I believe I’ve previously posted when I was job hunting and how much it sucked. Well, I’ve been working at a certain retail store (I won’t divulge that info, though I can give a hint: think of an Adam Sandler movie and a remote), but I just absolutely hate it. Being in a small town, our store is small with a bunch of shit cramped up inside. I fear for my life sometimes just walking in a stock room (which there are three different ones, for some reason). Between boxes stacked too high for anyone to really safely reach (as long as they aren’t too close to the light, it’s fine, but it’s still really high), only having multiple tall ladders (sometimes, I just need a damn step stool, it’s ridiculous), oh, and trying to get work done when getting called up front to run a register or “having” to stop and greet every customer (ech). I understand the need for customer service, but if the store was designed better, with like things together and decent amount of merch on the floor in reaching distance, they shouldn’t need help finding stuff. Oh, and I hate answering phones (so low tech to me).

But what am I to do? There are people who find a job they love, but I unfortunately don’t know exactly what I can do. I know I hate running a register (given) and dealing with too many people (I can help customers, but I actually hate it, especially if they don’t know what size comforter they need [you should know the size of your bed, at least I would think so]). I have no problem climbing ladders, but I hate doing that every five minutes. Again, if the store wasn’t so cramped, you wouldn’t need to stock things so high to require a ladder frequently. Even the stuff stocked in the back is up high.

It’s taking all my energy to just not quit, though I am very tempted to do so. I even bought a lottery ticket today (fingers crossed, it would make this decision easy, especially if I match at least 5 numbers, though I’d be lucky to just win the $3 with just getting a powerball number). Even four plus powerball is $10,000, which would be enough to not need to work for about 5 months (I’m gonna say 4 months, since I’d need time to look for a better job).

Now, I do have an Associate Degree for Internet Technology (specifically in Web Development), which is the most USELESS degree in this region (we’re not very up there in tech). Being on the coast, I wish I could go back and go into some like Marine Biology or something, there would a few more job options here with that. But, unfortunately, without a stable income, it’s not financially feasible to go back to school. Also, the community college, well, doesn’t really have that many great programs. Actually, there’s not a Marine Biology study, but general science, for the most part.

Maybe I should make this blog post an almost sort resume, putting myself out there in some way, since places like Monster.com tend to attract Insurance Companies saying I’m qualified, despite not actually being qualified.

I like to draw, and like to think I have some creativity. I don’t really paint, mostly pencil sketches, but I don’t really draw these large original pieces that people would want to buy. And whatever I have painted, I start but never finish (for some reason, maybe there is a painter’s block, similar to a writer’s block).

Now, I have did some quick animations, the little 15-sec witch one (really about 3-sec) and a 10-sec eye one (actually 4-sec, the rest is credit roll):

But, that’s about the most I’ve done. Could I do something longer? I have thought of trying, even getting audio software in order to do voices (and messing with pitch and whatever), but I don’t really have time (damn work). At one point, back in high school, I once considered going to this certain school that dealt more with graphic design, animation, and, well, basically, using technology for creative projects. But it’s an expensive school, but I always wondered whether I could’ve worked in 3D animation, using the software to render video. Guess I’ll never know.

I’ve looked at other schools, wishing to go into something related to film and TV. I love movies, and obviously, I love a lot of TV shows (despite me limiting myself to any new series, since I no longer have a DVR to just be able to watch the 40-some odd number of shows I used to watch. It’ll be nice to find a job where knowing about a shit-load of TV shows, as well as understanding TV ratings and such, and getting paid. Though, I don’t consider myself much of a writer.

And, as I just said, I’m not the greatest writer. Right now, I have multiple, what I call “story ideas,” I’ve been working on (some I started as long as 5-6 years ago). Typically, they are of sci-fi/fantasy/supernatural themes (a few vampire/werewolf ones), but I generally have an idea of what is going on, but I have a hard time developing an actual plot.

I think what it comes down to, I’d love to work where I’d have more freedom (I never go to the movies) and don’t feel so miserable all the time. I was in the top 20 of my graduating class, I had a high GPA in both high school and at community college. I did well in general (not so much in gym, go figure, and also Spanish, and Chemistry (though I think that was the teacher, ’cause oddly, I did well in science classes, except that one). I only failed one class, Calculus (that is very hard, I didn’t even take the second part, went for a college course instead, dealing with computer multimedia (such as flash)).

I can build a computer (built my first for myself in 2006, and, though I now have a laptop, just last week it was plugged back in and it still works), I understand basic networking, and just to note, that computer I built had two Linux distros (PCLinux 2007 and OpenSUSE 10.2) as well as Windows XP Pro. If I could either find a better, more stable job, or just win the lottery, I would love to build another machine, this time one to serve as a DVR (I really, really want to do this, so that no matter what service I have, they can’t take it away from me). I was thinking a MythTV setup, since it’ll be Linux (not Windows), and since it’ll serve one purpose, it wouldn’t need to be overly powerful.

Geez, over a thousand words, yikes, I’ve got to stop going on like this.

Until another day…

It’s no secret that in today’s world of television, ratings have been going down, pretty much across the board. Some networks have been getting it hard (ABC, NBC), the others are somewhat steady, though CBS is still trying to fight for Friday (though, it may as well just give up, it’s not gonna do any better than what it has been doing in the last two years).

Now, the demo rating (adults 18-49) is the number networks care about the most, because it’s the one the advertisers actually pay more for. But to put things in perspective, and because I don’t actually have a way to find what demo ratings were for shows back in the 90s, I remember the times of NBC being the #1 network with ER and Friends in the 1 & 2 spots (probably by their 5th seasons easily, so ’98-’99), but I believe it was total viewers. The point I’m trying to make, shows like that saw over 20 million viewers, regularly, if I remember well (Friends 4th finale (London) saw about 30mil viewers, season finales now of top rated scripted programs do not see those numbers). Now, NCIS has occasionally reached or topped a little, but sheds viewers in the late winter with the return of American Idol. And the finales don’t see skyrocketing ratings. The last episode of Friends scored over 50 million viewers, while ER, which was 5 years later, got, if I remember correctly, about 16 million (Though, I think the fault there was dumbass CBS airing the 200th CSI (a very disappointing episode, I blocked the ep from my memory and no longer watch the series) and the fact ER was an aging series, but the last episode was a very good way to end a series). Hell, this past year, the last episode of Lost barely got 14 million viewers (but it had a superb demo rating of 5.8: source: Zap2it).

So despite loyal fanbases, critical claim, and previous high ratings, what happened? Well, the most acceptable reason is the DVR. It’s simple. It allows you to skip commercials, advertisers not happy, nets not paid for DVR numbers. Plain and simple. But, going by the latest DVR ratings (source: TVByTheNumbers), take NCIS‘s total viewers before (19.2 mil) and then after (21.7 mil), is barely a difference of 3 million additional viewers who DVR’d the show. But, keep in mind, NCIS skews older and older people DVR less. It went from 4.3 to 5.0 in demo. In terms of a higher rated comedy, say, Modern Family, total viewers went from 12 mil to 14.9 mil, again, barely a 3 mil increase, and it didn’t have a total viewership that was that of Friends back in the day before regular DVR.

So, comparing in that manner, the DVR is not the only culprit. The next cause of the decrease live viewers: tons of more programming choices. This is most definitely the reason behind ABC, NBC, and even CBS now, have been struggling lately with the 10pm shows. The 10pm hour has become popular with cable shows, such as F/X’s Sons of Anarchy and Comedy Central’s South Park. Several cable nets have 9pm programming as well, such as Discovery which has brought in some very popular programs, especially with males viewers, such as Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters, but overall TBS, TNT, Comedy Central, Discovery, F/X, Syfy, and especially USA Network (BTW, Psych returns Nov. 10 at 10/9c on USA) all have popular programs, giving the TV audience more choices in programming than ever before. Let’s not forget AMC’s recent success with The Walking Dead (10pm), which has brought some more competition on Sundays, and after 2 eps, it’s averages about 5 mil viewers (which is a lot in cable!). Hell, even History has Pawn Stars which has found itself near 5 mil viewers as well, and that’s a Monday night show (10pm). Actually, for the week ending Oct. 31, Walking Dead‘s premiere and Pawn Stars were 1 & 2 for non-Sports programming for all of cable. (source: TVByTheNumbers).

Could there be something more than the increase use of DVRs (specifically the fast forwarding of commercials) and the increased amount of programming choices? Eh, some people may think it’s because people are going to sleep earlier, but people have been going to work in the morning way before DVRs, so I don’t see that is a reason (though it has affected me, now that I got a terrible retail job (I HATE IT) where I got to be there either 7 or 8am, but I’m not a Nielsen viewer, so what I watch doesn’t count anyway).

There is another factor, online viewing. Take a show like Heroes. It was highly popular, got great reviews in its first season, then dwindled (2nd season, I admit, not the best, end of the 3rd was an improvement, 4th was alright), but in the end, I hated that it was canceled, however, it was the most illegally downloaded show (mostly, probably by other countries, ’cause in the US, people could legally watch it free online at Hulu or NBC.com, with very few commercials). But that is one other problem, even with legal online views, as Nielsen isn’t gonna implement the new measuring system for online viewing ’til sometime next year (I think it was pushed back a little), which would measure series watched online as long as they have the same national commercials and were watched within 3 days after original airdate. But, they don’t make up a large percentage.

But, it more portable media present, many people could probably be playing online games, watching YouTube clips, or browsing the net endlessly, so there’s a slight decrease in TV viewing right there. If networks want to save themselves, they need to better utilize the Internet to their benefit (Conan did, and the premiere got a whopping 2.5 demo rating, with a median age of 30!), (Source: TVByTheNumebrs). There is power with online videos and using Twitter/Facebook (Conan tweeted pretty much everyday, and in the weeks leading to the premiere they had the Live CocoCam for 24 hours (introducing us to the Dancing Taco, a now new fave), the blimp, and for 7 days, they gave away a 1,000 shirts a day (I got one the first day, a nice blimp shirt), and when the ratings stabilizes (1st eps ratings are always bloated, due to ‘premiere excitement’) we’ll see how well that paid off, but so far, it has.

Everybody has them. The littlest of things that just get on their nerves. There are people, for example, that have a problem with, say, the word “moist,” because it just sounds dirty. Okay, I get that, but I have no problem with much of any words. I do, however, have problems with how people may use words.

For me, it annoys me when people don’t know the differences between “there,” “their,” and “they’re.” It’s really not that hard to understand. I don’t want to sound like the English teacher that was upset with Alanis Morissette’s incorrect usage of the word “ironic,” (though I now question whether there is irony when people say it, but I’m not uptight about it), but these incorrect usage of “your” and “you’re” are just as annoying, if not more.

First off, “That’s the little flower that’s growing over there in their yard, and they’re pleased,” is a little example sentence using those three words, where “there” is pointing out a flower in a place, “their” is a possessive use clarifying that the yard belongs to a couple, and “they’re” is a contraction of “they are,” in this case, they are pleased with the blooming flower. Second one, “Your mom knows you’re lying.” “Your” is possessive, in this case, pointing out that this is someone’s mom, “you’re,” is the contraction of “you are,” as in “she knows you are lying.” See, not difficult.

Another one that annoys me, not knowing when to use “too.” “You’re going to go home too.” Basically, one person is going home, but the other is also going home, thus using “too.” It can also be used like this: “She was too tired to travel,” defining a degree to which she is tired.

I understand using some shorthands, such as “BTW” for “By the Way,” but replacing “to” with “2″ or “for” with “4″ annoys me. At some point, especially when people start using “8″ with words that end in an “ate” sound, such as “skate” becoming “sk8,” the really shortened message starts to look like a math formula. Again, I don’t want to sound like the stuffy English teacher, but maybe this is the reason for such bad grammar.

I’m not saying I am any better with proper sentence structure or whatever, but I don’t necessarily butcher the English language the way most people are.

It is not just words, but definitions, such as “tomato.” I hate it when people say it’s a vegetable, when it is, in fact, a fruit. (Here’s a link to Oxford Dictionary on this to explain the confusion, in case you don’t believe me).

What else annoys me, oh, I hate people who ask “how are you doing today?” or some variation of that. I don’t care how you’re doing, so don’t care about how I’m doing. It may seem mean, but I think it’s better that way. Just, never ask me how I am doing, ’cause I’m just gonna shrug it off and move on. This is a problem at work, I guess most people are raised to act like they care, it just disturbs me.

I guess this sort of stems from the previous, in terms of this “good manners” bullshit, but I hate being called “ma’am.” I don’t call people “sir” or “ma’am,” people may think it’s rude, but I find them pointless. They are useless words to my eyes. Plus, when I think “ma’am,” I think old lady. I’m not even 25 yet, so don’t call me “ma’am.”

I think that’s about it, maybe I’ll come up with another list of annoyances sometime in the future, until then, well, I’ll post when I post.

I didn’t know the best way to title this, but by ‘Specialty Channels,’ I mean what MTV used to be when it was actually ‘Music Television.’ I have mentioned it before on how they have officially removed the ‘Music Television’ part off their logo, a good ten years after we all already knew that they were no longer that station (MTV Finally Realizes the Truth). In that post, back in February 2010, I went into how I remembered MTV and how it sucked more every year after I finally got the station. I also briefly mentioned stations like Syfy, TBS, and TNT, but I want to add to that.

I was looking at the TV grid, and I can’t help but notice CMT (Country Music Television), which I don’t watch, but a few movies catch my eyes and then I see the station it’s on and it makes me go “What the fuck?” Now, showing TV shows like Dukes of Hazzard semi makes sense when it comes to country, being quite southern in theme and all, and I guess when they have showed the movie Son-In-Law kind of works too, with the whole “farm-living” and the square dancing, but The Whole Nine Yards? I have that movie, watched it a couple of times, and I can’t think of anything remotely ‘country.’ It stars Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry and it’s about a hit man. But CMT is really showing it, see it down for Oct. 26 at 8pm.

I’ve noticed over the years as A&E changes from more artsy programming to more modern cutting edge with acquisition of off network rights to The Sopranos, Criminal Minds, CSI: Miami, then again, at the same time they have some reality series called Parking Wars. I looked at a description for an episode, it seems to be about traffic violations, seriously? The network also takes some cues from Discovery and puts in some shows that skew male, having Dog the Bounty Hunter and Steven Segal Lawman. It’s nothing like the A&E I remember not watching, now I sometimes tune in to an episode of Criminal Minds, and used to, I hate admitting this, but I did watch Criss Angel Mindfreak within the first three seasons of that, which was probably around the same time the network started changing its ways.

History channel (which just so happens to be owned by A&E) has some series that don’t look to be anything related to history. Then again, they kind of have a tagline now, “History Made Every Day,” that probably allows them to get away with it, because, afterall, tomorrow will see today as history, or something. One notable series that bothers me when I see an ad for it, Ice Road Truckers. Again, I bet it skews male, but it has absolutely no historic-related significance. At least there are some programs that are relevant, such as Cities of the Underworld, which I caught a few, it was some pretty interesting stuff. A bunch of truckers cussing at each other, no thank you.

Let’s see, I love Syfy, but even when it was The Sci-Fi Channel, it still had wrestling, which I never understood. Fiction, sure, yeah, but wrestling is not science fiction. Although, I think I really started looking down at the network more when they added some stupid Mary Knows Best, which was just too much, I think I’ll rather watch wrestling than some proclaimed “psychic” juggling family and her “work.” I’m not gonna be all geeky and complain about programs that aren’t “true” sci-fi, as I look at the network as a sci-fi/fantasy specialist, that is when they don’t air wrestling, other than that, it’s somewhat consistent, just wish it’ll get rid of Smackdown (which, yep, skews male). Seriously, is it something networks just want now?

Discovery isn’t all too bad. They used to be all nature documentary stuff, but they also like this skewing male (and younger as well) with shows like Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters, but for the most part, these shows, I think, work. They can be educational, especially Mythbusters (the science stuff), though I’m sure most people watch that because they like blowing stuff up. So, yeah, the network has changed from its boring days, but it still has the occasional documentaries, and hasn’t branched out to wrestling.

Although, its sister station, TLC (the Learning Channel), years ago looked like it was all about getting some younger viewers when LA Ink came into the picture. I never watched it, but I thought it strange for a show about a female tattoo artist to be on TLC. Maybe it’s just me, but mostly, the net seems to stay consistent with stuff I don’t want to watch, and again, I admit, shameful, I used to watch those home decorating shows they used to have, which I assume no longer have new episodes (I haven’t watch TLC in years, so forgive me if I don’t really know everything on TV).

Let’s see, what other one is there. Well, TBS and TNT still kind of don’t stick with what they represent fully. TBS has the “Very funny” tagline, but last week, I clearly remember seeing Titanic on the schedule (still proud of myself, I think I’m the only person in the free world that hasn’t see that movie), while TNT make knock out a few comedies or two, despite bragging that they “know drama.”

Oh, Cartoon Network, not so much. Live action is more prevalent now than it has been, even having an original new series, Tower Prep, which, according to TitanTV, it’s a drama. Yeah, things are changing there, though I think now it’s a matter of youth oriented programming, at least before the adult swim programming comes on at night.

Um, can I bitch that VH-1 Classic has gone rogue showing movies now, and not even music-related ones, like VH-1 and, well all of MTV has gonna down the toilet (though they have syndication rights to That 70s Show, which I like, and I know this being less than a week to Halloween, MTV will be showing Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and also, Underworld: Evolution, but still MTV has gone down the toilet, just look at Jersey Shore; if you want to know why other countries laugh at us, that’s why, although, maybe some may start taking pity out on us? Not all of us are that stupid.). Anyway, I seem to be rambling again, VH-1 Classic still shows more music videos or music-related documentary shows (like Behind the Music stuff) in one year than MTV and VH-1 have in the last five years, combined. (I don’t really know for sure, it’s more of a mere observation, but I think it sounds about right.

ABC Family still has family friendly programming, but also, they got some stuff I could watch, such as That 70s Show also. Plus some movies such as Billy Madison and Robin Hood Men in Tights airing sometime in the next week, which I’m sure will have that little ‘Parental Discretion Advised’ warning before the show starts. But, as I said, the net, which years ago added the little more maturity to appeal to teens, I’m sure, still has programs watchable by five year old kids.

I think that does it, sure there are other weird programming choices among the cable nets, but this post is long enough.

LATER…-ish

Quickly want to note I was looking at the TV schedule, thanks to TitanTV, which is an online TV schedule I’ve used for years, and have been using more since I’ve become DVR-less in order to know when what is new, or even on.

At least for me, Wednesday are extremely congested. Right now, I’m home for the 1st time during this TV season (its the 3rd week), so I’m currently watching the new ABC series Better With You,, which isn’t all too bad. But the 8pm hour itself, there’s nothing there. But the 9pm hour, not only is there the broadcast airings of CBS’s Criminal Minds (set DVD-Recorder for, always) and ABC’s hour comedy block of Modern Family & Cougar Town (which I can watch live today, but in the future, they’ll have to wait for me to stream online), on the cable side, there is still new eps of Ghost Hunters on Syfy (which I’ve missed the last 2, have to stream them online, in which there is an 8-day delay, luckily, today I can watch the 11pm encore instead ), and also, Mythbusters returns on Discovery Channel, and again, I’m gonna have to watch the encore at 12am.

10pm hour is calmer, today is the premiere of the 2nd half of the 14th season of South Park on Comedy Central (in which, if I ever have to work a night again, in the future they’ll be online viewers), and starting Nov. 10, Psych‘s 5th season returns, and I believe the 2 overlap for two weeks, so Psych is of higher priority, but though there is an encore at 12am, as long as Mythbusters is still new, Psych would have to be online, because Discovery doesn’t have full episodes of their shows online.

Phew, even if I had a DVR, there are still 2 shows that have to wait (Mythbusters in encore, and Ghost Hunters in encore or online). I hate mornings, but honestly, I almost prefer having a morning shift, just so I can be home for the madness.

First and foremost, and I think anyone who has worked in retail really agrees that the usual saying “Customer is Always Right” is absolute BULLSHIT.  I’m gonna try to keep this post short (and warn, I have a potty mouth when I’m pissed), but given I am now working at a new store since the other one closed, I’ve been out of work for two months before landing a job at a certain bedding and bath gifting shit store.  At my previous job, I did almost everything (except major decisions and deposits, other than that, kind of dealt with it even if only once in the near four years employed).  Every retail store has the usual crazy customers, rude customers, as well as nice customers.  But certain retail stores, I have to think, are getting worse.

Currently, “Customer is Always Right,” and you must drop whatever you’re doing, even if you’re told you’re on a strict timeframe, to help a customer, which 90% of the times are gonna say “Nah, just looking.”  I know when I go into a store, if I want help, I’ll ask.  It’s simple. There’s also this complete trust in customers versus employees.  Bag checks (found out, certain arts and crafts store does it too, yes, employees steal, do this, they’ll find a way to screw the company over more, or at least, they despise the company and end up not giving even more of a rat’s ass about doing their job).  It’s bad enough they may work 5 hrs and 59 min straight, now they may get patted down to check for contraband.

Adding on to “customers are the best” mantra, the magical return policy.  I think it’s a certain clothing store (I’m refusing to use names, but you may know what I’m talking about) has a disturbing return policy of allowing returns for everything (and other stores do it too, with used items, even pillows, (ew!)).  I, as a customer, refuse to shop and buy stuff from a place with a lenient return policy, simply because, depending on the type of item, it can be gross.  Most places probably discard washed merchandise, but what if, they don’t?  What if a kid with lice tried a pillow, and the mother returned it, not with a care in the world?  And the store accepted it and put it back?  I believe in a semi-strict policy, a certain number of days and must always have a receipt.  Maybe that’s just me.  Also, customers should know what fuckin size bed they have, got a Full but thought you needed a queen, wash the sheets and find out they don’t fit.  It’s not our fault you don’t know the size of your own damn bed.  We don’t sleep on it, you do.  Then you have the balls to return it.  It should be a no-can-do.  Check it on the bed before you wash it, at least.  Keep your fuckin’ receipt and keep the fuckin’ packaging.  If you have doubts, ALWAYS, keep everything.  I hate these new ways to check if someone bought something on a credit card, they should keep the receipt, we shouldn’t be expected to do everything.

There’s also what I have to think is actually breaking labor laws, when the only break is for those working at least 6 hours to get a 30-min lunch.  Meaning, work 5.5 hours, there isn’t even a 5-min break.

Most retail jobs, the hourly wages ones, are minimum wage or close to, have to deal with rude people, annoying people, assholes for bosses, be on their feet all day, walk from point A to point B constantly.  We work shitty hours (this week I had a close shift ’til 11pm then a first thing in the morning at 7:30am shift the next day), and are now, probably not even full time.  We’re the cheap able bodies on a floor, and are among the under appreciated, and I WANT OUT NOW!

I hate doing rant posts, but sometimes you got to let out a little steam.  Title may be a little misleading, I already knew this shit.