Fire Run Away From Me

My husband is excited for the Twin Peaks revival. I remember enjoying binging the original series about fifteen years ago. I remember very little besides possessed Dale Cooper laughing maniacally into a mirror. And Billy Zane. He (husband, not Billy Zane) wanted me to catch up with the made for TV movie and then the four or so episode of the new season. It did not go well.

I have very specific memories of almost renting Fire Walk With Me and then changing my mind last minute. I wonder how much of mistake it was to wait so long. The series is long gone from my memory. Watching Laura Palmer alive did not stir nostalgia. I was mainly bored for the two plus hours. 

I understand that David Lynch is a visionary. But lately, I don't have time for the hours of internet research so I can understand his brilliance. I stubbornly stay here, dig my heals as the pleb Lynch fans probably assume that I am and say "Well sir, I don't like it."

I will give the new episodes a chance. Eventually. When I have more time to be okay with being bored.

Import Entertainment

My stress levels have been high lately. I'm slowly finding out that my path to my dream job is filled with egos and bureaucracy. Not to mention, it's a lot easier to do a job when you're not getting paid for it. 

I stumbled into a job that is forcing me to learn about software coding and databases. I thought with my love of accuracy and organization, I would be all over this. But there is this strange inflated idea of what databases can do. I'll say what I've been saying to anyone who will listen: data is only as good as the people entering it. I've found that organizations look to pay very little to people entering data. But the analysis they want IS SO IMPORTANT AND IS NEEDED YESTERDAY. 

I should also point out that just because you put something in a spreadsheet, you can't just import it. Oh, you can import it, but you need identifiers, or else it is worthless. I could import this blog post into a database, but it won't help you with my demographics. Okay, I'm done. Please ignore this.

A Day Without A Woman

I sit at home and am trying to reconcile my overthinking brain how this one day will make a difference. I'm going to go back to work tomorrow and work twice as hard to make up for what I missed. I'm wondering if I am to take a sick day or how HR is supposed to do their job. In all honesty I called my dad to ask him. 

Yes, that is a horrible thing to say on International Women's Day. But my father spent years in a union and went on strikes. I wanted to know about his experiences. I knew it was before my time, but heard stories about him on the picket lines all day and then working at night to keep the family fed. That's satisfies my curiosity. I wondered how those on strike stay afloat. Answer is by planning and sacrifice.

This is not a sacrifice for me. My privilege is making me get lost in guilt. I don't know if I am helping. I think this is more my desire to stay home and catch up on projects that I'm ignoring. There are more women struggling, but I am only capable of so much. In fact, writing this is technically work. Should I be posting this? 

I can find holes and flaws in every strike and protest. That's just how my brain works. I saw on Facebook a list of makeup companies to boycott as they test on animals. I wonder why women have the burden of wearing makeup. But that comment did nothing improve a problem.

However, I am making efforts to understand. I have made progress in my understanding. I give myself a little bit of credit. I think my big problem is people patting themselves on the back for a little action and then returning to complacency. That is the big goal. Be better than other people and NOT brag about it.

Oscar Answers

Considering this was my first time running an Oscar pool, that small hiccup at the end was a little annoying. Much like a final field goal messing up my numbers in a Super Bowl pool, I worried there would be issues. Despite the corrections and extra tabulation, it was no big deal. 

I will say it is nice to finally lay to rest that idea that Marisa Tomei has an Oscar by accident. Rumor can now die. Now to begin the rumor that she only won the Oscar popular vote because of tons of illegal Academy voters.

Movie Challenge 2017

I am not original. I am repeating my "see 12 movies in the theater" challenge. January is over-ish and I am on schedule. Not by my choice. I saw La La Land because a friend wanted to. Eleven left. Shut up, your new years resolutions are lame.

Movie Challenge 2016

Doug Benson has the 2016 DLM Challenge: 366 movie in 366 day. Hell no. I, instead took the very basic route of 12 movies in the theater in 2016. Here's what happened:

1. Pride and Predjudice and Zombies 2/7/16
2. The Big Short 2/13/16
3. Deadpool 2/14/16 
4. Zootopia 4/5/16
5. Kung Fu Panda 3 4/5/16 ($5 drive-in double feature, bitches!)
6. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice 4/17/16
7. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping 6/5/16
8. Finding Dory 7/10/16
9. Ghostbusters 8/7/16
10. Doctor Strange 11/19/16
11. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 12/16/16

Crap. I have two days left and I don't want to cheat. Is it cheating if I did see a movie at a theater, but the MST3K guys were talking over it? Because:
Rifftrax Live: Time Chasers 5/5/16

And the reunion show, but it was a few shorts and the cool gathering of all MST3K greats:
Rifftrax Live MST3K Reunion 6/28/16

And in the same vein, but an actual movie:
Benson Movie Interruption: The Rock 8/13/16 

Okay fine. The big guns, official movie premier:
Ear Buds: The Podcasting Documentary

I know it's my game and my rules but I still feel like I fell short. I knew I shouldn't have gotten a job. 

Celebrity Sighting #Now Hear This Fest

I just caught up on my podcasts after a month deficit. I went to Now Hear This Fest and while it was a cool experience, I was burned out on podcast festivals. Plus the schedule made me miss out on maximizing the awesome. Plus the hot chicks getting to cut the line pissed me off. And the VIP pass was irrelevant since the lines for VIP were longer than the general admission. And spending extra for VIP plus wasn't worth it. (Only difference between VIP and VIP plus was the lounge and the breakfast with podcasters. (Yes the extra special VIP lounge was cool and all, but I saw no podcasters at there.) And I had the uncomfortable feeling in the beginning that I was just a star fucker and an outsider. Yep. I have the text to my husband to prove it. (Was too nervous to approach Dino Stamatopoulos) Oh, and they added buy one get one free tickets a month before the festival. And meet and greets for everyone were added last minute. And the Nundercover posters announced at the How Did This Get Made show never made it to the merchandise table. (Wow, my ire at this festival is seriously showing) Bonus, I totally embarrassed myself in front of one of the founders of the LA Podfest by mistaking him for someone else and I still am red about it.

WITH THE EXCEPTION: I met two absolutely amazing women who in turn introduced me to a few more amazing people and I thoroughly enjoyed nerding out with them. Here is the basic list of what I saw:

Friday
Never Not Funny: Jimmy Pardo, Matt Belknap with guest John Ross Bowie. Met JRB in the VIP lounge. Such a sweetheart!

Comedy Bang! Bang!: Scott Aukerman, Jason Mantzoukas, Jon Gabrus as Gino The Intern, Paul F. Tompkins as Kent Daarvilstaow, Lauren Lapkus as Pamela from Big Bear and Andy Daly as Don DiMello
No idea what was happening, but thought it was pretty damn funny. Met Scott Aukerman at the first Meet & Greet.

The schedule was so confusing and I missed a few I did want to see (I'm sorry I Was There Too & Dear Prudence). There is no real chance to give a new podcast a chance. And I was so focused on the How Did This Get Made meet and greet, I left Doug Loves Movies early. I so had a name tag and everything.

Saturday
With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus: guests Shaun Diston & Phil Jackson. So damn funny.

Superego: Matt Gourley, Jeremy Carter, Mark McConville & Paul F. Tompkins 

Doug Loves Movie: Doug Benson, Matt Gourley, Mark McConville & Paul F. Tompkins (Listened to the end days later online.)

How Did This Get Made? Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas, and guest Hayes Davenport (Meet and Greet of course with Paul and Jason)

Sunday

Bitch Sesh: A Real Housewives Breakdown: Casey Wilson & Danielle Schneider

I was so lost, so I left and met my husband at:

Worst Idea of All Time: Guy Montgomery and Tim Batt (Foudn out about these guys at 2015 LA Podfest. Damn funny and enjoyed myself. Said hi to them on the way to the bathroom later that day.)

Spontaneanation Paul F. Tompkins and guests Kulap Vilaysack, Howard Kremer, Dan Ahdoot, Tawny Newsome & Drew Tarver 

Paul F. Tompkins was such a gracious guy and took the time to take a picture with me. He is so damn talented and I love him. And this show blew my mind.

Extra sightings: Andy Kindler, Marc Maron, Andy Dick, Dave Anthony(still blushing my embarrassment away), and Julia WD Harrison. 

It was a great time despite my grumblings. And one of my new friends has a podcasts. It is amazing and I can't wait to catch up into real time. 

 It is very likely I will not be back next year as LA Podfest has spoiled me. I didn't have to see their growing pains. But I do want to give them more of my money. And maybe volunteer next year. Yes, take my blood, sweat, tears, and cash!