Happy New Decade, Gadgets, Job Hunting

Welcome to another decade of the Magnum Blog--well, that's Hollywood for less than 1 - 1/2 years, but it IS another decade. Come to think of it, this posting will probably bump the last actual set photo and that wasn't really even from "Magnum" so this is hardly a Magnum blog anymore. I guess if you know to go back to earlier posts you won't be disappointed--I still think there has to be a stash of photos I haven't found. That's what happens when you don't move for 25 years and have "stuff." Maybe that's why my 2 favorite shows are "Hoarding" and "Hoarders" which, of course, I'm not! It is interesting to hear the excuses the people use, however, since I have a tendency to keep objects that have memories attached when the reality is the memory is independent of the object. I haven't actually put that newly arrived at observation to the test in getting rid of anything yet--but it's still early in the decade.........

The COSTCO Santa brought me the new Nikon digital camera I should have asked for years ago when I had more sets to take photos of. Speaking of photos, my flickr page has gone from over 400 views a day to less than 200 views now that the Macy's Christmas tree photos aren't as popular. The 2nd most downloaded photos are from the marijuana greenhouse set we did for "LOST." I don't know if they find it by looking under "marijuana" or under "LOST." It was a pretty accurate depiction, though. (or so I was told)

One of the many anonymous followers asked a question about gadgets in the previous post. I am assuming the reference is to one used on "LOST" since we didn't have GPS back in Magnum days--we had giant surveillance vans and my Amiga computer and once in awhile the data storage room of the JAIMS Center in Hawaii Kai. That was about the extent of the electronic gadgetry which would mostly have been props and not set dressing anyway. In case you haven't heard, "LOST" is going to auction off all the stuff from the show instead of filling up the landfill here where most of the stuff would go if it hadn't been associated with "LOST". Imagine what a broken pair of glasses held together with rubber bands will go for just because they were worn by Sawyer in the series? As with most personal props, there will be several back-ups so they will be sure to make even more money with that show. I would not be surprised if it eventually comes out that it was the most financially successful show (worldwide) in the history of television and that is before the next 20 years of re-runs. I haven't seen it since my "Welcome back, Happy New Year, We love you, You're fired!" talk 3 years ago this week. I wonder if they will finally be battling aliens from outer space in their final season--the only area apparently left untouched after smoke monsters, time travel, and island moving. Meow.

Since 2009 brought me 3 weeks as a backstage dresser on "Mama Mia" and 2 weeks supervising 93 Macy's merchandising Christmas trees, my new (almost) full time job is to find a job to start out this decade. While 2010 is also the 26th consecutive year I have been on unemployment at least part of the time, I would actually like to have a job where I can complain about only having 2 weeks of vacation instead of 20 weeks (or more) of unemployment each year. I am now a "Designer," "Consultant," or "Project Manager" although I'm still pretty good with a bottle of Windex. I'm afraid the "Set Decorator" title got left behind with "Flirting with 40" in May of 2008. Time to move on. And time to go feed the animals......

Aloha,

Rick

P.S. President Obama didn't stop by to view his boyhood mentor's home, but I still had a great Christmas!