"After the game, the king on down all go into the same box."

There are a few things that have been on my mind lately.

The quote I used for the title is apparently an Italian proverb that I saw written on the wall at a highschool where I attended a meeting the other day. I was inspired, so I texted it to myself so I'd remember it. I think it's applicable for this blog entry, so here it is!

Last Saturday, a week ago today, I did a promo.... As a model, sometimes I am paid to do ridiculous things like go to fairs and try to get people to go to the booth and get samples, or play games, or things of that nature. This past Saturday, I was working in a grocery store promoting cheese. I was supposed to pretend to be a cheese aficionado. I was paired with someone who does grocery store sampling all the time. She was to prepare grilled cheese sandwiches with the new cheese we were promoting, and I was to explain the cheeses, and what made them special, and give them coupons and little promotional gifts (hot pads, jar openers, cooking dvds, recipe guides).

I was expecting to be paired with a little white-haired old lady. You know hair net, the whole deal.... You've gotten samples at the supermarket before.

I was paired up with a recent highschool graduate, planning to go to college in the Fall and making extra money in the meantime to save up for it.

I remember those days. I remember getting ready to go off to school, and knowing that I wasn't going to get a job right away because I wanted to focus on school. I remember working like crazy the summer before to try to save up for it. I knew where this girl was coming from.

I also knew, because her mom (who also did supermarket demonstrations) told me, how much she was going to be making per hour.

It was less than half of what I was being paid. It was still well over minimum wage, and definitely a pay rate I'd have been happy to have at that point in my life.

The second I heard her mom tell her pay rate, I felt awful. Here I was, standing around, looking pretty, and sharing what I learned in a two-hour training about cheese, making over double what the girl who was standing there in a hair net and cooking was making. I felt terrible and guilty. I was praying the whole time that she would not ask me how much I was making.

My prayer was not answered. She did not know that I knew how much she was making, and I did not ask her. My tail was SO between my legs.

What sense does this make? I know that I went through a training, but does two hours of learning about a cheese (and let me tell you, this was not intensive in any way). But seriously, should that double my rate?

If it was intellectuals with cheese knowledge they wanted, or educators with the ability to inform people about said cheese, why would they go through a modeling agency?

I guess the argument could be made that we are models, so we might be good at talking to people. And yes, there was an audition with some acting involved. Was it because they wanted a pretty person? Why should I be paid so much? When the king on down all go into the same box?

OK.... That's just part one.

Part two.

Shaq.

Everyone knows I am the biggest Shaq fan ever.

Lately, I had been struggling. Some Madam in Vegas dropped his name as one of her brothel's clients. It's been breaking my heart. I like to live in a world where my hero is faithful to his wife and would never do such things.

My faith in my hero, though, has been restored, in the name of Shaq's Big Challenge.

It's his TV show where he helps 6 morbidly obese children to learn how to use diet and exercise to essentially change and save their lives.

It's a touching show. I love every second of it. I think it's simply amazing. The kids have been so cute, and it it's been sad to hear their stories.

Shaq has been awesome. He's hilarious. I cracked up so much at almost everything he says. His facial expressions are hysterical. The way he interacts with children, both the participants in the show, and his own, is wonderful to watch.

At one point, a member of his team (the team of professionals and experts he's assembled to help the children, not the Miami Heat) said "It's going to be a rough road."

Shaq's response was "Well lets pull out the all-terrain vehicles then, baby!"

Perfect.

Love it.

Anyway, you should watch the show. You'll see why I love Shaq. I think I've converted Danielle into a Shaq-lover! It's on Tuesday nights on ABC. Do it.

I was going to have a part three to this post, but I think I better start getting ready to go out and meet Curti and Rob.... Plus, I am just not 100% at my best mentally to be blogging, I don't think- my creative game is off.

You can expect soon a blog about Danielle's birthday celebration, which was yesterday, and included a trip to Summerfest to see Def Leppard, Foreigner, and Styx. That was the recipe for some hilarious people-watching. Also, hopefully soon I will be blogging about a couple Racine-area weddings. Oh man. Hilarious.