Real Jobs Are Not My Forte: "Don't Get Trapped" (Episode 2)

Last month, we started a new exclusive DT monthly Vlog series documenting the life of 2 Penn graduates who are embarking on a music career, so that others can learn from their experiences.  

This month Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) talk about:

• their move to Austin
• their new day-to-day life
• their plans for how they're gonna keep eating and living (and how much that costs...). 
• What sorts of gigs don't make financial sense for musicians like themselves.

Watch Episode 2: "Dont' Get Trapped" above!

DT Catch Up:

• RJANMF Episode 1: "Don't Panic"

READ MORE - Real Jobs Are Not My Forte: "Don't Get Trapped" (Episode 2)

You're Never Going to Guess What Good Grades Earned You from Wharton in 1929!

Over the past 2 years, I have done many Now and Then Thursday posts and videos comparing my experiences at Penn with what's going on at Penn today.

I'm now going to take "Now and Then Thursdays" to the next level thanks to Joan Myerson Shrager (College for Women, School of Education, '60).

Not only has digital artist extraordinaire Joan emailed me to let me know that her family is now 3 generations at Penn (Joan; her parents Ruth Leone Meyers Myerson (College for Women, '30) and  Adolph Myerson (Wharton '29); and Joan's son Steven Gold (C'85)  ...but she has shared with me exclusive photos and stories passed down to her of what Penn was like when her parents went.

(l to r graduation day: Joan's Son Steve Gold (C'85), and Joan (College for Women C'60)

(l to r current day: Joan's son Steve Gold (C'85), and Joan (College for Women C'60)

Over the next several months, I will be sharing with you these stories, and I'm sure you'll find these stories as fascinating as I have!

Before we get to the stories from Joan's parents, get a glimpse of what Penn was like in Joan's time.  Per Joan:

"I have my 1960 yearbook and if I felt like counting I would bet over 3/4 of the book is male oriented with some women interspersed and a few pages about Miss Penn and the sororities. In my day, as they say, women could not eat in Houston Hall. Maybe you [DT] could invite some memories from us old timers about our favorite places like Paganos for pizza and Horn and Hardart's. We used the old Furness building as our library and sat in the stacks to do research. Imagine that. No Google, just microfiche that you could hardly read. Oh my............"

Now, to start things off, click HERE to find out what good grades from Wharton earned Joan's father in 1928!  You'll be amazed and jealous to find out that THIS really existed!

That's right, Joan's father's excellent grades earned him "permission to cut class", no penalties!

Per Joan:

"Imagine graduating from Wharton in 1929 --the Great Depression!  He completed 2 years at Law School but had to quit due to no money.  He was able to get a job as a teacher and then got a masters in Ed at Penn in 1932)"

If any alumni have photos or videos of "how Penn was" that you want to share, get in touch with me at merosler at gmail.com.



Other great Now and Then Thursday posts

New to DT? 14 easy suggestions to get started!

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READ MORE - You're Never Going to Guess What Good Grades Earned You from Wharton in 1929!

If You're An Aspiring Musician, You'll Want to Follow DT's New Vlog Series! (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO)

If you're an aspiring musician, you'll want to tune into this post...

What happens when you're in a band at Penn and graduate ...and now only 2 of the members want to embark on a music career full-time?   You embark on your journey in front of all of Penn to watch and learn from in a new exclusive DT monthly video series called "Real Jobs Aren't My Forte".

First, to give you some background, at Penn, Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) (guitars, cowbells) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos) (keyboards, pyrotechnics) were part of the band Satellite Heights which was composed of four Penn musicians, and a non-Penn singer who lived in the area. It was a progressive, modern rock outfit that recorded one album in Brooklyn in the fall of '08. That album was called Launch Sequence, and was released on iTunes in March of '09.  All have graduated and the band is now defunct. Ben and Blake now prepare for their move into Austin's music scene.

This new DT Vlog will document the life of Penn graduates who go on to become musicians, so that others can learn from their experiences. Ben and Blake will be getting into all the gory details that they can once a month on DT in a 3 minute post.

• Where is the money to live coming from?
• Teaching lessons? Gigging? Working at starbucks?
• And how did they acquire the students, or the gig, or the job?
• Are they taking showers in the dark just to save on the electricity bill?
• Are they eating cereal sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner cause they can't afford real food?
• Is the myth that rock musicians end up with a lot of girls really true?
• And any other things they wish they would have known before they started.

Watch Episode 1: "Don't Panic" above ...where Ben and Blake explain who they are, why they're moving to Austin and why you shouldn't panic if you too are embarking on this music journey.



Other compelling Penn Vlogs HERE

Other Penn musicians HERE

More DT stories about alumni working together HERE

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READ MORE - If You're An Aspiring Musician, You'll Want to Follow DT's New Vlog Series! (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO)

His Inspiring Story: From Development Executive to Scribing "(500) Days of Summer"!

Scott Neustadter (C'98, TEP, 34th Street Film Editor) recently had one of his Hollywood dreams come true. He got his (mostly) autobiographical(!) script (500) Days of Summer produced. Check out this inspiring story...

How did he get his start?

Per Scott,

"After graduation, I was hired as a development executive at Tribeca Productions. As much as I enjoyed reading scripts, I never lost the desire to write one of my own. It took a while but eventually I teamed up with my friend Weber and started writing."

And how did he go from writing scripts to actually getting the film made?

Per Scott,

"It was a long and arduous journey. first, i had to get over my fear of being made fun of for writing such a personal (read: autobiographical) story. When i finally showed it to some friends, the reaction was very positive and the script managed to get us representation. ...but when our reps sent it out to the studios, everyone really liked it -- but no one bought it. Six months later, Fox Searchlight stepped up and agreed to option it. Still we never thought anything would happen. But once they found our great director Marc and got Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Zooey (Zooey Deschanel) interested, it took off from there. The whole thing was very surreal and unbelievable. I think we're still waiting for an official greenlight."

I have a general rule when it comes to movie reviews. If Owen Gleiberman or Lisa Schwarzbaum from "Entertainment Weekly" likes a film, so typically do I.  And Owen gave "500 Days of Summer" an "A"! (Scott pictured on right in black shirt standing next to his writing partner Michael H. Weber)

That said, the film is told out of sequence, winding backwards and forwards through the 500 days of a very tumultuous relationship between these two people. Per Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman, "It's a Gen-Y Annie Hall made by a new-style Wes Anderson who uses his cleverness for humanity instead of postmodern superiority."

Per the film's website, the story is as follows...
Click to Expand +/-

"This is a story of boy meets girl, begins the wry, probing narrator of (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, and with that the film takes off at breakneck speed into a funny, true-to-life and unique dissection of the unruly and unpredictable year-and-a-half of one young man's no-holds-barred love affair.

Tom, the boy, still believes, even in this cynical modern world, in the notion of a transforming, cosmically destined, lightning-strikes-once kind of love. Summer, the girl, doesn't. Not at all. But that doesn't stop Tom from going after her, again and again, like a modern Don Quixote, with all his might and courage. Suddenly, Tom is in love not just with a lovely, witty, intelligent woman – not that he minds any of that -- but with the very idea of Summer, the very idea of a love that still has the power to shock the heart and stop the world.

The fuse is lit on Day 1 – when Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a would-be architect turned sappy greeting card writer encounters Summer (Zooey Deschanel), his boss's breezy, beautiful new secretary, fresh off the plane from Michigan. Though seemingly out of his league, Tom soon discovers he shares plenty in common with Summer. After all, they both love The Smiths. They both have a thing for the surrealist artist Magritte. Tom once lived in Jersey and Summer has a cat named Bruce. As Tom muses, "we're compatible like crazy."

By Day 31, things are moving ahead, albeit "casually." By Day 32, Tom is irreparably smitten, living in a giddy, fantastical world of Summer on his mind. By Day 185, things are in serious limbo -- but not without hope. And as the story winds backwards and forwards through Tom and Summer's on-again, off-again, sometimes blissful, often tumultuous dalliance it covers the whole dizzying territory from infatuation, dating and sex to separation, recrimination and redemption in a whirl of time jumps, split screens, karaoke numbers and cinematic verve – all of which adds up to a kaleidoscopic portrait of why, and how, we still struggle so laughably, cringingly hard to make sense of love... and to hopefully make it real. "

---

And thanks to Scott, take a look at these EXCLUSIVE first 3 pages from the script!
Click to Expand +/-

(500) Days of Summer-3 pages

---

Philly people, (500) Days of Summer comes to Philly this Friday (July 24th) so go out and support Scott!

More at the film website HERE

More Glowing Reviews:

• http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090715/REVIEWS/907159997
• http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20291403,00.html
• http://omg.yahoo.com/news/moviemantz-review-500-days-of-summer/25298

Scott's Tip:
"If you're new in town (Los Angeles) or just starting out, there's a great organization called the Junior Hollywood Radio and Television Society. highly recommended."

More Penn alumni writers HERE

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READ MORE - His Inspiring Story: From Development Executive to Scribing "(500) Days of Summer"!

We've Got Penn in Cannes Exclusive Film Festival Coverage All This Week!

Last year we had our special Penn in Cannes correspondent Felisha Liu (W'09) providing us with coverage from the festival.

This year, Brian Tran (W'10) just wrapped up his week in Cannes and is this year's special Dueling Tampons Correspondent giving us the exclusive early scoop about some of the great (and not so great) films to come out of the festival. Plus how this year's festival has changed somewhat from last year...

Brian will be a Senior in the Wharton School this fall, studying Marketing and an individualized concentration in Media and Entertainment. He also attended the Cannes Film Festival last year as part of the Penn-in-Cannes program, but this year he's back with a film in the Short Film Corner and Film Market (he was a Producer and Director of Photography for a short film directed by Courtney Terwilliger (C'10) called The Power of Freedom). Brian also writes film critique for 34th Street Magazine and is Business Manager for Penn Singers.

Check back tomorrow when Brian tells us about:

• his red carpet experience
• the much better access he had with his higher "festival badge accreditation" 
• whether he had to "beg" this year
• which big star walked right in front of him

Check out last year's Penn in Cannes posts HERE

Connect with DT on

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READ MORE - We've Got Penn in Cannes Exclusive Film Festival Coverage All This Week!

DT EXCLUSIVE: Accepted or Rejected into UPenn? Her Intense Reaction (VIDEO)

In the image to the left, do you think Amy Guo's face reads "accepted" or "rejected" from Penn?

Watch above as this 2013 early decision candidate logs online to find out her fate into the Engineering School (how very 2009!).

It's nice to know that students these days can log onto the Penn admissions site and instantly find out.

On a related note, if you recall, I posted a video of a candidate getting accepted HERE and another candidate getting waitlisted/rejected HERE. 

And check out how HERE how Penn is now phasing out paper rejection letters!

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READ MORE - DT EXCLUSIVE: Accepted or Rejected into UPenn? Her Intense Reaction (VIDEO)

Exclusive Video: Getting Mona Lisa's Clothes Off

Today, in honor of Valentine's Day, I want to share with you a special exclusive "love-themed" video preview from Mask and Wig's very funny spring show "Oh the Humanities" which just opened up on campus.

...This summer I had the opportunity to read an early treatment of Mask and Wig's 121st annual spring show "Oh the Humanities!" and it was great! I encourage everyone to see it if they can.

In the video above, a male artist woos a girl with a love song about painting her.

Here's the juicy synopsis:

In Mask and Wig's 121st Annual Production, "Oh, the Humanities!" The Mask and Wig Club takes its patrons back to one of the most inspirational, creative, and reasonable places in history: Florence, Italy during the Renaissance. 

Michelangelo is the new up-and-coming artist in Florence, while Leonardo Da Vinci is the perennial powerhouse Renaissance man. But Leo's girlfriend Mona Lisa smooches Mike in public, making the front page of the tabloids! Suddenly, Mike is widely successful and Leo has fallen from his perch. However, the political genius Machiavelli, seeing that Da Vinci is down and out, offers his help as an art agent. Almost overnight Da Vinci's paintings are selling for mega-florins again and Mike is just a passing fad. But all is not as it seems. What shifty business is Machiavelli up to? What is Mike up against? Paints, plots, and the classical beauty of our eight-"girl" kickline, all in this year's Mask and Wig masterpiece: "Oh, the Humanities!"

Want to see the show?

Due to continued delays in the renovation of our Historic Clubhouse, this year's production will be held at the Prince Music Theater (1412 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19102).

Schedule:

* Thursday, February 12th, 2009 (8:00 pm)
* Friday, February 13th, 2009 (8:00 pm)
* Saturday, February 14th, 2009 (8:00 pm)
* Thursday, February 19th, 2009 (8:00 pm)
* Friday, February 20th, 2009 (8:00 pm)
* Saturday, February 21st, 2009 (8:00 pm)
* Thursday, February 26th, 2009 (8:00 pm)
* Friday, February 27th, 2009 (8:00 pm)
* Saturday, February 28th, 2009 (8:00 pm) (Club Night)

Tour:

Friday, March 6th – New York, NY
The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College

Saturday, March 7th – Lancaster, PA
Roschel Performing Arts Center at Franklin and Marshall College

Sunday, March 8th– Washington, DC
Mount Vernon United Methodist Church Theater

Thursday, March 12th – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival Theater

Friday, March 13th – Jacksonville, FL
University of North Florida, Robinson Theater

Get your tickets and more info at http://www.maskandwig.com

Check out some Mask and Wig performances and notable alumni here

Missed yesterday's Love Week '09 post? ....Click here to get serenaded from the Glee Club!

Check out my Love Week posts from last year below:

• A Sweet Proposal
• Better Than Sending You Chocolates!
• She's a Cupid for Penn Alumni
• He's Celebrating 10 Years of Love
• They Really Love the Library
• She's Got the Opposite of Love
• He's Got Her Number
• His Unsatiable Flavor of Love

Join the new Dueling Tampons Facebook Fan page

New to DT? 14 easy suggestions to get started!

Check out what else is happening on campus

See which Penn undergrads and alumni are registered on DuelingTampons.com

Friend Me Up:

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READ MORE - Exclusive Video: Getting Mona Lisa's Clothes Off

Love Week '09: This is Dedicated To The Ones I Love

(l to r: Michael Yee (SEAS '11), Nick Madian (C'11), Mark Huerta (C'09), Greg Buchak (W'09), 

Garrett Bruer (SEAS '09), Josh Eisenberg (C'11), Patrick Wolff (C'09))

As I did last year, the Glee Club was allowing people to place *orders here to send Singing Valentines to "that special someone."

...And this year the Glee Club is teaming up with the Penn's Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. All proceeds will benefit the mission of Habitat for Humanity to provide affordable housing to all those in need.  So you're really spreading the love to those in need when you place your order!

Thanks to Fan Zhou (C'10) from the Glee Club, once again I placed my order to send a Singing Valentine to you and all of my readers... my "special someones".  It comes from the Glee Club to you ... via video!

Thank you readers out there for coming back each day! 

And I would also like to take this opportunity to dedicate this video to the memory of the Glee Club's former director, Bruce "Monty" Montgomery.  (click here to see exclusive DT videos from when the Glee Club honored Monty on his 80th birthday)

Get serenaded above!

Check back tomorrow for another Love Week '09 post!

*NOTE: Singing Valentines will NOT be sold for the next day after 4 PM the day before. PLEASE purchase your Valentines before then!  NO MORE VALENTINES WILL BE SOLD FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2009! SORRY!

Get your tickets to the Glee Club's next show "Back to the Future! The Musical!" here!
Showdates are Feb. 26, 27, and 28 at the Zellerbach theater

Check out some Glee Club performances and notable alumni here

Check out my Love Week posts from last year below:

• A Sweet Proposal
• Better Than Sending You Chocolates!
• She's a Cupid for Penn Alumni
• He's Celebrating 10 Years of Love
• They Really Love the Library
• She's Got the Opposite of Love
• He's Got Her Number
• His Unsatiable Flavor of Love

Join the new Dueling Tampons Facebook Fan page

New to DT? 14 easy suggestions to get started!

Check out what else is happening on campus

See which Penn undergrads and alumni are registered on DuelingTampons.com

Friend Me Up:

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READ MORE - Love Week '09: This is Dedicated To The Ones I Love

DT Exclusive: Why Charlie Tried Out for Survivor

On Wednesday, I reported that Penn alum Charlie Herschel (C'01, Tour Guide, West Philly Tutoring) will be appearing on this season's Survivor: Gabon.

I've since chatted with Charlie about why he tried out for the show.  Per Charlie,

"I have always been a HUGE fan of Survivor--I used to have a "Survivor wall" at 4045 Pine Street with cut outs of the contestants and a home-made countdown to the finale. I threw Survivor parties at Penn and have remained a loyal fan ever since. I never thought I would get on the show so never applied. ...but I randomly applied this season and feel like I won the lottery. It's a dream!"

Just Released:

Watch the interview Charlie did with Entertainment Weekly!


Other Penn alumni on TV here!

New to DT? 14 easy suggestions to get started!

See which Penn undergrads and alumni are registered on DuelingTampons.com

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Check out our 1000+ Penn videos

Submitting a story to Dueling Tampons: What you need to know...

READ MORE - DT Exclusive: Why Charlie Tried Out for Survivor

Missed Alumni Weekend & Graduation 2008? We've got Exclusive Videos!

Earlier this week, some alumni from Penn Alumni Weekend 2008 shared their favorite undergrad memories with us.

Now check out these 20+ videos from Alumni Weekend 2008 (in the tents and on Locust Walk!) as well as Graduation 2008!

Alumni Weekend 2008



Graduation 2008



Watch 50+ alumni weekend videos from 2007 here!


(*thanks to Kiera Reilly (C'93), Melissa Wu (C'98) and Andy Firchau) for shooting these videos!)

Click here to read responses from me and a ton of our undergrads & alumni as to why we chose Penn!

Enter my July contest and win!

New to DT? 14 easy suggestions to get started!
 
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Check out our 1000+ Penn videos

Submitting a story to Dueling Tampons: What you need to know...

READ MORE - Missed Alumni Weekend & Graduation 2008? We've got Exclusive Videos!