bet they didn't. Not to mention that we're treading on some dangerous ground here. If there needs to be a court ruling on anything, I think this issue is screaming for one. Namely, do employment at will clauses extend to what people do in their private time?
If they do, why doesn't everyone just tell these employers where to shove it & quit working en masse? I bet you could shut down some businesses if all the workers of the world or in the US did this in protest. Who will you enslave if no one's willing to work in the world of Big Brother? That kind of movement would grind the economy to a halt. I see far too many complacent people who are bound to "rules"; they'd have been good little Nazis back in the day.
That's it for now. Hope those rants made you happy.
1. Reality TV Star Gets Jail Time
My thoughts: stop doing stories on these stupid reality TV idiots. This moron doesn't deserve media coverage b/c it just encourages more people to do stuff like this. Oh, yes & a newsflash.
Being on a reality show does not make you an actor or a star.
It makes you a common idiot. If you acknowledge this, then I can have a tiny bit of respect for you. This is common knowledge among industry professionals. You will not be known in a good way if you start out on a reality show, trust me.
2. Lawsuit Filed Over Arizona's Ethnic Studies Law
I don't really get this. I think there are free speech issues on this & why in God's name would you exclude people from one of these classes b/c they're not of that particular race/culture? If you're excluding people who want to actively participate & learn something new, you have no right to cry racism or complain about intolerance b/c that's just what you're practicing. I have also never heard of such a class being closed to people who weren't members of that race/culture.
3. 9 Ways to Ensure You Don't Get the Job
I just know there are worst things to do. Say scratching your back with a fork, performing any type of bodily function during the interview, talking about the aliens coming to get you, talking to yourself like some homeless person on the subway or doing your best imitation of Filburt Turtle from Rocko's Modern Life.
Now, I love the show Rocko's Modern Life but I think references from that show would fly over the heads of most interviewers. If I ever meet a hiring person who loves that show & understands references from it, I'll die from shock. I'd also have to work for that person b/c that would be evidence of a personality.
4. Meet the Unemployable Man
I'm the first person in favor of reforming the education system. However, I don't notice the author discussing the sexism factor in more women being employed. If this keeps up, it will be interesting to see how women handle dating. I wonder if more will become single or will they just date other women if they want a mate w/money?
5. I just saw this one today, after returning from my day trip to my old stomping grounds in CT.
This goes back to a rant I've had for ages & ages. Personal time = Personal time. Work time = Work time. The two do not meet unless false or confidential information about the business is being spread or personal activities are done on company time. Read the comments to this story. A lot of people seem to assume this pizza place in Charlotte of all places had a written policy on this type of thing. I'll bet they didn't. Not to mention that we're treading on some dangerous ground here. If there needs to be a court ruling on anything, I think this issue is screaming for one. Namely, do employment at will clauses extend to what people do in their private time?
If they do, why doesn't everyone just tell these employers where to shove it & quit working en masse? I bet you could shut down some businesses if all the workers of the world or in the US did this in protest. Who will you enslave if no one's willing to work in the world of Big Brother? That kind of movement would grind the economy to a halt. I see far too many complacent people who are bound to "rules"; they'd have been good little Nazis back in the day.
That's it for now. Hope those rants made you happy.
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