9/20/2022
6/12/2011
4/30/2011
Visiting London
Emily and I spent a few days in London earlier this month. Actually, she was there for over a week and I only came for the last few days. FSN sent her to train their London staff how to shoot and edit video. I figured it would be a good opportunity for us to have a little vacation, considering her company was paying for the hotel and her food.
I arrived Saturday morning, took a little nap, then went out to see the city. We had been to London three times before, but had never been to Covington Gardens, Westminster Abbey or Buckingham Palace. We spent a few hours walking around the shops in Covington Gardens. They were nice, but had many of the same stores as we have in the malls around DC. Next, we walked down through Trafalgar Square and the park near Buckingham Palace, before stopping at the palace itself. From there, we walked to Westminster Abbey. The royal wedding was a few days away, so the place was packed. We sat in the grass and relaxed, instead of waiting in the long line to go inside. We went back to Covington Gardens for dinner.
Sunday, we did more sight seeing. The highlight of the day was seeing the Tate Modern. Many of the exhibits were that kind of weird modern art that leaves you more confused than inspired (or however art is suppose to make you feel). I don't see how 2"x4"s hanging over piles of dirt is art. But there were some really interesting exhibits like the photography, Russian propaganda posters and the huge paintings by Rothko.
Monday Emily had to work, so I spent the day walking around shooting stock footage. That night we met up with David Walton from the Sudan Volunteer Program. We had a nice dinner and caught up on SVP news.
Tuesday, I went with Emily and the FSN staff to shoot an interview with the designer who made Princess Diana's wedding dress. I have fun doing video shoots even if they aren't for my job! We arrived at her studio and got to work moving the mannequins around to make room for the interview. There were wedding dresses hanging on all of the mannequins, so we had to be extremely careful when moving things. I really didn't want to ruin anyone's dress. The CCTV correspondent was conducting the interview and he seemed to know a lot about fashion and this woman's life. She actually said that it was the best interview she had ever done, because he was so well informed.
That night, Emily was busy editing the interview, but I met up with some of my friends from Sudan. We had dinner at little deli near Leicester Square that is famous for their salt beef. I had never had a salt beef sandwich before, but it was pretty similar to pastrami. After dinner we went to what's know as the 'cheapest bar in London'. It was great, the upstairs was set up like someone's living room and there was no music playing. It was the perfect atmosphere to hang out and catch up with friends. I wish they had pubs like that in the US. It's hard to find somewhere with such a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Emily finally made it to the pub as they were closing, but at least she got to say hi to our friends. The next morning we woke up extremely early and flew home.
4/09/2011
The last few weeks have been very buys on the shooting and editing front. The most fun thing I've done was a promo / music video for the creative agency where I work. One of our print designers wrote the song and the company gave us a few hundred dollars to buy props and rent some additional camera gear. On the shoot day, we had guys dressed as spacemen running around annoying everyone and singing the song. Half of it was shot around the office and half was shot on a green-screen. The company used it at some kind of industry conference, but I can't show it publicly yet.
Last month, I worked on the Intel STS science fair (pictured above), which takes science fair winners from across the country and brings them together to compete for college scholarships. It was a fascinating experience for everyone involved. We followed the students through the entire process and really grew to know and like them. I was almost as excited as they were to find out who won!
One of the goofier projects I've worked on recently was for a video where the client wanted to paste real mouths on still photos of J.P Morgan, John D. Rockefeller and FDR for a funny video about credit card swipe fees. The biggest challenge was trying to keep the actors from moving their heads as they said their lines. I came up with the idea to have them lay on the floor and put sand bags on either side of their heads. They must have been pretty uncomfortable, but it really cut down the amount of motion tracking the editor had to do!
I was also fortunate enough to get some time to visit Florida and see my family. I met my mom's new boyfriend for the second time and my dad's new girlfriend for the first. It's very interesting (and a bit creepy) to see how they act around their new loves. Oh well, I'm glad their happy.
Last month, I worked on the Intel STS science fair (pictured above), which takes science fair winners from across the country and brings them together to compete for college scholarships. It was a fascinating experience for everyone involved. We followed the students through the entire process and really grew to know and like them. I was almost as excited as they were to find out who won!
One of the goofier projects I've worked on recently was for a video where the client wanted to paste real mouths on still photos of J.P Morgan, John D. Rockefeller and FDR for a funny video about credit card swipe fees. The biggest challenge was trying to keep the actors from moving their heads as they said their lines. I came up with the idea to have them lay on the floor and put sand bags on either side of their heads. They must have been pretty uncomfortable, but it really cut down the amount of motion tracking the editor had to do!
I was also fortunate enough to get some time to visit Florida and see my family. I met my mom's new boyfriend for the second time and my dad's new girlfriend for the first. It's very interesting (and a bit creepy) to see how they act around their new loves. Oh well, I'm glad their happy.
1/24/2011
For years I have been buying everything on my debit card. I don't have any credit card debt and wanted to keep it that way. But lately I have been thinking about the benefits of owning a credit card. My brother-in-law Todd was telling Emily and I about how he buys everything with his American Express card, then uses the points to book free flights and hotel rooms. My dad does the same with his Southwest Airlines card. I figured I should be taking advantage of rewards cards as well, so I spent last weekend researching rewards credit cards.
Keep in mind that these rewards programs only work if you buy everything you possibly can on your card and pay it off in full each month. Running a balance quickly nullifies any rewards you may earn. In addition, you have to spend a LOT of money to make it worthwhile - especially with the cards that have yearly fees.
Before we look into my findings, here were my considerations:
- I was really only looking at rewards cards that were good for travel.
- I gave special consideration to the American Express cards, because Todd spoke so highly of them. I liked the fact that on the Green and Zinc cards, you are required to pay them off in full each month.
- I looked very carefully at the USAA cards, because Emily and I have all of our bank accounts with them.
I put stars next to the ones I liked. Look down at the bottom to see which one I ended up choosing. Here are my research notes...
I ended up applying for the Capitol One Venture Rewards Visa card, because it gave the best return per dollar spent. I was also concerned that if I got an American Express card, it wouldn't be accepted in as many places and therefore I wouldn't earn as much money towards travel. The airlines cards are great if you are loyal to one airline, but I want the freedom to use any airline when I travel.
Keep in mind that these rewards programs only work if you buy everything you possibly can on your card and pay it off in full each month. Running a balance quickly nullifies any rewards you may earn. In addition, you have to spend a LOT of money to make it worthwhile - especially with the cards that have yearly fees.
Before we look into my findings, here were my considerations:
- I was really only looking at rewards cards that were good for travel.
- I gave special consideration to the American Express cards, because Todd spoke so highly of them. I liked the fact that on the Green and Zinc cards, you are required to pay them off in full each month.
- I looked very carefully at the USAA cards, because Emily and I have all of our bank accounts with them.
I put stars next to the ones I liked. Look down at the bottom to see which one I ended up choosing. Here are my research notes...
AMEX Green Card - $95/yr
No bonus points at sign up
Pay in full each month
Online financial tools
1 point per dollar // 2 points for travel THROUGH THE AMEX TRAVEL SITE ONLY
Transfer points to airlines for travel
Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty, Roadside assistance, Car rental / Travel insurance...
If we spend $25,000 per year, transfer to airline and get a flight in North America
**AMEX Zinc Card - $25/yr + Eco pack $0 + Connect Pack $20 = $45/yr
10,000 bonus points at sign up ($100 value)
Pay in full each month
Get the Personal Finance Pack for financial tracking
1 dollar = 1 point
Buy Travel Pack for $20/yr, if we spend over $1000 in airfare per year on the card
1 dollar = 2 points for Eco friendly purchases like shopping at Whole Foods and many others (with Eco Pack)
1 dollar = 2 points for Cell phone and internet bills with Connect Pack $20
CAN NOT transfer points to airlines for travel
Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty, Roadside assistance, Car rental / Travel insurance...
Book flight on AMEX site with points
AMEX Blue Sky - $0/yr
No bonus points at sign up
1 dollar = 1.3 points ($7500 spent = $100 in travel rewards)
Can not transfer miles to airlines
Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty, Roadside assistance, Car rental / Travel insurance...
Travel on any airline, stay at any hotel, book through any site - Redeem points for travel expenses after you travel
If we spend $25000 per year, we get $330 towards travel expenses
**AMEX Blue Sky Preferred - $75/yr
7500 bonus points at sign up ($100)
1 dollar = 1.3 points ($7500 spent = $100 in travel rewards)
2x Rewards on hotel, dining and rental cars (with no limit?)
$100/yr allowance on airline expenses like excess baggage, in-cabin seat upgrades, meals, entertainment, etc.
Can not transfer miles to airlines
Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty, Roadside assistance, Car rental / Travel insurance...
Travel on any airline, stay at any hotel, book through any site - Redeem points for travel expenses after the trip.
If we spend $25000 per year, we get $330 towards travel expenses (minus $75 fee for card, plus $100 travel credit and any extra points)
AMEX Starwood Guest Card - $65
10,000 bonus points at signup ($100)
4 - 5x points per dollar spent at Starwood hotels
Transfer points to airlines for travel
Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty, Roadside assistance, Car rental / Travel insurance...
Best for hotel rewards
If we spend $25,000 per year, transfer to any Starwood airline and get a flight in North America
Discover Escape - $60/yr
25,000 bonus miles if you make a purchase every month for the first 25 months
1 dollar = 2 points ($5000 spent = $100 in travel rewards)
No other allowances, so first $3000 is spent on yearly fee
Can not transfer miles to airlines
Car Rental Insurance, Lost or Damaged Luggage Insurance, Travel Delay Insurance, and Trip Cancellation Insurance.
Travel on any airline, stay at any hotel, book through any site - Redeem points for travel expenses after you travel
If we spend $25,000 per year, we get $500 in travel expenses, minus $60 for card = $440
**Capitol One Venture Rewards Visa - $59/yr
10,000 bonus points when you spend $1000 in the first 3 months
1 dollar = 2 points
No other allowances, so first $3000 is spent on yearly fee
Can not transfer miles - buy tickets, then cash in points for travel reimbursement.
Concierge service, Travel assistance, Roadside assistance, Extended warranty, Travel accident insurance, Auto rental insurance
If we spend $10,000 per year, we get $200 in travel expenses, minus $59 for card = $141
If we spend $25,000 per year, we get $500 in travel expenses, minus $59 for card = $441
**Capitol One VentureOne Rewards Visa - $0/yr
No bonus at signup
1 dollar = 1.25 points
Can not transfer miles to airlines
Concierge service, Travel assistance, Roadside assistance, Extended warranty, Travel accident insurance, Auto rental insurance
If we spend $10,000 per year, we get $125 in travel expenses
If we spend $25,000 per year, we get $312 in travel expenses
Chase Sapphire Preferred - $85/yr
1 dollar = 1 point
Adds 7% to your total number of points each year, even if you've already redeemed them.
Transfer points to Airlines at 1:1 ratio
Points are worth 25% more when purchased through their online store
If we spend $25,000 we get one flight plus 7% or 1.25 flights booked through Chase store.
**USAA Card (AMEX or Mastercard) - $0/yr
2,500 bonus points
Cash rewards of $135 + 1.25% of purchases when you spend over $17,000/yr
Auto rental insurance, Travel insurance, Warranty coverage, Purchase protection,
If we spend $25,000 per year, we get $250 towards travel expenses
Southwest Card
One free flight with sign up
1 dollar = 1 point // 1200 dollars = 1 credit // 16 credits = 1 standard flight // $19,200 per flight
If we spend $25,000 per year, we will get a free flight plus carry over points till next year.
Chase United Card
One free flight with sign up
25,000 miles per flight in US
1 dollar = 1 mile
Citi American Airlines Card
75,000 bonus miles if you spend $4000 in first 6 months - More than enough for a trip to Europe
1 dollar = 1 mile
100,000 miles per year is the limit
25,000 per round trip flight in US
If we spend $25,000 per year, we will get a free flight in the US
I ended up applying for the Capitol One Venture Rewards Visa card, because it gave the best return per dollar spent. I was also concerned that if I got an American Express card, it wouldn't be accepted in as many places and therefore I wouldn't earn as much money towards travel. The airlines cards are great if you are loyal to one airline, but I want the freedom to use any airline when I travel.
1/14/2011
Indianapolis shoot
I was in Indianapolis for a couple days this week for a video shoot. We were shooting at a large engineering and manufacturing plant that, among other things, fixes fighter jet parts and designs digital displays to replace to old analog instruments. And they had a tank. A really big tank. They took it out to show it off and started doing doughnuts in the snow. It was crazy watching this huge thing spinning and sliding around right next to me, but I avoided getting run over and got some nice shots. That's me on top of the tank in the picture, in case you cant tell.
It was a fun shoot, because we were able to rent dolly and do some nice camera moves. It was also well planned and we had a great crew. Everyone in Indianapolis was so nice! Like strange mid-western nice.
The night before the shoot we ate dinner at St. Elmo Steak House, a famous Indianapolis restaurant. Apparently they are known for their shrimp cocktail. They pushed it on us relentlessly. When we said no, the waiter brought out a small bowl of the sauce and some crackers. I don't even like shrimp, so I still didn't want it, but my colleagues relented. The waiter promised that even people who don't like shrimp like this dish. Nope, not me. Still don't like shrimp. The steak and potatoes were fantastic though.
12/18/2010
I have never been a fan of Christmas. This probably stems from the fact that I was raised Jewish. The obnoxious music doesn't help matters. My wife, however, loves Christmas. She has fond memories of spending time with her family, getting presents and doing whatever else people do for the holiday. This year she is bummed because her family isn't having a big celebration, so I planed to surprise her with a Christmas tree.
I arrived at Home Depot alone, which was my first mistake. I obviously didn't think my plan through very carefully. When I got there, only two trees were left on the rack outside. As I was checking them out, a couple drove by and pointed at them. Thinking I needed to act fast, I ran in and told someone I wanted to buy one. They told me to wait outside and someone would be there soon.
I went back out, staked my claim on the larger of the two trees and tried to keep myself warm. Twenty minutes later my extremities were numb, but no sales associates had arrived, so I went back in and asked again. They directed me to the other outside - the garden section. There were hundreds of trees out there - doh! I chose a nice fat one and waited while the guy wrapped it in mesh. I was hoping someone would help me carry it out, but no such luck.
That thing was heavy! At first I tried to grab it on both sides to avoid getting my jacket dirty, but I could only carry it a few feet before I had to put it down. I gave up that method, bear hugged it and headed to my car. Now you have to imagine me waddling like a duck and bumping into things.
Finally I made it to my car. I looked at the roof and back to the tree and wondered how the hell I would get one onto the other. I brought a sheet to keep my nice new car from getting scratched. I thought that a fitted sheet would work best, because the elastic ends could go over the top and bottom of the tree to keep it on, but I miscalculated the size of the tree. It was way bigger than the sheet. The elastic made the sheet even smaller by bunching up every time I tried to wrap it around the tree. After a few unsuccessful attempts to get the sheet around the tree, I held it in place with one had and lifted the tree with the other. I got it up near the top of the car, but couldn't make it all the way.
At this point I started looking around the parking lot for someone to help me. If it was warmer outside or earlier in the day, there may have been some day-laborers around, but not tonight. A few unsuccessful attempts later I realized I needed a new plan. This time I tried putting the sheet on top of the car and lifting the tree up onto it. I tried, but couldn't lift the tree up over the exposed portions of my car's beautiful paint.
Finally I draped the sheet halfway over the roof and left part of it hanging over the side of the car. I lifted the tree up, put it against the sheet and slid both onto the roof. I had enough foresight to bring a rope, with I used to secure it to the roof by wrapping it through the open car windows and took a chilly ride home. Next year there won't be a surprise. If she wants a stupid tree, she's coming with me to buy it!
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