It's a blog. The only difference between it and millions of other blogs is it's MY blog.
It can be random, profane, profound or stupid. Sometimes all at once. But I do try to entertain, even as I write far too much. Ha ha.
Okay, so I'm doing a little studying, and out of the blue I realized something.
You know how all those scientists are looking out into space, checking out other galaxies and shit like that, getting all excited because they're finding planets that could support life -- but not finding any evidence of extra-terrestrial life?
If you don't, take my word for it. There are a lot of people doing just that.
Well, I got curious. I wondered just how close these other galaxies are. I Googled it, and according to Wikipedia (granted, not the best possible source, but fine for my purposes), the closest proper galaxy is over a million light-years from ours (if I'm reading the chart correctly).
I think pretty much everyone knows that a light-year is the distance that light travels in a year. Okay. So that means the light we are seeing from that galaxy is over a million years old.
What was happening on Earth a million years ago? Near as I can tell, not a whole lot. Apparently the first Homo Sapiens didn't even show up until about 100,000 years ago. The walking monkeys that were around before that were just getting funky with rocks.
Now, I'm no expert, or even an educated amateur -- I'm occasionally interested and I read science and astronomy articles when they're featured on Yahoo. But from what I can tell, our current technology is incapable of zooming in very closely to these planets they're finding. Certainly not enough to see what's really going on there. So a lot of their conclusions is based on, really, educated guesswork -- and that based on the only life we do know of, that of Earth.
Add to that the fact that Earth, in galactic terms, is kind of fucking remote. Seriously! We're like hicks! There are places out there where solar systems are packed together like tenements in a ghetto. Earth is Nebraska, these places are like SoCal or New York. Or Sao Paolo.
So... I'm just saying, what the hell are these guys doing, shaking their heads sadly and saying there can't be life out there? They are basing these conclusions on information that's millions of years old, and using a very narrow view of what constitutes "life".
I'm sure I'm not the first to realize this, but it did just come to me as a revelation. And yes, it is true that I already believed in extra-terrestrial life. But still, man. I'm not even saying this proves anything. I'm just saying that unless we get more up-to-date news, we can't disprove anything, either.
Just wanted to say that yes, I do realize those "sitcom" expectations were unrealistic. Especially now that my face has been smushed into that truth. But I don't think it's unusual to paint an overly rosy picture when planning the future. You gotta picture the ideal, so there's something to strive for. Otherwise, what? No plans or expectations means a ho-hum, accidental sort of life. Not for me.
Also I didn't mean to imply that I'm just going to dump all of my existing friends. Because that would be unbelievably stupid. No, in truth I'm simply going to acquire more friends, and given that many of my existing "cast" have moved to a different plane of existence (marriage and family), this is only sensible until I rejoin those ranks.
In other news:
Wizard magazine has answered prayers I didn't even know I was making. The latest issue has a rundown of everything I need to get in order to start my webcomic, including hardware, software, web hosting and tips from successful creators. Some of the recommended tablets are DIRT CHEAP (30 bucks!) which is a lot better than the two grand I was expecting to shell out. I can get a software application for roughly $50, which should do me until I can afford to shell out a grand or so for Adobe software.
That's really good news, because it means once my paychecks are flowing regularly and have taken the necessary hike, I can get that project back on the front burners.
Brings me to the money scene: Things are tight, can't lie. But this is primarily due to things still being slow at the new workplace. Once production kicks up, that should improve. Add to that a guaranteed raise (which should already have happened, actually) when the guy I'm replacing checks out in two weeks, and I should be sitting pretty by August if not sooner. All requisite knocking on wood applies, of course.
I'm currently in a bit of a battle with the Evil Credit Card Company, which is being a consistent pain in the ass. This is my first credit card and honestly I should probably never have got involved. Or at least gone with a bank credit card, because those guys (one would think) are more trustworthy. The account I have now is a sinister web of hidden fees, unreceived statements and whispering customer service representatives. As soon as I possibly can, I'm paying those fuckers off and terminating my account. I don't need them anyway, I really don't. Not anymore, at any rate. But things are slowly getting sorted out as I continue to insist they give me the information I need to pay them (you wouldn't think this would be hard to do). Eventually I'll get through to someone. It's harder to do via email than you might think.
I almost asked a girl out today but I sorta chickened out. I mean, truth be told I'm not sure I want to go out with her, but on the other hand, why the hell not? Plus of course it's just as likely, if not more so, that we'll share an awkward moment while she shoots me down.
On the writing front: Not going that well. But I recognize the need for me to buckle down and start slaving away on the second draft. What little feedback I've gotten tells me what I need to work on (and that's as much from the feedback itself as the fact that there hasn't been much). So I shall grit my teeth and get my ass to work on what every writer hates: The second draft.
Meanwhile, and more pleasantly, I've got some ideas simmering for the rewrite of another short story (which is only slightly related to the current project), which could well be the second publishable book, as well as being the genus of another full series. So that's good.
Finally, I am a mass of twingey, misfiring muscles from my exercise last night. I ran (mostly) a mile, did about 50 reps of 15 pounds per hand (which sounds kind of weak when I write it out) and a bunch of things with the weird pulley gadget. And lots of sit-ups. Gonna do it all again tonight once dinner settles, and it's going to continue until I've dropped 30-50 pounds of blubber. I want to be in the same shape I was when I got married -- only better, because instead of being skinny I'll be all ripped. I figure that'll take a couple months at least. But maybe I'll end up being a Spartan for Halloween this year after all, ha ha.
I think I kind of expected my life to turn into a sitcom when I moved to LA.
Maybe because the last time I moved to LA, it kind of did.
You know what I mean: A bunch of friends that you hang out with all the time, or who drop by regularly, silly relationship hijinks (of one kind or another), going out all the time, lots of snappy one-liners.
That's not actually how it's been playing out. I think with a lot of my LA friends, I've been outta sight, outta mind for so long they're still not used to me being nearby. And I hate being the guy who's constantly calling people up and trying to hang out. I'm actually on my own as much as -- if not more than -- I was in OC.
I'm also getting pretty over going out on my own. I can do it, and I have fun as much as not, but it's really not the same. In a lot of respects.
Rather than just whinging about it though, I will of course do something about it. I've started volunteering at a non-profit -- many of the key people there know me of old and they fucking love me, no exaggeration. I'm gonna check out a few other things I can get involved in.
(Obviously I've gotta arrange it so I'm not spending so much time doing other things that I'm not writing -- which is exactly the mistake I made when I lived in LA before -- but I think that's pretty doable. Besides, I'm not exactly going great guns on that front at the moment. Another thing I need to address.)
The other factor in this: You know how you're hanging with people who've known you for years, and you kinda slip into the familiar patterns? I'm not the guy I was four years ago. But I do find myself being him when I'm around people who've got expectations of my behavior. I really need to break myself of that. And much as I love my peeps, maybe I would in fact be better off amongst new people, who have no preconceptions on how I'm "supposed to be".
Heh. Maybe I should've moved a lot farther than I did. But whatever. There are millions of people in LA county. Shouldn't be that hard to recast the sitcom.
Sorry for the lack of formatting (like anyone cares, ha ha) but I forgot about this until kinda late...
Fun Friday
Or Favorite Friday, or Freakin' Awesome Friday. Take your pick.
I'm actually doing pretty much the same thing as Typhoid Ashley on this one: These are songs that make me want to dance. Or in some cases, I just really like them, and a lot of them have endured innumerable replays.
I've left quite a number out, simply because I don't know or can't (at this moment) remember titles or artists. That frankly goes for all of the lists made this past week.
Radiate (Dubious Mike)
Isn't it awesome I can cite a Dubious song for almost every category this week? I think it's awesome.
Counting Blue Cars (Dishwalla)
Got way too much airplay back in the late 90s but it somehow manages to evoke summertime imagery to me even now.
Desecration Smile (Red Hot Chili Peppers [RHCP])
Kids (MGMT)
This is one of my favorite songs now. And I love the video. A lot.
Young Folks (Peter, Bjorn and John)
Battle Without Honor or Humanity
Extreme Ways (Moby)
Kids With Guns (Gorillaz)
Spybreak (Propellerheads)
Such Great Heights (Postal Service)
19-2000 Soulchild Remix (Gorillaz)
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
By the Way (RHCP)
Cafe Mambo Mix (Syndicate)
Funky Monks (RHCP)
ABC (Jackson 5)
Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me (TISM)
You've seen the video by now, I'm sure. What's not to love? If you haven't, check it out on YouTube. You'll laugh, I can guarantee.
Tell Me Something Good (Rufus & Chaka Khan)
Wake Up (Arcade Fire)
This is the song on the Where the Wild Things Are trailer, in case you didn't know. That was the first time I'd heard it, and I'll never forget it. This is the trailer, y'all, that made Kevin Smith cry.
Humble Neighborhood (Pink)
One Week (Barenaked Ladies)
God Shuffled His Feet (Crash Test Dummies)
Black Betty (Ram Jam)
Around the World (ATC)
I know, right? A much shorter list. But hell, a guy can only have so many favorites.
If anyone wants to listen to any of the songs I've listed, a lot of them are on my playlists here. Particularly the now-misnamed "September" list.
Honestly I can't really remember a lot of what I used to groove to before moving to LA. Particularly what I listened to before I was introduced to Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Depeche Mode, The Cure, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. So nearly every one of these songs are ones I've discovered in the past fifteen years or so.
The Classics -- 80s and earlier
Don't You Forget About Me (Simple Minds)
I know I'm admitting to liking The Breakfast Club, which guys are apparently not supposed to do -- but who wouldn't wanna be Judd Nelson in that flick, neh? He was 80s cool before it turned into 80s lame. Although even when I was six, I would rather have gone with the brunette than the redhead. Still would, in fact.
Shit, watching that video made me want to see the movie again. Unbelievable.
Cry Little Sister (Gerard McMann)
I can't think of the late 80s without thinking of The Lost Boys, and I can't think of The Lost Boys without thinking of this haunting song. Or more importantly, Jamie Gertz, schwing!
Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
Speaking of schwing, ha ha ha ha hah ha. Actually, since Queen did the soundtrack to Highlander, a movie that got a lot of play in mi casa, a lot of Queen songs take me back.
Great Balls of Fire (Jerry Lee Lewis)
Everybody Get Together (Dick Clark Five)
Stop, Hey What's That Sound (Buffalo Springfield)
Three classics that I'll never stop loving. And while I wasn't going to add any specific Beatles songs (too obvious, right?), they definitely deserve a shout-out. In fact, I'm absolutely positive I remember Day Tripper from 1968. But Come Together may yet take the day as my favorite.
Joyride (Roxette)
Call Me (Blondie)
Joey (Concrete Blonde)
Roxette, Blondie and Concrete Blonde all left deep impressions in my youthful self. Almost entirely through mis-heard and misunderstood lyrics, but the sound, at least, remained pure. Now that I know what they were actually saying, I can't for the life of me remember what I thought they were saying. But I do remember laughing my ass off when I found out the truth.
As may be apparent, my early musical tastes were heavily influenced by what my sisters were listening to at the time.
Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (The Police)
I remember dancing in my diapers to this song. Or maybe I was naked. The song came out in what, 82, 83? I was too old for diapers at that point. Yup, guess I was naked.
Personal Jesus
Or anything by Depeche Mode, frankly. Do they even record anymore? Anyone know?
People Are Strange (Echo and the Bunnymen)
San Francsico (Scott McKenzie)
Fortunate Son (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
I have to disagree with Justin Long's character in Live Free or Die Hard. Fortunate Son is an awesome song. Naturally, it's inextricably tied with anti-war sentiment (it is, after all, a protest song), and in today's world, it's still, unfortunately, quite relevant.
The 90s
The 90s were my period of musical awakening. I listened to more music, bought more albums (prior to 1989 or 90, the only "album" I personally owned was a Michael Jackson cassette I was given for my 8th birthday). I gradually developed my own tastes in music, with limited influence from others. It did become alternative/grunge rock for a time, but always the important thing has been the sound.
U Can't Touch This (MC Hammer)
Early 90s rap (dubbed cRap by my friend Damon) was like a gateway drug. You start listening to it and the next thing you know, you're wearing neon parachute pants and shaving designs into your hair. I count myself lucky, however: Vanilla Ice killed any affinity I had for the genre, preventing me from ever being interested in gangsta. I think I would have been a singularly pathetic wigger.
Must Have Been Love (Roxette)
This is one of the last songs I loved before I found grunge. I'm faintly embarrassed by this now, but the fact remains the chick's got a great voice. There was another one around that same time that had to do with looking into someone's eyes and wiping the tears away. I have no idea who did that one, and the lyrics were embarrassingly maudlin even then, but I liked the harmonics. And that's what it's really about to me: how it sounds, not always what they say.
Circles (Soul Coughing)
Lovefool (The Cardigans)
Gotta give Typhoid Ashley credit for this one. She reminded me of it on her first list, and I just had to add it. Lovefool was one of those songs that made the 90s what it was, along with:
American Werewolf in Paris Soundtrack
I have to include this as a collection, because although I never saw the movie, the soundtrack -- including the works of Cake, Better Than Ezra, Eva Trout, Bush, and Vanessa Daou -- kept me awake through many a long, busy night. As did:
The Faculty Soundtrack
Including the works of Stabbing Westward, Class of 99, Offspring, Creed and Neve. I listened to this soundtrack so many times I could sing along in perfect time even when I couldn't hear it. And by "sing along" I actually mean "mutter nonsense words in rough approximation of tune".
Pepper (Butthole Surfers)
I don't mind the sun sometimes/the images it shows/I can taste you on my lips and smell you in my clothes/cinnamon and sugary and softly spoken lies/you never know just how you look through other peoples' eyes
This is one song I did get the lyrics to. And I liked that, and them. Also, because much of the song wasn't really sung, I could get away with more obvious singing along. Heh.
Round Here (Counting Crows)
I'm a Bitch I'm a Lover (Alanis Morissette)
My ex-wife loved this song. I did too, although as much out of Canadian Solidarity as the song itself.
Picked this vid out of whimsey. Also because I figure Ash will like it, lol. And maybe she can tell me what movie that green-eyed girl comes from. It's the only one I can't figure out (how weird is that; I hardly ever watch cartoon movies).
Bittersweet Symphony (The Verve)
Another "classic" 90s song, by which I mean it got so much airtime no one wanted to hear from these guys ever again.
Zombie (Garbage)
Steal My Sunshine (ZEN)
Incidentally, I'm leaving out the songs that I fucking hated, the ones that would get stuck in my head or whatever. There were a fair number of lounge-singer types in the early 90s that earned my eternal enmity for their effluvium (can you say "Don't hurt me, no more?). Seeing as how I do not want to inflict that on myself, I'm not getting into the hate list on this or any other edition of Music Week.
This one's already getting too long, so a quick, anecdote free list of some of the other "best of the 90s" tunes:
Smells Like Teen Spirit & Come as You Are (Nirvana)
Drive, Losing My Religion & Everybody Hurts (REM)
Jeremy (Pearl Jam)
Gangsta's Paradise (Coolio)
Wonderwall (Oasis)
1979 (Smashing Pumpkins)
Lightning Crashes (Live)
Mr. Jones (Counting Crows)
Ironic (Alanis Morrissette)
One Week (Barenaked Ladies)
God Shuffled His Feet (Crash Test Dummies)
One of Us (Joan Osborne) -- truly one of the most ubiquitous and ultimately annoying songs of this era, it yet deserves a mention because, yes, I did play it on my own, because I liked it. For a while, anyway.
All right, that's the end of Memory Lane. If you take a right, you'll find yourself on Amnesiac Avenue, which will bring you back to Procrastination Plaza -- I assume that's your starting point. Get back to whatever you were supposed to be doing! Ha ha!
I'm avoiding torch songs. Just FYI. Well, trying to. Largely because I don't wanna go research the ones I don't know. But this is as close as I'll get to 'em -- sometimes emo, sometimes profound, this is the sad, lonely and lovelorn song list.
Black (Pearl Jam) Needs no explanation, introduction, or excuse. If this one doesn't touch you, you have no soul.
Last Kiss (Pearl Jam) Ditto. Although I have to admit the "aaaaa ooooo" bit in the end sort of makes me snicker sometimes.
I Know (Dubious Mike) I first heard this song when I was going through pretty much exactly what the song describes. So I listened to it a lot. Which probably, in retrospect, didn't help me get over it any faster.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day) God of Wine (Third Eye Blind)
Grace is Gone (Dave Matthews Band)
Love Song (The Cure) I liked this song even before I learned what they were saying (this happens all the time). Just the energy and artistry of the music itself captured my attention. Then I saw the official music video. With hair like that, I'm not sure I can quite respect Robert Smith anymore. I know, it was the 80s and Aquanet stocks soared. Doesn't matter.
Fallin' (Alicia Keys) Love her voice. Love her face. Love the piano. Her apparent bad-boy fetish, as depicted in the video for this song: Not so much.
Come Away With Me (Nora Jones) They played this one at a funeral for a good friend of mine. He was younger than me and just stroked out one day (by which I mean he had a fatal stroke). I'd had people die on me before but this was probably the most jarring, for a lot of reasons. Since then, I've never liked listening to this song. Which is kind of a shame, because Jones is fairly bangable. What does that have to do with it, you ask? Well, if you have to, you'll never know. Which is good, really.
Creep (Radiohead) Creep (Stone Temple Pilots)
Listen To Your Heart (Roxette) I get goosebumps when they do that thing with the... whatever it is. Is it an xylophone? I don't even know. Maybe it's just a piano. Yeah, it's probably a piano. I like that bit. Which reminds me of...
I Will Be Right Here Waiting For You (Bryan Adams) Good piano here, too. I'm a total sucker for piano, have I mentioned that yet? Side note: Was watching How I Met Your Mother tonight. Robin, bless her heart: "I love Springsteen! He's like the American Bryan Adams!" So true. So very true.
Sometime Around Midnight (Airborne Toxic Event) I kinda have a thing for the violinist. She's adorable. But seriously, one thing I love about this song is it entirely disposes of the verse chorus verse formula that 99% of songs have these days. And the fact they even have a violinist is kinda unique; I'm a big fan of unique. Even when it's only kinda.
Loser (Beck)
Hurt (Johnny Cash) It took a while to grow on me, but now I like the Man in Black's version better than Reznor's. Cash brought gravitas and depth to a song that, in its original incarnation, now seems petulant and shrill. Also his chord changes still give me chills. I listen closely to such things. Sometimes it's all I can hear, after all.
Outside (Staind) Where'd You Go (Fort Minor) I've always been kind of fond of fusion songs (and covers), but this one took the cake for me. Simply put, combining pianos and drums -- that's like auditory peanut butter and chocolate to me, for reasons I know I'll never be able to explain. It's just how it is -- if done well.
Something I Can Never Have (Nine Inch Nails) I'm a little ashamed to admit it now, but there was a time this song was pretty much my anthem. Which was stupid in many ways, but hey -- when you're 16, being angsty is "romantic". Or something. Yeah, I was an idiot when I was 16.
...and of course pretty much anything by Evanescence, ha ha! But actually, Bring Me Back to Life was another example of arresting fusion; and I don't care what anyone else says, it made that scene in Daredevil damned cool. Yes, I did like Daredevil. I will buy it, if I see it on sale. But it never is on sale, is it, hmm? What's THAT tell you? People buy it, and hide it, perhaps under their beds. For some reason, liking Daredevil is a guilty pleasure. I can understand feeling that way about the spinoff (Elektra), but I thought they did a good job on Daredevil!
Okay, I digress. That's a subject I should revisit, though.
As a final note, reading back on this I realize I must sound a bit like a horny teenager with all the liking shit because the artist involved is attractive. That's not really it, seriously. It just doesn't hurt. Remember, my first introduction to these is always the voice and more importantly, the music and harmonies. This is even true with Phantom of the Opera, which is a movie; Emmy Rossum won me over not with her looks (ravishing though she is) but her rendition of the Phantom of the Opera song.
It does seem weird, even to me, that a voice should create such an effect on a deaf guy, but there it is. Maybe it's just that any beauty or artistry that can fully reach me, has to be pretty powerful to do it.
Nevertheless, I truly am a sucker for a pretty face. So when that's involved too, I'm pretty much done for.
Sometimes the best art is the kind that breaks the forms.
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, impinges heavily in its every line, each plodding, desolate paragraph reinforcing the shuddering silence of a world lost. A world that has moved on, leaving a wearily desperate few behind.
It does take a few pages to get used to the writing style, a style that emphasizes the numb, foggy world in its lack of quotes and apostrophes, in its lack of exposition and even in the at once jarring and perfectly natural absence of names for the two primary characters.
I can't really say anything more without spoiling anything. I haven't even really decided if it was worth the journey. A lot of people seem to think it was. Personally, I'd rather the sun break through the clouds a little more often.
Although I suppose it says something that of the four books I've read over the past week, this was the only one I was moved to write about.
Typhoid Ashley has shamed me with her first music blog. She went and made her list deeply personal, giving us a little insight into the Ash That Was. And that's what blogs are supposed to be about, innit?
Well, I don't know if I can do that for my pre-prepared lists (I "wrote" the blogs for the whole week last Saturday). But I'll see what I can do.
I chose "Twisted Tuesday" more for the alliterative potential than because I can think of a lot of these. Part of the problem is I don't know the names of almost any Garbage song, worse luck. And I've made a point to stay the hell away from Marilyn Manson. But here's a few songs that are just messed up.
Bang Bang (Nancy Sinatra)
Medication (Garbage)
I know what I said. This one was a gimme. Also Stupid Girl, but I'm not sure if it counts for "twisted".
All the Things She Said (TATU)
Polly (Nirvana)
Nirvana was my first self-determined foray into "cool" music. My sisters had for some time been trying to get me to listen to something other than the homogenized pap I'd been listening to until I was ten or eleven. One had me listening to Jane's Addiction and Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and The Cure. Another loaned me Blood Sugar Sex Magic and Pearl Jam's Ten. I loved them all but none seized my attention like poor, doomed Cobain and his angst-ridden, drug-soaked lyrics and music. I'm just sorry that I "found Nirvana" through the media circus in the wake of his suicide. My late arrival made me feel like a poseur, but in those days, when the blood was barely dry, no one had to know.
Used to Love Her (Guns N Roses)
Natural (Dubious Mike)
Relax (Mika)
I was introduced to this song by the lovely Ask A Chola, who posted the video as a bulletin one night, describing it as "campy and rad". I dare you to disagree. My quasi-creepy interest in Chola notwithstanding, the song IS both fun and fucked up, making it a worthy addition to any playlist of mine.
Mrs. Robinson (pick your version)
My mom doesn't "get" this song. Far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to get. We all know why it's tied to adulterous cougars, but I like it because anyone can sing along with "do do do do do doo doo doo doo doo do". Here's to you Mrs. Robinson.
Stan (Eminem featuring Dido)
Blue Dress (Depeche Mode)
As relevant (if not more) as it was 20 years ago, this song skewers those obsessed with celebrity to the exclusion of all else.
Burning Man (Third Eye Blind)
I know a guy who refuses to believe this song is about sex. As far as I know, he's still never been laid. Coincidence? I think not.
Slow Motion (Third Eye Blind)
The music of this song is almost transcendentally beautiful. The lyrics, not so much.
Twisted Nerve (Bernard Harrmann)
Sure to burrow into your ear and have you whistling allllll day. If you're not a fan of whistling endlessly, do not listen to this song.
Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana)
Torn (Natalie Imbruglia)
...and pretty much anything by Trent Reznor, especially the Pretty Hate Machine album.
That's all I've got for the moment. But I've already written ahead (again); Wednesday's installment has a lot more crap you never really cared to find out about me. Seriously though, I think I was able to make it a little more entertaining/enlightening. Cheers.
So the idea is to give a list of songs that fit some theme or other. With videos.
Now I figure, adding too many videos is pointless. Most people aren't gonna take the time to watch every one, or maybe even any. Especially since I doubt I have very many readers, ha ha! So I'm only including a few videos, if the song is relatively obscure, or particularly interesting, or fun.
Monday Misanthropy
It's Monday. I don't know many people who fucking love this day. So here's a short list of songs that feed the rage -- and sometimes help diffuse it.
After the Flesh (My Life With the Thrill Kill Cult)
Snakedriver (Jesus & Mary Chain)
In the End (Linkin Park)
Let Me Down (Dubious Mike)
Slip Slide Melting (For Love Not Lisa)
Friend is a Four-Letter Word (Cake)
Beautiful People (Marilyn Manson)
Better Off Alone (Alice Deejay)
A note about that video: The dude in it has got to be the biggest idiot I've ever seen. But the girl's kinda cute...
I've come to the conclusion that barring dramatic changes in my current income sources, secondary income is a necessity.
The company I'm newly working at is going through some changes right now, and as a result pay has been sporadic and frankly too low. Of course, that was starter pay but still. I've talked to the owner, he said they're working out a handling for that.
Well, cool. I believe him, and all of the other people, they've been making good money working there, so it can be done. But I'm feeling this is the wrong economic climate and definitely the wrong time of my life to depend solely on them for my survival. I'll definitely keep that as my day job -- it's not that it's a bad company or even that the pay is horrible (a lot of people get by on less). The problem is I have, at the moment, sufficient creditor demand that the current paycheck pretty much vanishes with barely enough left over for groceries, much less good times. And damn it, I want good times. That was the whole damned point of moving and all.
(The weirdest thing about all this, to me, is that in a year or two, almost all of my major bills will be paid off, and I won't need to worry about them anymore. But I do need to have "made it"anyway, by then. The timing of all of this is really kind of messing with my head.)
So. This is actually kind of a blessing in disguise. Because every writer mentions how real it gets when their writing is needed to put food on the table. And I mean, right now I'm just talking about MY food. I also need to think with putting food on the table for someone else. Whoever that will eventually be, ha ha. It's gonna happen. But it's less likely if I'm staying home every night because I can't afford to go out, neh?
But seriously. It's time to put my money (so to speak) where my mouth is, to really put my talents to work not merely for fun, but for profit as well. I have a few ideas about how to accomplish that with relative speed and minimal capital. I've enough avenues to pursue:
I've a friend who runs a scriptwriting contest. He's got reams of scripts that need reading. I read with awe-inspiring speed (honest, I have inspired awe!). That's a no-brainer. He can pay me. It probably won't be great sums, but it'll make a difference, and I can start immediately.
Those same reading skills could come in handy elsewhere, too. Particularly my proofreading skills. Maybe it's time to look for people in the LA area who need their shit proofread. Hmmm.
I've got a webcomic already sort of established. A little research, maybe a little help from some friends, I could have my own website up. I've already got lines established for merchandise (especially t-shirts). It might even be in my interest to get a small business loan (just a couple, three grand) so I can get the needed hardware and software to actually continue. A few hours a day could turn into some good bucks.
And of course, there's the writing. My stepdad outlined a net-based business model for getting my work out there; it'd more or less be self-publishing but word of mouth and online buzz could bring me the attention of a major publisher in a matter of months. For which, incidentally, I will need the help of my online friends.
So what am I going to do?
ALL OF THE ABOVE.
Because I can, because multiple income sources are better than one or two, and because shit, I'd need to do some of that stuff to achieve my ultimate goals anyway.
The irony is, I might get too busy providing for my life to actually live it. Heh. Nah. I've been down that road before. I'd recognize the landmarks in time to turn around.
