Monday, May 29, 2006

The Swag Count

One of the things that I hated about leaving jobs like the record store or the movie theater was the free access to movies and cds. It was an access that got me into movies I would never have watched if I didn't work there or music I wouldn't have even known about. (Never in a million years would I have noticed two of my favorite bands, The Cherry Poppin' Daddies and Sex Mob.

I was feeling sorry for myself and my cut of swag gravy train when I realized I was unloading swag from my van.

So to alleviate my lust for free stuff, I thought I'd run down the swag count from my current profession. So far, I have gotten:

Various collections of snack foods including bags of candy, bread, peanut butter, crackers, and on one occasion two giant bags of Chips Ahoy. Unfortunately, Chips Ahoy is kinda nasty.

A van load full of lumber. This actually isn't the first time I've been offered lumber, just the first time I actually accepted it. I was feeling a little lost during the Trading Spaces shoot and wanted to be as accommodating as I could be and taking the wood seemed like it would help. Besides, even though I'm not 'handy' my roommates are. They don't seem to know what to do with the lumber either, though.

Two crates full of cleaning supplies. Some of that stuff I didn't even know existed. Those who know how I live aren't surprised by that...

Voltage Detector. Oddly enough, that thing has come in really handy. And no one expects a PA to whip one out.

Two pairs of gloves. Also, very handy. These where given to me after two weeks as a grip without gloves-that's carrying and setting up stands and mounting lights that are sometimes very hot. I didn't know I was going to be a grip nor did I have any idea how to be one. Now it's my only credit on IMDb.com.

T-Shirt and hat from the Speed Channel. This is actually the only swag type item I've received, and that was on the first go.

I was kinda hoping to score a pair of boots from the ad, but ah well.

It's not a bag of cds every week, but it'll do.

Sunday, May 28, 2006

The Other Me

Confession, of a sort. I am, to a small degree, an identity thief. So to speak.

Here's the story-

Safeway has those club cards, or whatzits, you know the deal. I had applied for one a long time ago, and a slightly shorter time ago I lost that card. That's pretty common-they let you put your phone number in lieu of the card.

Here's where it gets tricky. I used to not have a phone. None what so ever. It was a bill I couldn't and didn't want to maintain. I didn't care. I did have phone numbers fleetingly-I'd get a pager for a couple of months or move into a place that had a phone or whatnot. But when I lived by myself I had a phone for a very short period of time before I didn't. Though that didn't stop my phone from ringing one day asking me to take a survey. As an exchange for taking the survey I asked the guy what number he dialed. Until the phone company killed the line all together, I had a phone number. I couldn't call out without a calling card, but people could call me.

So fast forward again to the Safeway Card. I knew I had one a long time ago but didn't know which number I had given-I often give long since dead phone numbers on things for several reasons, some good, some bad. So, at the register with only enough to cover the sale price but not enough time on my break to create a new card I started entering numbers that I had until one worked. The phantom number worked.

I figured that was the number I gave and started using it when I bought stuff at Safeway. That is, until the cashier stumbled through trying to pronounce the name she thought I had. Turns out that the phantom number had been reassigned to someone who also had a Safeway card. Rather than getting a new one I just decided to reassure my checker that how ever they decided to pronounce the name was indeed correct and bail.

But as I used my last five bucks (and 'borrowed' Safeway Card) today I looked down at the receipt-sometimes I try to make a go at pronouncing my benefactors name-and looked at the buying stats. It seems that my alter ego likes the Safeway sandwiches and occasions the Safeway Starbucks.

I've eaten a fair share of sandwiches at Safeway, but not common enough for me to care about the sandwich club deal, so I've never noticed. But I wonder if my 'card buddy' does-does he notice that he got to the free sandwich faster than he should? Does he even notice? Maybe he's as cavalier about the sandwiches, too. Maybe he, too, doesn't notice. I wonder what the marketing for him looks like, do I skew him-him me?

I think I might start tracking my grocery doppleganger. I don't mind that my shopping reaps him some awards, it seems a fair exchange for me not having to fill out a new form and remember what phone number I gave.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Trading Spaces

Right, we have this thing.

I've been gone for a while and haven't had internet for a while. I just wrapped (well, last week-I'm lazy, okay?) on Trading Spaces. Now, for the most part I don't actually post what show I specifically worked on until it airs because of these things I sign that tell me not to-but Trading Spaces had the name one the side of their truck. What a relief to not have to lie and tell people, "We're doing a documentary."

I'm finding that often the more I'm paid the less that I do. I'm sure that people will tell me that's the way the rest of the world is. That just makes me wonder why everyone kept telling me that laziness wasn't good...

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Stupid Lego...

This won't make much sense or be much of a post, but...

The Lego constantly breaking down wouldn't be so irritating if it wasn't consistently breaking parts that Veronica doesn't even have...

Just when movies caught up with reality shows, reality shows took a giant leap forward. If I hadn't taken the Bunny job it'd be even worse. I'd feel bad about littering the world with reality shows if it wasn't for the tenancy for the ones I work on not to air...

On the plus side I've hit the 'magic' (even if it's only magic to me) 10th paid gig. Now I'm two away from 10 paid gigs where the term 'paid' isn't euphamistic...