Such a solid video.
Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.
It's funny how boredom becomes so stressful after a while. Whenever I'm working in a job that requires a lot of me, I'm begging for a moment of boredom. But when it actually hits, it is the worst feeling ever.
The bottom line is that people don't actually like to be bored. We crave stimulation of one type or another, constantly. Whether we prefer to do it actively or not is a totally different story, but my point holds.
That said, I'm going to stop using the phrase "I'm bored" and instead I'll say, "what can I do right now to activate my mind?"
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
All Along the Watchtower
Sometimes, we need to be reminded of our capabilities.
I recently saw Watchmen on IMAX. I hadn't read the comic book before seeing the movie, so I felt like it was hitting me at a fresh angle. Bone crushing violence and over indulgent nudity aside, I was pretty rocked. It poses such an interesting question: how far will humanity progress before the only way to save ourselves is to destroy us?
At what point will we be comfortable enough to sit back, even if just for a few minutes, and appreciate what we've already managed to create? We amaze me. Maybe this is just the beginning, but already we have achieved so much.
I recently saw Watchmen on IMAX. I hadn't read the comic book before seeing the movie, so I felt like it was hitting me at a fresh angle. Bone crushing violence and over indulgent nudity aside, I was pretty rocked. It poses such an interesting question: how far will humanity progress before the only way to save ourselves is to destroy us?
At what point will we be comfortable enough to sit back, even if just for a few minutes, and appreciate what we've already managed to create? We amaze me. Maybe this is just the beginning, but already we have achieved so much.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Fool's Paradise
Clarifying my last post: I was not suggesting that we are submerged in a second Great Depression. I'm not a financial analyst. I'm just taking note that if things get worse, we've got a little piece of history to learn from (cough*GreatDepression*cough).
That said, here's something hilarious:
And what is it about Twitter that gets people going? Is it reasonable to be that interested in letting everyone know what menial tasks you're completing throughout the day? Are we all just growing increasingly retarded?
Sure, it makes sense for a business to post new details about their services, I guess. And maybe somebody out there really wants to know what his/her favorite celebrity is doing at all times of the day (stalker) but are we growing that self-absorbed as a demographic that we really think people care about what we're doing?
I have enough faith that Twitter will grow to be something substantial, but it's gonna get blown out of the water by other social media sites sooner rather than later if it can't offer a bigger benefit than the current "look who's over-feeding their cat!" service. I could very well be proven wrong, but only at the expense of my faith in the human intellect. Let's try to avoid turning into a bunch of Twits.
That said, here's something hilarious:
Ironically, my buddy found that photo on TwitPic.
And what is it about Twitter that gets people going? Is it reasonable to be that interested in letting everyone know what menial tasks you're completing throughout the day? Are we all just growing increasingly retarded?
Sure, it makes sense for a business to post new details about their services, I guess. And maybe somebody out there really wants to know what his/her favorite celebrity is doing at all times of the day (stalker) but are we growing that self-absorbed as a demographic that we really think people care about what we're doing?
I have enough faith that Twitter will grow to be something substantial, but it's gonna get blown out of the water by other social media sites sooner rather than later if it can't offer a bigger benefit than the current "look who's over-feeding their cat!" service. I could very well be proven wrong, but only at the expense of my faith in the human intellect. Let's try to avoid turning into a bunch of Twits.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Time to Pretend
After my last post I couldn't stop repeating that last question I posed, "What are our alternatives?" It just went over and over in my head. How can 20-somethings of today avoid the basic setbacks of the current economic slump? There has to be a way.
Firstly, let me just say that I can't (yet) resign myself to jobs that sound awful just for the sake of having a job. I've got at least another month in me to seek positions that could actually expand my skill set in a way that makes me feel productive and fulfilled. Using the economy as an excuse for laziness when it comes to job-hunting is too easy. Not to say it's not difficult, but if you want something then it's like I just said... there has to be a way... to get it. So try, try, try. The economy is an excuse - just don't use it as one.
But let's just sayyy that as hard as we try to go after whatever it is we want, the economy throws us to the dogs. You're the first to get fired or you're almost hired but the corporate exec says "on second thought, we can't afford this." Or your project gets canceled three weeks in. Whatever. How do we 20-somethings support ourselves financially AND maintain our learning curve when there's no one out there who's willing to teach us?
Naturally, I did a little history research. How did young people do it in the 1930s? If history is in the process of repeating itself, then we might as well learn from history, itself. (pun?)
Here are some points to consider:
-The Great Depression really, really, sucked. Like. Really. Sucked.
-In large part, America recovered because of WWII... and something tells me that the Iraq war II isn't going to be as helpful this time around.
-According to some guy on the internet, "young adults lost confidence in themselves and lowered their ambitions" during the Great Depression, which sounds vaguely familiar to the current plight of 20-somethings. Other sites have noted that young adults became increasingly more interested in music and entertainment. (That explains my grandma's life long love of Big Bands) While still other young adults decided to further their education at colleges where they could continue to learn while getting jobs on campus to pay for room and board.
Ok, so there aren't a lot of articles that focus on the successful youths during the Depression. In fairness, I didn't spend a lot of time looking - BUT I've already reached a conclusion, and it's not "plastics" so feel free to keep reading.
The key, I think, is NOT to lose confidence and NOT to lower your ambition. The kids who acheived any kind of success after the depression were the kids who didn't resign themselves to it. Technology is so expansive right now, and that is something we have now that nobody had back in the 1930s. Our success through this economic slump is going to have to be mental.
If you're interested in finance but had to get a job flipping burgers or serving beer, you've got a whole slough of websites that will not only keep you in the know but that you can contribute to, which will make you feel like you're maintaining some kind of learning curve... and when you're at that next job interview you'll spend most of your time impressing the guy behind the desk because you never lost your ambition.
If you're looking to get into entertainment, even better. Not only will entertainment be in demand, but these days you can do it in short bursts through YouTube, for free, whenever you're not walking dogs for money. Resume building. Take advantage of your resources- they are out there and they are vast.
Set your sights high and stay informed. Stay confident. When you have to explain to yourself at your next job interview, you say "Yeah, I served beer and I walked dogs. But look at all of this stuff I contributed to that has to do with what you do. Because I want this." If that guy doesn't hire you he's an idiot.
It's probably not our only alternative to suffering through the economic slump, but hey, in theory, it's worth trying. Man this has been preachy. But at least I've soothed my own nerves. And let's face it, my posts are generally just a way to hear myself talk (in my head? through type?).
Now it's time to take my own advice. And if you take my advice, I expect full credit.
Firstly, let me just say that I can't (yet) resign myself to jobs that sound awful just for the sake of having a job. I've got at least another month in me to seek positions that could actually expand my skill set in a way that makes me feel productive and fulfilled. Using the economy as an excuse for laziness when it comes to job-hunting is too easy. Not to say it's not difficult, but if you want something then it's like I just said... there has to be a way... to get it. So try, try, try. The economy is an excuse - just don't use it as one.
But let's just sayyy that as hard as we try to go after whatever it is we want, the economy throws us to the dogs. You're the first to get fired or you're almost hired but the corporate exec says "on second thought, we can't afford this." Or your project gets canceled three weeks in. Whatever. How do we 20-somethings support ourselves financially AND maintain our learning curve when there's no one out there who's willing to teach us?
Naturally, I did a little history research. How did young people do it in the 1930s? If history is in the process of repeating itself, then we might as well learn from history, itself. (pun?)
Here are some points to consider:
-The Great Depression really, really, sucked. Like. Really. Sucked.
-In large part, America recovered because of WWII... and something tells me that the Iraq war II isn't going to be as helpful this time around.
-According to some guy on the internet, "young adults lost confidence in themselves and lowered their ambitions" during the Great Depression, which sounds vaguely familiar to the current plight of 20-somethings. Other sites have noted that young adults became increasingly more interested in music and entertainment. (That explains my grandma's life long love of Big Bands) While still other young adults decided to further their education at colleges where they could continue to learn while getting jobs on campus to pay for room and board.
Ok, so there aren't a lot of articles that focus on the successful youths during the Depression. In fairness, I didn't spend a lot of time looking - BUT I've already reached a conclusion, and it's not "plastics" so feel free to keep reading.
The key, I think, is NOT to lose confidence and NOT to lower your ambition. The kids who acheived any kind of success after the depression were the kids who didn't resign themselves to it. Technology is so expansive right now, and that is something we have now that nobody had back in the 1930s. Our success through this economic slump is going to have to be mental.
If you're interested in finance but had to get a job flipping burgers or serving beer, you've got a whole slough of websites that will not only keep you in the know but that you can contribute to, which will make you feel like you're maintaining some kind of learning curve... and when you're at that next job interview you'll spend most of your time impressing the guy behind the desk because you never lost your ambition.
If you're looking to get into entertainment, even better. Not only will entertainment be in demand, but these days you can do it in short bursts through YouTube, for free, whenever you're not walking dogs for money. Resume building. Take advantage of your resources- they are out there and they are vast.
Set your sights high and stay informed. Stay confident. When you have to explain to yourself at your next job interview, you say "Yeah, I served beer and I walked dogs. But look at all of this stuff I contributed to that has to do with what you do. Because I want this." If that guy doesn't hire you he's an idiot.
It's probably not our only alternative to suffering through the economic slump, but hey, in theory, it's worth trying. Man this has been preachy. But at least I've soothed my own nerves. And let's face it, my posts are generally just a way to hear myself talk (in my head? through type?).
Now it's time to take my own advice. And if you take my advice, I expect full credit.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The Broken Social Shift
For new readers and old: Welcome. This blog is taking a shift from the documentation of a road warrior moving toward the coast of opportunity to the observations of a 20-something in a new city, in a new economy, and teetering on the edge of a new frontier. Enjoy.
I had a phone call scheduled today with a production company exec, and as I arranged a time to speak with him via his secretary, I received a very kind but extremely alarming sentiment. "I am so sorry that you're looking for a job right now! What a terrible time to come to LA in search of employment!" Humbling, to say the least.
If the adrenaline didn't start pumping through my body at dangerous levels, it should have, because this kind of misery does not love condolences. Condolences remind misery that it has company. And company is the ugliest reality for misery right now. The worst thing you can say to a 20-something at a time like this is "you're not alone" because it only translates to "your competition is heavier."
So when the competition is heavier, we 20-somethings need heavier leverage. What can we do to ensure our long-term success? Most of us are willing to settle for a lame job that won't advance our chosen career paths because we need the income. Fine. But taking the lame job debilitates your chances of climbing the ladder and gaining experience in the field you really love. And let's say 10 years go by, we're now 30-somethings, and we're competing with a fresh brand of 20-somethings for the same job - what leverage will we have then? And can we really risk wasting 10 years of our lives doing something we hate just for the sake of having something stable? What are our alternatives?
I had a phone call scheduled today with a production company exec, and as I arranged a time to speak with him via his secretary, I received a very kind but extremely alarming sentiment. "I am so sorry that you're looking for a job right now! What a terrible time to come to LA in search of employment!" Humbling, to say the least.
If the adrenaline didn't start pumping through my body at dangerous levels, it should have, because this kind of misery does not love condolences. Condolences remind misery that it has company. And company is the ugliest reality for misery right now. The worst thing you can say to a 20-something at a time like this is "you're not alone" because it only translates to "your competition is heavier."
So when the competition is heavier, we 20-somethings need heavier leverage. What can we do to ensure our long-term success? Most of us are willing to settle for a lame job that won't advance our chosen career paths because we need the income. Fine. But taking the lame job debilitates your chances of climbing the ladder and gaining experience in the field you really love. And let's say 10 years go by, we're now 30-somethings, and we're competing with a fresh brand of 20-somethings for the same job - what leverage will we have then? And can we really risk wasting 10 years of our lives doing something we hate just for the sake of having something stable? What are our alternatives?
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