Carrying Cases.

This is stupid.

Kits. On tv we are offerde things called kits. In my mind, a kit has everything you need to do something. Like a first aid kit. Aneseptic, band aids, splints, etc. All in a little box with a handle to carry it around in. What those people who give you a "carrying case" with an item, they must be assuming that that item is the ONLY thing im going to be carrying... So i can carry my first aid kit, and my gameboy in their cases... Only. Thank goodness for back packs, right? Take that carrying case for one item thats utterly pointless! Ha Ha!

Recklessness

I will never understand the minds of some people.

This morning i see a pregnant woman walk in for her shift holding a redbull. PREGNANT. Apparently she didn't think it was a big deal... Maybe it isn't to some people, but from what i understand, it is a VERY big deal. A soda? Fine. Red bull? No. She asked about coffee. Uh, hello? Caffeine?! Either she hasn't been to a pediatrician yet, or they didn't tell her what was bad for her baby. I took her red bull and threw it in the trash.

I don't get it. Some people think that a baby is like a toy you can put away when your bored with it, or give it to someone untill you feel like being a parent. They also don't give a damn about the child's well being before its even born.

I see it like this for a pregnant woman:

Would you put that in your baby's bottle and give it to them?

Would you give that to your newborn child to eat?

No? THEN DONT CONSUME IT YOURSELF!!! What ever you eat, the baby eats.

As far as the woman above goes- i was told that she was smoking a cigarette while prego. Last night, i caught it myself. Even if she weren't smoking herself, she was next to two other people smoking. 2nd hand smoke for a pregnant woman... *face palm*

Speaking of bad parenting...

Some little girl seemed to think that the middle of the road was the perfect place to ride her bike into oncoming traffic... No helmet, no pads, etc. The pads and helmet thing would be enforced by her parents if they saw HOW and WHERE she was riding her bike.

Middle of the road, "riding like an egyptian", hands in the air. Through traffic. Like it were the coolest thing in the world to be plowed over by three cars "like an egyptian." She Didn't even bother to look both ways, and when she noticed the cars in three different directions, she kept going like she owned the road. Her parents did not teach her to look both ways before crossing the road, so now she will have to learn the hard way because of her parents irresponsibility and ignorance. At least her friend had the brains to stay on the sidewalk, look both ways, stop when she saw cars, AND keep her hands on the handlebars.

When i made my turn, its like the stupid little twerp wanted to follow me and ask how cool she looked riding her bike and "dancing" at the same time. When i walked down the parking lot, the little turd and her smart friend rode by AGAIN. Little dumb ass had the nerve to look at me like I was the moron. I may do little jigs in the car while driving, but i look both ways and keep my eyes on the road, and hands on the wheel. If anything, kids need to pass a "Bicycle riding license" Test before they ride with out their mommys. If only i were a cop, i would write that little shit a ticket for reckless 'riding'. I dread the day she gets a drivers' license, but thankfully I will be LONG GONE out of state when that happens... She will most likely have it revoked after she backs out the first time. Then get it back at 18. And get it revoked again.

By giving your child little knowledge, you have given them a short life of misery.

Protect your children and give them the basic knowledge known as "Common Sense". They will live longer the more you teach them...

Human Consideration

I realized something today-

Typically, when we look at other people, say in a 7/11 or at a bus stop, or checking out groceries... We dont stop to think of who that person is, really. As of now the guy riding his bike smoking a cigarette, is just that. We dont stop to think:

What his name is, his favorite color, or ice cream he likes. Nor do we know if he has children or a spouse. We dont know if he just robbed a bank, or if he donates blood every year.

We calls 'em like we sees 'em. Some guy.

Its sad in a way that we never stop to think about that mans life, and all he has done or wants to do. He had a child hood, he gets sick, and he laughs at jokes, and cries when in pain. We all do.

And there is that guy on the motorcycle that cuts you off. First reaction is to swear and honk at his driving skills. He may be in a hurry to get to the hospital cause his girlfriend is going into labor. Or could be late for work. Or hes just being an ass hole.

When we look at a crowd of people- thats exactly what we see. (unless your selling stuff, then you see wallets) We never stop and think that some of those people have allergies. Others are going hungry today. Others aren't feeling well.

Id like to see people as their name and who they are. Everyone wear "Hello my name is:" tags, and we will have an ice breaker. You talk to people at the store when you see a name tag, because it is a level of trust you gain from subconsciously seeing (or knowing) that. You could go into your grocery store, see a young man stocking up canned goods. Say hello to him. Get his name. Ask him something nice, like his preference of the item he is stocking.

I did this many times at a circle k. I'd go in grab a soda, and ask for a scratch-off. when they ask me which one, i say "Surprise me" or something similar. most of the time they smile or laugh, and hand me one. Now, what i find great to do, is win my money back on the ticket. I brought it back in and handed it to the cashier who gave it to me. We joke about them being lucky, and they ask if i want cash or another ticket. "How bout you keep it?"

The look on their face is something i love to see. Shock, and surprise. "Have a great day!" go bout my business like it never happened. I know this person like i know popular music. (not at all) and i gave them a dollar for no reason. Just to do it. I dont care what they do with it, but i like to think i helped them out by showing them i remember they are not just a clerk. They are a person with a life, and have their own problems at home. That one dollar could have helped them buy a loaf of bread for their family, or finish paying their water bill, buy a text book for school, or buy a pack of smokes. I gave it out of generosity. I do not expect to walk into the store and ask for it to be paid back, nor for anyone to give me a dollar just because i did it. I only tell this story for an example. I did not know them, but i still consider their lives as i do my own. My only regret was not asking what they wanted to drink or a snack.

As for myself, i work fast food in the kitchen. i work long shifts sometimes and dont get to eat the food i cook for 6-10 hours at a time. But customers do not care who or how many people are making their order, just as long as they get it hot, fast, and delicious. Even large orders, 10 burgers in drive thru when i'm going on 8 hours not eating, and the only one in the back.

This is what i get paid to do, so im not complaining, just take into consideration that the one making your double cheese burger with super sized fries and shake... may not have eaten for 10 hours now. Or may have been holding their bladder for 3 hours.

Before cussing out the person who made your order wrong, or gave you the wrong item, think about how busy they may have been, how long that person has been there, or the fact they may have needed to use the bathroom. Yes, we all make mistakes, but we are human, just like you. You need to eat just like i do, have to use the bathroom, have bad days, and get tired.

Maybe the manager you are giving a hard time is going through a bad divorce and is more concerned with loosing custody over his kids than you not getting cheese on your burger.

Before treating people like they are stupid minions, paid to be your bitch, consider this:

They make your order, they got your credit card number.

Dont dish out something you wont eat.

TRUST

My scale of trust for people is based upon how much $ i would trust them to pay back.

Most start with $5. Then over time would escalate from that, or drop, depending on how unreliable you are. So many people think i would just hand them $100 and not think twice to pay it back. So I lie about how much i have; in one way or another. Im not just going to hand over cash to some douche who orders it rather than ask. Either way, you arent getting it.

The reason i start with 5 and work from there is because its an amount small enough to not really care if i get back, but if i do, its awesome. then i can trust them with a little more next time. When i dont get it back, ill remember. And the time it takes to get it back (if ever) takes a toll too. Some people i would only loan them 50 cents. Some are less than that. But others, i would trust with a credit card, check book, wad of 100's and my child.

A Bitter Taste

Today a bitter taste is in my mouth. My fingers are jittery and arms are weak.

I can't help to think of myself becoming a bitter person. I don't want this, but some little things get under my skin and i flip my lid. I look at everything in the negative, now. What was good is now bad, what was too bright is now to damn dark. I don't know if its just me being a bitter grumpy old man, or if this means i'm changing into someone i hate.

RECALL TO REALITY:

Maybe the simple fact that i notice i am being grumpy, and do not like it is the indication that it is a minor thing that can be changed. If i see it, and don't like it, i can make it go away by turning on the light, or adding some sugar to it. The fact i notice this reminds me i still have a soul, and is still a good one, just needs guidance and clarity. I am not a bad person. Nor do i want to be. I cant let the evil temptations pull me down to the flames.

I cant help to notice myself getting upset, or being so crudely skeptical, or even outright insulting. When that happens it leaves the bitterness on my tongue, and it stays there. For a long time. Some people do things, admit it, gain forgiveness, and forget it ever happened. Not me. I become so ashamed of myself of the wrongs i do, it marinates inside for years.

Example:

When i was in college for the first time, i was with a girl (for the sake of privacy i will not use real names) L. she was young, and not really around because of the distance. I slept with a girl i met in college, A, and fell head over heels for her. I never told L what i did, i just dumped her while being an asshole to her. That still sits in my heart, and I don't know if she ever will know. But that, was only the tip of the ice berg. After the dump, I used A in so many ways, but never abused her. She bought me food, use her bed, drive me to and from class, bring me where ever, and bought me tickets to concerts. I said thanks, did her, and forgot about her. Then i met another woman, C. i was with her for over a year, but she was distanced in another state. Again, i remembered A, and cheated on C with her. Treated C like dirt, got dumped, and A wanted nothing to do with me anymore. It stuck in side, for a few years, i apologized to A for treating her that way, she forgave me, but the fact i did it still hurts. She may have forgiven and forgotten, but i don't feel deserving of forgiveness. I just recently told C about me and A doing what we did. She ultimately forgave me, but the guilt remains within me.

I explained that her forgiveness was the first step to forgiving myself, and its a long process.

Sometimes i feel that having the conscious i have is more of a curse than a blessing. I feel for everyones sympathy, no matter what the emotion is, i can feel it. kinda like a super power, but less intense. I feed of of the emotions of others, when one is hurt, i do to. But it goes the same way with happiness. When others are happy, so am I.

Just gotta keep my head on straight.

And add a packet of Sweet-N-low to my coffee. Or six.

Poptarts, Hals commercial, and Youtube. WHAT!

It seems that the convienent hot meals come in packs between 1-4.

So I can have a fast, hot, delicious breakfast one day, and the day im running late i have to eat my cereal out a cup in the car.

A great example would be the breakfast hot pockets. 2 in a box. Thatll cover me running late twice in one week, but then again i have poptarts. Small box has 4 pouches of 2 poptarts- 8 in a box. I can grab a pack 4 days.

I dont know where i was going with that exactly. Just an observation i guess.

Why do 2 poptarts come in one pouch? It'd be fine if it was in a re-sealable pouch, so you can eat one and save the other for another time. Thats actually a good idea i think. And if it were a microwavable pouch too, it can be made to where you could toast them in the microwave too, for those who dont have a toaster, because students in collage, and those in an office, typically would have a small microwave of some sort. Not a toaster. Just a thought, guys.

OTHER TOPIC:

Remember the coughdrop commercial with the little asian lady in a grocery store stocking the freezers? Then the army dude shows up and does the drill sargent thing, she screams and he flys away from it?

I think i broke this down, and dont know why id like to share...

shes got a cold, wearing a sweater, with USED tissues in her sleeve- no gloves- stocking food in a freezer. She clearly does not need to be stocking cold food with a cold. The tissues have contaminated her hand and therefore has spread to the packages of food. With the freezers being the proper temperature (30 degrees or below, i believe) the germs SHOULD be dead. But take into consideration that maybe a customer gets that item when the temperature has not reached its safe zone. They could get sick. Aside from that, her boss must have been a jerk "Oh you have a cold huh? well go stock the freezers." Thats why the drill sarge got on to her, he was going to get Mrs. Sarge some frozen chicken nuggets, and the bag had snot on it. Then when she screamed him away, she changed faces between the cut. (Continuity!) and she was flexing like a pro weight lifter- showing off her sweater-covered biceps. I highly doubt ANY cough drop would make my "War face" and scream blow a sarge out of a grocery store. I'd get smacked down for that crap.

Is it bad to notice mistakes made in commercials that play over and over? Its sad when a student in college can do better work than professionals who have been doing it for years. A friend of mine wrote an essay about old hollywood and new hollywood.

Old hollywood was about making an artistic, entertaining piece, and pull you into the story and all. Where as the new hollywood, is about the buck. Eye candy like women, mucles, guns, explosions, cars, all used to draw in the mass audience of men 18-30. (Age may varry) Lets face it, even the actors do the job for money and fame now adays. then it was for their many fans, they were great at what they did, and put their passion into the role being played. Now, its not always like that. We have become more about money- Quantity over quality. I'd like to one of the guys that worries more about the quality, plot, story; just making an out-right damn good film for people to watch and enjoy, and still want more. Then do it again. Wow them a second time. Keep getting better, being more Old school than new. New is strange and crazy to me, old has proven itself to work time and time again. But in the cut-throat industry, everyone wants to be uniqe and stand out and make a movie with explosions, gun fire, big breasts, big biceps, high-revving engines, and lens flair. Just throw all that into a jar and shake well. Pour onto your TV, and you have a "New Hollywood" movie. Megan Fox? Please. Ive seen toys that have more realism. Give me a new, "Old Hollywood" Style movie with real talent like Tom Hanks, or Jim Carrey. Dont throw a set of double D's in the mix just to sell it. Let talent and the artistic capabilities wow the audience. Oh, and on that note, dont put all the best parts in the trailer so i can see the trailer in theatres mixed with boring crap.

Youtube:

Where is the professionalism? Some videos have WMM titles on them, like its so awesome and they are pros... Uh, no? Some of us are trying to get noticed and get jobs by using this site to show are professionalism, (Filmriot, IndyMogul, Video Copilot, Freddiew, etc...) all are damn good at their film making skills and have tutorials and tips for us other potential professionals. Video bloggers, okay. Some video bloggs are funny as hell. But mostly dull as shit. Audition clips: fine. Music videos, shorts, thats great. Just dont take a song into WMM and put a slide show to it and cheezy titles that take forever to read. Its so stupid. Lyrics to a song? PLEASE!!! bad idea, people. Its stupid and a waste of space on YT. Tag your videos with what it involves so other users dont have to weed through all of those stupid "I made this video of a song and pictures of the band. Enjoy and subscribe!" bullshit to find what im looking for. A search that should have taken 5 minutes takes 30 because of all the garbage clips and miss-labeling. If you made the song, try something original, not a "remake" or a "reboot" or a "my version of bla bla"- Do a cover? Great. LABEL IT AS A COVER! If it isnt "Original" or "Official" Dont put it in the title.

Now im in a position where i post something on my page, i see its stupid, lame, or just needs to go. So i delete it. Others have hundreds of videos and all of them are total trash. I and my fellow filmmakers cant get noticed by others because you want to fill youtube with a clip of you and your buddies playing with fruit, and calling it EPIC FIGHT where the only thing that happens is an orange is thrown at a wall. Then tagged is things like, epic fruit, big, fun, funny, win, super, music, dumb, bla bla... I can give you DUMB for that clip. but id rather it just not exist. THINK! what is in demand? what is hard to find? Make it easy TO find. Delete the garbage and title and tag appropriatly.

When commenting, keep it proffesional, none of that "Yo, nigga dat siz iz wak dawg!" or "This movie sucks. Slap your self." its rude, and in considerate to do. Leave constructive criticim. EXAMPLES: "Wow! great job! loved the shot on 1:22!" or "I think the colors may be off, try color correction?" or maybe "I think the audio needs work."- thats totaly cool. No need to trash somone unless they are just an idiot. Legit.

-Done for today.

I should have noticed the dingle-berry in my idiot-flakes this morning, but it all tastes the same to me today.

today feels a bit of betrayal, but more of being demasculated. Thats what i want to rant about.

The holidays stressed me out. i saw all the stuff that my son got, and looked at what i was able to get him. a Thomas book, and a toy gutar i found in the dumpster. Thats all i could afford to get him. All the other gifts made him happy, but of corse showed me that i couldnt get that for him, or anything else he wants. I work my ass off, and i have almost nothing to show for it. With all the gifts under the tree, i got 2. A gift card that i used to get motor oil for the car, and $40 cash that i used for gas, and laundry. this made me understand that of all the hard work i do, little is noticed. Under apreciated.

I spoke of this with my wife, and she suggested i take a portion of our income tax (after bills of corse) and be selfish. Buy what ever i want within that price range. That lifted my spirits a bit.