Saturday, March 31, 2007

Sold Out

I do polls sometimes for Harris Poll. Not to get any money, since I've never won the "sweepstakes" they always claim they have, but because I can earn points for overpriced prizes with very little effort. A week or so ago, I filled out yet another survey, only this one asked to call me with a follow up. Sure! Why not? So I get the call this week, and they want to pay me real money ($75!) to make a short movie about how I use media in my life (more or less). I just have to sign something and upload the video to their website. Fine. I sure could use $75 and I can make a 1-2 minute video, no prob. Before I get the contract to sign, I'm thinking about what it might say. For SURE I think it's gonna say they get the rights to my masterpiece. So I think, well, I'll just do a half-assed job; it's not like my $75 depends on it actually being GOOD! Especially if they broadcast this shize on CNN or something (I think that's one of the sponsors of this poll).

I get the contract, sho 'nuff, I have to waive all my "moral rights" to my video. And TimeWarner can show my video "without limitation throughout the universe in perpetuity by any and all means now known or hereafter discovered..." and I won't ever get more than my $75, even if my video rocks the foundations of civilization as we know it. OK, so I just make a crappy video, right? Yeah. I wish I could. Now the video I've made is so cool, I want to make a *practically* identical video so I can show all my friends. Cuz it's pretty cool. If you are near me, or are related to me, or otherwise want to see this video, let me know and I will figure out a non-illegal way to show you (read: no YouTubing it for me on this bad boy. It's totally right in the contract).

Man. I sold my creative soul for $75. Ah well, now we know my going price.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

It's all good

I took my comprehensive exam for my Master's degree on Friday. Phew! I'm just glad it's over and I can let my brain relax a bit. Last week, I had two other major tests in addition to the comps; I honestly don't think my brain has ever been that full before. This week is Spring Break, so I've just been trying to decompress, catch up on the little things around the house I've been neglecting, and just take advantage of the eye of the storm. One of the things I want to do with this time off is post a bit more to this blog :-)

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Overloading Cute Overlaod


Like Cute Overload, but wish there were more puppies? Me too. Enter The Daily Puppy, uber puppy goodness. Check out the videos too. Try not to squeal so loudly you wake the neighbors.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Awesome Video

If you've ever wondered what a man getting chased by a cartload of monkeys would look like, here's your chance to find out. (Oh, and definitely check out the first link. Guaranteed for at least five minutes of fun and wonder at our crazy language).

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Taste of Spring

Today was absolutely gorgeous. May I order another, please? I was more inspired to take pictures today than I have been in quite a while. Maybe it was the light, or the spring fever palpable across campus, but I just wanted to pull out my camera and capture everything. I took the photo to the right while I was talking on the phone with my mom (As a side note, she does not have thyroid cancer! Yipeee!!!!). I balanced the camera on my knee, tried to aim a little bit, and shot. This was by far the most non-crazily-lopsided take of the bunch.

Also inspiring me photographically is Threadless. I've blogged about this great site before, but they are having another sale, so last night I went on a shopping spree (well, a spree for us, anyway). They have a thing where you get credit for taking pictures of yourself wearing their shirts, and you get more credit if they love your picture, so I've been trying to think of some really creative, pretty ideas for compositions. My biggest obstacles are: free time while there's still daylight, free time in general, and a photographer. Since I have to be in the picture (wearing the shirt), it may be hard to get the results I want with someone else shooting. It's not like I have anything too fancy-shmance in mind, but I do have something in mind, you know?

Anyway, that brings me to what I've been thinking about more lately. I need to do more posed photographing of people. I'm a crappy people photographer right now and I'd like to change that. All I need are some willing subjects. Any takers?

Here are some portraits or a more (or less) willing subject:

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Finally Counting My Chickens

I got into the Speech Pathology MA program! I had been hoping I would (obvs.) and had hear from many other people that "of course I would get in," but I really didn't want to bet on it. Now I just have to pass Comps to actually get *this* MA (less than three weeks!), and finish this semester. I was freaking out about the course load for the new program, but I looked again, added up the credit hours, and it seems like it will be much more manageable than I had feared. I might even be able to take some extra classes and be done earlier (maybe). Yay for knowing what's in store!