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September 30, 2005
Voiceover Artist
I recorded another Voiceover for IMS Health today. It's the third I've done for the brand but the first done directly with the producing company. Today's voiceover was a series of Lessons geared for IMS employees regarding the transitions related to a recent merger and how the new merger related to the new vision for the brand. This was very similar to what I did for Collaborare earlier this year.
While this seems like easy money, it can be kind of grueling; not blue-collar dig a ditch grueling, but definitely white-collar grueling. It's hard to talk for 4 straight hours...even for me. Some of the slides in the lessons got pretty technical and long and, while I know it's hard to write about this stuff so it's engaging and accessible to the audience, it's also hard to speak it.
Who am I kidding? To be honest, I make a ridiculous amount of money for this and I'm just starting out. I feel a little guilty that I'm making this kind of money for talking when teachers or social workers are making so little for the important work they do. Still, it's what the market will bear and I love doing it (so I'm not just doing it for the money.)
I could live a nice life on working 6 full days a month with voiceover work. Getting that work consistently is the real challenge; a challenge I'm more and more interested in addressing. Think of what I could do in all that time leftover!
Money aside, today was really satisfying. I got to do something related to what I came to New York for in the first place. And that is always a good day in my book.
Posted by mermu at 09:10 PM | Comments (0)
September 28, 2005
Daaaahhhhh-eeeeelll
So I've finally hooked up my Mbox with the Factory Bundle and after a few mis-steps; abandoning old computer and reinstalling in newer laptop with more RAM, removing the old version, installing the free update, installing the plug-ins and just plain playing around, I can now get sound out of my mic and recorded in an Mbox session.JOY!!!
This is really exciting for me. I've been researching podcasting for awhile and have been pretty jazzed about the medium since I started listening to a few of them. Keep an ear out for podcasts including myself and the creator of this. I'm also thinking about starting my own personal podcast as an extension of my blog and voiceover work. It's sort of a "my chocolate fell in my own peanut butter scenario." What can I say? My house is a mess right now: this could actually happen.
Until then, I've got lots of work to do figuring this stuff out. Thankfully 48 hours of tutorials with Pro Tools Videos was included with the bundle. That's as many lessons as I can squeeze into 48 consecutive hours. It's like a buffet for my brain. Hmmm...maybe I'll sign up this weekend and hole up in my little apartment.
In the meantime, I'm still a little frustrated. I have gotten sound recorded which is a big step but I'm still battling with this intensely annoying buzz/hiss in the background. I may have to download some Noise Reduction software. I'm not sure as at this point I have no idea what I'm doing. Then I remembered my own personal MBOX Guardian Angel. Well, at least I hope so. St. Dale of the Soundwaves will you hear my prayer? Please tell me how to get rid of that annoying buzz.
Daaahhhhlll?
NOTE: Cousin, can you forward this to your amazingly talented and handsome husband?
Posted by mermu at 01:21 AM | Comments (0)
September 23, 2005
Chaos II (It's the Relief that kills 'em)
Hurricane Rita is coming on strong towards my homeland of Texas and I continue to seethe. I have alot of family and friends in the Houston area, so this one is hitting closer to home. Because of the flub-ups after Katrina, federal, state and local officials see Rita as an opportunity at redemption and thus are spreading gloom and doom across the Gulf regions of Texas. So much so that there is a 100 mile traffic jam out of Houston. People are running out of gas on the interstate as they sit in virtual standstills for 10 hours or more. A bus full of elderly evacuees caught fire and killed up to 24 people.
I have to admit, this one can't be blamed on the feds. Houstonites know that traffic is an issue everyday and not just at rush hour. WHAT IDIOT ORDERED THE EVACUATION OF THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA AT THE SAME TIME?
Houston officials should have known better. When there is a water shortage in Texas, water use is restricted in an orderly and fair manner so that all the most important needs are being met in the most orderly manner. If there is enough water to do so, lawns may be watered on alternating days depending on your street location and address. A simple solution to distribute a finite amount of resource. Why wasn't a similar plan put forth for Houston's evacuation? The mayor ordered an evacuation of Houston on Wednesday knowing the storm was scheduled to hit on Saturday. People have been evacuating since as early as Tuesday. That's up to 4 days that could have been organized and planned. Why weren't people given a scheduled evacuation date/time/route according to their license plate or address? It's a simple plan, and though not perfect, certainly better than the alternative playing out before us. And what happens if this hurricane hits the millions of people that are stuck in traffic? People are safer in their homes.
As far as I know, most of my family and friends got out in time and are safely with relatives or friends. I do have one aunt and uncle who are still there and must wait out whatever storm comes. They unfortunately didn't get out when it was possible but were, at least, lucky enough not to try when it wasn't and are thus safe in their homes rather than stuck in the worst traffic jam in history.
Hurricane Rita was downgraded to a Category 3 storm at approximately 2pm today. That's still a big storm, but nothing compared to the Category 5 it once was. Typically, a hurricane continues to lose steam once it downgrades. I hope so. I hope people are spared anymore damage to their lives and homes. Sadly, at this point, the damage has been done. Rita could turn into a light rain by landfall and it would still be a catastrophe.
Posted by mermu at 02:51 PM | Comments (0)
Chaos
Hurricane Katrina's devastation caught me unaware. While the scenario that it would hit New Orleans did hit my radar, I had no idea of the intensity and ramifications of such a deadly hurricane hitting such a vulnerable, below-sea level city. The news machine seemed to be caught just as off-guard, which is surprising considering every outlet with a little money sent someone down there to get their required wind-breaker clad reporter in the wind shot. Then all hell broke loose; levies broke, people were trapped, pets were abandoned and the stench of death and oil-laden water permeated the Gulf cities. As if that weren't enough, then things really got bad.
It turns out there was plenty of information about the kind of havoc Hurricane Katrina could wreak. Engineers have been working with state and local officials since the late 1960s on ways to provide comprehensive flood relief. In 1995, SELA (Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project) was created to shore up levees and build pumping stations should a break occur. In the hours leading up to the Hurricane, federal, state and local officials met for hours to create a workable plan. It's what happened between the conference room and the actual arrival of Katrina where things fell apart.
Once again GWB proved how inept he is at handling anything that isn't already handled for him. This time there was no threat of terror, or the safe-haven of Air Force One to buy him some time to get his act together. It's no wonder Bush was so lackadaisical about the catastrophe and loathe to give up on his most recent vacation from presidential duties. Look at his mother's philosophy:
What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them.
September 5, 2005, Barbara Bush on Marketplace, National Public Radio
Did Barbara mean these "underprivileged" people deserved to have their lives blown away by a force of nature? Of course not. But, really. What did she mean? White House press secretary Scott McClellan will tell you she meant that these people were not getting any assistance before coming to Texas and that Barbara was referring to the hospitality and assistance they were finally receiving in Texas. Okay. Maybe. But what in the hell does being underprivileged have to do with that? It's that one word that turns this quote from a minor mix-up into a major embarassment and, perhaps, a reflection into the shallow waters that sustain the Bush family. Barbara, Barbara, we hardly knew ye.
One laudable moment did occur because of Katrina. George Bush finally did something in his presidency that he has never done despite being our leader during the biggest terror attack on our soil in history, lying or, at best, misleading Congress and the nation about facts that pulled us into a deadly and costly war, and cultivating such a laissez faire attitude towards the Geneva Convention and the basic human rights of soldiers that Abu Ghraib proved to the world what hypocrites some Americans can be. George Bush finally took responsibility for the blunders of Hurricane Katrina.
I have to give him props for finally owning up to something even if it's almost a joke at this point. "Is the Pope Catholic?" "Is George Bush to blame?" He hired best buddy Michael Brown as the head of FEMA despite a woeful lack of experience. It kind of makes you wonder who else he's hired that's ill equipped. And what kind of havoc must rear its ugly head before we find out? You think this little war he's gotten us into isn't that bad? Well, then you most certainly don't have somebody over there. You most certainly didn't spend your own hard-earned money sending flack jackets to your loved ones because the government didn't issue them. Let's look past the emotional pleas of mourning mothers and the fact that the future of our country, our people, are risking their lives for a lie.
In 2003 $250 Million in crucial projects necessary towards protecting the Gulf region against increasing Hurricane activity was curtailed to divert funds to the war in Iraq.
It's about money and resources. I still believe America to have the best resources in the world, but there is a finite end to that well we continue to tap. As we continue to chase that fool's errand (I think you know who I mean.) in Iraq, think about all of the balls being dropped at home and abroad. Where is Osama Bin Ladin, the guy who actually had something to do with 9-11? Where are the levees to protect our gulf cities? Where will we show our weakness next?
Some links to articles referenced in the above entry:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/a/200931.htm?terms=barbara+bush%2C+katrina+quote
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1473789/posts
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4839943
Posted by mermu at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)
September 21, 2005
I Tri-ed.
This weekend I completed the Danskin Triathlon in Sandy Hook, NJ. It's a mini-triathlon with 1/2 mile open water swim in Sandy Hook Bay, an 11 mile bike ride on the coast and a 5k run to the finish. I've been training with Team Danskin through the Heartzones company. While the race has been in the NY area for a few years, this year was the first Team Danskin Training in the New York area.
The New York Danskin is THE place to start Tri-ing if you are lucky enough to have an extra X-chromosome. It's a smooth, flat course, the weather is gorgeous, and since it's the last race of the Danskin season the merchandise at the expo is at bargain basement prices. I picked up a 2-piece tri-suit for $40 (It retails for twice that.)The expo isn't as large as the other races, but that only adds to the charm and intimacy of the NY race. By Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m when the first wave heads out to swim, everyone is a buddy.
I felt prepared for the event because of the training. Though I'd fallen off the wagon a bit during Grandma's birthday weekend and the September Project, I still had a really good training base. I knew I would finish; I just wasn't sure when. I really wanted to finish under 2 hours. At various points during the day on Saturday before the race I was alternately positive I would finish under 2 hours and positive it would take me at least 3 to cross "the line". Truthfully I had no idea how this would all end up,but I was completely jazzed about the whole process. Saturday was all about fun! and getting hyped up and having a good time with Magda (who came with her mom and grandma to cheer me on) on the beach. It wasn't until I stepped into the water of the bay at 7:16 on Sunday morning that it occurred to me, "Whoa! I'm really going to do this. It's too late to back out now."
The Swim
At 7:16 my "wave" took off into the Coast Guard section of Sandy Hook Bay. Because the Danskin is so large the participants start their race in 3 minute increments called waves. I was in the 6th wave. With my neon green swim cap(denoting my wave) atop my head and my new special "wick away" moisture tri suit at the ready, I stepped into the warm water of Sandy Hook Bay ready to take on the Bay. I am a gorgeous swimmer. At least, world champion athlete Sally Edwards told me I was. A few minutes swimming in the choppy bay water and I didn't give a damn how I looked. Yesterday a teammate who had scoped out the race site said the water was as smooth as glass. Well, if this was smooth water I was happy to be considered a Wuss. Every few strokes I'd look up to see how close the buoys were. They didn't seem to get any closer. Other swimmers were in my way or trying to swim over me. Before the race I was determined not to seek the refuge of a swim angel's noodle. With each smooth-as-glassy-super choppy wave, my resolve was weakening. "I will not use a noodle. I WILL not use a noodle." Maybe I'll use a noodle? Shut up! I WILL NOT use a noodle. Thank God for Dory who swam in my ear and whispered her mantra, "just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." After what seemed like hours, a few accidental gulps of salty water and thankfully no jelly fish I emerged from the water to make my way towards the transition area to get ready for the bike. The one thing I left out of my gear bag was my heart monitor watch so I had no idea what my time was.The Bike
My transition from swim to bike took awhile. The transition area was 200 yards from the swim exit. Walking/running barefoot isn't really a good idea for me as I might have a spur. Thanks to whomever invented the miracle wick-away fabric of the tri-suit. I rinsed my feet, put on my shoes, Team Danskin overshirt, bicycle helmet, sunglasses and made way for the bike course. I am now an athlete and GORGEOUS cyclist. I really was a gorgeous cyclist. I'd bought my Specialized Hybrid bike a few years ago thinking I'd eventually get it together to do a triathlon. I wanted a bike that I could sit up on; that biking posture hurts after awhile. Though many people told me I would want a road bike after doing a triathlon, road bikes are much more expensive than hybrids and I wasn't convinced I'd go for that uncomfortable bike posture ever. The bike ride was my favorite part of the triathlon. As I mentioned before, the course was flat and along the coastline. The weather was, like me, gorgeous. A few fishermen were catching fish on the rocks, the sun was shining and the breeze was blowing. I was cycling constantly in Zone 3 of my maximum Heart Rate and enjoying life. Many people cycling the same cadence were passing me but what could I do? I'll get there when I get there. At the halfway turn, the ride became a little different. My tailwind became a headwind and I realized I had to bike the remaining 5 miles into it. Ugh! It still wasn't that bad but my zen groove was busted. It was a gorgeous day though...and I was a gorgeous cyclist. I couldn't help wishing for the pink road bike I had test driven Saturday at the Fit For Women Bike Tour booth at the Danskin expo.The Run
Even with the headwind, the bike section was great. I sailed into the Transition area to stow my bike and gear, don my cap, racing number, and hopefully remind my legs how to walk. The run turned out to be tough. My body was tired and my "maybe I have spurs" spurs were making sure to remind me to go to the podiatrist before I do this again. My shins were doing some funky things too. I was positive I wouldn't finish in under 2 hours and 30 minutes but I am now a BI-athlete and a gorgeous runner. The course was flat but meandering and my scope of distance was really out of whack at this point. The great thing about the meandering path as it gave me a chance to see my friends who were ahead of me as well as my friends who were behind me. We also ran past the oldest working lighthouse in the country. I had to walk the course more than I would have liked. This portion of the course is where I have the most opportunity for improvement. I did manage to run the final few hundred yards to the finish line.And now, I am a triathlete, a gorgeous triathlete (Sally Edwards said so.) I finished the race in 2 hours, 7 minutes and :30 seconds. To see my full results, check out the Danskin results site, click NY METRO, and enter my last name. I had a great time in both the training and the race. In general, it feels really good to be active again. My mood, my asthma, my focus: everything improves when I am active. After mentioning how difficult I found the smooth, glassy water, my sister and mother (who have each done a few triathlons) assured me that the water was really choppy. Now, I don't feel so much like a wuss and I look forward to the next triathlon. Because there will be a next time. I'm confident that with a little more training I can make it into that elusive Under 2 hours club even without a roadbike. But I still want a roadbike. (Carl, if you're reading this, I think I might take you up on your offer.)
Challenge
There are quite a few women in my family who have completed triathlons. There are also quite a few who have not. To them and any woman reading this entry, I challenge you to "Do the Danskin". I'll definitely do the New York one next year. I'm even considering doing the Disneworld too. So come on! Danskin 2006.Posted by mermu at 04:41 PM | Comments (0)
I made the Reporter!
Pru and I have a longstanding quest to get in the local Weehawken Newspaper. It's sort of a race between us. Pru and Pru 2 were background in a picture featured in the reporter last summer. I'm not sure if that counts. Here is my shot.
PS> Even my sister made this one.
Posted by mermu at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)
September 16, 2005
Come Tri with me, We'll Tri - Away!
Now that the September Project is over, all I can think about is my upcoming, first-ever triathlon. I had my last Team Danskin Workout on Wednesday and now all I have to do is clean my house, pack and pick up my sister and niece and car
I'm getting nervous!!!
Posted by mermu at 04:35 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2005
September Project 2005 Recap
Tuesday night I had my 2nd annual charity event. Alot has changed since the first year's project (the name of the movement, the website) but the core of the idea remains; to encourage people to look at an issue in their community and, instead of saying, "someone should do something about that", they think instead, "How can I fix this?". It's a big job to make a difference, and it's easy to feel like the little dutch boy plugging his finger into one of a 1000 holes in a dam. I prefer instead to think of philanthopic involvement as more of a snowflake rolling down a large mountain, with momentum and magnetism adding mass with every step.
Tuesday night's event went well. People's eagerness to contribute in whatever ways they can inspires me still to keep up with this. White Rabbit not only donated the space for free, but also provided a lovely selection of hors d'ouevres and crudites for the event. Wine stewards from Fun With Wine donated their time as well. Artist Julia Briggs donated her gorgeous painting to the cause.
I really enjoyed seeing friends I hadn't seen for awhile too. So I have to say the event was a great success. I also received contributions online via paypal from people who wanted to come but couldn't. Speaking of which, it's not too late to support the September Project's 2005 Charity. You can make a donation by going to the September Project Charity page. If you donate at least $50 I'll send you a gift bag which includes, among other things, a really cool Do-It-Yourself mosaic hurricane lamp kit.
I want to thank everybody who came out and supported September Project as well as those who contributed from afar in cash, goods or services. And stay tuned, I've already come up with a killer idea for next year. Besides, that little dutchboy could grow up to be an engineer and build a better dam in the first place.
Posted by mermu at 03:44 PM | Comments (0)
September 12, 2005
Jolene, Jolene
Okay, after spending too many wee hours looking for guitar tabs and chords I have decided that my "exam" song in Guitar class is going to be country...Jolene by Dolly Parton.
Now that's definitely a song that no other student will pick. I don't think that was ever one of my Dolly Parton faves. I was always a big fan of "Two Doors Down". And I remember being a little girl and watching Dolly on TV. I used to love when she would sing "Here You Come Again" even though it always almost made me cry. Now that is what you call a Country song. Classic.
Last month I found myself walking past Radio City Music Hall and happened to notice that Dolly would be playing there the next week. I looked briefly at the poster of Dolly and thought how nice it might be to see her in concert. I'd never been to Radio City either. But I never get to go to concerts. And right then, with Grandma's party, September Project, and the Triathlon, how could I find the time?
Ever since High School when I first bought tickets to George Michael, and then later Madonna I've had bad karma with concerts. I ended up re-selling those tickets (at face value, thank you) because I had a rehearsal for a play or a musical or some such. Yes. I was the idiot who missed out on the Like a Virgin tour because I didn't want to miss a rehearsal playing the old lady in "Anything Goes".
That weekend though, I went rafting with some pals in the Poconos. Now that was a certified good-time! The river was kind of low but the scenery was beautiful and rafting itself was really fun. I bummed a ride with two of my rafting buddies, friends of friends I'd met once or twice at parties and such. On the ride home (during a monstor thunderstorm I might add) I discovered I had fallen in with a bonofide Dolly Parton officianado. He had been in Nashville for a time as an aspiring writer. His partner, who was driving the car, was in Nashville working for a talent agency. They KNEW their Dolly Parton. I heard her blue-grass version of "Stairway to Heaven", and MeShell Ndege'Ocello's cover of "Two Doors Down". (I also found out that they were friends with Don Schlitz who penned the mantra song "The Gambler" as well as "On the Other Hand" (a song to which I flipped my cute little Hyundai Hatchback in college.)
I came away from that trip with a really smelly bathing suit (We saw a dead fish in the water.) and a new resolve to try to see Dolly at Radio City. I convinced Gentleman Caller to come with me. On that Thursday night, around 8:00pm I found myself sitting in Radio City waiting for Dolly.
Being her Vintage Tour, she played all the classics (but alas no Stairway to Heaven.) She hasn't missed a beat. I had seen a PBS program featuring Heart where Ann Wilson's voice was woefully out of shape. I attributed it to the inevitable changes of aging. Dolly Parton though was as good as her first recording. The voice, her carriage; everything belied her many years of a life on the stage. There isn't an instrument that woman doesn't play. When the curtain opens you see a semicircle of guitars, harps, more guitars, and other instruments just waiting for their cameo in Dolly's arms. I'm glad I didn't miss it.
So in homage to Dolly, because the song has really grown on me, and because it happens to be with chords I know how to play, I'll be playing and singing "Jolene" for my final guitar lesson tonight at 7:00. Dolly, this one's for you!
Posted by mermu at 02:37 AM | Comments (0)