Tuesday, August 20, 2013

The Frustrators.

Mike Dirnt from the well known band Green Day shed some lime light on 1 of the side bands he plays in called "The Frustrators". I never would have known about them had it not been for Dirnt's success with Green Day.  For those who haven't youtubed them, they have a melodic punk rock sound. Almost a bit more poppy than Billie Joe Armstrong's other band Pinhead Gunpowder. I must admit I'm more of a PHGP fan than a Frustrators fan.  That's simply because with pinhead there's more of that old Green Day sound that caught my attention. It's actually kind of appropriate.  Green Day randomly brought on guitarist Jason White around 1999 to supplement as a 2nd guitarist.  This isn't so random now that the masses know that Jason White and Billie Joe were playing in bands together since 1991.

At the end of the day there's a handful of guys all still doing what they wanna do with life.  That's applaudable I'd say. I've been slacking when it comes to reading other folks writing, although most recently I read up on Julia Gray, who's ranting can be seen here, http://mccrabass.wordpress.com/ , unknowingly provokes me to try and find new ways to phrase sentences.  Considering she's done this longer than I've been around I shouldn't kick myself that hard.

I did something different with this post. I didn't finish it in 1 sitting-- although I think google publishes it regardless.  The hardest part was figuring out what to even post about on here. Doing such a thing on a weekly basis when I'm seemingly talking to myself can get hard.  I know the best way to get good at this is to read others. I've read a handful of different writers work.  I tend to be so cautious about over promoting or even diving head 1st into this world of blogging. As I've mentioned before I only did this because a few people told me I should.

That being said,  I'll touch on a couple topics and may expound upon them in the near future.  With it being late August-- and given my new position-- I see a lot of young adults getting back into the grind of school.  Conversely I see a lot of young adults who are frightened at the fact that they've finished college.  I can sympathize with being frightened and part of me laughs.  I laugh cause I was there.  Hell I drove a cab for ten days right out of college.  Hows that for using my degree?

The reality-- From what I've seen-- is some of us are good at particular jobs that are in high demand and pay well. Some of us aren't.  I picked a field that fluctuates a lot.  Those who are at the top of their game (i.e episodic television writers) will make upwards to the low 6 figures, and of course even more if they continue to do well and earn some sort of Exec producer cred.  On the other side of that coin You could freelance for three years be forced to leave Los Angeles and hunker down into a job that still uses the production part of television.

The only words of wisdom I have for recent grads is persistence.  Along with persistence be humble as well.  Pulling a "Cousin Eddie" by going around jobless and telling people you're over qualified is going to get you no where. Trust me.  I worked at 7-eleven, I worked as a door man, I drove a cab, I made sandwiches for Jimmy Johns, I freelanced part time, I worked in hot kitchens as a grill cook, I worked in dingy bars.  Get the gist of this? The current pattern is I WORKED.  Doesn't matter what the job is, as long as its a paying 1.

Some of you may wanna belt out a chorus line such as --"But Steve The Economy is no good right now--"  I'll instantly tell you you're incorrect.  Between living in a college town(Where I found no joke half a dozen places hiring in 1 strip mall) To living in suburbia where any McDonalds or Wal-mart will hire warm and breathing its feasible to get A job. Might not be a Good job but nevertheless.

I've harped on about this in the past, but as the times and seasons change and as I've made a major change in my life I'm reminded as to how I had to work my tail off to get there.
College isn't for everyone. I've gone to high school with plenty of people who make a good living without the college debt.

Speaking of debt. There can often times be social debt that some of us get into. it could be trolling the internet or making a few off colored comments to friends or acquaintances.  The internet could be a bit more useful if one had to get a permit to use it.  The worst of the worst would be the folks who find themselves in political arguments on the internet.  Since those who I speak to, for the most part, are educated and not outrageous I can typically have an educated conversation.

1 particular friend of mine, who leans a bit left, has a friend who's and active Tea Party member.  I about fell off my chair because I just didn't realize this could exist.  People of opposite political parties meshing well.  What stood out was he said "Yeah she's a strong Tea Party member, but she's a nice person and she loves animals."  See shouldn't that be enough?  Don't we all kind of look a smidge asinine when we quarrel politically?  I know its going to happen but shouldn't being a nice person trump politics?  I think so.  But what do I know?  Huffington Post hasn't disappointed me lately as some of the weird news was even too weird for me.

On that note its time to wrap this up.