A Glimpse of Me – The Intern

My first job was as a telemarketer for UBC. I wasn’t really a telemarketer, as I wasn’t selling a product, I was just asking for donations from people who were broke after college or newly fathered couples who were finding out how expensive diapers really were (that actually was a way one woman rejected my lame attempt at asking for donations. She said: “You are in college, you don’t know how expensive diapers are”… My answer was simple and got me a 20 minute disciplinary meeting with my supervisor: “How expensive can paper you poop on really be?”… the answer: $44.95 if they are for a baby, and $17.95 if they were for her). I started hating that job since not only was I getting rejected in the women’s department (I was kind of in the rebound, but let’s just say I was still waiting for an initial bounce), but also at my job. There is nothing worse than getting no after no at the place you work at. That’s why I feel sorry for telemarketers every time they call me. Not only cause I have no money whatsoever (I’m an international student at the most expensive university in British Columbia), but because their job really sucks. That’s why I try to talk to them for a bit and then tell them I’m not buying anything. They get even more upset if you do this, it’s like teasing them and leaving them with blue-phones.

My next job was at a kitchen. Here is a recommendation for everyone planning on working at a kitchen: don’t go with a hangover. I cut my fingers 5 times that day, and I eventually had to go home because my blood was ruining the chicken. I also disliked that job, but it wasn’t because the pay was crap and the cooking standards were awful, no, it was because I had to wake at 5:00 AM to go to that job. Let me put it this way: I am the epitome of a night owl. It’s 4:40 AM right now and I feel as awake as a clam chowder. I know that’s not the right saying, but the only other thing I could imagine as being as awake as I am right now is a caffeinated dog. I get weird ideas this time of day/night. Anyway, I hate waking up early, so I ended up cutting my hours to a minimum. I learned to cook some things though, although that job also gave me a tad of knife phobia, I have my roommate or girlfriend do all the cutting for me.  They like it

My next job was at McDonalds, and I don’t care what people say, it was the best job out of the three. Yes, the food is disgusting, and I felt bad serving to some very unhealthy looking individuals as they were eating nothing but saturated fat and empty calories, but McDonalds provides a good opportunity for students as it adapts to your schedule and for single mothers who want a part-time job. It was relaxed, and the people were really fun to work with (I actually miss them a bit) so I have some fond memories of that place. I don’t eat there even if you pay me though, seeing how they prepare their meals is gross and should probably be illegal. But fun place to work at.

For a while I also worked editing wedding videos (which was pretty boring and I got to see some really unhappy couples getting married…), helping with some HIV patients in a clinic, and as a hobby I write and sometimes produce short films. I also write about film awards and have fun blogging for Ahimsa. Oh yeah, I’m Ahimsa’s intern, and it’s a sweet job. I get to make the sly comments that got me in trouble as a telemarketer, I can stay up late since I work mostly from home, and I get to work with wonderful people who I am going to miss once the internship ends: it’s the best of both worlds. Don’t think I’m a suck-up. I actually do enjoy working with Ahimsa a lot. And on that note I will end with some cheerful spirit: Go Vancouver 2010!

Reading is Sexy – 2010 Calendar Contest

Hey all you sexy things,

Sorry about being a few days late on posting our Reading is Sexy 2010 Calendar Contest. Exhausting week. At any rate, here it is!!

So here are the deets, I am giving away a 2010 Reading is Sexy Calendar to the first person that answers all the salacious shoot questions below correctly, or in lieu of that, to the person that gets the most correct answers.  AND I am giving a second calendar away to the person whose answers make me laugh the hardest – causing laughing is sexy too. And don’t worry a donation on both of these calendars will still be going to The International Dyslexia Association, as our friends at Ahimsa Media are chipping in all the donations on the contest and promotional calendars.

The contest is open until our Launch Party and Literary Celebration on Thursday December 3rd.

To enter, just submit a comment below with your guesses.

Now what you’ve all being waiting for, the Salacious Shoot Questions:

1. Who bore it all for the camera?
2. In whose home did we discover a penis piggy (that’s a piggy bank – get your minds out of the gutter)?
3. Who took their pants off, in secret, during shooting, and laughed as the rest of us were oblivious?
4. Who asked ‘where they should put their FILTHY hands’?
5. Who wormed their way into my shot?
6. Who did I crawl into bed with (on a shoot)?
7. Whose bed did I crawl into on the aforementioned shoot?
8. On whose shoot, did we have joggers hooting and hollering at us?
9. Whose shoot went all through the night?
10. Who flashed me on their doorstep in broad daylight?
11. Whose phrase of ‘God Bless their cotton socks’ still has Rob and I smirking?
12. What was polished off whilst shooting Mr. May in the Playboy Mansion?
13. What tied up Ms October on a shoot?
14. Who else wore a frilly apron, whilst shooting, aside from yours truly?
15. Who became a voyeuristic attraction for tourists on their shoot?

Oh and I little hint, most of the answers to the aforementioned questions can be found in our various social media feeds tagged with #ReadingisSexy.  I also fully encourage the harassment of the various models, using twitter, for answers – @somisguided, @iheartgudrun, @hummingbird604, @IanAMartin, @raincoaster, @greenpieces and @monicahamburg.

Kisses,

Emme xoxo

Sexy & Savvy Tech Women Bridging Media

My dear readers,

Rumor has it that Van City’s sexy and savvy tech women are at it again – this time Bridging Media! In essence, they are aiming to break down any barriers of communication between the broadcast world and the technology community, get them to speak the same language by exploring each others processes, and finally to play nicely in the sand box, building the future of media together. These women certainly have balls, and I for one, don’t think they can be accused of not knowing how to use them!

According to my sources, this ballsy scheme was set into action from a series of conversations between Megan Cole, Boris Mann and Kris Krug of Raincity Studios, Erica Hargreave of Ahimsa Media, and Brian Schecter of Puddleduck Productions in the fall. As these cats were talking, it became apparent that there was an obvious disconnect in the understanding of broadcast process verses that of the digital world and to truly embrace the future the two communities needed to be working together.

Megan Cole and Erica Hargreave have run with this initiating Van City’s first ever Bridging Media event on March 29th of this year. Boris Mann, Kris Krug, and Brian Schecter have been joined by Mark Greenspan on the gals advisory team. And as beautiful, sexy and smart women often do several other of Vancouver’s sexiest and savviest tech women have been drawn into the organizing mix, including Cinci Csere, Monique Trottier, Carol Sill and Monica Hamburg. Rumor even has it that the sultry Miss 604 will be live blogging the day.

From this gals perspective, the day is shaping up quite nicely with a panel of speakers that are none too sore on the eyes, including Ravi Singh of The Knowledge Network, Gary Marcuse of the CBC, Canadian Screenwriter Mark Leiren-Young and many of our lovely tech boys and sexy tech gals, who promise to be sharing secrets on industry, success, funds, and broadcast future! And you do know how I like secrets! It would also seem as though I am not the only one that feels that these women are up to something special. It appears that they have attracted in nextMEDIA, The Centre for Digital Media, The Knowledge Network, BC Film, OneDegree, Finale Editworks, and Now Public as sponsors. These companies know a good thing when they see it.

Oh and one final rumor from the event (probably shouldn’t divulge this one, as I’d personally like to win it) – I’ve heard they’re giving away a free pass to nextMEDIA to one lucky participant!

So shall we make it a date for March 29!?!

Emme