Ok, here's the deal. Basically I work in the clerical department of a doctor's office for the University of Pittsburgh.

Recently there was an employee at an upper level position that just resigned. First off my boss decided they weren't going outside of the University to look for someone to replace him. So they basically decided that they were going to promote someone that already works here for the position. Keep in mind that this is actually AGAINST the University policy as well. To make a long story short, I've filled in for the guy that had the position when he was on vacation and to help him out when he needed it. So what happens after I apply for the position? They give it to a woman who has LESS seniority than I do and who is less qualified for the job. Why? Because she is related to my boss's secretary.

This is fucking bullshit, and I hate office politics.

So what is the lesson here? Don't work hard for bullshit institutions that couldn't give two fucks. Because if you do, you'll just look like a schmuck when nobody gives a fuck about it.

FUCK WORK.

Maybe you shouldn't smoke dope on your break.

Sorry to dissappoint, but I AM professional.

That shit can wait until I get home anyway.

Maybe you should just axe-murder the chick who got the promotion?

That sucks man. I guess just hope she fucks up as badly as possible and then kick your feet up and laugh at management's misery.

I wish.

I'm just really hating my job right now.

Five years, and I'm stuck in the same position. Fuck go nowhere jobs.

Yeah, that sucks. Paying the bills can be a real pain sometimes.

I would do that, except for the fact that the boss honestly doesn't give a fuck what she does. They're friends so basically, the shit rolls downhill where I work.

It amazes me the shit that you have to put up with to hold a job.

I'm in a situation at my day job where everyone has been here 20 years or more except me. I've been here 3. What that means is that any new responsibility that comes up falls on me. They're all just like "That's not my job", and they've been here so long they can get away with it. So, I'm the I.T. guy here. I also collect trash, do customer service, travel for salesmen when they are away...etc. I actually love what I do for the most part though, so it's not so bad, just at times I kind of feel like the whipping boy. It's a good gig though, better than what I ever thought I'd be doing. I've actually had the opportunity through music to quit on two different occasions and said no, so I should probably just skip the complaining and accept my fate.

See, I'm almost in the same boat that you are WMD.

I've thought about quitting my job several times to do what I want (make movies, and basically write). But obviously neither of us are willing to go the starving artist route. So basically, I feel stuck in a shitty situation.

See, that's the kicker with me. I wouldn't have had to do the starving artist thing. Two times I've been offered steady gigs. This is how I know I'm getting old, because several years ago I'd have walked from this place without thinking twice. Now I'm like - What about insurance, and what about 10 years from now? So, I stick around, and probably will be here until I retire. Most days, that's a good thing, but I also feel like a bit of a sellout. For 10 freaking years I worked like a madman - little pay, sleeping on floors, breaking down vans...and then I get married. Now I've had opportunities to make a living doing what I love, but I can't because I'm just too dang responsible.

Well that is at least respectable. You are basically keeping your job because of your family responsibilities. Me on the other hand, I don't have that. Well outside of taking care of my parents (which is kind of the same deal I guess), but otherwise I have nothing besides bills keeping me from quitting.

That's cool though that you could've quit for steady gig's, but I know what you mean. It's like the older you get the more that nagging voice in your head tells you to be responsible. But that same voice when you were younger would have been telling you to punch motherfuckers in the face.

Maybe it's my age. Anyone else feel this way in their mid 20's?

I definitely felt that way in my mid 20's. I think it's that period of becoming an adult, and you realize how cool it was to be a kid. I was seriously feeling that at my last job to the point that I couldn't even take it. It was a big risk coming here, but it's payed off pretty well. Since then I've had the daughter, bought 2 houses, several cars, blah blah blah. In other words, they've got me by the balls.

The ironic thing is that I've become way more successful in music since accepting it as a part time gig than I did when I was out there pushing everyday. That's also the frustrating thing, because had opportunities presented themselves 4-5 years earlier, I'd be in a totally different place right now.

I still have to think about that "deal I just can't refuse" though. It ain't coming.

Well at least that makes me feel a little better I guess. I'm trying to do my thing without bogging myself down, but I feel like I'm wasting my days at work when I could be doing things to benefit myself.

I think it's time I sit down and really assess what the hell is going on with my life and decide what the hell I should do eh?

Uggh, that sucks doesn't it? If you're like me, you'll just run smack into whatever you are gonna be doing, rather than making a concious choice.

Since we're being overly personal, what's happening with the chick with nice eyes?

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I kind of like it better when I let life take me where it will.

Me and the girl with the nice eyes are still together and everything is cool. Except its kind of a long distance thing which is getting on my nerves lately. She went to college near where I live, but she lives about 3 hours away from me and she's out of school this semester due to home issues. She's cool as fuck and we get along great, it's just another strain for me right now.

I'll agree about getting responsible in the mid-20's. It's a bit of a put off.

Know what you mean about the distance. Sometimes it becomes such a chore, it's like - why am I putting myself through this again? But then you see the girl again, and remember why we put ourselves through hell for them.

Swigg, did you ever go to Boston, or whatever?

Yeah, I know what you mean. Plus, if it was another girl......I wouldn't be having this shit at all. But I guess only time will tell. I honestly don't have the time for a girlfriend (at least one that would want to/or be able to hang out more often), but I won't put it off because I have a lot of shit to do. If it works, it works.

The gal who got the position probably has bigger tits than you.

Moving on the the second issue that's creeped up, there's a difference between "what I want to do" and "what pays the bills".

I call the first "hobbies", I call the other "work". One doesn't pay, but I still do both. Lots of people are that way.

I'd rather sit at home all day, work on my long-overdue comic, do some photography, write shitty articles and go biking. My brother would rather sit at home all day, play his guitar, clean his rifles and refurbish Mopar vehicles. But neither of us gets paid for that stuff. We still do that stuff...but we're both okay with our day jobs and don't feel like we're suffocating or rotting away. The day jobs give us insurance, 401K, steady pay and (in my case) my own parking spot downtown.

Every year from about 1995 to 2002, I'd think I'd "get my shit together" and put together a press kit and sell my wares at the annual San Diego comic show. But As I got older, I was okay with it and didn't feel like I was missing out on "my one chance to suceed". Is there some "true calling" waiting for you out there that will make you a successful businessman? Honestly...there probably isn't. Its perfectly fine to suceed in an "ordinary job".

Your job isn't your life, but unfortunately alot of people feel that way.

While all that is true, it still hurts me to say that music is a hobby for me. Like I said, I put about 10 years worth of blood, sweat, and tears into it. I have more invested in equipment than I do automobiles, and I majored in music in college. A hobby is something I do for fun. Watching wrestling is a hobby. Going to football games is a hobby. Music is something that drives me everyday, and is on my mind no matter what else I'm doing. Music is what kept me up all night last night because I had this groove in my head that wouldn't leave me alone until I got it down on tape. In fact, I'd call music my curse before I'd call it my hobby.

I thought I'd toss this in here.

Today we have basically every Wal-Mart big wig in the region coming to our store. So to help a manager from another store came. This guy is quite possibly the biggest douchebag I've ever met. I mean everyone hates his guts. There are people that never have anything bad to say about anything but have very vocally talked about how much they hate him. It's so bad that they had to address it in a meeting when this dickface had a day off.

Basically he's always ripping on people for working too slow. He's always trying to get you to do something else. Never says thank you. Always gets your name wrong. I tried to say hi to him on the first day as I was walking by just to be friendly and he totally blew me off. This other day I was in electronics and when you're there you can't be away for long. He wanted me to do some stuff in the back and I told him I couldn't because of where I was. So he asks me manager, hoping he doesn't remember where I'm working. My manager says ok at first but then remembers and tells him I can't. I always hated that shit. That's such a scumbag move to try and pull on other managers.

No, I ended up moving to Tennessee after not getting accepted to either school in Boston. The living's a bit cheaper, as is the school, and I'm surrounded by my family. The latter being as much a negative as a positive.

I could go back to Boston after I get out of school, but I don't know how economically feasible that is. Which sucks, because I've always wanted to live there.

See I agree with E about the whole "hobby" deal, but I'm with WMD on this one. Watching sports and wrestling are both hobbies for me. Movies are something that I deal with everyday. I'm either writing reviews, news, or something for my site or I'm working on writing scripts. I'm constantly brainstorming and coming up with stuff, and over the last 2 years I've had the chance to work on set of a few movies. It's just something that I want to spend the rest of my life doing.

I totally get the ordinary job deal, and believe me that doesn't bother me. If I was currently making enough to live off of (which at this point I'm just juggling everything around and making it happen) and was a bit more comfortable it would be cool. But it's not, so I feel like me going to work everyday is impeding on what I'm trying to do.

It's just frustrating.

There is a difference also between a job and a career. If I were single, I just don't think I'd stay unhappy for too long.

You know DK, I've always been interested in the movie making process. Partially just because it is another means of expression, and I guess somewhat because of Owensby being right here in my backyard. I've got a friend who is rather legendary around here for his scoring of films and TV, along with a lot of soundtrack work, too. That seems like a pretty neat avenue to take, and I'm sure I'll do some work for him at some point, so I might get a little better understanding of that side. Seems like an awfully expensive undertaking to make your first film, though I'd assume digital technology is making things cheaper. Is your interest in the processof film-making, or just writing?

That's cool that you've shown interest in film. I share the same thing with you as far as Owensby because Romero is right out of my backyard. I've had the opportunity to even work on a movie his son Cameron is directing. You even pointed out a good reason why I actually want to involve myself in movies. It's the perfect artistic medium. There's writing, directing, music, special effects, etc. There's no other medium of the arts out there quite like it. Making your first film could be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. That's why a lot of filmmakers decide that their first film project should be short films. I've done some of these myself, but nothing that I would ever distribute. Even years ago when me and my friends were on a backyard wrestling kick in the mid to late 90's, I was directing the videos that we made. Now a friend of mine is working on a documentary about our venture into backyard using all of the footage we shot with updated interviews and whatnot. Digital technology not only makes it cheaper, but it makes it even possible. If it weren't for that it would be too expensive for most people to shoot on film. My basic interest is in filmmaking itself (which is basically writing AND directing). I want to write my own films that I will direct, cast, and basically do everything that I can myself. That way if it sucks, it's my fault. I wouldn't really be comfortable writing something for someone to direct, or directing someone else's material.

Well if you ever getting around to making your first indy feature, you gotta give me a shot at scoring it.

A friend and I actually discussed making an ultra-indy movie about a year ago. We were just gonna shoot it on a couple of mini-DV cams and edit it at this church with some equipment they have. We had the skeleton of a hilarious script. The no-budget look would ave actually worked in our favor for the content. When it came down to it, neither of us had the time to do it. Still may try one day if we ever get some time.

Will do. I've always been curious to hear some of your music as well. I know I would need help scoring it anyway as I honestly wouldn't want to handle the music on my project. I'd be more comfortable working with someone that knew a lot about music in general and would understand what I was looking for.

Depending on what you are trying to make, DV works great. I mean, look at Robert Rodriguez. ALL of his stuff is DV and the guy is the greatest DV director that there is. He just knows how to use it and make it look good. There's a lot of directors out there that are excellent, but suck with the whole DV thing. It's a totally different monster than actual film.

Well there's plenty of junk I've worked on available on the net. Nothing I'm super proud of though. I've actually got a new side project that I'm pretty geeked-up about that I think a lot of people around here would dig. As soon as we record something (which should be soon, two of us have our own studios) I'll throw somehting on here and let you guys ridicule it.

Didn't know Rodriguez was a DV guy. That's cool. He does an interesting array of stuff. Before Owensby's accident a couple of years ago, he was converting to digital and filming a movie called The Gaffney Strangler. I was always interested to see how that came out, but he hasn't put anthing out since the accident. Supposedly, the movie's basically done.

Sweet, I'd be interested in seeing it for sure.

I didn't know Owensby was in an accident. I'm guessing it's sitting around collecting dust because he isn't the one out there plugging away at it. Who knows? Shit like that happens all of the time with filmmakers.

Personally, I would adore shooting something in 35 or 16mm but it's just nowhere near being affordable for me. Plus, I have experience using Final Cut Pro, but zero experience editing film.

Here's a random question that's somewhat relevant to the conversation:

Does ROH shoot in DV? I've been curious about that lately

Yep, that's exactly what they use.

I could do wonders for the sound on ROH releases.

So could a chimp with two tin cans.

Yup.
It's one of the things that has stopped me from getting into ROH over the years. They could improve to an acceptable level without spending ONE DIME. So to me that's just laziness. If you don't care enough about your product to make it better, it's tough for me to care enough to buy it.

Although I agree that it is lazyness, it's just not something they really care about. As long as their wrestling is satisfactory I highly doubt that they even care.

You'd just think someone would say "Hey guys, this is easy. If we're gonna have promos on our DVD's the viewer should be able to hear them."

That's a huge reason why I stopped with the shows. It was insane that you couldn't hear inring promos even as late as a couple of years after the first shows. I can understand it being that way for the first couple but after that, fucking fix it.

There are feds with a lot less money like NWA Anarchy that don't have this issue. They draw 250 fans a week to shows at best. Yet they somehow have way better production values.

The production values in ROH have never bothered me. I do get irritated sometimes when I can't hear what is being said, but their interview segments usually don't go long enough to matter.

Have you guys watched recent releases (pretty much all of 2006), because I didn't ever notice a sound issue on any of those.