Life Goals And Other Random Musings

My apartment is a cave. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing tends to shift from moment to moment. It's mostly ok except when I am working on a number of projects at once, especially scene design*, and the work spreads out everywhere.

What would help to even that out would be to have studio space that was somewhere else. I have been looking into that possibility, but I am somewhat nervous about having enough work to pay for that. I could certainly make enough money if I worked more over hire, but that would eat up the time I could be working in the studio.

The other aspect of the cave that is somewhat troublesome is how unwelcoming it might seem to someone else. I like to cook for people, but I am too self- conscious about the toilet you have to jiggle in just the right way to make it work, etc, to invite someone to dinner. I could move, but I love the neighborhood I live in and could never afford to live here if I were not paying the below market rent my father is charging me. I don't drive, so living out in the boonies to get the sort of rent I could currently afford is not really an option.

The conclusion would seem to be that I need to make more money. Over the past few years, the amount of design work I have had has been on a steady decline. Interestingly, I am in general making more per show as time goes by, so other than this calendar year my income from designing has held fairly steady**.

I have no hard explanations for why the decline in design gigs has happened, but I have some theories.

First, I joined the Union. While this was a logical step for me to take, it made me more expensive for some employers. I know of one theatre in particular that fell under the Bay Area contract and the minimum put me out of their price range. It was not that I did not know this was going to happen when I joined but it did have an effect.

Another contributing factor has been people with whom I had long standing relationships moved from their positions. This has been especially true for theatres out of town.

The economy went down the toilet. Theatres cut back on their programming, or worse yet closed their doors. They also got more conservative in their choices, not just in terms of material but also in terms of who they hired. They became less willing to work with new people.

There is more high quality competition in town than there really was even three years ago.

A couple of years ago I drew a line for myself that I would not work for less than a certain dollar amount. There have been one or two exceptions because it was a project I really wanted to work on, but in general that minimum has meant there are some theatres are not going to hire me.

So what do I do about this trend of decline? I am not entirely sure. I have never been very good at promoting myself. I think maybe I am getting better at it, and hopefully having an agent now will help to get me out of this slump.

On a more cheerful note, I am starting to get really excited about the 2012/ 13 season. I suppose the newest update is I am designing scenery and lighting for American Utopias at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in March. It will be challenging because the schedule for load- in and tech is very tight, but from the conversations we have had so far I think the show will be awesome.

There are thoughts about family life, dating, starting a Not For Profit and beginning to think about the time when I might retire, but they will have to wait for another post.

Peace in yer crease.

* There is a huge amount of space required in Scene Design, especially when you start working on the scale model. Even though I draft on the computer, I still begin the design process with pencil and paper and lots of visual research to look at all at once.

** Though the dollar amount of my income has been fairly consistent over the past several years, it has in no way kept pace with inflation. So I am actually making less than I was three years ago.

David Bowie Thoughts

Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes...

Sorry, very bad joke. Between Twitter, FB and a few other odds and ends, my literary creativity seems to be sapped at the moment. Or maybe I just need a nap.

The recent changes I was referring to:

Design work has begun to trickle in. Given how slow 2012 has been up to this point, this is wonderful news. I am designing lighting for a production of The Rocky Horror Show in October. I lit a production of that show in October of 1992, so this feels like an anniversary show. I am not sure I am ready to be having 20th anniversary events in my career, but whatever. It's a fun show and I am psyched about the other members of the design team and the director.

I am also re- designing scenery for Black Nativity which goes up at the end of November.

There are other possibilities on the horizon, but I am not ready to talk about them just yet.

The other career oriented change is I now have an agent. Something I am still getting used to saying.

More soon.

Peace.

Where The Hell Have Ya'll Been?

Annnnd..... we're back.

Have not posted here on the ol blog in quite some time. There have been a number of reasons for that. Here are some of them, in no particular order:

I joined Facebook and for some time that was adequate for expressing my feelings in short bursts.

I felt like I was perhaps being too open on this thing (although an argument could be made I have been doing the same on FB), especially considering the less than anonymous nature of this thing.

Most people I knew in the blogosphere had slowed down or stopped their blogging altogether, and I felt like people had stopped reading.

So why am I starting back up now?

I am not really sure. There has been a lot swirling around in my mind and FB is not always the best place to write about it. I guess I am hoping my lengthy hiatus here will provide me with a renewed sense of anonymity.

So what's been going on? A lot and not a damned thing, all at once.

I am still based in DC, still doing the freelance design thing, although I am doing as much scenery and projections work as lighting these days. I added the Scene Design category to my USA card. There has been a sharp drop off in design work over the past year or so, but it seems that is beginning to turn around. I have been filling in the gaps with over- hire work as an electrician or carpenter at various theaters around town.

I am still single. 

I know, we are all shocked.

More soon.

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!  Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa!

My wish for you all is that you are able to hold the peace and joy of the holiday season in your hearts all year long.

Can We Get A Reality Check On Aisle 7 Please?

I was on my way to a meeting this evening when I passed an upscale furnishings store.  As part of their window display they had a coffee table book entitled Luxury Private Islands.

Luxury Private Islands

We will pause while you consider this.

Really?  Isn't the word "Luxury" terribly redundant?  Not to mention insulting to those of us without private islands.

Is there anyone, anywhere, who has actually said, "Yes I have a private island but it is a real dump."?

And if there is, do they understand they will be among the first whose heads wind up in the basket?

Good Grief!

For Those Of You Who Monitor This For News Of My Health

I made it back from New Orleans mostly intact (my liver might disagree).

Lots of fun.  Lots of relaxation.  Lots of avoiding the confusion that my life has become.

Sadly, I must once again face that confusion.

Yeah.

Does Anyone Know?

When it comes to male/ female interactions, do we ever really get out of middle school?

Yes folks, we are back to the cryptic posts.

Sorry about that.

A Quick Shout Out...

... to the MSGAP.  

On Sunday I was in desperate need of female- behavior- reading help, and who better to aid me than the Multi- State, Girlie- Advising Posse.  So I turned on my Clueless Symbol and pointed it at the nearest cloud.  My much esteemed Posse did not fail me.  

Each one talked me through the finer points of what I was witnessing, and provided sage advice on how to proceed.  

So thank you all, ladies.  I don't know how I would make it through life without you, but I am comforted by the knowledge I won't have to.

So keep watching the clouds for the Clueless Symbol.  Odds are pretty good it will be on again soon. 

And This Has What To Do With Art?

The day started favorably.  I got into the studio, taped out a clean ground plan onto the drafting table, taped down a piece of tracing paper, and started the beginnings of a doodle.  Then the Production Manager dropped by with a contract for me to sign.

I read the contract, cause you know, I do that.

I then spent the next three hours rewriting and adding language to said contract, turning it from a page and a half document into one over seven pages long.  Cause you know, I do that.

Why does anyone really think I would sign a document that says you can fire me at any time without cause, but the only way I can get out of the contract is for you to fail to pay me?  On opening night.  On the date the contract ends anyway.

Why does anyone think I would sign a document that says I can't sue you if through your own negligence, you drop something heavy on me?

I really need a manager!

Yesterday's Quote of the Day

From Hell's heart I stab at thee.

For Hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.

So I was a little grumpy yesterday.

WaaH HOOoh.

We now have less than one year to suffer under the Presidential Imbecile.

I Even Ate First

Dammit!

I just finished watching the film Big Night, and I am hungry again.

The Day I Knew Would Come...

... has arrived.

I am now out of bookshelf space in my apartment.

Time to move.

Happy New Year

A New Year.

Really, how the eff did it get to be 2008.  Just yesterday it was March.

Unlike last year, where I missed the turning of the new year because I was reading a book, I actually managed to make plans and go out.  Indeed I went to two parties and had a wonderfully festive time at both.  I even got kissed at midnight.

The down side of New Years Day, other than the hangover, is it is a week before my birthday. So that whole what have I done in the last year/ what am I going to do in the future year just feels so much more intense.

The past year was mostly up, with a bit of down.

The Ups:

Two fantastic design gigs with the most creatively inspiring director I have ever had the privilege of working with.  

I got to assist on a show at Roundabout Theatre in NY.

I managed to patch up a friendship that had gone south.

I got to work with a director who wants to hire me for much better money at another theatre.

I had work for the whole year.

Also for a brief time I was involved in a relationship, which was lovely while it lasted.

The Downs:

My brief relationship ended.

My uncle passed away after a short illness, and I did not have a chance to see him before he died.

The year ahead looks far more uncertain.  I don't have a lot of design work lined up at the moment, although there are some rumors on the wind.  

I am planning to take the Scene Design Exam in the Spring.

I have decided to swear off women for the year.  I love the women in my life dearly, but women are insane.  And all of the MSGAP who I have said this to agree.

I hope everyone's New Year is safe, happy and prosperous.

If You Are Planning To Buy A Car...

...please consider buying a Ford.

I stopped driving several years ago, so I cannot comment on the quality of Ford's automobiles.  However, their commitment to fair treatment of homosexuals and trans-genders is certainly something worth supporting.

Interestingly enough I was alerted to this by an email from the American Family Association, an organization that seems, at least as far as I can tell from it's emails, to spend most of it's energy and resources promoting blind hatred and bigotry disguised as religion.  They refer to the "Homosexual Agenda" and ask their members to encourage companies that have non-discrimination policies and provide benefits to same sex partners to "remain neutral".

The rest of their emails tend to be about boycotting stores that use the words "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".  One wonders in a nation with somewhere between 700,000 and 2,000,000 people homeless (36% of whom are families with children),  36.5 million people living in poverty (including 12.8 million children) and 47 million people without health insurance (including 8.7 million children), what Jesus would have to say to those bastards who won't say "Merry Christmas".

I Love Panda Cam!

It's just a little burst of happiness in the day.

Am I The Only One Who Thinks This?

The Internet is the worse thing to happen to dating.

Ever.

The Holidays

The period from Thanksgiving to New Year's is my favorite time of the year.  It always reminds me of good food, fine wine and the company of people whom I love.  Even if I don't get to partake in all of that every year, I still love the season and all it means.

And the best part of the whole package is Christmas.  I was discussing this recently with a friend of mine who noted how strange it was that an atheist (ie me) should love Christmas so much.  I tried to quote to her the passage from the Bible that to me sums up the idea behind Christmas* but I mangled it.  Here it is:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them: and they were afraid.

And the Angel said unto them, "Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

While I don't believe in the divinity of Jesus, I do think he had a lot of great ideas about what it means to be a part of the human race.  And I don't think it at all hypocritical to celebrate that idea; peace on earth, good will toward men.  Would we did not have to confine that notion to one day.

So I hope my non- Christian friends will forgive me when I wish you all a Merry Christmas.  I hope you all can take from it the same meaning I do.  

And wishes for you all to have a Happy New Year.

* So did Charles Schultz.

Wahoooo!

This is my first post from my new I-Mac.

I love this machine.

DAMMITT!!!

That is all.