coolguycharlie

You want HOW MUCH for this townhouse?

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 02:23:34 GMT

I just had to share my amazement at what property goes for in Harrisonburg, VA. My landlord is thinking about selling my townhouse, that's right, townhouse; not palatial mansion on many acres, for $157,000.

Maybe I am blowing this out of proportion. I realize property in desirable locations can be quite expensive, and the housing market has been on fire, BUT THIS IS HARRISONBURG VIRGINIA!!!!

WHAT AM I MISSING HERE!!???

Just for grins I perused properties on Craigslist in the only two cities I have ever lived in, Rochester, Ny and Memphis, TN and I found in the last day's worth of posting at least five very nice houses in each city for HALF of what a townhouse will go for in Harrisonburg, VA.

Hm.

Boooo!!

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 14:58:37 GMT

Afraid I'll miss the conference -- we've got a big show going into tech 2 weeks after usitt and I've had such trouble getting my last couple of shows onstage without killing myself that I can't in good conscience go out of town for 5 days. Plus, I'll save on vacation time and more than $1000 dollars. ;) I can sugar coat it all I want but I'm still completely bummed. My one opportunity to get the hell out of this lousy town this semester and I cannot because of my stupid job.

It's been a bit of a tough first year. I'm sure that's a good part of what's making my life difficult right now -- first year in a new job.

I just had a student walk into my office. Dance major. All theatre and dance majors have to take this class called thea 171 -- performance production. They're all supposed to take it when they're freshman. But without fail, they all wait until they are seniors. One requirement is to do running crew for one of the mainstage shows. So every time about half the class has conflicts with all of the shows. This girl has been fighting with me all semester about this damn crew requirement and I am sick of it.

When they hired me, they told me there would be the possibility of designing lights for the summer theatre program. I see now that they meant possibility. As in they're not going to give it to me. Thanks, guys.

I just really need something to go right. I'm tired of being completely unappreciated. I need a day to go by without someone having some idiotic major issue I have to deal with.

I taught some people to weld yesterday. I guess that was pretty cool. I think the thing I need to do is realize that the only time anyone will take any notice of the job I'm doing is when I fall on my face. My chair told me when he hired me that the less he heard from me the better it would be. I think I just need to get better at patting myself on the back, because no-one else will. "Nice work, Charie! You're really doing a great job." "Thanks! You know, that really means a lot to me. Just that little bit of appreciation makes me want to work all the harder to do a good job." Seems somehow hollow.

record store guys

Sun, 22 Jan 2006 21:42:43 GMT

So we went into Plan 9 music on a whim today after Goodwill produced nothing more interesting than a festive Haloween party platter and the other thrift store in town was closed because it is a Sunday. I would not generally patronize a chain record store, but as Harrisonburg is the center of all corporate chain evil in the state of Virginia, there is little choice. And as a chain record store, it isn't bad. Almost on par with The Record Archive or the HOG.

After sorting through the used CDs and having to drop an elbow on some asshat frat boy who tried unsuccesfully to thwart my efforts to peruse all of the used CDs from A to Z, I found The Cars, The Cars, 1978, and Frank Zappa, Apostrophe, 1974.

I like record store guys. I think they are cool. Like underground musicians or people who work in non chain coffee shops. But they are assholes. Pretentious assholes. It is my life's goal to gain the respect of barristas, underground musicians, and record store guys. Has anyone out there seen Empire records? Or High Fidelity? Record store guys hate ignorance and are quick to cut those down whose musical tase they feel is beneath them.

Today was my day. "Coupla' good finds there." Cpmpletly turned a crappy Sunday into a much better day. And the Frank Zappa was everything I had hoped it would be, with everything from Don't Eat the Yellow Snow to Stink Foot.

Good Times

SNOW DAY!!

Fri, 09 Dec 2005 18:28:42 GMT

Boy do I love living in a city that can't handle an inch of snow!

How did they know?! I had nothing to do today and really didn't want to go in anyways!

Completly guilt free day off!

I should use this extra time to my advantage, but as it is a completly guilt free day off I think I won't. ;)

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 02:41:23 GMT

P.P.S.

Fuck The Dead. Check out nugs.net or gdlive.com.

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 02:38:21 GMT

P.S.

God, my cat is an asshat.

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 02:37:38 GMT

OK, Lucas. I've been searching for 2 days and I still cannot find the comment you replied to.

On another note, Hey! What's up?!

Life in harrisonburg is as unfullfilling and depressing as ever! I've been listening to a lot of interpol -- good stuff, but no es bueno para mi mood.

I just got SFX up and running in my booth -- a great boon as the yamaha mixer shit the bed about 2 years ago without anyone noticing.

Interesting department. This is what you get when you work for a school who produces 2 shows a semester and focuses primarily on acting. Does no-one realize that actors cannot do their job without the support of the SUPPORT staff?! ie. lighting and sound?

I have been doing literally nothing for the last two weeks -- not nothing, but far les scenic construction than I would have liked to have been doing considering that H2SIBWRT opens mid february giving me...about 3 weeks to build a set twice as big as noises off.

My answer? Well, maybe one more.

We'll be in Cookville for X-Mas -- I really hope to make a run to Memphis.

I really miss that city.

My sister reminds me that when I arrived I called it crapvis -- I guess a little time in a cool place can change one's opinion of that place.

Or maybe this is just in comparison to Crapburg. Or Harrisoncrap. Or crapcrap.

S&40s

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 23:17:36 GMT

http://www.jakoloco.com/mmm40s/simpsonsand40s.html

I hate money.

Wed, 31 Aug 2005 01:55:20 GMT

So, isn't one of the perks of being a responsible, gainfully employed adult supposed to be not having to ask your parents for money so you can pay the rent? WTF?! I guess it's just one of those starting out things. But after a long day at work I somehow just don't feel like calling up Mom and asking her for ANOTHER loan. But I did. Because I had to. And she made me feel better, as Moms often have a way of doing. After being a responsible, gainfully employed adult for a little while longer, I'm sure it will get cooler.

Harrisonburg is a hick burg. Major employers: JMU, the local hospital, and the chicken processing plants. Yes, plantS. But we are close to DC where WE WILL GO after I begin re-paying the bank of Mom and Dad rather than adding to my principal.

Work is pretty cool, although it has been a bit of a trial figuring out just exactly what it is that I am supposed to do. And the "That's not how David did it"s are laying on a little thick. Hi. I'm CHARLIE.

Overall it is a cool department. We have a bit of a dated facility but all of the line-sets have been re-rigged and there is this thing called the Equipment Trust Fund which allows us to make large ticket purchases annualy with the hitch that they must be over $500. Which is great, except when I want to buy a goddamn screw gun. Luckilly, the shop is fairly well appointed -- as soon as I get my act together and start making working drawings I can get all of my labbies building scenery. Tomorrow. Or Thursday.

Another day, another dollar. I WILL have a faculty position someday -- fewer hours for more money. (See Subject)

Holy Free Internet, Batman!

Wed, 10 Aug 2005 22:28:26 GMT

But who knows what evil viruses and pop-ups lurk in the unsecured airways. I guess I won't be making any credit card payments online from here.

Where is here, you might ask? Well, it's none of your Damn business. Just kidding. Well, dear reader, much has happened in the life of Coolguycharlie in recent weeks. I am now an employee of the state of Virginia with a townhouse in Harrisonburg.

Texas was Awesome. We slept for a week (not the entire week, just the nightime part) on a houseboat and partied on a lake for the better part of our vacation. We saw some 4000, count 'em, FOUR thousand year old cave paintings and observed (but did NOT collect) some fossils and cool rocks and such.

I accepted the staff TD position at JMU, at the negotiated higher salary figure with the possibility of travel expenses for professional developement. (USITT) I build four shows a year with student workers -- mostly actors -- no design/tech program, but we aim to change that. My shop is drastically overtooled with a professional grade planer and joiner. We have the interest off a trust fund for our tool budget and cannot make any purchases under $500. Hello new welder. Three students went to USITT last year, and with enough interest, hopefully you will soon see the JMU student chapter of USITT.

So, after 2 days of looking, Raven and I found a cool little townhouse. What it lacks in character, it makes up for in amenities. And shit that isn't broken and/or fixed with sprinkler parts. ;) Besides, we're artists for Gods' sake. If we can't decorate better than any of those MFs on HGTV, it's a sad state of affairs.

We moved in yesterday -- after a fairly uneventfull trip from Cookville, save the blowout in the middle of nowhere. I do have to commend Penske -- their guy got out there quickly and took good care of us. We finished unloading the truck this afternoon and were in the process of unpacking boxes when I thought to myself, "self, Wayne got free wirless internet through the wall, why not me?" So here I am.

And unpacking is my favorite thing to do in the whole world.

Second only to packing. And full frontal lobotomys.

Huh?

Thu, 21 Jul 2005 05:30:56 GMT

So. Three offers in one day. I guess the complaining and moping has paid off. James Madison U has offered me their staff TD job. Seems pretty cool. Everyone in the department seems pretty cool and enthusiastic about what they do. It's a cool part of the country -- halfway between Rochester and Cookeville. I just hope I don't get pigeonholed as a TD. Not that there's anything wrong with that -- but if I become a TD, will I ever be able to be an LD again? I guess getting my unemployed ass a job should be priority right now.

Beloit College in Wisconsin wants to schedule an interview at the end of next week. Again, sounds cool, but do I really want to live in Wisconsin? It is an hour and a half away from Chicago -- a very cool possibility. Beloit is a city of 35K -- a little bigger than Oxford, Miss, weighing in at 13K.

I just turned down Carleton College in Stephenville Tx. A facilities manager/TD position -- just seemed like it might be a lot of hours and so on.

James Madison seems cool. I am really burned out on this job search. Some of the positions I applied for are faculty positions, which would be more ideal, but I'm not sure if I can take not knowing any longer. It kind of seems that waiting a little longer to hear from a possibly more ideal position would be easier from the perspective of a gainfully employed individual. IE: take the damn job, stop complaining, and look for that more ideal job in a year or two.

Eitherhoo, we are leaving for Texas for a couple of weeks this weekend, and I somehow feel like I might be more inclined to enjoy myself knowing this is all settled up. But what about all of the awesome positions that will inevitably come flooding in the minute I accept a job?

Last night, while I lay thinking here,
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I'm dumb in school?
Whatif they've closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there's poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk the test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightening strikes me?
Whatif I don't grow taller?
Whatif my head starst getting smaller?
Whatif the fish won't bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don't grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems swell, and then
The nighttime Whatifs strile again!

I've been struggling with these fuckers for 27 years.

aaarrrggg.

Wed, 20 Jul 2005 01:16:49 GMT

Hello all of you out there in internet land.

I am still in the midst of a high speed exciting job search. With no action in 2 weeks. The interview at Ole Miss went well -- they offered me the job! But as the scene shop was frighteningly like the Opera Department's, and it was Oxford, Mississippi, "a drinkin' town with a football problem... GO REBELS!!!", I turned them down. Which I am beginning to regret. Salisbury University had assured me that I was on their short list. I felt the telephone interview went well. They said they should be making a decision by Monday. That was two weeks ago. And they're not returning my calls. Is it a little too much to expect, after turning down another job and being told one is on the 'short list' to expect the courtesy of some sort of notification that I was not, in fact, the man for the job? Such is life. RF can kiss my ass.

So the search continues. As does much TV viewing. Or as my income tax return will state, 'research'. Real World Austin at 10! The Groupie Drawer!

I have to reassure myself that I still have 20 other resumes out there, and some of the searches don't even close until August 1. I sent one to the Blue Man Group for a Theatre Jack. It would be cool to live in Boston. Or anywhere where someone would see fit to offer me gainful employment.

All good things in all good time. Good times come to those who wait? Who knows.

Tue, 28 Jun 2005 21:38:27 GMT

Job hunting sucks. You all know what I mean. I got a bit of a confidence booster today, Ole Miss wants to fly me in for an interview. That's pretty cool, right? It's a 9 month position which means I would be able to get a cool summer stock position. Maybe I could find something that doesn't totally suck this time. Maybe I have some really good friends who who have worked at Glimmerglass who could put in a good word for me? Maybe.

The salary and benifits are not posted with the job listing which is a little unsettling, but if they're going to fly me in, how can I refuse?

I am currently staying with my parents, sending resumes and the like to any educational positions I can find in Artsearch. In all reality, it is going pretty well. I have my TD and LD digital portfolios in better shape than they were for portfolio review -- presentable enough to send to perspective employers. (thanks to sawahbean) I have about 10 resumes out now and 5 more to send to educational positions, and then it's on to TD and ME positions in prfessional theatres if the educational thing doesn't work. Keep your fingers crossed. Maybe Oxford, AL will rock my world more than Oxford, UK. I don't care that Thom and his buddies are from there, it's just not a town for me.

Compy 1200 is alive and well -- after a flight to and from England. No interaction with crazy British power but still looking for a cheep battery. Always something. I found that driverguide.com was an awesome resource when I was searching for a driver for Compy so it would read my USB jump drive.

So being in Rochester is always pretty cool, although now with Mom home from school for the summer, I will have to start being more productive. Not that I have been slacking, I will just have to be MORE motivated. Like a burning fireball of motivation. I hope the house can withstand it.

I am looking forward to returning to TN. Hopefully Ole Miss is an indication of the moods of the rest of my potential employers. We are taking a road trip from Cookville to Texas -- an excellent excuse to finally put a CD player in my car. If the tape/cd adapter cuts out one more time I'm going to throw the f*&%ing thing out the window.

Wed, 15 Jun 2005 11:03:53 GMT

Goddamn French keyboards to Hell!!

but anyways, change in plans -- tour the continent and come home. I'm much more cut out to find work as some sort of a theatre guy than be a bell hop abroad any day of the week. and no 40s 'cause no oz.s. No tv and no beer make charlie something something. In brief -- Rome -- very cool. Paris, as of yet, difficult to navigate. But I'm sure we'll get the hang of it. Once I'm awed by notre dame there's no going back.

cgc

Gone Again in a Flash!

Sun, 29 May 2005 23:25:01 GMT

DorthyGale_3 is catching up with me! I must away!

But seriously -- it has been an eventful three weeks staying with my folks. I went to a baby shower/christening afterparty this afternoon for my friends Rob and Erica's new little girl Natalie. Saw some old friends from college -- man, a lot does change in six years. A good time was had by all.

I put in some time at Geva -- I can't help it -- I think I have to go back every six months as some sort of twisted community service. Such is life. I made $500 on four days of work and drank a considerable amount of Yuinling so it was worth it.

I am packing up my life for the third time this year -- this time a little lighter than usual. I have a job interview at the Bath Place Hotel in Oxford, UK, Thurdsay afternoon and I will let you all know how it goes. Wish me luck. What do you say to a prospective bus bou? "Break a Bus?"

Will update upon settling in. I hope Compy likes the voltage adapter -- if not my appearance might be less frequent than I would like. Safe trip to all those traveling out of TN this month, or next month, or out of wherever. ;)

Back in Brockport

Wed, 11 May 2005 01:30:33 GMT

I have arrived! After a rather arduous journey (No Thanks to Super Crappy Walmart.) Other than a blowout just before Nashville the trip was uneventful. All of my stuff is in storage, I am visiting my parents for a little while, and then I'm off! Ohio has to be one of the most boring states this side of the Mississippi! At least you can drive fast.

Hanging out with the guys at Mex tonight. Beautiful night for the patio. One cool thing about coming North this time of year is I get to see spring spring twice. ;) The orchard behind the house is just getting ready to blossom -- should be pretty cool. And I am in town for the Lilac Festival -- one of the finer points of the Flower City. Unless the frost kills them all.

Safe trip to Che -- sleep tight on the 14th, Buddy. ;)

Compy 1200 Rides Again

Fri, 06 May 2005 03:59:30 GMT

Hah! The only thing holding us back from utter world domination was the lack of a driver for my USB Memory key. WAS!!! Oh, yes. And plans and packing and whatnot are going very well. So well I pushed the move date back one day. Woo Hoo! But seriously, folks. I WON'T be here all week. Myrtle Beach Here I Come! I'll miss Mike Doughty in Rochester this time around, but I WILL see him one day soon. His autograpg is illegible but his show is excellent.

Compy 1200

Tue, 22 Mar 2005 03:21:45 GMT

The screamin' Compac Presario 1200 is up and running! After the addition of 128 megs of ram! We are now running at an amazing 156! Damn Yah! I can finally check my email from the living room! Not that it wouldn't have been just as easy to walk into my bedroom...

Me: This won't hurt a bit.
CP: Oh No! Oh No! you can't just stick that in there!
Me: Trust me Baby. I know what I'm doing.
CP: Oh No! Oh No! Oh... Oooooo...

We are online with Waynes World -- our wireless hub -- all of this so I can get this computer to recognize my USB card. Good times. Well, at least I can upload some wallpaper of my choosing. Or maybe the cat will just sleep on the machine because it is warm.

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 02:41:39 GMT

P.S. Raven, you know.

Now I'm in for it. ;)

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 02:02:20 GMT

Rick asked me today what I planned to do when I graduated -- I told him I was going abroad. He said he hoped I wasn't chasing some girl all over Europe. ;) I said, "No! Of course not! Nothing like that!" He said good. Rick is a man of few words. Stephen was surprised I wasn's in Toronto and I told him I was going to London to further my career when I graduated but I'm not sure if he was convinced. ;)

Life on Patterson is pretty cool. Ever since I started college I wanted to rent a house and my dreams have finally been realized. Mike is a great neighbor for borrowing stuff -- especially if it's to do maintenance on his rental property. I haven't had to borrow a cup of flour or an egg in a while, but then, I don't do all that much baking.

Off to the Hi-Tone for the $5 beer bust. Boy do I love drinkin' on a Tuesday. I wish every year of grad school could have been my third year. ;)