September 10, 2004 - 9:36 PM

Well Buffalow Me Down

Hey, since when has the U.S. Mint been messing with nickels? And did they ever finish up with the quarters? I just took a look at a nickel today as I was digging through my change cup for laundry quarters, and at first, i thought I had a piece of foreign currency. I flipped it over and saw Jefferson's head, flipped it back to the tails side, studied it, and realized that it was authentic. In place of the engraving of Monticello, there are two hands shaking, one with a Colonial shirt cuff, the other with a Native American wristband. Above the handshake are what look like an axe and a golfclub crossed, with the words "Louisiana Purchase" arched over them. Anybody else seen these new 2004 coins? Are there any other variants out there? Maybe something promoting the merits of the Hawley/Smoot Tariff Act? Or a celebration of the Teapot Dome Scandal? Or maybe, since it is TJ's coin, it has stuff like Sally Hemmings and a Marijuana field on alternate versions.

*****

I started a second job today. Actually, fourth. Well, first really. Fourth in a line of still open employments, but first in priority. Here's the deal: I am now a production assistant (read: runner, gopher, grease that makes the wheel turn) on an upcoming tv show. Thanks to Tony's friend, Sarah, for hooking me up with the job. Anyways, it's a 9 AM-6PM gig, five days a week, and it is my number one workhorse. I'll still be freelancing as an assistant and 1st engineer at the recording studio, but at this point, I'll only be able to take night or weekend sessions (like the one I'm doing this weekend). And, if there are any breaks and I get the call, I'll still be substitute teaching at LDBL's school and doing sound at the El Portal Theater. It looks like I won't be wanting for work for the next few months, which is a relief.

Why'd I take on this new job? Well, I've talked with several of the engineers who I've assisted, and they all have second jobs or investments or something to supplement the engineering thing. Recording and mixing for rock and roll just isn't a steady enough gig, nor does it pay well, nor are you guaranteed of actually snatching that paycheck from the greedy hands of the people who are supposed to be paying you. I've had an interest in the tv and movie side of recording since I got out of school, and it's definitely become more appealing lately. More stable, more work out there, better pay, saner hours. And it seems like the people are less dick-tacular than the ones in the music biz.

It's a lateral move, and a step back, but I know that I'll be getting a decent paycheck every week, which is comforting. And who knows, it could open my eyes, open new doors...I might not step into an audio thing for TV, but I might realize that I love some other aspect of TV production. Plus, there are more women that work in this area than in music, so, you know, bonus!

******

Fuck, I just got cable tv (a step above basic service) and high speed cable modem internet access. It'll be 70 for the first 3 months, then 95 each month afterwards. Thank god I have 4 jobs to fall back on.

What was I thinking? Baseball season is over, so there's no reason to watch anything until next spring. Just kidding. It's a new TV season, so there's plenty of new crap to give a chance until it's cancelled.

*******

A few things from my time in Boston:

-Had lunch with my friend Tasha Z on Tuesday. She's super. She's going graduate degree, studying Music Therapy, holding down a job through Mass General Hospital. I wish she came out here and visited me and her sister.

-While staying with Phil and Jen, I played a computer based baseball sim game called Out of the Park Baseball which is like crack for stat freaks. Phil has had to go cold turkey because it's so addictive. I ended up playing Friday night until around 7 in the morning, slept until noon, then got up for Soph's wedding. Then, I played on Sunday night until 8 AM (after Phil had slept, gotten up, and gone to work). I'm contemplating buying a new PC just so i can play it (my PC is 6 years old and barely up to snuff for the game, and it isn't available for my zippy Mac).

-Soph and I went to the Boston Science Center to check out a Lord of the Rings movie exhibit which was setting foot on U.S. soil for the first time after having traveled around the globe. You'd think the makers of the film would have exhausted all the behind the scenes material what with the myriad tv specials and the 2 DVD sets per movie that they've foisted upon the public, but noooo. This exhibit had monitors set up at various display cases with 3 to 5 one minute long snippets of the cast and crew discussing the characters, the stories, the fx, the art, etc that were never before seen. Actual and recreated costumes, props, miniatures, and models were displayed; examples of practical and special effects were demonstrated; they even had docents handling swords and armor that you could wield.

Strange, in one week, i went to two different Science Centers after not having been to one in probably over 15 years.

-Boston's public transporation (The T) is great.

-I bought new Teva sandals (someone once told me that Teva is hebrew for water or river...dunno if it's true) at an REI store near Phil's. Finally, sandals that fit and are comfortable!

-Tuesday after lunch with Tasha, I got Gee to come pick me up in Boston (because he is greater than the T, and I had no other plans before my flight left that evening), and we stopped by the Nike Town store on Newbury street. They had some funky-ass shoes. We spotted former L.A. Dodger (and now Boston Red Sock) Dave Roberts shopping for shoes with his family. Later that night, he hit a homerun at Fenway. Yeah, we brought him good luck.

-Soph is Ebaying a bunch of her CDs (sacre bleu, sacrilege!), but she let me get first pick through the stack of albums. Got some primo stuff that I've been aiming to buy myself, including Crowded House, U2, The Connells, R.E.M, Lightning Seeds, and several others.

Now Listening To : Crowded House-Crowded House
Random Thought : Fucking Cable! I am so weak! How could I succumb?

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