Random crap with Uno.

[Spacy]

Hmmm, someone on Amazon has them for $350 us, give or take.

Looking up the doll itself, it is a Japanese exclusive.  http://livingdeaddolls.wikia.com/wiki/LDD_Presents:_Sadako_Yamamura

Here is a smaller (6") more plastic one ($50):  http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=BAN15714&mode=retail

I see a decent number of forum posts that Mezco Toys had licensed it for export to the US, but there is nothing on their website.

SHFiguarts (one of the biggest action figure seller) appears to have the same one as I linked above, but for $5 more (no idea on shipping costs though).  I know a few collectors who tend to go through them due to warranty and convenience issues.  http://www.shfiguarts.com/products/detail/4955/movie-The-ring-SHFiguarts-Yamamura-Sadako-Action-Figure.html

[Unorthodox]

Goodbye old Kitchen/great room

[Unorthodox]

Rather proud of the paint job actually. 

[E_T]

nice

[Unorthodox]

I've seen some of those stories. 

I don't think it's a marketing.  Because it's been going on around the world for a few years.  Not woods, mind, but clowns randomly being creepy just to be creepy.  Dark Alleys, random street corners, parking garages, etc.  I think the woods element stems from last year's American Horror Story season.  The more it makes the news, the more copycats you're gonna get. 

It's the new slender man.  And yes, just like that, someone is going to be messed up enough in the head to take it serious. 

Bunch of BS...like I said. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/09/20/creepy-clowns-police-begin-making-arrests-as-false-reports-and-threats-plague-southern-towns/

https://www.rt.com/usa/360176-clowns-threats-terrorist-arrest/

http://patch.com/maryland/annapolis/creepy-clowns-haunt-annapolis-kids-streets

[Unorthodox]

Last night, meeting with other parties : "We've got to coordinate with 4 different organizations and get 5 government officials to sign off.  It's going to take 3 weeks."

Me: "Here, I'll take care of that."

This morning meeting: "We're waiting on Uno to get everything ready..."

"Here you go.  All signed off and waiting on you."

"How did you get this done in 12 hours?!?!?!" 

[E_T]

Reply should have been: "How long did you think it was going to take??"

[Rusty Edge]

The reply should have been "Thanks Uno! Take a week off."

Rewarding employees who save the company time with Paid Time Off is inspirational.

[Spacy]

How did you do those teeth on the new one with the cool paint job?

[Unorthodox]

How did you do those teeth on the new one with the cool paint job?

I know a guy...


Or rather, I taught THIS guy how to make molds (though he's admittedly surpassed my ability patience and financial commitment) :

http://skullshoppe.com/

His are a mixture of intense sculpture and actual real models. 

So now I get first dibs on his test items and ones he screws up on the stain or something (since he knows I'm just going to make copies anyway)

Back in 2013, he messed up this one, and it's one of the few things I allowed myself to purchase knowing I was heading into unemployment in 2014.




Ironically, the teeth are one of the areas that are messed up.  Up underneath, they formed bubbles, so there's holes inside and underneath them.  You'll never see that for my purposes. 

My old model developed a flat spot.  another was just bad.  This is now my standard model, though I'm looking for another...

[Unorthodox]

I know I often refer to this place as the circus...

Some backdrop:

When I started in this business back in 2002, it was more of a Broadway Musical, which had been running for 40 years.  Sure, there was a bunch of different crews, but they all worked to bring about one production.  Of course, the director was a big fat jerk full of himself and demanded more and more of the proceeds go to his pocket.  The theater (Gubment) eventually got tired of this, and decided we were going to take the show on the road and break it up. 

Thus, the circus was born. 

You have the acrobats doing the dangerous things up in the air.  (7 yr contract)

You have the Magicians making things disappear and reappear.  (3 yr contract)

And you have the daredevils with the human cannonballs and dome of death type acts.  (10 yr contract)

Meanwhile, we have the sideshow where I work (8 yr contract).  Our job is not just a side attraction, but rather keeping the other acts all in the same tent, filling in holes when one of the acts has a problem, keeping the theater happy and highlighting each for the audience as appropriate.  Part of the sideshow contract is that we will not attempt to perform any of the other acts, however, as the theater is eager to prevent another monopoly situation like the old show. 

The former director attempted to run the sideshow, but the theater was so unhappy with his previous stunts, they gave him a trial run of managing the Magicians.  That trial is over next year, and the process has begun to find a more permanent replacement.  Word has it that replacement might create 2 new acts, and all the acts smell the blood and are positioning themselves to gobble up any pieces that might fall onto the floor. 

THUS.....

Last night, meeting with all the acts, Magician director: "We've got to coordinate with 4 different organizations and get 5 government officials to sign off.  It's going to take 3 weeks."

the other acts start bickering about their parts in this and arguing who can do it quicker

Me: "Here, I'll take care of that."

This morning meeting: Magician Director "We're waiting on Uno to get everything ready..."

"Here you go.  All signed off and waiting on you."

"How did you get this done in 12 hours?!?!?!"

(I have worked for both the acrobats and daredevils, and closely with a lot of magicians.  I've literally written large swaths of the book on this particular job.  I know how and where to push things.)

Today:  [Magician Director on why it still hasn't been done]We object to Uno's name being on this, we won't do the work until his name is off and we get full credit for pulling this off.  (which would upset the other acts and bring another delay)   By (insert legal jargon in process) it doesn't need his signature. 

(see, by helping them, plugging a hole like I'm supposed to, in front of the theater, I'd made him look like an incompetent ass again, when he's under review for a follow on...)  I signed off as required (insert legal jargon). 

Theater:  I want this done by tomorrow. 


___________________________________________

I've been thrust out from behind the curtain to handle a lot more of this politicking crap lately.  Just cause I don't like it doesn't mean I can't DO it.  Probably ultimately good that powers that be get to know me some more, but I can't wait to be able to go back behind the curtain...

Soonish.   

Not soon enough. 

[terzaerian]

Management courses tend to include a lot of things, but I've never seen any course explicitly give tutorials in "scapegoating your employees to houdini out of the consequences of your own mistakes" and I wonder where they all pick that up.

[Unorthodox]

I do not work for the Magicians.  Think of the separate acts as frenemies

[Unorthodox]

Evidently I drove through an honest to goodness tornado on the way home.  News says it was F2, I was driving in the debris path, dodging trees when it hit, pulled over to wait it out.  Thought it was a microburst, which is far more common here, and I didn't see the funnel cloud.  Think this is the 3rd tornado in utah in my lifetime. 

[terzaerian]

Ah, I see - I saw director and assumed that was more managerial.

Weather has been foul in my neck of the woods, but nothing as serious as that! Fall is starting off with a bang this year.