The view is modest and wood-trimmed
Mattress soft, appliances luxuriously mass-produced
Bags remained packed - missing only small increments
Furnishings aside the unit smells of upscale transiency
It simultaneously meets a need yet leaves a void
Loosening footwear with trendy hounds tooth beneath
Gazing at hundreds of threads
Surely a fraction of billions in the same pattern
Click of a door reveals a 3-way standoff
Mosaic chamber awaits a weary pose
The flowing pour is the respite
However an untasted elixir is offered elsewhere
A cacophony of elements - some reviled, some unseen
Those of water calcium, cheap shampoos and residual travel size smells
A melange leftover from previous similar term tenants
It draws an unexpected sense.
He is home.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
An indiscriminate light
The winged, carbon fiber monolith banked right. The passengers sat in a malaise - many with their heads back and mouths agape, others collecting themselves as the craft gradually succumbed to the pull of the earth's crust below.
I admired the moon-like, endless depths of the Midwestern suburbs. A tiny flash reflected from an industrial gravel landscape below. Suddenly a second, a third - it continued. A persistent and tiny thread of sunlight protruded the dense cloud cover above and proceeded to seek out and illuminate every ribbon of groundwater.
Temporary or permanent, polluted or clean, drably or fashionably-surrounded. The light does not begrudge. Upscale abode or scrap-laden yard - any standing water sparkled. Each bright sheen is unique in it's individual shape and pattern. A pattern linear only unto the light itself.
The winged, carbon fiber monolith banked left. The moment, albeit brief, is encapsulated.
It will be carried.
I admired the moon-like, endless depths of the Midwestern suburbs. A tiny flash reflected from an industrial gravel landscape below. Suddenly a second, a third - it continued. A persistent and tiny thread of sunlight protruded the dense cloud cover above and proceeded to seek out and illuminate every ribbon of groundwater.
Temporary or permanent, polluted or clean, drably or fashionably-surrounded. The light does not begrudge. Upscale abode or scrap-laden yard - any standing water sparkled. Each bright sheen is unique in it's individual shape and pattern. A pattern linear only unto the light itself.
The winged, carbon fiber monolith banked left. The moment, albeit brief, is encapsulated.
It will be carried.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Late summer in public spaces
Unlikely swells spurred by motorized fiberglass crash on a shoreless lip
A peaceful Sunday afternoon in the dwindling balance of summer
Blanket cast on brown grass, head resting precariously
Breathe in the cool shade, observe the now sun-choked landscape
Unable to shake the occasional twinge of an ant on exposed extremity
Wife gazing into novel she is moderately enjoying
Intermittently exudes an understated chuckle
Muted grin gradually teases at her lips
Adorable as ever
Saturday, February 20, 2010
A trip to the vet
Sterile environment - literally and figuratively
I wonder how it feels to a feline
Trip to the dentist, general practitioner and specialist all in one
Palette of drab tones produces a beige and mauve glisten
Pupils dilate and recede
Howls, like oxidized, rusty bearings, proliferate throughout
Bouncing off of the cold steel of the exam decor
"Reformed" species roam the lobby
In search of a willing perch or corner
Slinking along the aged linoleum floor
Vinyl prisoner transport device sought
Often reviled, now represents a ticket home
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Hungarian Revelation
Sounds and voices on the radio were impassioned as the Boros family circled tightly around it. Marta’s parents listened intently to the news from Budapest on the student-led October revolution of 1956. They also tempered the premature excitement of their children – understanding that suffering was nearly certain in the wake of the lumbering, Soviet behemoth. After much deliberation, the parents decided to act in the best interest of the children and pack up the house and leave the country until further notice. The personal stakes were now too high to validate the civil stakes – especially with the hardship of World War II still fresh on their minds.
The wheels lifted off the runway and eventually the landing gear receded. Just then a surge of anxiety gradually overtook her. Marta had long dreamt of the bountiful pastures, snow-capped peaks and bustling city streets of the US, but had never expected to experience them first-hand. The American dream was at arm’s reach and, apart from family and close friends, she was only half-heartedly putting aside an oppressed existence. Her new husband drifting in and out of sleep beside her, she was departing from the only culture she’d ever known.
Carrying all of her personal effects, Marta sat with her sisters while her parents argued with customs officials amongst a throng of fleeing Hungarians at a train station just across the Austrian border. They waited to be collected by family – distant and only just acquainted. The scenery was familiarly mountainous and forested though the immediate change in culture and skyline was both unfamiliar and intriguing. While killing time reading while her siblings played and others prayed, Marta noticed the occasional odd look from strangers – amongst an occasional merciful smile and hum of familiar dialect about her. The new land was foreign, but offered a freedom. Not a negotiable liberty, a given one – a freedom from social tyranny.
As the plane descended, Marta leaned over her now-awake husband to catch a glimpse of America in full swing: New York City. The city smoldered with hope while the statue kept a distant watch over the rich and fragile civic rights from her perch in the harbor. After the plane arrived at its gate, she anxiously waited in queue – anticipating a draft of free and new air. Her brief taste while deplaning was unmemorable, but the spirited architecture of the airport provided momentary invigoration. While her husband inquired on their connecting flight with an attendant, Marta stood and gazed at the colorful décor and bustling families. It felt like a new start – an empty canvas with an expanded palette of colors.
The remainder of the excursion in 1956 had been uncomfortable and uninviting. Expressions of strangers grew increasingly cold – more so when they observed foreign dialect and customs. A brief and shrill greeting from family she hardly knew resulted in Marta and her sisters sleeping on a hardwood floor while sharing a bedroom with her parents and two sisters. The family found itself in a virtual purgatory with the fate of the country’s democratic future in the balance. As later, Marta found solace in literature and longed for Hungary. Her parents, regularly glued to the radio awaiting any glimmer of hope from Budapest, assured the girls that their future would be secured – if not by their countrymen then by God above. Then one afternoon while playing with her sisters outside, her parents called all of her family into their bedroom – the revolution had ended and they were going home. Unsure of how to respond, Marta’s eyes welled up with tears.
Now settled in the Midwestern US in January of 1966, Marta and her husband nestled into the Hungarian contingent of South Bend, Indiana. A bustling college town with a scenic campus and little more, she found herself struggling with undesirable social elements in the tight-knit community. The gossip, rivalry and new-found pursuit of material gain caused her to retreat from a culture she had longed to return to. Marta longed for expression and panorama in a conservative, manufacturing hub on the edge of the Great Plains and, it seemed, the world. She frequently found solace in the literature of her youth and longed for the days of her youth and fellowship with her family. Compounded with her broken English, Marta became encased in a loosely populated existence. The pair settled in a progressive, forested West Coast, but the lure of Hungary always present.
The years passed on and Marta’s life progressed mostly according to plan. Family remained a strong focus and her children were born and raised into a community of opportunity and the basic freedoms. No matter how accustomed she became to the US, she retained a connection to Hungary. Be it through the local Hungarian association, her writing and love of literature or her political status. Her frustrations with people and dysfunction transcended cultures, but her love for her true home burned ever brightly. It was true – she had left Hungary definitively and possibly permanently, but it would never leave her.
The wheels lifted off the runway and eventually the landing gear receded. Just then a surge of anxiety gradually overtook her. Marta had long dreamt of the bountiful pastures, snow-capped peaks and bustling city streets of the US, but had never expected to experience them first-hand. The American dream was at arm’s reach and, apart from family and close friends, she was only half-heartedly putting aside an oppressed existence. Her new husband drifting in and out of sleep beside her, she was departing from the only culture she’d ever known.
Carrying all of her personal effects, Marta sat with her sisters while her parents argued with customs officials amongst a throng of fleeing Hungarians at a train station just across the Austrian border. They waited to be collected by family – distant and only just acquainted. The scenery was familiarly mountainous and forested though the immediate change in culture and skyline was both unfamiliar and intriguing. While killing time reading while her siblings played and others prayed, Marta noticed the occasional odd look from strangers – amongst an occasional merciful smile and hum of familiar dialect about her. The new land was foreign, but offered a freedom. Not a negotiable liberty, a given one – a freedom from social tyranny.
As the plane descended, Marta leaned over her now-awake husband to catch a glimpse of America in full swing: New York City. The city smoldered with hope while the statue kept a distant watch over the rich and fragile civic rights from her perch in the harbor. After the plane arrived at its gate, she anxiously waited in queue – anticipating a draft of free and new air. Her brief taste while deplaning was unmemorable, but the spirited architecture of the airport provided momentary invigoration. While her husband inquired on their connecting flight with an attendant, Marta stood and gazed at the colorful décor and bustling families. It felt like a new start – an empty canvas with an expanded palette of colors.
The remainder of the excursion in 1956 had been uncomfortable and uninviting. Expressions of strangers grew increasingly cold – more so when they observed foreign dialect and customs. A brief and shrill greeting from family she hardly knew resulted in Marta and her sisters sleeping on a hardwood floor while sharing a bedroom with her parents and two sisters. The family found itself in a virtual purgatory with the fate of the country’s democratic future in the balance. As later, Marta found solace in literature and longed for Hungary. Her parents, regularly glued to the radio awaiting any glimmer of hope from Budapest, assured the girls that their future would be secured – if not by their countrymen then by God above. Then one afternoon while playing with her sisters outside, her parents called all of her family into their bedroom – the revolution had ended and they were going home. Unsure of how to respond, Marta’s eyes welled up with tears.
Now settled in the Midwestern US in January of 1966, Marta and her husband nestled into the Hungarian contingent of South Bend, Indiana. A bustling college town with a scenic campus and little more, she found herself struggling with undesirable social elements in the tight-knit community. The gossip, rivalry and new-found pursuit of material gain caused her to retreat from a culture she had longed to return to. Marta longed for expression and panorama in a conservative, manufacturing hub on the edge of the Great Plains and, it seemed, the world. She frequently found solace in the literature of her youth and longed for the days of her youth and fellowship with her family. Compounded with her broken English, Marta became encased in a loosely populated existence. The pair settled in a progressive, forested West Coast, but the lure of Hungary always present.
The years passed on and Marta’s life progressed mostly according to plan. Family remained a strong focus and her children were born and raised into a community of opportunity and the basic freedoms. No matter how accustomed she became to the US, she retained a connection to Hungary. Be it through the local Hungarian association, her writing and love of literature or her political status. Her frustrations with people and dysfunction transcended cultures, but her love for her true home burned ever brightly. It was true – she had left Hungary definitively and possibly permanently, but it would never leave her.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The day the television shook
Television was only just on its way out of being a novelty – a pricy, intriguing gadget of the wealthy–in the mid 1950s. The device was in the midst of a 10-year run in which its presence in US households rose from a paltry 9% in 1950 to 90% in 1960 – a staggering increase of 900% – when its innocence was swiftly lost at the mid-decade. Approximately fifty percent of families owned one by 1954 as the appliance continued a dazzling rise to the mainstream.
In the early 1950s United States, fear of an imminent communist upheaval hung thick in the air of the American public. Politicians eagerly and widely exploited this fear to garner influence and sway voters, but only one dared publicly try to attach purported communists to the institution – his name was Joseph McCarthy. A February 1950 speech in Wheeling, West Virginia spurred a meteoric rise to fame for Senator McCarthy, who had won a Senate seat in 1946. It was during this speech that McCarthy claimed to have names of 205 federal employees who were members of the “fledgling” communist party. Although his numbers of “loyalty risk” caliber citizens fluctuated wildly over the course of the following month (to as low as 57 – his advisors seemingly censoring the list as inquiries flooded in), the surprising fame did its part in ensuring his re-election to the Senate in 1952.
Despite the creation of the Federal Communications Committee in 1934, television itself had limited censorship up until this point in time. From 1948-1952, the FCC had actually frozen granting of new channels as existing VHF channels (2-13) were deemed insufficient for television service and the tight grouping of the channels had resulted in widespread interference amongst existing and new communities. In short, the FCC had limited content in circulation to worry about censoring. When the freeze was put aside in 1952 thanks to the “Sixth Report & Order,” one must figure that the FCC was buried in requests for new channels and content which constrained resources to dedicate to the thorough evaluation of content. As McCarthy’s infamy gathered steam and the government (specifically the Army) responded in kind to his 1953 investigations, the FCC agreed to ABC’s request to televise the now famous “Army-McCarthy Hearings” from April-June of 1954 (36 days in total). It would be a decision the government would regret and a spectacle that left an indelible impact on the public’s perception of the inner workings of congress.
The “Army-McCarthy hearings” began as a proving ground upon which Joseph McCarthy would substantiate his claims of communist activity in the US Army Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth (the subject of McCarthy’s 1953 investigations). They ended with the Senator’s reputation destroyed and his Senate seat hanging by a thread. With a staggering 80 million total viewers over the course of the series, most of whom this was their first observation of US Congress, Joseph McCarthy was unable to substantiate any of his claims and was thrust on the defensive for disputed preferential treatment of a servicemen during the investigation. As the hearings drew to a close in early June, McCarthy was backed deeply into a corner – he was challenged by the Army’s counsel, Joseph N. Welch, to reveal his infamous list “before the sun goes down.” McCarthy, grasping at straws, proceeded to slander a young recruit of Welch’s firm. Tired, emotionally drained and eyes full of tears, Welch punctuated his response with the now legendary words: “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”
The destruction of a vindictive, reckless and power-hungry man determined to crush – once and for all – a dissenting opinion to whole-hearted capitalism was all but complete. Those with social and civil concerns rejoiced; those with industrial interests celebrated the resounding success of what would become reality television; those with political interests, machinations and revelations wrung their hands…and the TV, for the first time in its brief history, noticeably shook.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Recap of Social Media Fast '10 (January 2-9)
So my wife and I spawned the idea of SMF 2010 (sounds like a film festival acronym, right?) when discussing new year's resolutions on New Year's Day. As per the New York Times back in August, Facebook attracted nearly 88m unique visitors in July and this was a symptom of a forthcoming "exodus". With those figures in mind along with the suggested mass "exodus" (an embellishment considering Facebook had 102m unique visitors in 11/09), the two of us had been feeling that the e-transition of our relationships (think green here) was gradually contributing to the erosion of our social skills. So we decided to partake in the fast in tandem for the week of 1/2-1/9.
The rules were simple - no personally-affiliated social media. No Twitter, Facebook or MySpace. Given my unemployed state, LinkedIn was an exception. It felt right and, well, somewhat sacrificial. Not like lent or anything, but kind of old-fashioned (like late 90's old fashioned). Telephone calls, voicemail, email and human interaction. Off we went.
The first couple of days were pretty simple - I had a ton of reading and financial research that had been held up by social media OVERuse. I dug deep into a book, read financial statements, actually responded to emails, answered my phone and began nervously exercising my "conventional" communication skills. It was a little nerve wracking to start, but it quickly felt good. Normal even. I felt like I had an actual NEED to speak to people - versus checking their catalog of status updates or their profile pictures. As the week progressed and my to-do list with it, I gradually forgot about social media.
Before I knew it and felt fully reconnected to my friends, the week was over. I took a peek at Twitter, but with no need to immediately visit Facebook - I actually made it an 8th day without it. My re-exposure to it was so very anticlimactic. I realized I didn't need it - I didn't actually even like it that much. With all the bells and whistles, it is a veritable socially-oriented coloring book for adults. With that in mind, I discovered how to configure Twitter (which I'd previously mocked as a one-dimensional company angling for a buyout) to manage my Facebook updates and think I've visited the site 4-5 times since.
In summary - the distance between Facebook and I now feels appropriate. I still struggle with the occasional inclination not to answer my phone or emails, but unfortunately, this existed prior to my sojourn into social media. Unfortunately, being given and exercising the ability to check a page and see EXACTLY what they're doing, where they are, what their personal status, where they're working and what their personal interests currently are sort of makes the phone call redundant sometimes, doesn't it? I'll be using that as my rationale when I don't answer the phone (much less frequently) in the future.
Nate
The rules were simple - no personally-affiliated social media. No Twitter, Facebook or MySpace. Given my unemployed state, LinkedIn was an exception. It felt right and, well, somewhat sacrificial. Not like lent or anything, but kind of old-fashioned (like late 90's old fashioned). Telephone calls, voicemail, email and human interaction. Off we went.
The first couple of days were pretty simple - I had a ton of reading and financial research that had been held up by social media OVERuse. I dug deep into a book, read financial statements, actually responded to emails, answered my phone and began nervously exercising my "conventional" communication skills. It was a little nerve wracking to start, but it quickly felt good. Normal even. I felt like I had an actual NEED to speak to people - versus checking their catalog of status updates or their profile pictures. As the week progressed and my to-do list with it, I gradually forgot about social media.
Before I knew it and felt fully reconnected to my friends, the week was over. I took a peek at Twitter, but with no need to immediately visit Facebook - I actually made it an 8th day without it. My re-exposure to it was so very anticlimactic. I realized I didn't need it - I didn't actually even like it that much. With all the bells and whistles, it is a veritable socially-oriented coloring book for adults. With that in mind, I discovered how to configure Twitter (which I'd previously mocked as a one-dimensional company angling for a buyout) to manage my Facebook updates and think I've visited the site 4-5 times since.
In summary - the distance between Facebook and I now feels appropriate. I still struggle with the occasional inclination not to answer my phone or emails, but unfortunately, this existed prior to my sojourn into social media. Unfortunately, being given and exercising the ability to check a page and see EXACTLY what they're doing, where they are, what their personal status, where they're working and what their personal interests currently are sort of makes the phone call redundant sometimes, doesn't it? I'll be using that as my rationale when I don't answer the phone (much less frequently) in the future.
Nate
Monday, January 11, 2010
Worst 3 acting performances of my lifetime (IMO)
Hello, all.
First off - let me start by saying this isn't very nice. I know it's not nice and actually...I can't act. Not a lick. The difference between me and these folks (at least these performances) is that I know it. This is why I'm staying strictly behind the camera. Even further actually.
Anyway, I know you're on pins and needles, so here it is:
3. Sofia Coppola as "Mary Corleone" - Godfather 3.
Popular and easy choice here. Wow she is pretty and she and her father have made great films. Unfortunately, the producing and directing gene is dominant. Every time she spoke (and it was a lot), it seemed like she was saying too much. Little or no emotion regardless of a scene's progress or contribution to the plot. Did I mention she was pretty?
2. Hayden Christensen as "Anikan Skywalker" - Star Wars: Episode 2 - Attack of the Clones.
A handsome guy and basically a local (he's from Vancouver, BC), if any one actor took the franchise lower than the CG, script and George Lucas' ego did - this is the one. There were times in this movie when Amy and I recall people laughing hysterically after he delivered a crucial line - and it wasn't intended to be comical. He desperately tried to maintain the needed degree of naivety in this dreadful installment of the prequel, but it came across as so disingenuous. The whiny tone he maintained was obnoxious, he spoke with no emotion whatsoever and basically never completely assumed this character. His performance felt more like a fan playing a part than it did a big-name actor playing a critical role.
1. Jonathan Rhys Meyers as "Coach Joe" - Bend it like Beckham
I'm not really even sure where to begin here. Anyone who has seen this film and didn't notice (it isn't bad thanks to Kiera Knightly and Jess Kaur Bamrha) should see it again. EVERY SINGLE LINE of his performance is delivered in the same frequency, pitch, tone, volume and etc. No emotion, instinct or discovery on display here regardless of the point in the film. The first in a slew of Keanu-like performances for a guy that seems to be adored by a vast quantities of women. I hadn't even taken a single film class at this point and I could barely watch this guy (I still can't for that matter).
Honorable Mention: Julianne Moore as "Nancy Donovan" - 30 Rock
What was that accent? Did it seem made up to anyone else?
Have a great week! Best,
Nate
First off - let me start by saying this isn't very nice. I know it's not nice and actually...I can't act. Not a lick. The difference between me and these folks (at least these performances) is that I know it. This is why I'm staying strictly behind the camera. Even further actually.
Anyway, I know you're on pins and needles, so here it is:
3. Sofia Coppola as "Mary Corleone" - Godfather 3.
Popular and easy choice here. Wow she is pretty and she and her father have made great films. Unfortunately, the producing and directing gene is dominant. Every time she spoke (and it was a lot), it seemed like she was saying too much. Little or no emotion regardless of a scene's progress or contribution to the plot. Did I mention she was pretty?
2. Hayden Christensen as "Anikan Skywalker" - Star Wars: Episode 2 - Attack of the Clones.
A handsome guy and basically a local (he's from Vancouver, BC), if any one actor took the franchise lower than the CG, script and George Lucas' ego did - this is the one. There were times in this movie when Amy and I recall people laughing hysterically after he delivered a crucial line - and it wasn't intended to be comical. He desperately tried to maintain the needed degree of naivety in this dreadful installment of the prequel, but it came across as so disingenuous. The whiny tone he maintained was obnoxious, he spoke with no emotion whatsoever and basically never completely assumed this character. His performance felt more like a fan playing a part than it did a big-name actor playing a critical role.
1. Jonathan Rhys Meyers as "Coach Joe" - Bend it like Beckham
I'm not really even sure where to begin here. Anyone who has seen this film and didn't notice (it isn't bad thanks to Kiera Knightly and Jess Kaur Bamrha) should see it again. EVERY SINGLE LINE of his performance is delivered in the same frequency, pitch, tone, volume and etc. No emotion, instinct or discovery on display here regardless of the point in the film. The first in a slew of Keanu-like performances for a guy that seems to be adored by a vast quantities of women. I hadn't even taken a single film class at this point and I could barely watch this guy (I still can't for that matter).
Honorable Mention: Julianne Moore as "Nancy Donovan" - 30 Rock
What was that accent? Did it seem made up to anyone else?
Have a great week! Best,
Nate
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Status update
Faithful 14,
I've been unreliable at best of late, but rest assured, I'm back in the saddle now. The truth is that I completed an intensive screenwriting program at The Film School (thefilmschool.com) last July and the journey spawned a feature project. Since mid-August, my partner and I hammered out a story, developed a wide dearth of characters and painstakingly pieced together a rough scene script.
The result of this project is the first draft of the script for a business-placed comedy, "Are we solutioning?" I cooped myself up for most of December to write it (all 137 pages) and my partner, Dan Baumgartel, is currently overseas reading it. Since 6-7 re-writes is typical, it will be another 6 weeks before we have a draft ready to circulate. All in all, exciting things are going on.
In the meantime, I'm pursuing a day job as ever and will be posting my typical observational, awkward and bemusing content more regularly. I can hear it now - "YESSSS!"
Nate
I've been unreliable at best of late, but rest assured, I'm back in the saddle now. The truth is that I completed an intensive screenwriting program at The Film School (thefilmschool.com) last July and the journey spawned a feature project. Since mid-August, my partner and I hammered out a story, developed a wide dearth of characters and painstakingly pieced together a rough scene script.
The result of this project is the first draft of the script for a business-placed comedy, "Are we solutioning?" I cooped myself up for most of December to write it (all 137 pages) and my partner, Dan Baumgartel, is currently overseas reading it. Since 6-7 re-writes is typical, it will be another 6 weeks before we have a draft ready to circulate. All in all, exciting things are going on.
In the meantime, I'm pursuing a day job as ever and will be posting my typical observational, awkward and bemusing content more regularly. I can hear it now - "YESSSS!"
Nate
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Ongoing career change
Hope your holidays went splendidly. As my unemployment dwindles down, my job hunt in the field of communications and tech writing is intensifying. What an invigorating and frightening dynamic this is. I'm basically taking 10+ years of supply chain management experience at a Fortune 500 retailer and chucking it out the window. If only I'd known what I wanted to do as a grown-up when I was 22.
So I'm leaning on JC and my family in the New Year. Hoping the Lord will provide a job lead soon. A more "humorous" posting forthcoming soon. Happy New Year!
Nate
So I'm leaning on JC and my family in the New Year. Hoping the Lord will provide a job lead soon. A more "humorous" posting forthcoming soon. Happy New Year!
Nate
Friday, August 14, 2009
Drugstores
I love them. How can you not? My wife always knows when I've been to the drugstore by the amount of time it takes me to get home from the gym, my mood or the wrappers she sees in the garbage. I always thought that it was the fact that the drugstore is a shop FULL of solutions. I mean - you have a headache? Ibuprofen. Need materials for school? Trapper keepers, pens and stationary are all over the place. Body odor? Deodorant. Dry skin? Lotions abound. On the lam? They basically have an entire aisle dedicated to hair dye kits and another half an aisle for shaving materials! It has always been a top destination from me.
During an innocent trip to peruse and pick up prescription (solution!) - I had a thought that changed my perception of drugstores and disappointed me immensely. Everyone always blames the government and/or "corporatocracy" for not finding a cure for the common cold. The array of products offered by drugstores and the way the stores are merchandised lends credence to this belief and, even more devastating, tells me that drugstores are in on it. I thought for all of these years that drugstores just innocently added products like candy, chips, crackers, gum, and beverages for the simple add-on sales they offered. Then when I was checking out trying to convince myself that this was all a lie from below - I noticed the cigarettes on the other side of the register. Why on earth would drugstores offer cigarettes unless they were TRYING to ensure there would always be a need for the solutions they offered?
Even worse, and I'll leave you with this, the stores are staged in order from the best solutions (pharmacy at the back) to the worst health-inducing problems (cigarettes at the VERY front). It's even a gradual downhill slide in the order of products from the pharmacy to the front counter (OTC remedies to hygiene products to school supplies to toys to gum to candy to cigarettes. I hope I haven't disappointed anyone else, but I'll never view Walgreens with such naive, giddy excitement as I have for the past 32 years.
During an innocent trip to peruse and pick up prescription (solution!) - I had a thought that changed my perception of drugstores and disappointed me immensely. Everyone always blames the government and/or "corporatocracy" for not finding a cure for the common cold. The array of products offered by drugstores and the way the stores are merchandised lends credence to this belief and, even more devastating, tells me that drugstores are in on it. I thought for all of these years that drugstores just innocently added products like candy, chips, crackers, gum, and beverages for the simple add-on sales they offered. Then when I was checking out trying to convince myself that this was all a lie from below - I noticed the cigarettes on the other side of the register. Why on earth would drugstores offer cigarettes unless they were TRYING to ensure there would always be a need for the solutions they offered?
Even worse, and I'll leave you with this, the stores are staged in order from the best solutions (pharmacy at the back) to the worst health-inducing problems (cigarettes at the VERY front). It's even a gradual downhill slide in the order of products from the pharmacy to the front counter (OTC remedies to hygiene products to school supplies to toys to gum to candy to cigarettes. I hope I haven't disappointed anyone else, but I'll never view Walgreens with such naive, giddy excitement as I have for the past 32 years.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Tempting the negation of the negation?
During my month-long crash course in film school, Warren Etheredge introduced us students to a term called "negation of the negation." It represents a twist in a film which takes place after the protagonist enters the cave scene - and this event basically makes the cave even deeper. The accompanying statement Warren posed was "if you think THAT was bad, check this out!"
Now to the part of this post which might lose my creative colleagues...
Reading an article today about Michael Schumacher (7x F1 World Champion), it looks as though he was considering a temporary comeback in Formula One. This was due to Ferrari Felipe Massa's injury at the Grand Prix of Hungary (which is one of the craziest things I have ever seen in motorsports). Anyhow, Schumacher revealed that a neck fracture he suffered in a crash last year during a motorcycle race. Wow, really? REALLY? You survive 15 seasons (7 championships, 91 wins!), make $800m and survive a pretty bad crash in a profession where you're hurdling yourself around a track at speeds up to 200mph (320kM) in a carbon fiber cart that weighs less than 1k pounds and you feel you haven't tested fate enough? Don't have your fix quite yet?
One more...
Tedy Bruschi wins 3 Superbowls with the Patriots, survives a STROKE (!) at the age of 32 and turns down an exec job with the Patriots to KEEP PLAYING. Are those 3 kids not enough to stay home? How about the two Pro Bowls you made?
Are these guys so wrapped in these professional personas (dangerous, at that) that they can't cash it in and start a company or something? If I were writing a script, these stories would provide some nice material for the "negation of the negation."
I'll spare you any mention of Brett Favre. Oops - sorry.
Now to the part of this post which might lose my creative colleagues...
Reading an article today about Michael Schumacher (7x F1 World Champion), it looks as though he was considering a temporary comeback in Formula One. This was due to Ferrari Felipe Massa's injury at the Grand Prix of Hungary (which is one of the craziest things I have ever seen in motorsports). Anyhow, Schumacher revealed that a neck fracture he suffered in a crash last year during a motorcycle race. Wow, really? REALLY? You survive 15 seasons (7 championships, 91 wins!), make $800m and survive a pretty bad crash in a profession where you're hurdling yourself around a track at speeds up to 200mph (320kM) in a carbon fiber cart that weighs less than 1k pounds and you feel you haven't tested fate enough? Don't have your fix quite yet?
One more...
Tedy Bruschi wins 3 Superbowls with the Patriots, survives a STROKE (!) at the age of 32 and turns down an exec job with the Patriots to KEEP PLAYING. Are those 3 kids not enough to stay home? How about the two Pro Bowls you made?
Are these guys so wrapped in these professional personas (dangerous, at that) that they can't cash it in and start a company or something? If I were writing a script, these stories would provide some nice material for the "negation of the negation."
I'll spare you any mention of Brett Favre. Oops - sorry.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Revelation, new career path, film school...
All,
What an invigorating, challenging and overwhelming past 8 weeks it has been. God revealed to me in an interview last month that I cannot continue with a career in supply chain and cost analytics. It didn't play to my strengths and would most certainly result in an early death for me. Seeing people in the lobby of this company I was interviewing at looking incredibly ragged, though well-dressed, nearly caused me to walk straight out.
Fortunately I had enrolled in film school for basically the month of July. Wow - what a powerful experience that was. As most of you know, I have a sitcom in development and now have a short film project to compliment it.
Now for the big part - if all goes according to my plan (His is the X-factor), I'll be transitioning to a career in writing, communications or public relations within the next 3 months. The screenwriting will continue, but we need to pay the bills until I can sell something. I'm excited, terrified and all of the above...please keep me in your prayers!
Nate
What an invigorating, challenging and overwhelming past 8 weeks it has been. God revealed to me in an interview last month that I cannot continue with a career in supply chain and cost analytics. It didn't play to my strengths and would most certainly result in an early death for me. Seeing people in the lobby of this company I was interviewing at looking incredibly ragged, though well-dressed, nearly caused me to walk straight out.
Fortunately I had enrolled in film school for basically the month of July. Wow - what a powerful experience that was. As most of you know, I have a sitcom in development and now have a short film project to compliment it.
Now for the big part - if all goes according to my plan (His is the X-factor), I'll be transitioning to a career in writing, communications or public relations within the next 3 months. The screenwriting will continue, but we need to pay the bills until I can sell something. I'm excited, terrified and all of the above...please keep me in your prayers!
Nate
Monday, March 9, 2009
That's right, Billy, I'm back AGAIN...
All,
It has been just over a year since my last blog post and oh so much has happened. To summarize for those that I haven't been able to connect with:
1) I finished my college degree (an AS in Business Administration)
2) I was laid off from my job of 13 years (a major blessing from above)
3) Amy and I started a screenplay for a sitcom (still in development)
4) I completed a plan for a sustainable business concept (including financial statements - which nearly resulted in my premature death)
5) We are strongly considering relocating if the right situation is presented
Hmm....I think that is about it. More to come tomorrow - honest!
It has been just over a year since my last blog post and oh so much has happened. To summarize for those that I haven't been able to connect with:
1) I finished my college degree (an AS in Business Administration)
2) I was laid off from my job of 13 years (a major blessing from above)
3) Amy and I started a screenplay for a sitcom (still in development)
4) I completed a plan for a sustainable business concept (including financial statements - which nearly resulted in my premature death)
5) We are strongly considering relocating if the right situation is presented
Hmm....I think that is about it. More to come tomorrow - honest!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Times flies by, eh?
All,
Believe it or not, only 6 weeks until I return to work. Boy that first twenty weeks just flew by. As a treat for my faithful four readers - a stock pick this week. I hope all is well in your worlds. Blessings,
Nate
Stock pick of the week (Ok of the month. There I said it):
My friends - at this point, I hope you're contemplating selling ANYTHING you don't consider a long-term investment. This week was the last gasp of the bull market and your last chance to get out of any short-term investments (or stocks/funds at or near 52-week highs). The Federal Reserve (Boris the Blade & Co.) have unconscionably continued to cut interest rates in effort to encourage US bond investments (aka China) and domestic real estate. Based upon Chairman (Boris) Bernanke's comments yesterday (see below), a bear market is very, very, very likely in our near future.
Stocks have closed sharply lower after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress the economy will grow at a "sluggish" pace. Bernanke said Thursday the economy will pick up later in the year. He also indicated the central bank will continue to lower interest rates. But the Fed chairman said the housing and credit crises have weighed on the economy and curbed hiring. And if the job market deteriorates, consumers will keep paring their spending. Consumer spending is crucial for economic growth.
Continued interest rate cuts? Why? So people can continue to be attracted to purchase properties they potentially can't afford? We are prolonging the inevitable real estate bust here, but if you are planning on buying a house do it very SOON and buy something you can potentially AFFORD or UNLOAD quickly in a worst case scenario.
What to do with your investments in the meantime? Three recommendations for you: Cash, Bonds (or bond funds), dividend-paying stocks and value stocks (a bit later). In the short-term, I'd suggest to sell any investments you've made that are facing shareholder action (ebay) or will be significantly impacted by the economic downturn (Bank of America, Wamu) and put your assets into cash & bonds and await the imminent bloodbath. However, if you feel the need to invest now, let me recommend this great dividend-paying stock: Verizon (VZ, 4% dividend yield or .40/share). They are currently near their 52-week low (37) and have very interests in every telecommunications market segment.
Believe it or not, only 6 weeks until I return to work. Boy that first twenty weeks just flew by. As a treat for my faithful four readers - a stock pick this week. I hope all is well in your worlds. Blessings,
Nate
Stock pick of the week (Ok of the month. There I said it):
My friends - at this point, I hope you're contemplating selling ANYTHING you don't consider a long-term investment. This week was the last gasp of the bull market and your last chance to get out of any short-term investments (or stocks/funds at or near 52-week highs). The Federal Reserve (Boris the Blade & Co.) have unconscionably continued to cut interest rates in effort to encourage US bond investments (aka China) and domestic real estate. Based upon Chairman (Boris) Bernanke's comments yesterday (see below), a bear market is very, very, very likely in our near future.
Stocks have closed sharply lower after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress the economy will grow at a "sluggish" pace. Bernanke said Thursday the economy will pick up later in the year. He also indicated the central bank will continue to lower interest rates. But the Fed chairman said the housing and credit crises have weighed on the economy and curbed hiring. And if the job market deteriorates, consumers will keep paring their spending. Consumer spending is crucial for economic growth.
Continued interest rate cuts? Why? So people can continue to be attracted to purchase properties they potentially can't afford? We are prolonging the inevitable real estate bust here, but if you are planning on buying a house do it very SOON and buy something you can potentially AFFORD or UNLOAD quickly in a worst case scenario.
What to do with your investments in the meantime? Three recommendations for you: Cash, Bonds (or bond funds), dividend-paying stocks and value stocks (a bit later). In the short-term, I'd suggest to sell any investments you've made that are facing shareholder action (ebay) or will be significantly impacted by the economic downturn (Bank of America, Wamu) and put your assets into cash & bonds and await the imminent bloodbath. However, if you feel the need to invest now, let me recommend this great dividend-paying stock: Verizon (VZ, 4% dividend yield or .40/share). They are currently near their 52-week low (37) and have very interests in every telecommunications market segment.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Weekly chuckle (from a friend of a friend)
All,
I hope you enjoyed the weekend. Attached is a letter received from the Mozambique Dept of Fish & Wildlife by a friend of a friend currently hiking in the country. I've researched this pretty extensively and it sounds like it is legit. Have a great week. Blessings,
Nate
I hope you enjoyed the weekend. Attached is a letter received from the Mozambique Dept of Fish & Wildlife by a friend of a friend currently hiking in the country. I've researched this pretty extensively and it sounds like it is legit. Have a great week. Blessings,
Nate
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
That's right, Billy, I'm back!
All,
For those of you still checking the blog on a regular basis, I've decided to grace you with a post direct from me. A late Christmas gift perhaps? Amy and I returned from South Africa/England/France on January 1, but I was pretty much running on empty for the first two weeks after the return. A severe chest cold that I contracted in England gradually evolved into pleurisy (inflammation of the lining of my right lung) and two weeks and an ER trip later I'm finally back to bristol condition. By now I hope you've all seen the pictures from all three legs of the trip? If not, please shoot me an email and I'll send you a link to share the slideshow with you.
More to come this week. For real! Blessings,
Nate
Observation of the week: (or the past 3.5 months)
Separated at Birth?
Ben Bernanke-Chairman of the Federal Reserve
Boris the Blade-Uzbek Mobster from "Snatch"
For those of you still checking the blog on a regular basis, I've decided to grace you with a post direct from me. A late Christmas gift perhaps? Amy and I returned from South Africa/England/France on January 1, but I was pretty much running on empty for the first two weeks after the return. A severe chest cold that I contracted in England gradually evolved into pleurisy (inflammation of the lining of my right lung) and two weeks and an ER trip later I'm finally back to bristol condition. By now I hope you've all seen the pictures from all three legs of the trip? If not, please shoot me an email and I'll send you a link to share the slideshow with you.
More to come this week. For real! Blessings,
Nate
Observation of the week: (or the past 3.5 months)
Separated at Birth?
Ben Bernanke-Chairman of the Federal Reserve
Boris the Blade-Uzbek Mobster from "Snatch"
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Scenery Pictures
Top to bottom:
Table Mountain view and the "Table Cloth:
Flock of Penguins at Simon's Town
Nate relaxing in Knysna
Plettenberg Bay Beach
Table Mountain view and the "Table Cloth:
Flock of Penguins at Simon's Town
Nate relaxing in Knysna
Plettenberg Bay Beach
animal pictures!
In order:
Azlan the Lion - right? At the safari in Schotia
Nate's favorite, the cheetah (at Spier Winery)
Elephants on Parade, Addo Elephant Park
Perfect Symmetry, Schotia Game Reserve
Cape Cobra!
Azlan the Lion - right? At the safari in Schotia
Nate's favorite, the cheetah (at Spier Winery)
Elephants on Parade, Addo Elephant Park
Perfect Symmetry, Schotia Game Reserve
Cape Cobra!
home safely: but what day/time is it?
hi everyone! we are home safe and sound in seattle and thoroughly happy to be back. don't get me wrong - the trip was fantastic! but it's always so nice to return home to your own bed after a few weeks away!
paris by night was fun. i say "by night" because we didn't see it by day at all... on 12/31, we both spent all day in the hotel room--feeling unwell. i stepped out a couple times to pick up some staples from the boulangerie (ie, baguettes and chocolate pastries!), and also bought a bottle of champagne for NYE (actually, it was prosecco...i come all the way to paris and can only find an italian deli from which to buy sparkling wine).
staying in all day was smart, though, because we had to save our energy for new year's eve! we headed out around 8 pm to meet our friends seth & cara to ring in 2008. walked to the champs elysees, the tree-lined street alit with gorgeous purple 'raindrop' lights; then made our way to a bridge on the seine, looking off to the eiffel tower. this is where we welcomed 2008, passing around a couple bottles of champagne and a huge bag of candy that nate spent way too much on (but it was yummy). made our way back to the PACKED metro -- we let 2 full trains pass us by before squeezing on to the next -- and headed back to our hotel.
the alarm went off much too early at 8, and i was not feeling so well (too much bubbly, too little food -- a classic combo), but we made it to the airport and had relatively uneventful flights home. again, i use my words judiciously: "relatively uneventful" because when we were waiting to board the flight in paris, we had to quickly evacuate the loading area when the workers discovered some unattended baggage. turned out to be nothing, but we were feeling grateful that the concern was taken seriously enough to move all of us, just in case.
i've been downloading pictures off the camera all morning (500!), and intend to send a link to the lot of them at some future point. for now, i'm attaching a few highlights here to encapsulate the trip! (also just posted another posting of pictures-only!)
big love to you all, and thanks for following this while we were abroad!
xo,
*A & N
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