Ant Farms, Big and Small
This goes with my blog from yesterday, the real story of how textbooks get made. Pretty ridiculous, and, as I can attest, absolutely true.
Okay, backing away from the politics now, slowly, on tiptoe, arms in the air.
Here in the city I am amazed at the maintenance that goes on. The money that must be spent. Not so much by the city, as far as sidewalks and subways and stuff (although I can't complain--they keep things pretty clean in the Loop and up by my apartment, although I can't speak for any other places). No, what I mean is the way big fancy office buildings in the Loop are constantly scurrying about, cleaning and redecorating for no apparent reason. For example, in the plant bed in front of the building I work in, they dig up and plant trees on a regular basis. Yes, whole trees, like 20-foot high trees. (Do you know much a tree costs to buy and plant? Just one, let alone 7 at a time?) They change trees the way some people might change the curtains. Only much more often. And they wash the walls. The big polished granite walls inside the building entryways. I have seen guys up on scaffolds, washing these walls. I mean--cool, very clean, good for the economy to have all those jobs for people... but wow. I for one couldn't care less if the walls get scrubbed down. Especially if it's a section of wall 50 feet over my head that a) I can't see or am in danger of ever touching, and b) is inside, so no dirt could ever get on it period, except for if a paint compressor explodes or somebody starts up a particularly rowdy game of raquetball. Just very strange, if you ask me.
I took a different bus to work today. Found out if I buy my little milk chug at the Walgreens 2 blocks up, it only costs $1.01 instead of $1.61 at the Osco in front of my building. Sweet.
I kind of want to see X-Men 3. Weird, I know. But I'm getting a feeling, not sure from where, that this is a sequel that might actually be good. It could be because I heard a rumor (which has since been debunked--I was thinking of Wonder Woman) that Joss Whedon was writing it.
Do you know something about movies that I didn't know? Apparently, for things like this, where it's a comic being made into a movie, or some other big-name franchise (Pirates of the Caribbean is another example--they told me so on the DVD commentary--which I listened to, because, yes, I am dumb... but we've been over this already)... Anyway, for things like this, a studio will first announce it's definitely making the movie, and then they'll ask,"So... Anybody want to write it? You know, decide what's going to happen in this movie that we already started making? We don't know if the plot's any good--hey, we don't even have a plot, but we know this movie's gonna make us millions of dollars, just from the name alone. Start the advertising campaign!"
So then each wanna-be author writes out an original screenplay, presents it to the bigwigs, and the bigwigs pick the one they'll use for the movie. The other, less lucky scripts die a quiet death, never existing as anything more than a stack of papers. (But I like to think those unmade movies still did get made--just in a parallel universe--so it's okay.)
Anyway, the reason I know this is because apparently Joss Whedon submitted a script for Batman Begins, but he didn't get it. Oh well--I heard the movie was good anyway.
I don't know. I feel used. And cheap. And also sorry for those little scripts that never got to come out and play.
Sort of like how textbooks get made, actually...
I would like to do that in life, though, the way corporations do it--you know, offer up jobs and watch people come snap them up like doggy treats. "I need a new wardrobe. I am accepting bids for someone to go buy me a new wardrobe." I choose the one who asks the best price; whose sense of style I like most and is most likely to provide me with things that I like. Bam! Suddenly, with no effort from me, great wardrobe.
"The dishwasher needs to be emptied. Anyone?"
Gosh, you could just sit aound and watch your life magically assemble itself, like watching ants build an ant hill in fast forward. All you need is lots and lots of money.
That's enough out of me for now.
Big Event of the Day: Take out garbage
Percent Chance: 50%
Okay, backing away from the politics now, slowly, on tiptoe, arms in the air.
Here in the city I am amazed at the maintenance that goes on. The money that must be spent. Not so much by the city, as far as sidewalks and subways and stuff (although I can't complain--they keep things pretty clean in the Loop and up by my apartment, although I can't speak for any other places). No, what I mean is the way big fancy office buildings in the Loop are constantly scurrying about, cleaning and redecorating for no apparent reason. For example, in the plant bed in front of the building I work in, they dig up and plant trees on a regular basis. Yes, whole trees, like 20-foot high trees. (Do you know much a tree costs to buy and plant? Just one, let alone 7 at a time?) They change trees the way some people might change the curtains. Only much more often. And they wash the walls. The big polished granite walls inside the building entryways. I have seen guys up on scaffolds, washing these walls. I mean--cool, very clean, good for the economy to have all those jobs for people... but wow. I for one couldn't care less if the walls get scrubbed down. Especially if it's a section of wall 50 feet over my head that a) I can't see or am in danger of ever touching, and b) is inside, so no dirt could ever get on it period, except for if a paint compressor explodes or somebody starts up a particularly rowdy game of raquetball. Just very strange, if you ask me.
I took a different bus to work today. Found out if I buy my little milk chug at the Walgreens 2 blocks up, it only costs $1.01 instead of $1.61 at the Osco in front of my building. Sweet.
I kind of want to see X-Men 3. Weird, I know. But I'm getting a feeling, not sure from where, that this is a sequel that might actually be good. It could be because I heard a rumor (which has since been debunked--I was thinking of Wonder Woman) that Joss Whedon was writing it.
Do you know something about movies that I didn't know? Apparently, for things like this, where it's a comic being made into a movie, or some other big-name franchise (Pirates of the Caribbean is another example--they told me so on the DVD commentary--which I listened to, because, yes, I am dumb... but we've been over this already)... Anyway, for things like this, a studio will first announce it's definitely making the movie, and then they'll ask,"So... Anybody want to write it? You know, decide what's going to happen in this movie that we already started making? We don't know if the plot's any good--hey, we don't even have a plot, but we know this movie's gonna make us millions of dollars, just from the name alone. Start the advertising campaign!"
So then each wanna-be author writes out an original screenplay, presents it to the bigwigs, and the bigwigs pick the one they'll use for the movie. The other, less lucky scripts die a quiet death, never existing as anything more than a stack of papers. (But I like to think those unmade movies still did get made--just in a parallel universe--so it's okay.)
Anyway, the reason I know this is because apparently Joss Whedon submitted a script for Batman Begins, but he didn't get it. Oh well--I heard the movie was good anyway.
I don't know. I feel used. And cheap. And also sorry for those little scripts that never got to come out and play.
Sort of like how textbooks get made, actually...
I would like to do that in life, though, the way corporations do it--you know, offer up jobs and watch people come snap them up like doggy treats. "I need a new wardrobe. I am accepting bids for someone to go buy me a new wardrobe." I choose the one who asks the best price; whose sense of style I like most and is most likely to provide me with things that I like. Bam! Suddenly, with no effort from me, great wardrobe.
"The dishwasher needs to be emptied. Anyone?"
Gosh, you could just sit aound and watch your life magically assemble itself, like watching ants build an ant hill in fast forward. All you need is lots and lots of money.
That's enough out of me for now.
Big Event of the Day: Take out garbage
Percent Chance: 50%
posted by Becky at
6:55 PM
7 Comments:
Wow, that article really got me thinking about textbooks. It doesn't seem right that one state with one interest group should dictate for the whole country. But then I heard on the radio this morning about an even bigger textbook problem. In Saudi Arabia. The story is interesting, but the page with actual translated excerpts from the textbooks wouldn't load.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5426633
By
Anonymous, at 5/24/2006 11:44:00 AM
Interesting story. Yeah, I couldn't open the excerpts either.
It's true that article that I posted. A meeting I had today was a perfect example. But I suppose I shouldn't go into it here.
By
Becky, at 5/24/2006 05:25:00 PM
It'd be really interesting to see what all of those un used manuscripts said. I wonder how similar story lines are . . . I mean to think, if they had chosen someone elses manuscript, Batman Begins would have been a totally different movie.
Its a shame that they can't just compile the best parts of all the manuscripts and create one awesome movie.
By
Anonymous, at 5/25/2006 10:51:00 PM
I was bored today and looking for some becky-blogginess.... But no. foiled again. rats.
christie
By
Anonymous, at 5/26/2006 05:22:00 PM
I know. She goes through a frenzied spurt of blogging and then... nothing. Me no likey.
By
Anonymous, at 5/27/2006 09:23:00 AM
Sorry! I know. I check it too, to see if anyone's commented... but lately, nothing--I know, because I haven't written. Sad for everyone. =( Okay, but now you have, so I'll try to write something. I just have to wait until I have something interesting to say! I have less interesting things now. And I don't want to subject you to a boring blog. Yesterday I was so boring, I was boring myself. As in sometimes I I felt sorry for anyone who had to listen to me, and maybe even a little bit for myself. See, my new tango friend Brice is French, and I was making him teach me. We stopped and sat for literally half and hour while I tried to translate and pronounce the back of his box of French band-aids, and then when we passed a used book store, we went in and of course ended up looking at the French novels.... Now I am working on pronouncing my French r. It is hard. Anyway. I will write something soon.
By
Becky, at 5/27/2006 11:37:00 AM
Becky,
I know that you love a good documentary. On Tuesday & Wednesday night, PBS is having a documentary of HIV/AIDS that looks pretty interesting. I've met the Assitant Producer of the documentary(he is friends with my college roomate), and from what he told me, it should be pretty good.
I was bored to tears on Friday afternoon, and was also hoping for a shot of Beckland for something interesting to read and possible comment on. I complained to my boss that I was in pain due to being so bored (probably not a wise move on my part). I ended doing a Sodoku puzzle to entertain myself for the last hour of work.
By
Anonymous, at 5/28/2006 04:23:00 PM
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