Friday, August 20, 2004
Gone Corporate
Every so often, I'm going to need to use this blog for topics outside the realm of sports, such as now when I need to vent about the most insulting thing anyone has ever said about me in my life.
I was searching my own name on Yahoo (I was checking to see if this blog would come up, not to exercise my vanity) and I found that my name appeared in a diary entry of a friend of mine from college. I was curious what was being said about me so I clicked. I found that it was actually a letter from our comedy writing professor, responding to my friend's letter updating her on what some of the class was doing these days. Here is what my former professor had to say about yours truly:
"John Kumpart's gone corporate? He'll do well--he's got the personality for it."
I almost strangled my mouse. I'm not even sure what it means exactly, but I can't recall any comedy writers referencing "going corporate" as a good thing. I highly doubt she meant that I've "got the personality" to receive great healthcare benefits and a 401K plan. So what did she mean then? Did she mean that I'm perfectly suited to wear a tie five days a week, have my skin turn yellow from fluorescent lighting, and get hassled about not putting the new cover sheet on my TPS reports? Gee, thanks. I think she meant I've got the personality to kiss ass and tow the company line. I've been called fat, boring, and inconsiderate, but nothing as nasty as the connotations of the word "corporate."
Excuse me for getting a job. Pardon me for sacrificing my independence so that I could eat, and make payments on the student loans I accrued at your scholarly place of employment. Would you prefer I lived under a bridge and honed my craft while the creditors hunted me with blowguns and steel nets? I guess that would be the more artistic thing to do, but hey, just like you said, I don't have the personality for it. What about you? Is working for a private university all that different from "going corporate?" Do you consider yourself to be defined simply as a college professor because that is what pays your bills? Something tells me you would consider yourself to be a writer first. So why is it chic for you to take a day job with the university and work on your writing on the side, yet when you get word that I work for a studio forty hours a week, suddenly I've "gone corporate?"
If I had a choice of all the jobs in the world, would I choose the one I have now? Of course not. Like you, I would choose to be a writer. I'm trying to get there and forgive me if I have to make certain sacrifices along the way to keep the journey aptly funded. Don't trivialize my life and enslave my spirit by saying I've "gone corporate," and, please, don't condemn my future by saying I've "got the personality for it."
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I was searching my own name on Yahoo (I was checking to see if this blog would come up, not to exercise my vanity) and I found that my name appeared in a diary entry of a friend of mine from college. I was curious what was being said about me so I clicked. I found that it was actually a letter from our comedy writing professor, responding to my friend's letter updating her on what some of the class was doing these days. Here is what my former professor had to say about yours truly:
"John Kumpart's gone corporate? He'll do well--he's got the personality for it."
I almost strangled my mouse. I'm not even sure what it means exactly, but I can't recall any comedy writers referencing "going corporate" as a good thing. I highly doubt she meant that I've "got the personality" to receive great healthcare benefits and a 401K plan. So what did she mean then? Did she mean that I'm perfectly suited to wear a tie five days a week, have my skin turn yellow from fluorescent lighting, and get hassled about not putting the new cover sheet on my TPS reports? Gee, thanks. I think she meant I've got the personality to kiss ass and tow the company line. I've been called fat, boring, and inconsiderate, but nothing as nasty as the connotations of the word "corporate."
Excuse me for getting a job. Pardon me for sacrificing my independence so that I could eat, and make payments on the student loans I accrued at your scholarly place of employment. Would you prefer I lived under a bridge and honed my craft while the creditors hunted me with blowguns and steel nets? I guess that would be the more artistic thing to do, but hey, just like you said, I don't have the personality for it. What about you? Is working for a private university all that different from "going corporate?" Do you consider yourself to be defined simply as a college professor because that is what pays your bills? Something tells me you would consider yourself to be a writer first. So why is it chic for you to take a day job with the university and work on your writing on the side, yet when you get word that I work for a studio forty hours a week, suddenly I've "gone corporate?"
If I had a choice of all the jobs in the world, would I choose the one I have now? Of course not. Like you, I would choose to be a writer. I'm trying to get there and forgive me if I have to make certain sacrifices along the way to keep the journey aptly funded. Don't trivialize my life and enslave my spirit by saying I've "gone corporate," and, please, don't condemn my future by saying I've "got the personality for it."
# posted by j.h.k. @ 9:28 AM 
Thursday, August 19, 2004
SoapBox Revisited
Hey kids, welcome to the new home of SoapBox Sports! My esteemed co-founder has decided to leave us, but we are going to press on in his absence. There may be a new voice coming on board in the upcoming weeks, but until then, it's just little 'ol me. I hope you don't mind the new look and the new address, but our previous host was more constrictive than Ed Hochuli's sleeves. I, for one, will miss some of our more colorful features, but this blog will allow us to focus more on content and worry less about technical issues. Welcome back, SoapBoxers!
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# posted by j.h.k. @ 2:46 PM
Virtual Yankees
The New York Post is reporting that the Yankees are close to dealing recently acquired Esteban Loaiza to Texas after only 3 starts, albeit atrocious ones. Is it just me or does the Yankees front office run their team like a franchise on "MVP Baseball 2004?" A guy doesn't perform immediately and you get rid of him, regardless of his talent and reputation for winning? This is so PS2 it's ridiculous. Albert Pujols strikes out twice in a row? "He sucks! Pull 'em in favor of Hector Luna!" Seriously, Steinbrenner is running this team like a bleacher creature who's had one too many and is just screaming about making moves for the sake of making moves. Can you imagine if Big George was managing the team? He would be subbing Alex Rodriguez with a 3-2 count simply because he had been at 3-0. He'd be about as calm and collected as Larry Bowa with indigestion. As evil as The Empire can be, you've got to appreciate their commitment to the role.
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# posted by j.h.k. @ 2:20 PM
Australian Ducks?
When did the country/continent of Australia make green and yellow its national colors? Apparently, it goes back at least as far as the Sydney Games, but that only baffles me further. Did I miss something here? Last I checked, neither color was present in their flag yet their entire Olympic team is decked out like the Oregon Ducks. Is this a Nike thing?
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# posted by j.h.k. @ 9:59 AM
