Good Riddance, January! UPDATED (yeah, I know, already?)

What with all the celebrity deaths and the worry and whatnot about family members and work and households running properly and much ado about nothing, I say

Welcome, February!

Today was not a great day for tours. Rain and wind and no sunshine make it incredibly difficult for the Most Optimistic and Generally Outwardly Happy Person You Know to find "three positive things that happened today" to report about work. I had to shorten my first tour; I had no time to find rain gear, and ended up completely drenched through many layers, and then... nothing. No positive, no negative. Once you're soaked to the bone, I guess the positive is that "it can't get any worse". I suppose I should have listed that. Whatevs.

I'm going to bed now. I sure hope February is better.

The UPDATE: I had begun this as a draft last night, and then forgot it, so here it is: Welcome BACK, Ireland!

It's been a year and a quarter (or so) since you first arrived, and when you did, you came in force. Then someone from your country tried to spam comment me, but blogger.com blocked it, so that was cool. Now you're back, again in force. Maybe you're the same group; maybe you're a new group. I guess I'll know if blogger.com blocks some more spam comments from ya. In the meantime, welcome back! Don't stay gone so long!

Some newsworthy news? Maybe. Also, Welcome, Belarus!

Stephen and I are dancing again tonight, and it looks like we'll have some company from my friends from Arthur Murray, so that'll be fun.

Also, while at work today at the Bros., I got to Give My First Tour to a real-life Someone More Famous than I am. He had given a personal tour of the stuff he had access to (soundstages) to his mother, who was visiting for however long, YESTERDAY. Today, I guess she wanted "the real thing", so there they were, climbing into my tour cart. I was the only one (other than his mom) who watches the show he's on, so while I talked about it a little on the tour (only when it was appropriate), the tour was pretty much like any other tour I give. He played it pretty cool and casual, and I didn't point him out to the other guests, because, um, AWKWARD, anyone? His mom did take a couple of photos of me with him, at the end of the tour, after the other guests had departed, but I can't post them, because reasons. I shared those photos with my compatriots, but discovered, when sharing them with my boss-man, that it's actually against the rules (or some such nonsense) for tour guides, while working, to ask for photos with talent... even if that talent has just spent two hours with us! Boss-man was nice enough to break it down for me in a non-boss-man way, gently reminding me of this "rule" that I had apparently been told but forgotten, because how many actors ever just show up to take your tour? ZERO. Also, Boss-man kept saying how "cool" and "awesome" and "fantastic" it was, both that he'd been on my tour and that he'd taken the pics... but not to be done again, and not to be posted, not now or ever. Oh, well. Sorry I can't share them; they're super-cute! ;)

And lastly, Welcome, Belarus! I have no idea what brought you here, but I do hope you find something of interest to bring you back. As always, please check out my archives, and bring friends when you return! And welcome BACK, Romania! Nearly a YEAR has passed since you first crossed my virtual threshold!

You're afraid it's all been wasted time...

RIP, Glenn Frey (yeah, I know I'm late, but January's been a bitch). Really, I wasn't thinking so much about Wasted Time as I was Wasting Time.

I tend to fart around on my computer all day, if I've nothing good to do. Sometimes the farting around is essentially productive. Like today, I killed a lot of time putting numbers together in a spreadsheet and my TurboTax software. I bought a

new car

 last year, so I'm having to calculate what percentage of the old one was used per business (we have a few businesses between us), as well as what percentage of the new one has been used per business. The spreadsheet makes the calculations easy, and the tax software is really just plugging those numbers in (I don't have to do the calculations). I did spend all day farting around there, though. Without all the w-2's, 1099's, and whatever other forms we're probably waiting for, I can't finish. I'm looking forward to finishing. We're expecting decent refunds, which is good.

I've also discovered another bit of money magnetism, lately. I got paid twice this week by Warner Bros. Apparently, everyone got a raise in mid-December, and they didn't bother to tell us. They just processed a retroactive pay increase check with the regular check yesterday. Score!

What'll we spend all the money on? Good question. We could just apply it to our credit card debt and get closer to "financial freedom", or we could maybe take up dance lessons for a little bit. That's what I spent my insurance settlement on when Mommy died in 2006, and I don't feel the least bit unhappy with that choice at that time. Not that our latest "windfalls" will go as far as that; but maybe Stephen would enjoy some private instruction, since he did get a little bit of one-on-one with a real instructor when we went dancing two weeks ago. Which reminds me! We're going dancing again tomorrow night! If you're a local reader, wouldn't you like to join us?

Not that I think dancing is necessarily a time-waster (to get myself back on track here). It's great exercise, and is also a great social environment for both generating and releasing energy. TIME-WASTERS tend to suck the life outta us. Farting around on the computer, or on the phone, or the game console, all tend to leave us feeling bad about ourselves, I think, in the long run. It's so easy to lose oneself in a game or in the internets and return feeling less than accomplished. But when Stephen loses himself in a book, or I try to solve a new crochet puzzle, we're both working out our brains instead of just zoning out. Yeah, they can be considered "time-wasters", but they're at least a little bit productive.

I dunno. Do you often feel it's all been wasted time? How do you like to waste your time? Do we need some new time-wasters? Do you have a favorite that hasn't even occurred to me?

EV-'rybuddy wants Me! (duh-nana, duh-nana, duh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nana)

I got called at 7-ungodly-something-o'clock this morning. The tour department at Warner Bros. wanted to know if I was available and interested in picking up a six-hour shift today. Sure! So I got booked for 10:15 - 4:15. Yay! Back to sleep, maybe?

Nope. That phone call was immediately followed by the Customer Service department of a company to whom I'd returned a product, informing me at 7-ungodly-something-o'clock that my return had been processed, and I should see my refund on the appropriate credit card in the next business week. Fine; thank you; WHY THE EFF are you calling me at 7-ungodly-something-o'clock? I didn't say all that, but before we'd gotten into the point of the call, the woman asked how I was, and I did inform her that she'd awakened me. She apologized and seemed a bit surprised, but I think that's because she was calling From India. Whatever. I'm getting a refund, as expected. Yay. Back to sleep, maybe?

Sorta, maybe. Not so much. Just shy of 9 a.m., as I'm planning to get up and get moving anyway, I get a call from Central Casting, asking if I am available and interested in rushing out to Burbank in the next 30 minutes? Oh, dear sweet Baby Jesus, yes, I would love to... but I'm already rushing out to Burbank to be on the lot by 10:15, so I have to say, no, I'm sorry. Interested but no longer available. Damn. I have a feeling it was for the show Mom, which I've been hoping to get to play on, for several reasons:

1. It shoots at Warner Bros. and I already know my way around the lot (plus I live close enough to easily get there for a half-hour rush call)
2. Allison Janney is The Bomb dot Com, and I am desperate to see her in person, possibly with a chance to "meet" her, and if the moment reveals itself, tell her my little tour guide anecdote that relates to her days on The West Wing.
3. Okay, actually, my "several" reasons only break down into TWO. So sue me. No, don't. It's my blog, I'll use whatever vernacular I choose.

I also have been making myself available for tours on only a weekend schedule, so that I can leave weekdays available for being on set, as that is my preferred gig and makes me more money in the course of any regular day. But being "available" for work means that I'm still reachable by phone, and I'm pretty much a stick-to-my-commitments, first-come-first-served kinda gal. And it was a good day on the lot, but one of my tours did venture into the soundstage where they were holding the Mom background actors, so that was a personal bittersweet moment for me. Not that Allison was holding in that stage - are you insane?

At the end of my six, I stopped by Trader Joe's, because we were out of wine and chocolate. Had my usual brief banter with the Captain (manager), where I asked him if he was "Ready?" (to hire/interview me) to which he replied "Almost! Are you?" and I indicated "Gettin' there!" ... so, any day now, I'm going to be faced with a plethora of employment options.

Dear God, please help me to make the best impression on the best potential employer and give me wisdom, insight, and the freedom to choose my best opportunity. Amen.

I made some more things...

... like one of two wrist "gauntlets" that I'm sorta figuring out, what with only knowing one basic crochet stitch so far, and not having access to patterns yet, or ludicrous amounts of yarn or even various sizes of hooks yet. So I'm kinda making a pair of fingerless gloves; maybe I'll figure out the thumbhole by the time I'm done with the experiment, and they'll end up pretty cool. I'm using the leftover yarn from my sister's Moebius Scarflet, so she's probably going to "claim" them by the time she receives the first package and figures out her best way to wear it.

... and a crock pot of an improvised "shit on a shingle" but without the shingle, and actually incorporating veggies, too. Pulled pork, smashed taters, a tub of cheddar-n-horseradish pub cheese, a can of diced tomatoes, and a bunch of broccoli florets. Tasty, but really not sure how I should have served this up, sans toast?

... and a dent in the filing of taxes. So far, getting a decent refund, based on four w-2's. Haven't yet calculated business deductions (actor/writer/Scripty) or received all of the w-2's and 1099's we'll receive yet this year. Gotta do a little spreadsheet math. Probably tomorrow.

... and a frustrating pile o' mess trying to create a damn iTunes account so I can watch the last friggin' screener! I'll try again tomorrow, maybe. I may just have to vote based on the movies I've been able to watch. Have I mentioned how much I HATE streaming video? What about how ANTI-"i" I am? No? Yeah, I have. I know I have.

So ennyhoo; Stephen and the houseguest have both retired for the night.

I am soon to follow.

I HATE streaming video.

Have I mentioned how much I HATE streaming video? All this season of SAG Awards, I've been trying to watch screeners so I can vote before Saturday, for Best Performances for the SAG Awards, which will air on Sunday (unless I mean Friday for Saturday and Saturday for Sunday; I forget). I'm just trying to get through all of these movies.

I promised you kids at least one more review today. Unfortunately, my review of Carol will be tainted by the fact that it only streams properly on my cell phone, and there is No. Fucking. Way. In. Hell. I'm going to watch a two-hour movie on that teeny-tiny screen! NO. FUCKING. WAY.

So maybe you can explain to me why it works this way, because it doesn't make a damn bit of sense to me. I go to the website, on the television, and the video never loads. I go to the website, on my computer, and the video streams almost immediately, but I only get to see about four frames per second, rather than the standard twenty-four (I'm just guessing that the video loads only one out of every six frames). The audio streams just fine. But the video? Not so much. Still, connecting the laptop to the television via an HDMI cable allows me to watch it on a larger screen, jumpy though it is. Checked it out on the phone, just to see. To see if maybe, I could stream it via the phone through the computer into the big tv and therefore get to see all I'm hearing. Because on the phone, you see, using the same internet connection I've got in my laptop and the PlayStation4 into the tv, for whatever unknown ridonkulous reason, it streams PERFECTLY. Streams Perfectly into my tiny 4" screen, using the Same. Damn. Internet. Connection. What the ever-lovin' Eff, People? Why can't I watch this (allegedly) beautiful film on more than 4"? I can, as long as I resign myself to seeing approximately 1/6th of the originally shot visuals. (Honestly, I probably got to watch significantly LESS than 1/6th of the visuals. Just sayin')

So here's my review: Carol is about a forbidden love affair. It's forbidden because the time period is the 1950's and the location is Anywhere, America. The two parties of the love affair are both female; thus the forbidden aspect. Galadriel the Ageless Elf woos the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Apparently, one or both of them are nominated for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. I couldn't tell ya. Sorry.

In case you can't really wrap your brain around my frustration, imagine this: A Sweeping, Historic Battle Epic with Brilliant Landscapes and Cinematography that you have to watch as a slideshow, all the while hearing every stinkin' bit of dialogue and swordplay in "real" time. Imagine The Best Ensemble Cast in the Most Quotable Romantic Comedy of All Time, performing their hearts out while you quote along with them, but only getting to watch it like a filmstrip in elementary school. I'm very unhappy. You should be, too. If I had received the physical screener they'd promised me, you'd have gotten a much better review much sooner than this. But what are you left with? This. Pathetic. Blog. Post. And now I have nothing left to look forward to but Trumbo, streamed in iTunes, which I'll have to fight with because Stupid Apple. Yay.

Go ahead. Yell at me. You deserve better than this.

A sample of what I endured.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the weather changed to super-fantastic yesterday. I drove around, doing my errands, with my window open and my shirt sleeves pushed up to my elbows. And then my congestion returned last night, disallowing anyone in this household to sleep until well after midnight. So I feel great today. Peachy.

Welcome Backs.

Readers from Sweden, and South Africa, and Singapore, and Ukraine, and Mexico, and Thailand, and Vietnam have rejoined the rest of you here in the last week! Some visited for the first time about six months ago, and some as long ago as a year and a half ago. So, to all of you who've been away, Welcome BACK!

Today, I've been "productive", as it were, but I have nothing interesting to tell you. I sent out Cheryl's Moebius Scarflet; I shopped for some groceries; I ran the dishwasher; I ... ordered pizza for dinner? We did eat pizza for dinner, which I ordered online, but how exciting is that for you?

Sorry, everyone. Maybe tomorrow I'll actually screen another movie, and then I can review it for you. Right now, we're enjoying wine and chocolate with our viewing of the latest Downton Abbey. Yay for British television!