Keep on Smiling

Trust me I'm trying.

There are many reasons why I have the rep I have as a big middle finger.

Most of them are totally deserved.

But I'm starting to understand more and more why I seem to threaten people.

I think it's mostly because I don't just do what someone asks me to do.

I always ask the magic question.

"WHY?"

Instead of just being subserviant and doing what I was told - I question the logic of the task. And this makes people mad.

It's no that I think I'm smarter than them - most of the time - its just that I like to think that if there is a GOOD reason for something to be done - I'll do it. If there isn't - I've got plenty of crap on my plate as it is.

Take today for instance.

I'm here in China with about 24 hours of footage for my show. That's a lot of tapes.

My American company wants copies of my tapes.

It's gonna cost a lot - not much for them - but I don't see the point. They aren't going to watch them. I had copies of my shoot from December there - and to this day only two people there had watched it - and neither of them are in positions of power.

And the tapes are all in Chinese.

No one there speaks Chinese. What is to be gained by this.

Its presented to me that if they have the footage - then they'll know how to help me when I edit. Sure. Like they're gonna dig through the footage and look to see if there is a shot I forgot about and find a place in the show to put it in.

So when I bring this up - people get upset. They agree with my logic - but they just want me to be a blind servant.

I tell them again that this is kinda silly. (Actually - I think I said "gay" which is not the PC word to use with a SF company.)

They just want me to do the work to find out the cost and then make a recommendation with the cost and they will decide.

Whatever.

I can tell you that you're stupid for free.

Hence - the middle finger.

I played basketball last night. Actually played really good. Just screwed up my knee and bit more - and had a migrane today from the fact that I didn't eat anything yesterday. So you can tell me I'm stupid for free now.

Gonna be editing straight through the weekend. No end in sight. It's great to be getting notes from a company in America and a company in Shanghai. I feel lucky and blessed.

Back at it....

Till then -- I'm just gonna keep smiling....