October 2004
After the catastrophe, which was last week's releases, I am finally starting to see some movies I can really get behind.
Except for the Christmas movie. I am over a month away from being ready for a Christmas Movie.
1) Sideways
2) Undertow
3) The Machinist
Continue reading October 22nd Film Releases.
You know how some people have a $5,000 barbecue installed in their backyard? Well, I can do better than that! I had a $20 microwave installed in mine! Yes, the workmen who installed my new backyard were both hard working and resourceful - they brought their own microwave and set it up in my backyard so that they could have hot snacks and warm up their lunches. I imagined that they were all eating Weight Watchers Smart Ones, but somehow I doubt it. I will miss the microwave now that they are gone, and am thinking of installing a small microwave for my own use. Much more practical than those big barbecues.
A lot of movies in limited release this weekend. It's no hemorrhage, but it does seem that the artery of good movies has been pierced in several places.
1) PS
2) Eulogy
3) Being Julia
Stupid Laughs (and small hope that another Stone/Parker movie will get an Oscar nomination for best song): Team America: World Police
Continue reading October 15th Film Releases.
It’s October. I can no longer see the sun at 8pm. My alarm rings at 5am, and I have to face 130 children everyday. It’s the 6th week of school and the Canon copier has been broken six times. If I’m going to be able to teach a Reading class without books, I need copies of stories. I find a nice little all-in-one printer at Comp USA for $120. Score! I put the receipt in my little receipt box full of all the numerous purchases I’ve made for my classroom for my accountant. And then I hear the bad news…
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has approved the suspension of a $1500 tax credit for teachers for classroom supplies. This perk was originally offered to teachers as an incentive to stay in the field, as most new teachers leave the profession within the first five years. So now, on top of the school budget cuts, teachers will have to make due with whatever peanuts are given to them as an allowance for educational supplies? My school offers $150. Let me put how far this actually goes into perspective for you. Ink-jet transparency paper for overhead projectors is $50 a box of 50 sheets. I still need to buy 10 boxes of crayons, paper, pencils, pens, markers, construction paper, incentive treats (candy, stickers, etc.), file folders, labels, classroom decorating stuff, and plenty of other stuff that gets consumed in a year. Not only is it a bare minimum allowance, it takes two weeks to receive the needed supplies! For someone “for education”, the Governor is ignorant as to how much it costs or what it takes to create a learning environment.
My school offers a solution: give parents a wish list! How ironic that the free public school system has to ask parents for supplies-where the hell is that property tax going?
Continue reading Schwarzenegger for education-as long as it doesn't cost much..
Saturday, October 16, 2004
11AM to 5PM:
Car Rally / Architecture Tour
Hollywood Heritage Museum
2100 North Highland Ave
Hollywood, CA
6PM to 12AM:
Party @ The Elysian Masonic Lodge
1900 North Vermont
Hollywood, CA
12AM
Olive or Twist?
film screening
Vista Theater
4473 Sunset Blvd
Hollywood, CA
Pre-party Friday October 15, 2004
Neon Cocktail Cruise bus tour
Benefit for the Museum of Neon Art
Hosted by Lotta Living
7PM-10PM
Frolic Room
6245 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA
* Tiki and Exotica
* Car Culture
* Las Vegas Lounge
* Rat Pack and Swing Era Fun
* Space Age Bachelor Pad Living
* Everything you're already into in one place and time…