Monday, September 27, 2010

LinkedIn and Balloons

I've decided the web site LinkedIn is really useful for networking. I recently posted a recommendation my co-worker wrote about me and now I've asking recruiters left and right to connect with me. Some are accepting!

This web site is a little weird too. There is a fluctuating list of people that LinkedIn suggest I connect with -- some of these people I haven't spoken with in ages! And maybe I don't want to talk with any of them again! At least for a while longer!

Overall though I think this site is worthwhile for networking and if I get a GIS job through in a warm and beautiful place, perhaps let's say Los Angeles, even better.

Now! Watch this video by Maximum Balloon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G06zb2yCTKY&feature=fvw

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Watching Catfish with my mom

"Is there anything else you would like to do in Philly today?" I asked my mom while finishing up my chicken burrito.

We were sitting in a Mexican restaurant, billed as a Mexican kitchen, in West Philly, following an excursion to an art museum on Penn's campus that Saturday afternoon.

"Well no," she responded, digging around in her purse for a tissue, "but why don't we go to see a movie?"

I roll my eyes at this inconsistent statement and then agree to watching a movie with her. We walked out of the restaurant/kitchen and head north to Chestnut Street where we can catch the 21 bus headed east toward Old City. Numerous little movie theaters are found in this area of the city. While waiting I take out my cell phone and call Bill. After chatting for a few minutes I ask him to look up movies showing at the theaters in the area and to text me his recommendations. We say goodbye then and a few minutes later to bus arrives - we get on board to head the forty blocks east to Old City. My mom exclaiming occasionally throughout the ride that "this is well worth the money!" and "we never took the bus anywhere when I was younger!"

We make it to 2nd and Chestnut and step off the bus. My mom wants to go to another theater with more selection but I suggested we check out what was playing at the Ritz East since we would need to walk by it to get to her theater choice anyway. We walk up to the doors of the Ritz East movie theater which is slightly hidden, it's set off a parking lot and not a main street, this anomaly tickles me. At the entrance we see a sign that says Ariel and Nev Schulman, one of the directors and the main star of the film Catfish, are going to do a Q&A after the film. My mom and I decide this is the film to see. (It was also Bill's number one text recommendation.)

After we purchase our tickets we walk into the lobby of the theater. Thinking about a Q&A with the director and main person in the films... let's say I get caught up in a feeling of some sort which says I'm not prepared! I hope I don't get put on the spot to ask a question! The feeling subsides as I start gazing at the snack bar. My mom and I decide on two coffee (regular for me, decaf for her) and a scone. My mom asks the person behhind the counter to "cut the scone in half." Fortunately, another person, who doesn't hear this, places the scone in a little white bag, uncut. My mom doesn't pursue her request further.

Snacks and drinks in hand, we walk into the theater and find two seats toward the front. This post is getting a bit long for me so I'll leave off with...

This movie was funny and amazing and compassionate. Am I going to tell you what happened? No way! I can suggest that you not see any trailers or read any reviews beforehand, they probably won't do it justice. After the movie was over Nev and Ariel came out for the Q&A. It was a total trip seeing this two people who had only existed on a screen in person. I didn't get put on the spot to ask a question (maybe this wasn't the most logical concern). I came up with one myself.