Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Just to let you know I'm still kicking around!
Earl

Long Time No Blog

Well, this is my first entry in almost a year. Sorry about that. Just got lost in the shuffle, I guess. Lot's been going on. More about that later. I checked in on my Blog because I may be setting one up for Jerry Enos' trip across the country. I need to understand the process again and the limitations.

The Sister-In-Law

When I married my wife I also got several sisters-in-law. I wasn't in the market for sisters-in-law but you don't have a choice. Most live out of state. But I have one nearby. It can be a touchy relationship.
The last few days and weeks have been tough in this regard. When my wife returned home from the hospital after a total knee replacement, my sister-in-law offered to help.
Now I'm a lousey cook and not too swift on household chores. So it made some sense. But first I had to deal with daily critiques of the condition of the house. This wasn't done, that needs to be done, etc. Plus, we have five dogs that require a lot of work and leave their own marks. Well, she made it clear she would never have a dog and didn't relish ours.
But we managed well enough by my just biting my lip.
But come Mother's Day weekend, things turn hot and heavy. I hear my wife and sister-in-law on Saturday discussing having lasagna on Mother's Day. I say no way. (I've already arranged with our daughter to have Chinese food brought in but I don't want to say so.) Well, I was lambasted by both of them as being rude. So I'm in the doghouse.
Later in the day, my daughter calls my sister-in-law to explain our plans and to invite her to come. She makes as though she's happy not to have to come and instead have the day to herself. (Later we find out she was ticked off by this call.)
But then yesterday, my wife and I have to go out to sign some papers and she has to go to the hospital to have her pro-time taken. While at the hospital, she decides we should stop in the cafeteria and have some lunch.
Well, right after we return home, my sister-in-law turns up with lasagna and heads for the oven. I say maybe she shouldn't since we just had lunch at the hospital.
She sits everything down and departs without hardly a word.
She is one unhappy lady.
She calls later and has a talk with my wife. Both are unhappy with me. Now it wasn't my idea to stop for lunch. Further, there never was any discussion about my sister-in-law bringing lasagna that day. Makes no difference.
There's more, but I just don't have the energy today.
Inman

Auditioning "Maine Style"

A few days ago, I heard from my agent (actually, she's sort of my agent but more about that sometime later) about an audition for a film entitled Sternman being shot nearby on one of the Maine islands. The character is an over 65 lobersterman. It's a supporting role, which is big time for me. You have to know too that number 1, not that many films are shot in Maine (ones set in Maine often get filmed in Canada!) and number 2, I'm a rank amateur but have been willing to participate in what is available.
Of course, I say I'm willing to give it a try. Not to mention that my wife has just come home from the hospital and I'm suppose to be getting my shop and house ready for the tourist season.
The casting director has me meet her at the northbound Kennebunk exit at, get this, Burger King, although she doesn't label it as Burger King, just the food area.
So she sends me a 102 page script that afternoon and I have to print it out in the midst of getting everything ready. Things are too confusing at the house, so I decide to leave at 3:30 so I can get down there by about 5:30 and have a chance to review the script before the audition. It's pouring rain all the way. Reading through 102 pages is still a bit of a strech, especially since I'm not sure which of two characters I'm auditioning for.
Sure enough, when I walk into the Burger King, I see a hand waving in the back. It's the casting director. I've kept running into her these past six years or so since she's about the only one around right now.
She has four young kids she's auditioning first but tells me my part is Popper. That helps a bit and I find one point in the script that might be the part she uses. Bingo, I was right.
She's got a small video camera set up on a table. There's also a guy there named Tom. (One of the writers of the script is Tom.) Tom interacts with the kids while Karen films.
At this point, I'm pretty relaxed. Afterall, I've spent a lot of time in Burger King.
Finally, it's my turn. I do my slate and Karen (the casting director) asks me where I live and we have a little informal discussion about Round Pond, etc.
The part I have to read is a full page where I talk to a young character called Eben. So I'm speaking towards Tom. In my case, he doesn't say anything.
I go through it once. Karen asks me to be a bit more matter of fact. And I do it again.
Still no reaction from Tom.
Then Karen asks if I can give it a Maine accent. I say I don't do a spontaneous accent well, but can rehearse it that way. She says something about the lobserman living his whole life on the Island, etc.
We call it a wrap. I leave a headshot and resume. We shake hands and she thanks me.
That's it.
My assessment is that I did a decent job on the part. But not being able to give it a Maine accent really hurt. (And, yes, I need to work on that.) My only other hope is that I might fit in a smaller role if they like my looks. Time will tell. As they say, that's show biz.
I go out in the rain and drive home.
Inman

Well, while my wife has been home recuperating from total knee surgery, my sister-in-law has been coming in most days to make lunch. And, while she's here, she may do a few chores like washing some dishes. That's fine. However, while she's here she tends to critique the condition of the house and the dogs. She duly notes that there are some clothes to be washed, the porch smells, dog hair is all over ..... well, you get the idea. To protect myself from these GI inspections, I now have to scurry around the house and straighten out everything she might complain about before she gets here. I'm not sure I'm winning the battle either. Each time she finds a new area of focus. I then duly add it to my list. At this point, having her here is causing me more work than if she didn't come at all. Now I'm not a cook. But at the same time, I'm far from being in awe about her cooking.
Of course, we know this behavior as the famous "houseclean before the housecleaning lady gets here" syndrome.
Sorry to cut this short, but she's expected shortly and I have to make my inspection.
Inman

Escaping "prison"

Tuesday morning at 6 am, I got a call from my wife in the hospital. She was crying and said she was homesick. She'd been in the hospital for 7 days following a total knee replacement. And she was scheduled to go to Cove's Edge for rehabilitation. Her bottom line was that she couldn't stand being there anymore. It was like being in prison. So with the blessing of her primary care physician and her orthpeodic surgeon, she went home! And I took her home.
She talked of having panic attacks, being dissatisfied with much of the help, and dirty conditions. She barely got any sleep at night and when she tried to sleep during the day, the nurses would say she had to sit up more. She also lost her appetite.
Since being home, she's had a few rough moments, but overall, she's done great. Looks healthier, sleeps at night, and has her appetite back. This morning she asked for three poached eggs on toast. Fortunately, a few days ago, she taught me how to make poached eggs! I'm no cook, but at least I can do eggs and other breakfast foods.
Since being home, she's also seen a nurse several times and the physical therapist. Plus she has the therapy of five loving dogs.
Talked to Richard yesterday. He's going through chemo and radiation treatment for cancer of the esophacus (sp). We spent a good half hour talking about his treatment, politics, my wife, our business, etc.

inman

Medical Insurance?

A lot has been going on the past few weeks so it has made blogging more difficult. First, we are trying to make some changes in our business and in our lives so we can reduce the stress. We're cutting back on expenses by cutting out Direct TV, closing up two storage units we've been renting for a year, paying off some old indebtedness, etc. At the same time, we're getting a loan from CEI so that we can expand my business in the hopes of improving our cash flow. We really need to be able to do this.
Meanwhile, my wife has had to have knee replacement surgery. That in of itself is quiet a load to bear. But it's made all the more difficult by the insurance company that provides our medical care. Following a week-long stay in the hospital, normal practice is to spend a week or two in rehabilitation to ensure that the knee heals well and is exercised properly each day.. We have such a facility on the same campus as our hospital. But no, the insurance company only has a contract with a facility some 60 miles away. So we may be at their mercy. My wife may end up going home prematurely. She deserves better.
I have a bigger issue with the insurance. I retired from IBM almost 20 years ago. At the time, my health benefits were very good. But enter the fine print. There were no quarantees. So each year, I pay more out of my pocket and get less in return. As a result, we have to delay needed care at times. I am now covered under Medicare. Since I am still paying for coverage of my wife and me under my IBM coverage, you'd think they (the insurance company) would cover part of what Medicare doesn't. Not so.
And, yes, I understand my situtation is not unique. But the funny part is that I would do a lot better if I qualified under some government assistance program funded by taxpayer dollars. I guess the secret is to work less so you can get more freebies.