Daily Barks 10.06

Daily Barks 10.06 cataroo.com
The Daily Bark: October 2006

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October 31, 2006
Happy Anniversary, Rachel!

October 30, 2006
Did a pre-anniversary swing through Disneyland today. Rachel and I celebrate 10 years of marriage tomorrow, Halloween. The trip was pretty fun. Found many a pin to trade. Also found that our favorite chicken place in California Adventure is now gone with a promise for a new attraction. Bummer. At Disneyland got to see a Bullseye costume (the horse from Toy Story II) on a stage show. The suit was pretty cute. Watched a service dog in training ride the tea cups. Road Space Mountain and got a surprise. Rachel still had fun, but the speaker on my side was cranked up so loud it gave me a headache... and sitting in the back seemed bouncer (or bumpier) and left me with an upset stomach. There are a lot of neat halloween themed decorations through both parks. But they will be coming down fast after tomorrow, for the Christmas holiday material has to be up by the 10th of November. Christmas at Disneyland has been special for me since working there. It is also when I proposed to Rachel. Am glad that they are making an attempt to do something for halloween, too. Special seasons and Disneyland just seem to go together.
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"Proof of our society's decline is that Halloween has become a broad daylight event for many."
Robert Kirby

October 29, 2006
Trailer Trash. Movie trailers that is. Over the last few days have seen some older dvds and caught the trailers on them. And two piqued by interest. First was an early trailer for OVER THE HEDGE. It was basically Steve Carrel talking about the movie and the voice actors. The animation was still somewhat early-looking, often with no background, etc. What struck me about the trailer was that the narrator (Carrel) constantly talked about how funny the movie was... without showing any real gags. The point that came across to me was that the movie had a cast of funny actors doing the voices. Not a great selling tool in my eyes. The other trailer was for OPEN SEASON. Tt was also early, with the tag stating the movie was probably about a year away. This trailer featured a lot of animation not seen in the film... in fact, like the Scrat trailer for ICE AGE, it seemed to have been created just as a trailer. Perhaps the oddest point was that the main characters don't show up until the tag at the end. An okay trailer... but again... one that doesn't make the film look exciting. Made me think of how the art of movie ads has gone downhill. There used to be a saying that any film, no matter how bad, could producer a great trailer. After all, one only needs around 2-3 minutes of interesting footage to create a great trailer. But so many trailers today, no matter whether the movie is good or bad, make the film look dull. Can't count the number of times today that during the coming attractions section plays at a theater, most of the comments are of the "don't want to see that film" status. When I was a kid going to movies, the coming attractions was often the best part of the visit... and every movie looked great no matter what the film really was.
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"An advertising agency is 85 percent confusion and 15 percent commission."
Fred Allen

October 28, 2006
Hit a show today with Eagle. Sadly, he did not fit the judge's taste... but the judge was not to my taste either. He not only went brown (fawn), but one dog was seriously limping and the judge did not dismiss the dog. In fact, at one point when the dog had to do a turn to get started it limped so badly it looked as if it might fall down. At that moment the judge was actually looking skyward. If I was cynical, I would think the judge was ignoring the dog's pain and/or defect. (Have seen this dog at several shows, and he is always limping.) It brought home again how little the average show person cares about their kids. While waiting I heard a variety of breeders discuss how "lucky" they were to even be at the show. I heard about a dog that had been limping for a week. I heard about a dog who had been throwing up for the last 24 hours. I heard about a dog that had bad diareah. I heard about a dog that was constantly coughing. All the dogs were at the show today, anyway. But perhaps I shouldn't be too critical. I took Rachel who was still not totally well. She had stomach and breathing issues in the morning. Not that she would have let me keep her away. At least afterwards everyone enjoyed a drive through Starbucks where Rachel got some warm vanilla which soothed her throat, I got some coffee to pep me up and Eagle enjoyed a cup of whipped cream. We know from past experience with a grand fellow that Starbucks has real, and real good, whipped cream. It was the second time during the morning that I felt a twinge of loss. Lately, shows tend to bring out such twinges. But that is a different bark... literally.
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"Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship."
Buddha

October 27, 2006
In a world where more and more technology is taking over, I am discovering more and more techno folks who don't really know how to do techno stuff. Guess I might call them 'techno-savants'. These are the folks who have the latest gadgets, the most souped up laptops, the most featured phones and all manner of microchip merchandise. The first words I usually hear from these self-appointed kings of technology is some babble about their newest device. Eventually, while showing me how the thing works I discover they are missing key aspects of the toy. There was the fellow who had gotten the most advanced laptop he could find. He was showing us what it could do, including play dvds. As he was showing it he grumbled how the program did not let you skip or fast forward in the film. I leaned over and showed him that directly below the movie was a panel that included a fast forward button. He was delighted. Then there was the guy who had the best phone around due to its ability to download anything and take pictures. After hearing all about it, I asked if he could send me a photo he had just taken. He admitted to not knowing how to get photos off "the thing". I looked at it for a second and noted several holes on the back. I asked if he could connect it to his computer and download them. He looked puzzled and then said that might work. Finally there was the guy who had the ipod who could never figure out how to get to the song he wanted, so had to let the thing play all the way through... all 300 songs! Since I am not the most techno fellow, I shouldn't really be complaining that others are equally untech. I am just amazed at the times when I can figure out a new device quicker than the folks who make it their business.
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"Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards."
Aldous Huxley

October 26, 2006
A day full of twits and turns has left me with writer's block. I hate that.
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"That's not writing, that's typing."
Truman Capote

October 25, 2006
Have found a little time lately so I freshened up a few pages. Added my latest costume gig to my costume performer page. Also have added several new suits to the character costumes page. Even stuck in a few new development ideas on my pitch page. And with eBay having a discount on listings, I threw on a bunch of new stuff.
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"You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down."
Mary Pickford

October 24, 2006
Re-saw OVER THE HEDGE. Rented the dvd so Rachel could see it. I also wanted to see if my opinion of the film had altered. When I first saw it, I felt it was generally well done visually... but that the story was pure 1980s SatAM plotting. But as the months have gone by, I have found more and more folks who continually praise the film for its great characters and funny gags. When I would bring up the plot, the response was usually "there are no new stories". While that is true, I still expect new tellings to bring something fresh to an old tale. So watching the film again, I tried to just enjoy the characters. Well, it proved to be a "no laugh" screening. Neither Rachel nor I laughed once during the film. It was nice to see that the things I did like still held up - the possum family. Even Rachel picked the daughter possum as her favorite design in the film. The other characters are all pretty standard cartoon characters - the practical leader, the married lovey-dovey couple, the street smart kids, the sassy lady, the vague simpleton, the flashy outsider, etc. In fact, for this second viewing, the trite story seemed even more plodding. And the end... it is so over-happy, and so over-cute, it makes THE SMURFS look edgy. Of course the dvd offered the new Hammy (squirrel) short. I lost interest in that within 30-seconds. That is all it took for Hammy to scratch his but and pick his nose. Such outrageous actions would have been "fresh" 15 years ago. Why does everyone have to keep reaching into that same stale Krisfalusi joke book. On the other hand, having seen OPEN SEASON twice, I still find myself chuckling at some of the dialogue, sight gags and character bits. It is so sad that it came out after several other less inspired animal cgi films. Hopefully, when OPEN SEASON hits dvd, folks will discover it for the bit of sillyness it is. I would hate for the 2006 cgi animal binge to be remembered for OVER THE HEDGE... even if it is probably more of the better example of the flat cgi features of 2006.
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"Ew. EW. EW! It's terrible and wonderful at the same time! It's freedom in a cup!"
Elliot

October 23, 2006
I have had many a friend tell me their "dreams" which sound more like stories than dreams. At least my dreams. Generally, my dreams are random actions based on emotions like frustration, stress, worry and such. Yes, I do not have the best of dreams. While growing up and actually into my 40s, my dreams were often violent, horrifying images that often had me waking in the middle of the night in cold sweats. If I went back to sleep, I often would have the dream start over. The only way to break the cycle was to get up and watch tv. My dreams began to settle when Rachel gave me a dream catcher and a plush animal. Still, my dreams are pretty much abstract. However, I find as I age, I am subject to an occasional story dream. I had one the other night. Populated with friends from various studios, the plot centered around eye exams. A local doctor was giving exams for free. It seems I was a super hero, or the friend of one. (The light of day has made some details vague.) As I noticed my various friends having more and more trouble getting around, I discover the eye doctor is actually using his devices to lower the "brightness" of people's eyes. In the dream I explained it as the same as a computer art program that allows you to darken pictures; the doctor is reducing the percentage of eye brightness. If he continues, people will lose the ability to see in the dark. Once I share this information, we begin to discuss how to stop the doctor and still return the vision of those he has dimmed. At this point I was awoken by Eagle, who has the "wanders" due to his interest in ladies. Think the dream is a good start to a fun story for SMALLVILLE or such.
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"The lion and the calf shall lie down together but the calf won't get much sleep."
Woody Allen

October 22, 2006
Did Peter Potamus destroy the timeliness of classic cartoon characters? This question hit me while watching one of the hippo's toons on Boomerang Zoo, a block on Cartoon Network's Boomerang channel that features funny animals. Peter Potamus and his monkey friend So-So travelled the globe in their hot air balloon. In the cartoon I saw, I was reminded that when the duo wanted to get away from it all, they had a time device that allowed them to travel to different times. This implied that Peter was truely locked into the present. I always remember the classic cartoons characters (Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry, Mickey Mouse, Huckleberry Hound and such) were similar to character actors at a movie studio. The characters appeared at any time or place as dictated by the story, just as Laurel and Hardy could be found in the present day, the wild west, medieval times or even caveman times. Bugs or Tom or Mickey didn't need a time machine to appear in a western or the renaissaince. They just were there. Yes, there were some characters locked in a specific time, for example the Flintstones, but these were the toons that were more situation comedy oriented. And as the 60s progressed to the present, the amount of cartoon characters who were just that, characters, became rarer and rarer. Instead of being just characters, they became characters in a situation. I am not sure the reason for this change in timeliness. Some is due to execs who feel everything has to be explained. Whereas Popeye could be a sailor in one cartoon and running a diner in a another, when the idea of having Invader Zim work in a fast food place came up, the exec insisted there had to be a a reason. So several writers got together and came up with various bits of business to get the cartoon to a point an older cartoon would have just started at. Then again, perhaps today's audiences are less accepting having grown up in a world of sitcom shows where the universe is kept constant, and comic books that have to keep to a strict logic. I know at some test screenings children would wonder "where" a character came from. Or even "why" he was living where he was living. One show that had a child character had children asking where its parents were. I never wondered about who Casper's parents were, or where Bugs came from, or even "why" Daffy Duck sometimes lived in a house. Maybe my generation was just more accepting of the story elements given us. As long as the cartoon was funny, I liked it. I didn't look much deeper than that. Now if I am watching something that allegedly has a story, then I will pick at it. After all, I did wonder what happened to Dumbo when he grew up. (Did his ears get bigger with him, or did he lose the ability to fly.) But I seldom watch shorts, whether it be Bugs Bunny, the Three Stooges, Tom & Jerry, Buster Keaton, or Mr. Magoo, with an eye to story development. I mean, does it really matter what the Stooges do once they get all that oil money and are married? And will they need a time machine for the next short when they are in merry old England? Sometimes, when it comes to humor, you just have to say "why ask why".
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"Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it."
E. B. White

October 21, 2006
At the recent collectors show, I chatted with a number of folks in the animation business. Most were disappointed to hear that Disney animation was laying off large numbers of folks. There were also rumors that Pixar would also be reducing its staff. It was not long ago that everyone was cheering a change in the power structure of Disney animation, and that it would mean more work. But the business has seen much of this activity. Of less attention is how studios are also voiding themselves of key production folks. For example, a few years ago a major animation studio had a seasoned group of producers who could work well with talent and networks. The studio was turning out top notch shows. The creators were happy, the studio was happy and the network was happy. Over the years, as new shows came into the studio, the studio often brought in younger, untrained producers. Luckily the older producers would take time out of their shows to help the younger producers. Within four years, the older producers were all gone. In their place were a batch of younger producers who did not understand how to read a storyboard, or did not know what slugging was, or did not know when to send things to the network, or could not tell if a model pack was complete. Most art folks are much more interested in the coming and going of artists, and tend to think production folks are the curse of the business. But any smart creator knows that a strong, reliable production head can save many a series or feature. After all, what kept Walt Disney's studio from falling to the wayside, as so many other artist headed ventures, was Walt's knowledge of production, and his totally production savy brother, Roy. In these recent pound foolish-penny wise days, I can see some studio exec deciding all they needed was Walt. They could find someone younger and less expensive than Roy. Such a move would have probably doomed Disney's empire to the same fate as the Fleischers, Iwerks, Jones and Williams. Good thing Walt knew the importance of having a strong production knowledge, and someone dedicated to the production process.
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"In grade school I was smart, but I didn't have any friends. In high school, I quit being smart and started having friends."
David Spade

October 20, 2006
A new dvd of THE FOX AND THE HOUND has come out and it is interesting to see how times have changed. It is hard to believe it has been 25 years since the film first appeared in theaters. At the time, it was considered "minor" at best. Folks in the studio thought little of it as they were more interested in their next feature, which was considered to be one of the biggest in the studio's history - THE BLACK CAULDRON. Of course, today, CAULDRON is probably more forgotten, and less respected, than the minor FOX AND HOUND. I remember the film was one of the most problematic for the studio. The story kept swinging wildly with segments coming and going almost weekly. For example, Phil Harris and Charo were planned for a big musical number that was then cut. The novel used for the film's basis, was a graphic, violent tale that actually nauseated key animators. It was the final film that Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson did animation for. It ironically turned out to be the final Disney film for Don Bluth and many of his crew who walked-out in mid-production. (Bluth's exit caused the film's release to be delayed.) The voice talent proved difficult to work with at times, and gave readings a lot of the animators were unhappy with. One night thieves broke into the studio and stole several folders of animation art. The art had not been finished, so the scenes had to be rotoscoped and re-drawn. The publicity department did not like the film, feeling it was a bit flat. They wanted to change the title to "Best of Friends" (among others). Publicity also stated unless the film was a "landmark" it could not be sold. So the Disney Studio Archives re-adjusted the official list of Disney's animated features so the film could be called the 20th animated feature. The list was corrected shortly after the release so that CAULDRON was the 24th. The storyboard was considered weak on several sequences, and were reboarded by the animators. A major Disney animator actually died mid-production. After all this, outside of a dynamic bear fight at the end, most of the film was quickly forgotten. Critically, the film was considered not to be up to Disney's "classic" standards. But now that it is again in the spotlight, critics are making it sound as if it is a forgotten gem. They talk of how it is somewhat "stronger" than current films with its graphic use of guns and violence. These critic seem to forget the violence and guns of much more recent fare as THE LION KING and POCAHONTAS. In fact, the studio would not allow a character to die in FOX AND HOUND, creating less than compelling character needs in the final reels. While, again, the later films have shown death. Perhaps it is simply a matter of some critics feeling guilty for being a bit hard on the film initially. Perhaps it is the fact that video releases tend to confuse the timeline of the films causing errors in figuring patterns. Either way, the film is still, at best, a mild entertainment. The strong ending certainly helps. But getting there can be a real test of friendship.
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"We are not trying to entertain the critics. I'll take my chances with the public."
Walt Disney

October 19, 2006
Long day... dozed off during Ugly Betty. No bark.

October 18, 2006
A rough day. It began with feelings of personal worry about my skills, then segued to unsettling news about Rachel's condition. Once again, life can change directions on a dime. Hard to believe only a few days ago I was in Fresno doing a costume gig. Or that I was in interviews for possible positions. Or that I was selling at a collectibles show. Each of them had highs and lows. The costume gig was fun, mostly due to an old friend coming along and meeting a new friend. Lows were some of the other crew and a character that did not allow for a lot of "fun" in performance. The interviews were good because everyone thought I was well qualified for the position. The lows were that I haven't heard back... and I wonder if I made a good enough presentation. (Always a concern.) The collectibles show was good as it allowed me to spend some time with friends and chat with acquaintences. The low was finding the show is much older scaled than expected, and that so many in the business are having hard times. I guess even today had highs and lows. Despite the feelings and news, there were good aspects. They ranged from getting a burst of "purpose" to eliminating some questions. Of course there are all sorts of inspirations to draw strength from. I could choose among "Hakuna Matata" to "Ac-cen-tuate The Positive" to "Tomorrow". Perhaps I should just go with "There's No Business Like Show Business" and be glad I got a laugh out of an episode from the 60s' Honeymooners dvd we were watching tonight. Pretty simple gag... based on Ralph Kramden's large bottom... but it still made me laugh. Thanks, Jackie!
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Ralph: "This is probably the biggest thing I ever got into."
Alice: "The biggest thing you ever got into was your pants."
The Honeymooners

October 17, 2006
For years I was a collector of cereal boxes, particularly ones with animated characters, movie tie-ins and such. I had a Pink Panther Flakes box, A Smurfberry Crunch box, a Looney Tunes Back in Action box, even a Pirates of the Caribbean box. Still have a few - click my stuff for sale link above. While at the store today, it made me think about the problem with licensing new properties. Many a toy company has lost interested in movies and TV. Movies come and go in a matter of weeks, in both theaters and video. This leaves the toys on shelves long after the movie is gone. TV shows debut and can also disappear within weeks. Again, the toys are left on the shelves... eventually finding their way to Big Lots or 99-cent stores. Similarly, cereal is now falling into this category. At two stores over the last few days I saw cereal promoting ICE AGE 2. Both boxes, including one "special edition ICE AGE 2" cereal, largely proclaimed - "Only in Theaters!". Of course, the movie debuted back on March 31st. Around 6 months ago! That makes those boxes around that old... or older, as the cereal probably came out before the movie. The "special edition" box stated it would be good until December 2006. Still a few months away. But does anyone want to buy a cereal featuring an "old" movie? Makes me wonder if we will begin seeing fewer and fewer special cereals. Come to think of it, I did not see a BARNYARD, OVER THE HEDGE or OPEN SEASON cereal. Some cereals offered toys and promotions, but they did not make a big deal of the tie-in. Course TV shows are still game. Saw the DORA THE EXPLORER cereal is still around. So where's THE BACKYARDIGANS cereal?
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"Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper. "
Francis Bacon

October 15/16, 2006
Long days... flu symptoms... no barks... just coughs and sniffles.

October 14, 2006
Spent the day at a Hollywood collectibles show emptying some boxes. It was interesting in several ways. As mentioned in an earlier bark, the show has switched a big collectibles show to an event based on celebrities giving autographs. The stars range from folks who started their careers in the 20s and 30s to those starring in the latest PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films. Yet, I do not think I saw a single person under 30... unless it was a child with a parent. It made me wonder if today's kids are little less celebrity conscious. After all, when anyone appearing on a reality show suddenly is a celebrity, maybe it takes more than being a star in films to attract attention. True, there was no one of the stature of a Johnny Depp or Hillary Swank, but you had main characters from such still popular titles as THE SOUND OF MUSIC, MISTER ED and LOST IN SPACE. All with great stories about their characters, shows and co-stars. Also have found many of the folks that used to collect such items now have them on their laptops or at favorite websites. Luckily, my pal Floyd Norman dropped by for a few hours to add "spice" to his FASTER! CHEAPER! book. Sadly, it did not add sales, but it made the time go faster, and attracted a variety of other animation folks ranging from voice artists to sculptors. The best thing about the show is the chance to bump into industry folks and just chat. Would have almost been fun if I hadn't been so 'flu'-ed up.
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"Fame lost its appeal for me when I went into a public restroom and an autograph seeker handed me a pen and paper under the stall door."
Marlo Thomas

October 13, 2006
Back from the gig... with the flu. Tomorrow will be hitting a show in Burbank. More tomorrow... I hope.
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"For a nation which has an almost evil reputation for bustle, bustle, bustle, and rush, rush, rush, we spend an enormous amount of time standing around in line in front of windows, just waiting."
Robert Benchley

October 9-12, 2006
Another costume gig.

October 8, 2006
While seeing OPEN SEASON the other night, also got another batch of trailers - two for animated films. First was a new trailer for FLUSHED AWAY, the new Aardman/Dreamworks film. The trailer, which now focuses on the character's desire to get home, ala FINDING NEMO, MADAGASCAR, THE WILD and OPEN SEASON. Though it works better than the earlier trailers that made it look like some rich guy who has problems. Of some interest was my noting that all the posters for the film indicate it is "from" the folks who made SHREK and MADAGASCAR (ie Dreamworks). No mention of the folks who made CHICKEN RUN and WALLACE & GROMIT: CURSE OF THE WERERABBIT (ie Aardman). But now that news is coming out of a split between Dreamworks and Aardman, it makes some sense. The other trailer was for SURF'S UP, another cgi penguin film. Unlike the other south pole picture, HAPPY FEET, this one deals with a world of penguins who are surfers. It looks to be pretty straight forward. (Hope it doesn't sink Sony, who also made OPEN SEASON.) Of the two, I'll skip both... but will probably end up seeing HAPPY FEET on video due to Rachel's enjoyment of Robin Williams. For the record, the other trailers were for THE SANTA CLAUSE 3 and THE NATIVITY MOVIE (guess at title). Neither look exciting, but may catch up with them on video.
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"Once there was a magical elf who lived in a rainbow tree ..."
Elliot

October 7, 2006
Back home for a short visit before going back out to another gig. Am glad all the kids are doing well. Am not so glad that Rachel is still having arm issues. Am also not so glad that I seem to have picked up a flu bug and have bad belly and hot flashes. But did have some fun today. Went out and caught OPEN SEASON. To both of our surprise, it was a lot of fun. Rachel noted that I laughed several times during the film. And laughter from me these days can be a bit rare. Though there have been many quick to criticize the film, it really deserves better. True, it is not very original. But originality is not everything. It is breezy, amusing, well staged, generally well timed and has a few surprises. As I've said before, for some reason animated features are held to a higher standard than non-animated cinema. So many critics complain about the film not breaking ground, or not being totally new, or not being full of gags. I see little of the same comments when a new James Bond film or comedy or mystery film appears. In some genres, their is comfort in the expected. But in animation, each movie must be much better than the last. OPEN SEASON is definitely better than probably all the other animated films released this year. At least better than the ones I have had a chance to see. Again, it is not amazing... simply amusing. There was a time when Disney was praised for simple pleasures like JUNGLE BOOK, THE RESCUERS and THE LITTLE MERMAID. Today, though, animated films have to have more than entertainment, more than fun characters, more than some clever gags. No wonder the industry is having so many problems with such demands being made from the critics and the public. Not every Bugs or Tom & Jerry is a gem... but each has a joy, and helps to enrich the character and entertain audiences. Sometimes, we need to recognize the joys found in simpler things. Just give the toons of today a chance. They might just give you a laugh.
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"One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above that which is expected."
George Bush, president

October 3, 2006
Will be heading off for a costume performance tomorrow... so won't be around here until the weekend. Will spend a good amount of time worrying about home. Just the way I am. But I can't leave without a few comments on stories in the news. Also the way I am. First is the republican congressman who sent "sexual" messages to young boys. Though it appears a number of folks in his office, and possibly higher up in the party were aware of this for over a year, he has just now resigned. And he states he is taking full responsibility. He also is admiting himself to an alcohol abuse center and claiming to have been molested by religous leaders as a child. Yes, he is taking full responsibility. No doubt he'll soon be discussing the alien abduction during his college years. Second are the horrible stories of school house shootings. Local news here is full of it. Literally. They are telling us our children may not be safe at schools. They also tell us that the best way to prevent such tragedies is to know your child's teacher and friends. How having that knowledge would stop middle-aged men from entering the school with guns is not explained. Finally, our elections are almost here and so far I know that one candidate for governor likes Bush, while the other changes his mind. Oh, and there are a bunch of initiatives that will either protect me and the environment, or just give money to politicians who don't need it. If giving them money will keep them from soliciting young boys and drinking, maybe it is worth it. Or maybe I should just get to know their teachers and friends.
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"I came back to performing with a different attitude about performing and myself. I wasn't expecting perfection any more, just hoping for an occasional inspiration."
Neil Diamond

October 2, 2006
In Disney's PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, Johnny Depp's Captain Sparrow states, "The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do." Actually, there is a third rule: what a man can do well. When one is between jobs, one may need to try a wide variety of tasks. There will be some that he "can do" and there are those that he "can't do". Being able to do a job is not really enough. For one to feel comfortable, professional, accomplished, the job needs to be one that a person "can do well." I have done a lot of things in my past. Titles I have held include Jungle Cruise operator, box boy, babysitter, toy store cashier, salesperson, mascot performer, telemarketer, publisher, event coordinator, studio manager, writer, archivist, producer, trainer, creator, elected official, photographer, reporter, theater manager, secretary, costume builder and even cheerleader. I was able to do all of these jobs. But when I am working, I know what I can do well. I can write well. I can manage productions well. I can create well. I can deal with creators, executives and network personnel well. Rachel has noticed my turmoils and had reminded me that I need to "focus." Rather than chasing after lots of things I can do. I really need to focus on things I can do well. It will be better for me... and for those that I am working with. It will just take a bit more focus.
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"She's safe, just like I promised. She's all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised. So we're all men of our word really... except for, of course, Elizabeth, who is in fact, a woman."
Captain Jack Sparrow

October 1, 2006
Another month. Thought of discussing something political. Thought about the dog show today. Thought about health issues. Thought about things that could be done around the house. Thought about projects that need to be finished, and ones that need to be started. Thought about the ones who depend on me. Thought about what I should be thinking about. Thought about what makes me laugh. And was glad to know that I still can.
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"If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans."
Woody Allen

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