I love it when I spend days upon days on a couple of chapters only to finally admit to myself that I need to rewrite the whole thing. It’s a good thing and a bad thing. It’s good because I realize I have to rewrite it. It’s bad because I kept on ignoring that realization. Cest la vie.
When I think about a scene and the characters involved, I think a lot about their actions. Their actions, more than what they say, tell a deeper story. If someone slams their hand on the table and says, “I’m calm,” we know that’s not true. If a character does something meaningless with no foreseeable goal, then it’s possible they’re there to just eaves drop without appearing to be, for example.
I learned from my days in acting that drawing from life and putting them in art is a great resource of inspiration.
My nephew had interviewed for a job where I work, the glorious corporate world. He’d been working through college at Home Depot. After being called back for a second interview, I had inquired what the managers had thought about my nephew. Unfortunately for him, I have no pull. Their main concern was he seemed desperate to leave Home Depot.
From what my nephew had told me, it didn’t sound like it. Now, if someone worked through college at a retail store, graduate, and then looks for a job, they’re looking to move on. Right? I mean, is it a sin to go out and use your college degree to get a better job?
I had just watched an episode of Bones, and the psychologist talked about self-projection. An example of this is when we hate something about another person; it’s really something we hate about ourselves. I tend to find this true more often than not, especially within me.
It’s amazing how much some of the people at work complain. How some of them feel imprisoned. How they yearn for the weekend, look forward to vacations, but can’t leave their jobs because they have to pay for their Bimmers or Luis Vuittons. Are they projecting themselves onto my nephew, desperate to leave?
I’ve been keeping an eye on how AT&T reacted once Verizon had gotten the right to sell the famed iPhone 4. A little history. Verizon had been on a successful ad campaign against AT&T. So when AT&T started selling the iPhone 4, they got rid of their unlimited data plan, something that pissed off a lot of customers. Instead of improving their network to handle all of their customers thanks to Apple’s iPhone exclusivity, they limited new customers’ usage: We have the fastest network. Just don’t use it that much. Here’s what AT&T did once Verizon iPhone 4 went on sale:
In my book there is a tattoo culture. Each family has their own symbol or emblem, which is customarily tattooed within the frame of an armband. Recreational tats are also used. If the person is a warrior and is moving up the ranks, then tattoos will represent that.
I love tats.
For me, tattoos should have meaning. They can represent a period in my life, something I may want to let go, something that I want to remember forever, or something that represents one of my philosophies in life. So I take a long time to decide what I want to get. But that’s part of the fun. The other part is the pain involved. But that’s another post.
One of my favorite shows is The Actor’s Studio, hosted by James Lipton. He’s interviewed famous actors, directors, and some writers, exploring how they got to where they are today. One of the running themes of the show is tattoos. Every time an actor has one, or several, Lipton asks them about it. He whines how he can’t have a tattoo because his wife won’t allow it.
One of my friends wants a tattoo. He’s a doctor. His wife won’t allow him to have one. She said it isn’t proper for a doctor. My initial thought is, if it’s covered under clothes, how would anyone know?
My second thought is, why are these men allowing their wives to tell them what they can or cannot do with their bodies? It’s their bodies, their life; they can do with it as they wish. Right?
If my friend wanted to quit his job just because he felt like it, then that’s different. He’s the sole breadwinner, and his family depends on him. But getting a tattoo shouldn’t change his wife’s love or appreciation for him. Right? He’s still the same person.
If my friend was single and wanted to quit his job, then he should. He has to live with the rewards or consequences of doing so, but he’s only affecting himself and not anyone else.
Isn’t getting a tattoo only affecting the person getting it?
It pisses me off that people try to tell others what to do. We live in a society of blending in. You wanna look good and be part of the right group of people? Wear the right clothes sold at the GAP. Have your hair this way. Talk right. Earn this much. Color within the lines.
You want a good job? Get a college degree. Really?
Steve Jobs never got one and look at where he is. Is he an exception? I don’t think so. In his lecture to Stanford’s 2005 graduates, he tells them that he’s always lived a life of passion, and followed it. For him, the incomprehensible dots that led him out of college and into that famous garage wasn’t planned, nor could he even see what they would lead to. Not until he arrived could he connect the dots looking back.
So live your life. Follow your passions. You’ll never know where they’ll lead you.
The iPhone 4 has come out and reviewers from techies such as PC World and financial papers such as The Wall Street Journal have given it two thumbs up.
But it may have one big flaw, or fraw as mother would say. The antenna being on the outside of the phone, making up the glass and metal casing, is causing reception issues when held in a certain way. How huge they are depends on the strength ot AT&T’s signal in that area.
There have been thousands upon thousands of angry complaints, one law suit filed, another on the way, and the Willy Wonka like CEO simply said not to hold it that way. There were simple solutions like buying a case, or bumper, or using scotch tape to relieve the issue. Which it does.
Has that stopped the complaints? No.
There are two basic choices. Keep it or return the damn phone.
I’m a huge fan of Apple and Steve Jobs. Jobs never graduated from college, but by following his heart, he had cofounded one of the most influential companies the world has seen. Many counted the phone maker out when Apple was a few months away from bankruptcy.Many wireless carriers denied Apple a chance when presented with their plans for the iPhone.Now, it’s a global phenom.
One of my friends waited nine hours for one. Geezus Kryst!
Despite the reception issue (it is a phone dammit), most iPhone 4 users, around two million at this point, will not return the phone but relagate to complaining. People put so much emphasis on the one negative and not see the massive positives and wonder why their lives suck.
About a year ago after a long writing session at Borders, I was about to leave. I walked by the magazine rack and saw an article onWIREDabout how the iPhone blew up. I began to read because my brother had given me one for Christmas when it first came out. Very generous of him.
The cool thing about it was how Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, challenged the wireless carriers. Something that none of the cell phone makers were able to do.
According to the article, the carriers dictated what features could go on a handset, how it should operate and such. But Jobs probably had a dream: phone calls from an iPod.
I also think there were several carriers and industry experts that scoffed at the idea, thinking the market for that would be small. And the Blackberry was king of smartphones at the time.
Jobs went ahead with his idea, basing the iPhone on a concept model Apple made before.
When the iPhone first came out, it was met with great fanfare. The reviews were mixed and several features were missing that were found on more mediocre cell phones. But it became a hit.
On June 19th, this past Friday, I stood in line for the newest iteration, the iPhone 3GS. News reporters, Mac fans, and Apple store employees gathered to what looked like a small scaled Star Trek convention. People came in costume, others carried old Macs while in line, customers were interviewed, employees handed out water or juice bottles for those in line. It was really cool.
So what’s the point of this on a website that focuses on fantasy and individuality?
The iPhone was fantasy before it became real, and Jobs took on giants, namely the wireless carriers, and won. No one, not even RIM, makers of Crackberry (Blackberry), had changed the field as Apple did. Apple may be big, but in the scheme of things they’re tiny in comparison to those they took on.
Dream big, don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t, and go forth with action. Isn’t that what all great strories depict?
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