Saturday, March 20, 2010

Minion Wanted

We are looking for one or two new minions to help us over the coming season. One local (NE Ohio)for sure and one somewhere in the Midwest. Our company, Renaissance Fashions (www.ren-fashions.com) sells Corsets, bodices and other clothing as well as Steampunk items .

The job chiefly consists of going to Sci-Fi conventions, SCA events and Renaissance Faires throughout the Midwest and selling our product. Sounds great doesn’t it? It is! You will be involved in sales and basic book keeping but as we are a mobile business you will be helping transport, load, unload, setup and tear down at events.

Sales skill is very helpful but we will also be training you. You need to be fit enough to move heavy tubs of stock and grid wall. A clean driving record and dependable car is a must. Experience driving a cargo van is a plus. If you are local you may be working with us at shows or operating solo. Having Ren-Fair garb also a plus.

If you are not local you will be acting semi-autonomously. You will coordinate with us to book shows. You will then be responsible for getting to shows with your own transportation (a minivan is helpful but not absolutely needed) setting up, selling and then tearing down. You will be required to keep good records regarding expenses, stock levels and providing a report to us after shows.

“Wow! This sounds great! Where do I sign up?”

Not so fast there. It’s important that you understand that this is part time work. Shows are on weekends but with travel you may be on the road from Thursday to Monday. If you work 9-5 M-F and are still interested we might still be able to use you for shows in Ohio and Michigan.

Pay depends on experience and the type of work you are doing. Typically there is a daily rate and a bonus if certain sales goals are met. We also cover certain expenses for shows. Other perks include deep discounts on our products.

This position is open to men or women 21 or older.

If interested email us at steve@renaissancefashions.com or call 440-647-4668

Friday, March 19, 2010

Meh...

I watched The Hurt Locker last night and I am a little confused. Why did this picture win an academy award for best picture?

Don't get me wrong, it was a good movie. But I don't think it was a great movie. The acting was good, but not great. The cinematography was good, but not great. The acting was good. But not great. The best I can say is that it looked like it was shot in the Middle East and indeed it was shot in Amman and Kuwait.

The plot is simple and non-political. Why not? These guys are in a war that very few people are happy about, including soldiers. Yet there isn't word one about it. None of them offers any kind of opinion on their situation, their superiors or the administration that sent them there. It was likely a decision to keep politics from distracting from the story or making the film political but fuck, people have opinions. Strong ones, especially when the action of your government place you in a war. Nothing. Nada.

The lead is obviously an adrenaline junkie, yet no one call him on it to his superiors. Going Rogue is not something EOD guys are supposed to do. The film takes place in 2006 when there were still issues with getting up-armored humvee's and equipment. Nothing. Also, a squad is generally 8-16 guys yet there are only three man characters.Why?

And most importantly, the film didn't grab me emotionally. I didn't really feel anything positive or negative about these people, which is a pretty big deal. Certainly people can have mixed emotions about a fellow soldier, but none of it grabbed me and none of it affected the story for the most part.

Want a great war type movie? Watch Blackhawk Down. First, it's a true story. Second it shows how acting with good intentions can have unintended, brutal consequences. Yes, BHD is more of a shooting film where The Hurt Locker is supposed to be about the tension. But I didn't get any tension from the Hurt Locker, where BHD had a shitload of tension. You are as frustrated as the soldiers on screen who are watching as everything goes to shit. You wonder why no one can get to these guys to help them. You feel ill because despite superior equipment and training a swarm of drug addled thugs are beating the shit out of our guys.

If you were going to give an Oscar for a war film, it should have been Blackhawk Down. The Hurt locker was a let down.