Goddamn Brownies

Here I am, torn again. Work has been ridiculously slow (read: non-existent)and besides going broke I'm getting a little stir crazy. A little over a week ago I got a call for some reality show that was going to be here during May and June. I sent them my availability and resume but never heard back. Not a surprise. She said the majority of the work would be weekends, and Seamus Stout is booked pretty much solid for the first three weekends of May. It is kind of hard to do the freelance thing with the band because of a lot of stuff shooting on weekends when we're playing. I don't want to quit the band, I really enjoy playing with the guys and just wish I wouldn't get passed over for jobs because I might have to play on a Saturday night. It has happened quite a few times.

As I have complained before, you cannot really have a part-time job in this industry because you never know your schedule. If there were only some place that would hire me on a contract style basis so I could take the time off if a shoot comes up. Bah!

The other night I was getting a wee bit depressed about monetary things and was thinking of just saying "fuck it" and going looking for a "real" job. Something like food prep or cooking at Central Market or Whole Foods would be cool. I looked on their websites and there are some positions available but I just don't know if I want to actually apply. I could just do part time, and I know they are really flexible with their schedules there, but to what degree? If I get a call for a commercial shoot that is going to be for five days, or more, would they be cool enough to let me go? On the other hand the second I take a job there, or anywhere, full time that will be when my phone starts ringing off the hook.

Another reason for my hesitation is this new film incentive bill that should go through this week. I don't really know what it entails, but supposedly it is good. L.A. has done some shady things with their incentive, and I believe NYC too, so things could start coming here. But that is a big could.

Do I hold out and hope it gets better? Does anyone out there know how flexible either of the markets are? Do any of you know of any fix for my problem? Sorry to whine about my job situation.

I had a couple of DVDs on order from Amazon. No rush needed so I was waiting on the slow free shipping. A couple days ago I got the shipping confirmation and was expecting them anytime. On my way out to the bank I stopped by the mailboxes at my apartment complex.

Most of you know what apartment mailboxes look like, the wall, or walls, of small boxes in a central location. My box is on the bottom level and as I approached it there was something on the ground. I picked up the white package, flipped it over and it was my package from Amazon. What the hell?! I opened my mailbox and there was plenty of room. I can understand if the postman left the parcel on my doorstep or left me a note that I have to pick it up at the post office, but not this. Just drop this on the ground in the main common area of the complex. I'm sure no on ever steals stuff like this. Riiiiight.

After fuming for a few minutes I thought about calling the post office and complaining, but I wonder what good that will really do. My dad did work as a mailman for many, many years and I know all about the slaps on the wrist they get. Even if some action was taken what if my mail carrier is the kind who starts to fuck with me because I got him in trouble? Yeah, it's unethical and against the law to tamper with the mail, but that doesn't stop everyone. The service where I live now is bad enough as it is, I cannot afford for it to get any worse. I gave a couple of Netflix returns to my mailman one time and, surprise, they never made it back to the distribution center. I really hope I get this rent house (which I should know by the end of the week) because then there will, hopefully, be less snail mail shenanigans.

What should I do?

Earlier tonight I was watching The Big Bang Theory and Sheldon was telling Penny that he knows everything in the universe. Her reply was, "who is Radiohead."

This was, of course, met with a blank stare. I know this feeling, and something very similar happened to me close to ten years ago now.

At the time I was living with, and dating, Gwen in Arlington. For those of you who know her also know her son, Mason, was living in that apartment as well. He was probably two or three and we were all in the car. As usual, I was answering the random questions he would ask. He asked how I knew something and the conversation went something like this:

ME: Because I know everything!
MASON: Oh yeah, well who is Thomas the Tank Engine's best friend?
ME: Uh...

Gwen could not stop laughing and Mason joined in as well.

Fucking kids.

I had a thought earlier about friends, fighting and booze. From time to time things tend to happen in bars, or anywhere alcohol is involved. Someone has a few too many and crosses the wrong person. It could be the one with more alcohol is that wrong person, but not necessarily. This just escalates and before you know it - FIGHT!

My question is about one of your friends being involved in the heated moment. Sure, if your buddy gets into a fight you have his/her back. What if they are in the wrong? What if they are the one who is the drunk asshole? It is hard to say what is the right course of action here. I am going to stick by what I would want done if I was the offending person.

-Tell your friend to calm down because they are in the wrong.
-Tell the other party to let it slide.
-If the friend does not heed your advice and keeps pressing on the other party let them get punched like they deserve.

Yeah, if I was being that big of an ass then maybe I need to be punched in the face. This does not mean let me, or your friend, get the shit beat out of me. Let a hit happen then intervene. Just because they are your friend does not mean they don't require a "wake-up."

What would you do?


*By the way, none of this actually happened to me or any of my friends. It was just something I thought of while talking with Billy K and Jan tonight.