pluriethoughts

Half time

2009-07-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

I just posted my 26th post of 2009. I'm halfway through the year.

Originally, my New Year's Resolution of writing more. My goal was to put out something new every week and judging by the upcoming schedule, I think I've stuck to that very well. I have plans for entries dating all the way through the end of the year abd even some set up for specific dates in 2010.

It's been mostly fun, except when a week flies by and suddenly I have to finish an entry on Thursday night. I hate doing that because I know some of them could be a lot better. I hear some people speak on "This American Life" and marvel that their stories are so well put together. I want that. I can do that.

I thought the Bouncy Ball entry was particularly good as it wrapped up nicely with an allusion to something earlier in the story. That was probably because I went to our neighbors house and hung out with a bunch of their friends one night as we all did some creative work. People did music, flash design, needlepoint and writing - it was a very interesting crowd.

When I have free time I've been trying to jump ahead and work on some of the upcoming entries. A little while ago I took a notebook to our local park and just sat outside writing and thinking of good stories to include in the future. We'll see if all the ideas I got while looking at clouds turn out to be good or even useable, but for now, I'm enjoying the ride.

Fear of Identity Theft

2009-05-01T05:25:00.000-07:00

I understand people don't want to have their identity stolen, but sometimes they can take a breather. I received a credit card the other day at the ticket booth and when I turned it over, it said "check my fucking ID".

Wow, really? Most people write "See ID" or if they want to be clever, "C.I.D." (get it?)

You're using your credit card at a place designed for families buddy, so just take it easy. Nobody's going to try and steal your credit card as long as you keep that angry looking scowl on your face.

Thursday Night Drinking is a Young Man's Game

2009-02-27T04:57:00.001-08:00

I went out as a wingman last night for my friend Jay. We went to a couple of different places, had some beers and nachos, and I talked him up to an assortment of girls. There were two girls at the second place that we played a game called "say random names and maybe they'll respond to one of them." Jay and I yelled out random girls names in their general direction for about 30 minutes and it didn't work. When he got up, I waved them over and told them that we had a $500 bet on their names. Seemed to be a good conversation started - Jay talked with the cute one for a while and I chatted with the friend. I was sure to mention that he had a size 13 shoe. It was fun for a while, but we both felt instantly super old when we learned our waitress was only 20. Plus had to work early today and we don't have the recovery we once did.

David After the Dentist: Responses

2009-02-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

By now you have probably seen this video. It's at nearly 9 million views on youtube. Of course, immitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so here are some of the responses to David's video that have been popping up online lately.

Good luck living a normal life kid.

Blogging Continues

2009-01-30T13:27:00.000-08:00

I made it through the month of January on my other blog.

4 blog-stories down, 48 more to go in order to reach my weekly goal for the year. It's one New Year's Resolution that I'm really trying hard to stick to.

The good news is I have ideas for 33 more entries already. That puts me into early September.

The bad news is I still have those 15 unknown weeks lingering in the back of my mind.

I'll have to think about other ideas some more. I'm hoping the added extra time I'll get by having so much preplanned will help me get things together. What I've found so far is that certain times of year tend to trigger certain memories, so as I go along in the year I'll have more stories to tell. It's good to have some that can be posted at any time of year so I can throw them up during a lull. Mostly I'm finding that my entries are scheduled based on what time of year the original story took place.

So far, so good. Thanks for reading, but more importantly, read my other blog!

Blogging Criteria and Nervousness

2009-01-14T12:18:00.000-08:00

I'm not really sure if there is any criteria I should be subjecting myself to in my other blog. The stories are all very different. Most of them are funny, sometimes in the form of hilarious tragedy. I really don't think it's necessary to have a standard word count or specific style every time.

Originally I had similar titles, all of them containing ING verbs, but I scrapped that idea. The titles will be the least of my concerns. This week is going to be another relatively long entry, but the one after that might be a shorter one. It won't matter I think, as long as the main points of the story come across.

I hope I can think of enough for the whole year. As of right now I have entries planned through the middle of July, aside from a few blank spots. The specific times of year will probably do a good job of inspiring me. The way things are set up as of now, the entries are being published during the most logical times. Summer stories are in the summer. There's a story about going to Alabama that is going to come out the week my family is heading there for my cousin Jordan's wedding.

I hope it makes some sort of sense.

I hope people read.

What's Happening

2009-01-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

Indiana Jones & the Crystal Skull> Mummy 3 > The Happening.

Crystal Skull wasn't terrible, but it was terribly disappointing. Mummy 3 was just like either of the other two previous Mummys, except without any fun or any attempt to actually make sense. Not even a pretty funny Rifftrax accompaniment could save The Happening. It seemed like M. Night just was very angry and took it out on the characters in his film, who in turn took it out on anyone who actually viewed this film. He probably viewed all the critics who panned Lady in the Water as that one guy who lays down in the path of the industrial lawnmower.

On the plus side, it was the most I've ever heard a movie say its own title in its dialog. Even on the imdb.com Memorable Quotes page for the movie, some version of the word happening is mentioned six times. This is also the same number of times Mark Wahlberg tells everyone "I need a second..." in order to think of how to solve the mystery of everyone dying.

Avoid this movie if you can, unless you want to see a more grown up, awkward version of the little boy from the Cat in the Hat movie take a shotgun blast to the chest.

Moving Day.

2009-01-05T07:32:00.001-08:00

Friends, or random internet people,

My blog has packed up and moved:

http://anecdotalmontage.blogspot.com/

All new entries and previous archives are now located at that address. Update your links and favorite places as needed. I suppose that is a big big-headed of me to assume everyone here either has a link to my site or has it saved on their favorite places.

Check in there for weekly stories. This blog will remain active for random thoughts, reviews and other things that might not fit so well into the storytelling format of my new blog. Stay tuned!

Paul

Anecdotal Montage Glossary

1982-02-06T06:43:00.000-08:00

In case you've encountered something confusing in the blog. A place or abbreviation that you might not be familiar with, hopefully this will help. You can thank Joe McClendon for the clever posting date and time idea.

BTTF: Back to the Future

This abbreviation is usually referring to Back to the Future the Ride at USH unless otherwise noted. My first job in L.A. was as a part time operator for this motion simulator ride in 2004. I became a lead and attraction supervisor soon after I began working there full time. The uniforms involved yellow button shirts, khaki pants with elastic ankles and fake cargo pockets, a fleece lined lab coat and a mandatory pocket protector. I worked at the ride until fall of 2006 when I was promoted to a full time office job. The ride closed in September of 2007 and I was a participant on the last official ride cycle.

ECA: Educational Center for the Arts

ECA was a magnet high school in the New Haven area that local public schools would send artistic kids to in order to hone their crafts. It was divided into five different departments: Dance, Drama, Creative Writing, Music (instrumental/vocal) and Visual Arts. Students participated mainly in their home department with occasional elective classes. I attended the visual arts department during my sophomore-senior years of high school.

HHN: Halloween Horror Nights

This refers to the time of year when USH fills the park with various monsters who jump out at you, fog machines, tinted lights and scary walk-through mazes. People would come out to this event in outrageous numbers, way more than daytime park operation. I worked crazy hours at this event in 2006 and 2007, sacrificing every weekend (and most Halloween parties) in October for two years. Most shifts began around 5:30 in the evening and finished up closer to 3:00 am with a trip to Denny's.

Oakwoods

A national chain of furnished temporary apartment complexes. Lived in the Los Angeles branch during my final semester at Emerson College in a two bedroom, four person apartment. The location was on a hillside directly between Warner Brothers and Universal Studios. Aside from college students, the grounds were overrun with wannabe child actors who were living there during pilot season until they got their big break.

USH: Universal Studios Hollywood

Located in the heart of it's own city, the entertainment capital of L.A. is a theme park within a working movie studio. I got a job here in 2004 and worked my way up from a line employee through various lead and supervisor positions. I still have a big stack of unused business cards that prove this.

USY: United Synagogue Youth

This is a Jewish group for high school aged kids that combines social, religious and leadership activities. The group covers the entire USA and Canada, with events of various sizes taking place all over the country. I was involved in this group throughout high school, serving on regional and international boards and attending conventions in Orlando, Philadelphia, Chicago and San Jose.

USY on Wheels

This is a USY (see above) summer program with 48 teens and 5 college aged staff traveling on a coach bus for 7 weeks. The trip crisscrosses the country, usually starting in New York, heading to Los Angeles and then working your way back. The participants come away from the trip with wonderful friends, great experiences and all sorts of memories. Kids stay in homes from the local Jewish communities, at hotels and sometimes in national parks. I went on this trip when I was 16 years old in 1998 and staffed four times from 2001-2005, including once as the group leader.

WAKA: World Adult Kickbal Association

World Adult Kickball Association. Grown ups get to play a kids game, followed by drinking at the local bar. Each division board plans parties and argues rules mostly. I have played consistantly since 2007.