What I Had For Breakfast

Random Pics From Virginia

2012-02-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

Sitter

2012-02-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to find a house/cat sitter since we're going back to New Orleans for work. It's a pain in the ass. I posted on FB and several people have written and asked for info, which I send them, then I never hear from them again. Or they can't commit to the full 4 months. Um, why would I want to tag-team a house-sitting position? I did finally get one person who may not flake out on me - we'll know more on Monday from her.

I did go ahead and post on the website we usually use. I don't know how many messages I've gotten yet but we'll have to start weeding through those. It's a bit of a pain in the ass as well but has to be done.

At some point we're going to be down to just one cat and we'll take it with us. And if we get a new cat I'm going to leash train it. I still want a second dog but the husband thinks it's a bad idea to get a dog and then go on location. I can see his point but I think that the dog will adjust to the change in environment knowing that it's with its new pack. But it has to be a joint decision. So that will wait until we get home in July. It's not like there aren't going to be dogs that need homes in July...

Catch Up

2012-02-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

Sorry to have been away so long. I find that FB satisfies my immediate need to post what is going on in my world but it does tend to get me in trouble. Anyway, I am unemployed again, having finished work on the show in Richmond - the one about the bearded, stove-pipe-hat wearing president. The work wasn't particularly hard but I was not a fan of most of the people I worked with. I really hope to never work with most of them again. There were a couple, though, that made it bearable.

Wasn't a huge fan of Richmond, either. I think part of that is due to where we lived. If we had lived in a more historic area, or Carytown, it probably would have left a better impression on me. But I loved D.C. and would go back there in a heartbeat!

We did a lot of site-seeing on our way east this time. We had intended to take a week but ended up taking two (a story for another post). But most of it was really good and I'm glad we ended up with the time to do it. We started in Flagstaff, saw Meteor Crater, stopped to see the James Garner statue in Oklahoma, went to the Arkansas diamond mines, visited Hot Springs, saw the Cumberland Gap, and more. I'm probably going to have to look through my pics to remember them all.

As it is, I've got some time off before my next job, which I don't actually have lined up yet. The current hot lead is New Orleans (again). We'll see. I need to file my unemployment and get on with the purge that we started last year. And I need to get my tax stuff together, especially if we end up going out of town again!

100 Thing Challenge

2011-08-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

Every time I got back from location I would look at the stuff in my house and wonder why I thought I needed it all. I've been paring things down a bit at a time (donations and a yard sale) but now it's serious - we've decided to do the 100 Thing Challenge.

I'm reading the book and it's been an eye-opener for me. There's more to it than just getting rid of stuff and parts of it strike really close to home. Once the husband reads the book, we'll sit down and write out our rules. I don't know if we'll stick to 100 or some other number, but I already think we'll be dividing it up into his, hers, and ours.

He'll get his library, I'll get my jewelry, we'll clean out the kitchen cabinets... It should be fun. I'm debating starting another blog to track the donations. I have to track them for the IRS, might as well show the world how much stuff 2 people can accumulate...

Who's Getting Punished?

2011-07-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

I wanted to process the checks in advance for the people who are staying in town so I wouldn't have to take them back to CA with me. Mr Dumbass Boss decides he's not going to pay anybody in advance because they don't deserve it. Um, hello? I wasn't going to give them their checks. Just trying to get the paperwork off my desk.

I hate that he can piss me off so easily. I think I will ask again tomorrow and see if he actually thought about what I was doing or if he just had a knee-jerk reaction.

Can't wait to be done.

Next Show

2011-07-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

I've got my next show lined up - going to Virginia. It's not everything I wanted but it's 98%. I'm going to be an assistant and it's only for 3 months, otherwise I would have held firm for the full 100%. I can only hope this all works out; being an assistant is new for me but I think the show will be big enough to keep us both busy and we'll have a clerk to push paper around.

My main reason for accepting this show is it's with a studio I've never worked with before. I've heard nothing but fantastic things about them and I've been wanting to get my foot in their door. I don't know much about the key accountant or the payroll accountant but I'm hoping I'll fit in. If nothing else, it is only 3 months. And we'll be less than 2 hours from D.C. so we're planning on seeing all of the sights. Just have to find a dog daycare for the Sofie. She won't be happy but it'll be good for her.

My current show is finally winding down. We finished the last bit of filming in 1 day instead of 2 and that's all paid out. I'm in full wrap mode and we're chugging along to pull out next week. Then I've got 2 or 3 weeks at home and done is done.

My coworker, who called me a martyr and a liar, is starting to be friendly again. I'm not really interested unless there's an apology but I don't see that happening. Even with an apology I don't see us being actual friends. It's too bad because I thought that's where we were headed... Even so, it makes it easier to be in the office.

I have been thinking about the martyr comment though. He might be right. I'm going to have to work on that one...

3 Jobs

2011-07-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

I'm talking to a new accountant about a show going to Richmond, VA in September. It's a big show with a new studio (for me) but I would only be the Payroll Assistant. I'm kind of thinking a step back would be a good thing for me and since they are willing to pay my rate it's even better. All I'm waiting for is them to approve the housing allowance. That is a deal breaker - I can't live in a hotel for 4 months.

In the meantime, I've gotten contacted by two old accountants for shows (one in Los Angeles and one in Detroit). I would be happy to work with either of them again but the timing isn't great - both would start by the end of August. I really think I need to take some time off (more than just a couple of weeks).

I asked my current boss (Ass) when I was done because I was getting these calls and he said "you want to leave us?" as if I haven't wanted to leave since sometime in May. Finally got him to admit he's hoping I'll stay through 8/12 and that he's got the money for me to stay until 8/26 - don't really see that happening... I will stay until the work is done and then I am out.

Anyway, I have to call the VA show and tell them to make a decision.

And I had meant to post about something else, some profound idea I had, that left my head the moment after it was fully formed...

Fireworks!

2011-07-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

I managed to get all of my time cards split and scanned in time to get down to the river to see the fireworks. If I had gotten done sooner I would have gone down to the aquarium but as it was, I just went to the Riverwalk Mall - they have a balcony overlooking the water. I had a pretty good view but I wish I had taken the time to get the music simulcast on my phone. It would have enhanced the show as well as drown out the know-it-all I got stuck next to - he was more than happy to narrate everything...

Anyway, they were not as good as Boston (but really, who could compare?) but it was still a good show and I'm glad I went. I love fireworks. I took some pics and video but I have to see if they turned out and get them off my phone.

Dog

2011-06-23T06:45:00.001-07:00

Saw a dog walking itself on the way to work this morning. It had a collar and tags but I'm worried about it. I tried to circle the block and catch it but the one way streets stymied my attempt. I hope it's ok.

No More FB

2011-06-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

I had to close my work-related FB account. I got myself in trouble again since I can't seem to keep my mouth shut. It sucks because my boss is an ass and I'm so unhappy on this show.

I went ahead and closed my personal account, too. I'm not sure if I'll put it back up or not.

I just want to be off this show and I wish I'd been fired.

I Never Learn

2011-06-17T22:19:00.000-07:00

Despite M coming in, I got my ass handed to me. There's been so much crap on this show and I am over it. I will get into more detail but the biggest issue has been my boss. It's a long story but I stood up to him today and I don't know how that's going to play out. I doubt I'll be lucky enough to get fired...

Changes

2011-05-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Well, my boring assistant quit. He decided the commute was too much for him and took another show in his home town. He claims he didn't seek it out, that it came up as a result of the resumes he had sent out after his last show but I have my doubts. Anyway, he told me on Monday that he was interviewing and Friday was his last day. It would have been his last day even if he hadn't gotten the job...

I really feel like I want to write about all the crap I went through with old-man-clerk but I can't. It's too much for me and I just want to let it go. I think that's part of getting older. You get tired of your own bitching faster. I know other people must be tired of it, too.

So now I am without a clerk but we did bring on a friend of mine (M) to do the 2nd unit payroll and accounting. She's going to take over his desk - it will be nice to have someone in the office who isn't miserable. And I won't fell obligated to make small talk or be cheery. She knows what this job is really like.

We did get a resume for a person to be the clerk. I think S was going to call him yesterday but I don't know if he did or not. I'm trying to take it all in stride and not freak out. It doesn't do any good, any way. And maybe now that M is in town, we can hit some of the tourist spots. We did a lot of that in Boston and had a great time. I hope she ends up on the same Sunday through Thursday schedule I'm on.

ARGH!

2011-04-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

I should not work with an assistant until I can clone myself or get Alison on every show. More later...

Ennui?

2011-04-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

I overslept Thursday morning. I have a new phone and I probably didn't set the alarm correctly but still, it was 9:05am before a text from a coworker got me up. I had opened my eyes earlier and noticed it was light out but figured the alarm would go off soon and I went back to sleep.

I was surprised to realize that I didn't really care. I got up and showered and packed my lunch and went to work but it didn't seem to matter to me that I was an hour late. I didn't apologize to my boss or anyone else, just strode in and started working. This isn't really like me but for some reason, on this show, I just don't care.

Even though my last show was so difficult for me and my relationship with my boss got so strained I got another job right away. Actually, despite the problems I had on that show, the studio wanted me to take another show for them. They just waited a day too long. Literally.

I'm not sure what point I'm trying to make. I'll figure it out eventually.

In other news, JD is coming to town this week. I'm not sure how many days he'll be on set, but no more than 2. From everything I've heard he's supposed to be a nice guy but the drama surrounding him is going to be a complete pain in the ass; dealing with his entourage and requirements. I would like to see him in person at least once. I wonder if he's as short as most actors seem to be?

The View From Under The Bus

2011-04-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

An accountant I worked for in Boston IM'd me to ask if I had any of the waivers for the state. I sent her what I had.

Just found out someone at the studio is mad because of it. Apparently the information on it is old/bad and the recipient threw me under the bus as the originator of the document.

Whatever. Gotta learn to stop helping people out.

My Assistant

2011-04-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

I don't like him. I don't know why. He's not offensive but he is boring. Not sure what to do as I need the help...

Movies and Books

2011-04-17T14:46:00.000-07:00

I think I've seen more movies (in the theatre) since Brian's been gone than I saw all last year. I've seen Rango, Paul, Hanna, and The Conspirator. I wouldn't recommend Rango but the others were great. Sadly, my movie buddy is out of town next weekend. I'll either have to go by myself or ask someone else. Probably going to be a solo trip to see Water For Elephants. I enjoyed the book and my assistant on S8 worked on it. She also read/liked the book and said they did a pretty good job with the adaptation.

If I don't go, I'll have to find something else to occupy my time. It's a 3 day weekend for us and if I'm not careful I'll end up sleeping it away or reading all day.

I have started reading again but at the moment I'm really into A Discovery of Witches. I got it as an audio book and I've listened to it once and have started on it a second time. It's really struck a chord with me and I'm not sure why. I have ideas, but nothing I've managed to examine too closely. I have other stuff to read, though, so I'm not sure if I'll listen to the whole thing again.

Anyway, I've finished with my time cards - it's my first Sunday working on this show. I don't have everything but I don't think that will be a problem this week. We'll see how it goes next week...

Show Your Work

2011-04-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

I've been doing payroll for more than 10 years. I've gotten to the point I can look at a basic, prep week time card and know that I have to pay for 55 hours. If necessary, I will break down the times a bit further and then tally the hours on the calculator and only indicate the total money due. It saves time.

Today, for the first time, an accountant came into my office and told me that I needed to show my work otherwise the studio auditors will think I just copied the numbers from the edit. I can't imagine the look that must have been on my face - I couldn't believe what I was hearing. If an auditor ever suggested I copied the edit instead of doing the work myself I think I would walk out.

I'm not going to change my ways. When we are shooting and more writing is necessary I will write more. As for now, I'm 40 years old and I'm not in school. I don't have to show you how I reached my conclusion. Ass.

Start Paperwork

2011-04-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

Listen - I'm not trying to start something. I'm just trying to tell you that your "stash" of start paperwork is gone. There are no more packets hiding in S's office. I don't care if you had the PA make some yesterday: he made 20 and the hair and makeup dept heads just took 15.

And if I have the time, I'm happy to make more. I'm not trying to make a point by doing it, I'm just making start packets.

Why now? Because we aren't shooting yet. We aren't super busy yet. We have the time to spare now.

And just so you know, the 200 packets your PA is starting? They won't last through the first week of May. You'd think you'd know that by now. This isn't your first show.

Stupid

2011-04-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

If it wasn't for "Tom Hanson" making a cameo, I'd have nothing to look forward to on this show. Eh, maybe I exaggerate but really, I'm having trouble dealing with the stupid. Sometimes I think I'm too good at my job to put up with crap and then I wonder if I'm just being a stuck up bitch. It got to me today and in the end I had to walk away. I don't feel like the 2 people I report to have my back at all and that's a tough spot to be in. And I miss my dog. I've never been this lonely on location. It won't last forever and maybe once we start shooting I'll be too busy to be lonely or to care.

Mr Lack-of-Personality

2011-04-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

I can understand not paying me gas when I'm driving my own car - it's a liability issue.

I can't understand not reimbursing me for the cost of 5 cans of soup per week when I choose not to order lunch with the rest of the crew. So that stops now. I will be ordering lunch everyday and if I can get some veggies out of it, great. Otherwise my assistant gets a take-home dinner. Or maybe I should put soup on the craft service list?

And yes, I did try to get a postage scale for myself in lieu of the normal 6th day payment I get when I switch my work week. But you caught it, didn't you? I'll find something else. It won't be $80 all in one go, though. I'll be sure to spend $100 in increments instead.

No wonder no one wants to work with you more than once... I hope the studio rewards you handsomely for screwing over your staff.

Sticky

2011-04-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

I decided to start getting up an hour earlier so I could continue to walk to work without getting disgusting because of the humidity. I didn't think it through because today is a rare cool day in NOLA - a front passed through last night and it's only about 56 degrees right now. I should have enjoyed the hour's sleep...

Crocs

2011-04-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

Since I have to stand all day at work I have started wearing Crocs. I bought one pair of their work shoes and liked them so much I just went back and bought 3 more pairs. None of the are the basic sandal model and no, I didn't buy any jibbits.

Walking

2011-04-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a walk down to the French Quarter. The husband was upset with me because I didn't leave the condo yesterday after my acupuncture, Walmart run, and stop at the post office. It's the first full weekend he's been gone and it got to me... so I took a nap. Then I couldn't fall asleep last night. That will teach me.

But I walked. I went down to the aquarium and over to the park along the river. I walked to the end of the path, then cut through the French Market and circled the park in Jackson Square (in front of the cathedral). Then I came home. It was nice enough, not too hot and humid, but the city smells. The few businesses that had sprayed down their sidewalk didn't help enough. I can't imagine living down there and having that smell permeate everything.

SC and I are going to see a movie today and we'll probably have dinner as well. Last week we saw Rango and had sushi. I really wanted to like Rango but it just didn't work. At least the sushi was delicious. Today we're supposed to see Paul. We'll see if it's better than Rango.

21JS

2011-04-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

I'm in New Orleans working on the remake of the 80's show that made Johnny Depp famous. And I'm in it for the location and the possibility of his cameo. Somebody had better get on that!

Anyway, the office isn't dog friendly so Sofie has gone home with her dad. I'm lonely but it's getting busy at work so that helps.

I don't post often enough. FB takes care of a lot of my venting and it's easier. But I think I need to start blogging again. If nothing else it's slightly more anonymous...

New Orleans is an interesting town. It's kind of fabulous and kind of a dump. All of these historic buildings with sidewalks covered in stinking trash cans. The streets are horrendous and the locals can't drive worth shit. We saw more accidents here in the first 6 weeks than I ever saw in Boston (both times I was there!). We got rear-ended by a taxi - that was fun. Took 3 hours for a cop to show up and it was pouring rain.

Speaking of which, the drainage in this town is non-existent. I guess that's what happens when a good portion of the city is technically under sea level.

My back is still screwed up from the herniated disc. I have a drafting table desk and I can't sit for long, or at all if the chair is soft. I did find that Croc work shoes are amazing and I've been wearing them exclusively - I need more than one pair.

I think when it's time for my next show I'm going to aim for Seattle or Portland. Nothing farther away than Santa Fe. And I have to have my Sofie with me - no dog, no show.

Repercussions Part 2

2010-12-28T12:13:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago, the studio called my boss and offered her a really big project - over 200 million and 3 countries. She told them she didn't want it but they asked her to meet with the producers anyway. She did and they liked her and it looked like she'd be taking it.

Fast forward to last week when her direct boss at the studio called her and told her they needed her to pass on the project. Apparently there were people higher up the food chain who felt they needed to take a break from working together because of what transpired on this multi-named monstrosity.

So what does that tell me? That yes, there are repercussions but they are not always in the direction one may think. It also tells me I need to find out who is getting that show.

Part II

2010-12-28T11:09:00.000-08:00

We don't know how or why, but Darby got better. She figured out that we weren't trying to kill her and stopped trying to reciprocate. Can't say she actually started "playing" but blood stopped flowing so freely. We didn't even have to extend the deadline.

Sometime during all of this, we decided that Darby was Russian. Something about the way her eyes looked, a straight line across the top, made us think Soviet. So ever since she's been a loyal member of the Communist party and often threatens to put her cat brothers up against the wall for various infractions.

Darby and her brothers never did get along. Baxter was the worst for tormenting her - lying in wait and then jumping her. And then she'd turn around and kick Quincy's ass because he was a wuss.

But she did tolerate the dog fairly well.

Darby - A History in 3 Parts

2010-12-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

Part I - October 2004

I decided we needed a 3rd cat. We went to the Van Nuys pound and looked around and I liked the looks of this one cat - a brown spotted coat with a gold/yellow undertone. They opened up the cage door and she head-butted my hand and that was that. Thundra was ours.

The shelter sent her to a local vet for spaying and they did a terrible job; she got an infection that could have killed her. We took her to our regular vet and they immediately started her on fluids and then kept her overnight. It was an expensive start.

When Darby finally came home, her dad took care of her and kept her company. She didn't recover right away but she got better daily. Then we realized that she was a mean little shit who had no concept of play. She was around 2 years old and we had no idea of her history but it wasn't nice if her temperament meant anything. She bit and clawed and left a lot of scars. It was so bad that we actually decided that if she wasn't better by Thanksgiving she would be going back to the pound.

Darby Says Hello

2010-12-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

Another Possibility...

2010-12-01T09:55:00.001-08:00

I've tried to make myself feel better about all of this by telling myself that if my boss didn't trust in my ability to do the job right then she wouldn't leave so much up to me. Sadly it only goes so far...

Demeaned

2010-12-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

I have never worked on a show that disregarded the needs of payroll as much as this one does. More often than not, I sign the time cards and send them to the payroll company. I've even cut checks and distributed them before the people with authority have even finished signing them. It's not supposed to be this way. I'm not supposed to have this kind of power. I think if I wanted to I could slip an extra person or two into the mix and no one would even notice...

The husband keeps asking me if I'm ever going to work for this woman again and I keep telling him no with the caveat that at some point she may be the only job option. Even then it will depend on the size of the show and the amount of staff. She really can't expect do keep doing these bigger shows if she's not willing to put in the time necessary to do the work.

I sent the time cards in on Monday under my signature. The UPM finished signing them yesterday around 5:30pm (after telling me to come to his office at 11am and then never being available). My boss left at her usual time between 6 and 6:30pm after promising me she would sign them in the morning. I just went in to get whatever she had finished with (because I already have edits from the payroll company) but she hasn't touched them and doesn't think she's going to get to them today. So I took them. I'm going to do my work with them and she can deal with them afterward. They won't be in the nice code-order she prefers but I think she's going to know better than to say anything...

So Fucking Annoying

2010-11-28T12:27:00.000-08:00

I am so tired of having to deal with crew people who don't think I know how to do my job. The DGA trainee wrote me an email asking if she should do new time cards for 2 of the AD's because she forgot to note meal money. I wrote back and told her I pay by the rules, not what she writes on the gd card. Really? I've been doing this 12+ years and I'm supposed to rely on a trainee to be able to break a DGA time card?

And then there are the people who have 10 hour guarantees... I know they have that guarantee. I'm usually the one confirming that it is approved and noted correctly on the paperwork. But when they have a short day they always feel the need to push out the wrap time to make sure it shows 10 hours. Doesn't matter that it screws up meal penalties or turnaround. By dog! If they don't show 10 hours they won't get paid 10 hours! BULLSHIT!!! That's my job - that's what I'm paid to do. And you make it harder when I have to find out why your time card doesn't match the production report and then deal with the extra nonsense that your little adjustment caused. ARGH!!!

And this movie is so close to going over budget it's ridiculous. I get the feeling we may not be paying the director after all - it may be the only way to keep under the $75 million cap for the state rebate. Not like he needs the money but I do wonder when the shit's going to hit the fan. We only have 3 weeks left...

F U Non-Disclosure Agreements!

2010-11-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Repercussions

2010-11-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

I had a sweet job offer the other day and I really wanted to take it. I had it all set where I would work my current show through the end of December and then go onto the new show. We finish shooting on the 16th so that would give me 2 weeks to get things cleaned up instead of the 6 weeks they have planned.

I went into my boss' office last night and told her about my offer and it didn't go well. I can't even remember all the things she said to me but I can remember she told me that while she couldn't stop me from leaving, I would have to know there would be repercussions for my actions.

Wow. That stopped me pretty cold.

So I told the new show that it wasn't going to work out (unless they hired a friend of mine to start and I would come on at the beginning of February). It's an option but it's not ideal for anyone.

But the repercussions have already begun. I don't think my boss said 2 words to me today, including walking past my door on her way out with out saying goodbye. I can't believe I worked so hard for this result. Makes me think I should just leave anyway...

Roses from Sunday

2010-11-16T08:36:00.001-08:00

My Sunday

2010-11-14T18:18:00.000-08:00

I can't vent on FB anymore so I thought I'd keep a running commentary on my day to help get through it.

I really don't want to be here.

People are really sloppy with paperwork that gets them paid.

If we had 4 animal trainers working on Tuesday, why is there no mention of an animal being needed on the call sheet?

My assistant took payroll to set last Thursday and said it was the most uncomfortable set she'd ever been on and that the director wasn't happy. I asked how she knew - she said the yelling gave it away. Apparently he didn't like the stunt double they brought in.

I had to write an email to the guy in charge of the production reports. He's supposedly giving me the most up-to-date reports for Sunday's work but they never are. It's very frustrating having to look at several sources to get my info.

I overpaid mileage - hard to keep track when it's not the same for everybody.

Eh, it's the same old crap every week. I'm tired of it. But I did buy myself flowers today! Too bad I can't get them to post...

6th Day

2010-11-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

I'm at work on my 6th day because I couldn't get everything done in 5 days. I'm not getting paid for it so you'd better believe I'm not doing anything more than the minimum. I'm not taking phone calls or dealing with anything else. I did initial the vouchers because I would have been taking them home otherwise. And it's a way to kill time until the payroll company finishes with my stuff.

I don't even really have any good stories from this show. The main actors are kids and aren't doing much. One of the adult stars was overheard having a phone conversation where it sounded as if was hooking up with two women at once. That sent us on a hunt to find out if we had twins working as extras in WV but we couldn't confirm it.

Fucking Teamsters

2010-11-09T15:27:00.000-08:00

Those fucktard Teamsters out of Pittsburgh are grieving the show over the most ridiculous bullshit. I hope they all fail the next dmv test and have to find work doing something else. Damn, I hate them.

Baxter

2010-10-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

When I got home last night and saw Baxter I knew his time had come. He's very thin and frail but seems to be alert and pain-free. He knew who I was and let me scratch him under the chin awhile. But it's time. I'm glad I got to see him and I'm glad I'll be there to hold him while he goes. My handsome Boo.

Done

2010-10-23T09:04:00.001-07:00

I hate this job and I would quit in a heartbeat if it wasn't for my boss. I know she's trying to find help for me and I know it's just not out there. I also think if I left her high and dry she'd blacklist me.

Tanks

2010-10-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

We have a bunch of tanks and stuff in this movie (military moving something out of Area 51 and all). I've been asking since I found out for a ride. Today, I'm going for a ride in a tank. Doesn't quite make up for these past few weeks but damn, I'm going and I'm going to enjoy it.

Rough Week

2010-10-17T06:27:00.000-07:00

I've had a really rough couple of weeks. This job has been nothing but 12-14 hour days, 6 and 7 days a week, bad paperwork, and unpleasant people. Nobody is happy to be here anymore and it's showing. I've been accused of not being able to do my job (which will be another post), of being at fault for people getting paid late, and I'm dealing with some psycho local who is on disability and worked too much and wants me to pull of some kind of miracle for her (which in the end would be illegal). My cat is dying, my husband has to deal with him all alone, I miss him and my furry family, and going home seems to be a long way off.

Then I hear from E and realize there are still worse things in the world than what I'm going through.

Facebook

2010-10-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

I canceled my Facebook account. I'll set up a new one but I'm only allowing friends and family on it - no more coworkers.

Failure

2010-10-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

I can no longer do my job to the standard to which I aspire (sounds pretentious when it's grammatically correct, doesn't it?). But the truth is I feel like I'm having a slow-speed meltdown trying to be perfect. I've been told I'm better than other payroll accountants but at what cost? I get so frustrated with the stupidity I have to deal with on every show, thinking that if I did my job the way they do theirs I'd never work again. But the truth is I could probably do 75% of what I'm doing now and still be fine. I could get it all done if I worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week but that's contributing to the stress, not alleviating it. Smaller shows - I'm on my own. Bigger shows get more help but never enough or not the right kind. I just don't see a way out. I want to do a good job without it being so damn hard.

Okay, vent over...

Time for bed. Got to get up and do it all again tomorrow.

Oh, check YouTube - there's video of the explosions from the other night. So much for secrecy, huh?

How Much Longer?

2010-10-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

The VFX producer came by to give me some info and let slip that she thinks we're going to be here longer than originally planned. Not sure how long but probably a week... She said she was supposed to have the cemetery scene (a big VFX scene) on Friday but it's Tuesday and they're just now shooting it.

I really want to go to home. I miss the husband and I want to see Baxter before he gets too sick. And I'm tired of working 12+ hour days 6 and 7 days a week. The money is good but it's exhausting.

They've been trying to find someone to do the CA payroll but no one is available. The 1st offered to do it on a 6th day, which would be cheaper than hiring a new body, but it hasn't been approved yet. At this point I just want to stop having to ship paperwork back and forth across the country.

In other news, I'm planning on going to the Warhol Museum this Saturday. Not that I was ever a big fan but I don't dislike his work and it might be interesting. If nothing else it's not Weirton for the day.

Sometimes...

2010-09-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

my job really sucks. I probably had 200 start cards last week and another 75 this week. I don't know why we're hiring so many people but I don't like it. I guess if they were hiring us some more help I'd be ok but they are only throwing bodies on the set, not into the office. I'd better get to ride in a damn tank this week or I'm going to be pissed.

Tales From WV

2010-09-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

Our show is obsessed with secrecy - changing the name several times and not posting any of them in public. But the husband knows more about what's going on here than I do just by checking the internet. I don't think there's much secrecy in the world anymore...

Our teenage female lead signs the Exhibit G every day with a different little picture: a heart, a bow, etc. Much nicer to see than the "pig fucker" and "boner pie" from that crap show in Phx (which still hasn't been released).

I was on the phone outside today and one of our actors was trying to get in to the hotel. I recognized him but didn't say anything. I did let him in with my key, though.

Anyway, not much is happening yet. I'm planning on going out to set when the tanks and flame-throwers work. I've been pestering Transpo for a ride in the tank for weeks.

Pittsburgh

2010-09-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

My first foray to Pittsburgh was a mitigated disaster. My plan was to find a BofA and deposit my check, then go to the Warhol Museum. I thought I was lucky for getting to exit the highway before traffic backed up but my GPS told me I was going the wrong way and that way was backed up, too. I eventually got where I wanted to go but the ATM didn't have check deposit and there wasn't an open bank anywhere nearby. The ATM was in a mall though so I did a little shopping at Sephora (hence the mitigated designation). It was 1pm by then and I just didn't want to deal with it anymore. I stopped at Chick-Fil-A (also part of the mitigated designation) and got lunch then headed back to Weirton.

We're having a kick-off BBQ tomorrow afternoon and if I don't get some work done today I won't be able to go. So here I am at work. I'm going to try again next weekend - maybe I won't be so jet-lagged and I'll be able to get up an go earlier...

Baxter

2010-09-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

Despite what my husband says is not going to live forever. First he was diagnosed with diabetes. Then they found he had an enlarged heart and liver. Then they did an ultrasound and an echo-cardiogram and diagnosed Cushing's disease. Then he got fluid build-up in his chest, which they drained and is still leaking. He's on more meds and still on insulin shots and got so pissy with the husband that he just pooped on him. I hope he makes it until I get home.

Hang on...

2010-09-17T10:40:00.001-07:00

Make that 3 "Gung-Ho" and 1 "Dragon" credit.

Now What?

2010-09-17T10:31:00.001-07:00

The show in WV has changed its name again. It's a symbol, like Prince, but pronounceable. Obviously I can't say what it is but it looks like a reel of film...

And there are 2 new hires who would like to be credited as "Gung-Ho". Good luck with that, dudes. There's a lot of stupid on this movie.

To Push or Not To Push

2010-09-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

There was a chance we were going to push a week or two because of casting issues. It would have been nice as I would have been in town to help B at the Shrine sale but it didn't happen. I don't know if they got the actor they wanted or if they gave up on him but we are on schedule.

Actually, I don't have any idea who is cast in this movie - all of the lead kid actors are unknowns and we haven't seen anything on anybody else. I have to say all of this secret-keeping is annoying. Maybe it works for them but it's a pain in the ass for the crew. I'm not going to be allowed to read the script (which you have to do at the director's production company under watch) and they are holding off on releasing shooting schedules because they have script info on them. Ugh. This movie is not what I thought it would be. It better be worth it...

I don't have too much to report on the rest of the crew. The director of photography seems pretty cool - not as arrogant as most camera people. On Friday 2 guys walked past our offices and I said to my assistant "those two were tools" just based on how they acted. Then they came into the office and turns out they were camera assistants. After they left, my boss came in and asked me "camera guys?" We all laughed at that because it's so fucking obvious sometimes.

Anyway, I leave for WV on Tuesday and will be there until October 12th or 15th - haven't decided how long I'll need to stay. I'm looking forward to it but I'm going to miss everyone and I'm worried about Boo (my oldest cat). His diabetes may be under control but he's got an enlarged heart, an enlarged liver, an infection, and he's anemic. He's getting an ultrasound today so hopefully we'll get some answers. He's staring at me balefully because he's not allowed any food and he's not happy about it. Neither are the other two cats for that matter.

Tense Tuesday

2010-09-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday work was a little tense. I backtracked with my assistant to paperwork and the details of who gets what and when. The studio gets certain pieces, the payroll company gets certain pieces, different things get copied and then we keep the copy or the original depending... it's a lot to remember. I don't think she took notes at the time but I checked some of her work and it was good.

But I don't know how this is going to work out. I will just have to let her do the work and figure it out. I tried talking to her about the training itself but it didn't get anywhere. She didn't have much to say and gave me nothing to work with. I'm just going to have to hope she figures it out sooner rather than later.

In other news, if you order a salad in WV it comes with french fries in it. Not with it, but IN it.

Try Not To Freak Out

2010-08-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

I hired my assistant and she started last Tuesday. Found out on Friday that she's "not very good with numbers and it takes her longer than normal people." I wish she had told me that before I hired her especially since we talked in the interview about how I would teach her payroll if she wanted to learn and she was enthusiastic about it. So now it looks like I have to scale it back and just limit her to pushing papers around. Not that it won't be helpful but it's sure not as much as I was hoping for... I wonder if the dog-park woman would have been better.

In other news, I took my friend C to my tattoo artist yesterday. She got an infinity symbol on her left wrist. He did a great job embellishing it and I will post a pic soon. I want to get 2 more tattoos, well 3, but the husband only knows about the 2 - a quote around my ankle and three roses on my shoulder. The 3rd is my dog and although I've mentioned it before B doesn't like the idea. I've also considered having the one on my hand extended up my arm. We'll see.

Better Be Worth It

2010-08-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

I took this movie because I wanted to work on it - it wasn't just a paycheck on another crappy show. I had hopes that it would be a great film on my resume (for once) and that it might lead to better things. But it's turning into something of a situation. First there's the commute - an hour each way mostly just sitting in traffic going less than 20 miles an hour. Second are the rebates. Now, rebates aren't really that difficult in and of themselves but we have 2 starting out. It's a lot of coding and shit to remember - who's working where this week. Third it's a movie about kids which would be ok if we were using 18 year olds who looked young but no, we are using kids. Lots of kids. They have very limited working hours and can't work past 10 on a school night unless you get a waiver. And even then they can only work until midnight. Again, this wouldn't be a big deal except a big chunk of the movie is set at night and outside. We may have some real issues and the only way to solve them may be to add days to the calendar. Which means more money. Which could mean shutting down. Fuck.

Sacked!

2010-08-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Not me but the entire costume department. They hired a designer who is working on a big show and his group has just gotten out of control. They submitted a budget that is ridiculously large for a show set in a poor rural area in the 1970's. Seriously, it's bigger than the budget for Alice in Wonderland and everything on that movie was fabricated! It's too bad because I really like the supervisor. Maybe the next designer will keep him on...

New Look

2010-08-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

What do you think? I got bored...

My Assistant

2010-08-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

I did not chose the woman from the dog park. I'm not sure what made the decision for me; I just knew when I had decided on the other one it felt right. I really hope she ends up with something and I kind of feel bad about not being able to help her but I just didn't feel right about it. I did send her resume to the payroll company so maybe someone who needs a clerk will hire her. People are always looking for clerks...

We spent a good portion of the day rearranging the office to fit her desk in it. I think it turned out ok but I had to give up my printer stand which is a bummer. I think I'm going to ask construction if they'll build me a smaller one. S was happy, though. She's going to take it home at the end of the show and use it as a sewing table.

After the interior decorating was done I cleaned files and talked to her about union rules and payroll. I almost lost my voice and wished I had lozenges! I hope she can pick this stuff up and really be an assistant rather than just a paper-pusher. We'll see.

Oh, we started a lotto pool and got 20 people entered at $5 each. 100 chances at $115 million. I don't think that would be enough to retire on (considering the tax) but it sure would be nice.

Assistant

2010-08-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

My assistant starts today. I really hope I picked the right one. I need someone smart who is willing to learn but is also willing to do the paper-pushing. I just don't want to have to spend time I don't have checking someone else's work. Yes, I'll have to do it at the beginning but hopefully not forever. This show is too complicated to add that to the mix. Plus I have to totally rearrange my office to fit her in and I'm kind of bummed about that. I don't ususally have the best luck with assistants...

The Hollywood Reporter was kind enough to publish our CA code name. I hope we don't have to change all of the paperwork again.

Baxter's Diabetes

2010-08-23T21:18:00.003-07:00

Baxter doesn't seem to be doing very well with his diabetes. He's not gaining much weight and he's having "accidents" on the bathmats as revenge for the shots. I hate putting him through all of this and it's not a picnic for us either. But he's happy and doesn't seem to be in pain so there's nothing more to be done.

The Crew So Far

2010-08-20T16:35:00.001-07:00

The prop master looks like one of those guys you wouldn't pick up hitchhiking.

The office pa tends to wear bandanas and a lot of cologne.

The UPM has terrible teeth and a thick accent. I have to watch his lips sometimes to figure out what he's saying.

The art dept coordinator is super-fashionable but still nice.

One of the assistant accountants makes gourmet ice cream as a side job.

(Another post I started then apparently forgot about. I've reread what I've written and it's still true so I'll post it now.)

Please Just Pick A Name...

2010-08-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

So, the movie I'm currently on has gone through about 5 different names. There's one for the trailer, 3 secret code names, and one period where it was just "Untitled Paramount Project". Now we are one code name in CA and another code name on location. I have had to recreate a booklet's worth of start paperwork to send to the other location. I wish they would just make up their minds already.

Besides, I'm not sure the payroll company can process checks under 2 different names. Everyone's check may come out with the CA code name on it anyway...

Assistant Decisions

2010-08-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

Since I'm traveling to West Virginia for this show I get to have an assistant here and an assistant there. I interviewed 2 people yesterday for the job in LA - both interviews went well and I don't know who to hire. One of them is someone I know from the dog park. She's nice and I think she can do the work but I'm wondering if I'm leaning towards her because I know her and know she REALLY needs the job. The other woman is very nice and upbeat and seems sharp - no doubt about her abilities at all. I think she could get work in a heartbeat if I didn't hire her. But the dog park woman... I don't think she'd get this opportunity from just anyone. I really feel like I'm making a life-altering decision for her. This is why I don't want to be a 1st asst. I don't want to be responsible for people like this.

It's Been Awhile...

2010-08-14T00:08:00.000-07:00

I stopped posting when I started really using my Facebook account. It's been fun but there are too many people from work on there for me to really vent about stuff. So I think I'm going to start posting here again.

I'm working, as usual. I finished the show in Nashville, came home, and started right away on the next one. The original title of that was Fuck Buddy but they're changing it - not sure what the final title will be but I'm sure it won't be R rated. Both the shows were fine - nothing too exciting happened that I can remember at the moment.

We remodeled the bathrooms and they are gorgeous but expensive. Hopefully it will help when we finally decide to sell. Nothing else on my list has gotten done and probably won't until after this current show is over. Well, maybe I could do some painting but that's about it. I really just need to clean the frickin' house.

But that's it for now. I need to get some sleep.

Nashville is ok, this movie has let me down.

2010-01-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

I just saw that I had started this post while in Nashville. I don't know why I didn't finish it but I still feel this way so I think I'll let the title say it all for me.

Pig Dog Says Howdy!

2009-12-16T18:50:00.000-08:00

Sunday Roundup

2009-11-29T16:35:00.000-08:00

The dog is asleep next to me having puppy dreams and making her blerp sound. So damn cute.

The husband came to Boston for Thanksgiving and we had a very nice time. It rained every day he was here and of course it stopped not long after he got on the plane to go home - I wish he could have seen the beautiful weekend. At least we finally made it to The House of the Seven Gables in Salem (I feel I should read the book now). We had a nice dinner although I couldn't find the turkey roast I wanted so we had turkey sausage instead. Yum!

We've got a lot of renovations we want to do on the townhouse. In no particular order:
1) fix the fireplace (includes making it work and putting up tile)
2) redo both of the upstairs bathrooms (all the way down to the studs and possibly move a wall)
3) install a tankless water heater (there's a rebate on that!)
4) redo the kitchen (also all the way down to the studs)
5) redo the patio
6) finish painting

I think the water heater may have to happen sooner rather than later, though. The husband says the current one just isn't doing the job anymore.

S is coming into town on Wednesday night. She's going to drive down to TN with me over the weekend. I'll drop her off in K-ville and head off to N-ville on my own. I don't know what she's going to do with herself on Thursday but I hope she goes shopping or sightseeing. I'm going to take her to dinner Wednesday and Thursday nights - probably to Legal Seafood one night and Top of the Hub another. Or maybe to the North End... we'll see what she's in the mood to eat.

I have to get all my packing done before she gets here - that's not why I asked her to come up. A big chunk is done - all of my clothes are in the suitcase (except for what I pulled for the week). I've cleaned out the fridge and the cabinets and gotten rid of some of the stuff from the bathroom - it's just not worth it to drag cotton balls and nail polish remover with me. They have that in N-ville! I have to start on my office tomorrow but I'm going to ship all of that so it's not going to add to the headache. Actually, I can probably pack and send a couple of boxes this week instead of waiting to send it all on Friday. It can sit in the new office as easily as in the current one...

Hard to believe that a week from today I will be in TN, dragging my suitcase into my "home-away-from-home". Blech.

Finch - 8 Weeks

2009-11-25T08:42:00.000-08:00

This is Meagan's French Bulldog Finch. She had planned to get this one, then changed her mind and decided to get the all black one. When I asked why she went back to this one she replied "when I got there, the other one was really alert but Finch was just hanging out and his one ear wouldn't stand up straight and he's fat. I fell in love!"

Who wouldn't?

Fish

2009-11-10T04:49:00.000-08:00

The guilty party - she knows she's guilty because she was afraid to come near me. But she's really a sweetheart and Sofie's back in the bed as I type so all's well that ends well.

Dog Issues

2009-11-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

Fish the prop dog peed on Sofie's bed on Friday - a bit territorial or just jealous. I washed it and Sofie's curled up in it right now so I guess the smell is out. I'm glad becuase it's her new fancy one. I'll post a pic of Fish if I get the chance. She's a rescue and has some issues but she's a good girl.

Countess Sofula!

2009-11-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

What's Next?

2009-11-08T14:25:00.001-08:00

Did I mention I'm going to Nashville for my next job? And that I don't have any time off between? What am I thinking? Well, I'll be close to my parents and will be able to visit every weekend if I want. It's also keeping the money coming in which is important if we're going to redo both of the upstairs bathrooms and the kitchen (apparently it's still pretty slow in LA). And if the timing works out, I may get onto a Hugh Jackman movie afterward.

The only other interesting possibility I've seen is a job in Croatia and Budapest which I would consider if I hadn't been in Boston since May. I'm ready for an easy show and to go home...

I do get to go home for Christmas hiatus. I have to drive with Sofie so I won't get as much home time as I'd like, but I'm hoping to get down to see Sped and Dilly and Dan for at least a day. I have to find out if they are traveling.

Timmy

2009-10-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

This is Timmy - a cat the husband sees on his morning walk. Timmy is very friendly and tends to run out to the husband and throw himself down on the ground at his feet waiting for a belly rub. Over and over again. I think he'd pretty cute.

Scene from a winery

2009-10-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

I want to have a party where all my guests come and sit at a table like this and eat and drink and talk and laugh for hours until the stars go down...

Sofie - A Trilogy of Bliss

2009-10-21T15:47:00.001-07:00

JS and I went on a wine-tasting trip and Sofie took some time out to roll in the grass. You'd think she'd been tasting, too.

Monkey Friday!

2009-10-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

Sadly, the monkeys have wrapped but we'll always remember Monkey Fridays fondly.

Office Dog

2009-10-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is Souris - a Papillon with the biggest ears I've ever seen. She belongs to a woman in Set Dec from the other show with offices on our floor.

Puppies!

2009-10-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

These are pics of the French Bulldog puppies my friend Meagan is going to choose from... She was initially thinking of going with the one with the white on his face and chest but now she's leaning towards the all black one. She will name him Finch - a good name.

Shower and Snow and Babies that Grow.

2009-10-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

Jenny and I hosted a bridal shower for Suzanne this afternoon. It was a total surprise and a huge success! The only problem is it made me regret not getting to have a shower of my own... yes, I am still bitter 11 years later.

Anyway, it's been raining all day but there have been periods of SNOW - actual snow on October 18th. I'm told it's pretty early for snow but it is so enchanting. It's not sticking to anything but the flakes are huge and just tumble down - that sounds kind of dumb but I don't know how else to describe it.

I'm totally missing Dilly growing up and I'm very sad about that. She's so frickin' adorable and every time I see a pic she's bigger. I think I'm actually jealous of Caitlin. I hope I can get down there in December when I go back to CA. Sometimes I wish I had a regular job that didn't take me out of town for months at a time but it is what it is. I console myself with the knowledge that she's too young to know if I'm there or not but I think of her (and her mom) all the time. Still my best friend.

Something tasty from the shower - crackers with whipped cream cheese and hot pepper jelly. Try it!

Why the Industry Doesn't Take Boston Seriously...

2009-10-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

"Just wondering if you fixed the time on the ticket? the girl had me leaving at 12 pm when in fact it was 12 am and she rudely wrote across the ticket in bold that I left early! after 14 hours of working I dont consider that early! im also partial disable and im protected by fedral law! any retailation or denial of future work will be an act of discrimination! to add fuel to the fire im hispanic and im 42 years old, so I got you on disablity, age and race! just waiting to hear back about my time sheet being corrected! there was another day where they wrote me leaving at 8pm and Its was 8:30 pm, if you dont correct these mistakes now its going to become a big issue later so to avoid the drama you should just respond to me and do the right thing and correct my time sheet. Thanks!"

An actual email sent from a background actor. He's very emphatic in his threats, isn't he?

September Already

2009-09-18T04:28:00.000-07:00

One of the animals on our show died unexpectedly. They did an autopsy but didn't find an immediate cause and now we're waiting for the tests to come back. It's very sad and I feel terrible for the owners/trainers. An animal-rights organization is all over us for abuse and crap and it's just ridiculous. I had gotten to meet him several weeks ago and fed him carrots. It was obvious he was cared for so to imply they would neglect or abuse him is just mean and petty.

Beyond that, the show is going well except the AD's suck as usual and I'm super busy doing my job and their paperwork. There hasn't been too much drama - just minor diva stuff from the star and some of his personal crew. Oh, and one of the producers is just over-the-top. He was on another show that's sharing our office space and when he moved over to us, everything just went nuts. He makes deals and leaves it to the "little people" to figure out how to make them happen. It's so frustrating because he obviously only cares about being perceived as a generous guy to the shooting crew - the office staff could sit and spin for all he thinks of us.

Sofie is still universally loved despite her territorialism. She guards the area outside my office pretty fiercely for 28 pounds. She gets very barky and I make her come into the office and shut the door. I really don't want to annoy people...

It's starting to cool down weather-wise. We were gone by this time last year and I'm looking forward to seeing fall in New England. I'm sure I'm going to be complaining about the cold but at least the humidity is gone. Ugh.

About 1 Month Later

2009-08-21T20:13:00.001-07:00

New Bed

2009-08-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

Sofie got a new bed and it's pretty swank. That's her new hedgehog she's pointing at - my boss bought it for her.

Ice Cream

2009-08-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

Sofie and I went to an ice cream social tonight. It was at a nearby dog boutique and was for charity. Sofie really enjoyed her peanut butter dog sherbet and my chocolate chip people ice cream was good, too. She wasn't thrilled with the other dogs there since some of them were bigger but they were all pretty good. Especially the big bloodhound...

I Do Know What I'm Doing

2009-08-17T04:34:00.000-07:00

I had another email altercation with a crew member. For your enjoyment...

Me: Did you guys really have 2 stand ins on Sunday 8/9? Because I never got vouchers...

M: Yes we did I gave them a call to get there info because D didn't have any vouchers with him on Sunday and they haven't called me back yet. I will try again on Monday and see if ML can give me their info so I can fill out a voucher for them. Thanks M

D: They should have gotten to you

Me: obviously they haven't or I wouldn't be asking about them

D: Easy. I asked for them to get done and m said she would do it. The 2 standins are on g.u. and didn't have their soc for the vouchers so I know she is waiting for the info

Me to D and M: whenever you get them please forward them to me for payment

D: Absolutely Also I just want to be sure you guys know production fee gets added for all 7th days thanks again D

Me:
D,
I know this is going to sound harsh and I mean it that way but if you tell me one more time how to pay the DGA I'm going to refuse to do it and send the cards to you. It's insulting.

D: I wasn't trying to insult you in any way it was something that came to my attention that I didn't know. And since you need to check something I told you about I am not sure threatening me is the correct response Sorry if I have made you angry because that was absolutely not my intention

Me:
D,
All you have done this week is tell me how to pay the DGA. That's my job. You don't approach me with the attitude of "hey, I got this info and wanted to see if it's correct." You bring it to me as if I don't know what I'm doing. Apparently you have had some shitty payroll people in the past but I am not one of them.
You may want to think about that the next time you find a tidbit of payroll info that you think needs to be passed on.

__
I'm really looking forward to the rest of this show... his comment about me needing to "check on something he told me about" really pisses me off. What he told me was bullshit and instead of arguing about it with him at set on Friday, I just told him I'd check on it. That was my polite way of saying "you don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

Yes, I Really Did It

2009-08-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

and while I'm glad I did it, I don't think it's all that flattering. You were right about that husband.

Morning Blog

2009-08-13T04:23:00.000-07:00

The Set Decorator was in the office yesterday. He looks great and is getting around as if he didn't just have brain surgery last Friday. I still don't know if they have details about his tumor, but it's nice to see him up and around.

Otherwise, the show is going ok. We start shooting on Monday with actors instead of just animals so we're in a push of hiring hair, makeup, and costume people. But that's business as usual.

We haven't had too much drama beyond the usual nepotism and political hirings. One of our producers will be an issue as he tends to make deals without specifics and then it's up to us to figure out how to make it happen. That's going to be fun.

Hard to believe it's the middle of August already. Harder to believe my 20th high school reunion is next weekend. I can't go, of course, but it would have been nice to see everyone. And unlike some people, I've always been overweight so it's not like that would have been something to dread. My tattoos might have made me stand out, though.

Anyway, I'm sitting here with Sofie blogging instead of going to the gym. I was up late last night with my belly dancing class and it's raining and I just couldn't do it. I could try and go tonight when I get home but I know I probably won't. I've been considering getting roller skates or a bicycle just to have something different to do. I can make it to my classes but going to the regular gym is getting boring.

I talked to my boss yesterday about my assistant. We've decided she may be a little OCD because her main problem is she gets focused on a course of action and it takes a real effort to get her to stop and change direction. She's going to have a hard time with payroll if she can't get past that because this job is all about switching gears at a moment's notice - depending on who is on the phone or has walked in the door. I'm going to have to try and talk to her about it at some point.

Set Decorator

2009-08-11T15:54:00.000-07:00

Our Set Decorator had been having headaches for a while and his doctor told him he should get an MRI if they didn't stop. Well, they were getting worse from the job stress and last Wednesday he went to a doctor again. Turns out he has a brain tumor and had surgery on Friday to remove it. We haven't heard any more details yet but the surgery went fine.

Just kind of stops you in your tracks.

New Camera Phone

2009-08-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

There's my Sofie girl sitting in the passenger seat while I drove us to work this morning. I wasn't really aiming but it's a good shot. Doesn't she look thrilled?

Payroll Asst.

2009-08-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

I am not thrilled with my assistant on this show. A woman I worked with before recommended her as being just fabulous. She's a local and really wants to learn payroll since it's almost guaranteed employment, but I don't think she has what it takes. She's eager to learn and tries hard but it just doesn't seem to be catching on.

Part of the problem is that after 3 months, she still doesn't seem to know which questions to ask. The same situations come up over and over and each time I have to tell her to go back and ask something that she should have asked already. I'm having a hard time trusting her to do stuff on her own, which makes it even harder for me.

And even though she's nice enough, she's lacking in some office etiquette that I can't put my finger on - she walks into my office and starts talking without taking the time to see if I can even pay attention to her. Or she comes in and just stands there looking at me until I say something.

My biggest peeve right now is the fact she can't separate the paychecks into the correct departments even though they are 95% sorted to begin with...

But there's still time and I'm hoping I can train her on a few more things before we get any busier. It's in my best interest to get her as far along as possible before 8/17.

Saturdays Off

2009-08-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, I know. I have gmail for my work email account and I can't log out of it to get into blogger.

Never friend a coworker on Facebook - you can never gripe about them. Which says something about a coworker - namely my assistant. She's smart and eager to learn but I don't know that she has what it takes to do this job. Some days I have to jump from one project to another w/o getting to finish. I have to prioritize and come back to stuff as I can. She doesn't seem able to do that - she gets very focused and doesn't always listen when I try and change her direction. I know I'm going to need the help it's just such a hassle to train someone.

The visual effects shooting of the animals is going ok. We're behind a little bit - mostly because of the rain but also because the bears don't like having the lions around. They catch the scent or hear the noises and it freaks them out to have another predator nearby. Then a lion stepped on a screw and wouldn't work anymore. It wasn't hurt just a bit wigged out.

The zoo set is amazing. It doesn't look like a real zoo in person but I know on screen it's going to be perfect and beautiful. We did get to meet some of the animals a couple of weeks ago (not the bears yet). We met Rosie the elephant - got to pet her and had her sniff my hand with her trunk (elephant snot smells BAD). Then we met Tweet the giraffe - fed him carrots and tried to pet him, but he was only in it for the carrots. We couldn't get too close to the lions that day but 20 feet is close enough. Then we met the African vulture, the Austrailian eagles (Sydney and Darwin), and the crow (can't remember his name). They were all beautiful and kind of scary up close. Those beaks are vicious looking.

Sofie and I care relaxing at home today. We worked 6 days this past week and will work 6 days this coming week. If this get settled then we'll switch to 5 days but for now I'm taking it easy on my day off.

I did sign up for a couple of classes at the gym. They have free ones that I haven't made it to, but I signed up for belly dancing on Wednesday nights and kickboxing on Saturday at noon. They just started this week and I love both of them. I'm not the most graceful dancer - having trouble with some of the steps, but I love making the belt jingle. And of course I love punching things. I just wish there were more people in the class - 2 in belly dancing and only me in kickboxing. But I'll go to all 8 and work my butt off (hopefully literally).

Ok, I think it's time to take a nice bath and either watch a movie or take a nap. It's getting late so it may be the nap.

Animals

2009-07-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

The bear trainers invited us to come down and meet the grizzlies - Bart and Honey Bump. I met Bart while working on Evan, but I'm not going to pass up the chance to see him again. Not to mention his sister Honey Bump! Not that we can pet them or anything but we can get within 10 feet of them - plenty close.

Crystal the capuchin (not white-faced) has been back to the office a couple of times. I haven't gotten to have her sit on my shoulder yet - all I've done is shake her hand, played "tilt your head" with her, and gotten a high five - but everybody seems to think she's really taken with me. When the guys were walking her out she kept staring at me. I didn't think there was anything going on but other people mentioned it so maybe... Next time I hope to get a pic.

I think all of the animals have made it into town by now so I'm also looking forward to meeting the elephant and the wolf (hybrid, I think). And the giraffe although I'm not sure you can really meet a giraffe...

The Monkey

2009-07-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

The monkey that's going to be in the movie was brought into the office today. The director's dog Spuz took one look at it and peed - then barked. When we heard the monkey was there, I debated going to the other side of the office to see it because it meant taking Sofie with me and I didn't know how she'd react. But I went anyway and waited to see what would happen.

I'm not sure yet what kind of monkey it was - maybe a capuchin but it wasn't the typical white-face - I'll have to ask. Anyway, Sofie didn't notice it at first. It was sitting on my assistant's shoulder eating some chocolate. It wasn't until it climbed onto Mimi's shoulder that Sofie realized there was something new in the office. She stared at it and then walked over to Mimi and started to stand up (not jump, just stand) but I told her to stop and had her sit. Then she just stared as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

The monkey was familiar with dogs, but having a strange one staring made it a bit nervous and it started making noise, which made Sofie's ears perk up. Luckily, though, Sofie never did anything aggressive towards it in the slightest. She was just super-curious and would have loved to smell this new thing. I don't know what would have happened if the monkey had started moving around - that might have been too much for her.

The rest of the time Sofie just wandered around with this look on her face of "What is that? I must try to get closer and get a good sniff."

Sofie's a good girl - much better behaved and trained then I ever thought.

Dad & Cordelia

2009-06-22T15:53:00.001-07:00

He took her from Susan and started walking her around the restaurant. The next time we saw him he was in the bar surrounded by a group of women. Turns out Cordelia is a chick magnet!

It's kind of sad because this is probably the closest he'll get to having another grandbaby. He actually caught himself saying "come to Grandpa" when he picked her up. Maybe he can be the 3rd grandpa...

Saturday

2009-06-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we got up and tried to take Sofie to the dog park. Sadly it was closed due to the wet weather (it's not a real dog park, just a school's fenced-in baseball field that is a dog park from dawn to 1pm on the weekends). We ended up driving down to the gravel-filled dog park that Sofie doesn't really like then over to work so she could be off-leash for a bit out behind the building. When leaving we decided to do a bit of exploring and went down to Castle Island and walked around the fort. A man fishing off the pier caught a huge fish while we watched and we met some good dogs. I hope to go back soon.

The husband and I then walked over to the Museum of Fine Arts, where an old man and his wife cut the line in front of us (and yes I did call them out on it). We bought the City Pass which would have been a better deal if we'd thought about it before we went to the aquarium, but it still saved us money. Anyway, we didn't pay extra for the special exhibits but the regular museum was enough. The ancient seals were just about the coolest things, very intricately carved.

After the MFA, we drove up to doggie day care and dropped Sofie off for the afternoon so we could do some shopping. We hit the cd shop, a bookstore, Trader Joe's, a Flag Day carnival and got lunch before picking her back up.

Saturday night we walked over to the Prudential and went up to the 50th floor to the Skywalk Observatory. I had wanted to go to the restaurant on the 52nd floor but heard it wasn't very good and since it was mostly about the view and not the food and since we had tickets from the City Pass, we did that. It was cloudy out but it didn't obscure the view of the city at all. It was just getting dark and was very pretty. It's always amazing to see what a small town Boston really is. I know the suburbs go on for quite a distance, but the city itself is compact.

We decided to get some dinner on the way home and stopped off at a restaurant we'd walked past several times. It was loud but the food was good - salt and pepper calamari and lobster mac and cheese.

My Brother's Pets

2009-06-16T17:43:00.001-07:00

Scarlet the parrot

Carmen the dog

My Sister's Car

2009-06-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Maybe now she'll buy a new one that doesn't beep randomly...

My Mom

2009-06-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

I am up way too late considering I have a 5:30am flight but it's been hard to part company with my mom. I've known for a while she wouldn't be around long but since Ma died, I've been feeling it even more. My mom is going to be 85 in August and I still don't think I know her that well. I'm glad she has seen me succeed in my career, but I regret that she'll never see one of her daughters have a baby. There's a lot going through my head right now and I thought writing it down would help, but it's just making me want to cry. So I'll call it done and hope that I have enough time to learn who my mother really is.

Barbara Elizabeth Lomonaco

2009-06-06T18:19:00.001-07:00

Ma passed away this morning around 6am. She got to meet her granddaughter and had her family around her.

I last saw her in person in March when she was in the hospital. She looked pretty good but we didn't get to talk like we both had hoped. I'll never know for sure what she wanted to talk about but I know I said what I wanted to say.

We Skyped in April after Cordelia was born and I was visiting and helping out. It felt like old times.

Ma always seemed to be about style, but she had the substance to back it up. If you got to hang out with her it always shone through.

Apparently I'm going to be responsible for helping to tell Cordelia about her Grandma Barb and making sure she knows about all the stupid things her mom did growing up.

I think I'm also going to take on the responsibility of buying Cordelia all the super-girly things Grandma Barb would have bought her. It may even be fun.

I'll miss you, Ma. I'm glad I knew you and I'm sorry you had to go so soon. I've had the privilege of having 3 moms in my life and now I've lost 2, both to ovarian cancer. I don't know what else to say. It's just not fair, which sounds childish, but it's not fair.

Wednesday

2009-05-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday. I don't have anything to do but wait for people on the west coast to get to work and call me back or send me stuff. It's my second week on this job and so far it's been fine. Everybody seems very nice and the director even brings his dog Spuz to work. Luckily, Spuz and Sofie get along. Sadly, Sofie does not like the director. It doesn't help that he wears a hat all the time.

We are going to look at apartments later today. We got permission to move out of the hotel last week and we've been trying to find something. It hasn't been easy, since we need to find something for only 6 months, furnished, that will take Sofie. I'm going to room with AH, who was a housemate last year. We've seen one place but it was a bit of a dump and the parking was ridiculous. $345 per month and they didn't even open until 7am. WTF?

The hotel we're staying in is very nice. Everyone seems to know Sofie by name and most of them seem to like her. I'm going to miss having her around, but I won't miss the random barking at people who walk by.

Despite the quality of the hotel, not having a kitchen is expensive. We have to get something out every night and I'm so over it. I actually want to make spaghetti again. Hopefully one of the three apartments we're seeing today will work out.

We had a great trip out here - stopped and saw so much. I'm glad we didn't have to make it in four days like last time. And since Sofie isn't staying with me, I can fly home in December and save the husband some miles.

I hope the guy from the studio calls me back soon. I need to get my computer fixed so I can print checks. I'm not sure what's wrong with it - it may have something to do with me installing my scanner or maybe something I picked up from the internet. It's not like I look at porn and crap but I do click on things that may be trouble. We'll see what happens.

I think I'll go and see if the boss' cat is in - Peewee is her name. She's about as old as Baxter and it's nice to pet her. I miss my kitties.