Friday, December 26, 2008

Well, POOP!!!



Judge rules in "Watchmen" dispute:


http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/12/judge-in-watchm.html

In the meantime, there are anxieties, questions, and theories: Will Warner Bros. appeal? If it does, Watchmen’s release could be held up by months. If Warner Bros. doesn’t appeal, what will Fox get in return? A cash payout per Gordon’s original contract? A cash payout plus penalties? A share of Watchmen’s total revenues? Might Warner Bros. settle the lawsuit by selling or ceding the film to Fox? If Fox got control of Watchmen, would they release Snyder’s film in its current 2 hour 30 minute form, or would they order him to (gulp) trim it or (double gulp) make changes?

To be continued…


I was waiting patiently for the movie to come out and now I am PISSED!!!! Guys, make nice and come to a settlement before all the fanboys and girls come after y'all!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Happy Christmas, y'all!

Hope that my friends and family members who keep track of me here are having a wonderful holiday.

It is 1:30 in the afternoon and a certain little Diva who stayed up half the night trying to make sure she got at the presents early is still asleep. The presents are still unopened, staged for her to get her butt up.

Correction--she just woke up and now it is time to watch the carnage.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Sad Tidings




Majel Barrett-Roddenberry has gone to join Gene in the Undiscovered Country.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28300175/

She worked her butt off to keep Gene's vision alive and did his legacy proud.

In addition to playing Number One and Nurse Christine Chapel in the original series, she played Deanna Troi’s mother on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
.

I chose the Number One picture over the Nurse Chapel because the former character showed what the series might have become. I never cared for the Nurse Chapel character because she seemed to be so obviously there only to serve as a sob sister for Spock and his issues. The whole "unrequited love" thing bugged me even as a kid.

And Majel also voiced the computer of the various starships used throughout all of the TV shows and movies from the sci-fi franchise — she just completed her voiceover work as the voice of the Enterprise in director J.J. Abrams’ reboot of “Star Trek,” due in theaters on May 8, 2009.


I had the opportunity to meet her a few times at Cons and the like, including at an event back home which Shatner also attended--this was way back in the day when he didn't charge for autographs (yes, I have a real Shatner autograph that I didn't have to fork out $50 or more for). I think they were just getting ready to launch "The Next Generation", so that tells you just how long ago it was. Ms. Barrett was cordial, shook hands with everyone, posed for pictures as long as she could and told stories of her days on ST-TOS.

Nice lady who was tough as nails when it came to defending the worlds her husband created.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Malls are the Devil's playground!

For those who don't know, The Diva does some modeling (mostly for the experience). Yesterday, she had a show at Dillard's so we had to make a trip to the mall--something only slightly higher than getting my eyes dilated on the list of "fun things to do".

Now, if you have had ANY experience with malls combined with any girl near "teenagedom", you know that it is a toxic combination to the poor parent who has to be there with her. After the fashion show, we had to go into every freakin' store that caters to the fashionable teen (and the wallet of said teen's parental unit). Hot Topic, Wet Seal, Tilly's, PacSun, Hot Catz... We are not talking The Gap by any means. At least we weren't at the mall with the Betsey Johnson store--The Diva loves her clothes, but I am not about to spend $400 on a dress with less than two yards of material!!!

I admit--I did buy a few things for The Diva. However, she was told "Merry Christmas" with each purchase because I mentally added those to the presents I was going to get anyway. It was probably easier because it means she got what she wanted and I don't have to hear that I don't have a clue--coupled with the eye roll that is perfected around the age of 12. Besides, I was able to get the stuff on sale before it was completely picked over.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

OK--to sum up the fall

Yes, I really have been that busy.

Since I am the only one doing the job I do where I am, I am knee-deep in all the hoopla. I had three new facilities to get networked and the IT equipment in and am getting another one ready to open.

The Diva decided to change dance schools because she never had the same teachers two sessions in a row and the training was inconsistent. She's also had a few auditions and done some fashion shows. School is much the same. They don't know what to do with her because she is so smart, but the wiring in her brain doesn't work the way they want it to and so they are willing to let her slip through the cracks. Sadly, with the outrageous budget cuts, the little money there is will be even less for the rest of the year. No tutoring help, no special equipment, no monitors... I would homeschool, but I work and I know The Diva would not do the assignments on her own.

I also have spent most of the last month with pneumonia, followed by bronchitis. Codeine has become my best friend at night because I have at times sounded like I was trying to cough up Cleveland.

Other than that:

•Work sucks, but it is a job and I really am happy that I have a crappy job at all. I also can say that I can see the light of early retirement finally so I can pursue a different career.

•My family makes me happy I live on the other side of the Continental Divide.

•December is a good month for potlucks at work. We have at least five coming up in the next two weeks. I never have time to cook, so I donate my lunch money for the privilege of eating all the lumpia I want. Oh, I cannot forget to mention Nina's homemade corn chips, salsa and bean dip!

•Christmas is coming and I am actually close to being done with my shopping/designing/creating. I just have a few things to finish up and I can wrap everything and be done with it.

•My dad is supposed to come out so we can go see my 92+ y/o grandfather in San Jose. It will be nice if he does come--without the annoying GF. See what I said about living on the other side of the Continental Divide...

•SJ better publish that book or I will never go bowling with him again!

http://www.candystand.com/play.do?id=17884

•Like I said before: they fired Victoria Stocki-Kim (VSK)from NBT, even though it really was too late to save the Academy which is faltering badly now with half the students decamping to other schools. She applied to Fern Adair, which is part of the reason I think The Diva was having issues--the threat was that the beotch was going to be teaching pointe there. Fern had already said no, but it still affected her thinking.

I heard ol' Vicky, along with some of the NBT cast-offs, was going to try to establish her own school in Summerlin. Considering what happened in Michigan with that company she and her hubby tried to start (the corporation they set up went bankrupt), I am amazed she could even get a dime to start anything up.

Well, we shall see and hear about it along the dancers' grapevine...

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Summing up the summer

1) Ms. Thang still hates homework.

2) She is taking dance at Fern Adair and seems to be happier. It is a lot looser and the kids are not total stuck-up beotchs.

3) VSK got fired from NBT at the beginning of the year. No youth company, the mandatory classes are no longer mandatory.

4) The casting for "The Nutcracker" resulted in only one of the "anointed" getting the part of Clara. Two parts went to girls in Level FIVE and one went to the only girl I would have given it to. The part was promised by VSK to several of the girls' mothers in exchange for "behaving" and not complaining about the way she treated everyone.

5) VSK tried applying to FA and was turned down. HEH!!!

6) Work is the same. Everything that KK is involved in turns to poo. Several managers are leaving just to get away from him. But we can't get shut of him because no one else wants him.

7) Yesterday, there was a 3.8 magnitude earthquake just on the other side of the mountain. Didn't feel a thing because the jets are flying low and shaking the ground anyway.

Monday, June 23, 2008

A hard month for heros




I cried when I heard Tim Russert died. I was at work, but it didn't matter. My Sunday mornings didn't start till I had my dose of "Meet the Press". A heart attack felled him as he prepared for another Sunday's show. I still think he had a DVT from the two trans-Atlantic flights he took just before. Does it matter? No Tim on Sunday anymore and Tom Brokaw, while pretty impressive, is just not going to be the same.




But the worst was yet to come...




I woke up this morning and the first thing I heard was that George Carlin had died, also of a heart attack. I busted out crying like a baby. That man was a better measure of the time I grew up in than just about any other icon. His wicked take on the stupidity of the world we live in was spot on. Let's face it, he was right when he said
"I sort of gave up on this whole human adventure a long time ago," he said a couple of years ago. "Divorced myself from it emotionally. I think the human race has squandered its gift, and I think this country has squandered its promise. I think people in America sold out very cheaply, for sneakers and cheeseburgers. And I don't think it's fixable."


My dear, RW wingnut father hated Carlin and tried to keep him away from us kids. Well, I had my OWN money and I bought the LPs despite him. I also watched the HBO specials whenever my dad was out of the house. I knew all seven words and could rattle them off to the admiration of my friends who always managed to stutter on the last two.

Those words are now immortalized in a Supreme Court decision--sort of ironic, don't you think? You'll have to copy/paste the links because the Blogger gods won't let the code work tonight:

http://w2.eff.org/legal/cases/FCC_v_Pacifica/fcc_v_pacifica.decision

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/filthywords.html

I was lucky that I got to see George Carlin in person, back home. I had a front row seat and managed to smuggle a few pictures. I need to dig them out and upload them because it is important to me that I shared a few moments of his life.

My grandmother said George would go to Hell for making fun of God and that I would go to Hell for laughing at him doing so. My take? If a man so intelligent and insightful is going to Hell, then please save me a seat in the audience.

To end this with one of many favorite quotes:

Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that.




You know the most ironic thing of all? On the above album cover, there is a parental advisory. On my original LPs of "Occupation: Foole" and "Class Clown" and his other 1970s albums, there are no such warnings. He fought for our right to use all our words, but we are still being warned that words are bad.

Maybe this quote is better:

"There are no bad words. Bad thoughts. Bad intentions...and WORDS.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

A rant against homework-again!

Homework is stupid for so many reasons. Let me list the ones I would highlight in a legal argument:

1. It seems to be a method by which the teacher gets out of actually teaching. The Diva actually got a test paper back with a note saying that she would have known the answer IF SHE HAD DONE HER HOMEWORK. Not if she "had paid attention in class" or if she had "participated in the class discussions"--it was if she "had done her homework". That tells me that he expected her to learn the material on her own.

2. Homework is sent home with little information for the parents to guide the work. How many times have you had YOUR kid come home with an assignment that basically said nothing except "do it"? Again, The Diva brought home an assignment to write an essay. No guidelines, no outlines, just "write and hand in".

3. There is no indication that doing a binder full of work every night makes the kid any smarter. In fact, most of it looks like "busywork". The last five science assignments brought home were word searches and crossword puzzles. WTF is that going to teach besides spelling? There is not much else going there that I can see.

4. It wastes a lot of time that kids need for other things. I am sorry, but school is NOT the only thing in the world any more. Kids do need to have some time for other activities and to just veg when they get home. I have nothing against projects that span the grading period, but the nightly crap has got to go. A night spent doing busy work is a night wasted.

I am not the only one who thinks homework is a waste, either:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-560499/Homework-primary-schoolchildren-complete-waste-time-claims-study.html


http://timesonline.typepad.com/alphamummy/2008/03/ban-homework.html


http://www.averageteacher.com/2008/02/homework-waste-of-time.html

http://www.megaessays.com/essay_search/homework_waste.html


Most teachers toss the turned-in papers at a parapro and tell them to grade them. That works with fill in the blanks and word searches as above, but how is a parapro qualified to grade a random essay or similar? And when does the parapro have time anyway since he or she is usually tapped to team-teach the kids the teacher is not working with at any given moment.

When I was teaching, I never assigned homework. I knew that it would get done half-assed if at all and that I would waste precious instruction and prep time having to grade it.

My rant is selfish in a way, I'll admit. The Diva has a disability that severely hinders her ability to concentrate at times. I have asked multiple times for an alternative to the homework as she cannot muddle through what they assign. However, the school district is of the opinion they do not need to provide her with extra help because she is SMART. Yes, she does have a high IQ and she scores high on the standardized tests, but she still has a disability!!!! However, I suspect that the money is so tight here that they are using any excuse not to provide the required services. Forget that she has a proper diagnosis and is on meds! Meanwhile, they just give her a shitload of "F's" and tell me she is just lazy and needs to apply herself more.

I hate yelling at her to at least try to do some of it because then she just shuts down and I can't get anything out of her at all. That sucks because only a few years ago, the same friggin' idiots who refuse to help her were telling me I need to put her in a school for geniuses. I would just like to get her into the private school here for kids like her--smart, but needing help with focus issues.

Anyone willing to spare $12K a year for the next five years so another smart child doesn't fall through the cracks?

A Rite of Passage

This week, I had to face the reality that The Diva is growing up in a very specific way.

She had to shave her pits for the first time! That meant going out, picking out a razor that wouldn't nick her (ended up with a Venus Breeze because of the all-around lotion thingy) and then teach her the right way to do it.

That was so funny and sad in a way. The whole time I kept thinking about how the biggest grooming issue was how to make the little wisps of hair on her head look less wild.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Why I hate the twitches at NBT

1) I have a very good idea which one decided to be "concerned" and call DFCS on me because I spanked The Diva for trying to bite me.

2) The usual brats were invited to "audition" for scholarships again this year. One of them is the teacher(ES)'s daughter, DS. WTF is with that? How can that be fair? Another is a whiny little brat named after a major coastal city in Australia--no talent, but she is a pal of the other one I am pissed about: the PITA who has done nothing but make D's life miserable all year. That's right! The daughter of that crazy woman who also took it upon herself to NOT allow me to help with costumes even though I had been asked by the wardrobe person to do so. HA and the city-named brat have parents who kiss ass and drop extra checks into the kitty so they will be rewarded by getting some of that money back. It never goes to the kids who really need it. GR will get another scholarship as well, I am sure.

3) VSK is still there and just as big a twitch as ever. She sops sugar over YA doing a little bit of handwork, yet walks right by me when I am working on the design for another class's entire costumes.

4) The brats mentioned above keep telling D things that are wrong so she will get in trouble. Today, it was telling her they were keeping their pointe shoes on for "Etudes" rehearsal (big lie!). She still had them on when it was time to begin and she was late because she had to change them. ES knew good and damned well what the spawns had done, but blamed D anyway for making the rehearsal start late.

5) The teacher's kid DS is throwing a Justice/pool party and D was not invited. This same girl pretends to be D's friend and texts her all the time.

6) The scores for the exams are still not up and I want to see what D was given. She told me that several of the girls (including every one of the ones nominated for scholarships) made major mistakes and at one point, they stopped them and made them do the combination over. That is the first time I heard of that; do-overs are not a normal thing in the middle of exams. The scores and placements will help me make my decision as to whether or not D stays at that hellhole.

After all the bull, why do I want her to stay there? She has been there a while, she knows the teachers, she knows the routine and she knows the kids (no matter how ugly they are to her). The teachers are familiar with her way of learning, so no breaking in needed. It would be hard for her to start over at another school, even though I am looking into a few options just in case.

D is a good dancer and could be a lot better if it weren't for all the politicking and kissing the arse of alleged money. Their no-talent spawn get the attention because the administration can soak them for all sorts of "extras". However, I know better about the money. Several people who "front" are less liquid than I am and that is saying something!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Government in action

You know, I had to do all the legwork again to provide the information for The Diva's father so that CSR could locate him. Why aren't they doing it?

They seriously deserve this:


They swear they only found out he moved on the 16th of this month. OK, but he moved two months ago and I notified them as soon as I found out (on the 14th). His new job was announced on the freakin' Internet and they couldn't find him?!? Two minutes on Google and I had the job announcement AND the address thereof, complete with phone and fax numbers.

So now the new bosses have been sent the paperwork to start withholdings again--in 4 to 6 weeks. Meanwhile, I have to shift money all over the place to cover D's expenses that came out of the support money. I mean, that is what child support is for--the kid's expenses, right?

I hate having to keep saying we can't afford something because someone is being stupid again. But then--this is the same man who told his other kid that he was moving to MARRY ME!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Never underestimate the power of pissed-off people

You know who this is addressed to...

We've heard you are in the Memphis area, but I'm thinking Jackson, Mississippi. Whichever place, you need to get your ass down to the post office and pay your child support or your driver's license and registration are toast. You will also have ALL your wages garnished since you are close to "enforcement" status.

Not only have you made sure that you have ruined any chance you had of EVER making nice with either of your acknowledged kids, but you have also made sure that you will never be welcome in the homes of their mothers. That is not something to be proud of.

Daughter #1 is friends with your old girlfriend's daughter (my goddaughter). She spilled the beans about daughter #2 to #1. Goddaughter has also met daughter #1's mother and enlightened her as to relationships and connections. Let's just say that your ears should be burning and you should be ashamed of how the whole crowd speaks of you.

You owe an apology to everyone from LV to Savannah whose trust you have irrevocably broken. Get over that "W-O-L-D" thing and man up already!!!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Another ballet bulletin


Bad enough that The Diva was injured in class during observation week and the usual suspects ignored the injury AND the fact that she showed up for rehearsal, dressed out and ready to watch and take notes. All I got was “make sure she heals during Spring break”.

In other news, no good thing ever stays good. I was told a few days ago that JK is back at NBT, this time on the professional side of the house and vying for KDL’s position. Since that is one of the alleged reasons for the departure of BS last Thanksgiving, that is a truly stupid move on the part of NBT. According to what I heard, the Board didn’t want to have any more scandal or controversy, so they rolled over and created another position for JK.

Fine if they are all about the CYA aspect of their little company, but DAYUM, people! What are you telling the kids he scared and injured? That covering the blemishes is more important than their safety? That keeping the money rolling in is more important than the children whose tuition fees and participation in “The Nutcracker” keep their happy asses open on the professional side of the house?

The crazy oriental mothers who think that all males are gods are all “well, that is how it is done back home and it must work.” My favorite is “well, they do that at the Kirov and the Moscow companies”. I looked at one of them—a former dancer herself--and pointed out that those companies also teach the children to smoke by 8 or 9 so they will stay skinny (Did you see “The Simpsons” episode with Lisa that featured the Roy Scheider dance teacher? This was the running theme!), then asked her if she would support that for her daughters. I got a lot of stuttering and eye-shifting. Thought so… *Snap!*

Of course The Diva had to show her ass last night and tried to bite me. I smacked her to make her let go and one of her classmates saw it. The little brat then ran to tell everyone else I "beat" D. I am just waiting for the busy-body brigade to be all over me today.

And—speaking of tuition—it is going up again. The summer class schedule is up and darned if all the fees went up enough to make parents second-thought their commitments to the place. I worked out my projected July raise with the tuition hit and I can do it, but it will be painful. There are parents who are getting hit with the ARM sledgehammer and some who are getting less hours at work; they are looking into less expensive options. I’ve looked at Fern Adair and am thinking of having The Diva take a class or two with them over the summer to see how they stack up with their pointe program.

Meanwhile, Ms. D is going to take a theater workshop with the Rainbow Youth Company during the summer if she can (the low age is supposed to be 13, but depending on the class size, they may allow her in anyway). Get some training, take some voice…

She sure won’t make it as a Rhodes scholar--not because she is stupid, but because she won’t do homework no matter how much I plead. But that is another entry.

An open letter to CitiMortgage

Since Chinese interests now own your majority stock, you have become insane!!!!

In all the time I have had a mortgage with you, my payment has NEVER gone in on the first because I don't get paid that way. For six years, you have never had a problem with that. So why, after all this time, are you calling me non-stop because your local freaking office hasn't posted my payment yet?

I have only been "officially with fee" late once and that was because the check got shredded in the mail sorter and I had to issue a new one. Other than that, always on time. So WTF already!!!? With business practices like this, it is no wonder you needed bailing out. Tell your Chinese bosses to kiss my pale ass because I am going mortgage shopping.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Car trash

Why, in the name of all that is revered, do people think it is acceptable to empty their car trash in parking lots or--worse yet--in the street at a red light?

I don't want to drive through or step in your discards! Emptying your entire ashtray out a window while you drive is a violation of the law and of my personal space. I don't like having to keep my windows closed all the time to keep your ashes out. Nor do I care to jump over your discarded Mickey D's bags or NASTY-ASS dirty diapers.

It drives me nuts to see people toss trash out within feet of a trash can or dump it in a shopping cart for the next user to deal with. And don't get me started on shopping carts left all over the place, including right OUTSIDE an empty corral! I have a dent on my cute little car because of some asshat not putting the cart away on a windy day.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Vacay with The Diva

OMG! Never again!

We went to L.A. for a few days and it was supposed to be to relax and have some "Mom and me" time along with being available in case an audition or two came up. It didn't happen that way. The Diva was a total beotch nearly the whole time. "I don't like _______!", "I don't wanna _______" (fill in the blanks), "That's gay!", "This is stupid!", "Whatever!" (with much eyerolling)--anyone with a teen can come up with the list. In addition, she had sprained her foot during Modern Dance last Friday and so was whining about that the whole time, putting on a big act with exaggerated limp when she was bored.

I just wanted to do touristy stuff--you know, the beach, Hollywood Blvd., movie star hunts, eat in a "star" hangout... The only shopping I planned on was the American Girl Place, but then *someone* discovered shopping in Beverly Hills. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! We couldn't walk down the street without her dodging into a shop to look at the "cute top". Only good shopping was walking into a Barnes & Noble and discovering that Gene Wilder was doing a book signing.

On top of it all, one of the stores double-charged my CC and refused to reverse it without a second receipt. I think the PITA clerk screwed with it and pocketed the difference, but the store manager wouldn't do a thing. I can call their corporate office and I have already done a challenge through my CC company, but while I wait, I do not have that balance in my account.

We did get to do *some* sightseeing at my insistence. I got brave and drove up into the hills all the way up to Mulholland to look at the Hollywood sign up close and personal. You cannot go up to to the sign itself, but we got close enough. I took a picture of the "Keep Out" sign on the fence along with the others I took. I couldn't get the sulky one to take one of me, though. She was too busy whining about something random.

I did make sure we did full-on tourist and drove down to Hollywood Boulevard, pointing out all the famous landmarks. But I was on a mission for myself. I wanted to get a picture of me by Roddy McDowall's star at 6632 W. Hollywood. Nice neighborhood....

Then we drove over to the Kodak Center to park in the city garage (parking in crappy public lots was like $10 cash up front and not very safe). Diva hit the mall immediately, so we lost some sightseeing time. Once she was bribed with a Build-a-Bear bunny, we did the Walk of Stars. I found a lot of my favorites and took pictures. We then went to Grauman's and played in the footprints for quite a while. I wanted to find the Hollywood Bowl to pay homage to where The Beatles played, but got lost.

Getting out of L.A. during rush hour was a total bitch and it took almost two hours. By the time we got out, it was almost dark. The Diva was cranky, I was tired and we ended up stopping in Baker for the night. The room was austere (to be gentle); Ms. Thang said it looked like a gas station bathroom and she was kind of right. Oh, well... It was a bed. We left as early as we could and got home about 9 AM yesterday.

Good things: Meeting Gene Wilder at a book signing, spending time with The Diva when she wasn't being obnoxious, down time, sharing an elevator with the guy who did the psychedelic lighting effects for "The Trip" (1967 movie with Peter Fonda-Jack Nicholson wrote the screenplay; luckily I've seen it and could truthfully tell him I liked his work).

Bad things: Spending time with The Diva when she WAS obnoxious, wasting time in stores when we could have been exploring, stress.

Pictures to follow.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Balletland is on notice

I have held off as long as I can. I will likely be contacting the ACLU in the next week to file an ADA suit against VS-K and the actual company. I wonder if, after all the other scandals they are trying to sweep under the rug, they can take another hit.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Zippers or lack of same

Something came to mind when I was doing laundry the other night.

I am one of those who goes through all the pockets twice and then pulls up all the zippers and buttons all the buttons before tossing stuff into the washer. As I was doing so, I noticed that all the zippers on my pants were full length and the ones on The Diva's pants were maybe 2-3" long, even on the junior sizes!!! I dawned on me that I hadn't worn pants with such tiny zippers since I was in high school and hip-hugger elephant bells were in style. FYI: yes, I did own a few pairs of those AND I WAS CUTE!!!

Earlier in the day, The Diva pretended to gag when I threatened to make her wear jeans like mine because that was the day I had on a pair of cringe-worthy elastic-waist jeans. (They were the only ones I could find--hence doing the laundry). She screamed "NO WAY!!" and accused me of wearing GRANNY jeans! Well, I do own a few pairs of those, I guess and I get lazy sometimes. There are days when I just am not up to dressing for the cuter Izod or Levi's that I own but I have never been accused of wearing "granny pants" before. I admit that I have caught hell for the "mom" jeans at times, but never the others.

Those tiny zippers made me nervous because the pants aren't Britney Spears show-it-all low, but they do ride below the waist about an inch. They also reminded me that Ms. Thang is less than a year to official teenager status. The clothes are changing subtly and it is sad in a way. I look at the cute little baby and toddler outfits and wish I could buy them again. I already know that even the more stylish outfits in the older girls' department no longer pass muster. She heads straight for the juniors department now, coming back with what can only be called "hoochie" clothes because that is all that seems to be sold in that area. Depressing...

Of course, it didn't help that we used the free kid's birthday coupon yesterday for dinner at Sweet Tomatos. That was her last "little kid" freebie. WAHHHH!

Monday, February 18, 2008

No car = insanity!

Today is a holiday, which means no work.

I don't have a car to go anywhere, though. My car is in the shop AGAIN for the same wiring issue it was in for a few weeks ago. So, if I want my dash lights to work, I have to let the dealer fix it. Meanwhile, my whiny child is working my nerves because she was hoping we could do something fun today. And she won't do the homework she has due tomorrow! AAARGH!!!!!!!!!!

It is almost 2 PM, they promised me the car by noon and now I am worried about having a car for work tomorrow. Craptastic!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

This week in Balletland

Well, Mr. K is gone for good. Too many parents complained because of the way he was physically hurting his students. My daughter was always crying because he had a nasty habit of pushing her in the small of her back with his Danskin heavy-duty dance sneakers (or the weird tuxedo shoes he also wore). I heard the last straws were when a classmate of D was picked up off the floor by her neck and then later when the daughter of a cop had marks all over her back. Papa Cop apparently filed charges. But the bad thing is that they waited a month before explaining to the parents that he was not coming back and we were in limbo, because his missus didn't have the common courtesy to let us know what was going on.

The substitute (MB) that taught the class during that time was a godsend, though, because he managed to get a room full of depressed and scared girls back on track and happy to dance again. Towards the end with JK, the girls were drooping and dreading each and every class. They were actually saying they hated ballet and wanted to quit. Now, instead of keeping the sub that made the girls want to be there, they are replacing him with the mother of one of the girls in the class (and a company principal). Most of us have already tossed any notion of impartiality out the window as well as any chance of our girls even being recommended for the scholarship auditions.

On top of that, on the professional side of the house, the artistic director (BS) has left under somewhat cloudy circumstances. No one is talking about specifics, but all his choreography was pulled from this weekend's show and replaced. You can read between the lines in this article to see that it wasn't all champagne and roses at his departure. Oh, and he was actually gone BEFORE "Nutcracker" (right after Thanksgiving, I was told), but they kept it hush-hush because they didn't want any bad publicity.


http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jan/14/were-going-miss-him/



Of course that brings up the question about "Nutcracker" for this year. BS owns the choreography for the version NBT performs and the rumor mill is going full force about what is going to happen. The company needs the revenue from Hell Month (December) to fund the rest of the year and they are going to have to either pay BS through the nose for his work or come up with something else in a big damn hurry.

Sadly, that likely means that tuition will go up to ridiculous levels (although things like Summer Intensive have gone up big time). And I can't wait to see what "fee" they come up with for the Youth Company next year.

Fern Adair is looking like a plan at this point. I think Ms. D will be taking a class with them this summer--just in case...

Oh, and D still has a mark on her face from the incident at "The Nutcracker" in December. Big ol' red spot on her jaw that you can't miss! And, no--VS-K never asked about her injury or checked on her at all. So much for all that phony "spirit" she tries to sell to those of us who know better. Sheesh!

Sad news--Roy Scheider dead




http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/10/obit.scheider.ap/index.html

Roy Scheider died today of what was probably multiple myeloma. I cannot imagine having blood cancer, let alone the pain he must have been in.

Picture from:
http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1020/188236.1020.A.jpg


Of course all the obits are concentrating on THIS:
I guess they forgot every other thing he ever did in his life or has in the can now:

http://imdb.com/name/nm0001702/

I hope the Angel of Death that came for him was as hot as Jessica Lange was in "All That Jazz".



Of course, I always wanted to be her because I thought Roy was just as hot playing a thinly veiled Bob Fosse and I wanted to get REAL close to him.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Another day at the ballet

Well, R came in last night with her mom and announced she was quitting NBT. The official excuse was that she wanted a break and, since they weren't going to be here for the Spring Concert anyway, it would be a waste of time for her to learn the numbers.

D tried to speak to R, but she ignored D completely so D just walked away and didn't say anything else. You would think that at the end, the child would have enough manners to be civil. Well, it just shows the rampant meanness that prevails.

I also heard that Y is going to attempt to home school because she doesn't want her children exposed to the great unwashed masses and general populace before high school. I cracked up when I heard that because her older girl is already a beotch and pretty much the person Mommy wants her to avoid. Sad, really.... And she is STILL playing that "victim" card about how I picked on her. Y, just get over yourself! People see you for what you are and are getting bored--they just don't say anything because they think you might have money and have some small influence over NBT people. Uh-huh...

In other news, there is a big stink brewing over the way JK handles the girls. Several of them were talking about him Wednesday night, saying that they are beginning to hate ballet because of the way he treats them, grabbing them roughly and kicking them. NZ's parents grabbed him off after class that night because he apparently grabbed her by the neck to "adjust" her posture in class last week. I have spoken to him in the past about the way he physically pushes D around. She came out of Youth Company rehearsals in tears last week, wanting to quit right on the spot, because he was mishandling her and grabbing her in that spot between the clavicle and the shoulder blade whenever he repositioned her. I told her to yell in pain every time he grabs her and then tell him loudly that he is hurting her. That way, everyone hears it.

There is a rumor going around that the administration in the Academy will be undergoing a drastic change next year. I can only assume it might be because the current curriculum and policies have cost them students and so revenue.

I hear the money flow is so bad that the real reason they HAD to change the original prize for the dance essay (two tickets to the B & W ball-once around $200, now $750) to one month's tuition and some cash was because they couldn't afford that original prize. I just fear a huge tuition hike (after all, according to JK, ballet is for "wealthy people") which would send a lot of girls right out the door.

Fern Adair is looking better and better...

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

D's essay for the contest


And, no. She didn't win. But as with all the girls who entered, her picture and a quote from her essay will be featured in a video to be played at the B & W Ball. I guess Twyla Tharpe will then be presented with a copy of it.

When I’m Dancing, I Feel…

Better! At least most of the time…

In reality, when I am dancing and things are going right, things do seem much better for me. I can participate in something difficult and beautiful and sometimes fun. Even though there is a lot of stress in dance, it can also be a way to let go of some of the other stresses in life. At times I can imagine myself as someone (or something) else, like a peacock or even a mermaid. Even though it might seem weird, doing that helps me feel in control of myself.

A lot of adults forget that we kids are under a lot of stress in our lives. We have school and family and other activities that we have to deal with, along with our dance lives. We work hard at each thing but we can get really upset and stressed when we can’t be perfect at everything or we have to give up other activities. But, for me, the stress can go down or even away when I have a good night in my ballet class. When I learn a new combination quickly or get through a class without being the one getting yelled at all the time, it makes me happy and I have a big smile on my face (even though I know I still have to go home and finish my homework so late at night).

A fun dance, with lots of big moves and the beautiful costumes makes me shine like a peacock. I get to show off to everyone that I CAN handle the material and am not that much different than everyone else. Sometimes I like to pretend that I am some magical thing like a mermaid. Mermaids are graceful and swim like they are dancing in the water. A beautiful dance piece can make me feel like I am flowing through the water, all smooth and silent, letting the music move me like waves. It might sound stupid, but I like the calming effect.

You see, many people don’t understand that I have some issues that cause some problems (FOR THEM more than me, it seems like) at times. I have what my mom calls an alphabet soup of conditions --ADHD, PBPD, OCD and other stuff-- that make me do things at times that might seem like I am not paying attention or that I am just goofing off. Being accused of not concentrating gets frustrating because I really am paying attention even when I might seem to just be fidgeting or staring off into space. Some of the teachers have been meaner to me because they say they don’t have the time to wait the few extra moments it might take for me to catch on, even though I always do and I have been here long enough for most of them to know I am going to learn my part and not mess up any more than anyone else.

I said dance makes me feel in control of myself. I sometimes tell people that I hate it-usually after a class was very bad and I got in trouble for things that were not always my fault or even doing. But most of the time, I love to dance because I am different in an invisible way and dancing takes away some of the differences. That feeling when I find my control and my imagination takes off so that I can do something exactly as the teachers and choreographers want is one of peace and self-control and joy that no one can take from me, no matter how hard they try.



Breaks your heart, doesn't it? The usual little brats won--each of them girls who are already getting scholarships or whose family has more money than they know what to do with. As it is, the grand prize winner gets FURS and $500 shoes for Hannakuh, for Petesake! And she is only 14!!! So the month's tuition just means she gets an extra trip to the mall.

I just wish for once there would be a scholarship for financial need. But I hark back to JK telling me that ballet really is a wealthy person's avocation and I cringe for the company's future.

The Holiday Roundup

As another year starts, I have to put in my 2¢ about how the last one ended. "Nutcracker" is over and D is still wearing the wounds from her last performance. The mother of the girl playing "Clara" on the 24th decided she just HAD to take pictures on stage. So she made all the other kids who were warming up get off and go behind the scrims to the other side. Well, it is freakin' dark back there (as a backstage volunteer, I KNOW it is) and no one helped the kids with a light. D tripped over a lighting cable and fell right into the castle drawbridge set piece and hit the right side of her face. One of the moms who was waiting on that side slapped some extra blush on her face and she did her thing after a quick cry. When I got backstage at intermission, she cried all over again. The thing is, I know shit happens, but neither JK or VS-K said "jack" to her or to me. D complained that her really swollen jaw hurt for the rest of the day, but luckily no teeth were broken or anything.

A week later, it is yellow and green and the top part is almost faded. The bottom part is still rough.

Other than that....

We got through Christmas OK. Went out to eat at Sam's Town as usual. D got a lot of stuff and still found a way to fuss about not getting everything she wanted. Geez!!!

We spent this last weekend being touristy. Sunday night, we enjoyed MY Christmas present--VAN HALEN tickets!!!! All I can say is--"DAMN!!!!" I got some pictures, but I had a too-small SD card in the sucky (just in case they were taking them away) camera and didn't get nearly enough. Here is a taste, though.... It's only the opening, but you will get the point.




I just hope that they stay together much longer and don't piss each other off again. It was like they never broke up (even though Wolfgang is now playing bass instead of Michael Anthony). D and I both rocked out and sang along to everything. Hey, I raised my kid on Rock and Roll and she knows a good thing when she hears it.

I had to work yesterday, but last night we went to see Danny Gans just to do a Strip NYE thing. Before the show, we went to one of the ice cream shop outside the theater and had something. At the next table, Elvis was having a light snack. It was definitely Vegas! It was a good show and we got out of the area before it got really insane. The plan was to watch the fireworks but D conked out in the car and we watched it on TV.

Today was supposed to be a "tidy up the house" day (you can actually see the floor in D's room again). D had a friend over this afternoon who is home from Germany for the holidays and they played video and computer games before whipping out the old Uno game and then doing their nails. So even though B is coming tomorrow, the house is not as clean as it needs to be. But then--what else is new? For a house where people only seem to use as a way station, the place always looks like a cyclone hit it.

Back to work tomorrow... *Sigh*