9:09 am - Sun 2/20/05
Same Old Song-And-Dance

Mon 2/14/05 (11:44 a.m.)

Listening to the Big River soundtrack...

I miss performing musically. And I've got a lot of nice memories about Big River in particular, which gave me a great role ("Pap"), a great song ("Guv'mint"), and the fun of getting paid to play harmonica in the pit band (I've been told that Big River is one of only two musicals�the other being Shenandoah�that actually has a harmonica part in the score).

Tues 2/15/05 (1:02 a.m.)

I think I've mentioned in here feeling like I should make better use of my monthly $30 credit at the bookstore, since I'm not going to have it forever.

But what to buy?

I used to be big on buying books, but 1) To my chagrin, I'm not the voracious reader I used to be, 2) I've had "borrowing privileges" at the bookstores where I've worked for the past 14 years, blunting the need to buy books, and 3) It doesn't seem very "cost effective", to pay good money (Or in this case, to "spend good credit") on a book I'm probably going to read once, then never again. That is, if I ever get around to reading it at all.

(There are some books I've read more than once�Catcher In The Rye, Lonesome Dove, Catch 22, etc.�but for the most part, I sort of feel guilty when I do that, as if that's time that "should" be spent reading something new.)

Then there are dvds, but if I like something enough to want to buy it, I've already seen it, probabably more than once, which makes me wonder, "How many more times will I want to watch this?" (Again, the same logic as with books applies�There are movies I've seen many times, but there are so many movies out there to see, that seeing the same movies over and over makes me feel a little guilty, like I'm "wasting time").

And while I love the "extras" on dvds�I've thought, more than once, "I sure wish there had been dvds when I was a kid...", because they can provide a great "film education"-after you've watched them/heard them once, you're pretty much done.

So, blah blah blah...It's kind of shaking down that music provides the most "bang for the buck". Granted, I have a lot of cds I never listen to, but the right cd never really gets old (And I've been telling myself I'd probably be better off watching less tv and listening to more music. I'd get more done at least).

And getting back around to Big River, and my former life as a "song-and-dance man", I think it might be fun to collect the musicals I've been in over the years.

Fri 2/18/05 (1:04 a.m.)

Well, to start this entry off on a good note�On Wednesday, I got my very first residual check�a little under $1000--for the Jack-In-The-Box commercial!

I don't know how long the spot is going to run�The contract allows them to run it through August 10th of next year (After that, they'd have to re-sign me if they wanted to keep using it)�so I have no idea how much I'm going to make. But if nothing else, this relieves some of the financial pressure I've been feeling recently.

What would be nice is if this commercial continued to bring in money, helping me do those little things I like to do (Like "eat" and "pay rent"), while I book more gigs that would then put me in position to quit Borders by year's end. That is my fervent desire.

Didn't think I'd done very well with the ESPN audition, but I actually did get a callback for that, on Monday (Nothing came of it). Something about the surprise�of being "in the running" when I thought I wasn't�caused me to get very "invested" in actually booking the gig. So of course, when I didn't (As happens more often than not), I was very disappointed, even though it was a non-union spot, and I only had one line.

I'm eager to just book things, because I could use the money, but I'm especially eager to book something where I'm the "hero" (That's what they call the "lead" in a commercial). It's nice that I'm making money from the Jack-In-The-Box spot, but I'm basically just a warm body; I need something where a casting director might say "Hey, I like that funny guy with the giant head. Let's bring him in for the Tarantino project..."

I think I'd have a pretty good "quality of response" with her, even without the Levitra.

Sun 2/20/05 (12:20 a.m.)

I read recently�I think on CNN.com�that if you think you can't be fired for what you say about work on your blog/online journal, you're probably mistaken.

Since I want to leave Borders under my own head of steam, when I leave Borders, I'd like to take a moment to say this: I love my job.

It's just too bad my job doesn't seem to love me. Or apparently, even like me that much.

I talked to David again about my hours yesterday (Since before Xmas, I've been working 32 � hours a week, down from 37 � ). And once again, it was not a satisfying discussion�Like the last time, I felt the implication was that I should be happy to have the hours I have, and I didn't feel an ounce of genuine caring or concern about my situation�When I said, in so many words, that I can't live on 32 � hours a week, I basically got a non-commital shrug.

He said that hours would actually be getting tighter as of next month, but that he planned to "preserve" the full-time people's hours (I think that was the part of the conversation I was supposed to be happy about).

I asked him, "When can I plan on getting my regular hours back?".

His answer? "In the spring. Maybe April or May."

I really don't want to have to look for a new job, especially the year that I've told myself I want to get out of the crappy job business altogether, but I may need to go down the street and see what Barnes and Noble has to offer. Maybe take another stab at Book Soup, on Sunset.

Something's gotta give, in any case. I know that much.

The buzz around the store has been that he really wants "the old guard" out.

I wasn't taking that personally before.

I am now.

It's been raining on-and-off (Mostly "on") since Thursday.

Last I heard, it's supposed to rain at least through Monday.

This has been the wettest "Winter" since I moved here, and to be honest, I'm not really digging it that much. If I had a parking space, and didn't bike to work five days a week, I don't think it would be that big a deal, but since I don't have a parking space, and I do bike to work five days a week, it sucks.

And when I've gotten down to bitching about the weather, it's probably time to wrap things up (Actually, I have some other things to write about, but I think I'll save it for a new entry...).

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