I recently had dinner in Tahoe. I was there working on a job. And my waiter's name was Dayne (pronounced Dana). Now in LA the people who wait on tables are more than a waiter. They are waiter/actor/writer/director. In a sense they really are waiters. Waiting for that break...
But what is Dayne beyond being a waiter? Is he a student? What is his passion? Very few people are waiters for their entire life. It's a job that pays rent. What is the rest of their life like?
Only in LA or NYC are waiters obviously more than people who bring you food or fill your iced tea glass. What are the waiters in Iowa? Kids who don't want to be farmers?
I wanted to ask Dayne what else he did, but couldn't figure out how to ask it without seeming like a rude arse.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Prudent or Coward?
I just spent 20 minutes on the phone with Expedia. I cancelled the Thailand trip I had planned to take in January. I had 3 tickets; one to get to Bangkok, one to get to Phuket, and one to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I cancelled them all because of the crazy political stuff going on in Thailand. And also a border dispute with Cambodia over a temple they both claim.
I talked to my friend's brother about 3 weeks ago. He's been to Thailand 2 times and is planning a trip for March of 2009. After talking to him my stress and nervousness decreased. Then the very next day on the news I saw 2000-3000 protesters rioting around the government offices in Bangkok. The tear gas being used by the Thai police was made in China, and blowing off the legs of the protesters when it explodes at their feet. 2 people died.
So I finally bit the bullet and cancelled the trip. I hated to do it, but it seems prudent. How often am I known to be the prudent one? Really? Me prudent? I'm the one cutting fire wood while drinking Margaritas. There would probably be little chance of me getting hurt if I went, but my trip was 3 months away, and the situation didn't seem to be getting any better. So when January 19th rolls around, I won't be getting on a plane to somewhere unique and exotic...
My next trip? I'm thinking Sweden in June. Things are not likely to be blowing up there... And I like blond women...
I talked to my friend's brother about 3 weeks ago. He's been to Thailand 2 times and is planning a trip for March of 2009. After talking to him my stress and nervousness decreased. Then the very next day on the news I saw 2000-3000 protesters rioting around the government offices in Bangkok. The tear gas being used by the Thai police was made in China, and blowing off the legs of the protesters when it explodes at their feet. 2 people died.
So I finally bit the bullet and cancelled the trip. I hated to do it, but it seems prudent. How often am I known to be the prudent one? Really? Me prudent? I'm the one cutting fire wood while drinking Margaritas. There would probably be little chance of me getting hurt if I went, but my trip was 3 months away, and the situation didn't seem to be getting any better. So when January 19th rolls around, I won't be getting on a plane to somewhere unique and exotic...
My next trip? I'm thinking Sweden in June. Things are not likely to be blowing up there... And I like blond women...
Monday, October 20, 2008
Banks
What the Hell do people do at banks? I really wonder when I am standing in line and people are at the teller windows for more than 1 minute. Are they curing cancer? Lauching rockets? It's a bank. Transactions shouldn't take that long. I make deposits. That's it. This may sound cranky, but I don't want to spend 15 minutes in line at the bank when there's only 7 people in front of me. So, here's my fix. They have a business line for businesses to do transactions. Why not make a Clueless line for people that are, you guessed it, Clueless and want to argue the point.
BIG Trucks
I drove a big truck to Tahoe recently for work. It's called and 18' truck, but that measurement is for the inside space. The truck really is about 24' long. And the driver's seat is actually taller than the roof of my car. So I can see a long way compared to my sports car. Now the truck was full of equipment and I got an average of 7 MPG. That's not a typo. 7 MPG. The way to Tahoe is very mountainy, so I was standing on the accelerator just to go a slowing 50 miles an hour. I got there in about 8 hours. Then collapsed with weariness.
Now when a Big truck is behind you, or you go whipping around it on the road or freeway, do you really take into consideration that the truck doesn't have the kind of agility of a car? And if it has a trailer it is not able to stop on a dime. While I was driving I had idiots of all types treating me like I was in a big slow car. If I had to swerve, the truck is probably going to go over as I try not to kill you because any correction then requires another correction and an over correction until I either get it right or crash.
Also, I have maybe 2-4 tons worth of weight behind me and I will drive up your ass if you make me stop suddenly? This will most likely kill you. And I'd be sad for a day or two, but the herd has to be thinned somehow.
I was much more patient than I ever am in my fast little car. I had to be. I was looking for all the stupid people out there on the phone or not paying attention. And to get pissed off at me is ridiculous. I was driving steady. They were the ones being reckless. And any entaglement I get in, I WIN.
Now when a Big truck is behind you, or you go whipping around it on the road or freeway, do you really take into consideration that the truck doesn't have the kind of agility of a car? And if it has a trailer it is not able to stop on a dime. While I was driving I had idiots of all types treating me like I was in a big slow car. If I had to swerve, the truck is probably going to go over as I try not to kill you because any correction then requires another correction and an over correction until I either get it right or crash.
Also, I have maybe 2-4 tons worth of weight behind me and I will drive up your ass if you make me stop suddenly? This will most likely kill you. And I'd be sad for a day or two, but the herd has to be thinned somehow.
I was much more patient than I ever am in my fast little car. I had to be. I was looking for all the stupid people out there on the phone or not paying attention. And to get pissed off at me is ridiculous. I was driving steady. They were the ones being reckless. And any entaglement I get in, I WIN.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Kids
I love kids. Kids are awesome. One of my best friends is 10 years old. I would jump in front of a train to save him, or virtually any child for that matter.
Kids like me. I don't know why necessarily, but maybe it's because I am one of them at heart. I don't talk down to kids or treat them like kids. They are little people unspoiled by society.
I was hanging out with a friend and her son who's almost 2. She left the table to go to the bathroom. She was reluctant to do this because he doesn't take to people sometimes. And mommy is his safety blanket. I sat there next to him making faces and chatting, doing what I normally do around kids. Being fun. She came back expecting him to be melting down. "That's amazing." she said. "I'm magic." I replied.
I like kids. Unless I am ganged up on in a bounce house by 12 of them. But that's another story of the last 4 thanksgivings...
I have a problem with the way the world has taught parents to wrap a kid in bubble wrap to protect them from every little bump, scrape, or electrical shock. Kids bounce. If a young child falls down it will look to the nearest adult to see if this was a bad spill. If you react like it's life threatening the kid will erupt in crying. If you react non-chalantly, they think it wasn't bad. And 9 times out of 10 it's not that bad. A bruise or skinned knee is not a big deal. It's what happens as a kid. You are testing the limits of your world. Sometimes you get scratched.
My friend has a 2.5 year old. He has started piling his toys up to get to the counters to get cookies. "He might fall," says my friend. But look what he is doing. He is building and figuring out how to problem solve and reach a goal. I climbed on the counters a lot as a kid. And look at me! Wait. That might not be a good example.
Of course kids should be kept from danger. Teach them the stove is hot, not to dismatle the electrical plugs, and the dog is not necessarily a toy. He might not want to be ridden. But give them some latitude to fail. And let them fail. I learned more from the times I failed than the times I won. This idea that every child should get a trophy for participating is ludicrious. They don't do it in the Olympics. Gold, Silver, Bronze. That's all there is. Children being taught self esteem over everything else is going to lead to a generation of narcissistic whiners. Actually, 2+2=4, not 5. "But I tried really hard." That is commendible, however, it's math. There's only one answer. Unless you are working in string theory in quantum physics.
Do you want to live in a world where every kid thinks they are a hollywood mogul? Or a princess? Isn't one Paris Hilton too many?
Kids need to fail. It builds character. Kids need to have scars. It's good for show and tell.
Kids like me. I don't know why necessarily, but maybe it's because I am one of them at heart. I don't talk down to kids or treat them like kids. They are little people unspoiled by society.
I was hanging out with a friend and her son who's almost 2. She left the table to go to the bathroom. She was reluctant to do this because he doesn't take to people sometimes. And mommy is his safety blanket. I sat there next to him making faces and chatting, doing what I normally do around kids. Being fun. She came back expecting him to be melting down. "That's amazing." she said. "I'm magic." I replied.
I like kids. Unless I am ganged up on in a bounce house by 12 of them. But that's another story of the last 4 thanksgivings...
I have a problem with the way the world has taught parents to wrap a kid in bubble wrap to protect them from every little bump, scrape, or electrical shock. Kids bounce. If a young child falls down it will look to the nearest adult to see if this was a bad spill. If you react like it's life threatening the kid will erupt in crying. If you react non-chalantly, they think it wasn't bad. And 9 times out of 10 it's not that bad. A bruise or skinned knee is not a big deal. It's what happens as a kid. You are testing the limits of your world. Sometimes you get scratched.
My friend has a 2.5 year old. He has started piling his toys up to get to the counters to get cookies. "He might fall," says my friend. But look what he is doing. He is building and figuring out how to problem solve and reach a goal. I climbed on the counters a lot as a kid. And look at me! Wait. That might not be a good example.
Of course kids should be kept from danger. Teach them the stove is hot, not to dismatle the electrical plugs, and the dog is not necessarily a toy. He might not want to be ridden. But give them some latitude to fail. And let them fail. I learned more from the times I failed than the times I won. This idea that every child should get a trophy for participating is ludicrious. They don't do it in the Olympics. Gold, Silver, Bronze. That's all there is. Children being taught self esteem over everything else is going to lead to a generation of narcissistic whiners. Actually, 2+2=4, not 5. "But I tried really hard." That is commendible, however, it's math. There's only one answer. Unless you are working in string theory in quantum physics.
Do you want to live in a world where every kid thinks they are a hollywood mogul? Or a princess? Isn't one Paris Hilton too many?
Kids need to fail. It builds character. Kids need to have scars. It's good for show and tell.
Rants and Wingnuts
I was at Vons getting food the other night and I saw a woman with a cute 3 year old girl. The mom asked if she wanted a banana. "Yes" she said. "Do you want it now?" mom asked. "Yes." So the mom peeled the banana she hadn't paid for and gave it to the girl. Um, isn't that technically stealing? She didn't pay for the banana, so she shouldn't be giving it to the child. Since bananas are paid for by weight, how is she going to pay for food already consumed? Show a banana peel with a #4011 sticker? Can't really extrapolate the wieght of a banana from the casing. I see people opening cookies and drinking sodas they plan to pay for, but it's wrong. You don't own it. You can't drive a car for a few days before you buy it. Can't watch a TV you haven't paid for.
Now I don't have any children, so I can say I wouldn't give a child a banana in a store, but I haven't been subjected to the whining and wheedling a cranky child, so I might placate them with a cookie.
Or I might be a parent and teach my kids what is and is not the proper way to behave.
Hmm... there's a blog in there. Kids...
McCain: where to go now? At his own rally today he had to correct a crazy old lady who inarticulately said Obama "is an Arab." And he had to say they don't have to fear an Obama presidency. (Uh, isn't that what you have been telling people for the last week?) And when he said this, they, his own party at his own rally booed him. What do you do now? He has nothing he can do. If he continues these attacks on Obama it could lead to violence. He's got nowhere to go and nothing to say since he can't talk about the economy.
Palin: Troopergate. She put out her own 21 page report this morning exonerating her of any wrong doing. 5 pm today, the bipartisan commission in Alaska released their 253 page report saying she used her office improperly to influence the guy she eventually fired to fire her brother in law. The report was supposed to come out today, and McCain campaign tried to have it supressed until after the election. The news of her own report has vanished from the news. Funny.
Can I vote now?
How can anyone be undecided about this election? For fuck sake. How about this, if you haven't made up your mind by now, DON'T VOTE. We don't need you. You don't seem to have 3 neurons to rub together, so don't vote. It will give you the excuse to complain about the way the country is run. If you vote, you took part in the process, and then you'll have to grin and bear the outcome just like the rest of us. And if you are believing this hogwash about Obama being a terrorist or a muslim, You are an idiot. Read the paper. Read a book.
I remember 2 women who worked for my folks. During an election in the 80's I recall one saying she wouldn't vote for Jerry Brown. I asked why. "Because this is a Christian country." Really? This country was started by people so religiously extreme that England said, "Get out." The framers of the constitution gave freedom of religion to all who live here, but also freedoom from a state sponsored religion. Separation of Church and state., baby. Relgion should not be in this election. As long as you are not sacrificing babies or kittens in your religious practice, I don't really care what you believe. Just don't wake me early on a Saturday morning.
So, am I a ranter or a wingnut? hmm...
Hey you kids, get off my lawn! ;)
Now I don't have any children, so I can say I wouldn't give a child a banana in a store, but I haven't been subjected to the whining and wheedling a cranky child, so I might placate them with a cookie.
Or I might be a parent and teach my kids what is and is not the proper way to behave.
Hmm... there's a blog in there. Kids...
McCain: where to go now? At his own rally today he had to correct a crazy old lady who inarticulately said Obama "is an Arab." And he had to say they don't have to fear an Obama presidency. (Uh, isn't that what you have been telling people for the last week?) And when he said this, they, his own party at his own rally booed him. What do you do now? He has nothing he can do. If he continues these attacks on Obama it could lead to violence. He's got nowhere to go and nothing to say since he can't talk about the economy.
Palin: Troopergate. She put out her own 21 page report this morning exonerating her of any wrong doing. 5 pm today, the bipartisan commission in Alaska released their 253 page report saying she used her office improperly to influence the guy she eventually fired to fire her brother in law. The report was supposed to come out today, and McCain campaign tried to have it supressed until after the election. The news of her own report has vanished from the news. Funny.
Can I vote now?
How can anyone be undecided about this election? For fuck sake. How about this, if you haven't made up your mind by now, DON'T VOTE. We don't need you. You don't seem to have 3 neurons to rub together, so don't vote. It will give you the excuse to complain about the way the country is run. If you vote, you took part in the process, and then you'll have to grin and bear the outcome just like the rest of us. And if you are believing this hogwash about Obama being a terrorist or a muslim, You are an idiot. Read the paper. Read a book.
I remember 2 women who worked for my folks. During an election in the 80's I recall one saying she wouldn't vote for Jerry Brown. I asked why. "Because this is a Christian country." Really? This country was started by people so religiously extreme that England said, "Get out." The framers of the constitution gave freedom of religion to all who live here, but also freedoom from a state sponsored religion. Separation of Church and state., baby. Relgion should not be in this election. As long as you are not sacrificing babies or kittens in your religious practice, I don't really care what you believe. Just don't wake me early on a Saturday morning.
So, am I a ranter or a wingnut? hmm...
Hey you kids, get off my lawn! ;)
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Travel -- Part 2
How to travel cheap and light.
I pick the place I am going to go and buy tickets 10-11 months before my trip. Tickets are a lot cheaper when you are that far away from the travel date. If you travel Monday thru Thursdays tickets are generally cheaper than if you travel on the weekends. For my next planed trip, Thailand, I bought tickets 11 months ahead. Got a great price. Hooray Expedia! Brilliant!
What?
Political unrest in Thailand? And a border dispute with Cambodia? (which is a side trip on this little 16 day jaunt.) Um. Shit. I should have gotten travel insurance. I am waiting a little bit to see if things calm down. I'm not going until January. If things don't calm down I will cancel Thailand and go somewhere else. Peru, maybe.
I travel light. I have a backpack and the following things. A pair of broken in walking shoes. (if you tried to break them in during a trip and the shoes sucked, your feet will pay with blisters.) I have 3-4 t-shirts, a water proof jacket, 3 pairs of pants. Depending on the climate it could be 2 pairs of shorts and a pair of 501 jeans. If it's cold, all long pants. 5 pair of underwear and socks. A long lseeve shirt. Some sort of sweater, sweatshirt. Layering is important. I tend to buy t-shirts in the places I have been. It's not a lot of clothes, but finding ways to do laundry makes it so you don't need a lot of stuff.
I bring toletries; small shamoo, soap, saline and contacts, vitamins, etc. Also I take a travel journal and pens. I rent a cell phone. A little research online and I can rent a cell phone that works in the countries I am travelling in for $50. I call home to tell my parents I am alive and to get messages. It's kinda fun to call someone from Australia. In a day pack I have a cheap digital camera, film camera and mini DV camera. If they are lost or stolen, no great loss. I keep the cards and film separate. In the backpack I have a folded up 24" duffle bag that I take out as I start to accumulate stuff. It's for gifts and things.
I stay in hostels. I find these online at Hostels.com and similar sites. Every town has a hostel or 30. I pre-book them in the towns for the days I will be there. But be warned, a 4-6 person room can be dangerous. People snore. Doesn't happen all the time, but I did have ear plugs ready to put in if there was a noisy sleeper. I did have some murderous thoughts some nights though. But the price? $15-25. I stayed in a single in Cairns for $40 a night. Oh, have flip flops for in the shower as a precaution. Athletes foot sucks.
In New Zealand I was on a backpacker bus. It was a tour bus that went around the Islands. Also booked on line. There were a number of plans. If you liked a place you could stay for a few days, or get on the bus the next morning. It's very flexible as far as schedule goes. They had certain stops on the way, the sights to see and the history of the place. It was very interesting. I met some people who rented cars, or caravans. I met one guy who bought a car from a traveller, and after he finished with it, would sell it to another traveller. Apparently this is done on line as well.
Food. Go buy things at the markets. It's cheaper than resturants. It's the cheapest way to go. But only buy what you need for the next day or two. You may not have access to a fridge. I eat very simple stuff when travelling. I don't drink much on the road. But I might have a beer in a bar, pub, or some such. Booze is expensive. And if you drink too much thngs can happen to the unaware traveller.
It's amazing how easily you can be your own travel agent. It takes a little time and patience and surfing on line.
I pick the place I am going to go and buy tickets 10-11 months before my trip. Tickets are a lot cheaper when you are that far away from the travel date. If you travel Monday thru Thursdays tickets are generally cheaper than if you travel on the weekends. For my next planed trip, Thailand, I bought tickets 11 months ahead. Got a great price. Hooray Expedia! Brilliant!
What?
Political unrest in Thailand? And a border dispute with Cambodia? (which is a side trip on this little 16 day jaunt.) Um. Shit. I should have gotten travel insurance. I am waiting a little bit to see if things calm down. I'm not going until January. If things don't calm down I will cancel Thailand and go somewhere else. Peru, maybe.
I travel light. I have a backpack and the following things. A pair of broken in walking shoes. (if you tried to break them in during a trip and the shoes sucked, your feet will pay with blisters.) I have 3-4 t-shirts, a water proof jacket, 3 pairs of pants. Depending on the climate it could be 2 pairs of shorts and a pair of 501 jeans. If it's cold, all long pants. 5 pair of underwear and socks. A long lseeve shirt. Some sort of sweater, sweatshirt. Layering is important. I tend to buy t-shirts in the places I have been. It's not a lot of clothes, but finding ways to do laundry makes it so you don't need a lot of stuff.
I bring toletries; small shamoo, soap, saline and contacts, vitamins, etc. Also I take a travel journal and pens. I rent a cell phone. A little research online and I can rent a cell phone that works in the countries I am travelling in for $50. I call home to tell my parents I am alive and to get messages. It's kinda fun to call someone from Australia. In a day pack I have a cheap digital camera, film camera and mini DV camera. If they are lost or stolen, no great loss. I keep the cards and film separate. In the backpack I have a folded up 24" duffle bag that I take out as I start to accumulate stuff. It's for gifts and things.
I stay in hostels. I find these online at Hostels.com and similar sites. Every town has a hostel or 30. I pre-book them in the towns for the days I will be there. But be warned, a 4-6 person room can be dangerous. People snore. Doesn't happen all the time, but I did have ear plugs ready to put in if there was a noisy sleeper. I did have some murderous thoughts some nights though. But the price? $15-25. I stayed in a single in Cairns for $40 a night. Oh, have flip flops for in the shower as a precaution. Athletes foot sucks.
In New Zealand I was on a backpacker bus. It was a tour bus that went around the Islands. Also booked on line. There were a number of plans. If you liked a place you could stay for a few days, or get on the bus the next morning. It's very flexible as far as schedule goes. They had certain stops on the way, the sights to see and the history of the place. It was very interesting. I met some people who rented cars, or caravans. I met one guy who bought a car from a traveller, and after he finished with it, would sell it to another traveller. Apparently this is done on line as well.
Food. Go buy things at the markets. It's cheaper than resturants. It's the cheapest way to go. But only buy what you need for the next day or two. You may not have access to a fridge. I eat very simple stuff when travelling. I don't drink much on the road. But I might have a beer in a bar, pub, or some such. Booze is expensive. And if you drink too much thngs can happen to the unaware traveller.
It's amazing how easily you can be your own travel agent. It takes a little time and patience and surfing on line.
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