The siblings and I are faced with the inevitability that Dear Mother is losing her dear mind. She didn't have that much sanity to begin with, but she was always ready with a litany of jokes and lists of the accomplishments of the prior few days - ie. number of loads of laundry washed, dried, folded and put-away, number of miles driven in her car, number of letters sent, number of massages given, ad nauseum. Her phone calls were all about these things. And updates on people I have not seen since I was 5. Now, her calls are 5 minutes long and consist of asking how New Year's was and what I did. Each query ellicits the same response: "Well, Mom, we called you on New Year's from Jim's house and it was nice. And you?" Just to give her a taste of her own medicine. Unfortunately, the revenge is lost on Mom. She tells me what she thinks happened to her on New Year's with little to no enthusiasm. Someone or something has taken my mother.
Last week, she told me she had given 10 grand for a seminar to learn how to "get on eBay", and now wanted her money back. Because she really didn't have anything to sell! And it was too expensive! Well. Yes. It is. I flipped and and after much research and stress, it turns out she already had the money back. It was "only" 5400 bucks and it was returned the day she called and asked for the refund - two months ago.
She had been scammed by onlinestores.com, as have many people, evinced by the numerous websites extant devoted to the bashing of that company.
The problem is that she had been duped and that no one in the family knew about it until two months had passed. She needs to be taken care of now, as she took care of us.
They say we become our parents. God help me. I wish I knew who they are. I'd shove their wisdom down their throats.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Lucky 7
Happy Fucking New Year.
Right before the Xmas break (during which I was at home with Max as he was out of school), the management at the printing company I work for informed us that they had filed for bankuptcy, and while their hope was to keep things status quo, there are no guarantees. As the low man on the totem, I would be the fat that any entity interested in buying them out would trim first. Exciting. And yet, this is only the day job.
My career (euphemistically speaking) as an actor might be considered up for sale, too. No fat to be trimmed. With the exception of a mock trial I'll be a witness for at the end of this month, there is nothing to look forward to. Nada. Nil. Niente. Niks. Zilch.
Happy New Year.
Right before the Xmas break (during which I was at home with Max as he was out of school), the management at the printing company I work for informed us that they had filed for bankuptcy, and while their hope was to keep things status quo, there are no guarantees. As the low man on the totem, I would be the fat that any entity interested in buying them out would trim first. Exciting. And yet, this is only the day job.
My career (euphemistically speaking) as an actor might be considered up for sale, too. No fat to be trimmed. With the exception of a mock trial I'll be a witness for at the end of this month, there is nothing to look forward to. Nada. Nil. Niente. Niks. Zilch.
Happy New Year.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Cecil be Groutchy...
It's the winter solstice. That's why I'm so slow and sleepy. And grouchy. Has nothing to do with the bottles of Fat Tire I consumed last night or staying up too late watching Charlie Rose.
I think I could do a better job than Charlie Rose. It rarely seems he knows what he's talking about. I don't like the man. But he gets great guests and it's not about soundbites. Hard to find elsewhere...
Tonight is performance 5 of 8 of "Welcome Yule" with Chicago Symphony Orchestra. By the 4th show, I think we had worked the bugs out of the curtain call. The conductor's mother died a few nights ago over our "weekend", but he'll be on the podium tonight. Such a trooper. I had a rehearsal with the cover conductor a couple of days ago - just in case. He's fairly young as far as conductor's go : I guess early 30's. He was excited at the prospect of conducting the world renowned CSO. I had no idea the CSO was SUCH a big deal. I guess because I'm not a citizen of the musician world. I am CSO's official fool, I suppose. Looks like I'll be back again next year. It's truly a great gig.
Tomorrow will be my last day of work for a couple of weeks. I'll be home with young Max as he's out of school for the winter break.
I think I could do a better job than Charlie Rose. It rarely seems he knows what he's talking about. I don't like the man. But he gets great guests and it's not about soundbites. Hard to find elsewhere...
Tonight is performance 5 of 8 of "Welcome Yule" with Chicago Symphony Orchestra. By the 4th show, I think we had worked the bugs out of the curtain call. The conductor's mother died a few nights ago over our "weekend", but he'll be on the podium tonight. Such a trooper. I had a rehearsal with the cover conductor a couple of days ago - just in case. He's fairly young as far as conductor's go : I guess early 30's. He was excited at the prospect of conducting the world renowned CSO. I had no idea the CSO was SUCH a big deal. I guess because I'm not a citizen of the musician world. I am CSO's official fool, I suppose. Looks like I'll be back again next year. It's truly a great gig.
Tomorrow will be my last day of work for a couple of weeks. I'll be home with young Max as he's out of school for the winter break.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Zwarte Piet
Hey man, What's up?
In Holland, the Santa figure arrives on a ship from Spain with the Dutch version of elves called Zwarte Piets (Black Petes) which are actually hundreds of little blonde haired, blue eyed
white kids in black face (no shit), dressed as Moors.
A few years ago I was in Rotterdam visiting an old friend and we stopped in some National History Crap Museum or some such. They had an exhibit on all the slavery the Netherlands was responsible for. So we start talking about it and the way black people are in Holland vs. how they are in the US. Then I bring up Zwarte Piet and how if just ONE little white kid (let alone hundreds) showed up in public wearing black-face in the US, there would be rioting. And my friend Josse Popma (no shit) says, "Ja, dat IS fucked up!"
For the next 3 days, our mission was clear. We designed a small sticker (if you've been to Holland, you'll notice stickers everywhere promoting clubs, djs, bands, websites, etc.) which read "Bevrieden Zwarte Piet", which is Ye Olde Tyme Dutch way of saying "Free Black Pete". And on the bottom in a wee little font, we put an email address set-up to catch what we thought would be an onslaught of socially awakened Dutchies ready to riot against the blatant racism which has been accepted there for so long. Even looked forward to by little kids on Dec. 6th. We stuck those stickers wherever they would stick. All over town.
Unfortunately, we've yet to recieve a single response.
It is interesting to note that if a child is bad during the year, the tradition mandates that Zwarte Piet puts the kid in a sack, takes him back to Spain on the ship with Sinta Klaus (or is it Saint Nikolas? I forget.) where he is enslaved and presumably becomes one of the walking black petes himself. or herself.
Fun, huh? If you're bad, you'll turn black, you little bastard!
Merry xmas.
In Holland, the Santa figure arrives on a ship from Spain with the Dutch version of elves called Zwarte Piets (Black Petes) which are actually hundreds of little blonde haired, blue eyed
A few years ago I was in Rotterdam visiting an old friend and we stopped in some National History Crap Museum or some such. They had an exhibit on all the slavery the Netherlands was responsible for. So we start talking about it and the way black people are in Holland vs. how they are in the US. Then I bring up Zwarte Piet and how if just ONE little white kid (let alone hundreds) showed up in public wearing black-face in the US, there would be rioting. And my friend Josse Popma (no shit) says, "Ja, dat IS fucked up!"
For the next 3 days, our mission was clear. We designed a small sticker (if you've been to Holland, you'll notice stickers everywhere promoting clubs, djs, bands, websites, etc.) which read "Bevrieden Zwarte Piet", which is Ye Olde Tyme Dutch way of saying "Free Black Pete". And on the bottom in a wee little font, we put an email address set-up to catch what we thought would be an onslaught of socially awakened Dutchies ready to riot against the blatant racism which has been accepted there for so long. Even looked forward to by little kids on Dec. 6th. We stuck those stickers wherever they would stick. All over town.
Unfortunately, we've yet to recieve a single response.
It is interesting to note that if a child is bad during the year, the tradition mandates that Zwarte Piet puts the kid in a sack, takes him back to Spain on the ship with Sinta Klaus (or is it Saint Nikolas? I forget.) where he is enslaved and presumably becomes one of the walking black petes himself. or herself.
Fun, huh? If you're bad, you'll turn black, you little bastard!
Merry xmas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)