| I can now say I've done a porn flick.... |
[Aug. 7th, 2009|05:22 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  anxious | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Clowns" - T.A.T.U. | ] |
I'm trying to pay off a $270 credit card charge for admission to the Screenwriting Expo, which will be held in October. So, in that quest, I've been scouring Craig's List in search of short-term money-making schemes.
Yesterday, I made a sojourn to Van Nuys where I'd been cast in a pornography video.
Now before you all get freaked out (or start giving me high-fives), I was only an extra; and it was a fully-clothed scene. There were about eleven of us who were cast because we could pass for high school students. We were asked to dress like high schoolers and bring backpacks and hooded sweatshirts with us. We basically sat at desks in a fake classroom for 3.5 hours, and engaged in a bunch of rambunctious, juvenile behavior at the bequest of the director. I engaged in a "snowball" (i.e. crumpled-up wads of paper) fight with a fairly attractive dude named Abe. Two girls were asked to chase each other around the room. Some people were asked to text at their desks or throw paper airplanes. One guy was told to play the kid who was trying to get his work done and shout "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!" at everyone else.
Then the "teacher" (Sophia, the porn actress who would go on to star as the female lead in the subsequent sex scene), came in and "lectured" us. She preceded to show us a "presentation" via film projector, which, to her character's surprise, contained some porn footage (recycled from the director's previous shoots). Then she dismissed all of us "students," so she could get it on with the male lead.
Speaking of whom, the male lead was a very hot dude named Rocco Reed, a porn actor who has more than 100 films to his credit. I Googled him afterward and found his website and MySpace accounts. In-between takes, he interacted with us casually -- he seemed like a pretty nice guy, but also very proud of his... "work." *giggle* I remember he showed me how to twist the door to the restroom open properly during the break.
After our scenes were done, we got to stay behind to watch Rocco and Sophia fuck. I was surprised that they took 2-3 hours filming that part of it (we'd already been there for three hours filming the pre-sex classroom scene). I was even more surprised that Rocco was able to "keep it up" for that long. I couldn't stop looking at his nice ass, and several of the girls who were my co-extras could tell that his entire body had been well-tanned in a bed. On the one hand, I was naturally jealous that he was way fitter than me, with not a blemish or stretch mark to be seen on his body. On the other hand, I kept reminding myself that as a professional model in his line of work, he makes enough money to afford the extravagant "maintenance" of his body in that way, whereas most people don't and can't. Also, he, as is any frequent porn star, is at constant risk for contracting STDs, since he fucked his co-star (several times, in several positions) without a condom.
The crew was really annoying. They kept holding up production with stupid comments, and I could tell they were pissing off the director, Marc -- who was a fairly nice guy, but he also didn't do the best job communicating with his actors. Marc also failed to remember all of our names -- he kept referring to me as "Enthusiastic Guy" and joking that I looked like Justin Guarini. Then, later, he called me "Justin" when the cameraman was getting closeups of all of us extras in-between the stars' takes.
I, unfortunately, had to leave to catch my bus just as they were going to begin filming the "climax" scene (all of the sex scene takes up until that point had been Rocco and Sophia fucking in various positions without any actual ejaculation). I vividly remember one of the crew members saying "It's sex time," because it was clear that the next take would be the one where Rocco would finally actually cum. It's too bad I missed it.
Overall, I'm glad I went. I made $30, and I got to spent a few hours gazing at a hot naked guy only a few feet away from me. Since my job at the elementary school doesn't begin again until after Labor Day, it's not like I had anything better to do. |
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| My solution for solving the Social Security / Medicare problem.... |
[May. 12th, 2009|10:30 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  angry | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "One of Us is Dying" - ABBA | ] |
Or at least, a step toward extending its lifespan (since there are admittedly no quick fixes to the problem)....
(Posted by me, at news.yahoo.com)
Here's a crazy idea: ELIMINATE all Retirement, SSI, and SSDI benefits for illegal immigrants, and apply a formula that pro-rates people's Social Security checks based on their lifetime earnings (for example, if you've earned an average of $150K annually, you receive a much smaller SS check than someone who earns $30K a year).
Only legal citizens who pay into the system should be recipients, and it should be based on economic need, not arbitrary age. |
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| Adventures in (Glorified) Babysitting Continue |
[May. 3rd, 2009|04:59 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | awake | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Boogie Shoes" (Lynette's song!) - K.C. and the Sunshine Band | ] |
At work, there's one particular table that I always tend to supervise during First Lunch; it's a table of precocious (and often manipulative) second-graders.
Patrick is a particularly mouthy kid who can't seem to stay in his seat. Chris also has problems remaining seated; he has too much energy, and is borderline-hyper.
Rachel is a very precocious girl who can't seem to get it through her head that I'm not allowed to eat while working. She's always offering me some of her food: for example, she'll offer me a potato chip, I'll politely decline, she'll break it in half and offer me a smaller piece, I'll decline again, she'll break off an even smaller piece of the chip and offer it to me, I'll decline once again, et. al. She also has three different hand signals she wants me to memorize (waving, asking a question, and stretching).
Kevin G. is manipulative in a somewhat-gutsy way, for an eight-year-old (he begged me to eat a chocolate pretzel, the other day). Kevin N. always says gross things to his classmates during lunch, but seems a lot more subdued than he did when I first began working there (I'm convinced his parents give him Ritalin twice a day).
Max is Patrick's best friend, who also has trouble staying in his seat. He often asks mischievous questions or tries to get away with breaking the rules in a charming-yet-impish way (he's also the son of the PTA president).
Fabeeha is another impish character, who always seems to have a perpetual devilish smirk on her face. She's always playing word games with me ("Mr. Tony, are you smart?...Count upward to 100.") -- she also seems to have to ALWAYS butt in with her two-cents when I'm trying to resolve conflicts between OTHER people.
Danny is a hyper kid who's always throwing his arms around me and giving me a hug/squeeze around the waist. The other day, he even went so far as to rub my stomach and then tickle my belly button (through the fabric of my shirt, of course).
Daniel T. and Daniel G are both really quiet Asian boys (different ethnicities, though -- I believe). Daniel T. used to always do a primitive form of pole-dancing at the corner of their lunch table -- and then he'll grin at you in an adorable-yet-manipulative way.
Megan is fairly quiet and well-behaved (she has a fraternal twin brother, also in the second-grade, and an older brother in Liza's class who's extremely shy and well-behaved). Hana is probably the best-behaved girl in Roberta's class -- always really low-key and well-behaved.
Glen, as I talked about in an earlier post, is the most well-behaved boy in the class. He's always extremely respectful, but is also EXTREMELY sensitive (see the previous LJ entry about when Paula yelled at him a few weeks ago). I suspect he might be gay.
On Friday, Quon placed his lunch in a spot at the table that Rachel had her eye on. Rachel tried to claim the seat on the bench for herself, and they got into a shoving match. That resulted in Rachel's cold lunch from home (and she had ONLY potato chips and a drink/dessert, by the way -- no sandwich or any main nutritional-type entree) being knocked to the ground, forcing her to buy her own lunch for $1...which sent her into a tailspin of tears.
After lunch recess, Roberta (their teacher) made me bring Quon to the office, because, as she described it, he's "out-of-control" but his parents don't believe it and they think Roberta is the only one with the complaints about her son; so she wanted an incident report to come from the main office, not just her. When I arrived in the office with Quon, Carol was busy with something else (Virginia was absent) and promptly sent me back to the classroom with Quon -- but she also had me fill out an Incident Report. I was filling it out on the yard during Second Lunch while watching the rowdy third-grade boys who always play handball or kickball; I told Sandy what Carol was having me do, but then Debbie came out onto the yard and saw me sitting on the bench, writing. Fortunately, Sandy explained (in conversation) to Debbie what Carol was having me do, so Debbie wouldn't assume I was just being lazy. I don't know what will happen on Monday (according to Carol, the parents [Rachel's and Quon's] will never get to speak to me personally about it), since my Incident Report is now solely in Carol's hands, and I made it clear to both Carol and Roberta that Quon and Rachel both bear responsibility for their roles in the conflict (about 60-70 Quon vs. 30-40 Rachel). Rachel even admitted to me that she did the wrong thing by not picking another seat, yet she also stated she doesn't feel she should suffer any consequences/punishment for it. Quon was in tears when Roberta first had me bring him to the office; he was afraid his parents would ground him for several months.
Don't even get me started on the fifth-graders...
One thing about my job -- it's never boring. Plus I work with a group of mostly-nice (with the exceptions of Debbie and Donnia) and definitely-colorful people. |
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| More of Tony's Adventures in Elementary School |
[Apr. 5th, 2009|08:10 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | irritated | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Teenage Dirtbag" - Wheatus | ] |
I'm becoming way too invested in my current job. It's not like I plan to work as an elementary school aide for the rest of my life, so why should I care so much about what happens to me at work on a daily basis? Yet, here I am, doing it. Silly me.
First, there's Debbie, the cold woman who is our main office administrator. I mainly avoid her, which is pretty easy to do since she doesn't work out on the yard with us and doesn't hang out in the staff lounge with us. I only really see her when I sign in and out for my shift. So in the past several weeks I haven't had any Debbie-problems. That's good, at least.
The classified staff is very cliquey. If we were on Survivor, I'm pretty sure my alliance would consist of Sandy, Rebecca, Oscar, and myself.
Several weeks ago, everyone was terrified about the pink slips that were rumored to be going out (since LAUSD has to cut a certain amount from its budget), and during a mid-morning break, Sherry was panicking about losing her job. Paula, Francisco (aka "Mr. T."), and Donnia were trying to calm her down. They were talking about how their positions might not be eliminated, but they might be forced to take on more responsibilities for the same amount of pay.
Donnia makes a comment where she says something like, "Maybe they'll cut the yard supervisor positions? That would save money."
And I'm thinking..."HELLO! Yard supervisor [ME!] sitting five feet away from you!!!!"
Sherry and Mr. T. basically echoed that they'd be willing to do that. It's like none of them even gave a fuck that I was FUCKING SITTING RIGHT THERE!!!!!!
I realize they were all trying to make Sherry feel less scared about the likelihood of losing her job, but Donnia didn't need to make that comment -- especially not right in front of me.
Seriously, Donnia has been nothing but ambivalent and unfriendly toward me. I will never go out of my way to be nice to her again.
Also, during that same mid-morning Let's-Reassure-Sherry session, Paula was sitting with them talking about this-and-that regarding the LAUSD administrators, like she was on a first-name basis with them. A couple of weeks later, Ramona recalled this when she and myself and DiDi were talking about the budget cuts early in the morning (when Ramona and DiDi usually take their morning break). Ramona seemed hostile when she spoke of Paula, as though Paula had no right to be such a know-it-all.
This hostility was further exemplified this past week, when there was apparently a lot of unspoken tension between Ramona and Paula (none of which I witnessed firsthand, but that I heard secondhand from DiDi).
Paula also recently semi-chewed me out for pointing out how she'd yelled at Glen, one of the second-graders whose class I supervise during Lunch. Glen (who's a really sweet kid, and not at all a troublemaker) was being teased by Rachel, but Paula caught Glen yelling at Rachel and proceeded to yell at Glen in front of his classmates. Glen was then extremely embarrassed about what had happened, and was in tears for the rest of Lunch (I took him aside while everyone was out on the yard, and Glen described the entire situation to me). Of course, Paula constantly defends Donnia, and Mr. T. seems to have some sort of fatherly attachment toward Donnia also.
When I told Sandy how Paula had reacted when I spoke to her about Glen, Sandy said she *KNEW* Paula was going to react that way (I'd also filled Sandy in on the situation before I'd approached Paula), and commented that Paula acts like a drill sergeant (that's an understatement!) about the kids and comes off like a know-it-all.
Paula had told me: "I handled it. I've had 25 years of experience at this job." She added that if there were any other problems, I need to take it up with Carol. Since then, Glen seems to have forgotten about the incident, so I'm going to let it go unless Glen comes to me again about anything Paula-related.
I found out from Sandy that Kerry is separated from her husband, who's been unemployed for the past 6-8 months. She is barely able to make the payments on their house, and they fear they'll be evicted due to foreclosure.
Pam and I normally work well together...except last week when she lectured me in front of the kids because I hadn't made sure one of the first-graders was frozen when the bell rang. The kid was actually under my supervision, and we were walking across the yard to approach another kid who'd been involved with an earlier conflict; but Pam was like, "It doesn't matter! When the bell rings, they're frozen!"
I don't think Pam knows I'm angry with her. Although I'm angry with Paula and Donnia too. But I'm an angry person.
Taeo and Rebecca are completely chill, and it's always a nice breather being around either of them. Oscar, too (he's Mr. T.'s "nephew" and just graduated from high school last year) -- I can tell he genuinely cares about me as a coworker.
I've got at least two months left at this job, and my coworkers will be in for a very different Tony once our current Spring/Easter Break ends. |
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| Back to the grind tomorrow... |
[Mar. 1st, 2009|02:09 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | anxious | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Searching My Soul" - Vonda Shepherd | ] |
I decided that this weekend was my last weekend of "naughty eating" for awhile. I need to shed some belly fat and oblique fat in preparation for a certain event coming up in May. I think I'm going to stick to fruits, vegetables, breads, grains, cheeses, fruit juice, and lean meats as much as possible over the next 8-9 weeks, and step up my workout routine.
Good news! Virginia is letting me have Tuesday off from work so I can work at the mayoral election as a precinct clerk. Now if we can just keep Villaraigosa under 50% in this week's primary, which will force him into a runoff on May 19 against whoever finishes in second-place (hopefully NOT that nut Jennerjahn!).
On Friday, we were having our morning assembly outside after first bell, which is usually moderated by Virginia and Carol. They do attendance awards, reading awards, Caught-Being-Terrific awards, etc. I always circulate around the seated clusters of youngsters, holding a laminated sign that lists the school rules...mainly to give myself a plausible excuse to refrain from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance while all the other students, teachers/staffers, and parents do.
Anyway, on Friday I could see Rebecca standing with one of the other teachers ("Mrs. PEAR-ISH"), watching the assembly. Rebecca was wearing her visor-like hat with a hood over it, and she had this giddy, passive smile on her face; I just wanted to burst out laughing. Mainly because the way she was dressed and her overall demeanor was just so...Rebecca. Honestly, Rebecca is probably one of my favorite people out of all my coworkers, because she's into so many of the same TV shows I am, and she's just so kewl to socialize with in the staff lounge.
There's one first grade teacher, MaryAnn, who's an unapologetic Republican, and it's alternately stressful and amusing listening to her bitter rantings during her mid-morning break in the staff lounge. She basically blames everything on "the Democrats" and "the liberals."
Also, Sandy told me that apparently Kerry's husband used to be a driver for Pamela Anderson when Pamela was on Baywatch and VIP, and I guess, according to Sandy, Kerry sometimes babysat for Pamela Anderson's children.
I still can't stand Debbie, and I still don't think Donnia likes me.
I have my Problem_Students. Patrick, the hyperactive comedian who's in the class of second-graders whom I watch over during their lunch hour. The girls in that same class who are obsessed with imitating Michelle Tanner from Full House and always give me the thumbs-up while saying, "You got it, dude!" Dan, the Asian kid in that class who always has to take the corner seat at their table, and can't stop hanging on the pole near that corner like he's a pole-dancer. Kevin G. and Kevin N., who always find ways to make trouble. Max, one of Patrick's best friends, on whom I've noticed Patrick is becoming more and more of a bad influence.
Then there are the other kids. Sammy, the ADHD first-grader (with whom our vice-principal plays favorites) who is a happy rebel. Francisco, the punk first-grader who is a defiant rebel. Skylar and Sage, Kerry's twin boys who can stir things up in an innocent way. Danny, the third-or-fourth-grader who always cheats at kickball. Rhianna, the black girl in third grade who always makes grumpy faces at me. Colin, the shy fifth grader who always looks so sad and rarely ever socializes with the other kids. Grace, the overweight tomboy in third grade who seems to like me for some strange reason. Tony, the fifth grader who works out at my gym who always seems to get himself in trouble with Mr. T.
One thing about this job: whether it's fun or frustrating or challenging or easy...it's always fascinating. |
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| Fuck you, Bill Clinton! |
[Feb. 16th, 2009|04:40 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | infuriated | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Slide" - The Goo Goo Dolls | ] |
This really boils my blood.
Bill Clinton actually has the audacity to claim he's completely blameless for the current economic meltdown, when interviewed by Time magazine.
Granted, I'm not one of those right-wingers claiming that it's ALL Bill Clinton's fault. But his repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act and his other botched housing policies certainly contributed to the current problems.
TIME also distributed the blame among many other people, not just Clinton, in its "25 To Blame" list. Among them: Sandy Weill, Phil Gramm, George W. Bush, Chris Cox, Hank Paulson, Ian McCarthy, John Devaney, and Jimmy Cayne.
But no, "The Big Dog" has to be defiant to the end and absolve his sacred-cow administration from any wrongdoing whatsoever.
Arrogant fucker.
He'll always be a good ole boy straight to the end -- I can't get the image out of my head (which was reported by a biographer, firsthand), of, when he was leaving the White House in '01 upon George W. Bush's first inauguration, one of Bill Clinton's fellow good ole boy bastards doing the back-slapping and shoulder-squeezing of the then-departing president with tears in his eyes as he repeated, "We did good! We did good!"
Um, no, you didn't.
I don't care about the stupid blow job Monica gave you, "Big Dog." I care about all of your naive, disingenuous rope-a-dope policies that your drone-minded groupies still seem bound and determined to overlook.
Ironic that many Americans would have been potentially banking on your wife (as president), of all people, to get us out of this mess.
Ironic and naive.
Again, due to your unwillingness to shoulder ANY of the blame, I say: FUCK YOU! There's plenty of blame to go around, and you're not the only one who deserves it. But in your book, I guess it's "them" who'll always be guilty, and you'll always be their victimized pariah, huh?
You'll keep collecting your five-digit and six-digit checks for your fucking speeches and fucking fundraisers while the rest of us suffer and possibly fall into bankruptcy. But hey, it's not your problem, so what do you care? |
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| Tony's Adventures in the Abyss of Elementary School |
[Feb. 7th, 2009|08:32 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  cheerful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "I Started A Joke" - The Wallflowers | ] |
I have a new job. Actually, I've had it for the past three months. I make half of what I did at my last job, but at least I'm not unemployed.
I work at a local elementary school as a playground aide. I blow a whistle at kids and yell at them to stop running. I prevent (or break up) fights, and comfort teary-eyed youngsters. I also tutor one of the fourth-graders (who attends my school) at his home (I just started that gig last week) in math.
I love my job and hate my job.
I work with a variety of characters:
Pam, who handles the children with such ease and cavalier discourse, yet can be very intimidating in a sort of passive way;
Francisco (aka "Mr. T."), who all the kids either fear or despise (or both) because he runs the playground with an iron fist;
Kerry, who's by far one of the nicest people I've ever worked with but doesn't really have a strong sense of discipline toward the kiddies because she's often coddling her two first-grade twin sons (whom I bought raffle tickets from, for their T-ball league);
Sandy, who's also very friendly and personable, but is quite the chatterbox and always comes up to me on the playground to chitchat (even though we're not supposed to be chitchatting on the playground, or else the Vice-Principal will yell at us if she happens to toddle out there and catches us chatting) -- she also works out at my gym, as does one of the fifth-graders at this school;
Rebecca, who shares my love of sci-fi and is very shy but is also really fascinating to talk to once you get her talking;
Lorraine, who's overall very quiet and whom I haven't gotten to interact with a whole lot thus far;
Ramona, who is extremely assertive and opinionated, but in a non-threatening way due to the fact that you find yourself agreeing with her 90% of the time -- she shares my love of Prison Break and 24;
Sherri, who took an extended maternity leave right before Christmas -- she can be very loud, and has a great rapport with Ramona;
Paula, whom I used to be afraid of for the first month I worked there (because of the way she yelled at the Kindergarteners during lunch), but whom I've since come to appreciate in her Ramona-like bawdiness;
Taeo, who is just overall a really nice guy, even if he isn't the best at keeping a close eye on some of the students;
Donnia, who is currently pregnant, and who doesn't seem to like me very much for some reason (so I'm just not going to talk to her anymore);
There's also the crazy Vice-Principal (who used to be a TV writer), whom everyone makes fun of behind her back; and the Principal, who I think is nice, but some of the teachers apparently have a problem with (they gossip about her in the teachers' lounge).
And also a lot of the regular classroom teachers, whose gossip I get to listen in on in the staff lounge (including one Republican who blames Bill Clinton, half-justifiably so, for the current economic crisis).
Now if I could only work up the balls to ask the Principal for March 3 off from work, so I can work at the mayoral election and earn $80 more than I'd otherwise be earning for the day. |
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| Survivor: Gabon Predictions |
[Nov. 22nd, 2008|02:29 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | rushed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Sleepwalker" - The Wallflowers | ] |
Here's the fall edition of my twice-a-year rundown of the current cast and season of Survivor.
Bob - He's been doing an excellent job in challenges for someone of his age, and his only mistake has been joining with the alliance that ended up in the minority (and he couldn't have foreseen that). Even so, he operated strategically by taking Sugar's advice and letting Randy naively use the fake immunity idol to earn himself goodwill with the majority alliance. I think he'll make it to the end of the jury.
Corinne - Honestly, I feel she was just hoping for Marcus, Charlie, and Bob to do all the heavy lifting so she could slide into the finals with them. Now that she's in the minority, I predict she'll pout and scramble, maybe cast a throwaway vote against Bob as "revenge" for betraying her and Randy, and then get voted off within the next couple of weeks.
Crystal - She's obviously very opinionated and that can work against her, but she was lucky to come out in the dominant alliance (despite her tribe's early struggles). I think she and Kenny will make it to the end, but her abrasive personality will turn off many of the voters in the jury. Still, gotta love Crystal yelling at Randy in the confessional as she wrote his name down on the parchment in the last episode -- and the priceless reactions of all the snickering contestants as they overheard her.
Kenny - He's played this game perfectly for the situation he found himself in...making himself an asset to the underdog tribe, and then taking back domination of the game when the merge came.
Matty - He seems like a really great guy, and he's extremely hot. But I think the remaining tribe members will get rid of him as soon as they have the opportunity, as he's a physical threat to slide into the finals. He's also a jury threat to make a great case for himself at Final Tribal Council. He'll be taken out fairly soon.
Sugar - I think Sugar will hang onto her immunity idol until the very last Tribal Council when she can use it; like Bob, she'll be either the penultimate or final member of the jury. I have to say, Sugar has become absolutely lovable to me, much like Courtney Yates from Survivor: China and my darling Cirie Fields.
Susie - She's so disliked, ala Jenny from Survivor: Cook Islands and Stacy from Survivor: Fiji, that her fairweather allies Kenny and Crystal will get rid of her as soon as it's convenient for them to do so. Let's face it: she's played an awful social game, and she's no Sandra Diaz-Twine.
My predicted boot order: Matty, Corinne, Susie, Bob, Sugar, and Crystal/Kenny as the final two. If for some reason they go back to having a Final Three, I'd predict that Sugar will be in the mix along with Crystal and Kenny.
And, some quick comments about the jury so far:
Charlie - My beloved gay dude for this season, who I would have loved to have seen go all the way. *sigh* At least he got three days at Loser Lodge with Marcus.
Marcus - He probably would have gone all the way had it not been for the surprise tribal swap. Still, I love his devotion to his allies and his "fag stag" friendship with Charlie. Although I'll bet he's regretting having thrown that Merge Day immunity idol into the ocean now.
Randy - Truly my least favorite contestant of this season; a hideous cretin with no interpersonal skills or brains. Repugnant, self-centered, and out of his league.
So I predict Kenny will be the Sole Survivor, by a vote of 6-2, with Marcus and Charlie casting dissenting votes for Crystal. |
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| Proposition 8, and options for the future (of LGBT Californians) |
[Nov. 7th, 2008|01:22 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  confused | ] |
I've been reading a lot of online reactions from so many of my fellow LGBTs and straight allies, regarding the disappointment, anger, fear, distress, et. al. over Proposition 8 passing (adding an amendment to the California state constitution to define marriage as being between one man and one woman).
Whether it's on LiveJournal, or people in my LGBT support group, people are understandably really, really DEPRESSED.
Obviously, I don't agree with Proposition 8, and fully desire for same-sex marriage to be legal -- not only in California, but in all 50 states.
However, as I keep hearing people lament over the issue, the same thought keeps going through my head: why don't we, as LGBT people along with our straight allies, put OUR OWN proposition on the ballot in California for either the 2010 midterms or the 2012 General Election?
In the state of California, all you need to do to get a Proposition on the ballot is collect 600,000 legitimate signatures (the Secretary of State's office recommends that groups collect 1,000,000 in case some of the signatures collected cannot be verified).
Why not put an amendment before California voters that would amend our State Constitution to allow for and guarantee a civil union (specified spousal rights) between any two consenting adults who desire one?
It could read something like this:
Amends the California state constitution as follows:
Any two consenting adults, who are legal residents of the state of California, shall have access to formal protections that recognize and designate their domestic parity as mutual beneficiaries through a nondenominational union within state borders. Such a public union shall include, but not be limited to: joint inheritance upon death, reciprocal authority for power-of-attorney, hospital visitation, state income tax benefits and obligations, public health benefits, and other such automatic legal incidents to be facilitated by the state legislature. Private businesses, religious houses-of-worship, and sovereign individuals shall NOT be forced into recognizing these unions. Consenting legal adult residents of California shall not be denied these fundamental, secular privileges and responsibilities based on any non-indictable racial, sexual, ethnic, gender, religious, generational, or socioeconomic differences that exist between the two individuals who exclusively comprise each contractual union.
Obviously, one could simplify the language by condensing it for the average voter; but how would it be difficult to pass something like this as long as it didn't involve the word "marriage"? |
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| I voted early! -- Mailed in my ballot on Friday! |
[Nov. 2nd, 2008|02:20 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | nervous | ] |
Since I'm working the election as a precinct clerk all day Tuesday (and getting paid $125 for it), I'd requested a vote-by-mail ballot so I could vote early (that way I wouldn't have to make a long walk, or hitch a ride with someone, to my actual precinct one mile away)...because I have a feeling it's going to be busy and nonstop from 7am right up to 8pm and beyond!
Here's how I voted in on California's General Election ballot:
President/Vice-President: Barack Obama and Joe Biden (Democrat)
United State Representative, 27th District: Tim Denton (Libertarian)
State Assembly, 40th District: Pamela J. Brown (Libertarian)
JUDICIAL, JUDGE OF THE SUPREME COURT
Judicial Office No. 72: Hilleri Grossman Merritt (runoff)
Judicial Office No. 82: Cynthia Loo (runoff)
Judicial Office No. 84: Lori-Ann C. Jones (runoff)
Judicial Office No. 94: C. Edward Mack (runoff)
Judicial Office No. 154: Michael V. Jesic (runoff)
STATE MEASURES
Proposition 1A (High-Speed Passenger Train) - YES
Proposition 2 (Confining Farm Animals) - YES
Proposition 3 (Children's Hospital Grant) - YES
Proposition 4 (Waiting Period & Parental Notification for Abortion) - NO
Proposition 5 (Nonviolent Drug Offense Rehabilitation) - YES
Proposition 6 (Police and Law Enforcement Funding) - NO
Proposition 7 (Renewable Energy Generation) - NO
Proposition 8 (Elimination of Same-Sex Marriage) - NO
Proposition 9 (Criminal Justice Victims' Rights) - NO
Proposition 10 (Alternate Fuel and Renewable Energy Bond) - NO
Proposition 11 (Redistricting) - NO
Proposition 12 (Veterans' Bond) - NO
COUNTY MEASURES
Measure R (Traffic Relief / Rail Extensions) - YES
SCHOOL
Measure J (Community College Classroom Repair) - NO
Measure Q (Neighborhood School Upgrades) - YES
CITY
Measure A (Gang and Youth Violence Prevention) - NO
Measure B (Low Rent Housing Authorization) - YES |
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| Help me think of questions... |
[Oct. 30th, 2008|08:13 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | excited | ] |
As a majority of you probably know, I want to write for TV someday. I want to eventually be staffed as a staff writer on a primetime or cable TV series (one-hour drama), which typically involves being a writer's assistant in some form, first.
Eventually, I'd like to be a showrunner, but you have to actually experience working on a show (preferably several) before you're qualified to have that much responsibility.
Anyway, Laura (who teaches my Pitching/Agent Management course) announced to our class, via email, that Barbara Hall is going to be a special guest speaker in our class on Wednesday, November 19.
For those of you who don't know, Barbara Hall was the creator of the TV series Joan of Arcadia, helped to develop the TV series Judging Amy, and has written for shows such as Northern Exposure, I'll Fly Away, and Chicago Hope. She's also written for sitcoms -- according to IMDB, Newhart and Anything But Love were a few of her steady gigs.
So I need your help. Help me think of what questions I should ask Ms. Hall on the 19th, since Laura's guest speakers always want to do Q&A sessions with the students.
I need to think of some good ones, in case I only get the chance to ask one or two. I really want to ask her some questions that would be pertinent to my career goals, but so many possibilities are dancing through my head, I really need help narrowing it down.
What questions should I ask Barbara Hall? |
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| Political season is sizzling |
[Oct. 18th, 2008|06:42 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | amused | ] |
"It's heating up" has already zipped well past us. Ever since Caribou Barbie joined the McCain ticket and the first couple of debates were held, it was obvious we were off-and-running. Now with this ACORN shit... (and my parents, being the way they are, both think that ACORN is going to be responsible for "rigging" the election in favor of Obama).
Today while I was walking back and forth down Reseda Blvd. between the gym, Emle's, and Hungry Howie's, all of these idiots were holding "Yes on 8" signs toward the traffic. For those of you who don't know, Proposition 8 is the California ballot measure that would eliminate same-sex marriage in California via state constitutional amendment. Their stupid signs read: "Prop. 8 = Religious Freedom" and "Prop. 8 = Free Speech" -- I was very tempted to flip them off, but I decided to avoid a confrontation since they were pointing the signs mainly at the traffic (if any of them had aimed their sign directly at me, however, then I probably would have flipped them off and said something obscene).
Oh, and the black bus driver who teases me about ringing the bell too much: today on the bus, a minute before we reached my stop, he asked me who I was voting for. I told him Obama, because I was concerned about McCain appointing right-wing nuts to the Supreme Court. He seemed pleased with my choice, and he expressed to me that basically voting for McCain is just another vote for Bush. I said: "Well, hopefully when he [Obama] gets in, he'll be able to appoint decent people."
As I type this, Nick (my roommate) and Max (from 420/425) are filming a sketch comedy skit with Tara and her younger brother (who appeared in the tag scene of "That's Our Ghost" as the boy holding the lollipop). Tara's brother is playing a young boy who comes home in tells his mommy (played by Tara, who, ironically enough, is obviously his big sister in real life) how he learned in school that now a prince can marry a prince and if their genes are combined in a science lab they get a baby and if the baby marries a seventh son of a seventh the antichrist will come to enslave us all.
Obviously, the sketch is a parody mocking how bigoted Prop. 8 is.
The other day, Lars got mad at Nick when he found out Nick isn't registered to vote; Nick doesn't think that voting matters or makes a difference (apparently, because Howard Zinn said so) and he doesn't want to get called for jury duty. Lars basically threatened Nick into voting or he'd quit their film company. Kevin said how he's registered to vote (although he wasn't as pissed at Nick as Lars was), and I chimed in about how I've already received my mail-in ballot and I work at the precinct on Election Day (Nick's response to me was, "You're not helping"). Lars even offered to get all the voter registration paperwork so all Nick would need to do was fill it out. Now only time will tell if Nick actually gets registered to vote.
I wouldn't be so pissed about it except for the fact that Nick registered to vote in New Hampshire (while he was out there visiting his parents in January) on the day of the New Hampshire primary, basically because his friend Curtis tricked Nick into coming to a Hillary Clinton rally and then bullied Nick into voting for Hillary. Weeks ago, when Nick first told me this, I asked him why he voted for Hillary, and Nick said it was because she had a plan for universal health care (Nick's dad is a doctor and his mom is a nurse). I asked Nick how Hillary's health care plan would actually help people to afford their coverage (or any other candidate's, for that matter; because honestly, I didn't understand any of their health plans and how they're supposed to work -- I still don't understand Obama's or McCain's)...and Nick's response was basically, "They [the health insurance companies and HMOs] get to take your money."
????????????????????????
Anyway, back to what had happened earlier this week: Lars pointed out to Nick that even if Nick doesn't think the presidential race matters, Prop. 8 will be on the ballot and they're all united against Prop. 8. (Nick has even told me how pissed off he gets when he sees the "Yes on 8" commercials on TV; Nick has a lesbian sister). Nick was trying to brush it off by claiming, "I'm not very political," but Lars didn't buy it: after all, Nick has been clear that Prop. 8 makes him angry. Lars said he didn't feel he could in good conscience continue to work with someone who wouldn't actually exercise the power of his vote against something he knows is wrong.
In other words, Lars is my new hero. |
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| Some Pumpkin Bread That's Grabbed My Nuts.... |
[Oct. 10th, 2008|05:43 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | cheerful | ] |
This morning on my way to work I stopped at Starbucks to use the $25 gift card that Vangi got me for my birthday a year-and-a-half ago.
I got the Pumpkin Nut Bread.
Nine hours later, I'm ready to orgasm.
And I still have $19.05 left on the gift card! |
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| It's amazing the people you find online these days... |
[Aug. 30th, 2008|11:48 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | shocked | ] |
While doing an Internet search, I found a website belonging to one of the former Hall Directors at Towers Hall (at UWEC), and a former R.A. at Towers.
http://pgquack.com/index.htm
It turns out they got married. The former R.A. was someone whom I knew fairly well for awhile; she was a co-president/co-chair of MOSAIC for several years back when I attended UWEC and did some events with the group.
They have a new son who was born last November.
It's amazing where people end up in their lives...and with whom.
I can only hope I'll end up with someone special. |
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| McCain's vice-presidential pick: Sarah Palin |
[Aug. 30th, 2008|02:09 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | anxious | ] |
When talking with my mom on the phone this afternoon, she asked me what I thought of McCain's choice of running mate. I told her that I'd been gone in Woodland Hills all morning so I didn't even know whom McCain had chosen, and my mom was shocked that I hadn't heard yet.
She then told me that McCain picked Sarah Palin (the Governor of Alaska), and I was shocked that McCain went against *Conventional_Wisdom*. I asked my mom if she'd ever heard of Palin before this morning, and my mom said no she hadn't (obviously my mom has selective memory, because I distinctly remember having mentioned Palin to my mom as a possible future star in the GOP several months ago).
I'd actually had a suspicion that Governor Palin could be a wild card in the running for McCain's V.P. slot. But I honestly expected him to select Governor Pawlenty (so as to have a chance of carrying Minnesota).
Initially, I was mildly excited about the idea of Palin as an up-and-comer in the Republican Party...until I read that she "personally opposes" benefits for same-sex couples (despite the fact that she vetoed legislation that would have banned same-sex benefits in Alaska).
Now, I believe McCain's selection of Palin is no better than if Obama had been dumb enough to select Governor Kaine.
At least Obama had enough intelligence to pick a politician as his running mate who has at least a moderate amount of support for LGBT issues. |
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| Update on the PMP search... |
[Aug. 26th, 2008|01:19 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  hot | ] |
I found this one for $50 on Amazon.com --
http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Sansa-Clip-Player-Black/dp/tech-data/B000W09ZTK/ref=de_a_smtd
This may sound like a really stupid, ditsy question on my part...but can you generally play music on PMPs "out loud" (so that other people in the room can listen to it along with you)...or is the music only audible by using the earphones?
Also, if you can play music aloud outside the earphones, how loud can you generally crank it up to? (for example, if you're at a party but they need music, and you'd like to provide it with your PMP)
I'm sorry, I've never owned one...so forgive the naivety. |
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| I want to get a PMP |
[Aug. 25th, 2008|06:44 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | frustrated | ] |
I've been contemplating buying a Portable Media Player for a long time now.
I've read that the iPod has limits as far as what kind of music you can transfer onto it. (i.e. that you have to purchase the music from the Apple iStore, or something like that)
I basically want a PMP that will allow me to transfer music directly from the "My Music" folder on my computer, so I can play music files within the PMP (.mp3 and .wmp files).
Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with PMPs, and can make any recommendations on particular types I should look into? |
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| Prison Break Departures |
[Aug. 25th, 2008|08:34 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | anxious | ] |
The producers of Prison Break have confirmed that two of the show's series regulars will be killed off in the season premiere episode next Monday. But, of course, they won't tell us which ones.
Any fans of the show want to speculate?
My prediction is Whistler (Chris Vance) and Sofia (Danay Garcia).
Although if I had my way, I'd really love to see Bellick go. He's been around for WAY too long. |
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| More pouting and tantrums from the peanut gallery |
[Aug. 23rd, 2008|09:27 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | annoyed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Let's Get Loud" - Jennifer Lopez | ] |
I'm sorry, but my mind just can't stop boggling at this (not that it's much of a surprise to me).
Diane Mantouvalos, on Obama's selection of Biden:
"It's a total diss to Sen. Clinton, in my opinion," said Diane Mantouvalos, co-founder of the Just Say No Deal Coalition. "It just speaks volumes about how Barack Obama doesn't stand for anything."
Mantouvalos, of Miami, is part of an Internet movement of Clinton supporters who refuse to back Obama, regardless of pleas from Clinton herself. Mantouvalos is in Denver, where the Democratic National Convention is scheduled to start Monday, stoking anti-Obama sentiment.
She said the selection of a Washington insider undermines Obama's call for change.
"It was a desperate move," Mantouvalos said.
Let me see if I'm understanding this correctly? Mantouvalos says that picking Biden undermines Obama's call for change because Biden is a Washington insider. Yet, Mantouvalos clearly wanted Hillary Clinton to be Obama's vice-presidential choice, and Clinton is *ALSO* a Washington insider.
So when you get down to it, Mantouvalos is just whining because Obama failed to pick the specific Washington insider whom she preferred (and probably idolizes). That lack of favoritism on Senator Obama's part somehow makes Obama "desperate"?
Are these people for real?!?!?!?!
Everytime you hear someone whine about how Obama passed over Clinton for Biden, here are the five words you can use to respond:
It. Could. Have. Been. Kaine.
And that's scary.
Even K.T. McFarland (who ran against in the Republican primary to challenge Hillary for her U.S. Senate seat in 2006) was on the news early this morning yammering about how the selection of Biden was a "slap in the face" to Hillary Clinton. Of course, McFarland (who supports potential military action in Iran, and doesn't support a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq) used to work for Reagan, and is probably bitter that New York Republicans chose John Spencer over her for the Republican senatorial nomination.
You know, I hardly thought that Obama was the most qualified or experienced Democrat who ran in the primaries. Neither were Edwards or Clinton (regardless of how many times the mainstream media allowed her to continue spouting her bogus "35 years of experience" bullshit). The three of them all had roughly the same amount of experience (not much!), yet they got the bulk of people's campaign contributions because they were the media's anointed novelty candidates. Dodd, Richardson, Biden -- hell, even Kucinich -- were all more qualified and experienced than those three.
Idol worship is bad. My first-choice for president was Richardson, but I certainly didn't deify him (and wasn't even thrilled with everything he said) during the primaries. Barack Obama has many nutty, overly-zealous supporters. Hillary Clinton has many nutty, overly-zealous supporters. So did Howard Dean. So did Al Gore. So does Bill Clinton, even to this day.
(Of course, not ALL supporters of these politicians are nutty and over-zealous; but the ones who are tend to be the LOUDEST, and get the most media coverage...gee, I wonder why?...)
So it's time for these people to put away their Hillary Clinton idols and move on with their lives. |
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