A job offer was extended to me, officially, two days ago. And after a ridiculous amount of study and ponderment (new word, commit that one to memory); the wife and I have decided to accept it.
I have accepted the offer to become the Associate Director of Themed Entertainment at Rubicon Holding, a production studio based out of Amman, Jordan. This job will move us to the Los Angeles area and we are now actively seeking a new place to live. Top runners thus far, Valencia, Northridge and Pasadena.
More to come.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Prophesies of Victor Hugo
This past weekend my wife and I went to see a local production of Les Miserables. It was a high school production, and I thought they did a great job. My wife was seeing it for the first time, and I have seen it a few more than that but it was still nice to watch another great production.
Les Mis is a musical rendition of the book by the same title about a man's road to redemption during the French Revolution. Jean Valjean is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel. The character's nineteen year-long struggle with the law for stealing bread (5 years for the theft, 12 years for four attempted escapes and 2 years for fighting back during one escape attempt) during a time of economic and social depression.
Valjean's character in Les Misérables teaches the reader that redemption is possible for anyone, anywhere. This of course, is an incredibly important ideal to take away from the book as well as the show, however I have been interested with the depiction of Javert; the show's antagonist.
Javert is a policeman and prison guard who devotes his life to the law. Javert was born inside a prison. His mother was a Gypsy fortune-teller, and his father was a galley slave. The text states that this experience convinced Javert that he must choose between attacking society, or defending it; given this belief, he joins the police. After leaving the parole board, Javert spends the latter half of his life pursuing Jean Valjean.
For sake of time, I will sum up what happens; but you all should read the book: Javert pursues Valjean all of his life, with intention to return him to prison for life. Late in the story Vealjean has the opportunity to end Javert's life and finally be free. Instead he lets Javert go. Javert wanders the streets in emotional turmoil: his mind simply cannot reconcile the image he had carried through the years of Valjean as a brutal ex-convict, with Valjean's acts of kindness on the barricades. Now, Javert can be justified neither in letting Valjean go nor in arresting him. For the first time in his life, Javert is faced with the situation where he cannot act lawfully without acting immorally, and vice versa. Unable to find a solution to this dilemma and horrified at the sudden realization that Valjean was simultaneously a criminal and a good person—a conundrum which made mockery of Javert's entire system of moral values—Javert decides to remove the problem by removing himself from the problem. He goes into a police station, leaves on one of the desks a note with some remarks on how to improve police and prison operations in the city, then proceeds to Pont-au-Change and drowns himself in the river Seine.
In the musical, Javert's character is almost the same, with one difference. The musical's depiction of Javert has strong religious motivations which differ from Javert in the novel, who, although respecting the church, answered only to the law and not God. To me, this is an interesting change because it represents a host of religious individuals who attempt to guide their lives by a moral compass. Javert runs his life by the moral code he learned in the church, however - it seems to have run him to the far side of the spectrum; for now he struggles to find the good in life when it is not packaged in the black and white portrait set forth by the church.
And while the church, which represents the various religious institutions all over the world are in no way responsible for the effect, its members seem to have a tendency to "look beyond the mark" (for John). We forget that members outside our various organizations can also believe in God (in whatever form we understand) and are striving to be like him. Or even, we forget that some don't believe in God at all and yet still strive to make the world a better place. We forget that people all over the world, regardless of religious affiliation, are actually good.
I find it interesting; in scripture it speaks of the "End of the World" as a time when "man's heart shall fail him, and wax cold." It speaks of hatred and anger and a battle of good and evil (most believe this to be an issue based argument; Evil fights good based upon the fact that they do not wish to conform to the truth), that will ultimately over run the entire planet. That may be true, and will quite possibly happen, but for different reasons. I think that we as a people are capable of ending the world over nothing more than opinion; we hate each other - and unlike Javert, we'd kill each other. Look at the major polarizing ideals in society (Abortion, Homosexuality, Death Penalty, etc); no matter what people think or believe about these ideals, which usually have religious roots, end up in fight...and results in genuine hatred.
Let us not become like Javert, who found it so hard to believe that another man who had such obvious faults could actually be good. Perhaps we can remember that regardless of background, faith and ideals; we can look in the eyes of another man and see a life and remember "to love another person is to see the face of God."
Les Mis is a musical rendition of the book by the same title about a man's road to redemption during the French Revolution. Jean Valjean is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel. The character's nineteen year-long struggle with the law for stealing bread (5 years for the theft, 12 years for four attempted escapes and 2 years for fighting back during one escape attempt) during a time of economic and social depression.
Valjean's character in Les Misérables teaches the reader that redemption is possible for anyone, anywhere. This of course, is an incredibly important ideal to take away from the book as well as the show, however I have been interested with the depiction of Javert; the show's antagonist.
Javert is a policeman and prison guard who devotes his life to the law. Javert was born inside a prison. His mother was a Gypsy fortune-teller, and his father was a galley slave. The text states that this experience convinced Javert that he must choose between attacking society, or defending it; given this belief, he joins the police. After leaving the parole board, Javert spends the latter half of his life pursuing Jean Valjean.
For sake of time, I will sum up what happens; but you all should read the book: Javert pursues Valjean all of his life, with intention to return him to prison for life. Late in the story Vealjean has the opportunity to end Javert's life and finally be free. Instead he lets Javert go. Javert wanders the streets in emotional turmoil: his mind simply cannot reconcile the image he had carried through the years of Valjean as a brutal ex-convict, with Valjean's acts of kindness on the barricades. Now, Javert can be justified neither in letting Valjean go nor in arresting him. For the first time in his life, Javert is faced with the situation where he cannot act lawfully without acting immorally, and vice versa. Unable to find a solution to this dilemma and horrified at the sudden realization that Valjean was simultaneously a criminal and a good person—a conundrum which made mockery of Javert's entire system of moral values—Javert decides to remove the problem by removing himself from the problem. He goes into a police station, leaves on one of the desks a note with some remarks on how to improve police and prison operations in the city, then proceeds to Pont-au-Change and drowns himself in the river Seine.
In the musical, Javert's character is almost the same, with one difference. The musical's depiction of Javert has strong religious motivations which differ from Javert in the novel, who, although respecting the church, answered only to the law and not God. To me, this is an interesting change because it represents a host of religious individuals who attempt to guide their lives by a moral compass. Javert runs his life by the moral code he learned in the church, however - it seems to have run him to the far side of the spectrum; for now he struggles to find the good in life when it is not packaged in the black and white portrait set forth by the church.
And while the church, which represents the various religious institutions all over the world are in no way responsible for the effect, its members seem to have a tendency to "look beyond the mark" (for John). We forget that members outside our various organizations can also believe in God (in whatever form we understand) and are striving to be like him. Or even, we forget that some don't believe in God at all and yet still strive to make the world a better place. We forget that people all over the world, regardless of religious affiliation, are actually good.
I find it interesting; in scripture it speaks of the "End of the World" as a time when "man's heart shall fail him, and wax cold." It speaks of hatred and anger and a battle of good and evil (most believe this to be an issue based argument; Evil fights good based upon the fact that they do not wish to conform to the truth), that will ultimately over run the entire planet. That may be true, and will quite possibly happen, but for different reasons. I think that we as a people are capable of ending the world over nothing more than opinion; we hate each other - and unlike Javert, we'd kill each other. Look at the major polarizing ideals in society (Abortion, Homosexuality, Death Penalty, etc); no matter what people think or believe about these ideals, which usually have religious roots, end up in fight...and results in genuine hatred.
Let us not become like Javert, who found it so hard to believe that another man who had such obvious faults could actually be good. Perhaps we can remember that regardless of background, faith and ideals; we can look in the eyes of another man and see a life and remember "to love another person is to see the face of God."
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The news, a drink and yelling at the dude across the table.
A bright sunny afternoon shines down on a middle age man walking a busy Chicago street. He steps inside a coffee shop and sits down at a table, already occupied by a man who looks remarkably similar.
Is it cool if I sit here?
Sure-Hey you, you're me.
Well, constructed. Let's talk for a second.
You want to talk with me?
Well, more accurately, you want to talk with you; but you're not listening.
So...
So you are taking a stand and interrupting.
That sounds like me-
What are you doing right now, where are you going?
I am having a drink and reading the news. Is there someplace else you would rather be?
Well, as much as I enjoy kyping wi-fi and reading articles that I've already read before, what do you say we do something new for a change?
It appears that I talk to myself now, that's not good enough?
As much as I would like to entertain my own wit, I am going to ignore you for a moment to get to my point.
A point-
You need to do something, you need to accomplish something with your life. You're obviously gifted and have the desire to accomplish great things, why aren't you doing them?
-its just the news and a drink.
Great, you are going to force me to argue with myself in public and put up with my sarcasm?
It's a defense mechanism. Apparently it works internally too.
Seriously, you are a writer. Why aren't you writing? Why aren't you speaking? Why aren't you attempting to change things you don't like about this world? Why haven't you done anything you've wanted to do?
You know a lot of these things are easier said than done? Despite the witty exposition and dialog between me and - me, there isn't much demand for my writing. In fact, there isn't much demand for me. I have a job that required less thought than when I was un-employed, bills and no market value what-so-ever. People don't care. I am just a dude at a table in a coffee shop that no one will remember.
You are an incredibly large pansy.
Wow, I am an ass.
No, I mean it. That was the most self-serving, cheese and whine, girl-scout answer I have ever heard. But if it helps, you have got the delivery for it.
What could you possibly mean by...
No, that's a compliment. You rocked that delivery. You have got everyone sold with that response. "The economy sucks, the market sucks, the world sucks." You got it so good that you believe it too.
(Beat)
You do believe it; you think that you totally worked yourself out of life and the game is over.
(Another Long Pause)
I honestly do not care what you think is the cause of your situation is because there is very little you can do about it. Life happens, most of it will be completely un-explainable. Move on.
Thank You, Master Ugi. Anything else?
Since when did the things other people were doing become important?
They were always important, I just didn't care as much because I was always at the top of the pile.
Wow.
Well, I am talking to myself; PC answers seem a little pointless.
A fair point. But lets be honest about something else. You have wanted to be the head of every pile, in every category. But as long as you were doing something you loved, you were good with that. And if you were really sinking your teeth into something, you excelled at it. So just do something you like to do; regardless of who it is for or who will ever see it.
And my mind-numbing job?
Well, some things won't change. You took the hard route in life - get yourself out of it.
And the countless lives I wanted to change for the better?
Doesn't matter anyway if you are stuck in your own hole.
A long pause as both stare at the people walking outside.
And what if I don't have the desire to change, what if I really can't get out of this hole?
Just get started, the rest will come from somewhere.
(Beat)
You know, what about a short story about a kid who has a heart to heart with himself.
Sounds kind of boring, but the dialog could be pretty snappy if he was talking to his other half...
You mean better half.
I am fairly certain you are more annoying than you think.
Yeah, your friends think so too.
...allright.
Is it cool if I sit here?
Sure-Hey you, you're me.
Well, constructed. Let's talk for a second.
You want to talk with me?
Well, more accurately, you want to talk with you; but you're not listening.
So...
So you are taking a stand and interrupting.
That sounds like me-
What are you doing right now, where are you going?
I am having a drink and reading the news. Is there someplace else you would rather be?
Well, as much as I enjoy kyping wi-fi and reading articles that I've already read before, what do you say we do something new for a change?
It appears that I talk to myself now, that's not good enough?
As much as I would like to entertain my own wit, I am going to ignore you for a moment to get to my point.
A point-
You need to do something, you need to accomplish something with your life. You're obviously gifted and have the desire to accomplish great things, why aren't you doing them?
-its just the news and a drink.
Great, you are going to force me to argue with myself in public and put up with my sarcasm?
It's a defense mechanism. Apparently it works internally too.
Seriously, you are a writer. Why aren't you writing? Why aren't you speaking? Why aren't you attempting to change things you don't like about this world? Why haven't you done anything you've wanted to do?
You know a lot of these things are easier said than done? Despite the witty exposition and dialog between me and - me, there isn't much demand for my writing. In fact, there isn't much demand for me. I have a job that required less thought than when I was un-employed, bills and no market value what-so-ever. People don't care. I am just a dude at a table in a coffee shop that no one will remember.
You are an incredibly large pansy.
Wow, I am an ass.
No, I mean it. That was the most self-serving, cheese and whine, girl-scout answer I have ever heard. But if it helps, you have got the delivery for it.
What could you possibly mean by...
No, that's a compliment. You rocked that delivery. You have got everyone sold with that response. "The economy sucks, the market sucks, the world sucks." You got it so good that you believe it too.
(Beat)
You do believe it; you think that you totally worked yourself out of life and the game is over.
(Another Long Pause)
I honestly do not care what you think is the cause of your situation is because there is very little you can do about it. Life happens, most of it will be completely un-explainable. Move on.
Thank You, Master Ugi. Anything else?
Since when did the things other people were doing become important?
They were always important, I just didn't care as much because I was always at the top of the pile.
Wow.
Well, I am talking to myself; PC answers seem a little pointless.
A fair point. But lets be honest about something else. You have wanted to be the head of every pile, in every category. But as long as you were doing something you loved, you were good with that. And if you were really sinking your teeth into something, you excelled at it. So just do something you like to do; regardless of who it is for or who will ever see it.
And my mind-numbing job?
Well, some things won't change. You took the hard route in life - get yourself out of it.
And the countless lives I wanted to change for the better?
Doesn't matter anyway if you are stuck in your own hole.
A long pause as both stare at the people walking outside.
And what if I don't have the desire to change, what if I really can't get out of this hole?
Just get started, the rest will come from somewhere.
(Beat)
You know, what about a short story about a kid who has a heart to heart with himself.
Sounds kind of boring, but the dialog could be pretty snappy if he was talking to his other half...
You mean better half.
I am fairly certain you are more annoying than you think.
Yeah, your friends think so too.
...allright.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
A wise man once said.
Read this tonight, I think the author is right on many levels and funnier than most people realize.
"The more I read about it, the more it seems that Watson's (or its programmers') Jeopardy accomplishment was more breakthrough than parlor trick. Let's put it to practical use on our toughest problems like figuring out how to reduce the deficit without touching entitlements, why we keep getting so many credit card offers in the mail when we never respond to them, or how to keep Lindsay Lohan out of trouble."
Let's get this thing off the talk shows and do something with it. Besides, I got the Lohan thing figured out; put me in charge of her money.
"The more I read about it, the more it seems that Watson's (or its programmers') Jeopardy accomplishment was more breakthrough than parlor trick. Let's put it to practical use on our toughest problems like figuring out how to reduce the deficit without touching entitlements, why we keep getting so many credit card offers in the mail when we never respond to them, or how to keep Lindsay Lohan out of trouble."
Let's get this thing off the talk shows and do something with it. Besides, I got the Lohan thing figured out; put me in charge of her money.
Friday, January 21, 2011
I know you're reading this, so I wrote one just for you.
Dear Potential Employer,
Thank You for taking some time to do a little investigative reporting on me, your new potential employee. As you have my resume and Cover Letter, as well as access to my online professional profile at Linkedin.com, I thought I would take a moment and tell you a little bit more about myself. Since you are currently looking at my facebook, twitter and blogger accounts, I figured you are trying to learn something more about me that was not on the resume. So I have decided to help you out. I have decided to answer the interview questions that you should ask me when we interview. Hopefully, you'll know a thing or two when we are done here --so thank you for your time.
Yes, I grew up in the Chicagoland area. Here I feel I got the best of everything, as I feel this area is the land of moderation. I got both ends of the spectrum in politics, economics, business and entertainment (Don't ask for examples of entertainment -- I just threw it in there because four examples sounded better than three). I feel like I got a little bit of everything, and that is important to me. I returned here because I want my children to have the same experience.
I have many experiences from my personal and professional history that have shaped the way I operate today. Of course I have specifics for you, feel free to pick a category. I turned salesmanship into an art by the time I was 16, I can sell anything. Sales is fun but wears on you fast; something that I noticed early in life, so its not my favorite thing in the world. I love music and have an incredible ear for it, I'm a little freakish when it comes to music. Future dream job: scoring movies. I also love to write, a lot. Why do you think I am taking the time to have an interview with you, online, by myself.
My greatest attribute: This is an interesting question, and often difficult to answer because I never know exactly what you are looking for when you ask it. I think my greatest attribute is that I genuinely believe in the goodness of people. It is a gift because I am always striving to bring out the best in a situation. I also work tirelessly to solve problems because I want to make others happy.
My weakest attribute: I am easily spooked. I am incredibly afraid of failure and the resulting consequences. At times, this can be good because I will work on a problem until I am successful; something I am sure you will enjoy at your firm. However, if it is something I haven't already started, I will most likely avoid in order to save face. This is the reason I didn't play high school basketball, football, try to get into an Ivy League school, or learn to play the piano or attempt to sing professionally. Long story short, sometimes I am a pansy.
The thing that I will bring to your company is an un-matched level of passion. I run 100mph at whatever problem you point me towards. A fair warning, sometimes I will leave Mitch-shaped holes in the wall, because I will screw up. But I work hard and if you show interest in my life an who I want to become, I will be your most loyal associate; like a border collie with a degree.
Finally, I love to work. Ask my family and friends, they will affirm that I am ridiculously devoted to whatever I am working on; most of them will report with a certain amount of disdain-but it will be the truth. I love it, and I am ready to start immediately.
Anyway, thank you for your time "investigating" me, your newest employee. I hope it was worth the read. In the meantime, feel free to browse my facebook pictures and friends and that will give us something to fill time with in the actual interview. Thanks again, talk to you soon.
Mitch
Thank You for taking some time to do a little investigative reporting on me, your new potential employee. As you have my resume and Cover Letter, as well as access to my online professional profile at Linkedin.com, I thought I would take a moment and tell you a little bit more about myself. Since you are currently looking at my facebook, twitter and blogger accounts, I figured you are trying to learn something more about me that was not on the resume. So I have decided to help you out. I have decided to answer the interview questions that you should ask me when we interview. Hopefully, you'll know a thing or two when we are done here --so thank you for your time.
Yes, I grew up in the Chicagoland area. Here I feel I got the best of everything, as I feel this area is the land of moderation. I got both ends of the spectrum in politics, economics, business and entertainment (Don't ask for examples of entertainment -- I just threw it in there because four examples sounded better than three). I feel like I got a little bit of everything, and that is important to me. I returned here because I want my children to have the same experience.
I have many experiences from my personal and professional history that have shaped the way I operate today. Of course I have specifics for you, feel free to pick a category. I turned salesmanship into an art by the time I was 16, I can sell anything. Sales is fun but wears on you fast; something that I noticed early in life, so its not my favorite thing in the world. I love music and have an incredible ear for it, I'm a little freakish when it comes to music. Future dream job: scoring movies. I also love to write, a lot. Why do you think I am taking the time to have an interview with you, online, by myself.
My greatest attribute: This is an interesting question, and often difficult to answer because I never know exactly what you are looking for when you ask it. I think my greatest attribute is that I genuinely believe in the goodness of people. It is a gift because I am always striving to bring out the best in a situation. I also work tirelessly to solve problems because I want to make others happy.
My weakest attribute: I am easily spooked. I am incredibly afraid of failure and the resulting consequences. At times, this can be good because I will work on a problem until I am successful; something I am sure you will enjoy at your firm. However, if it is something I haven't already started, I will most likely avoid in order to save face. This is the reason I didn't play high school basketball, football, try to get into an Ivy League school, or learn to play the piano or attempt to sing professionally. Long story short, sometimes I am a pansy.
The thing that I will bring to your company is an un-matched level of passion. I run 100mph at whatever problem you point me towards. A fair warning, sometimes I will leave Mitch-shaped holes in the wall, because I will screw up. But I work hard and if you show interest in my life an who I want to become, I will be your most loyal associate; like a border collie with a degree.
Finally, I love to work. Ask my family and friends, they will affirm that I am ridiculously devoted to whatever I am working on; most of them will report with a certain amount of disdain-but it will be the truth. I love it, and I am ready to start immediately.
Anyway, thank you for your time "investigating" me, your newest employee. I hope it was worth the read. In the meantime, feel free to browse my facebook pictures and friends and that will give us something to fill time with in the actual interview. Thanks again, talk to you soon.
Mitch
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Big Brother
The amount of information available bewilders me...It blows my mind that I can look and see where in the world people are reading this, how they got here, and that they are reading it on their iPhone...
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Taking the day
2010 was not my favorite year; and I have already taken into account that ranking years is a little Obsessive Compulsive, even for me. I do have some good years, I liked '95 (49ers last Superbowl Win) '03 (Senior Year of Highschool. Awesome.) '08 (Senior year of college, not a moment too soon!), and in all honesty life in general has been pretty good. But 2010 was a particular brand I just didn't enjoy.
2010, however, is coming to a close. And while part of me breathes a sigh of relief, I am still wishing I could take another crack at the year and see if we can pull something out of it that could turn everything around. I wish and had made a few different business/career moves that would have allowed me to side-step the economic demise of an entire industry that catapulted me into managing a Footlocker instead of carving out a little slice of the world. I wish I would have re-arranged my schedule in 2010 so I could have enjoyed more time with family both near and far. I wish I would have taken more strokes off my game and spent at least one round on a course with my uncle Steve. More than anything, 2010 felt panicked, rushed and stressful; Three attributes to life I can very easily live without.
The past two days, however, have been anything but. Life just slowed down for a bit. Yesterday alone was a gift that allowed me to just sit and watch time pass by with no care or worries about where it was passing to. I watched my daughter play with her new pet; a little dog that barks at her...and then she barks back, I played games with my wife, and just enjoyed life for the day.
Tomorrow we get back to it, but I am determined to take the peace of Christmas with me in the days to come. Not so much the warm thoughts and being nice to other people (not that those are bad things; but I am a realist here - those won't last)but the peace I found with my family that day; the joys of the simple things in life that are so easily missed when time is moving just a little too fast. 2010 wasn't all that great because I forgot to dwell on those little moments that make life great. And I am going to make sure that 2011 is awesome.
-Little moment of the day: My daughter just got annoyed with my wife because she was giving her kisses and blocking the line of sight to the laptop. Great, she's got her mother's attitude!
2010, however, is coming to a close. And while part of me breathes a sigh of relief, I am still wishing I could take another crack at the year and see if we can pull something out of it that could turn everything around. I wish and had made a few different business/career moves that would have allowed me to side-step the economic demise of an entire industry that catapulted me into managing a Footlocker instead of carving out a little slice of the world. I wish I would have re-arranged my schedule in 2010 so I could have enjoyed more time with family both near and far. I wish I would have taken more strokes off my game and spent at least one round on a course with my uncle Steve. More than anything, 2010 felt panicked, rushed and stressful; Three attributes to life I can very easily live without.
The past two days, however, have been anything but. Life just slowed down for a bit. Yesterday alone was a gift that allowed me to just sit and watch time pass by with no care or worries about where it was passing to. I watched my daughter play with her new pet; a little dog that barks at her...and then she barks back, I played games with my wife, and just enjoyed life for the day.
Tomorrow we get back to it, but I am determined to take the peace of Christmas with me in the days to come. Not so much the warm thoughts and being nice to other people (not that those are bad things; but I am a realist here - those won't last)but the peace I found with my family that day; the joys of the simple things in life that are so easily missed when time is moving just a little too fast. 2010 wasn't all that great because I forgot to dwell on those little moments that make life great. And I am going to make sure that 2011 is awesome.
-Little moment of the day: My daughter just got annoyed with my wife because she was giving her kisses and blocking the line of sight to the laptop. Great, she's got her mother's attitude!
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