'Politically Correct' Run Rampant

[Nungali]

Recently I had a visit from 2 old work mates from the film industry.

 

According to them, the events bought forward by various issues in the film industry relating to sexuality, coercion and 'work pressure' have now made the industry ridiculous to work in ; eg. 'lawyers' roam the set making sure everyone is alright and comfortable, political correctness has (d)evolved to a ridiculous level . One friend was approached by one of these guys and picked up for laughing at work . Seriously ! He was told that small group of men talking together and laughing , might seem to others that they where laughing about them - so no laughing at work !

The other one was lamenting that he cant sack anyone now . They have to go through a process , and he does too, of hearing, defence, counsellings, examining issues, and re location of the worker into a more comfortable position. Or, you can make them 'redundant' and pay them out . Everyone is expected to work as hard as before ( that is the supervisors, bosses , etc ) and at the same highly productive rate , and take all this on as well . So, as friend said, its just easier and time saving to pay out the money ( some % of the amount they had earned so far ) to be rid of them .

Another friend was explaining how he now has extra work as he has to check everything for safety reasons himself as he cant eliminate the incompetent . He had an accident on the last job as a rig fell off a crane , fortunately only 2 m. on the way up , if it had gone higher and then fallen off it would have landed on people below . He checked it afterwards and found 3 of the 4 back up safety systems had not been connected . Last year he would have sacked the person responsible for not following very basic and simple safety procedure that he had been trained to do . He cant have them on the job as he considers them dangerous , so now he has to spend time (and time is BIG $$$s in the film industry ) arranging 'counselling' , meetings and a hearing , in front of a little 'board' of inspectors , to make sure everything is 'above board' and proper. Then the incompetent and dangerous worker will be placed somewhere else . Friend is angry about that , but he says " Be blowed if I have to pay out $2G to get rid of an incompetent and dangerous worker !  No way ! "

 

Good Lord !  They would have been onto me in a flash !   Glad I  got out when I did .  It used to be a fun job !

 

Can you imagine something like making the Benny Hill show nowadays  -  I can see it now , the silly theme music is playing and Benny is being chased down the road by a mob of angry lawyers and feminists     
 

[SirPalomides]

Maybe it’s excessive, and maybe it doesn’t really address the problems it’s supposed to, but it sounds like minor inconveniences compared to being constantly preyed upon, harassed, and taken advantage of by men in the industry.

[Nungali]

Agreed , but I am highlighting things  like the Aussie industry where the problem was MUCH less than the USA  and the idea that you are not supposed to laugh at work as someone might think you laughing about them .   That's pretty much different from sexual harassment and pressure ! 

 

Geeze , a few years back , people used to come into our department just for a laugh and to relax ,  even had a producer that said we where so funny he wanted me to write a film script for a comedy .  ( Hmmmm ... I wonder if now you are allowed to laugh on a set that is filming a comedy ? )

 

Also I know of more than one incident  (in Oz) where a woman told her mates about trouble she was having so a group of men went to have a 'chat' with the offender after work . That stopped it cold . Another time a   manboss  kept trying to hit on another guy , who complained  .....  ooooo what happened to him ..... highly embarrassing  ! That action would be considered highly politically incorrect as well , but it stopped the harassment dead !

 

Another time , a real big knob ( from USA )  tried it on, so  he was left a 'present' as his cases where packed  for trip home to US  (and hence through customs ) ...... a little  explosive powder from special effects and some 'sacrificed'  cocaine . 

 

We had our own ways of sorting problems out  ... I guess, now, I am pretty 'old school' 
 

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by Nungali

[SirPalomides]

I’m casting hard doubt on the “no laughing at work” rule. I’ll need more than a second hand anecdote to buy that one.

[Earl Grey]

3 hours ago, Nungali said:

Recently I had a visit from 2 old work mates from the film industry.

 

According to them, the events bought forward by various issues in the film industry relating to sexuality, coercion and 'work pressure' have now made the industry ridiculous to work in ; eg. 'lawyers' roam the set making sure everyone is alright and comfortable, political correctness has (d)evolved to a ridiculous level . One friend was approached by one of these guys and picked up for laughing at work . Seriously ! He was told that small group of men talking together and laughing , might seem to others that they where laughing about them - so no laughing at work !

The other one was lamenting that he cant sack anyone now . They have to go through a process , and he does too, of hearing, defence, counsellings, examining issues, and re location of the worker into a more comfortable position. Or, you can make them 'redundant' and pay them out . Everyone is expected to work as hard as before ( that is the supervisors, bosses , etc ) and at the same highly productive rate , and take all this on as well . So, as friend said, its just easier and time saving to pay out the money ( some % of the amount they had earned so far ) to be rid of them .

Another friend was explaining how he now has extra work as he has to check everything for safety reasons himself as he cant eliminate the incompetent . He had an accident on the last job as a rig fell off a crane , fortunately only 2 m. on the way up , if it had gone higher and then fallen off it would have landed on people below . He checked it afterwards and found 3 of the 4 back up safety systems had not been connected . Last year he would have sacked the person responsible for not following very basic and simple safety procedure that he had been trained to do . He cant have them on the job as he considers them dangerous , so now he has to spend time (and time is BIG $$$s in the film industry ) arranging 'counselling' , meetings and a hearing , in front of a little 'board' of inspectors , to make sure everything is 'above board' and proper. Then the incompetent and dangerous worker will be placed somewhere else . Friend is angry about that , but he says " Be blowed if I have to pay out $2G to get rid of an incompetent and dangerous worker !  No way ! "

 

Good Lord !  They would have been onto me in a flash !   Glad I  got out when I did .  It used to be a fun job !

 

Can you imagine something like making the Benny Hill show nowadays  -  I can see it now , the silly theme music is playing and Benny is being chased down the road by a mob of angry lawyers and feminists     
 

Buddy, friends of mine in Hollywood could tell you it is exactly as bad as you describe. Both writers and actors, and even one producer. 

 

Here is a rhetorical question too from some friends there told as a sardonic joke: what is a chick flick and what is it today by the woke white western women agenda standards? 
 

Here was one answer: Charlie’s Angels with Lucy Liu, Charlize Theron, and Drew Barrymore was enjoyable for everyone; the new one that came out last year can’t be called “chick flick” because it’s “sexist” even if it’s marketed towards the “GuRl PoWeR” demographic, and a 90s chick flick can’t be enjoyed anymore because it’s all too “white” and the label for the genre is “sexist”.

 

Glad I left because while fellow minority friends are telling me we can get cast more likely now to fill diversity quotas, I refuse to work in such an environment since it’s neither professional nor artistic.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Earl Grey

[Nungali]

It would have been only about 8 years ago that  I got a 'less work  promotion'  ie, less work and more bossing people around , becasue I am such an arse and the crew wasnt listening to  others and chaos had ensued , so I got the job . I had them 'terrified' , bullied or laughing their arse off        But order was established .

 

I cant imagine I would last 5 minutes there now  ( as if I went to counselling  .... oh jeeze !  Imagine me in there - hectic ! )

 

I imagine the occasional punch up that used to happen  is banned too now  ?    

 

 

[Nungali]

7 hours ago, SirPalomides said:

I’m casting hard doubt on the “no laughing at work” rule. I’ll need more than a second hand anecdote to buy that one.

 

How about two second hand anecdotes ?

 

5 hours ago, Earl Grey said:

Buddy, friends of mine in Hollywood could tell you it is exactly as bad as you describe. Both writers and actors, and even one producer.

 

[SirPalomides]

I’m convinced. Let’s go back to the good old days of Weinstein prowling with impunity.

[Earl Grey]

1 hour ago, SirPalomides said:

I’m convinced. Let’s go back to the good old days of Weinstein prowling with impunity.

 

I don't equate safety for people from perverts with political correctness--I find that the political correctness used the Me Too movement to piggyback or Trojan Horse its way into a series of controls and mechanisms to check that are designed by people who don't know what they're doing (lawyers, activists, and social media influencers who have never worked in any industry they demand change in, representing often people who couldn't get along and use this movement to get ahead).

 

On a related note, there are things about Harvey that I could share, but not publicly because most of what is known is only the tip of the iceberg--including some of his so-called opponents actually being pimps themselves (women included) who would send young girls to him when it was a long-known fact that he was a pervert. 

Edited January 16, 2020 by Earl Grey

[SirPalomides]

Oh I have no doubt that many Of his accomplices are among those pointing fingers. Hollywood is just trash in general, no amount of protest and accountability will change that. The only solution is roving packs of rabid flesh eating wombats.

[Earl Grey]

7 minutes ago, SirPalomides said:

Oh I have no doubt that many Of his accomplices are among those pointing fingers. Hollywood is just trash in general, no amount of protest and accountability will change that. The only solution is roving packs of rabid flesh eating wombats.

 

I left the industry for a reason. I worked at the time in what I believed was the least taxing position of being a reporter, but that itself had its own social climbers and namedroppers, so I left that too. 

 

What I loved and still do remotely now is voiceover work, where everyone is chill and none of this crap has come up until recently, where now, people are being given shit for voicing characters of different ethnicities. 

 

Someone told me I should be offended a white guy was chosen to voice a Chinese guy over me, and I was puzzled because I even agreed the guy did a better job hitting the character the casting director and producer were looking for (he's also a friend of mine, so we're happy when we all get work and support one another), and what was stupid ten years ago is now happening regularly.

 

My fellow voice over actors don't get why people who have no fucking clue how the industry works are telling us how we should be offended and how we're better represented now...bullshit. 

 

Here's a headline:

 

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/12/chucklefish_issues_apology_for_voice_actor_casting_choices_in_wargrooves_dlc

[old3bob]

another thing that has happened in a lot of blue collar jobs is zero tolerance for an understandable mistake with extenuating factors, thus not a careless or lazy mistake.  Example: say you have a good and safe work history of 20 years and then one day you come to work and make that kind of mistake where no one is hurt and or there are no damages to equipment yet  you missed or misunderstood one thing or one step out of say 50 and you are fired.  I've seen this happen to where people become afraid to do their job and if or when they do it, it often takes twice as long with extra layers of people and layers of paperwork.  The hypocrisy is that the supervisors doing the firing are quite human and also make understandable mistakes at times yet are immune from being fired for it.  This makes for very low moral and loss of what could otherwise be normal work production.

 

(aka double standards and use of negative reinforcement)

Edited January 16, 2020 by old3bob

[Nungali]

9 hours ago, SirPalomides said:

I’m convinced. Let’s go back to the good old days of Weinstein prowling with impunity.

 

You know that isnt what I meant .

 

I will be clearer, just for you .   If the problem is within the higher echelons  of the industry, due to those with perceived 'power' over others , why not focus on them, instead of the grunts on the ground, that actually had nothing to do with that problem in the first place?

 

 

.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nungali]

9 hours ago, Earl Grey said:

 

I don't equate safety for people from perverts with political correctness--I find that the political correctness used the Me Too movement to piggyback or Trojan Horse its way into a series of controls and mechanisms to check that are designed by people who don't know what they're doing (lawyers, activists, and social media influencers who have never worked in any industry they demand change in, representing often people who couldn't get along and use this movement to get ahead).

 

On a related note, there are things about Harvey that I could share, but not publicly because most of what is known is only the tip of the iceberg--including some of his so-called opponents actually being pimps themselves (women included) who would send young girls to him when it was a long-known fact that he was a pervert. 

 

The bolded bit reminds me of what happened to my work in the hospital industry .  It made everything look shiny and correct - on the outside . But it made life even harder for the patients , especially the elderly .

 

Just one example  was the way  you are supposed to lift up an old person out of a chair .  If they had frail skin, I would do it a different than what was taught so as not to damage their skin . New , 'proper trained' people did it the 'taught way' and where scared to do otherwise and didnt even seem to comprehend HOW to think up a way to do it so it was better for the patient .   If you have ever been into a geriatric ward and noticed a few patients with bandaged forearms , its because they had bits of their old frail skin ripped off by being lifted with this method   

 

 

Note the woman's  right hand gripping the patients wrist ... which is worse !  The woman's arm (even for this bad method ) should be behind the patient's upper arm and IN FRONT OF the patient's forearm with the grip on the patients right forearm. In either case, a good deal of the weight is on the grip on the arm .

 

 

" Oh dear Mr Johnstone  ... it must be that old skin of yours ..... "

 

 

 

I better stop now .... this stuff makes me angry !

[Earl Grey]

3 hours ago, Nungali said:

 

The bolded bit reminds me of what happened to my work in the hospital industry .  It made everything look shiny and correct - on the outside . But it made life even harder for the patients , especially the elderly .

 

Just one example  was the way  you are supposed to lift up an old person out of a chair .  If they had frail skin, I would do it a different than what was taught so as not to damage their skin . New , 'proper trained' people did it the 'taught way' and where scared to do otherwise and didnt even seem to comprehend HOW to think up a way to do it so it was better for the patient .   If you have ever been into a geriatric ward and noticed a few patients with bandaged forearms , its because they had bits of their old frail skin ripped off by being lifted with this method   

 

 

Note the woman's  right hand gripping the patients wrist ... which is worse !  The woman's arm (even for this bad method ) should be behind the patient's upper arm and IN FRONT OF the patient's forearm with the grip on the patients right forearm. In either case, a good deal of the weight is on the grip on the arm .

 

 

" Oh dear Mr Johnstone  ... it must be that old skin of yours ..... "

 

 

 

I better stop now .... this stuff makes me angry !

I know quite a bit about this because my cousin is a trauma surgeon in Sydney.

 

He also complains how new trained surgeons refer to tablet app guidelines but forget to actually look at a patient or even talk with them.

 

Okay, now I’M getting angry...

[Nungali]

I remember one time in the Intensive Care Unit, I had just transferred a patient from surgery to there. One of his injuries was a broken femur and the surgeon had set up the cast for traction and  the ropes attached to the weight where  on the bed for transportation .  I  wheeled him into the room, gathered the rest of the traction equipment  ( pulleys, frames etc ) and set the traction up in front of 3 junior doctors . Then one threads the rope and goes to start dropping the weight . I had to stop him as he threaded it wrong , in some crazy imagined imitation of what he thought he had seen before .

 

But what would I know ?  The doctors scoffed at me until a senior nurse (who didnt know how to do it either ) interrupted and said they should listen to me as I had worked in  the orthopaedic  ward a lot  and had set up a lot of traction. But still no . I had a hold of the weight and wasn't going to hand it over .   I had to  " Think about it  .... if we drop the weight with it set up like that it will LIFT the thigh in the sling . making a bend right where the break is . The tension is supposed  out through the foot,  AND the sling which draws the leg out along  the  angle between both attachments  and  then and straightens the femur , allowing it to align for  the bones to knit together  . "

 

 

" Hmmmmm ... two scoffed but one looked more  and  "I think he is right, let's try that . "  They did and it worked .  Thank God   !

 

And the patient was conscious through all this , just as well I had my theatre gown on and he probably thought I was another doctor and not an orderly 'trolley pusher ' .  Imagine coming out of theatre into ICU and seeing the cleaner having to tell the ICU doctor how do your treatment !

 

Makes me rather nervous now when I am the patient !   (They say nurses make the worst patients , I wonder why ! )

Edited January 17, 2020 by Nungali

[Nungali]

Here is another one - slightly different .

 

Years back I went to a doctor , he didnt even hear me about my symptoms, so I immediately went to another one  ,  who heard me but said, when I recounted my symptoms , " I dont think so . "    WTF ! ?

 

So I went to a TCM doctor (for my first time, in frustration ) . I didnt tell him anything , he examined me and then HE told ME what my symptoms where  ... and he was dead right .

[Earl Grey]

9 minutes ago, Nungali said:

I remember one time in the Intensive Care Unit, I had just transferred a patient from surgery to there. One of his injuries was a broken femur and the surgeon had set up the cast for traction and  the ropes attached to the weight where  on the bed for transportation .  I  wheeled him into the room, gathered the rest of the traction equipment  ( pulleys, frames etc ) and set the traction up in front of 3 junior doctors . Then one threads the rope and goes to start dropping the weight . I had to stop him as he threaded it wrong , in some crazy imagined imitation of what he thought he had seen before .

 

But what would I know ?  The doctors scoffed at me until a senior nurse (who didnt know how to do it either ) interrupted and said they should listen to me as I had worked in  the orthopaedic  ward a lot  and had set up a lot of traction. But still no . I had a hold of the weight and wasn't going to hand it over .   I had to  " Think about it  .... if we drop the weight with it set up like that it will LIFT the thigh in the sling . making a bend right where the break is . The tension is supposed  out through the foot,  AND the sling which draws the leg out along  the  angle between both attachments  and  then and straightens the femur , allowing it to align for  the bones to knit together  . "

 

 

" Hmmmmm ... two scoffed but one looked more  and  "I think he is right, let's try that . "  They did and it worked .  Thank God   !

 

And the patient was conscious through all this , just as well I had my theatre gown on and he probably thought I was another doctor and not an orderly 'trolley pusher ' .  Imagine coming out of theatre into ICU and seeing the cleaner having to tell the ICU doctor how do your treatment !

 

Makes me rather nervous now when I am the patient !   (They say nurses make the worst patients , I wonder why ! )

Try this: a few patients and staff assumed my cousin doesn’t speak English because he’s Chinese. When he talks, they assume his accent is Chinese—he has a Canadian accent. And some had the audacity to ask for a white doctor if they don’t want him because they think Chinese doctors are not trained as well as Australians. He says then, “Well, good luck because the other trauma surgeons are out and I’m the only one. Sign a release form and don’t come here again or threaten to see me in court or get under the knife and shut up.”

 

He also thanked the abundance of Filipina nurses too at one time but bemoaned how they were paid less and respected less when he needed people who knew what they were doing—some white, locally-trained Australian nurses were BITING THE PLASTIC OPEN and not realizing they are handling delicate instruments in an unsanitary manner!

Edited January 17, 2020 by Earl Grey

[Nungali]

15 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

Try this: a few patients and staff assumed my cousin doesn’t speak English because he’s Chinese. When he talks, they assume his accent is Chinese—he has a Canadian accent. And some had the audacity to ask for a white doctor if they don’t want him because they think Chinese doctors are not trained as well as Australians. He says then, “Well, good luck because the other trauma surgeons are out and I’m the only one. Sign a release form and don’t come here again or threaten to see me in court or get under the knife and shut up.”

 

He also thanked the abundance of Filipina nurses too at one time but bemoaned how they were paid less and respected less when he needed people who knew what they were doing—some white, locally-trained Australian nurses were BITING THE PLASTIC OPEN and not realizing they are handling delicate instruments in an unsanitary manner!

 

 

 

When I was investigating going to Asia for dental implants, I heard a few stories ; one guy was complaining about the dentists " His assistant dropped an instrument on the floor and then picked it up and put it back on the sterile tray ! "

 

Someone else said 'Thats strange, as in my experience the Asian dental hospitals are fastidious in their cleanliness ."

 

The first said ; " Oh no ! That happened  in NZ . Thats why I ended up getting my implants done in Thailand  . " 
 

 

 

 

[silent thunder]

I've been in Hollywood proper for the last 16 years.  I work in Props/Construction.  Our general Foreman is a gal.  My partner is a gal.  We yuck it up all day every day. 

 

Working on an apple show currently and while there is definitely increased awareness of and toning down of some levels of joking, the atmosphere has not been overly hampered in my experience.

 

 

Biggest shift I've seen is quite positive, in that safety protocols have finally been thoroughly revamped systemically... across the board.  There is now a passport system of standard safety protocols with required training and instruction for each department based on their craft and tech... If anyone fails to maintain status of current training standards they are dropped from the roster until they've completed all required training.  Used to be very wild westy with permits and noobs, handling gear and rigs they were dangerously unqualified to handle. 

 

As to firing and laying off with or without reason... I see none of the committee bs you describe over there in Aussie land.  That sounds utterly crippling and absurd.  Above all, we have a schedule to meet.  Camera is coming and what is required to make things happen safely is the main drive... so folks are let go constantly.

 

Very recently, I witnessed a pretty rare one.  The firing of a Stage Foreman.  These cats control all that happens on their stage, which often involves 3-7 sets, many many millions of dollars worth of scenery.  They are directly under the General Foreman who reports to the Construction Coordinator.

 

This firing happened in a series of interactions over a few days.  Disagreement over how and when work should be carried out seems to be the cruxt.

 

Stage Foreman and the General had one short conversation the final morning... the General fired the Stage Foreman, who loaded his tools and went home.  No commitee, no meetings, just a simple conversation, "you're services are not required.  I cannot use you as a Foreman any longer and you have no call for tomorrow.  You're paid for 8 hours today.  Have a nice life... oh, and lose my number."

 

That was the jist of it.

 

Of our 10 crew, 3 are gals, swinging hammers and another is our General.  We usually have three other gals who are hammers with us, but they're currently working other crews for the moment.  Soon we'll be six gals and four guys. 

 

We joke and dump on each other relentlessly day in day out.

 

"you hear how much shit they were just talking about you?"

 

"Of course, I was up in the Perms, hear everything from up there... top notch stuff!  Honestly, I only ever worry when they stop talking shit."

 

The other day, we needed 1 inch staples for a sub floor installation.  The staples were on another stage, where the bathrooms are located.  Since I had to pee, I offered this.

 

"I gotta go to the bathroom, I'll grab the one inch..."

 

Them:    buaahahahahahaaaa    "grab the one inch!"

 

that morphed into Hedwig and the Angry Inch...

by the time I got back with the staples...

 

I'm now "Hagrid of The Angry Inch"

 

 

Edited January 18, 2020 by silent thunder
added the Hagrid bit

[Earl Grey]

7 minutes ago, silent thunder said:

I've been in Hollywood proper for the last 16 years.  I work in Props/Construction.  Our general Foreman is a gal.  My partner is a gal.  We yuck it up all day every day. 

 

Working on an apple show currently and while there is definitely increased awareness of and toning down of some levels of joking, the atmosphere has not been overly hampered in my experience.

 

 

Biggest shift I've seen is quite positive, in that safety protocols have finally been thoroughly revamped systemically... across the board.  There is now a passport system of standard safety protocols with required training and instruction for each department based on their craft and tech... If anyone fails to maintain status of current training standards they are dropped from the roster until they've completed all required training.  Used to be very wild westy with permits and noobs, handling gear and rigs they were dangerously unqualified to handle. 

 

As to firing and laying off with or without reason... I see none of the committee bs you describe over there in Aussie land.  That sounds utterly crippling and absurd.  Above all, we have a schedule to meet.  Camera is coming and what is required to make things happen safely is the main drive... so folks are let go constantly.

 

Very recently, I witnessed a pretty rare one.  The firing of a Stage Foreman.  These cats control all that happens on their stage, which often involves 3-7 sets, many many millions of dollars worth of scenery.  They are directly under the General Foreman who reports to the Construction Coordinator.

 

This firing happened in a series of interactions over a few days.  Disagreement over how and when work should be carried out seems to be the cruxt.

 

Stage Foreman and the General had one short conversation the final morning... the General fired the Stage Foreman, who loaded his tools and went home.  No commitee, no meetings, just a simple conversation, "you're services are not required.  I cannot use you as a Foreman any longer and you have no call for tomorrow.  You're paid for 8 hours today.  Have a nice life... oh, and lose my number."

 

That was the jist of it.

 

Of our 10 crew, 3 are gals, swinging hammers and another is our General.  We usually have three other gals who are hammers with us, but they're currently working other crews for the moment.  Soon we'll be six gals and four guys. 

 

We joke and dump on each other relentlessly day in day out.

 

"you hear how much shit they were just talking about you?"

 

"Of course, I was up in the Perms, hear everything from up there... top notch stuff!  Honestly, I only ever worry when they stop talking shit."

 

You've definitely had more positive interactions there. My own experience come from talent and producers or writers, then the indie folk. I'll message ya privately and we can have a laugh, because even if I haven't been in front of the camera for almost a decade now, last time I was there in 2018-2019, everyone told me that it hasn't changed much aside from the PC stuff, which they also anticipate will fade away as quickly as it came. 

[silent thunder]

I spent my first 12 or so years on stage and in front of camera, then transitioned to what I do now when my internal landscape shifted.

 

I'm utterly blessed in the crews I have fallen in with over the years.  Just gobsmacked.  There are some utterly horrible crews in Hollyweird.  I'm now at a point in my career where I can thankfully pick and choose when and with whom I care to work, not having to chase a check every week to survive. 

 

I have three main crews that keep me busy when I want to work, but one really is my home base.

 

That Coordinator and I have known each other for 16 years and I've done everything in my abilities to help him rise to where he is now.  Together, we've compiled a comprehensive list of all the most intelligent, open, caring and creative people we've worked with over the years.  We fill our roster as much as possible from that list.  As such, I'm constantly surrounded by some of the most adroit, fiercely intelligent, well read people I've ever encountered.  It's staggering.  Most of them are professional artists in outside fields who fill time between gigs with us when they can... as such I'm constantly stunned at the mix of creative types I'll find myself partnered up with... one memorable example from a few years ago.

 

I was swinging a hammer on The Voice, back for Season 5.  My partner was this british cat.  Older, almost retired.  When he heard me gushing over 12 string guitar music, we got to talking.  Turns out, he revealed in a whisper, " I was in town at the right time, answered my phone and was invited by John to play on some of the studio sessions for Imagine."

 

 

It's a phenomenal business.  If one can handle the intensity, uncertainty and unstable income. 

[Earl Grey]

30 minutes ago, silent thunder said:

It's a phenomenal business.  If one can handle the intensity, uncertainty and unstable income. 

 

I left it partially for that reason, then it turned out every industry I worked in from journalism to fiction writing and NGO development and aid work, and even teaching cultivation are all the same.

 

...and I will never stop working in any of these things because I love them too much to care about the intensity, uncertainty, and unstable income.  

[silent thunder]

Same. 

 

I can't imagine showing up to the same place every day, repeating familiar tasks.  I'd burn out in a year or less.

 

Our biz is constantly in new locations, working out solutions to highly creative, multi million dollar puzzles that I get to decide how to shape the pieces and out of what to make them...  it's blissful, laying out giant elipses one day, castle buttresses the next and figuring out how to harness and fly them overhead, or how to build them in sections so they come apart, load on a plane and get reassembled overseas somewhere.

 

More than anything i appreciate the time I can take off between gigs.  I seldom work more than 7 months a year any more.

 

Partly because long ago I learned to live on a budget of 32 hours a week.  And my wife had a more standard job back then... she's now stay at home mom.

 

A standard week for my craft is five 10 hour days, though routinely in a crunch we'll put in 72 hours a week and work 30-50 days in a row... whatever it takes to meet the schedule.

 

All that overtime gets socked away and either invested in stocks to generate passive income, or savings, so between shows I can cultivate full time and be with my family.

 

It's blissful really.  i routinely pinch myself at my fortunate situation.

[Nungali]

Good to see some places still  work like 'the good ol days '  .

 

Geeze !  I even remember the girls pantzing me on a landing in full sight of  a studio street full of people .

 

I had a long shirt on fortunately .... as they said  .

 

I responded ; " Fortunate for YOU ! "

 

" Why is that ? "

 

"Because I dont wear underwear  . " 

 

" Ewwww ! "   < retreat ! >

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2020 by Nungali