i like being an editor.

The past week has proved to me once again, that I like what I do. I don't know if what I do in LA will be similar to now, but I really like it when I work on a project with someone and they are really happy with it. It's happened twice this week, which has made me especially appreicative of my work.

Many people say, be proud of you work. I take that to heart, because my art is my work. When I put something together, like Price is Trite commercials, promotional videos, or educational videos, I feel like I'm putting what I like, what i enjoy, out for criticism. If I'm not proud of it, it makes for wishy washy conversations and say nothing compliments.

Early this week I met with a client of mine, I'm making him a promo video for his company--something that can be sent out and put online, and he was very, well, unhappy. It wasn't like, horrible, nasty comments, about my work but sort of dissastisfaction. He wasn't blaming me really, mostly himself, "why didn't i do this" and "i shoulda done it that way"s. But the meeting was helpful for me to understand what he really wanted and what he expected from this video.

So I went back to the drawing board computer. I reworked the whole thing. It didn't even really take that long because I had so much prework done already. I changed the music, changed the tone, and shook it all up. Today, I went and met with him again and showed him the new version [v2]. It was great. Right away he had a criticism, but it was so easy to fix, i didn't even need to write it down. He then proceeded to tell me how much he liked it and used words like awesome and excelent. There were a few other minor things that he wanted to change--they are all very easy fixes.

Yesterday I met with Henderson about the final four videos that he wanted me to polish up. I was a little worried because after I exported the Kuyper video and he told me he didn't really like all my changes. So he now wants to look at the changes before I export them. Well, we looked, and he really liked the changes on the other ones. He had a few more things that he wanted to add--things that I couldn't really have known to do. Now, those are all exporting and I'm free for the day.

Both of these guys made my week. They were so supportive of what I'm doing and gave me the vibe explicitly and implicitly that I do really good work. I'm feelin' good. On top of all this, I get to spend the weekend with my Fiance! How about that! Life is really good.

10 days till departure.

[i'll try and get the promo video online sometime too. when it's all done.]

Posted by jack. |

on my desk:

an empty creamy dark.

one bottle cap that entitles me to One free coke product

an almost brand new hackey sack

six cds cases that i purchased in Los Angeles

a first generation ipod

a broken cd-r drive

one finished screen play entitled Pseudo-Math

the program for into the woods

a dvd reel from a skydiving cinematographer entitled good stuff

the 2004 signet from dordt college

...thend

Posted by jack. |

well, i saw into the woods last night. if you haven't seen it and are planning too, you might want to skip the next few paragraphs:

***********************************************************
[i'll let you know when i'm done]. my biggest complaint, too long. This is coming from a fella who's favorite movie of the past year or so is Dogville, clocking in at 178 minutes, that's three hours and 18 minutes that's two minutes shy on three hours. I can do long. I really can. I do however, have this problem that if i know it's going to be long, which i did last night, i kept checking the time to see how much of it was left. I did that the first time i watched dogville too, but i lost track of it. for the middle hour+ i just got lost in the story--which made it feel shorter and therefore more digestable.

The concept of into the woods, the fact that fairy tales end with "happily ever after" and they don't tell you about the troubles after the end is good, it's interesting, but it's not something that we can fix really. Stories need to have resolution. they need to end. Not everything is going to end perfectly, but some of it might, for the stories sake. I think they earned the second act--the ever after act, but i'm not sure that it kept my interest. again, this may be a length thing, but it is something they have to think about when writing, producing and making this sort of production.

the other thing that i was unsure of was the "Woods". What is the woods? is it life? is it hardship? they went into the woods when they had a wish. they went into the woods [skipping everytime they sang it] and bad things, or conflict happened. but i'm not sure what the woods were supposed to represent. i think it would have proved to be a better show, if they all knew what the woods were. and by they, i mean the director, producer, sound designer, and most importantly the actors. they may have done this, i haven't asked anyone yet, but it felt muddy to me. this could be because of poor/inexperienced acting, but it still missed something.

I liked the show. It didn't grab me and throw me around. It didn't make me want to see it again. I liked it. I'd reccomend it, especially the first act, to any age.

**************************************
i'm done. ifin you didn't want to read that, you can start up again.

i had quite a lazy day. i might have slept in until noon.

i'm working on finding a place to stay while we drive out to la. any readers in the albuquerque area? really we need a half way point between wichita, ks and kingman, az so, anyone live in those parts? let me know if you do. jack (dot) maatman (at) gmail (dot) com.

i'm excited to go. things are really winding down here, which i'm thankful for.

hope you all are well.

Posted by jack. |

go there and watch the commercials.

i ordered them, so you shouldn't have too much trouble figuring out which is which.

i'm not too happy with the quality, but it'll do.

i'd love to hear your feedback.

then go to thinkwonder.com and register and discuss.

that is all.

[there are two lacrosse ones, they are the same thing, if the first doesn't work, try the second.]

Posted by jack. |

today, i was awakened by a fella that i'm working for--my cell phone rang. i answered, chatted, and he said, "well, i'll let you get back to sleep."

I worked in the Taj Mah'an finished up some polishing for henderson.

Visted an older gentleman that i've done quite a bit of computer work for, and got his old emails back, but i didn't resurrect standby mode--it just disappeared.

Went back to the Taj, realized Jim had set the computer on course to work for him for a while, so i trekked back home.

Spent some time with my mother, deciding what i should take with me to california and prioritizing what is left, if i have room.

packed up some stuff--dvds and books.

wrote in my blog.

Posted by jack. |

someone used plethora in a blog/comment last week. that's a good word. it describes the things i want to write today. i could do a list, but i don't want to really. so no lists for jack0.

First of all, let me say that i had a great weekend with my fiance. she is wonderful. our engagement party was a hit, it started off slow, but rose up in volume, excitement and people, and it ended very graciously. thanks to all who came--i appreciate you all very much. to those who didn't, i missed you. you know who you are. we must do something some time.

i like sufjan stevens, a lot. i was thinking about where music is headed recently. there are trends right? and currents. i think the current we are in is orchestration. it's all about doing crazy stuff, but making it look really easy or simple. sufjan is a perfect example i think. his stuff seems so simple. but you watch him live, and it's really remarkable. so many people doing so many different things. i think this is true of other bands that i'm into right now too--The Arcade Fire specifically. and bands like Tool, that are in a totally different genre altogether--are still very orchestrated. i like it. today i've listened to seven swans and Illinoise i dig it.

I'm feeling the pressure building about moving. it's not pressure so much as, anticipation, anxiety, wonder, hopefulness. the summer/fall has been very good. i'm glad that jasmine and i could spend more time together, and i'm glad that i could spend some more time with sioux center/dordt friends.

2 weeks from today.

[psss visit http://www.thinkwonder.com !]

Posted by jack. |

twisted transistor a change
of mind and soulmaking off like a lucky
bandit sweet baby
k, midsummer nightmarish
dream jack and jasmine
are getting married

HEY HEY HEY!

unprepared
howzit life seoul...
the results are in . . .
i am hilarious
no
school today
and probably not monday
or tuesday cell phones
add face
recognition long time trying to work
the new camera--apts suck

the state of the union:
GO HAWKEYES!

i have no stability
where is my mind the
first i may as well go on strike too

hello [from] chicogo, happy!

international pink shirt day!

pure gasoline:pre flight jitters

/insomnia:myapartment

Posted by jack. |

one day closer to the engagement bash. it sounds like a lot of people that we invited will be coming. how exciting! So if you got the invite and aren't coming, shame on you. it's going to be a blast. unless you happen to live in grinell, saipan or somewhere else long way away.

today was good. i made a rough cut of the promotional lecture/speech thing i'm working on. i'm pretty happy thus far with it.

i put some more of my commercials from the price is trite on last saturday on the jack.thinkwonder.com website that reuben so graciously gave me. i put the plia one and the lacrosse one online. soon i hope to put the rest up.

if you get a moment take a look and let me know what you think.

Posted by jack. |

Posted by jack. |

i keep looking for jobs. two more applied for today. this comany posted this ad on craigslist saying that they reccomend people to work for faith based organizations and if you might be someone that they could reccomend to send them your resume. so i did. i like the design of their webpage. simple, informative, and a nice theme.

i went bowling last night, with the crew. it was pretty fun. i only bowled one game though.

jasmine came to visit me last night. we talked more about wedding things.

it's so great, i'm going to marry my best friend.

today has been slow, job searching and reading. I got a little self involved this morning and started reading some of my old blog entries from la. i liked it. although it is a little weird. i explained what a dp was like every time i wrote it. that's funny.

Posted by jack. |

there is now a day inbetween sunday and today. it still feels very new, and exciting. fiance. wonderful.

i realize this may not be of that great importance to you, but here is a link to my bus on ebay. as of today there are 25 people watching it, and i've had about five people email me questions about it. the price at the moment is $5,25 but the reserve is set at $3,000. I'm hoping half those watchers turn into bidders within the next three days.

I'm very much in love with Jasmine. This change in our relationship--although we had a strong feeling it was coming--is amazing. everything becomes more permanant and wonderful. there is less doubt or worry--assurance takes control. and, to make things even better, she's coming to sioux center again today! grand.

I don't really have that much work left here in sioux center. I keep getting people who want their computers fixed--which is a blessing. i need to finish the speech project i'm working on and i need to see if henderson ever wants to film any more.

3 weeks minus one day, and we leave.

Posted by jack. |

this is the date that we have tentatively picked for our wedding. That's right, last night I asked Jasmine to be my wife. She said yes. I called quite a few people last night, and i was intrigued by how many people were like, "and she said yes?" it's an obvious thing/normal thing to say, but it made me smile how many people said it just like that.

Today we are playing hookey. I never played hookey in school, I've never really had a real job, that i could play hookey on, so this is kindof my first time. [i'm not counting the movie theatre because although it was a real job, i never falsely or truthfully got out of work when i shouldn't have.] Jasmine didn't lie either. We realized this is the one and only time that you can use an excuse like, "I just got engaged." So, we did. I haven't even called henderson yet, as of 11:13, but as you might guess, we aren't so much on a tight schedule.

So, world at large, you should know that I love Jasmine. And I Will love her forever. Now it's public.

Details: The wedding will be in strawberry point. We already called her pastor, he's in. the church is ours to use. She is also friends with a professional photographer--and march is a slow month for weddings....so we can count on them as well. crazy.

what a great weekend!

Posted by jack. |

it's here. the weekend. well, okay, it maynot be here quite yet, but it's close, and i'm excited. excited to see my lovely girlfriend. i'm really looking forward to a time when we will be able to see eachother every day.

i'm considering reading more about owning a small business.

i think i might do another biology lesson today.

or put the bus on ebay. unless you want to buy it. i'd sell it right now, no questions asked for $3,500--i'd even clean it for you. [i'm going to clean it anyway.]

seriously though, if anyone is interested let me know, i can rattle of the specs for you if you care to know: jckmtmn at dordt dot edu.

it's about those small things that we don't even really think about--those are the things that make a great idea grand.

ross inspired that thought. we were talking about how at the arcade fire concert they didn't even tell you that some of the t-shirts glow in the dark. and we both thought that was super cool, it was a surprise that you didn't even know was coming. a small thing, maybe even unintentional, but it is grand.

[addition: anyone else that i haven't put on the links list want to be on it?

and since i usually don't post too much during the weekend, a poll,

do you like the way the links list works on my blog or is it a pain? what do you think?]

Posted by jack. |

i'm amazed at the number of new blogs starting up. i welcome, sara and ross. to the crowd, i hope that you enjoy your blogging times--you both are good writers.

community is on my mind today. mostly because i am going to be leaving this community soon. i am leaving people that know me ever so well. leaving the gossip, the friends, the good parties, the great discussions, and the people who think i just arrived from la every time they see me in church.

i have finished three commercials for the price is trite. a dordt thing. one for the lacrosse team, one for plia, one for nc/dc [an american idol rip-off dordt/northwestern style]. we are doing one more for the talent show. i should have that one done tomorrow.

i'm managing to stay busy, despite the lack of philosophy work.

Posted by jack. |

i had an interesting conversation with a woman who's computer i was fixing about the philosophy of movies--more specifically what she would spend time on as far as movie going goes. what i found most interesting was how the conversation ended. basically she said, that she should not expect me to put the same sort of weight on time that she would at her age. she also basically said that at my age i couldn't see it like she did, and i viewed movies as purely entertainment.

the ironic thing is i think she sees them as only entertainment. i don't think that she engages with a movie and enters into its world on its terms. [i'm not sure of that about her, she is a very smart engaged person] pulp fiction came up in our discussion. and she asked me what i thought of it. i told her i liked it, and would probably put it in the top 10. upon rethinking that later, i may not put it in my top ten, but it is definately a movie that changed how i watch movies and changed me. that got me thinking about what movies changed me/my movie watching tendancies. these came to mind:

1. Fight Club
2. Waking Life
3. Almost Famous
4. American Beauty
5. Blue [of the red bleu white trilogy, of which i've only seen bleu.]
6. Last Temptation of Christ
7. Dogville

A lot of these movies were changing for me because of people that i knew and respected who didn't like the movie. Heidi said Waking Life made her sick, my mom hated American Beauty, so many people thought Bleu was slow and boring, many thought the same of Dogville, many disliked Last Temptation. I don't know of anyone who didn't like Almost Famous or Fight Club. I'm quite sure if certain people watched fight club they wouldn't like it. any who. got a list like that? something i forgot maybe? what's your philosophy on filmmaking? should you make something that you can bring into your house on any occasion? Should you always be striving for something that is worth spending [viewer] time on?

Posted by jack. |

i like that in the work mimic, when you make it into a participle, [is that right? or is it gerund...] you add a 'k'.

four weeks till the move. i'm excited.

the wedding was good. i've had more fun and i've had less fun, so it was mmmgood.

i had a really good time driving back home with the woman that i love.

it was a very nice weekend.

i have this work looming over me, but i don't know where to start. i fear if i start one thing, another will interupt, which is hindering me from starting anything. circular and silly. i will just start.

things are shaping up such that i will have an apartment in la before i even move! how about that! i'm excited to get outta here.

jsm

Posted by jack. |

i dreamt this:

that dr. henderson and john kok were reading my blog, and there was something controversial on it but not everyone was taking it seriously and henderson was telling me how he appreciated what kok wrote, but wished that other people would read it. the other comments were frivolous whilst he and kok had serious comments. he said something about adding to the conversation. not detracting from it.

it's weird to dream about text. like, i remember scrolling on the webpage in my dream. strange--that must be on my mind....

i have completed one lesson in biology. 19 more lessons, 9 more assignments. 1 exam.

i'm having strange flashbacks from highschool chemistry and biology. i am also getting the distinct feeling that i'm going to miss having a real live teacher that i can listen too--i'll have to read...

done.

Posted by jack. |

so my work for dr. henderson is winding down, i think. I have finished editing all but one of the videos, and I think he'd like to shoot some more, but i'm not sure how many and how long they will be. He asked me to set up the camera with tape for him this weekend--maybe when i get back things will be hopping again. The commercial i'm working on is going really well. It's for the dordt lacrosse team, i'm not getting paid for it, but i really like it. It is a totally different style than any of the philosophy stuff--which i'm all about.

So today, i slept in, and am going to start working on my biology course. maybe finish a few lessons. I'd like to be done with the course before i move away. have a diploma and all that stuff.

This weekend i'm going back to strawberry for another wedding. [i'm trying out the local talk. strawberry.] This one is for Shannon and Bryce, one of jasmine's grand friends from highschool. i've met them twice now, and i really enjoy their company. bryce is a artist, has his mfa in drawing i believe. he's a cool cat. shannon is also an artist, and she teaches or has taught.

in other news, i'm in love with my girlfriend.

Posted by jack. |

i have a counter on my blog, and i've been checking out the stats, which has intrigued me as to who reads my blog. so, if you don't mind, comment and let me know who you are and where you are at.

it's been a good weekend.

i leave in less than five weeks.

[ps for all you internet explorer users, i beleive i have fixed the transparency issues.]

[pss. get firefox!]

Posted by jack. |