Pay Attention, This Is Gonna Be Quick

I feel as if I have been worn down. My patience has been tried in a few different ways. I have had to make the decision to not follow through with one of the main reasons I moved down to the bay area.

Making the decision to not go to school wasn’t really all that hard. Not hard at all in the fact that when you’re as “young” as I am (so say the loan companies based on my credit history) you almost get laughed at when you ask someone for $30,000.00 for school on a private loan.... twice. I think in the long run, if I keep making short films and start saving my money, when I have a chance to I can get the proper equipment and do the kind of things that I want to. All in all, I believe it’ll be much cheaper and more rewarding path. Plus, I keep meeting people that are into film and have some sort of skill in the craft. Which is good because I hear it’s all about connections and I’m thinking of investing in a little black book

I am going to attempt to update you on the happenings of my life in the bay area, so bare with me if I kind of jump around:

• The weather has been, shall we say, Oregon-ie. One minute it’s raining and the streets are flooded the next it’s a blue bird day and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. 
  

• Last weekend, my dear friend Michelle flew into Oakland International Airport and we rocked San Francisco and Berkeley like it was... 2009? We had loads of fun and Kendra and I tried our hardest to show her everything we could but honestly this city is freaking huge and we haven’t explored the whole thing ourselves. Not a very flattering picture of any of us but we were more into having fun than looking pretty.
  

• I still haven’t heard back from the people that interviewed me from On24. I’d be extremely happy if I got an email asking for another interview but I’d settle for an email or a call letting me know that they have decided to go with someone else. Just so I can at least have a little closure.
  

• Another thing about jobs, I recently met the the “On-Premise Manager” for the east bay area of Red Bull. A really nice guy, and I told him that I was looking for another job. I’m going to leave it there as to not jinx anything. Let’s just say that I’ve secretly wanted to work for Red Bull for ages and I’m willing to do almost anything. Childish... nah, just motivated.
  

• My taxes are done and e-filed. Needless to say, I’m pretty happy about that. Which, if you ever have done taxes and are happy at the end of them, that means that you are getting some sort of return or at least don’t have to pay.
  

• I’m currently in a contest trying to win some technological gadgetry and if you care to check it out by all means be my guest. The more votes, the merrier. I am currently in first place but there is still tons of time for other contestants to gain more votes, so if you are so inclined, vote daily. Here’s a direct link to the voting right HERE. 
  

There is more going on here but I currently have the attention span of a five year old. One more thing though, Kendra and I are trying to prep the apartment for more guests. Spring break is going to be... cozy to say the least. We love having visitors, so if you think you are going to be in our neck of the woods, by all means just let us know. 

Oh yeah, and if you are on Twitter, follow me. You can do so by clicking the "Follow me on Twitter" link to the right of this page.

War In San Francisco

Another quick update here. First and foremost, I’ve come to realize how quickly the start date for my school is coming up and that I still haven’t been really approved for any of the money to attend. In fact, I’ve been denied on two separate occasions. However, I have been approved for the “merit loan”, which the name alone sounds like something extraordinary and remarkable. Quite the contrary actually. This “merit loan” is, in essence, just like any other loan you would take out for a car or a house. Which means that you have to start paying it back immediately. Now don't think that I am, for one second, not grateful for being approved for the "merit loan". Apparently this particular loan is only awarded to one person each session. Quite the honor really.

Well, this is bad news to a student that would be using that loan money to attend school full time for a solid year. With being at school full time, it would prove to be rather difficult to work as many hours as he does already, barely make ends meet, and take on another loan payment....? Like any other loan, the “merit loan” requires a down payment. General rule of thumb for down payments is 10% of your total loan should be your down payment. If you do the math for that, 10% of $30,000.00 is $3,000.00.

If you are clutching at your throat right now, gasping for air at the thought of slamming down $3,000.00, then you and I are in the same boat. That, to me, is a lot of money.

The beauty of student loans is that you apply for the money to attend school, the loaners understand that you will be bettering yourself with an education and give you time to actually go to school. They don’t expect you to pay back the loan until you have graduated. Now that makes sense to me in so many more ways than the “merit loan” that expects payments immediately plus a hefty down payment.

I have high hopes. I also, thanks to my mother, have a good sense of reality and know when to stop mindlessly chasing your dreams. At least until your dreams are a little bit more attainable.

And speaking of dreams, pillows are usually where they take place. Which brings me to something a little lighter and not so depressing also the reason for the title of this post. Kendra over heard a couple of ladies talking about a huge pillow fight happening in downtown San Francisco. So naturally she Googled it and found out that it has been running for a few years now and is an annual thing every Valentines Day. Apparently thousands of people meet in the Justin Herman Plaza and when the big clock on the Ferry building stikes 6pm, the feathers begin to fly. I nabbed a video from YouTube (below) of previous years and ones in different cities, so you can get an idea of how big this thing really is.

If I can weasel my way out of work early I am going to pack my bag with my weapon and try to make it down there to, at the very least capture some video or photos. 

You can see more information for the craziness that is the Great San Francisco Pillow Fight right HERE

 

Great Weekend and Good Reasons

I suppose if your reading this, you just might want to know why the heck I moved down here to San Francisco from Eugene. Two big reasons are my girlfriend got a very good job working for a place.

The other reason that I moved here is that I applied and was accepted to the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking. This school is legit. I’m so pumped about going here, but it doesn’t start until March of 2009. Which really isn’t that bad, because it gives me a little time to get my feet on the ground and find a job. Apparently when you leave the state, you still have bills to pay... who would have guessed that?

The only problem is that the school wants $30,000 for the year and I don’t really have the ideal credit score that they are looking for to loan me that kind of money. Not a bad credit score, but more of a, “not enough credit history” credit score. I’m sure I’ll figure it out though. Thoughts and suggestions are always welcome.

On a different note, Saturday and Sunday, Kendra and I went for a walk down to the marina that's near by and had a good time. There is so much to do here and just as long as you have a sugar momma, you can totally do it all. :)