Something Sort of Grandish
Happy St. Patrick's Day to ye! The sun was beaming softly through my bedroom window when I awoke this morning. The clouds were gone, and it was getting into the upper 50s and climbing. I began with the second half of this week's American Top 40. This week, the Top 40 hit March 1983, with hits including "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran, "Back on the Chain Gang" by the Pretenders, "One on One" by Hall & Oates, and "Shame on the Moon" by Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullet Band. The #1 song that week would be one of that year's top songs, from one of the decade's biggest albums - "Billie Jean," from the smash Michael Jackson record Thriller.
I didn't really have any major plans for today, other than running a few errands in the Oaklyn and Audubon area. I hit the bank first, dodging some sidewalk repairs on the White Horse Pike, then headed over to the Oaklyn Library. They were having a special St. Patrick's Day Storybook Hour with Darby the Cat. "Darby" turned out to be a sweet-natured, gray-striped tabby owned by a woman who takes him to local nursing homes and schools. It might have been just as well that there were only a few families. Darby wasn't overwhelmed, and all of the kids got a chance to pet him and have their pictures taken.
I hadn't had a nice walk to Audubon in a while, so I went there next. I bought a couple of Irish Potatoes from Desserts By Design and explained my business situation to her. She was very sweet and supportive. She's a nice customer at the Audubon Acme, too, and her desserts are popular with local restaurants.
Went across the street to have lunch at TreeHouse Cafe. I'd had a brainstorm. Coffee houses were the only other places I could think of local creative types congregating besides libraries. I know the TreeHouse Cafe has seminars and open-mic nights, for poetry and for music. I asked the owners if they knew any local writers who could help me break into the market. One recommended a woman named Cassandra Ulrich who had just published a young adult novel and had apparently gone through some of the same problems I had. I gave them my phone number and e-mail address to give to her.
Feeling a bit better, I went back across the street to Abbie Road. Said "hi" to Bob, then went through his record collection. He'd put a lot out since I was last there, including a whole pile that were only a dollar each. I ended up with four titles:
The original 1966 Carol Channing cast album for Hello Dolly! and the soundtrack to the 1970s movie musical version of Tom Sawyer with music by the Sherman Brothers
The Best of the Spinners
England Dan & John Ford Cooley - Nights are Forever
It was getting warmer by the minute. I was too warm in my green v-neck sweater and heavy dark flared jeans. Time to go home. I made one more quick stop at the WaWa on the White Horse Pike for skim milk before heading back to the apartment.
Just a few minutes after I got in, my phone rang. Much to my delight and surprise, it was Cassandra Ulrich, the woman I'd heard about at the TreeHouse Cafe, on the other end of the line! I hadn't expected her to get back to me so soon, but I was very glad she did. We had a nice, long chat about writing. She said that she hadn't written anything in years...but once she'd switched to a job she liked better, her ideas seemed to flow. She just got her first young adult novel published last year. She also seconded what Mom said that I'm still on the "discovery" phase of my journey - finding what I like and don't like, what I want and don't want. She didn't really have any suggestions on what to do about the business class; I have the feeling I'm on my own there.
Here's her blog, with the link to her novel: Cassandra's Journey
Spent the next hour working on goals and what to do next. It's hard to have goals when you're never sure what you're going to be doing at work next week. I at least know I want to hit the other local coffee shop in Collingswood, GrooveGround, and see if they can recommend anyone as well. I also need to finally e-mail the teacher and see if he has any ideas of what I can do now, because I feel bad, but I don't think I'll be able to complete the course.
After I got bored with that, I decided to have some fun. I rounded up Molly, Jessa, Tiana, and Cinderella (the latter three are the only dolls in green!) for a St. Patrick's Day/spring photo-taking session in Miss Ellie's garden. I got some shots of them among the daffodils, then cut a few daffodils to bring upstairs to my own apartment.
Spent the rest of the evening indoors. I'd run St. Patrick's Day and Irish-themed TV shows and cartoons all day. Porky Pig has a surreal close encounter with leprechauns who think he's after their pot of gold in the classic Looney Tunes short "Wearin' of the Grin." Woody Woodpecker actually gets a visit from one of the wee folk in "His Better Elf," but learns a lesson in earning his bread when he wishes for money that belongs to a bank. Wonder Woman has her own odd encounter with a human version of the wee folk when gangsters steal his pot of gold to buy printing plates for counterfeit money in "Pot 'o Gold," from the third season of the 70s show. And in the second season Moonlighting episode "Somewhere Under the Rainbow," David and Maddie argue over magic and the things we can't see when a female leprechaun asks them to protect her and her pot of gold.
I ran Finian's Rainbow as I baked Irish Soda Bread and made a small spiral ham with sauteed collard greens, carrots, and celery and mashed sweet potatoes for dinner. This adaptation of the 1947 Broadway musical is a very strange but oddly charming fantasy about an Irishman (Fred Astaire) who plants his stolen pot of gold in the ground near Fort Knox, hoping it'll grow the way the gold in the famous vault seems to have. His daughter Sharon (Petula Clark) is more interested in the handsome sharecropper who is in charge of a tobacco cooperative that's trying to grow a new kind of mint-flavored tobacco. Trouble is, the leprechaun who owns the stolen gold (Tommy Steele) has followed Finian to reclaim it, before he becomes fully human...and he's more interested in chasing Sharon and anything female that gets in his view. And then, there's the bigoted local senator (Keenan Wynn), who isn't happy that the cooperative is equally owned by whites and blacks, but Sharon's about to teach him a lesson in equality, thanks to the pot of gold...
The music and the cast are the saving graces in this fairly dated but still fun cult musical. Songs like "How are Things In Glocca Morra," "Old Devil Moon," "Look to the Rainbow," and "Something Sort of Grandish" were already often-recorded hits by the time the movie finally came out in 1967. Steele can be annoying, but he does have a couple of good numbers, notably the adorable "Grandish" with Clark. "Old Devil Moon" smolders with a sexual energy that wouldn't have been possible if this movie had been made in the 40s. And Fred Astaire gets several chances to show off his still-nimble feet, notably in his solo during "When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich."
The script is the problem. The bigotry subplot comes off as well-meaning but overly politically correct today (long before the phrase was coined), and the idea of magic changing skin color may not sit well with a lot of people. (It doesn't help that the makeup used to transform Wynn is terrible and obvious.) There's also the fact that the plot revolves around selling tobacco, which would have been far more acceptable in the 60s - today, Woody wouldn't get past Rainbow Valley with that tobacco, no matter how minty it smelled.
In a weird way, it reminds me a little of Xanadu - a musical about an old dance master and a young English-accented woman that revolves around misfits and magic, with a score that's more beloved than the plot and a plot that doesn't make a lot of sense, that was a flop on first release. Like Xanadu, it's not for everyone, but if you're a fan of Steele, Clark, Astaire, the original Broadway show, or director Francis Ford Coppola, it's worth a look.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Making a Budget
My original goal today was to make a budget and figure out how to get on with my goal-setting from there. Trouble is, as usual, I got too caught up with reading other things and didn't get to the budget until almost 1. I did get it done, though. I spent a lot of money on "other" stuff last month...but I also bought contacts, had my eye exam, and won three rare American Girl outfits on eBay that don't often show up for decent prices. I don't normally spend more than $150-200 a month on "other" stuff, and I'd like to pare that down. I need to stop buying junk like DVDs or books unless I can find them cheaply used, really want them (like the Instant Replay set), or really, really need something.
I've been putting off e-mailing my teacher, too. I'm never going to complete my course in time. I don't care about a good or bad grade. I really need help getting started with my writing business, but I don't know whom to ask...or how to ask them. I'm not good with stuff like this. Not to mention, I spent $100 on this course, and while I did learn some things about marketing, that won't do me any good unless I have something to market. I can't make a website until I have something to sell on it...and I don't really know anything about editing beyond editing mine and Lauren's fanfiction. I have no idea whom to ask, either. I've seen two writing groups listed for this area. One is full and not accepting new members. The other only meets at 7PM every first Thursday of the month. Not only do I usually work then, but that's kind of late to be out on the bike, and I don't really know anyone to carpool with.
This happens to me a lot. I stare at a story, hoping to start it, but it just stays blank. I can't come up with the ideas. I hope to e-mail someone, but then I get nervous and talk myself out of it. Or I can't make myself sit down to write at all. I write in this blog every night and in my journal every day, but I can't bring myself to write a story or a website or edit our Bowery Boys fanfiction or do any of the things I need to do. I don't know what's wrong with me. Writers are supposed to write, not stare or put things off. There has to be something wrong.
This blog and the journal are easier to write. The journal is for working out my thoughts every morning. This blog is mainly to keep all of the people who worry about me abreast of the goings-on in my life. ;)
I had leftover chilli for lunch and ate it outside. It was even nicer than yesterday, breezy and warm but not quite as much as the day before. Perfect day for an outdoor meal.
Work was almost exactly the same as Monday - busy during rush hour, quiet otherwise. Once again, I spent an hour later in the evening returning carts, if only as an excuse to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and a better work out that I'd even get in a gym.
My original goal today was to make a budget and figure out how to get on with my goal-setting from there. Trouble is, as usual, I got too caught up with reading other things and didn't get to the budget until almost 1. I did get it done, though. I spent a lot of money on "other" stuff last month...but I also bought contacts, had my eye exam, and won three rare American Girl outfits on eBay that don't often show up for decent prices. I don't normally spend more than $150-200 a month on "other" stuff, and I'd like to pare that down. I need to stop buying junk like DVDs or books unless I can find them cheaply used, really want them (like the Instant Replay set), or really, really need something.
I've been putting off e-mailing my teacher, too. I'm never going to complete my course in time. I don't care about a good or bad grade. I really need help getting started with my writing business, but I don't know whom to ask...or how to ask them. I'm not good with stuff like this. Not to mention, I spent $100 on this course, and while I did learn some things about marketing, that won't do me any good unless I have something to market. I can't make a website until I have something to sell on it...and I don't really know anything about editing beyond editing mine and Lauren's fanfiction. I have no idea whom to ask, either. I've seen two writing groups listed for this area. One is full and not accepting new members. The other only meets at 7PM every first Thursday of the month. Not only do I usually work then, but that's kind of late to be out on the bike, and I don't really know anyone to carpool with.
This happens to me a lot. I stare at a story, hoping to start it, but it just stays blank. I can't come up with the ideas. I hope to e-mail someone, but then I get nervous and talk myself out of it. Or I can't make myself sit down to write at all. I write in this blog every night and in my journal every day, but I can't bring myself to write a story or a website or edit our Bowery Boys fanfiction or do any of the things I need to do. I don't know what's wrong with me. Writers are supposed to write, not stare or put things off. There has to be something wrong.
This blog and the journal are easier to write. The journal is for working out my thoughts every morning. This blog is mainly to keep all of the people who worry about me abreast of the goings-on in my life. ;)
I had leftover chilli for lunch and ate it outside. It was even nicer than yesterday, breezy and warm but not quite as much as the day before. Perfect day for an outdoor meal.
Work was almost exactly the same as Monday - busy during rush hour, quiet otherwise. Once again, I spent an hour later in the evening returning carts, if only as an excuse to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and a better work out that I'd even get in a gym.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Hippie, the City Cowboy, the Soul Man, and the British Kid
It was a downright insanely warm morning when I headed out for today's library and errands run, already in the lower 60s by quarter of 10. I volunteered at the Collingswood and Haddon Township Libraries first. (I work too early on Thursday to do the library then, though I probably will do yoga that day.) Dropped a huge pile of records off at Collingswood and one last video at Haddon Township, which concludes my donating for the moment. I'm just glad to clear so much out of the back room. I can walk around in there again!
Not surprisingly, on such a lovely day, there wasn't much going on at either library. I organized and shelved DVDs at both places. Shelved a few non-fiction titles at Collingswood; shelved children's books at Haddon Township. I renewed several books and X-Men: First Class and took out two new Strawberry Shortcake titles (the 2003-version-based Berry Brick Road and the 2009 Berry Bloomin' Gardens) and one more movie, the 1979 romantic sci-fi adventure Time After Time, as well as two books on business writing and copy editing.
I made a quick stop at Super Fresh (and forgot what I went in there for, which was peanut butter) and Dollar Tree (needed birthday cards and sponges), then went straight home. Just as I had hoped, there were two large packages waiting for me on Miss Ellie's porch. My two online purchases from last week had finally arrived!
I took them upstairs right away, for I needed one to be able to use the other. The smaller package contained my new Emerson CD/cassette player from Amazon. The CD player finally died on the other one. This one was built quite differently, with no large metal disc on the top to hold the CD...which I believe is what got damaged on the last one. It seems to have come over perfectly in transit. I played the three discs from my other order and my Journey Greatest Hits cassette, and all sounded not only fine, but better than on the old machine.
As you can probably guess by the title of this entry, today's other arrival was the Instant Replay: Deluxe Edition from Rhino Records. Actually, by the time this album came out in 1969, "the Hippie" - Peter Tork - had quit, citing exhaustion but really fed up with infighting and the others not wanting to record as a group. The upheaval is reflected in a fractured and really only so-so album. It wouldn't be until the next record, the underrated Monkees Present, that Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones would find their groove again. Mike and Davy have the best tracks, of both the original and additional material. One of my favorite Davy "missing links," the fun "Look Down," is included here, as is one of Mike's best ballads that would find its way into his solo albums, "Propinquity (I've Just Begun to Care)."
For Monkees fans, probably the most interesting items are at the end of the third CD. Most of what's on there are instrumental backing tracks...but there's some recently unearthed music, both backing and with lyrics, from the Monkees' truly bizarre 1969 special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee. I ended up liking Peter's "(Prithee) Do Not Ask for Love" and Davy's "Goldilocks Sometimes" much better without the respectively odd and syrupy lyrics...but Mike's "Naked Persimmon" doesn't make much sense unless you can hear the back-and-forth representation of his dual-sided personality. Although Micky is the only one whose solo number isn't represented (I guess they haven't turned up his soul version of "I'm a Believer" yet), he does get to sing the Neil Sedaka tune "I Go Ape." (The fact that you can't see the ridiculous white ape suits they wore for this number in the special is a vast improvement.)
I spent the next hour trying to work out goals for my business. I didn't get far. My mind woke me up around 6:30, and though I tried to go back to sleep for an hour, my body didn't buy it. I just couldn't concentrate. I got up to trying to figure out how much it would cost me to start a copy editing business before I was ready to either take a nap or tear out my hair. I decided to opt for neither and went for a walk.
By 4PM, it was a jawdropping 71 degrees outside. There were kids out running around in shorts...boys and girls. I really wished the ice cream parlor around the corner from me was open, but I settled for a chilled French Vanilla Cappuccino from WaWa and a pretzel to get my mind working. Everything was in bloom, from sunny yellow daffodils to soft lavender hyacinths to the palest buds on trees. Green grass is sprouting in every lawn. If adults weren't chasing their kids in the playground behind the Oaklyn School, they were washing their vehicles, working in gardens, walking their pets, or chatting with friends and neighbors on their porches, patios, and balconies. It felt more like an afternoon in early summer than one in early spring!
I had baking I couldn't put off when I got home. I made Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars, then simple Honey Yeast Rolls while running the two Strawberry Shortcake DVDs, then X-Men while eating leftovers for dinner. The Berry Brick Road 2003 set, as you can probably guess, spoofs The Wizard of Oz. The first episode, involving Strawberry's first trip to Oz and her encounter with the Cowardly Lion (cowardly Orange Marmalade), Tin Woodsgirl (ever-insensitive Peppermint Fizz), Scarecrow (fast-talking Ginger Snap), and Wizard (token male character Huckleberry Pie), is fairly cute. The second story, which had Strawberry helping the Berrykins (Munchkins) to save their GlowBerries, got a little too heavy on the environmental messages.
Berry Bloomin' Gardens was entirely different and just as cute. My favorite of these three tales revolving around gardens and growing things was the middle one. Lemon Meringue is proud of her beautiful violets, which she hopes will win first prize at Berry Bitty City's Flower Festival. When her violets start disappearing, however, she throws around wild accusations at everyone, including a kindly Berrykin gardener who wins every year. It takes some creative photography and a little detective work for the girls to literally get to the bottom of this mystery!
I heard really good things about the newest X-Men movie when it came out last summer, even compared to the intense superhero competition. It deserved every bit of praise. Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr are two "mutants" - evolved humans with incredible abilities. Professor Xavier feels they should seek out others like them to help humanity. Lensherr says they're better than those darn humans and should be fighting them, not helping people who treat them like dirt. They both come together for a common goal when the slimy mutant head of the Hellfire Club Sebastian Shaw and his girlfriend Emma Frost do their best to turn the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 into World War III. Xavier has the support of human scientist Moira McTaggart and several promising young mutants, but the troubled Lensherr and Xavier's shape-shifting female pal Raven may throw wrenches into the works...
This was the first of two Marvel comics adaptations from last summer that literally went back to its roots. Like Captain America, the X-Men are literally returned to the era the comics were first written in, and are all the better for it. I especially enjoyed the fun training montage, the relationship between Lensherr and Xavier, and how the Beast came to be a blue fuzzy genius.
It was a downright insanely warm morning when I headed out for today's library and errands run, already in the lower 60s by quarter of 10. I volunteered at the Collingswood and Haddon Township Libraries first. (I work too early on Thursday to do the library then, though I probably will do yoga that day.) Dropped a huge pile of records off at Collingswood and one last video at Haddon Township, which concludes my donating for the moment. I'm just glad to clear so much out of the back room. I can walk around in there again!
Not surprisingly, on such a lovely day, there wasn't much going on at either library. I organized and shelved DVDs at both places. Shelved a few non-fiction titles at Collingswood; shelved children's books at Haddon Township. I renewed several books and X-Men: First Class and took out two new Strawberry Shortcake titles (the 2003-version-based Berry Brick Road and the 2009 Berry Bloomin' Gardens) and one more movie, the 1979 romantic sci-fi adventure Time After Time, as well as two books on business writing and copy editing.
I made a quick stop at Super Fresh (and forgot what I went in there for, which was peanut butter) and Dollar Tree (needed birthday cards and sponges), then went straight home. Just as I had hoped, there were two large packages waiting for me on Miss Ellie's porch. My two online purchases from last week had finally arrived!
I took them upstairs right away, for I needed one to be able to use the other. The smaller package contained my new Emerson CD/cassette player from Amazon. The CD player finally died on the other one. This one was built quite differently, with no large metal disc on the top to hold the CD...which I believe is what got damaged on the last one. It seems to have come over perfectly in transit. I played the three discs from my other order and my Journey Greatest Hits cassette, and all sounded not only fine, but better than on the old machine.
As you can probably guess by the title of this entry, today's other arrival was the Instant Replay: Deluxe Edition from Rhino Records. Actually, by the time this album came out in 1969, "the Hippie" - Peter Tork - had quit, citing exhaustion but really fed up with infighting and the others not wanting to record as a group. The upheaval is reflected in a fractured and really only so-so album. It wouldn't be until the next record, the underrated Monkees Present, that Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones would find their groove again. Mike and Davy have the best tracks, of both the original and additional material. One of my favorite Davy "missing links," the fun "Look Down," is included here, as is one of Mike's best ballads that would find its way into his solo albums, "Propinquity (I've Just Begun to Care)."
For Monkees fans, probably the most interesting items are at the end of the third CD. Most of what's on there are instrumental backing tracks...but there's some recently unearthed music, both backing and with lyrics, from the Monkees' truly bizarre 1969 special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee. I ended up liking Peter's "(Prithee) Do Not Ask for Love" and Davy's "Goldilocks Sometimes" much better without the respectively odd and syrupy lyrics...but Mike's "Naked Persimmon" doesn't make much sense unless you can hear the back-and-forth representation of his dual-sided personality. Although Micky is the only one whose solo number isn't represented (I guess they haven't turned up his soul version of "I'm a Believer" yet), he does get to sing the Neil Sedaka tune "I Go Ape." (The fact that you can't see the ridiculous white ape suits they wore for this number in the special is a vast improvement.)
I spent the next hour trying to work out goals for my business. I didn't get far. My mind woke me up around 6:30, and though I tried to go back to sleep for an hour, my body didn't buy it. I just couldn't concentrate. I got up to trying to figure out how much it would cost me to start a copy editing business before I was ready to either take a nap or tear out my hair. I decided to opt for neither and went for a walk.
By 4PM, it was a jawdropping 71 degrees outside. There were kids out running around in shorts...boys and girls. I really wished the ice cream parlor around the corner from me was open, but I settled for a chilled French Vanilla Cappuccino from WaWa and a pretzel to get my mind working. Everything was in bloom, from sunny yellow daffodils to soft lavender hyacinths to the palest buds on trees. Green grass is sprouting in every lawn. If adults weren't chasing their kids in the playground behind the Oaklyn School, they were washing their vehicles, working in gardens, walking their pets, or chatting with friends and neighbors on their porches, patios, and balconies. It felt more like an afternoon in early summer than one in early spring!
I had baking I couldn't put off when I got home. I made Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars, then simple Honey Yeast Rolls while running the two Strawberry Shortcake DVDs, then X-Men while eating leftovers for dinner. The Berry Brick Road 2003 set, as you can probably guess, spoofs The Wizard of Oz. The first episode, involving Strawberry's first trip to Oz and her encounter with the Cowardly Lion (cowardly Orange Marmalade), Tin Woodsgirl (ever-insensitive Peppermint Fizz), Scarecrow (fast-talking Ginger Snap), and Wizard (token male character Huckleberry Pie), is fairly cute. The second story, which had Strawberry helping the Berrykins (Munchkins) to save their GlowBerries, got a little too heavy on the environmental messages.
Berry Bloomin' Gardens was entirely different and just as cute. My favorite of these three tales revolving around gardens and growing things was the middle one. Lemon Meringue is proud of her beautiful violets, which she hopes will win first prize at Berry Bitty City's Flower Festival. When her violets start disappearing, however, she throws around wild accusations at everyone, including a kindly Berrykin gardener who wins every year. It takes some creative photography and a little detective work for the girls to literally get to the bottom of this mystery!
I heard really good things about the newest X-Men movie when it came out last summer, even compared to the intense superhero competition. It deserved every bit of praise. Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr are two "mutants" - evolved humans with incredible abilities. Professor Xavier feels they should seek out others like them to help humanity. Lensherr says they're better than those darn humans and should be fighting them, not helping people who treat them like dirt. They both come together for a common goal when the slimy mutant head of the Hellfire Club Sebastian Shaw and his girlfriend Emma Frost do their best to turn the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 into World War III. Xavier has the support of human scientist Moira McTaggart and several promising young mutants, but the troubled Lensherr and Xavier's shape-shifting female pal Raven may throw wrenches into the works...
This was the first of two Marvel comics adaptations from last summer that literally went back to its roots. Like Captain America, the X-Men are literally returned to the era the comics were first written in, and are all the better for it. I especially enjoyed the fun training montage, the relationship between Lensherr and Xavier, and how the Beast came to be a blue fuzzy genius.
Monday, March 12, 2012
What Do I Do Now?
Started off a sunny, breezy, (too) warm day with a call to Mom. I finally got her after missing her all yesterday. We talked for over an hour! Basically, she said that I need to make more of a plan before I drop the local copy editing idea. I get all of these big ideas...but I never do any of them because I'm not good at making strategy. It overwhelms me, and I end up getting scared and dropping the idea. That's been a big problem for over a decade now. I need to make a business plan and start separating the big plans into more manageable chunks.
I have no idea what to do for class, either. The teacher hasn't e-mailed me since I sent in my first assignment in late February. I need to e-mail him and ask him what I should do now. I'm not going to have a website ready by the time the class is supposed to end on March 22nd, nor will I be able to do major advertising. The class did give me a business idea...but I really should have taken writing courses first, not courses in starting an online business. I was hoping to learn how to draw up a business plan, but there's nothing about that in this class.
And I need to figure out how to meet other area writers. I want a mentor, someone who can help me get started, but that's always been another sticking point. I'm not sure how you go about meeting area writers. The one and only writer's group for South Jersey listed online isn't accepting new members. There are no professional writers in my family or among my few friends. Mom suggested asking the libraries if they can direct me to any writers who have guested there. That's not a bad idea, especially at artsy-fartsy Collingswood.
It was 10:30 before I finally got to breakfast, and past noon when I finally hit the laundromat. The wait may have been worth it. There was one couple there and a few random people, but it wasn't really busy. Good thing, too. I had a lot of laundry, including two towels from my gym visits and the jeans with mud stains on them.
After I got in and put everything away, I went for a walk. I did end up at CVS, but they didn't have what I was looking for, so it was really more of a wandering the neighborhood walk. Oaklyn looks lovely at this time of year. New pale-green grass, lavender hyacinths, and brilliant yellow daffodils brighten gardens that are still shedding their winter grayness. A few families have St. Patrick's Day decorations or banners out; a few more have left up their winter decorations. Most are content to be between holidays.
I had a really quick lunch when I got in, then went to work. Work was exactly the same customer-wise as yesterday, steady and fast with few problems. The computer did slow down on us later, but I dodged it by volunteering to round up carts outside. That was a blast! It was a gorgeous night, breezy, warm (in the 60s), and a little cloudy. I got a better workout pushing carts to the patio than I do at the gym, even after one of the baggers was sent outside to help me.
Started off a sunny, breezy, (too) warm day with a call to Mom. I finally got her after missing her all yesterday. We talked for over an hour! Basically, she said that I need to make more of a plan before I drop the local copy editing idea. I get all of these big ideas...but I never do any of them because I'm not good at making strategy. It overwhelms me, and I end up getting scared and dropping the idea. That's been a big problem for over a decade now. I need to make a business plan and start separating the big plans into more manageable chunks.
I have no idea what to do for class, either. The teacher hasn't e-mailed me since I sent in my first assignment in late February. I need to e-mail him and ask him what I should do now. I'm not going to have a website ready by the time the class is supposed to end on March 22nd, nor will I be able to do major advertising. The class did give me a business idea...but I really should have taken writing courses first, not courses in starting an online business. I was hoping to learn how to draw up a business plan, but there's nothing about that in this class.
And I need to figure out how to meet other area writers. I want a mentor, someone who can help me get started, but that's always been another sticking point. I'm not sure how you go about meeting area writers. The one and only writer's group for South Jersey listed online isn't accepting new members. There are no professional writers in my family or among my few friends. Mom suggested asking the libraries if they can direct me to any writers who have guested there. That's not a bad idea, especially at artsy-fartsy Collingswood.
It was 10:30 before I finally got to breakfast, and past noon when I finally hit the laundromat. The wait may have been worth it. There was one couple there and a few random people, but it wasn't really busy. Good thing, too. I had a lot of laundry, including two towels from my gym visits and the jeans with mud stains on them.
After I got in and put everything away, I went for a walk. I did end up at CVS, but they didn't have what I was looking for, so it was really more of a wandering the neighborhood walk. Oaklyn looks lovely at this time of year. New pale-green grass, lavender hyacinths, and brilliant yellow daffodils brighten gardens that are still shedding their winter grayness. A few families have St. Patrick's Day decorations or banners out; a few more have left up their winter decorations. Most are content to be between holidays.
I had a really quick lunch when I got in, then went to work. Work was exactly the same customer-wise as yesterday, steady and fast with few problems. The computer did slow down on us later, but I dodged it by volunteering to round up carts outside. That was a blast! It was a gorgeous night, breezy, warm (in the 60s), and a little cloudy. I got a better workout pushing carts to the patio than I do at the gym, even after one of the baggers was sent outside to help me.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Around Camden County In Five Hours
The American Top 40 was on when I got up this morning. We discoed our way into early March 1977 as bubblegum pop, dance music, and vocalists ruled the charts. Hits from this era include "The Things We Do For Love" by 10cc, "Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor, "Weekend In New England" by Barry Manilow, "Night Moves" by Bob Seeger, "New Kid In Town" by the Eagles, the live version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney, and "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul (of Starsky and Hutch fame).
Barbara Streisand had the #1 hit that week, one of the biggest hits of her career, in fact. Her version of A Star Is Born usually suffers by comparison to the Janet Gaynor and Judy Garland movies...but the soundtrack was one of that year's blockbuster records and spawned the smash ballad "Evergreen."
I had a lot of errands to run this morning, starting with my last trip to the Logan Presbyterian Church's thrift shop for what I hope will be a while. I had two more bags to deliver, a large one filled with no-longer-needed or threadbare linens, the other with containers and random knick-knacks. I didn't see anything I wanted and just headed out after a few minutes.
Went straight to the bank next to deposit my paycheck. One of the tellers mentioned a new thrift shop on the White Horse Pike, on the edge of Oaklyn and Audubon next-door to TD Bank. They really didn't have much more than clothes and DVDs, but they might be a better place to take any clothes I want to donate than the collection boxes in the back of the Acme.
Made a quick stop at the Oaklyn Library after that, where I organized DVDs and did what I could with the children's books. Several people were showing a new volunteer how the library worked, and I didn't want to get in their way. I left early.
Rode over to Audubon next to hit the gym. Wasn't in there too long, either. I got a decent workout on the elliptical machine. Next time, though, I think I'll up the resistance and the time. I concentrated on the arm weight machines. Since there aren't as many weight machines for the arms as there are for the legs, I did free weights as well before cooling down and stretching.
Made a few more short runs, since I was in the area and off work. Went in Staples really quick for a new mouse pad. I've had the old one for probably about three years. Had a nice lunch of French Onion Soup and a Chicken Fajita Wrap at Applebee's, then bought new rugs for the bathroom, kitchen, and outside the main door. All four of those rugs are also about three or four years old and definitely needed to be replaced. The one in the kitchen has a charming red-and-white strawberry print; the one for outside is a simple, heavy woven twine. The bathroom rugs are plush sage-and-off-white. One has stripes; the other has a leaf print.
I worked on the computer for a little while. I was going to start a web site for today and finally get that assignment done. The next assignment requires me to send my URL to search engines. Trouble is, that pesky lack of experience is getting in the way again. What am I going to say on my web site? How will I make people trust me? I'm beginning to wish I'd taken copy editing classes before taking this business course. It doesn't even teach you how to make a business plan! It just says to make your web site "one that sells," advertise, get with local groups for your product, and voila! I don't think the teacher considered what one does when one lacks experience in everything, or when one's product isn't really physical. This class was a mistake.
I got so frustrated, I finally went outside for a walk around quarter after 4. It was a lovely day, chilly and still a bit windy, but sunny and fresh. I went back into the park again, this time being more careful in our backyard. The sunlight glistened across Newton River, showing through the tangle of bright green, thorny vines around the trees. I even caught sight of a train going over the near-by bridge, and two men fishing on a small motorboat on the river. Leaves can just be seen on the bushes now, and the daffodils have blossomed in Miss Ellie's garden.
When I got in, I dusted the apartment, put up the spring and St. Patrick's Day decorations, and made a simple chili for dinner. Ran Around the World In 80 Days as I worked. This is the 1989 miniseries version of the Jules Verne novella. Mysterious British gentleman Phineas Fogg (Pierce Bronsonan) wagers that he can get around the world in 80 days. Today, this feat could be done in a matter of hours, but in the late 1880s, it was still an arduous undertaking. Fogg and his servant Passepartout (Eric Idle) run into everything from a student revolution in France to cowboys, Indians, and bandits in the American West. Trailing Fogg from one corner of the globe to the other is Inspector Fix (Peter Ustinov), who is determined to land Fogg on a charge of stealing thousands of pounds from the Bank of England. A trip to Bombay throws an Indian princess into the mix as well. Will the quartet win the bet and finally make it back to England...and how many star cameos can you count in this massive undertaking?
Like the 50s Around the World movie with David Niven, this is a star-laden travelogue that relies heavily on pretty scenery and a bevy of character actors popping up in odd places. Unlike the 50s version, there's a lot more adventure...and at the very least, the Indian princess looks Indian, instead of like Shirley MacLaine. Recommended for fans of Bronsonan, Idle, star gazing, or epic 70s and 80s miniseries.
The American Top 40 was on when I got up this morning. We discoed our way into early March 1977 as bubblegum pop, dance music, and vocalists ruled the charts. Hits from this era include "The Things We Do For Love" by 10cc, "Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor, "Weekend In New England" by Barry Manilow, "Night Moves" by Bob Seeger, "New Kid In Town" by the Eagles, the live version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney, and "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul (of Starsky and Hutch fame).
Barbara Streisand had the #1 hit that week, one of the biggest hits of her career, in fact. Her version of A Star Is Born usually suffers by comparison to the Janet Gaynor and Judy Garland movies...but the soundtrack was one of that year's blockbuster records and spawned the smash ballad "Evergreen."
I had a lot of errands to run this morning, starting with my last trip to the Logan Presbyterian Church's thrift shop for what I hope will be a while. I had two more bags to deliver, a large one filled with no-longer-needed or threadbare linens, the other with containers and random knick-knacks. I didn't see anything I wanted and just headed out after a few minutes.
Went straight to the bank next to deposit my paycheck. One of the tellers mentioned a new thrift shop on the White Horse Pike, on the edge of Oaklyn and Audubon next-door to TD Bank. They really didn't have much more than clothes and DVDs, but they might be a better place to take any clothes I want to donate than the collection boxes in the back of the Acme.
Made a quick stop at the Oaklyn Library after that, where I organized DVDs and did what I could with the children's books. Several people were showing a new volunteer how the library worked, and I didn't want to get in their way. I left early.
Rode over to Audubon next to hit the gym. Wasn't in there too long, either. I got a decent workout on the elliptical machine. Next time, though, I think I'll up the resistance and the time. I concentrated on the arm weight machines. Since there aren't as many weight machines for the arms as there are for the legs, I did free weights as well before cooling down and stretching.
Made a few more short runs, since I was in the area and off work. Went in Staples really quick for a new mouse pad. I've had the old one for probably about three years. Had a nice lunch of French Onion Soup and a Chicken Fajita Wrap at Applebee's, then bought new rugs for the bathroom, kitchen, and outside the main door. All four of those rugs are also about three or four years old and definitely needed to be replaced. The one in the kitchen has a charming red-and-white strawberry print; the one for outside is a simple, heavy woven twine. The bathroom rugs are plush sage-and-off-white. One has stripes; the other has a leaf print.
I worked on the computer for a little while. I was going to start a web site for today and finally get that assignment done. The next assignment requires me to send my URL to search engines. Trouble is, that pesky lack of experience is getting in the way again. What am I going to say on my web site? How will I make people trust me? I'm beginning to wish I'd taken copy editing classes before taking this business course. It doesn't even teach you how to make a business plan! It just says to make your web site "one that sells," advertise, get with local groups for your product, and voila! I don't think the teacher considered what one does when one lacks experience in everything, or when one's product isn't really physical. This class was a mistake.
I got so frustrated, I finally went outside for a walk around quarter after 4. It was a lovely day, chilly and still a bit windy, but sunny and fresh. I went back into the park again, this time being more careful in our backyard. The sunlight glistened across Newton River, showing through the tangle of bright green, thorny vines around the trees. I even caught sight of a train going over the near-by bridge, and two men fishing on a small motorboat on the river. Leaves can just be seen on the bushes now, and the daffodils have blossomed in Miss Ellie's garden.
When I got in, I dusted the apartment, put up the spring and St. Patrick's Day decorations, and made a simple chili for dinner. Ran Around the World In 80 Days as I worked. This is the 1989 miniseries version of the Jules Verne novella. Mysterious British gentleman Phineas Fogg (Pierce Bronsonan) wagers that he can get around the world in 80 days. Today, this feat could be done in a matter of hours, but in the late 1880s, it was still an arduous undertaking. Fogg and his servant Passepartout (Eric Idle) run into everything from a student revolution in France to cowboys, Indians, and bandits in the American West. Trailing Fogg from one corner of the globe to the other is Inspector Fix (Peter Ustinov), who is determined to land Fogg on a charge of stealing thousands of pounds from the Bank of England. A trip to Bombay throws an Indian princess into the mix as well. Will the quartet win the bet and finally make it back to England...and how many star cameos can you count in this massive undertaking?
Like the 50s Around the World movie with David Niven, this is a star-laden travelogue that relies heavily on pretty scenery and a bevy of character actors popping up in odd places. Unlike the 50s version, there's a lot more adventure...and at the very least, the Indian princess looks Indian, instead of like Shirley MacLaine. Recommended for fans of Bronsonan, Idle, star gazing, or epic 70s and 80s miniseries.
Friday, March 09, 2012
Help From an Internet Source
I slept in a little later than I planned this morning. I was going to go to the gym, then the Acme; as with last week, I just shortened it to a quick Acme trip. I didn't really need much anyway. Most of what I bought was fruit and vegetables, including a good sale on strawberries. The only other things I grabbed were cereal (Fiber One 80 Honey Squares) and more of the Emerald bagged trail mix, both of which were on good sales. I also had a coupon for the trail mix. The boxes come with coupons in them; useful if you really enjoy these. I only buy them on sale because they're really overpriced, but the coupon helps.
When I got home, I put everything away and did work on the computer for an hour. This time, I hit the jackpot. Google came up with something called Guru.com, a website for freelance writers and copyeditors. Most of the freelancers seemed to specialize in corporate editing and writing, not in small businesses. I know I won't get a lot of money from these people, but I don't need a lot of money to start off with. I hate it, but I have to keep the Acme job until I can find another job as the sideline to my business that I both enjoy and will be more satisfying. I also figured out some ideas for pricing, which is why I haven't sent in my second or third projects for the college courses yet. I'll do them tomorrow.
Ran more Monkees while having leftovers for lunch. I switched back to the first season for a pair of favorites of mine. "The Chaperone" is more typically sitcom - Davy is crazy about a girl with a very strict military father, so Micky winds up dressing as a chaperone so she can come to the boys' party. (Someone forgot to tell him that Mike and Peter were technically adults by that point.) "I've Got a Little Song Here" is the first Mike-centric episode of the series, and one that has a real grain of truth in it. A phony song plugger fools Mike Nesmith into believing he can sell his song (the comic novelty "Gonna Buy Me a Dog", which, interestingly, was not one of Mike's songs). Mike is heartbroken when he discovers he sold his favorite guitar for nothing, so the other three get even on the plugger.
Work was a little bit steadier than yesterday, but otherwise went quickly and wasn't a problem. I was in and out on time. There was a gorgeous moon out when I went home, full and round and yellow like cheese, which made up for going home so late.
Thank goodness my schedule is, other than slightly less hours, generally pretty good. I have two days off again, and no hours later than 8:30. March usually isn't a busy month, especially when the weather's gorgeous, like it was this week and is supposed to be next week.
I slept in a little later than I planned this morning. I was going to go to the gym, then the Acme; as with last week, I just shortened it to a quick Acme trip. I didn't really need much anyway. Most of what I bought was fruit and vegetables, including a good sale on strawberries. The only other things I grabbed were cereal (Fiber One 80 Honey Squares) and more of the Emerald bagged trail mix, both of which were on good sales. I also had a coupon for the trail mix. The boxes come with coupons in them; useful if you really enjoy these. I only buy them on sale because they're really overpriced, but the coupon helps.
When I got home, I put everything away and did work on the computer for an hour. This time, I hit the jackpot. Google came up with something called Guru.com, a website for freelance writers and copyeditors. Most of the freelancers seemed to specialize in corporate editing and writing, not in small businesses. I know I won't get a lot of money from these people, but I don't need a lot of money to start off with. I hate it, but I have to keep the Acme job until I can find another job as the sideline to my business that I both enjoy and will be more satisfying. I also figured out some ideas for pricing, which is why I haven't sent in my second or third projects for the college courses yet. I'll do them tomorrow.
Ran more Monkees while having leftovers for lunch. I switched back to the first season for a pair of favorites of mine. "The Chaperone" is more typically sitcom - Davy is crazy about a girl with a very strict military father, so Micky winds up dressing as a chaperone so she can come to the boys' party. (Someone forgot to tell him that Mike and Peter were technically adults by that point.) "I've Got a Little Song Here" is the first Mike-centric episode of the series, and one that has a real grain of truth in it. A phony song plugger fools Mike Nesmith into believing he can sell his song (the comic novelty "Gonna Buy Me a Dog", which, interestingly, was not one of Mike's songs). Mike is heartbroken when he discovers he sold his favorite guitar for nothing, so the other three get even on the plugger.
Work was a little bit steadier than yesterday, but otherwise went quickly and wasn't a problem. I was in and out on time. There was a gorgeous moon out when I went home, full and round and yellow like cheese, which made up for going home so late.
Thank goodness my schedule is, other than slightly less hours, generally pretty good. I have two days off again, and no hours later than 8:30. March usually isn't a busy month, especially when the weather's gorgeous, like it was this week and is supposed to be next week.
Thursday, March 08, 2012
Windy Balance
It was absolutely gorgeous when I headed out for this week's yoga class. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and it was already in the 50s at 9AM. Perhaps the good weather encouraged good karma; the class was jam-packed when I came in. Karen emphasized heart-openers and squat poses; I had to be careful with these on my twisted, heel-spurred foot.
Went straight to the Collingswood Library next. There was a nice little stack of DVDs (and one Wii title) to file and shelve. Got the DVDs organized before the kids came out of Storybook Hour, too. There wasn't anything to do upstairs (just one book to put away), so I left early.
It was so nice, I bought a roast beef hoagie and a bag of red grapes at WaWa (after making a quick stop at Rite Aid - they didn't have what I wanted) and had a picnic in Newton River Park. It was peaceful and pretty. The sun sparkled on the green water; the wind blew through the trees, most of which were just starting to show new buds. There was one college student on the swings; a family was arriving just as I left.
Stopped at CVS next. I'm almost out of toothpaste, and they were having a good sale on Colgate Total. Ran into Jodie, who was picking up a few things for herself. I explained how busy I've been (which is why I haven't gone over there recently), and we traded groans about the Acme's sometimes frustrating remodeling. (The bread is clear on the other side of the store from where it used to be.)
When I got in, I went right back out for a walk. It was too nice to be inside! I ended up at another WaWa, this time for a Cherry Limeade Icee. The wind was whipping even harder now, and clouds could be seen in the horizon, but the sun still shown brightly. Dafodils have sprung up in almost every garden; the bush next to Miss Ellie's side of the house is starting to show those pretty coral-colored blossoms, and there's buds on the forsythia and lilac bushes.
Spent the rest of the afternoon doing research for my web site. Alas, I couldn't find any small-time copy editing sits on Yahoo. They were all big companies, or Craigslist freelancers. I need some idea of what people should pay for my services, especially people who are struggling with their businesses to begin with and don't have a lot of money. Maybe I'll check Google.
Ran more Monkees while getting ready to go. In "Monkees Mind Their Manor," Davy inherits an estate in England. Trouble is, he has to live there to claim it, which is the last thing he wants to do. If the boys don't help out, the estate will go to a drunkard playboy and his opportunistic lawyer.
Work was fairly empty when I came in and when I left, and busy only during rush hour. We had plenty of help, and this time, the computer worked just fine. I was in and out.
It was absolutely gorgeous when I headed out for this week's yoga class. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and it was already in the 50s at 9AM. Perhaps the good weather encouraged good karma; the class was jam-packed when I came in. Karen emphasized heart-openers and squat poses; I had to be careful with these on my twisted, heel-spurred foot.
Went straight to the Collingswood Library next. There was a nice little stack of DVDs (and one Wii title) to file and shelve. Got the DVDs organized before the kids came out of Storybook Hour, too. There wasn't anything to do upstairs (just one book to put away), so I left early.
It was so nice, I bought a roast beef hoagie and a bag of red grapes at WaWa (after making a quick stop at Rite Aid - they didn't have what I wanted) and had a picnic in Newton River Park. It was peaceful and pretty. The sun sparkled on the green water; the wind blew through the trees, most of which were just starting to show new buds. There was one college student on the swings; a family was arriving just as I left.
Stopped at CVS next. I'm almost out of toothpaste, and they were having a good sale on Colgate Total. Ran into Jodie, who was picking up a few things for herself. I explained how busy I've been (which is why I haven't gone over there recently), and we traded groans about the Acme's sometimes frustrating remodeling. (The bread is clear on the other side of the store from where it used to be.)
When I got in, I went right back out for a walk. It was too nice to be inside! I ended up at another WaWa, this time for a Cherry Limeade Icee. The wind was whipping even harder now, and clouds could be seen in the horizon, but the sun still shown brightly. Dafodils have sprung up in almost every garden; the bush next to Miss Ellie's side of the house is starting to show those pretty coral-colored blossoms, and there's buds on the forsythia and lilac bushes.
Spent the rest of the afternoon doing research for my web site. Alas, I couldn't find any small-time copy editing sits on Yahoo. They were all big companies, or Craigslist freelancers. I need some idea of what people should pay for my services, especially people who are struggling with their businesses to begin with and don't have a lot of money. Maybe I'll check Google.
Ran more Monkees while getting ready to go. In "Monkees Mind Their Manor," Davy inherits an estate in England. Trouble is, he has to live there to claim it, which is the last thing he wants to do. If the boys don't help out, the estate will go to a drunkard playboy and his opportunistic lawyer.
Work was fairly empty when I came in and when I left, and busy only during rush hour. We had plenty of help, and this time, the computer worked just fine. I was in and out.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The World Is a Highway
I slept in again this morning. Didn't get moving to the Haddon Township Library until past 11:30 (after delivering the rent for March to Miss Ellie's side of the house). It was a lovely day for it. The sun was shining, it was chilly but not too warm or cold, and the wind I heard this morning had blown itself out by early afternoon. This showed in the many joggers, dog-walkers, and people walking together I dodged in Newton River Park on my way to the library.
You won't be surprised to hear that the library wasn't that busy. There were some DVDs and books to shelve. I mainly concentrated on the kids' DVDs and books - another volunteer shelved most of the adult and nonfiction titles. I enjoyed the movies I took out last week so much, I took out four more, despite my limited time this week - Cars 2, the Hepburn/Tracy romantic comedy Desk Set, the recent version of True Grit with Jeff Bridges (which I didn't get to when I rented it last time), and the Winnie the Pooh Easter special Springtime With Roo. (Yes, I know it's a bit early for that one, but it may not be available by the end of the month.)
Ran errands after I left the library. I needed a few things at Super Fresh. They have genuinely cheaper prices on grits, maple syrup, and honey, and they were all on sale (the honey for the Jewish spring holidays). I also finally found my favorite Hodgeson Mill Yeast Packs, and they were on sale too, 29 cents each! I bought the six packs they had left.
Next stop was the Westmont Bagel Shoppe for lunch. I just had a simple Roast Beef and Provolone Sandwich on a Honey Oat Bagel with a small cup of cole slaw. No fries or chips necessary. That sandwich was big enough! I didn't even finish the second half. It was past 2PM when I got in, and very quiet there, just me, CNN, and the owner and her staff.
I should have started shelving things right away when I got home. Instead, I sat down in my living room and just thought. I wanted to start a business, but I had no portfolio to show people. I didn't want to take pricy medical billing courses when I'm not all that interested in medicine. I liked the idea of editing college students' papers, and even made an ad for a business like that...but I didn't know where to post that ad. I couldn't find the student forums on the college websites, and there's no way I could go to any of the local colleges to advertise. Rowan and the main campuses for the Camden and Atlantic County Colleges are in the middle of nowhere, beyond the reach of even many buses. Rutgers and Temple's campuses are situated near notoriously bad parts of Camden and Philly. Drexel is all the way out in North Philly.
I can't get to colleges to advertise...but I can get to local businesses. I know these people, the small-time businesses of Oaklyn, Haddon Township, Audubon, and West Collingswood. I know many of them are having problems staying in business, either because they're off the beaten track like Doria's Deli, or they don't get the publicity and advertising that the fancier towns like Collingswood and Haddonfield do. They can't afford expensive advertisements and newsletters.
I could help them. I could do copywriting for them, revise advertisements for local newsletters, maybe even write a newsletter or pamphlets, and spread the word about them. I buy things from these people. I know them, know how they operate. They're good people, and I want everyone in the area to know it, too. I could do online copy for folks who haven't done a web site or e-mail list yet.
I liked this idea so much, I went to Doria's Deli to discuss it with Mrs. Doria (buying a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi soda from her as an excuse to go in). I figured if anyone knew what the community needed, it was someone who had been in business there for twenty years or more. Yes, she liked the idea. I need to work on it more (and figure out how to work it into my classes), but I feel better now that I have something I'd like to do...and people who really may need me.
It was so nice, I went for a short walk after I left Doria's. When I got home, I swept all the sticker balls off my porch. Those should be winding down soon as we get into spring and the leaves on the trees start budding. As pretty as that is, I'm going to miss the incredible view of the river I have each winter when the trees are bare.
Spent the rest of the evening inside. I went through more books in the back room. I gave the bathroom a quick scrub. I made Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry for dinner while I ran Cars 2.
This enjoyable but somewhat convoluted follow-up to the original Cars takes us on a trip around the world in a film that comes off as a cross between the original Cars and a James Bond film. Bumbling Mater the Tow Truck (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) is mistaken for an American secret agent by two British agents, Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) while joining Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) on a major around-the-world Grand Prix. McQueen is having his own problems with the boastful Italian racer Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro) and with the mysterious series of accidents that are taking many of the cars out of the race. When Mater discovers a fiendish plot to discredit a new alternative fuel source, he may be in over his head...especially when the plot includes killing his best friend!
While I liked it, I can also see why it was Pixar's least-critically-successful film to date. First of all, Larry the Cable Guy is best taken in small does (if at all). A little of Mater goes a long way, and there's far too much of him here. I suspect that Pixar may have taken the complaints that the original movie was too slow and lacking in plot to heart by adding too much action and enough plot to fill three movies.
On the other hand, some of the relationships still work well, including the charming wooing between Holley and Mater. It's nice to see how the current obsession with finding other fuel sources for vehicles is also worked in. I also liked the short sequence with Italian cars Guido and Luigi's family, not to mention some of the very funny spoofs of racing celebrities in car form.
I slept in again this morning. Didn't get moving to the Haddon Township Library until past 11:30 (after delivering the rent for March to Miss Ellie's side of the house). It was a lovely day for it. The sun was shining, it was chilly but not too warm or cold, and the wind I heard this morning had blown itself out by early afternoon. This showed in the many joggers, dog-walkers, and people walking together I dodged in Newton River Park on my way to the library.
You won't be surprised to hear that the library wasn't that busy. There were some DVDs and books to shelve. I mainly concentrated on the kids' DVDs and books - another volunteer shelved most of the adult and nonfiction titles. I enjoyed the movies I took out last week so much, I took out four more, despite my limited time this week - Cars 2, the Hepburn/Tracy romantic comedy Desk Set, the recent version of True Grit with Jeff Bridges (which I didn't get to when I rented it last time), and the Winnie the Pooh Easter special Springtime With Roo. (Yes, I know it's a bit early for that one, but it may not be available by the end of the month.)
Ran errands after I left the library. I needed a few things at Super Fresh. They have genuinely cheaper prices on grits, maple syrup, and honey, and they were all on sale (the honey for the Jewish spring holidays). I also finally found my favorite Hodgeson Mill Yeast Packs, and they were on sale too, 29 cents each! I bought the six packs they had left.
Next stop was the Westmont Bagel Shoppe for lunch. I just had a simple Roast Beef and Provolone Sandwich on a Honey Oat Bagel with a small cup of cole slaw. No fries or chips necessary. That sandwich was big enough! I didn't even finish the second half. It was past 2PM when I got in, and very quiet there, just me, CNN, and the owner and her staff.
I should have started shelving things right away when I got home. Instead, I sat down in my living room and just thought. I wanted to start a business, but I had no portfolio to show people. I didn't want to take pricy medical billing courses when I'm not all that interested in medicine. I liked the idea of editing college students' papers, and even made an ad for a business like that...but I didn't know where to post that ad. I couldn't find the student forums on the college websites, and there's no way I could go to any of the local colleges to advertise. Rowan and the main campuses for the Camden and Atlantic County Colleges are in the middle of nowhere, beyond the reach of even many buses. Rutgers and Temple's campuses are situated near notoriously bad parts of Camden and Philly. Drexel is all the way out in North Philly.
I can't get to colleges to advertise...but I can get to local businesses. I know these people, the small-time businesses of Oaklyn, Haddon Township, Audubon, and West Collingswood. I know many of them are having problems staying in business, either because they're off the beaten track like Doria's Deli, or they don't get the publicity and advertising that the fancier towns like Collingswood and Haddonfield do. They can't afford expensive advertisements and newsletters.
I could help them. I could do copywriting for them, revise advertisements for local newsletters, maybe even write a newsletter or pamphlets, and spread the word about them. I buy things from these people. I know them, know how they operate. They're good people, and I want everyone in the area to know it, too. I could do online copy for folks who haven't done a web site or e-mail list yet.
I liked this idea so much, I went to Doria's Deli to discuss it with Mrs. Doria (buying a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi soda from her as an excuse to go in). I figured if anyone knew what the community needed, it was someone who had been in business there for twenty years or more. Yes, she liked the idea. I need to work on it more (and figure out how to work it into my classes), but I feel better now that I have something I'd like to do...and people who really may need me.
It was so nice, I went for a short walk after I left Doria's. When I got home, I swept all the sticker balls off my porch. Those should be winding down soon as we get into spring and the leaves on the trees start budding. As pretty as that is, I'm going to miss the incredible view of the river I have each winter when the trees are bare.
Spent the rest of the evening inside. I went through more books in the back room. I gave the bathroom a quick scrub. I made Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry for dinner while I ran Cars 2.
This enjoyable but somewhat convoluted follow-up to the original Cars takes us on a trip around the world in a film that comes off as a cross between the original Cars and a James Bond film. Bumbling Mater the Tow Truck (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) is mistaken for an American secret agent by two British agents, Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) while joining Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) on a major around-the-world Grand Prix. McQueen is having his own problems with the boastful Italian racer Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro) and with the mysterious series of accidents that are taking many of the cars out of the race. When Mater discovers a fiendish plot to discredit a new alternative fuel source, he may be in over his head...especially when the plot includes killing his best friend!
While I liked it, I can also see why it was Pixar's least-critically-successful film to date. First of all, Larry the Cable Guy is best taken in small does (if at all). A little of Mater goes a long way, and there's far too much of him here. I suspect that Pixar may have taken the complaints that the original movie was too slow and lacking in plot to heart by adding too much action and enough plot to fill three movies.
On the other hand, some of the relationships still work well, including the charming wooing between Holley and Mater. It's nice to see how the current obsession with finding other fuel sources for vehicles is also worked in. I also liked the short sequence with Italian cars Guido and Luigi's family, not to mention some of the very funny spoofs of racing celebrities in car form.
Monday, February 27, 2012
How to Get Rid of Your Boss Without Really Trying
I slept in this morning, then finished The Secret Garden. I think I needed to read that. The classic story of two spoiled, unhappy children who are transformed by the encounter with a hidden garden in an old Northern English manor house was just what the doctor ordered. I've been feeling as crabby as Mistress Mary lately, and even less hopeful. I'm still a little confused, but I'm trying to set things straight.
I really didn't get to much else today. Got to the laundromat around 11:30. It wasn't busy, and I didn't have much to wash anyway. I was in and out.
I did find a very interesting book at the Haddon Township Library last week, Making Money With Your Computer at Home, and went through the first half while at the laundromat. The first part of the book has a listing of business ideas you can begin at home with little or no money, just using your computer. In addition to the obvious ones, like "Copywriter," I found many I liked, from ones involving condensing paragraphs for database companies and clipping online text and writing for indexes, to self-publishing and writing for web sites. Not all of that requires a portfolio, either. I'm really beginning to regret not having done this sooner. If I had a portfolio, I wouldn't be in the mess that I am.
When I got home, I put my laundry away, had leftovers for lunch, and ran 9 to 5. Given all my current work problems, I figured I needed this one. Now, I barely see my bosses, much less have problems with them. Things were quite different in the work place 30 years ago, as shy Judy (Jane Fonda) discovers when she joins a huge firm in New York as a secretary. Tough Violet (Lily Tomlin), a long-time employee, shows her around, but there's trouble a-brewin' in Consolidated Corporations, and it's all involving their obnoxious boss Frank (Dabney Coleman). He passes Violet over for a promotion because she's a woman and chases his sweet-natured secretary Doralee (Dolly Pardon, in her screen debut), despite the fact that they're both married.
All three women are quite fed up with their obnoxious boss, but it doesn't get beyond some very creative fantasies until Violet accidentally poisons him. Though the women initially try to reason with him, they discover that the lecherous boor is beyond listening. They do the one thing they can think of until some vital information on his activities comes through - they keep him bound in his own home while they proceed to make their office a far more pleasant place to work. However, he gets quite a shock when he returns and learns that the women have been running the place quite well in his absence, thank you.
I remember both loving and being a little mystified by this as a kid. Sure, the guy was mean, but the ladies sometimes weren't very nice, either, and the whole tying-the-boss-up thing just seemed a little weird. I do enjoy it more now that I've actually been in the workplace, including my two-year stint as an assistant secretary at the Stockton College Media Center that was a lot more pleasant than the ladies' experiences. (For one thing, by the late 90s-early 2000s, your standard copy machine could fit on a desk and only made a whirring noise. I never had any problems with them. And of course, I did all my writing on a computer and could easily backspace mistakes.)
Interestingly, while the clothes and hair don't look too bad (this being made in 1980, as the world was just beginning to go from 70s neutrals to 80s neon), the boxy technology and the sexist office morals, not to mention the drug-infused party that gets the ball rolling, date this one a bit. The party and the over-the-top tone make it kind of iffy for kids. For adults, especially women who have been secretaries or worked in offices, or for fans of the three leading ladies, this is still an awful lot of fun. (There was a stage musical version about a year or two ago. It wasn't a success on Broadway, but I think there is a cast album for it...and yes, it included the famous Pardon title song.)
It was too gorgeous outside today for work to be busy. There were lines during the rush hour, but otherwise, it wasn't too bad. I was in and out.
I also discovered why I've been getting so many hours lately. It's not just the college students being up to their elbows in classes. We're really short-handed. The head scan coordinator (head of prices and making sure the prices match up) husband just died, another manager is taking care of her sick husband, and I think someone in the meat department of another store recently passed away as well, and we had to send somebody to help them.
I slept in this morning, then finished The Secret Garden. I think I needed to read that. The classic story of two spoiled, unhappy children who are transformed by the encounter with a hidden garden in an old Northern English manor house was just what the doctor ordered. I've been feeling as crabby as Mistress Mary lately, and even less hopeful. I'm still a little confused, but I'm trying to set things straight.
I really didn't get to much else today. Got to the laundromat around 11:30. It wasn't busy, and I didn't have much to wash anyway. I was in and out.
I did find a very interesting book at the Haddon Township Library last week, Making Money With Your Computer at Home, and went through the first half while at the laundromat. The first part of the book has a listing of business ideas you can begin at home with little or no money, just using your computer. In addition to the obvious ones, like "Copywriter," I found many I liked, from ones involving condensing paragraphs for database companies and clipping online text and writing for indexes, to self-publishing and writing for web sites. Not all of that requires a portfolio, either. I'm really beginning to regret not having done this sooner. If I had a portfolio, I wouldn't be in the mess that I am.
When I got home, I put my laundry away, had leftovers for lunch, and ran 9 to 5. Given all my current work problems, I figured I needed this one. Now, I barely see my bosses, much less have problems with them. Things were quite different in the work place 30 years ago, as shy Judy (Jane Fonda) discovers when she joins a huge firm in New York as a secretary. Tough Violet (Lily Tomlin), a long-time employee, shows her around, but there's trouble a-brewin' in Consolidated Corporations, and it's all involving their obnoxious boss Frank (Dabney Coleman). He passes Violet over for a promotion because she's a woman and chases his sweet-natured secretary Doralee (Dolly Pardon, in her screen debut), despite the fact that they're both married.
All three women are quite fed up with their obnoxious boss, but it doesn't get beyond some very creative fantasies until Violet accidentally poisons him. Though the women initially try to reason with him, they discover that the lecherous boor is beyond listening. They do the one thing they can think of until some vital information on his activities comes through - they keep him bound in his own home while they proceed to make their office a far more pleasant place to work. However, he gets quite a shock when he returns and learns that the women have been running the place quite well in his absence, thank you.
I remember both loving and being a little mystified by this as a kid. Sure, the guy was mean, but the ladies sometimes weren't very nice, either, and the whole tying-the-boss-up thing just seemed a little weird. I do enjoy it more now that I've actually been in the workplace, including my two-year stint as an assistant secretary at the Stockton College Media Center that was a lot more pleasant than the ladies' experiences. (For one thing, by the late 90s-early 2000s, your standard copy machine could fit on a desk and only made a whirring noise. I never had any problems with them. And of course, I did all my writing on a computer and could easily backspace mistakes.)
Interestingly, while the clothes and hair don't look too bad (this being made in 1980, as the world was just beginning to go from 70s neutrals to 80s neon), the boxy technology and the sexist office morals, not to mention the drug-infused party that gets the ball rolling, date this one a bit. The party and the over-the-top tone make it kind of iffy for kids. For adults, especially women who have been secretaries or worked in offices, or for fans of the three leading ladies, this is still an awful lot of fun. (There was a stage musical version about a year or two ago. It wasn't a success on Broadway, but I think there is a cast album for it...and yes, it included the famous Pardon title song.)
It was too gorgeous outside today for work to be busy. There were lines during the rush hour, but otherwise, it wasn't too bad. I was in and out.
I also discovered why I've been getting so many hours lately. It's not just the college students being up to their elbows in classes. We're really short-handed. The head scan coordinator (head of prices and making sure the prices match up) husband just died, another manager is taking care of her sick husband, and I think someone in the meat department of another store recently passed away as well, and we had to send somebody to help them.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Extremely Loud & Way Too Close
Started a sunny, fairly warm (and windless) day off with Brunch With the Beatles. The animated film Yellow Submarine was in the spotlight today. The Beatles dove headfirst into their catalog and came up with a rather odd grab-bag of songs from all over the place - the title number, "With a Little Help From My Friends," and "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" from Sgt. Pepper, the film's title song, "All Together Now," "Blue Jay Way," "Baby You're a Rich Man," "Eleanor Rigby," and the only song written directly for the film, "Hey Bulldog."
Called Mom while the second half of the Beatles show was running. I am feeling a little bit better right now than I did last week. I think I just really needed to get some errands done. I'm also under a lot of stress right now, thanks to a lot of hours and all the remodeling going on at work.
I spent the rest of the afternoon doing classwork. The next part is going to be more complicated. My web site exists as an archive for mine and my friend Lauren's stories, not to sell anything. The assignment says to "evaluate your web site to see if it sells"...but it's not intended to sell. It's just a place to put stories so people can read them for free. I'm going to have to create a web site from scratch, and probably buy a domain name, too. I don't know if venture capital firms would be much help for copywriting or freelance writing, but the autoresponders might. I don't even know how one would design a website for a copywriting or freelance writing business, which the class doesn't go into. I don't really know what I want to do for a business.
To be honest, I'm beginning to wonder if this was a bad idea. I'm not good at selling things, least of all myself. Not to mention, I really and truly do not have the experience required to be a copywriter or a freelance writer or any kind of writer. They require portfolios and editing experience, which I don't have. I haven't done any real writing in ages. And the final assignments require you to send press releases to TV and radio stations or magazines, ads to AOL or Yahoo, and find a business to partner with? I can't even decide what kind of business I want to do! I haven't done enough of the things I'm good at to be able to sell them.
Work didn't help me feel better. It was on-and-off busy through most of the night. They're still working on the back room, which means the employees are still eating in the cafe area and I still had to park my bike in the inventory area. I had some very rude people in the Express lane, including one older man who said he had hearing problems and shouted everything. He certainly didn't have problems giving me trouble. I just gave up talking to him all together and pointed to his payment. Another man criticized me for bagging too many cereal boxes in one bag. I was trying to make things easier on him! He could have been nicer about it. I don't know why I bother helping anyone at work half the time.
Started a sunny, fairly warm (and windless) day off with Brunch With the Beatles. The animated film Yellow Submarine was in the spotlight today. The Beatles dove headfirst into their catalog and came up with a rather odd grab-bag of songs from all over the place - the title number, "With a Little Help From My Friends," and "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" from Sgt. Pepper, the film's title song, "All Together Now," "Blue Jay Way," "Baby You're a Rich Man," "Eleanor Rigby," and the only song written directly for the film, "Hey Bulldog."
Called Mom while the second half of the Beatles show was running. I am feeling a little bit better right now than I did last week. I think I just really needed to get some errands done. I'm also under a lot of stress right now, thanks to a lot of hours and all the remodeling going on at work.
I spent the rest of the afternoon doing classwork. The next part is going to be more complicated. My web site exists as an archive for mine and my friend Lauren's stories, not to sell anything. The assignment says to "evaluate your web site to see if it sells"...but it's not intended to sell. It's just a place to put stories so people can read them for free. I'm going to have to create a web site from scratch, and probably buy a domain name, too. I don't know if venture capital firms would be much help for copywriting or freelance writing, but the autoresponders might. I don't even know how one would design a website for a copywriting or freelance writing business, which the class doesn't go into. I don't really know what I want to do for a business.
To be honest, I'm beginning to wonder if this was a bad idea. I'm not good at selling things, least of all myself. Not to mention, I really and truly do not have the experience required to be a copywriter or a freelance writer or any kind of writer. They require portfolios and editing experience, which I don't have. I haven't done any real writing in ages. And the final assignments require you to send press releases to TV and radio stations or magazines, ads to AOL or Yahoo, and find a business to partner with? I can't even decide what kind of business I want to do! I haven't done enough of the things I'm good at to be able to sell them.
Work didn't help me feel better. It was on-and-off busy through most of the night. They're still working on the back room, which means the employees are still eating in the cafe area and I still had to park my bike in the inventory area. I had some very rude people in the Express lane, including one older man who said he had hearing problems and shouted everything. He certainly didn't have problems giving me trouble. I just gave up talking to him all together and pointed to his payment. Another man criticized me for bagging too many cereal boxes in one bag. I was trying to make things easier on him! He could have been nicer about it. I don't know why I bother helping anyone at work half the time.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Welcome to the Business World
I slept in a bit this morning, then took down the Valentine's Day decorations after breakfast and finish The Pirate Movie, which I started after I Married an Angel ended last night.The majority of my Valentine's Day items are paper hearts and cards from relatives. I have a bear tin, two paper hangings I picked up from the thrift shop in Collingswood before they shut down, and some odds and ends. (I also have two boxes of Valentines intended for children that I haven't really used. I may give those away, donate them, or get rid of them.)
I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon starting my online classes. The shorter one is "Finding a Legit At-Home Business," and as of right now, it just involves reading two books and answering the self-evaluation questions at the end of each chapter. "Starting and Growing a Business on the Internet" is more complicated. I need to read the first two chapters, do some research and make a list of businesses that can started on the Internet and products that can be sold online for my first assignment, then take a quiz. I'll do that tonight and Friday afternoon. (I don't think I'll get in fast enough from the Collingswood Library to do it tomorrow - I do want to keep up my regular schedule as much as I can.)
I had the last of the beef stew for lunch while watching more Walter Lantz cartoons, then went to work. Work was on-and-off busy during rush hour, so quiet by the time I finished that I spent a lot of the last couple of hours putting candy away.
I slept in a bit this morning, then took down the Valentine's Day decorations after breakfast and finish The Pirate Movie, which I started after I Married an Angel ended last night.The majority of my Valentine's Day items are paper hearts and cards from relatives. I have a bear tin, two paper hangings I picked up from the thrift shop in Collingswood before they shut down, and some odds and ends. (I also have two boxes of Valentines intended for children that I haven't really used. I may give those away, donate them, or get rid of them.)
I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon starting my online classes. The shorter one is "Finding a Legit At-Home Business," and as of right now, it just involves reading two books and answering the self-evaluation questions at the end of each chapter. "Starting and Growing a Business on the Internet" is more complicated. I need to read the first two chapters, do some research and make a list of businesses that can started on the Internet and products that can be sold online for my first assignment, then take a quiz. I'll do that tonight and Friday afternoon. (I don't think I'll get in fast enough from the Collingswood Library to do it tomorrow - I do want to keep up my regular schedule as much as I can.)
I had the last of the beef stew for lunch while watching more Walter Lantz cartoons, then went to work. Work was on-and-off busy during rush hour, so quiet by the time I finished that I spent a lot of the last couple of hours putting candy away.
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Chilled Harvest
Brrr! I awoke to 40-degree temperatures as I turned on this week's American Top 40. They stayed in the 80s but jumped back a few years to 1983. Popular songs from early November '83 included "True," by Spandau Ballet, "Say, Say, Say" by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney (their second collaboration), "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel (which has been a favorite of mine ever since), "Delirious" by Prince, "Telephone" by Sheena Easton, and "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" by Air Supply.
That week's #1 hit was a reflection of the popularity of country music in the early 80s, as it was also that week's top country song - the duet "Islands In the Stream," by two of the 80s' favorite country music stars, Dolly Pardon and Kenny Rogers.
Other than the cold, it was sunny, windy, and a perfect day for a farm market/yard sale run. There weren't too many yard sales around this week, probably because of the chilly weather. My first stop was a sale on Merrick Avenue, near the Westmont Acme and CVS. The proprietor was annoying, with his nasal voice, dumb jokes, and attempts to make people walk away with items, whether they wanted to or not. Most of his records were singles from the 80s, but I did find a record that interested me:
Jim Croce - You Don't Mess Around With Jim
The Collingswood Farm Market was next. It was fairly busy despite the brisk weather and the distinct lack of food booths. All of the flower stands were gone, replaced by craft salespeople. The honey seller told me she's on her last week, too. I found everything on my long list that I needed, though, including mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, carrots, apple butter, spinach (for the first time since the spring), pears, little Fuji apples, the honey, cauliflower, and broccoli. I needed to do some major restocking after the weather was too messy to get to the Farm Market last week!
I made my best finds today at indoor sales. An antique store in Collingswood was having a big used book sale, with paperbacks for a dollar and hardbacks for two dollars. I bought a Rachel Ray cookbook for a Christmas present, and a Disney Wonderful World of Reading Christmas-themed hardback, a hardback copy of the Old West-set mystery Holmes on the Range, and a lovely 50s-era book of fairy tales for myself.
Rode around Collingswood for a while, looking for another yard sale. When I couldn't find it, I decided to try the thrift shop at the Logan Presbyterian Church on the corner of Market Street and the White Horse Pike in Audubon instead. They hold the thrift shop every other Saturday. I've often ridden by when they've been open, but I was usually on the way to or from a yard sale and had never tried them. With few options, I was willing to check them out today.
The thrift shop was in the basement of the pale-green house in the back of the main church. It was basically the same thing as the now-closed thrift shop in Collingswood - clothes, toys, records, videos, knick-knacks. Here, though, everything had it's own room. There was a room for clothes, a room for toys and kids' videos, and a room for everything else, including adult records, videos, and decorative items. (Like the Collingswood thrift shop, they don't have the room for furniture.)
I made my best finds here. Among their children's videos were a fourth Muppet Babies Video Storybook I'd never heard of and a copy of The Flinstone's Christmas Carol, both of which I could add onto the end of dubbed DVDs.
There were two boxes with records off to the right in the large knick-knacks room. I found some great cast albums and sountracks there:
The original cast of the 1965 Broadway musical Do I Hear a Waltz?
The soundtrack to something called 'S, Wonderful, 'S, Marvelous, 'S Gershwin - the back cover says it's a TV "Super Special" from 1971 with a great cast, including Larry Kert, Fred Astaire, Leslie Uggams, Robert Guillaume, Peter Nero, Linda Bennett, and Jack Lemmon.
The soundtrack to the original film version of Gigi
The massive 3-disc 1956 original cast album to Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella
The lady at the front table where I made my purchases said they'd be open again on November the 19th, which also happens to be the last day of the farm market. If I'm not too busy and the weather's good, I might have to try to get back there and see if they have any more great records.
Rode over to an estate sale on Wyoming Avenue in Audubon after leaving the church. When I found nothing good there, I went back up Market Street to the TreeHouse Cafe. It was almost 12:30 by then, and the coffee house/meeting place for mothers was very busy. I was lucky to find a seat! A cup of hot chocolate and very spicy turkey chili helped me warm up after riding around outside all day.
By the time I left there, it was past 1PM. Time to head home. I gave Miss Ellie my rent before I left, including a letter that stated my intention to do the raking today. Miss Ellie had a message for me on my answering machine. That wouldn't be necessary. Her grandson would be coming over in a few hours to do the raking.
Well, that left me at loose ends. Raking was my big plan for today. I opted for a walk to WaWa for a snack instead. Since it remained in the middle 40s, I threw a coat on over my thickest sweater and grabbed ear muffs and gloves. I wasn't the only one out and about, either. I saw lots of kids in strollers being pushed by bundled-up parents, joggers enjoying the fresh breeze, and teenagers in packs heading to WaWa for hot drinks. I grabbed a pretzel and a hot chai and headed home.
Spent the rest of the afternoon at my apartment, doing things online. I also finally made the first ad for my editing business. I'm going to put up ads in local libraries and coffee houses, and maybe businesses that kids might frequent, like the comic books shop. I'll work on online advertising and advertising in colleges next week, when I can drum up the courage. It took me long enough just to make a flyer!
Ran The Mikado while making shrimp, mashed acorn squash, and Curried Cauliflower for dinner. This is the 1939 British version of the 1885 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. I figured that if I could enjoy the equally stagey 1983 Pirates of Penzance, I would get a kick out of this...and I did. American singer Kenny Baker is Nanki-Poo (ok, so the names are weird - work with me here), a minstrel who falls for pretty school maid Yum-Yum. Trouble is, she's to be married to Ko-Ko, the new Lord High Executioner, and he's under the thumb of the pretentious Pooh Bah. Nanki-Poo has his own secrets to dish out, too...and when it all comes out in the open, it may take all of Ko-Ko's skills in clowning and persuasion to keep everyone's heads on their shoulders, including his!
If you love theatrical-style musicals or Gilbert and Sullivan, this is really cute, despite all the talk about beheading and punishments. The production is gorgeous, too, with the usual bold palette of Technicolor replaced by more delicate pastel shades, and the soundstage sets looking exquisite. The D'Oyly Carte Players have a ball with the material, and Kenny Baker looks and sounds far more at ease here than he did playing ringmaster to the Marx Brothers in At the Circus.
A few caveats. First of all, this is apparently a severely truncated version of the show, slimmed down to 91 minutes. While it all moves fairly quickly (moreso than the Pirates of Penzance film), purists probably won't be thrilled with the missing scenes and songs, and the plot is hard to follow at times. There's also the matter of obvious Brits (and one American) playing Asians. Not to mention, this is not the place to come to for heavy opera. This is about as fluffy as you can get and still talk about executions.
Brrr! I awoke to 40-degree temperatures as I turned on this week's American Top 40. They stayed in the 80s but jumped back a few years to 1983. Popular songs from early November '83 included "True," by Spandau Ballet, "Say, Say, Say" by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney (their second collaboration), "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel (which has been a favorite of mine ever since), "Delirious" by Prince, "Telephone" by Sheena Easton, and "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" by Air Supply.
That week's #1 hit was a reflection of the popularity of country music in the early 80s, as it was also that week's top country song - the duet "Islands In the Stream," by two of the 80s' favorite country music stars, Dolly Pardon and Kenny Rogers.
Other than the cold, it was sunny, windy, and a perfect day for a farm market/yard sale run. There weren't too many yard sales around this week, probably because of the chilly weather. My first stop was a sale on Merrick Avenue, near the Westmont Acme and CVS. The proprietor was annoying, with his nasal voice, dumb jokes, and attempts to make people walk away with items, whether they wanted to or not. Most of his records were singles from the 80s, but I did find a record that interested me:
Jim Croce - You Don't Mess Around With Jim
The Collingswood Farm Market was next. It was fairly busy despite the brisk weather and the distinct lack of food booths. All of the flower stands were gone, replaced by craft salespeople. The honey seller told me she's on her last week, too. I found everything on my long list that I needed, though, including mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, carrots, apple butter, spinach (for the first time since the spring), pears, little Fuji apples, the honey, cauliflower, and broccoli. I needed to do some major restocking after the weather was too messy to get to the Farm Market last week!
I made my best finds today at indoor sales. An antique store in Collingswood was having a big used book sale, with paperbacks for a dollar and hardbacks for two dollars. I bought a Rachel Ray cookbook for a Christmas present, and a Disney Wonderful World of Reading Christmas-themed hardback, a hardback copy of the Old West-set mystery Holmes on the Range, and a lovely 50s-era book of fairy tales for myself.
Rode around Collingswood for a while, looking for another yard sale. When I couldn't find it, I decided to try the thrift shop at the Logan Presbyterian Church on the corner of Market Street and the White Horse Pike in Audubon instead. They hold the thrift shop every other Saturday. I've often ridden by when they've been open, but I was usually on the way to or from a yard sale and had never tried them. With few options, I was willing to check them out today.
The thrift shop was in the basement of the pale-green house in the back of the main church. It was basically the same thing as the now-closed thrift shop in Collingswood - clothes, toys, records, videos, knick-knacks. Here, though, everything had it's own room. There was a room for clothes, a room for toys and kids' videos, and a room for everything else, including adult records, videos, and decorative items. (Like the Collingswood thrift shop, they don't have the room for furniture.)
I made my best finds here. Among their children's videos were a fourth Muppet Babies Video Storybook I'd never heard of and a copy of The Flinstone's Christmas Carol, both of which I could add onto the end of dubbed DVDs.
There were two boxes with records off to the right in the large knick-knacks room. I found some great cast albums and sountracks there:
The original cast of the 1965 Broadway musical Do I Hear a Waltz?
The soundtrack to something called 'S, Wonderful, 'S, Marvelous, 'S Gershwin - the back cover says it's a TV "Super Special" from 1971 with a great cast, including Larry Kert, Fred Astaire, Leslie Uggams, Robert Guillaume, Peter Nero, Linda Bennett, and Jack Lemmon.
The soundtrack to the original film version of Gigi
The massive 3-disc 1956 original cast album to Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella
The lady at the front table where I made my purchases said they'd be open again on November the 19th, which also happens to be the last day of the farm market. If I'm not too busy and the weather's good, I might have to try to get back there and see if they have any more great records.
Rode over to an estate sale on Wyoming Avenue in Audubon after leaving the church. When I found nothing good there, I went back up Market Street to the TreeHouse Cafe. It was almost 12:30 by then, and the coffee house/meeting place for mothers was very busy. I was lucky to find a seat! A cup of hot chocolate and very spicy turkey chili helped me warm up after riding around outside all day.
By the time I left there, it was past 1PM. Time to head home. I gave Miss Ellie my rent before I left, including a letter that stated my intention to do the raking today. Miss Ellie had a message for me on my answering machine. That wouldn't be necessary. Her grandson would be coming over in a few hours to do the raking.
Well, that left me at loose ends. Raking was my big plan for today. I opted for a walk to WaWa for a snack instead. Since it remained in the middle 40s, I threw a coat on over my thickest sweater and grabbed ear muffs and gloves. I wasn't the only one out and about, either. I saw lots of kids in strollers being pushed by bundled-up parents, joggers enjoying the fresh breeze, and teenagers in packs heading to WaWa for hot drinks. I grabbed a pretzel and a hot chai and headed home.
Spent the rest of the afternoon at my apartment, doing things online. I also finally made the first ad for my editing business. I'm going to put up ads in local libraries and coffee houses, and maybe businesses that kids might frequent, like the comic books shop. I'll work on online advertising and advertising in colleges next week, when I can drum up the courage. It took me long enough just to make a flyer!
Ran The Mikado while making shrimp, mashed acorn squash, and Curried Cauliflower for dinner. This is the 1939 British version of the 1885 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. I figured that if I could enjoy the equally stagey 1983 Pirates of Penzance, I would get a kick out of this...and I did. American singer Kenny Baker is Nanki-Poo (ok, so the names are weird - work with me here), a minstrel who falls for pretty school maid Yum-Yum. Trouble is, she's to be married to Ko-Ko, the new Lord High Executioner, and he's under the thumb of the pretentious Pooh Bah. Nanki-Poo has his own secrets to dish out, too...and when it all comes out in the open, it may take all of Ko-Ko's skills in clowning and persuasion to keep everyone's heads on their shoulders, including his!
If you love theatrical-style musicals or Gilbert and Sullivan, this is really cute, despite all the talk about beheading and punishments. The production is gorgeous, too, with the usual bold palette of Technicolor replaced by more delicate pastel shades, and the soundstage sets looking exquisite. The D'Oyly Carte Players have a ball with the material, and Kenny Baker looks and sounds far more at ease here than he did playing ringmaster to the Marx Brothers in At the Circus.
A few caveats. First of all, this is apparently a severely truncated version of the show, slimmed down to 91 minutes. While it all moves fairly quickly (moreso than the Pirates of Penzance film), purists probably won't be thrilled with the missing scenes and songs, and the plot is hard to follow at times. There's also the matter of obvious Brits (and one American) playing Asians. Not to mention, this is not the place to come to for heavy opera. This is about as fluffy as you can get and still talk about executions.
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