Mulit-Master Creative Process.

SO. I'm stuck. Here is my jumbled mess of ideas and maybe blogging it out will help me sort through it. Feel free to throw in your two or three cents worth! Unfortunately, I am not finding things that I like that the gentleman with the last word also likes. He likes high gloss granite which is nice but t's also WAY too slick for my kitchen which is the room that spends April through October wet from the 50 neighborhood kids in the water in the backyard. We all know what that is like...



Keep in mind my kitchen is changing. On the wall that currently has the red flower picture, there will be this vintage wallpaper I found on Ebay in two big framed out boxes. The wall behind those trim boxes will be the bright green and then on the paneling and trim for the boxes, a darker green. My old wooden kitchen table is getting a coat of acid yellow and we are getting chairs I can WIPE clean this time, aluminum chairs from Sundance Catalog. The cabinet pulls I bought are just simple brushed silver and go with the industrial light already over the sink and the stainless appliances going in. Now that you can hopefully picture this, whattya think about these for tile? I really hope I can just go back there one more time to order and then never go back there again. My kids are sick of going to Contempo Tile and it's WAAAAY too close to the shooting deadline.




I would do this herringbone in a grey or brick color instead of creme.


I love this idea the most. I'm so into checkerboard because it can be any period, anywhere. It can be Moroccan Ballroom or London Hotel or 50's diner. I would do it in the two tiles in the bottom right corner, gray and black.

My two favorite styles here. I love this bottom style but I would do it in gray and black instead of browns. Or at least do the smaller boxes in dark gray or black. The warmth of the larger tiles could be kind of nice, really.

So there you have it. Sigh. I'm going to go over this another hundred times while I watch the Red Carpet re-cap.

The Before Multi Master Pictures.

This is what my kitchen looks like. And sad to say what it has looked like for about 6 weeks. Yes. Debris and all. I never bagged it up. I also never finished ripping out the particle board subfloor. (Yes, I know it's like a big fragile saltine cracker should it get soaked, that is why I'm tearing it out. Why do men think they have to mention this? Do they assume I'm tearing it out because my high heels put unsightly dents in it?)



The good news is that had I finished it, the Multi-Master folks wouldn't have been able to shoot in my house. Their tool is perfect for ripping out the last of my subfloor. They are also helping with that ledge thingie under the window, whatever it's called. Their tool will cut the broken tile out. I could cry with the happiness.

They are also grinding down the big thick crack in the unsightly plaster in my livingroom ceiling and doing a regular knock down texture. And one of the the mold walls downstairs will probably get a little dry wall and mudding but I'm not sure... I'll have some "before" pictures up of those, too, shortly. I want every one of my readers, you loyal few, to be able to see how awesome these people are and what they are doing for me. They could choose to rent a stage at like, K-Jazz Studios and build a set and show their stuff there, but they did not. They picked real people with real problems that this tool can fix because they are a bunch of super cool selfless dudes. So there.

Miracles and Meltdowns.

I have been going back to the gym with the attitude, "Let's agree to forgive and forget, Gold's Gym. I will do so if you help me get in shape for the Cancer Marathon in April. Which is bigger than us both and is a cause we can agree to team up for, right?"

WRONG. I get the kids ready and drive to their favorite Gold's location in Orem to be a cool Mom. Today for some reason is the day Gold's Orem decides I can't workout. They tell me the gym access pass is expired but I do have another year of daycare. So I'm back to square one...again. For those of you that have no idea what this is about, I will catch you up quickly. Last year Brett gave me a one year free pass! I had the gym employee sign me up for my year. I told him I would need a year daycare to go with and that I was happy to pay for that. He filled out two contracts, one Gym pass one Daycare pass. I look at the dates on the Gym pass and it's correct, for one year. I sign both. Later I am told that I have TWO years Daycare. I say, "No way! I asked for and signed a contract for one year."

NOPE! The guy put a two year date on the daycare. Why? Not sure. To get me to pay money for no reason for a service I can't utilize I guess. Or in other words to totally screw me.

So I go through the ringer. I go to corporate offices where they laugh me out the door with the attitude, "We don't care what you were told you were getting, the date is right there and there is your signature, so, *bird finger raised* there is the door." Everyone at Corporate offices I talk to gives me this same attitude. I also call Paramount Acceptance (that owns my contract) over and over to talk to a supervisor. I leave messages. One calls me back TWO WEEKS later and says, "This is Joanne *sigh* call me back at *rambles off number* click." Like she's pissed to get MY voicemail after I got hers half a dozen times. I talk to her, I talk to her supervisor. I talk to everyone. Nada. I give up. I quit going to the gym even though I have months left on both passes. Because I am pissed and angry every time I see Gold's. I decide to pay for it in full to sell on Craig's List. I find out, when I call to pay in full, that I have an account that shows two years of gym and daycare!! I ask multiple times if he is sure! Yep. He says he's 99% sure. HUZZAH! Oh glorious day someone must have helped me! Someone that I left a message with took pity on me and did the right thing and gave me the extra year as a consolation for all of the crap I've been through! I go back to Gold's with a forgiving heart after a very busy few months of work. I am going to get in shape and single handedly raise a billion dollars to fight cancer. All is well!

NOPE! Access Denied.

The blonde Gym Manager that wouldn't let me in was such a condescending human being. She said things out of half closed eyes like, "Well it seems simple to me but you obviously have gotten confused somewhere." I had to keep telling her I was NOT confused. That wasn't the problem. I seem to find CS people that think that explaining how things go down somehow equals customer service. Like, "If I just get you to understand how it all happened you will go away." It doesn't. I am not confused. I was there for how it went down and I can read your computer screen as well as you can. And when customers get upset, the goal of a Manager should not be to go out of their way to try and be "smarter" than the customer. It's not a contest.

She had me talk to a cool guy named Keola who was very calm and listened. He would look into doing the right thing and get back to me. So I am waiting.

Onto a couple new updates elsewhere...

1. I read CJane's update on her blog about people's comments. She has so many to deal with I guess it's her equivalent of customer relations, really. I would not ever imagine that she had to weed out rude comments. Guess what, she does. She put a few in her post. People called her selfish and self centered. Which I find HILARIOUS after everything her family has sacrificed in order to help out Nie. I mean, really. Some people are nuts. NUTS! Projection as a human condition should be taught in school along with Math and Science. Anis Nin says you see the world not as it is, but as you are. BINGO.

2. My producer friend called. (The one that took lots of pictures of our house for the info-mercial?) They liked our house. So they came by with a few more decision makers and did a Tech Scout. They liked our house. Then corporate guys flew in and they did another Tech Scout. They liked our house. So its official now, we just got word the week of Christmas. They will shoot in our house!! We supply the ugly before, they supply the lovely after. The extent of which has not been determined but the kitchen gets a whole overhaul for certain. The aesthetic decisions being made by me and their Art Director together. So we have a creative meeting to schedule and the rest of my January will be spent happily wheeling and dealing with the SUPER cool guys from Multi Master! I feel like they are my little mini-Extreme Home Make-Over team. I am SO grateful. It's a Christmas Miracle!!

I'm praying for another one from Gold's. That they will be calling me back with a free year of Gym access or give me my money back!! Why not, right? I'm pretty sure anything can happen after the Multi-Master Miracle.

KSL Ads of the Week.

I haven't seen anything really totally funny or bizarre in a while. I think they are on to me. Tonight I did find a few that made me smile.

$1500

Two rocking stationary sitting divices.

Sandy, UT 84070 - Dec 29, 2008

8014338###

Seller Contact Info

Contact Name:

Finnegan

801-433-8###

And why I loved it.

The item is both stationary AND rocking.
"Sitting divice"?? You mean a chair??
The guy obviously had to make up a description (for a porch rocker) because he had no idea what it was.
He is asking $1500 (!!) for this thing he can not identify.
Finnegan needs to begin again.

FREE ESTIMATE

MO******IN H**LS drywall

west jordan, UT 84088 - Dec 29, 2008

100% quality we do frame hang tape mud texter finish basement patch WORK RE-TEXTURE CEILING & WALL CRACKEd JOINTS & CORNERS POPPEd NAILS ANd CORNER BEAD WATER Damage Repairs new and old house remodeling we can fix anything around your house

Obviously these guys are going to do a quality, thorough job. Why, just look at their attention to detail.

Free

Got Buck?

Ogden, UT 84405 - Dec 29, 2008

Looking for a male pygmy goat, NOT neutered. Either to borrow for the winter to keep my girls company or I can take him outright if you're sick of the stench. Must be old enough to know what he's doing, bigger buck preferred. Must have horns.

Seller Contact Info

Contact Name:

Nadja

Home Phone:
801-555-####

WTF?




I just found this also via Google...

Loewestamm Company manufactures stylish accessories handcrafted from natural wood. Adhering to own philosophy, Loewestamm offers conceptual collections composed of wooden necklaces, wooden bracelets, wooden bangles, wooden earrings. Each product presented by the Loewestamm Company is hand-made and unique since there are no two identical pieces of wood. Increase Your art and fashion business proitability by completing Your collection with natural wooden jewellery from Loewestamm Design Company.

On Julia's Blog Post, Bringing Classy Back. Or, Why I Love Me Some Mad Men on AMC.

Julia, Tanya and I stayed up and watched "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". One of my all time favorites. I must confess I went around saying, "Thank you ever so," for like years after I saw it. I also similarly adore "How to Marry a Millionaire". Oh that gorgeous Lauren Bacal. If I could order me up a face it would be hers. I think my little girl got the best of Bio's physical genes, her eyes have that sleepy bed-room, cat eye shape Lauren's (and Tanya's) do and I love them. Coupled with her dimples and curly hair they keep me from choking her tantrumy/difficult little self. (Bells not Tanya.) But I digress.
We were all lamenting the death of times when women were stared at on train platforms. When we went to dinner in gowns and men winked at us. When men would actually stand up and marry their woman. We wished we could wear dresses everyday and feel more like...women. May I indulge an idea in front of you now? It's just an idea from my sick mind. No, really, I am on some harsh cold meds with a fever, I'm sick. But for now I feel this in my heart and want to get it out. I think we payed a sad price for equality, and we are all starting to feel it. And there it is.
Do NOT get me wrong for a second. I am genuinely grateful for the battle women fought to be equal to men. I am every day blessed with a job I love big where I go to work with a crew full of men. At times being the only women. And I get to have this job because of the past sacrifices of others, I am not ignorant of that fact. And I will not be able to express my gratitude ENOUGH for that on the other side even if given the chance. Because like Julia says, "There are not words."

When I was in High School I had very old fashioned ideas. I would never ask a boy out unless it was Sadie Hawkins. I never called first. I didn't call before 10am or after 10 pm. I didn't put out. You get the picture. I watched girls chase guys and get them all of the time and I saw that guys were lazy. I may have been fighting a losing battle but I made a conscious decision not to participate. It broke my heart in so many ways to see that things were not the way I would have them be. I made it through High School and had a good experience for keeping to this standard. In college I had boyfriends that were well meaning but joshed me about being old fashioned. Mocked me for being non athletic, non political, non outdoorsy and frivolous. I felt like I had two options, get with the program or get passed over. I got with the program.
I wouldn't change it. I wouldn't be able to do what I do if I had not gotten with said program. But I do feel that price being paid. Oh, I feel it. I feel it after being on set overnight for 18 hours shooting in a store/bank/hospital when I get groceries looking like a construction worker because Brett has to be at work and then go to an audition and then has Thrills and can't manage it. I know I'm wrecking classy. When I am tearing out the kitchen floor/moldy drywall/bathroom vanity and I have to go to Lowes to get a part in my doo rag and overalls. I know who I am being in those moments and it's not lovely and demure. And I ache a little. I know it secretly wrecks Brett. My mother-in-law told me so.

Our lives as humans today seem to require us to put aside these romantic and classic ideals, sadly. I am just glad for a church that says, men...stand up. Women, get an education but stay lovely and foster your nurturing, charitable side. Learn to sew and can and cook. Have enrichment night. Visit Teach. Be chaste and make them earn you. And men, marry them and lead your family. I love these things about us. We are not driving buggies but we are old fashioned. And I look forward to going to church every Sunday. And to my new church time of one o'clock knowing it gives me ample time to put effort into at least one day in my week when I get to do my hair and put on pretty shoes and an actual dress. So I can sit by a handsome man in a suit who will hold my hand and if I'm lucky, wink at me.

Looks like I made it.

I survived the back to back shoots. Woo. There is still one more but it's not heavy. Just a show up and do make-up kind of day. So I feel like snuggling down in my house and sleeping until roughly May. I've missed out on a lot while I was working, like AFV. So I'm catching up right now. Aw, dogs in shoes. Ow, dudes hitting stop signs. Ew, birds going poop on toddlers.

We have a cat now. Her name is Jane. We call her Friskers Meow. Brett hates her. It's a surprise to me how much I like her. Pugmann wants her to be in his mouth at all times. Pugmann now weighs 300 pounds from the eating of Jane's food. (Side note: My daughter said a funny thing while watching Beyonce's Single Ladies video on You Tube with me. She asked if one of the girls in it was my friend Jane Black. I couldn't figure it out but I think she knows the girls are black and I have a friend named Jane Black and did the "math".)

My Grandma broke her hip. And that commercial where the old woman falls and can't get up that we all made fun of is now not so funny. She fell while alone and wasn't able to move until my Cousin Elizabeth came home from school and found her and called for help. I will bawl if I think about it. So the package I just sent will not get to Grandma because she is in Hospital. I love saying that. So Brittish. Can't we bring that around?

Brett was given the job of putting up the Christmas lights three Saturdays ago but the weather was just too nice and he had to be indoors playing WOW until a massive storm today finally drove him out of doors to do the lights. Wha?? Poor man.

We are asking for heart felt prayers. It's super selfish to ask, I know. But. A good friend that produces commercials told me he is doing an infomercial for a tool that is great for remodeling. He came and took lots of pictures of our torn up house. He thinks that they may use it to shoot some before and afters. They will supply the afters. So I am begging that they find many, many rooms that will work for their commercial. The client flies into town on the 22nd to look at our house. Even if they just do our cabinets I am happy. But I can't help wondering, what if they do more?? But I'm not counting any chickens. Trying not to count chickens. No chickens.

I have shopping done, and the tree up and now I need to go do a cross-stitch due Tuesday and a few returns and get ready for the Ward Christmas Party so no one thinks I'm a Jack Mormon again. Which by the way used to be a term for people friendly to Mormons. And with that I leave you again until after Christmas. Or until something interesting happens.

Crow.

I'm eating it. I am actually working a lot this fall/winter. There are a slew of these great spots being written by Jeff at Reister for Pacificorps. We shot these amazing Linemen. (Power line workers.) I was told that the prettier my assistant and I could make ourselves the better they would co-operate. That they are real men and won't like wearing make-up. I'm expecting trouble. Nope. These men are...amazing. They are all laughing at one another and threatening to post pictures on the internet but it's all in love. They all mostly did it for kids and grandkids, so they could see them on TV. Awww. They all thanked me and one guy actually thanked me for talking to him like I would a normal person. Wha? I was honored. It's like a Fireman thanking you for your contribution to society. I seriously teared up a few times. One single dad shared his story with me about raising his girls and I bawled like a baby. His girls are AMAZING by the by, he showed me pictures. Movie star beautiful these two! His good friend was in the chair after him and told me when we were alone that he really was an amazing father and did a bang up job with his girls and got misty. Another guy told me their job was the coolest job in the world even though people die all the time doing it. He said there can be thirty teams all out with their spotlights shining up the poles while the snow comes down. He said no one else sees this and it's stunningly beautiful and makes it worth every minute. The only thing I can compare it to is my stringing Christmas lights in a snowstorm for a Check City shoot with Ryan Little and Tyler Measom. No lives were saved in my helping advertise for 26% interest plus fees on your emergency cash advance. And I was on a ladder, not a 75 foot pole.

That was day one. Day two was a slew of vignettes. Blenders, toasters, shovel phones. Yep, shovel phones. Everyone would walk past and then back up and look at me taping phones to shovels and post hole diggers. Then scratch their heads. "Call before you dig", I'd say and they'd go, "Oh. Got it!" The next one involves a ninja. I am dying to make and/or buy a ninja outfit! Jeff said they have 9 more coming up. Nine. N.I.N.E. And I'm shooting for Mountain America this week. I am thinking that the timing couldn't be better. I will hopefully have a good chunk of our debt erased by February. Because I believe in divine planning, I will either be Pregnant next year or unemployed. Either way I will be prepared. I hope and pray it's the former. I love my job. LOVE my job. Love it!! It completes me.

The only bad thing about working so much is that this house is going to be a giant mess for much longer than anticipated. And I will miss Aidan's 9th birthday. (I was in charge of all the other 8 so I don't feel too badly...) And that we will have Thanksgiving at Chuck O' Rama. No, really we will, I am not cooking in a kitchen without a floor. I guess that last one is not so bad, I like Chuck O Rama. So I may go blog M.I.A. for a while. I should wish you to Have a Happy Turkey Day and Merry Christmas and possibly I should wish you a Happy New Year as well. Martin Luther King Jr Day? I'm pushing it...