Ok this one seems like a weird thing to do but every time I catch it on TV it just makes me laugh! You all have probably heard of the movie by now, it stars Bill Murray who plays a weatherman from Pittsburgh who goes with his team to Punxsutawney PA to cover the Ground Hog Day festivities. He ends up getting stuck in a time warp where he has to relive February 2nd over and over for god knows how long. The best part is how he experiments with life from day to day, he goes from taking advantage of people to trying to kill himself with a high point of stealing the ground hog and driving off of a cliff and exploding! I find it to be a hilarious story about a guy who is a bit of an asshole and his journey to figure out how to be a good guy.
I also find it funny that we had gone to Ground Hog Day parties for so long growing up at the Measley's and we never really ended up watching this movie as a kid...instead we watched Encino Man which I think says something about Paulie Shore movies :) So a testament to our youth watch Ground Hog Day!!
Friday, November 13, 2009
A House Husband's Guide to Unemployment - Balance
As I start working (even the small amount so far) I am finding it difficult to maintain the balance I had beforehand. I won't take all of the blame as I haven't had a solid schedule so far but I am surprised at the difficulty I have had with energy and what not on days I have worked (even the day after). I guess it is mostly just getting used to being out and up and around for most of the day (a lot of standing, walking, talking, basically effort), so I have seen areas of life start to slip.
I haven't been to the gym in about 3 weeks which is frustrating to me but I find a lot of the blame in the hours and unstable schedule at work mostly because I have been scheduled at night so I am not used to going to the gym during the daytime and then if I don't start the week strong I find it hard to get the steam up mid-week. So once I get a planned out schedule I think that will not be a problem any longer. Transitioning is also making it difficult to keep the apartment clean and organized as well as getting dinners ready, I am still getting it done but there is significantly less time to do it! This all has made me start to think about balance and routine, which depending on who you ask may or may not be important but I historically have had trouble with extreme transitions in routine...I guess the instability at work doesn't help.
I am a creature of habit I guess you could say, I love making to-do lists even if the most interesting thing I do that day is cross off something on the list! The to-do list is one of the things keeping things in check but hopefully I'll be able to make the transition soon! Even if I got to the gym once or twice in the near future it won't really click until I do it consistently. One of the best ways to check on my status is by the # of posts I make here, so I think I am coming around!
I haven't been to the gym in about 3 weeks which is frustrating to me but I find a lot of the blame in the hours and unstable schedule at work mostly because I have been scheduled at night so I am not used to going to the gym during the daytime and then if I don't start the week strong I find it hard to get the steam up mid-week. So once I get a planned out schedule I think that will not be a problem any longer. Transitioning is also making it difficult to keep the apartment clean and organized as well as getting dinners ready, I am still getting it done but there is significantly less time to do it! This all has made me start to think about balance and routine, which depending on who you ask may or may not be important but I historically have had trouble with extreme transitions in routine...I guess the instability at work doesn't help.
I am a creature of habit I guess you could say, I love making to-do lists even if the most interesting thing I do that day is cross off something on the list! The to-do list is one of the things keeping things in check but hopefully I'll be able to make the transition soon! Even if I got to the gym once or twice in the near future it won't really click until I do it consistently. One of the best ways to check on my status is by the # of posts I make here, so I think I am coming around!
Job Update
I have now worked 5 shifts as well as attended a store meeting. Things haven't really changed in the "getting trained deptartment" but I am learning as I go through asking questions and just figuring stuff out for myself. I can now ring people up on basic purchases which is about all the extra training I have had (basically gave me a login and watched someone for a little bit). I have continued to sell well, especially when it is busy, and I plan to continue that while developing my "selling extras skills".
Our department just got a new supervisor, I guess they had been without one for a month or more, which is part of why there has been a lack of training and structure (at least I hope that is why). He doesn't really fit in to the dynamic of the store (or if you look at it a different way he creates a dynamic in the department) because he is much older than the rest of the staff. I gave him the benefit of the doubt as someone who has been in charge before (first time I haven't been in a supervising position since I was 16) and I was fully willing to try to help this guy mostly by not requiring his attention so he could focus on getting things organized and what not. This lasted all of an hour until he came up to talk about his "supervising core values" which was basically our first conversation (strike 1), he should have gotten to know me a little bit first, then told me about himself THEN give the speech. The speech itself was mundane and common sensical with no real important insight (strike 2). The delivery of the speech, tying into strike 1, was like he was talking to someone who seasonal retail was the big show, like it was my calling to work seasonal retail and I'd be lucky to get kept on after (strike 3). I stopped him towards the end to let him know (what he should have found out in strike 1) that I am used to being in charge and I know what to do, and I had to explain to him that I worked at a casino and have dealt with reward programs (like the best buy reward zone) so I knew how to sell it. Finally strike 4 (yes he more than struck out) was his advice on selling the reward zone. Instead of asking if they were interested (if they didn't already have it) his advice was to just sign em up for it because no one would say no (if you force it on them) so at that point I realized that this guy was the kind of retail person I am trying to not be. The way he suggested basically just fudges the numbers of actual sign ups because he doesn't give them the option mostly because he can't sell so he has to force...good luck buddy!
I still have not been scheduled more than 2 days in advance so when I got to the end of my schedule this week I told them I wasn't working again until after the weekend to give them time to get me on a freaking schedule so I can organize my week and try to get used to not having all day every day to do what I need to do. Still looking for a full time job, with very little luck.
Our department just got a new supervisor, I guess they had been without one for a month or more, which is part of why there has been a lack of training and structure (at least I hope that is why). He doesn't really fit in to the dynamic of the store (or if you look at it a different way he creates a dynamic in the department) because he is much older than the rest of the staff. I gave him the benefit of the doubt as someone who has been in charge before (first time I haven't been in a supervising position since I was 16) and I was fully willing to try to help this guy mostly by not requiring his attention so he could focus on getting things organized and what not. This lasted all of an hour until he came up to talk about his "supervising core values" which was basically our first conversation (strike 1), he should have gotten to know me a little bit first, then told me about himself THEN give the speech. The speech itself was mundane and common sensical with no real important insight (strike 2). The delivery of the speech, tying into strike 1, was like he was talking to someone who seasonal retail was the big show, like it was my calling to work seasonal retail and I'd be lucky to get kept on after (strike 3). I stopped him towards the end to let him know (what he should have found out in strike 1) that I am used to being in charge and I know what to do, and I had to explain to him that I worked at a casino and have dealt with reward programs (like the best buy reward zone) so I knew how to sell it. Finally strike 4 (yes he more than struck out) was his advice on selling the reward zone. Instead of asking if they were interested (if they didn't already have it) his advice was to just sign em up for it because no one would say no (if you force it on them) so at that point I realized that this guy was the kind of retail person I am trying to not be. The way he suggested basically just fudges the numbers of actual sign ups because he doesn't give them the option mostly because he can't sell so he has to force...good luck buddy!
I still have not been scheduled more than 2 days in advance so when I got to the end of my schedule this week I told them I wasn't working again until after the weekend to give them time to get me on a freaking schedule so I can organize my week and try to get used to not having all day every day to do what I need to do. Still looking for a full time job, with very little luck.
Movie Review - UP
One of the most anticipated redbox rentals of the year for us was Pixar's UP. We see very few movies in the theater but this was one we really wanted to go see and never got the chance. Surprisingly we found it at redbox on our first try, which was a good omen.
The basic story is about keeping promises and at times is sad and other times happy and fun. Since it is Pixar the animation of course is wonderfully realistic (for computer generated art), even down to the growth of whiskers on the old man's face as the couple of days go by on their adventure. None of the characters were annoying, which I kind of expected the kid to be, and the various different characters together worked really well (old man, young boy, talking dogs, funny bird, crazy villain and even the house itself). Even though it technically is a kid movie the story and filming actually does make the house into its own character which actually symbolizes (I won't give it away, but its not a big secret) someone, something I think that was put in to give the adults a little more depth which is nice to see someone be able to make a great movie for kids as well as adults.
It is a sweet story and gets my full recommendation to at the very least rent (redbox, netflix, whatever) but it is worth buying in my opinion...just like almost every other Pixar movie made so far. This movie was the last of the original stories that the founders of Pixar had when they started the company (or should I say the last of the original ideas they had) so it will be interesting to see where they go next. Toy Story 3 which I feel is a mistake to make will be coming out next year and will probably see success, but I wasn't really a fan of the 2nd one so we will have to see what Pixar will come up with, I know they keep me excited!
The basic story is about keeping promises and at times is sad and other times happy and fun. Since it is Pixar the animation of course is wonderfully realistic (for computer generated art), even down to the growth of whiskers on the old man's face as the couple of days go by on their adventure. None of the characters were annoying, which I kind of expected the kid to be, and the various different characters together worked really well (old man, young boy, talking dogs, funny bird, crazy villain and even the house itself). Even though it technically is a kid movie the story and filming actually does make the house into its own character which actually symbolizes (I won't give it away, but its not a big secret) someone, something I think that was put in to give the adults a little more depth which is nice to see someone be able to make a great movie for kids as well as adults.
It is a sweet story and gets my full recommendation to at the very least rent (redbox, netflix, whatever) but it is worth buying in my opinion...just like almost every other Pixar movie made so far. This movie was the last of the original stories that the founders of Pixar had when they started the company (or should I say the last of the original ideas they had) so it will be interesting to see where they go next. Toy Story 3 which I feel is a mistake to make will be coming out next year and will probably see success, but I wasn't really a fan of the 2nd one so we will have to see what Pixar will come up with, I know they keep me excited!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Movie Review - Transformers 2
Rented this and finally got to see it, and I have to say I was largely disappointed. To make things short it seemed like they had 4 or more hours of actual usable movie footage but cut it down to 2 and a half hours(ish). There were so many transition pieces and parts of chases that just didn't add up, for instance: One moment in the National Air and Space Museum they step outside and they are in what appears to be the airplane bone yard in Arizona (Museum is in DC). There were also a couple of times that it seemed like Sam was in one place but he ended up being in another.
One of the really nice things about the original is that it was funny but not forced at all, and still had all the action and story. The 2nd one had the comedy shoved in your face for the majority of the movie and yea some of it was funny but not nearly as subtle as in the first one. They also added what I thought to be a Jar Jar Binks like character, the Autobot twins, they were there strictly for comic relief which was unnecessary. Also built in mostly for comic relief was the super old robot and the mini con that Megan Fox "tames", which maybe some of them would have been ok but the combination of all of these comical characters and Sam's parents was just too much when there was other more exciting story line and transitioning editing to do.
The fight scenes were inconsistent, starting with Prime dying in a fight against Starscream and Megatron (and some other baddies as well), but then when he is brought back to life he instantly is able to win a fight against the whole enemy army including the apparently epic "The Fallen" Megatron and Starscream. I was also VERY disappointed that they had a transformer that transformed into a human...if they could do that why wouldn't they do it more often, like take over the president or something? Instead of turning into a hot chick, turn into an influential character and get the Autobots destroyed so they could do whatever they wanted!
I was also surprised by the amount of swearing, I know the first one had some but this one seemed to have a lot more, which is fine with me but it may have been a bit much for parents and children.
So overall I didn't think it even compared with the first one in any way but they left it open for a third one and maybe they can redeem the series.
One of the really nice things about the original is that it was funny but not forced at all, and still had all the action and story. The 2nd one had the comedy shoved in your face for the majority of the movie and yea some of it was funny but not nearly as subtle as in the first one. They also added what I thought to be a Jar Jar Binks like character, the Autobot twins, they were there strictly for comic relief which was unnecessary. Also built in mostly for comic relief was the super old robot and the mini con that Megan Fox "tames", which maybe some of them would have been ok but the combination of all of these comical characters and Sam's parents was just too much when there was other more exciting story line and transitioning editing to do.
The fight scenes were inconsistent, starting with Prime dying in a fight against Starscream and Megatron (and some other baddies as well), but then when he is brought back to life he instantly is able to win a fight against the whole enemy army including the apparently epic "The Fallen" Megatron and Starscream. I was also VERY disappointed that they had a transformer that transformed into a human...if they could do that why wouldn't they do it more often, like take over the president or something? Instead of turning into a hot chick, turn into an influential character and get the Autobots destroyed so they could do whatever they wanted!
I was also surprised by the amount of swearing, I know the first one had some but this one seemed to have a lot more, which is fine with me but it may have been a bit much for parents and children.
So overall I didn't think it even compared with the first one in any way but they left it open for a third one and maybe they can redeem the series.
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