Randy A. Paris

randy.a.paris@gmail.com

This is a portal of sorts. It's an assembly of dug up artifacts - recovered and missremembered bits and pieces of a life spent in and around Seattle, Wa. USA, with one boot in the 20th century and the other in the 21st.

The information and connections in this are a sort of latter day crazy quilt of videos, documents, stories, scripts, images and sounds that, if stitched together, might get close to capturing the otherwise almost imperceptible wavelet of one person out of billions moving through their time.
(And so far I have resisted the urge to fix the past. The linked works are as originaly written, presented or implemented at the time of their creation.)

This journey has been given a Table of Contents, but there are a lot of overlaps between those somewhat arbitrary headings. In Milestones I've broken things out by what neighborhood I was in at a given event. And the last heading, Rain City Revisions, is an introduction to a website where I've been trying to breathe a little life into those other headings.

Between Rain City Revisions and this site, this is me "leaving my marks on the walls and my memories in the leaves"*. Welcome to my world.

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

* Toady Divine

Jobs
Image Credit: Seattle Online

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

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.

When I decided I needed to get serious about the writing or give it up, I quite my job adminstratively managing a ballet company, went back to school - got a MA in English (Playwriting) and had encouraging results both locally and nationally. But I always had to have some part-time or on-call temp-work to pay rent and eat regularly. My infatuation with TV after a local televised production of one of my plays, led me into jobs in the technicaly dominated world of television production, first as a freelanceer, then as an early employee of a startup regional cable sports network doing their promotion and branding spots. The skills I developed during that period in TV gave me an entry into the internet/technology field.

Up until the waning days of my time at Microsoft, the jobs featured in the Technical Section also included a big creative or creative adjacent element. Especialy the TV jobs. And that's where I was derailed from my journey as a playwright. I was getting paid well and some of the work was actually fun and rewarding. My best and worst TV job was in Grand Cayman - While I was there I got an amazing weekend in Havana and certification as an open water scuba diver .

The playwriting and early freelance excursions into making teleplays and documentaries are listed in the Writing/Producing section. Information about the actual works themselves is listed in the Plays/Stories/Other section.

Some of my more quirky jobs are listed under Odd Jobs. They 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 the melting pot mash-up of humanity from almost every walk of life in the Seattle area from the 1960's on. One of the weirdest of these was probably my time as a packing clerk for a fur company which included regular forays to a waterfront warehouse where I packed and hacked the tails off raw, stiff, inside out skinned wolves destined for the tanner.

Eventually these will all end up in stories of some kind at Rain City Revisions.

Technical/TV Jobs

Flash UI/UX developer

Microsoft (SymphonyTeleca)

UI/UX (user interface/experience) Sr. Flash developer responsible for creating/maintaining/modifying front-end UI into version II, and integration into embedded automotive HMI (Human Machine Interface - ie in dash infotainment - control) system stack of the Ford Sync infotainment console. Collaborated with several Agile development teams on feature development, integration, testing, and debugging.
(Apple banned the Adobe Flash media engine from the iPhone in 2010. which was the beginning of its end as far as its future was concerned. Its last hurrah for me was working on this Ford dashboard infotainment system, which was layers deep in Flash based ActionScript iterations by then and couldn’t be replaced. By the time I finished my part of the job, they’d shipped the whole thing off to be completed in China so they could concentrate on a new approach for future systems in Redmond. Adobe officialy abandoned Flash support on 12/31/2020.)

    • pdf - Ford Sync In Car
2011 - 2014

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

2004 - 2011

2002 - 2004

Commercial Producer/Director/Editor

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.

I'll be recounting this adventure in the Rain City Revisions story collection.

  • YouTube - Playlist of samples
  • pdf - Cayman Memorabilia
2004

Project Manager/Producer

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).

    • Video - SoapCity(Days of Our Lives) 'use case' Screen Captures
    • YouTube - Trailblazers functional demo
2000 - 2002

On-air Promotions Producer > Creative Services Director

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 production resources; On-air promotions; Programs and program content; Advertiser tie-in promotions.


1989 - 1999

Remote Production Broadcast Graphics / Insertion Operator

Prime Sports Northwest/ Northwest Cable Sports

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

1987 - 1988

Performaing Arts

Administrative Director

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 a work study PR job at Seattle Opera (below).

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

Project Director

Pacific Northwest Ballet (ne Pacific Northwest Dance)

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

I've recounted some of the wonderful and strange events involved in this in a story titled "Ballet in the Briars" in the Rain City Revisions story collection.

1974

Assistant Administrative Director

Pacific Northwest Ballet (ne Pacific Northwest Dance)

Full time Administrative Assistanct 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 such as annual Joffrey Ballet presentations.

1973

Assistant for Ballet Operations to General Director

Seattle Opera Association

This started off as a part time PR Assistant work study job 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.

I plan to recount more of the episodes and events involved in this and the other phases of my foray in arts administration in the Rain City Revisions story collection.

1972

Writing/Producing

Freelance Producer/Director/Editor

KCTS-TV, TCI Cable

Documentary - The Play's The Thing

  • The Multicultural Playwrights Festival - The Group Theatre
1989

Freelance Producer/Director/Editor

KCTS-TV, Group W Cable

Documentary - Making The Ring

  • Revolutionary new production of Wagner's 4 opera epic 'Der Ring des Nibelungen' - Seattle Opera Association
1988

Writer/Producer/Co-Director/Editor

KCTS-TV, Group W Cable

Original Teleplay - LifeTimes

  • Developed under Seattle Arts Commission's Artist in Residence Program
1984

Writer

KING-TV

Teleplay - Southern Cross

  • Adapted from my stage play of same title.
1980

Odd Jobs

Group Fitness Instructor

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

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

Assistant Head Usher/ Usher/ Ticket Seller/ Security

Seattle Center

On Call job to help and manage audience/fans/attendees at events such as Large Concerts (James Brown, Neil Diamond, Pavorati, etc), NBA Basketball (Sonics), 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 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

Ticket Seller

One Reel Productions - Bumbershoot Labor Day Festival

Cash Ticket Sales gig every Labor Day weekend for 4 years - 4 straight days of non-stop cash ticket sales with till/ticket reconciling at end of each 12 hour day. Afterward going to see Purple Rain and Stop Making Sense. .

I'm pretty sure there will be a story about this eventually in Rain City Revisons.

1981 - 1984

PR Assistant (and Playwright)

YWCA - Seattle Children's Theatre

Summer 1971 - I was just accepted as a Junior transfer from Seattle Central Community College into the University of Washington and, as part of a financial aid package, 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. I recount an episode from this period in a short story called 'Forgotten Moon' at Rain City Revisions.

1971 - 1972

Shipping Clerk (and Wolf Tail Hacker)

Alaska-Artic Fur Company

Part time job offerd through Seattle Community College financial aid office. This is where I learned how to chop off wolf tails and bail carcasses for shipping to tanners.

There will definitely be a short story featuring this in my Rain City Revisions collection.

1969 - 1971

ESL Teacher Assistant

Seattle Central Community College

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

There will also probably be a short story featuring this at Rain City Revisions.

1968

Letter Carrier

US Postal Service

Full time job as substitue mailman on Capitol Hill routes. I lasted about five months.

I'm pretty sure there will be a short story about this included in my Rain City Revisions collection.

1967

Mitt Man, Loader

Pink Elephant Super Car Wash

On call job at iconic Seattle car wash. - pdf - Famous landmark sign

This will most likely be included in one of the short stories at Rain City Revisions.

1966 - 1967

Houseman

Executive Inn Motel

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

There will definitly be a short story about this in the Rain City Revisions collection one of these days.

1965 - 1966

Technical Education

University of Washington

Extension Certificates     pdf
    Web Administration
    • Web Infrastructure and Network Essentials - 30hrs
    • Web Site Construction - 30hrs
    • Managing a Web site and Web Team - 30hrs
    Basic Internet Programming
    • HTML, Dynamic HTML and Scripting - 30hrs
    • CGI Programming - 30hrs
    • Programming with ASP - 90hrs
    XML Standards & Technology
    • Intro to XML Technologies and Applications - 30hrs
    • XML Standards and Related Technologies - 30hrs
    • XML Applications Development - 30hrs
  • Principles in Web Content and Design - 30hrs
  • Writing, Editing and Designing Content for the Web - 30hrs
1999 - 2001

Bellevue College

Media Communication & Technology Certificates - 104 hours     pdf
    Scripting
    • JavaScript
    • Lingo
    • Action Script
    • Visual Basic
    Database
    • DB Design
    • SQL
    • MS Access
    • ASP
  • Web Authoring
1999

American Film Institute (LA)

Media Technology Certificates
    Adobe After Effects : Basic - 30 hours
    Electric Image : 3D Animation - 30 hours
    Adobe After Effects : Intermediate - 30 hours
1997, 1998, 1999

Education

Univeristy of Washington

Master of Arts - 1981
    English
  • Thesis "Pen Pals" - A Play In One Act
Bachelor of Arts - 1976
    English
  • 1972-73 Yearly Honors
  • 1971-72 Yearly Honors
1971 - 1981

Seattle Central Community College

Freshman/Sophmore
    84 transferable hours
  • 3.52 gpa
1969 - 1971

Play/Stories/Other

Published/Broadcast/Staged
  • The Play's The Thing - (Documentary) -1989
    • Broadcast Production - KCTS-TV, TCI Cable, Seattle, Wa.
    • YouTube
    • pdf - awards
  • Making The Ring - (Documentary) -1988
    • Broadcast Production - KCTS-TV, Group W Cable, Seattle, Wa.
    • YouTube
    • pdf - review
    • pdf - awards
  • Angeline - A Spirit Song (Teleplay) - 1987
    • 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
        • Origins & Context
          • pdf - Original Short Story
          • pdf -Context & Approach
          • YouTube - Northwest Coast Salish Song & Culture, Johnny Mosses
    • pdf - Script
  • Change of Worlds (Play) -1985
    • Staged Workshop - The Group At Ethnic Theatre, Seattle
    • Developed under grant from Seattle Arts Commission
    • pdf - article
    • pdf - script
  • Life Times - (Teleplay) -1984
    • Broadcast Production - KCTS-TV, Group W Cable, Seattle, Wa.
    • YouTube
    • pdf - awards/articles
    • pdf - review
  • Pen Pals (Play) -1981
    • Staged Workshop - Intiman Theatre, Seattle
    • pdf - Script
  • Southern Cross - (Teleplay) -1980
    • Broadcast Production - KING-TV, Seattle, Wa, Portland,Or.
    • YouTube
    • pdf - articles
    • pdf - reviews
  • 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
    • pdf - Script
  • The Ups and Downs of Samuel Frog (Childrens Musical) -1972
    • Seattle Youth Theatre, Seattle - Renton, Wa.
    • pdf - review
    • pdf - Script
  • The Wizard's Gift (Childrens Musical) -1971
    • Seattle Youth Theatre, Seattle, Wa
    • pdf - review
    • pdf - Script
  • Call It Spugs Demucci (Story) -1971
    • Seattle Central Community College - Ark III, Seattle, Wa
    • pdf - Story - Poem
  • In The Memory of Alyosha (Story) -1970
    • Seattle Central Community College - Ark II, Seattle, Wa
    • pdf - Story
  • Why Man? (Poem) -1966
    • Lincoln High School - ETC., Seattle, Wa
    • pdf - Poem

Unproduced
  • Childs Play - 1986
  • Toady Divine - (Musical Play) -1982
    • mp3 - Demo - selected songs
    • pdf - Script

Awards & Recognitions

  • Local/Regional Emmy Nominations

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

    • 7 Gold/Silver Medalion Awards 1993 - 1996
    • Champaign Spots on Beer Budgets Award - 1999
      • NBA Player on-air Promotions/IDs
    • YouTube - Champaign Spots
    • YouTube - Medalion Spots
    • pdf
  • Telly (15the Annual)

    • Network On-Air Graphics (Producer) - 1994
    • YouTube - Telly Spots
    • pdf
  • Festivals And Grants

    • National Federation of Local Cable Programmers
        • Winner - Home Town Video Festival
          • "The Play's The Thing" documentary - 1989
          • "Making The Ring" documentary - 1988
    • 12th Annual Northest Film and Video Festival
        • First Place - 1984
          • "Life Times" Original Teleplay
        • pdf
        • YouTube
    • Washinton State Commision for the Humanities
        • Program Grant - 1987
          • For development of Original Teleplay
            • "Angeline - A Spirit Song"
              • Staged Reading - The Group At Ethnic Theatre, in Pacific Science Center -Longhouse, Seattle, Wa
              • pdf - Script
    • Seattle Arts Commision
        • Individual Artist Program Grants
          • For development of Original Teleplay
            • "Angeline - A Spirit Song" - 1987
            • Staged Reading - The Group At Ethnic Theatre, in Pacific Science Center -Longhouse, Seattle, Wa
            • pdf - Script
          • For development of Original Stage Play
            • "A Change of Worlds" - 1985
            • Staged Workshop - The Group At Ethnic Theatre, Seattle
            • pdf - Article
            • pdf - Script
        • Artist In Residence Program Grant - 1984
          • For development of Original Teleplay - "Life Times"
    • The Oglebay Institute Towngate Theatre Playwriting Contest
        • Finalist - 1984
          • "Southern Cross"
        • Finalist - 1982-83
          • "Childs Play" (as 'Stage Blood')
    • Cultural Centre of Carmel by the Sea - Festival of Firsts
        • Finalist - 1984
          • "Southern Cross"
    • Northern Michigan University - Forest A. Roberts/Shiras Institute Playwriting Award Competition
        • Semi-Finalist - 1983
          • "Childs Play" (as 'Stage Blood')

Milestones

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
    • 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
  • Lincoln High
    • Executive Inn Hotel - Houseman
    • Etc.
    • Sex
  • Dropout
    • Pink Elephant Super Car Wash - laborer
    • Sex
(Wallingford II)
  • USPS Mailman - Capitol Hill
  • Seattle Central Community College
    • High School Equiv Credits
      • ESL 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
    • Sex
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
    • Graduate School - M.A. English (playwriting)
    • Arthoscopic knee surgery
  • Documentaries/TelePlays/Plays
  • Part time Ticket selling & Ushering
  • Freelance TV sports remotes
Seattle, Wa - (Queen Anne III) - 39-48
Sports Networt Incarnations
  • Sex & Love
  • Love & Marriage (10/01/88) YouTube -
  • TV Awards & Conventions
  • 1st House - Seward Park
Seattle, Wa - (Queen Anne IV) - 49-51
2nd House - Queen Anne
  • Downsized by Sports Network Consolidation
  • 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
  • 9/11 - stranded in Oberlin
Seattle, Wa - (Queen Anne V) - 53-55
Downsized by dot.com crash
  • Sell Fremont Townhouse
  • Apartment in West Queen
  • Swap Audi for Chrysler PT Cruiser + $$$
  • Freelance Internet Developer
  • Certified as Group Fitness Instructor
  • Group Fitness Instructor
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, BWI - (George Town) - 55
CITN/Cayman27 - Commercial Producer
Seattle, Wa - (Phinney Ridge) - 55-Present
Un-Relocate from Grand Cayman
  • Genre Group Fitness Certifications
  • Karate Belts & Boxing Lessons
  • Sex & Love
  • Freelance Internet Developer
  • Microsoft
  • Knee and Back surgery
  • Global Pandemic

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.