Randy A. Paris

randy.a.paris@gmail.com

What This Is
Crazy Quilt Image
Image Credit: Bluebird Gardens

Rather than relying on the categories and subscription models of a FaceBook or LinkedIn or whatever else comes and goes in the digital universe to supposedly represent someone's uniqueness to the world, I’ve decided to take the direct route.

This is a kind of show and tell digital crazy quilt of the who and what of me - mostly presented through dug up haphazardly cached artifacts. These are the scavenged bits and pieces of paper and other stuff hitched to my life and career(s) spent in and around Seattle, Wa. USA. The irregularly shaped and sized relics that form my particular life’s quilt of many colors.

I’ve mostly left the stuff that I concocted intact as it first entered the world -- Good, Bad or Ugly. All are imperfect, some more so than others. And I’ve tried to resist fixing the past, only touching-up for technical clarity or ease of viewing.

The arrangement of this patchwork of documents, videos, images and sounds is by way of a Table of Contents which is full of overlaps, like every life’s table of contents. The last heading leads to a website where I've been attempting to breathe a little life into some of those categories.

Oh yeah, and there's this:

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All material and linked documents, videos, audio, images on these pages is © , by Randy A. Paris, or others as noted, and may not be reused in any format without prior written permission. Please read Terms of Use

Jobs
Hamering Man image
Image Credit: Seattle Online

This section is a chronicle of jobs and positions I've held since I started working for actual W2 wages as a teenager. They're broken out between Technical/TV, Performing Arts and Odd Jobs.

Odd Jobs range from my teen dropout years to the present. These jobs are where I received a great deal of my education as a human being. I worked with, helped and enjoyed great times and experiences with all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds. These included working for a furrier where, among more mundane duties, I packed and hacked the tails off raw, stiff, inside out skinned wolves destined for the tanner, and a stint as a day laborer at the iconic Pink Elephant Super Carwash.

My innaugural exposure to theatre and playwriting came with a college work/study job for a children's 'summer stock' theatre. After that I tried being different versions of a writer, playwriting mostly, off and on, well into my 30's, while also lucking into actual fascinating and heady jobs behind the scenes in the performing arts - listed in the Performing Arts section. That period was also launched by a college work/study job - this time with the Seattle Opera, which led to working with Pacific Northwest Ballet.

When I decided I needed to get serious about the writing or give it up, I quit my adminstrative job with the ballet company, went back to school - getting a BA and MA in English and had encouraging results both regionally and nationally. But I always had to have some part-time or on-call temp-work to pay rent and eat regularly. (The plays and early freelance excursions into teleplays and documentaries are listed in the Plays/Stories/Other section.)

After a regionaly televised versiion of one of my plays, I chased jobs in the technicaly dominated world of television. The Technical/TV section charts that quest from freelancer to early employee of a startup regional cable sports network where I ended up creating their promotion and branding spots. And that's where I was derailed from my journey as a playwright. I was getting paid well, the work usually included a creative element and was actually fun and rewarding. My last, best, and worst TV job was in Grand Cayman - While I was there I got an amazing weekend in Havana and certified as an open water scuba diver. The technical skills I developed in TV production and editing gave me an entry to the internet/technology field. Between the sports network and Cayman TV stints, I freelanced for various tech firms in and around Seattle. My last big gig was a full time 'Flash' Developer for a Silicon Valley company which assigned me to an automotive project team at Microsoft.

Eventually much of this stuff should find its way into stories of some kind at Rain City Revisions.

Odd Jobs

Houseman

Executive Inn Motel

Full time night job during my first, which was also my last, year of High School.

I vacuumed football field length carpets, polished elevator doors and ashtrays, and delivered supplies and sheets to the maids (who I occasionaly partied with on weekends).

1965 - 1966

Mitt Man, LoaderNeon Elephant Super Car Wash sign

Pink Elephant Super Car Wash

This was the live action version of the 1976 day-in-the-life cult comedy "Car Wash". I found love and betrayal during my time at Seattle's most iconic car wash.

1966 - 1967

Letter Carrierheadshot

US Postal Service

Full time job as substitue mailman on Capitol Hill routes.

I had to wear little dog repellent spray cans on my mail bag like a Poncho Villa revolutionary after several doberman encounters. I lasted about five months.

1967

Remedial Reading Teacher Assistant

Seattle Central Community College

Part time job offered through Seattle Community College financial aid office.

People in class ranged from folks who had to drop out of school and never learned to read to recent immigrants, one of whom wanted to have an affair with me.

1968

Shipping Clerk (and Chief Wolf Tail Hacker)

Alaska-Artic Fur Company

Part time job while attending Seattle Community College. In addition to stuffing mink coats into carboard boxes, I learned how to chop off wolf tails and turn stiff, bloody carcasses into wire strapped bails of fur for shipping to tanners. Some skills are better forgotten.

1969 - 1971

PR Assistant (and Playwright)Play Poster

YWCA - Seattle Children's Theatre

As part of a financial aid package with my Junior year transfer from Seattle Central Community College into the University of Washington, I got a Work-Study job at the Seattle-King County YWCA downtown headquarters. It was to help promote performances of a 'summer stock' company of work-study job actors, musicians and stage workers (mostly from UW theatre program) doing musical versions of 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' for child audiences at a new theatre (the Poncho) nestled next to the Woodland Park Zoo. This was my seminal encounter with theatre which led to a complete change of my life's course.

There are two stories from this period - 'Yule Tied' and 'Forgotten Moon' - at Rain City Revisions.

1971 - 1972

Ticket Seller

One Reel Productions - Bumbershoot Labor Day Festival

Cash Ticket Sales gig every Labor Day weekend for 4 years - 3 straight days of non-stop cash ticket sales with till/ticket reconciling at end of each 12 hour day. Afterward going with the crew to unwind doing things like singing alone with Purple Rain and Stop Making Sense in the Broadway theater.

1981 - 1984

Assistant Head Usher/ Usher/ Ticket Seller/ Securityheadshot

Seattle Center

On Call job while I was trying to be a writer, Helped and managed audience/fans/attendees at events such as Large Concerts, NBA Basketball, Hockey, WWE Wrestling, Special Exhibitions (King Tut, Terracotta Chinese Warriors), Center-wide Festivals (Folk Life, Bumbershoot), Car Shows, Gift Shows, etc. This included pointing patrons to seats & toilets, taking folding chairs out of hands of over stimulated wrestling fans, keeping enthusiastic fans away from stages and off sports surfaces, yawning in a darkened corner of King Tut's traveling tomb exhibition and telling a full length mink coat and mink hat wearing James Brown and his white Cadilac chaueffered entourage that they came to the wrong door.

1980 - 1987

Group Fitness Instructorheadshot

The Seattle Gym/ProRobics, Golds Gym Seattle, Golds Gym Redmond/Issaquah

I got hooked on working out and taking group fitness classes while I was trying to shed about 30 extra pounds I'd acquierd while married and gainfully employed in Television. I thought I could teach one of the classes I was taking and it turned out I could.

Certified (AFAA/ACE/NETA) Group Fitness instructor.     pdf

Currently Teaching at The Seattle Gym

    Specialty Certifications / training     pdf

    • Body Pump - Les Mills - 2003
    • Body Flow/Balance - Les Mills - 2007
    • Body Vive - Les Mills - 2007
    • Gravity Group - EFI - 2007
    • Gravity Personal - EFI - 2008
    • Body Combat - Les Mills - 2008
    • Yo-Chi - AFAA - 2017
2003 - Present

Performaing Arts Jobs

Assistant for Ballet Operations to General Director

Seattle Opera Association

This started as a part time PR Assistant work study job through the University of Washngton that quickly morphed into a full time position that included managing Joffrey Ballet legacy sponsorhips and early foundational development activities of the eventual professional ballet company.

1972

Assistant Administrative Director

Pacific Northwest Ballet (ne Pacific Northwest Dance)

Full time Administrative Assistant to Part-Time remote Executive Director of professional ballet company. Included managing fund raisng campaigns, grantwriting, representation to public and private funding sources, arts commisions and arts community, event sponsorships and management of the final legacy annual week long Joffrey Ballet residency/performaces in Seattle Opera House.

1973

Project DirectorNutcracker Sold Out

Pacific Northwest Ballet (ne Pacific Northwest Dance)

Administrative management of development and performance projects in support of establishing a professional ballet company. Included studio and school location, acquisition and development in historic landmark building (Home of Good Shepherd) in the Wallingford neighborhood, the company's first professional performances and Seattle's first resident professional production of Nutcracker with full orchestra in the Seattle Opera House.

See "The Ballet in the Briers" in the Rain City Revisions story collection.

1974

Administrative DirectorBallet Spring Season Program Cover 77-8

Pacific Northwest Ballet (ne Pacific Northwest Dance)

Manage administrative operations of the first resident professional ballet company in Seattle. Included first repertory season in Seattle Opera House. This position was the final evolution of a journey through the world of professional performing arts administration that began with that work study PR job at Seattle Opera (1972 above). There will definitely be a story about this in the Rain City Revisions story collection.

From the PNB website:
Pacific Northwest Dance Association under the aegis of Seattle Opera Association, with early leadership provided by Leon Kalimos (Executive Director, 1973-1977), Janet Reed (Ballet Mistress and Director of the School, 1974-1976) and Melissa Hayden (Ballet Mistress and Director of the School, 1976-1977, and Artistic Director the first 5 months of 1977). Highlights of these early years include the acquisition of Lew Christensen’s Nutcracker in 1975 and a mixed repertory season offered in Spring 1977. The Company became an independent organization in September 1977 and was renamed Pacific Northwest Ballet in 1978. In August 1977, Kent Stowell and Francia Russell were appointed Artistic Directors of Pacific Northwest Dance. During their extended tenure the Company and School attained an international reputation for superb performances and excellent training.

1977

Technical/TV Jobs

Remote Production Broadcast Graphics

Prime Sports Northwest/ Northwest Cable Sports

Create and update on-air presentation graphics and promotion spots for regional sports event broadcasts.

1987 - 1988

On-air Promotions Producer > Creative Services DirectorFoxSports NW Business Card

Fox Sports Net / Prime Sports

Award-winning Creative Services Director in charge of creating and producing broadcast network identity pieces, managing in house and external design and production resources; On-air promotions; programs and program content; Advertiser tie-in on-air promotions.


1989 - 1999

Project Manager/Producerdigeo business card Digeo Stock Cert

digeo, a Paul Allen company

Content development and prototypes for interactive TV. Included developing in-house simulated cable head-end, producing JavaScript-based prototype iTV (ATVEF) experiences with NBA game (Portland Trailblazers) and Soap Opera (Days Of Our Lives).

2000 - 2002

Commercial Producer/Director/EditorCITN Cayman 27 Business Card

CITN-TV, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Consult with owners, clients, stake-holders to develop and produce creative broadcast commercials and station promotions/PSA's within budget and time constraints. Plan, Write, Direct, Shoot, Edit.

2004

ActionScript/ Flash / HTML Freelance Developer

DraftFCB, The Hacker Group, Kinetic Books, ClassMates.Com, and more

Hybrid developer for web and desktop rich media sites and content. Projects included: Custom ActionScript controlled Flash RT Video/ Audio players, data-integrated web sites and swf content modules for intranet training and education; Flash multimedia content for product micro-sites, advertising sites/banners; interactive CDs

2002 - 2004

2004 - 2011

Flash UI/UX developerMicrosof RFD_ID

Microsoft (SymphonyTeleca)

UI/UX (user interface/experience) Sr. Flash developer responsible for creating/maintaining/modifying front-end UI into and integration into embedded automotive HMI (Human Machine Interface - ie in dash infotainment - control) system stack of the Ford Sync infotainment console version II. Collaborated with several Agile development teams on feature development, integration, testing, and debugging.
(Apple dropped Adobe Flash from its iOS in 2010 causing a ripple effect in application development. Adobe finally officialy abandoned Flash support on 12/31/2020.)

    • pdf - Ford Sync In Car Microsof RFD_ID
2011 - 2014

Education

Seattle Central Community College

High School Equiv, Freshman/Sophmore
1969 - 1971

Univeristy of Washington

Bachelor of Arts - 1976
  • pdf - Diploma
Master of Arts - 1981
  • pdf - Diploma
  • Thesis "Pen Pals" - A Play In One Act
1971 - 1981

Technical Education

American Film Institute (LA)

Media Technology Certificates - 90 hours
  • Motion Graphics (Adobe After Effects), 3D Animation (Electrc Image)
1997 - 1999

Bellevue College

Media Communication & Technology Certificates - 104 hours     pdf
  • Web Authoring, JavaScript, Lingo, Flash ActionScript, Visual Basic, DB Design, SQL, MS Access, ASP
1999

University of Washington

Extension Certificates - 390 hours     pdf
    Web Administration, Internet Programming, XML Standards & Technology
    • Infrastructure and Network Essentials, Site Construction, Managing Sites and Teams, XML Applications Development
1999 - 2001

Play/Stories/Other

Published/Broadcast/Staged/Contests
  • Why Man? (Poem) -1966
    • Lincoln High School - ETC., Seattle, Wa
  • In The Memory of Alyosha (Story) -1970
    • Seattle Central Community College - Ark II, Seattle, Wa
    • pdf - Story from ARK II
  • Call It Spugs Demucci (Story) -1971
    • Seattle Central Community College - Ark III, Seattle, Wa
    • pdf - Story - & Poem from ARK III
  • The Wizard's Gift (Childrens Musical) -1971
  • The Ups and Downs of Samuel Frog (Childrens Musical) -1972
    • Seattle Youth Theatre, Seattle & Renton, Wa.
    • pdf - review
    • Promo film on SYT (features music & scenes from S.Frog)
      Freeze Frame of FilmOn YouTube
    • "Forgotten Moon" - Story
    • pdf - Script
  • The Wizard's Prize (Childrens Musical) -1972
    • Seattle Youth Theatre, Seattle, Wa
    • pdf - program/article
  • Southern Cross (Play)- 1978
    • Staged Workshop - Intiman Theatre, Seattle, Wa
    • Staged Workshop - Artists Repertory Theatre, Wilson Center for Performing Arts, Portland, Or
    • Produced Festival Winner - Commonwealth Theatre Festival, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Ky
    • Finalist - The 1983-84 Oglebay Institute Towngate Theatre Playwriting Contest
    • Finalist - 1984 Cultural Centre of Carmel by the Sea - Festival of Firsts
    • pdf - Script
  • Southern Cross - (Teleplay) -1980
    • Broadcast Production - produced by KING-TV, aired by KING-TV Seattle, Wa. and KGW-TV. Portland, Or.
      Freeze Frame of VideoOn YouTube
  • pdf - articles
  • pdf - reviews
  • Pen Pals (Play) -1981
    • Staged Workshop - Intiman Theatre, Seattle
    • pdf - articles
    • pdf - Script
  • Child's Play (Play) - 1983/86
      • Finalist
          The 1982-83 Oglebay Institute Towngate Theatre Playwriting Contest
      • Semi-Finalist
          1983 - Northern Michigan University - Forest A. Roberts/Shiras Institute Playwriting Award Competition
  • Life Times - (Teleplay) -1984
      • First Place 1984 Twelfth Annual Northwest Film and Video Festival, Portland, Or.
    • Broadcast Production - produced through Group W cable and KCTS9-TV, aired by Group W and KCTS9-TV Seattle, Wa.
      Title Freeze FrameOn YouTube
  • pdf - awards/articles
  • pdf - review
  • pdf - script
  • A Change of Worlds (Play) - 1985
    • Staged Workshop - The Group At Ethnic Theatre, Seattle
    • Developed under grant from Seattle Arts Commission
    • pdf - article
    • pdf - script
  • Angeline - A Spirit Song (Teleplay) - 1986
    • Staged Reading - The Group At Ethnic Theatre, in Pacific Science Center -Longhouse, Seattle, Wa
    • Developed under grants from Seattle Arts Commission and Washington State Commission for the Humanities
  • Making The Ring - (Documentary) -1988
    • Broadcast Production - KCTS-TV, Group W Cable, Seattle, Wa.
    • pdf - review
    • pdf - awards
  • The Play's The Thing - (Documentary) -1989
    • Broadcast Production - KCTS-TV, TCI Cable, Seattle, Wa.
    • pdf - awards
  • See Emmy Nominated Documentaries next section

Unproduced
  • Toady Divine - (Musical Play) -1982

Recognitions

  • emmy icon Local/Regional Emmy Nominations

    • 2 Freelance Documentaries 1986, 1987
    • 9 Sports Network 1991 - 1999
  • ProMax Icon Promax - International Cable TV Association

    • pdf
    • 7 Gold/Silver Medalion Awards 1993 - 1996

      Frame from Champaign SpotOn YouTube

    • Champaign Spots on Beer Budgets Award - 1999
      NBA Player on-air Promotions/IDs
      Frame from Champaign SpotOn YouTube

  • Telly Icon Telly (15the Annual)

  • Trophy Icon Festivals, Contests And Grants

    • National Federation of Local Cable Programmers
        • Winners - Home Town Video Festival
          • "Making The Ring" - 1988
          • "The Play's The Thing" documentary - 1989
        • See at Emmy Nominated Documentaries above
    • 12th Annual Northwest Film and Video Festival
        • First Place - 1984
    • Washinton State Commision for the Humanities
        • Program Grant - 1984
          • For development of Original Teleplay
            • "Angeline - A Spirit Song"
    • Washinton State Arts Commision
        • Project Grant - 1983
          • Production of Original Teleplay
            • "Life Times"
    • Seattle Arts Commision
      • Artist In Residence Program Grant - 1982
        • For development of Original Teleplay - "Life Times"
          • pdf - Articles
      • Individual Artist Program Grants
        • For development of Original Stage Play
          • "A Change of Worlds" - 1985
          • Staged Workshop - The Group At Ethnic Theatre, Seattle
          • pdf - Article
        • For Staged Reading of Original Teleplay
          • "Angeline - A Spirit Song" - 1986
          • Staged Reading - The Group At Ethnic Theatre, in Pacific Science Center -Longhouse, Seattle, Wa (1986)
    • The Oglebay Institute Towngate Theatre Playwriting Contest
        • Finalist - 1982-83
          • "Childs Play"
        • Finalist - 1983-84
          • "Southern Cross"
    • Northern Michigan University - Forest A. Roberts/Shiras Institute Playwriting Award Competition
        • Semi-Finalist - 1983
          • "Childs Play"
    • Cultural Centre of Carmel by the Sea - Festival of Firsts
        • Finalist - 1984
          • "Southern Cross"

Milestones milestone image

Places/Events

The missremembered places and events listed here are populated by the equally missremembered people of most of the stories referenced in the Rain City Revisions link. (Story links in italic)

Seattle, Wa - 0-3

Enter Crying

  • Madison Street Hospital Madison Street Hospital image
    • Parents
      • Opal V. & Thomas E. (Tom)
    • Siblings
      • Deanna R., Thomas A. (Andy)
    • Sibling in the Wings
      • Stephanie L.
Marysville, Wa - 3-6

1st Grade - "P's & Q's" - "Birds & Bees"

Seattle, Wa (Georgetown) - 7-8

2nd Grade- "The New World"

Seattle, Wa - (Wallingford) - 8-19
3rd - 10th Grade
  • Dropout
    • Pink Elephant Super Car Wash - laborer Elephant Super Car Wash sign
    • Alchohol & Sex Me and Girlfriend
  • Lincoln High
    • Executive Inn Hotel - Houseman
    • Etc.
(Wallingford II)
  • Dropout II
  • Mailman - Capitol Hill scruffy long hair image
  • Seattle Central Community College
    • High School Equiv Credits
      • 8mm student film
        Freeze Frame of film Viewable on YouTube
      • Part Time Adult Remedial Reading Teaching Assistant
      • & Sex
Seattle, Wa - (Capitol Hill) - 19-21

Seattle Central Community College

  • Junior College Credits (Fr, So)
    • Packing Clerk - Alaska Arctic Furs
    • Ark II & III
    • Sex & Cohabitation
Seattle, Wa - (Ballard) - 21-24

University of Washington (Jr, Sr)

  • Seattle Opera
    • Work-Study PR Assistant
    • Pacific Northwest Dance
      • Joffrey Ballet
Seattle, Wa - (Queen Anne I) - 24-28
Pacific Northwest Dance (Ballet)
  • Nutcracker
  • Sex & Love & Cohabitation
Seattle, Wa - (Queen Anne II) - 29-39
  • Europe
    • Appendectomy
  • University of Washington
    • Complete B.A.
  • Sex & Lost Love
  • Southern Cross - play
  • Southern Cross on TV
  • University of Washington Graduation Image
    • Graduate School - M.A. English (playwriting)
    • Sex & Donuts
  • Plays/TelePlays/Documentaries
  • Part time Ticket selling & Ushering
  • Freelance TV sports remotes
Seattle, Wa - (Queen Anne III) - 39-48
Sports Networt Incarnations
  • Sex & Love
  • Love &
  • Marriage - Wedding Kanji Ticketmaster Wedding Ticket
    Freeze Frame of Wedding VideoOn YouTube
  • TV Awards & Conventions
  • 1st House - Seward Park
Seattle, Wa - (Queen Anne IV) - 49-51
2nd House - Queen Anne
  • Downsized
  • Internet Technology Education
    • Bellevue College
    • University of Washington Extension
  • Love & Divorce
Seattle, Wa - (Freemont) - 51-53
digeo - iTV Producer/Production Manager
  • Townhouse - Freemont
  • Audi TT Coupe - fancy license plate Personalized LicensePlate
  • Downsized II
Seattle, Wa - (Queen Anne V) - 53-55
  • Sell Townhouse & Audi
  • Freelance Internet Developer
  • Group Fitness Instructor Certification
  • Group Fitness Instructor
  • Move to Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, BWI - (George Town) - 55
CITN/Cayman27 - Commercial Producer - "Man Overboard"
Seattle, Wa - (Phinney Ridge) - →-Present
  • Group Fitness Instructor
  • More Fitness Certifications
  • Freelance Internet Developer
  • Karate Karate Class
  • Sex & Love
  • Microsoft
  • Big Surgeries Reclining post knee surgery image
  • Global Pandemic Covid Selfie in Mask
  • More to Come (hopefully)

Rain City Revisions

Rain City Revisions is a website I created for short stories or 'chapters' relating episodes/events in my journey.

This is where the bullet points of the 'resume' presented here become a person. It's where the stuff before, between and after the bullet points gets its due. It's what went on backstage, behind the camera, in and between classes, in my head and in my heart. It's where you'll find real people in misremembered events and real events full of misremembered people, real and real-inspired situations and places. You'll find tidbits of local history that might, except for the remembering, disappear like the shoe sucked off my foot into the mud of the I-5 Freeway construction next to my elementary school; It's where Fuji's 10-cent store still exists, where the cowboy is still shooting the brains out of a cow on the neon sign above Ray's Corral Grill on 45th street in the Wallingford neighborhood where I grew up. It's where I share a smoke break with the TV clown of my childhood as a budding playwright shepherding his characters to local TV shows for publicity; chaueffer an American ballet legend in a 30 year old jalopy with an active mushroom farm in the back seat ; Where I learn how to cut tails off wolf carcasses, and get chased by a nun. Where I got married and divorced; met and lost people who would die too young; where things keep happening.