Be there or be square!

Reposted (with permission of the original poster) from our union's mailing list:

Stagehands Locked Out at LA Forum
Faithful Central Bible Church, the Forum's Owner, Won't Meet with Local 33

After more than two years of negotiations, Faithful
Central Bible Church's bargaining agent forced steep cuts on
Forum workers. Wages were cut more than 30 percent. Workable
hours were also slashed.

Not content, management then locked veteran stagehands
out of their jobs. These men and women, IA Local 33 members
eager to return to work, stand on the sidewalk as replacement
workers are brought in on church buses. In spite of its direct
involvement, the Church has tried to wash its hands of the dispute
and all of its unions, including Teamsters 42 and SEIU 1877.
Bishop Ulmer has yet to meet with these workers or their unions.

This afternoon I went down to the great western forum
and walked the picket line with our IATSE 33 brothers and sisters.
Although I missed it, Madonna crossed the line for rehersals
(Peggy's emphasis) for her upcoming concert.
This coming sunday, 21 May, the evening of the concert, Local 33 is organizing a huge rally and picket line from 5:30 PM-8:00PM. For more information on parking and details please go to their website:www.IA33.org.

Although I'm not stupid enough to assume that insanely wealthy celebs give a shit about me, unions or the working man's welfare in general, I'm really surprised that Bishop Ulmer - a so-called Christian - would do something like this.

Before I start getting hate mail (which I know I will), I have a completely biased outlook towards locking out workers and I'm not afraid to admit it.

I'll be there Sunday, and although I wish we lived in a world where this kind of stuff didn't happen, I gotta tell you that picket lines are fun. I get to be disruptive, yell insults at the people crossing the line (and yes, I'm looking forward to yelling at Madonna's limo) and shake my sign menacingly.

Although I know we'd all rather be home watching that wonderful Sunday night television, if you're in the Los Angeles area please do show up.

After all, how often do you get to yell at Madonna?

My life's not so exciting now.

The dreaded call from the concerned girlfriend came yesterday:

Her: "So you're not working now, why don't you put up a personal ad? You need to get out more."

Me: "No time. Very busy."

Her: "You're not busy. You're sitting at home, reading War and Peace to your plants so they'll grow faster".

Lying bitch. While the cat might appreciate Tolstoy, the plants really seem to prefer InStyle.

My life these days consists of trying to cook without using butter or oil, going to the gym (damn crafty goes right to my ass), The Simpsons reruns, begging The Blonde to stop dating D-List train wrecks and trying to organize my closets. Should I throw out something that's now two sizes too small and out of fashion, but for which I paid a small fortune?

On second thought, girlfriend has a point. I do need to get out more.

So, I put up an ad, and then deleted it a day later.

The responses I got fell into the following categories:

a) HeY CutIE!!!!! ur HOTT!!!!!Plz snd phne number sos we CaN taLk nd I can be sure uR really not a dude, Peace.

b) 16 paragraphs of self-absorbed drivel that I couldn't even finish reading.

c) Outright lies

d) Photographs of someone's penis

e) Inquiries as to whether I was 'down with (insert stomach-turning perverted activity here).'


Single's not looking so bad right now.

Besides, the plants really do need to know if green is the new black.