Tuesday, January 8, 2008
iTunes My Mind Toward Politics!
In the iTunes store, search for "presidential candidate profiles" for an interesting series of short videos ABC News made on the biography each of the leading candidates. It's not entirely still applicable, since I found out right after watching them that Joe Biden and Chris Dodds have now dropped out of the race.
What is interesting is how almost all of these interviewees have had an inordinate amount of hardship in their lives, whether it was emotional (Obama's abandonment, Edwards's son's death) or physical (McCain's POW torture). Is the response of overcoming a hardship to strive for "success" only evident in extroverts (and how could you not be one if you were running for president?) or is this response universal? In other words, is it just circumstance that these men have had difficult lives or have their experiences caused them to achieve the places they are today?
What is interesting is how almost all of these interviewees have had an inordinate amount of hardship in their lives, whether it was emotional (Obama's abandonment, Edwards's son's death) or physical (McCain's POW torture). Is the response of overcoming a hardship to strive for "success" only evident in extroverts (and how could you not be one if you were running for president?) or is this response universal? In other words, is it just circumstance that these men have had difficult lives or have their experiences caused them to achieve the places they are today?
"How dare you, D'Artagnan! And smack 'em"
Monday, January 7, 2008
Sonorus!
Seeing as how I'm pretty much a worthless void right now I might as well try to make myself useful. Listening to the Ricky Gervais podcast at work I heard that voice over acting is extremely profitable. Now, ever since I saw "The Little Mermaid" when I was five I've wanted to be the voice of a Disney princess. Every time I talk to Emily she says "Please Haley, do the voice for a Disney movie. Please!" (as though I can just walk in and accept the part). I don't think I'd ever land something that gargantuan, but voice over work does sound fun. When I worked at KCPR I think I had the most fun when I could read those little public announcements on air. Hmm. To find out more about it I typed "how to become a voice actor" into the google search engine. The first article stated steps to achieving this goal:
(Abbreviated)
1. As a child or teenager, take acting and voice lessons and do plays.
2. Work a few shifts as a disc jockey for a local radio station.
I could hardly believe my good luck. First two steps - CHECK!
(Abbreviated)
1. As a child or teenager, take acting and voice lessons and do plays.
2. Work a few shifts as a disc jockey for a local radio station.
I could hardly believe my good luck. First two steps - CHECK!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
La Vue de la Mer
I finally figured out what the area I live is called. Being categorized feels good:
The Ocean View district has always been intrinsically tied to transportation. Started as a community built around a railway station, the Ocean View grew from a valley of dairy and vegetable farms to a vital urban neighborhood.
Alemany Boulevard, the Interstate 280 freeway, and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) took the place of the old steam locomotives, as the Ocean View continues to host the paths from San Francisco to the Peninsula.
Originally an Italian-Irish-German neighborhood, the Ocean View was one of the few places in post-World War II San Francisco where African-American families could buy property. During redevelopment in the Western Addition/Fillmore in the 1960s and 70s, more African-American families moved to this western neighborhood. In the past five years, relatively lower real estate prices have brought in a new influx of Asians, Latinos and Caucasians, making Ocean View one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco.
--From the OMI Website
I think I am one of those "Caucasians" that they accuse of looking for cheap housing in the last paragraph. Seeing as my parents have been bugging me to put up some photos of my house, now might be as good a time as ever.
The Ocean View district has always been intrinsically tied to transportation. Started as a community built around a railway station, the Ocean View grew from a valley of dairy and vegetable farms to a vital urban neighborhood.
Alemany Boulevard, the Interstate 280 freeway, and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) took the place of the old steam locomotives, as the Ocean View continues to host the paths from San Francisco to the Peninsula.
Originally an Italian-Irish-German neighborhood, the Ocean View was one of the few places in post-World War II San Francisco where African-American families could buy property. During redevelopment in the Western Addition/Fillmore in the 1960s and 70s, more African-American families moved to this western neighborhood. In the past five years, relatively lower real estate prices have brought in a new influx of Asians, Latinos and Caucasians, making Ocean View one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco.
--From the OMI Website
I think I am one of those "Caucasians" that they accuse of looking for cheap housing in the last paragraph. Seeing as my parents have been bugging me to put up some photos of my house, now might be as good a time as ever.
My house, right-side-up.
...Hill taken into account.
My street.
Muni stop where I wait every morning. The library is that yellow building across the street.
The hill looking up toward my house. Steeper than it looks here.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
I Will be a Shooting Staaaar
Today I randomly came across this, my one foray into film acting, on youtube. This is hilarious, if you haven't seen it:
Friday, December 28, 2007
Ode to the Forgotten
At my internship about 15% of the work is copying or printing out galleys (basically, the book printed on 11x17 paper), filling out a form, and sending both to the Library of Congress - where the information will be registered. You know that page at the beginning of books that lists something like ISBN 978-1185733498. Travel > United States > Arizona > Grand Canyon. That's where they get that information to print in the book and keep on their files. Yesterday I printed out the galley for a book called Night Vision by Troy Paiva. It's a fascinating photography book of abandoned places in the Southwest. Check out the link to his website, Lost America under my links. Apparently Mr. Paiva is a leader in a movement called UrbEx, or Urban Exploration. These explorers seek out the forgotten, the deserted, the hauntingly decrepit places that were once full of life, but now lie silent. 
I became completely immersed in the book and read nearly the entire thing. The photographs were achingly lonely and made me want to steal a nice SLR and join the Urban Explorers pronto. It's so fascinating how nature reclaims these structures - left to their own devices like weeds. Plus, the idea of trespassing appeals to me. I remember when I was little reading in something like (but not necessarily) National Geographic, a story of the Salton Sea. It boomed as a lake resort in the '50s, but once it began to dry up, motels and gas stations were abandoned. The photographs gave me chills.
And so the mission to visit the Salton Sea, Bodie Ghost Town, etc, begins...once I get my camera, that is...
I became completely immersed in the book and read nearly the entire thing. The photographs were achingly lonely and made me want to steal a nice SLR and join the Urban Explorers pronto. It's so fascinating how nature reclaims these structures - left to their own devices like weeds. Plus, the idea of trespassing appeals to me. I remember when I was little reading in something like (but not necessarily) National Geographic, a story of the Salton Sea. It boomed as a lake resort in the '50s, but once it began to dry up, motels and gas stations were abandoned. The photographs gave me chills.And so the mission to visit the Salton Sea, Bodie Ghost Town, etc, begins...once I get my camera, that is...
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The Cave Mouth Shines by Pure Force of Will
In between paying off my student loan (Freudian slip - mistyped that as "load") and trying to find a gym (again, mistyped that as "guy") and applying to jobs, I forgot to be heartbroken. I don't know why I'm not sadder about breaking up with my first semi-serious boyfriend and constant companion since I moved here, but I'm not going to question it. I feel great, but there's also an overshadowing hesitancy that this could all come crashing down on my head at any moment. In the meantime, I will walk alone and explore and work at a radio station and maybe audition for a play and get a real job. Chronicle Books is hiring a publicity assistant and a marketing assistant and I'm going to apply for both this weekend.
This place is weird. I see transvestites and pimps (legit ones, if you can call pimps legit - not just frat boys dressing up for Halloween. I never knew people really dressed in those calf-length fur coats with a red-plumed hat) and human waste on the sidewalk walking back from work. Then again, today was strange in general. Once I got off the Muni the streets were nearly deserted compared to the normal 8:45am rush. Everyone is still savoring the plush glow of Christmas, I suppose, wrapped in a blanket watching new dvds or reheating a feast of leftovers that bloom deliciously from tinfoil buds.
This place is weird. I see transvestites and pimps (legit ones, if you can call pimps legit - not just frat boys dressing up for Halloween. I never knew people really dressed in those calf-length fur coats with a red-plumed hat) and human waste on the sidewalk walking back from work. Then again, today was strange in general. Once I got off the Muni the streets were nearly deserted compared to the normal 8:45am rush. Everyone is still savoring the plush glow of Christmas, I suppose, wrapped in a blanket watching new dvds or reheating a feast of leftovers that bloom deliciously from tinfoil buds.
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