The "Whatever Blog"

If any of you are interested in the history of blogging or the study of blogging social media, you should probably know the name “John Scalzi.”


He’s a freelance writer & sci-fi novelist who’s been blogging since the term was practically invented. I believe he holds the record for longest consistent blogger? (twelve years!)

I just bought his (latest?) book – “Your Hate Mail will be Graded” which is basically just excerpts from his blog – aptly named “Whatever” because it’s usually about *whatever* he wants to write about – and it’s been a pretty great read so far. The chapters are pretty short (as most blogposts are) and flow pretty nicely.


Anyway, enough plugging for one day. (I’ve been doing that a lot lately, haven’t I?)

Pet Peeve # 26

*BEGIN RANT*

Have you ever walked down a hallway in School / at work and saw someone you knew walking towards you?

You have?

Good - now follow-up question: do they ever ask how you are…..and then MOVE ON, not waiting to hear the answer?

Me too! And I find it *really* odd / annoying.

I mean, if you’re going to ask “how are you” to someone, shouldn’t you also do them the courtesy of waiting for them to tell you their answer? It’s a simple question, sure, but the answer isn’t always “Fine, thanks.”

Sometimes it’s “my wife is dead.”

And if that’s the answer, not waiting to hear it just seems insensitive.

And since there’s no way of knowing if that’s what they’re going to say before they tell you, you really need to be prepared for it, on the off chance that their wife really did die – just in case.

Or here’s a simpler solution: why don’t people, instead of not waiting for a response, just NOT ask the question? It’s really more efficient. You can just say ‘hi!” instead, which simply acknowledges the other person’s presence without wasting your breath or their time as they try to answer you. It’s still polite, but clearly establishes that you don’t want to know how they’re doing – because you’re too busy! Otherwise you’d stop and ask them.

Really, people – learn some manners.

*END RANT*

Man, I’ve been saving that topic since I moved to Los Angeles. Didn’t realize it would come out so….angry. Not gonna edit it, though. I feel the anger really helps get my point across.

You all need to see this.

This is just cute at first, but then it gets kind of "trippy."

Blogger's Block

Forgive the lack of posts. Work has been kind of hectic lately with the boss out of town. (All her work falls to me when she's gone)

Plus - I can't really think of anything to blog about lately. Stuff's been happening, but I just don't feel the need / urge to write about it.

Here's a list of recent happenings in my life:

• Pi Day - 3/14 (had some Pie w/Carol)
• Got my digital camera fixed (for $80)
  
• Daylight Savings ended (warmer jogs for me!)
  
• Hung out in Venice with some friends on Friday (pricey town)
  

Nothing too big, right? I have some thoughts, but I think they're best left to when I have more time to think about them.

But in the meantime, gotta feed the blog.

God Damn Me!

So I wanted to use this post to plug my new favorite sitcom that Netflix just suggested to me: "Better Off Ted."

I watched several episodes over the weekend, loved it, and wanted to tell you how great it was in hopes of garnering support for it.

But I cant; ABC already canceled it. (just this Month, too!)

I really want to be angry at the Network for canceling this one, but I realized recently that it's partially *my* fault this show got axed.

See, I'm too cheap for Cable TV. And too lazy to get one of those Digitial Converter box things. Plus, I'm usually not home during the evenings (I'm an active twenty-something, y'know) so what's the point?

I still like watching TV though, so I usually rent TV series through Netflix or watch them through internet sites like Hulu.

But since TV shows depend on people actually watching them during their designated time slots (especially if they want to get renewed) this doesn't really help them, does it? Can Networks even calculate ratings through the internet? (Nico - help me out here)

I guess what I'm trying to say is if we don't start paying for things like Cable (and TIVO) I think Networks are gonna stop producing TV shows that are catered to our audience. After all, why should they invest in something that "no one's going to watch"?

In any case, I still reccommend watching 'Better Off Ted" - especially now that it's on DVD. I would go so far as to say you should maybe even buy it if you like what you see.

Don't do the easy thing and just watch it on Hulu.

But if you have to, email the network everytime you do.

Everything *IS* Terrible

It's only Monday and I just know it's going to be a tough week at work. So instead of an actual post, here are a couple videos I found on Everything Is Terrible!

Seeing Theatre for Cheap

The Dramatic Arts are among the first of many professions to get shafted in these harsh economic times. And a lot of it has to do with how expensive tickets for theatre can get.

Hell, even movie tickets are getting pretty pricey these days…..!

But being an avid supporter of the arts (and having worked for a theatre company) I know that there are a number of ways to still see plays without having to empty out your savings account. And I thought I would share some of these ‘well-kept secrets’ in hopes of keeping theatre alive in Los Angeles.

Online Ticketing Companies: Goldstar Events is probably the easiest way to see a show for cheap. I’m not sure how they do this, but they sell tickets for every venue that they advertise (theatre, concert, comedy show, sporting event, etc.) for *half* the price that the venue does. (Ex. a $50.00 ticket would be $25.00 through Goldstar) I have even seen a few shows where the tickets are free. (The Ark Theatre does this sometimes) Sure there are handling fees, but that’s still a huge discount. There’s also no cost to sign up for Goldstar – it’s like signing up for a membership at Vons. The only drawback is that you do get what you pay for. The cheaper you are, the more likely it is that you will be seated waaaay in the back, so be warned.

Uh, there are probably others like Ticketmaster that do the same thing.

Get to Know an actor / someone who works in a theatre: I don’t recommend this technique unless you’re desperate because it can sometimes be unreliable - Theatres can sometimes limit the number of comp tickets they give out to their employees, or even ban them altogether. Also – sometimes the show really sucks and you’ll wish you could pay to leave early.

Preview Shows: A lot of the larger theatres have a week’s worth of performances called “Preview shows” where the tickets are sold for a (slightly) cheaper price than during the rest of the show’s run. They do this to entice theatre goers into taking a chance on a show that hasn’t been reviewed yet. You’ll have to keep your eyes peeled, though, because a lot of plays don’t get heavily advertised until AFTER the review has come out.

Pay What you Can: Exactly what it sounds like; most theatres are obligated to have a “pay what you can” night of theatre in order to qualify as a non-profit organization. (or so I’ve been told) There’s usually a “minimum donation,” but it’s usually just $1.00. Call ahead so you can figure out if they have a “Pay what you can” night and, if so, when it is. I know that the Boston Court Theatre (in Pasadena) has a variation on this called “Pay what it’s Worth” – accepting donations for shows AFTER the performance lets out.

Usher / Volunteer: Since there’s no money in Theatre, a lot of them ask for volunteers, offering to “pay” people with free tickets to their shows. It’s a little work and you may have to dress nicer than you normally would, but I think it’s worth at least that much to see a show for free. Plus – this is a good way to meet new people who share your love / like of stage plays.

Rush Tickets: When a show is getting close to performance time and they still have a lot of seats to sell, a lot of theatres will do so at a discounted price, just to create the “illusion” of a full house. Plus – it’s better to sell a seat for less than to not sell it at all, right? Keep in mind that not all theatres do this so I would suggest calling ahead before rushing down there to find out that they don’t.

Student Discounts: Just like at the cinemas, live theatres usually give huge discounts to anyone still in school. But again, certain restrictions do apply. At some theatres I’ve gone to, they only give you the discount on certain nights. (like a Tuesday) So call ahead and get the details.

Subscribe: If you like seeing theatre A LOT, then you might as well just subscribe to one that you like the most. The ticket prices are usually discounted because you’re basically paying for it in bulk. The larger Theatres usually have a variety of subscription packages catering to all sorts of theatre goers so ask around and see if you like any of them. For this, I would recommend not asking someone who works for the theatre, but someone who subscribes because the theatre is more likely to put some pressure on you to buy when you may not want to.



So now that you know all these ways to see a show for cheap (if not for free), I have to ask that you do *something* to pay a little more than you already have: get something at the concession stand; buy a raffle ticket; ask if there’s a way you can donate a few bucks; etc. And if you like a show – please tell people about it. (Don't tell them who you saw it for cheap, though)

With the way things are going, it won’t be long before theatre will be dead in L.A. and everyone will be forced to go to the movies instead. And with crap like “The Tooth Fairy” out right now, how long can it be before Hollywood goes broke too, amIrite??

(no offense to anyone who saw & liked "The Tooth Fairy")

Love it or Leave it?

My digital camera broke a couple weeks ago.

Whenever I turn it on, it automatically zooms in as far as it can and doesn’t stop. Everything else seems to be working, but this “malfunction” is preventing me from using it. It’s almost as if the “zoom button” (there isn’t one – I have a “zoom dial” instead) is stuck down and I can’t get it to ‘un-stick.’

The camera in question ~ A Panasonic Lumix FX-3

I’m asking around to see if anyone knows of a good camera repair shop, but most of the people I’ve asked have been saying I should just chuck it & just buy a new one.

That seems wasteful – especially since it’s just a minor malfunction.

What do you all think? Does anyone know of a good camera repair shop I can go to? (The one I tried in Pasadena shut down)

Or do you all think I should get a new camera too? (Suggestions for a new one)

How to (Get) Critique(d)

A good friend of mine invited me to a Short Film Workshop that she went to for young, up-and-coming film makers to teach them what *not* to do when trying to make a great short film - the kind that win awards at Film Festivals and later become “Feature Films.” (ex. “A Guide to Recognizing your Saints,” “Primer,” etc.)

One of the many things I learned there was how few of the many “accomplished” filmmakers attending (who rattled off their resume every time they spoke) didn’t have a clue as to how to critique / get critiqued.

See, early on in the workshop, while they were discussing scripts (& where I paid the most attention), a “sample script” was passed around the table and the workshop leader asked what about the script “worked” and what “didn’t work.”

What “worked” about the script was that it was relatable, (it dealt with losing a parent) believable, and had a nice mix of humor and drama. (Answers given by workshop leader)
As to what “didn’t work,” a lot of people replied that they simply “didn’t give a shit about the main character,” but never said why.

…..which is like saying “I hate this. Fix it.”

Now aside from being overly harsh, (Really? You’re going to say ‘shit’ in your critique?) their critiques weren’t exactly helpful. No suggestions were offered as to why they felt it didn’t work; only that they knew it didn’t. But I guess that’s where the workshop came in. Here are a few of more important critique suggestions

• Pick your critics wisely – don’t pick someone who’s just going to give it a “Thumbs Up” / “Thumbs Down,” it’s obviously a work in progress and you’ll need them to be specific & analytical.


• A critique should be about form, not content – make them think about HOW you’re saying something, not WHAT you’re saying. Don’t worry about trying to find your audience because they’re out there and they will find you.


• Get it critiqued it multiple times – one person’s opinion is just one person’s opinion; if they don’t like something, that’s just their taste. But if several people say the same thing about it, *then* you know that something’s wrong.


• Focus your critiques for the critic: Ask them specific questions about things that you’re unsure of, let them know what you want their opinion on specifically and make sure that they fully answer those questions.


• Shut up & listen – if you have to explain afterwards, then you’re not showing it for them.

(There were a lot more lessons, but most of them were catered towards short films)

SIDENOTE - One of the other things I learned in that workshop was why filmmakers are so stigmatized as being ‘pretentious;’ (i.e. always going on about their accomplishments) they spend months (sometimes years) working on something (often alone) that may never be recognized as ‘valuable’ or even ‘worthwhile’ to anyone other than themselves. That’s something I never realized about artists before and will now vow to shut the fuck up whenever one of them starts talking to me about their art.