Author Archives: JimArnoldLA

We don’t need no boring resumes.

As I’m in the process of looking for work/clients, I came across this group of unusually-designed resumes – no doubt, designed to really catch the eye of the Person Making a Decision to Interview . . . or Not. Check them out:

7 Cool Resumes We Found On Pinterest

My thoughts? I liked the one having fun with the common evolution graphic – perfect for someone fairly new to the working world, and very strong visually. The one with the red wine glass gets an “A” for effort but I have to say it’s a little much for me. Maybe it’s the red – just too much red. Although, no doubt, this would stick out in an otherwise boring pile of white papers. If nothing else, I’m sure this resume gets a look at every place Michael sends it to. Not so sure if you should include golf and tennis in your skill set. (But you sound like a fun guy!)

The one after that, “So You’re Searching for a Product Development Reader” – I’m sorry, but what a mess! This person has a sense of humor, for sure, but I don’t know where to start looking at this, and it gives me a headache.

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I did like the last one, with the strong graphic of the red bar in the center, and the supporting material arranged on the sides, kind of a ladder effect. Also good when someone is fairly new to the working world, as there isn’t that much space for copy. Though I suppose, if this is a virtual resume and not actually printed on a piece of paper, the red bar can go on for as long as it needs to . . .

Any thoughts?

Gay Bar Rejection!

Oh yes. I got a kick out of this, even if I am a little late for Valentine’s Day! I do suppose the experience of rejection is similar no matter what one’s orientation might be, but I, of course, am more familiar with the gay brand of rejection.

Sadly, this doesn’t happen much anymore because I don’t ~~have enough energy~~ go out much anymore! But if I did… also don’t drink and don’t smoke, though I did enjoy Robbie Joe Banfitch’s tutorial vicariously – it’s true, imbibing and smoking something does dull this pain of rejection.

From where I sit at 50+, it’s hard to believe somebody who looks like Robbie gets rejected much at all – so if it happens to him, is there any hope for the rest of us? They might as well tack up a sign over the door which reads “Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here.”

Oh, and Robbie Joe: 1) Welcome to East Hollywood, and 2) that shirt really wasn’t too tight. In fact, just leave the shirt off altogether. If you want.

If not, there’s always the kitty. Or the dog. Or the other kitty.

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Personal car-sharing: yep, that’s right, not everyone needs to OWN a car

should I, could I, rent out this baby?

Personal car-sharing is a new twist on auto rentals

Click on the link above to read about the newest twist in car sharing – apps that allow the average person to “share” their vehicle by renting it out.

The brainchild of a guy who noticed how much of the time zillions of vehicles are just parked, not in use, not doing anything, sites like Getaround, Wheelz, JustShareIt, RelayRides and others allow the enterprising person (yourself, maybe? me, maybe?) to either rent or rent out a car.

This is brilliant, it reminds me of the old idea of the fugitive “hiding in plain sight” – only this time, it’s our consumerist mindset that’s hiding. We were conditioned to believe that we ALL needed to own these things, that otherwise it would just be too difficult to get around, do things, to live, etc. (And believe me it was planned conditioning – there was/is no innate “need” to have things like cars.)

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Continue reading →

More from Forest Dark – introducing Louis Ronald Reagan White

Here’s a little bit more from my novel-in-progress, The Forest Dark. In the second part of the book, which takes place in 2009, I introduce Louie, who is the son of one of the characters we followed in the first part of the book, which takes place in 1984. Meet Louis Ronald Reagan White.

Well dude, Noah saves the day once more, Louie thought.

When he’d opened the box with the knife in it at his birthday party in April, it had all seemed a little dramatic.

“Don’t laugh,” Noah’d said, when Louie tried the switchblade’s spring release for the first time. “I’d be happier if you carried a gun.”

They’d all had a good chuckle at that. Maybe a gun wasn’t such a bad idea after all, though the knife seemed to work pretty well for today’s asshole in the park.

Zeke! Where are you, man? I’m hungry.

As soon as he got to the bottom of the hill, Louie’s mobile signal returned and he’d called Zeke Montero. He would pick Louie up, they would go to the Brite Spot on Sunset, like they almost always did on Tuesdays for the meatloaf.

Louie didn’t know what was in it and didn’t care much. It tasted fine and it was their breakfast.

He didn’t have to wait long for Zeke, who still drove the chill red Pontiac Grand Prix he’d fixed up in high school and tried to perfect while at Los Angeles City College. As short and thick as Louie was deceptively tall and lean, Zeke had been best friend to Louie since they were in fifth grade without interruption except for one teenage summer when the Monteros stayed with their relatives on Lake Chapala.

Louis thought he’d never see Zeke again. But there he was, first day of school, hair slicked back with Brilliantine, like no time had passed at all. Continue reading →

Quiet! now everybody just STFU!

Just finished Susan Cain’s “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.”

I have an introverted personality, though it’s been “smoothed out” around the edges over the years. So, of course, I found the subject fascinating. Particularly interesting to me was the discussion of how modern America is geared to revolve around an extroverted personality type – such as the constant emphases on things like “networking,” “working the room,” and my favorite (least) “team player-ism.”

Rarely is it brought up that – huh, well, maybe not everybody should try to be this. Some people, indeed, are wired differently – and it’s a difference, not a defect. I’ve always remembered something (and it’s a wonder I remember anything, more about that some other time) from the university – I believe it was a sociology class, where we were told that the research showed it was the person who talked the loudest and the longest who got their way.

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Right, it did not matter what the substance of their rant was, the person in the group who talked the most and the loudest was more often followed. This, of course, has huge implications everywhere. Something to remember at your next condo board meeting? Perhaps not.

I loved that she’s able to point out the value of independent, quiet thinking and working. I’ve always thought that group efforts tend to dumb down the task at hand, often with the loudmouths prevailing, no matter the wisdom of the opinion or plan.

I recommend the book, especially if you’re an introvert or have introverted kids you’re trying to bring up in this culture.

Things I would’ve liked to see more of were any connection between introversion and substance abuse, or introversion and sexual orientation – though perhaps that’s omitted because there is no data there. Who knows? But I thought of the question.

Hollywood dreams: Nicholas McCarthy, coming true

Nicholas McCarthy, photo by Jay L. Clendenin

Hollywood dream of filmmaker Nicholas McCarthy is stop and go.

I loved this story of Nick McCarthy, as told by Kurt Streeter here in the Times. The same story of the “countless dreamers,” like so many of the people I know and interact with each day, like myself.

I’ve even been to this Atwater coffeehouse (Kaldi); a photographer friend had a showing there. I’ve also been there to write, though this particular space was too claustrophobic for me.

About an early film of Nick’s: “McCarthy’s film was a mystery about a group of friends dealing with death. When it was done, he rented a theater and invited a small group to view it. Yet as he watched, he realized he’d made a flop. He took the film home, tucked it inside a box, and never played it again.”

He took the film home, tucked it inside a box, and never played it again. Continue reading →

The Palm Springs International Film Festival – The Others

Meaning, the others I saw. There were over a hundred films at the Fest, unfortunately these I’ve posted about were just a small sampling.

Sal

Below is some video I took at the Q&A following the Sal screening I went to, where James Franco (the director of Sal) talks about his intentions with the movie and also discusses his collaboration with Val Lauren, the star of the movie and who’s in just about every frame:

(Could not find a trailer for this movie – if you have one let me know and I’ll happily post.) This is an “art” film – we follow Sal Mineo’s life on his last day, what the filmmakers think and imagine that would have been like. It’s very intimate in that so much of it is shot in closeup – we do get very involved with Sal’s character because of this (not to mention the benefits for a low budget film). I was mainly interested in how his sexual orientation would be portrayed – and it’s there, and obvious to anyone looking for it, but also very subtle as people were (for the most part) in the 1970s. Also of interest is the portrayal of someone going about their day as one of the has-beens of Hollywood. In Franco’s view, Sal adjusted well and was planning on a comeback. Not surprising, the most engaging scene, in my opinion, was where he was in rehearsal for a play with other actors – it was the interactions that kept the movie going (which is the exact opposite of what the Hollywood Reporter reviewer thought). When it’s just Sal by himself, it’s a little hard to stay interested. Good thing Val Lauren is so easy on the eyes and such a good actor.

Also, the film seeks to debunk any of the homophobic explanations for Mineo’s death – that it was a lovers quarrel, a trick gone wrong, etc. It shows the crime for the stupid random act it was. Continue reading →

Palm Springs International Film Festival – The Gays

Again, the gay movies at the Palm Springs Film Festival that I saw – cause there were others.

Let My People Go

Basic Idea: Comedy about European lovers who are separated and must go through lots of zany plot twists to eventually get back together again. Director: Mikael Buch

The Good:

It’s a farce, and as such, constructed pretty well with engaging and attractive characters
Nicolas Maury, who plays Ruben, is great at physical comedy in the tradition that goes back to Buster Keaton – a joy to watch
Carmen Maura – isn’t any movie with Ms. Maura worth watching just for that?
The overall message of the film is pro-tolerance – and affirmation of a family’s love for their gay son.
at 80 minutes, a good length for a comedy like this

The Bad:

Not enough of Teemu (Jarrku Niemi), Ruben’s Finnish boyfriend, who is adorable but absent for much of the film
I couldn’t think of anything else I didn’t like!

Time to Spare

Family Values: This Dutch film by Job Gosschalk about the lives and loves of two siblings shows what really holds a family together, and it has nothing to do with sexual orientation.

The Good:

I enjoyed the melodrama plot construction – it started out one way, and you thought it was going to be about one thing and then it made a major switch (also see The Bad)
Intergenerational gay relationship! That works! Hello!
The inclusion of friends to form families of choice
Character flaws are to be expected, and that adds to what makes us interesting rather than disqualifying us from this or that relationship

The Bad:

The movie starts out to be one thing – a relationship movie, and turns into something else – a cancer movie! (get out those tissues now, folks)
Perhaps an unrealistic depiction of a cancer patient’s suffering and treatment

Continue reading →

Palm Springs International Film Festival – The Docs

Or should I say, The Docs I saw. Which were only two this year, The Island President and Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory.

The Island President

I liked Jon Shenk’s The Island President for a few reasons. First of all, I know next to nothing about The Maldives, islands in the Indian Ocean (more than 1200 of them, which make up this watery nation). Or should I say I knew next to nothing, because I saw this film, and so now I know something.

And what I know is that this nation is going to sink into the ocean.

The structure of the film: we’re introduced to the charismatic young leader of The Maldives, Mohammed Nasheed, and given a little political history – he was a dissident during a long dictatorship, imprisoned with all that entails. The government is eventually liberated and he’s elected president, and not a moment too soon, because of the coming environmental calamity of rising water levels.

The rest of the film documents his efforts to broker some kind of climate change agreement at the Copenhagen Climate Summit of 2009, where he has to fight the superpowers – including the United States, China and India. So it’s your basic David vs. Goliath scenario, but the implications are really so much more for both The Maldives and for the planet. It shocked me that the theater wasn’t full for this. If we don’t have a planet that’s habitable for people, clearly we won’t be having any film festivals.

The Maldives look like a beautiful place to visit and to live. The prognosis is not good, however, so you better go while they’re still above water. Continue reading →

We Deserve Better video

We Deserve Better from FosterBear Films on Vimeo.

Check out this video made by my nephew-in-law’s company FosterBear Films (David Bear) in association with BreakOUT in New Orleans. The purpose is to fight discrimination on the part of the NOPD towards the GLBTQ community there.

Yes, we still have to fight these fights in 2012. Depressing, but there you are, and unfortunately, for so many minority communities, including GLBTs everywhere, the cop is generally not your friend. Videos like this help put them on notice. We’re watching. We’re talking. We’re filming it and posting it. And it will stop.

Share widely, as you wish.

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