I'm trying - trying really hard - to watch some of the RNC.
It's making me sick.
Really busy, Sara's birthday was great. More news when I get time. Until then:
August 29th, 2004 9:38 pm A Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican
by Donna L. Lavins and Sheldon Cotler
Joe gets up at 6:00 AM to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot with good, clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and that they work as advertised.
All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan. Because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast -- bacon and eggs this day. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.
Joe takes his morning shower, reaching for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount that is contains because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and the breakdown of its contents. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree-hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.
Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer meets these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get worker's compensation or an unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should loose his home to temporary misfortune.
It's noon time. Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.
Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime.
Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification (those rural Republican's would still be sitting in the dark).
Joe is happy to see his dad, who is now retired. Joe's dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad, Joe gets back in his car for the ride home. He turns on a radio talk show. The host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day. Joe agrees, "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives. After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."
In the years to come, Joe's life will change dramatically. The U.S. dollar will be devalued as a result of our huge deficit, our living standards demolished, our standing with the world diminished and our social security gone...all because some conservative republican made sure he could take care of himself and his buddies.
Aghast, i remain...
posted at 11:08 PM
Thursday, August 19, 2004
It has been a long time.
Many things have happened. Let's recap.
A few weeks back ... or maybe it was over a month, now, I was going through a little bit of a dilemma at work. I was basically choosing between the potential for an Associate Producer title on a game or news show, or another PA gig on a bizarro late night talk show, with only a very, very minor raise. I took the late night talk show.
I made the right decision.
"Unscrewed," (airs 11:30 PM on G4TechTV) is probably one of the best shows I could be working on right now, and definitely the best show for me at the network. It's smart, it's funny (most of the time, anyway), and I really think it has the potential to be a breakout show for the network next year. Did I mention it's pretty much a comedy show? Did I mention I'm able to pitch guests and sketches? Did I mention I wrote a bit they really liked, and I'm producing it next Friday? Or that some of the writers have asked me to help them in their brainstorming meetings?
Well, now you can probably see why I haven't been updating or writing back emails. I almost literally have no free time left at work, and we haven't even started shooting with an audience yet. But I am confident all the increased workload and stress will pay off in the end. After answering that random job listing for a temporary PA position almost a year ago, I finally fell down the Plinko board and made it into the thousand-dollar spot.
Things are looking good.
Things are looking very good.
posted at 11:12 PM
Monday, August 02, 2004
So I should probably mention that I got a new job.
Now don't go freakin' out on me, asking me why I didn't tell you, wondering if you're still important to me, blah blah blah. Here are the basics:
1. My new job is still at G4TechTV, just on a new show. 2. I've been crazy busy. That's why I haven't talked to you.
The show I'm working on now is called 'Unscrewed with Martin Sargent.' I'd explain what it is to you, but I really can't, because it's just too damn weird. It's kind of like a bizarro Letterman ... only more bizarro than you think I mean when I say 'bizarro.' You should just watch a few episodes before you decide if you like it or not. I think it's got some kick-ass potential. And it's also the only comedy show on the network, so, you know, I had to get on it.
After my first day, I can tell that I'm going to really like working for these guys. Eventually. As I'm the only new person in their crew, I kind of have to get attuned to their sense of humor before I'll feel really comfortable speaking up and pitching ideas. It's like Slowkids all over again. But we all snuck out of work early today and the host bought everyone drinks. That should give you an idea of how cool this whole gig could be.
And I've been crazy busy because, well, to get to move to a new show, I basically had to condense three months of work for my old show into two weeks. Oh, and I was also working on G-Phoria, our annual video game awards show. I also worked 13 hours at the actual show, where I got to play Halo 2 with Paul F. Tompkins, Donkey Konga with the drummer from Phantom Planet (great, great game, too), and see Anna Nicole Smith throw herself at everyone backstage.
Good times.
So, um, if you guys know of any insane web sites or weird internet videos, now is the time to tell me.
