Time for an update. A fairly non-opinioned update. It's not that I don't have some. You can check through my board comments below and find stuff regarding Grindhouse's box office and the shootings at VT, for example. But, for this update, all I'm going to do is update. Those run-of-the-mill what's new kind of thing.
My roommate's birthday was Friday (the 20th). I baked her a cake because no one else would. It was a box mix lemon cake with chocolate frosting (her request) and I got some icing tools to decorate it. I was surprised at the amount of home icing "kits" available at a reasonable price. I shaved the tops of the cakes off, all pro style, and we ate cake for three or four days until we were sick.
The Friday before that I had my blood pressure checked and it was really, really high. My insurance kicks in May 1st, so I have an appointment to go in May 2nd to get checked and get some meds. Most of it is genetic, mixed with me being as out of shape as I've been in probably 20 years. Since my infamous Thanksgiving blood bowl football game I haven't done jack-shit exercise wise. I've wanted to, but I haven't been able to inbetween job hunts, contracts, and other things.
What I could have done is eat better, but I haven't done that, either.
So, genes, out of shape. I smoke occasional cigars, but that's a minor point. What I also do that's bad is drink diet pop. Lots of it. Four or five cans a day. I wanted to save calories, but, of course, I've discovered that aspartame is linked with hypertension. So, I've started drinking normal pop again, but a lot less. A lots more water. Soon, I should be drinking no pop; just water and tea (for the caffine; which has nothing to do with hypertension.)
And exercising.
I got a full-time job finally.
The design field, like a lot of other creative careers, is full of business that treat you like a disposable shit-heel. Some opinion, I guess, is bound to sneak through. Most design agencies like to use interns, then give the interns contracts, then, after dicking them around for a year or two, either dump them or finally hire them.
Most non-agencies like to do that, too. Microsoft make a living off of using contract workers. In fact they did it so much, Washington State had to change their laws because people were working years under contract, with no benefits or other full-time employee perks. But, Microsoft, being the monopolistic assholes they are, simply use the new rules to burn through contract workers at three times the normal rate.
Even small business like using artist contracts because art in general and graphic art in particular. isn't regarded as important. No one cares if their business card looks like hack, or their packaging looks like it was put together by a high schooler... and with Photoshop so available, pretty much everything becomes copperplate gothic with a drop shadow pushed under it, arched across bright green or something.
You've heard this all before.
I applied for and got, after three interviews, a job at a company called Seattle Sports Company. They do recreational sports stuff for kayaks and an assortment of backpacks, etc. They are a small company, under 15 employees. And I am their graphic designer, straight-up. Full time, benefits, salary, all that stuff. I work primarily with two other guys; one is the main marketing guy, the other the product/packaging designer. Before that, they used outside help or did the work themselves.
At some point I'm going to design their catalog, a workbook, their packaging, ads, help with convention materials, and do website updates/design. Pretty much anything creative I'm going to have a hand in, which is awesome. Nobody stands over my shoulder. When I showed my first catalog roughs to the owner, he made a couple of minor suggestions, then said he didn't want to micro-manage it, so show it to him when it was done. They're treating me like a grown-up. The only downside is they're in Ballard. The view of the ocean is awesome, but driving down the main street dodging 100 year old drivers and jaywalking goddamn hippies, got old fast.
It's pretty sweet, really. Decent, not great pay. And it's not a ground breaking company, graphic-wise. But I doubt I could find a job with more creative input and ability to shape their public persona.
I had to go to the eye doctor, a couple weeks before those bennies kick in. I lost a contact lense. It'll cost me about 475 bucks, but I have a job now, so I'm not nearly as worried about it as I could have been.
Once I get settled in, I'm getting back to work on some personal projects, too.
I think that's it. I had a train of thought for a smoother wrap up, but I'm watching the Simpsons and have to pee. Maybe I'll edit it later.
My roommate's birthday was Friday (the 20th). I baked her a cake because no one else would. It was a box mix lemon cake with chocolate frosting (her request) and I got some icing tools to decorate it. I was surprised at the amount of home icing "kits" available at a reasonable price. I shaved the tops of the cakes off, all pro style, and we ate cake for three or four days until we were sick.
The Friday before that I had my blood pressure checked and it was really, really high. My insurance kicks in May 1st, so I have an appointment to go in May 2nd to get checked and get some meds. Most of it is genetic, mixed with me being as out of shape as I've been in probably 20 years. Since my infamous Thanksgiving blood bowl football game I haven't done jack-shit exercise wise. I've wanted to, but I haven't been able to inbetween job hunts, contracts, and other things.
What I could have done is eat better, but I haven't done that, either.
So, genes, out of shape. I smoke occasional cigars, but that's a minor point. What I also do that's bad is drink diet pop. Lots of it. Four or five cans a day. I wanted to save calories, but, of course, I've discovered that aspartame is linked with hypertension. So, I've started drinking normal pop again, but a lot less. A lots more water. Soon, I should be drinking no pop; just water and tea (for the caffine; which has nothing to do with hypertension.)
And exercising.
I got a full-time job finally.
The design field, like a lot of other creative careers, is full of business that treat you like a disposable shit-heel. Some opinion, I guess, is bound to sneak through. Most design agencies like to use interns, then give the interns contracts, then, after dicking them around for a year or two, either dump them or finally hire them.
Most non-agencies like to do that, too. Microsoft make a living off of using contract workers. In fact they did it so much, Washington State had to change their laws because people were working years under contract, with no benefits or other full-time employee perks. But, Microsoft, being the monopolistic assholes they are, simply use the new rules to burn through contract workers at three times the normal rate.
Even small business like using artist contracts because art in general and graphic art in particular. isn't regarded as important. No one cares if their business card looks like hack, or their packaging looks like it was put together by a high schooler... and with Photoshop so available, pretty much everything becomes copperplate gothic with a drop shadow pushed under it, arched across bright green or something.
You've heard this all before.
I applied for and got, after three interviews, a job at a company called Seattle Sports Company. They do recreational sports stuff for kayaks and an assortment of backpacks, etc. They are a small company, under 15 employees. And I am their graphic designer, straight-up. Full time, benefits, salary, all that stuff. I work primarily with two other guys; one is the main marketing guy, the other the product/packaging designer. Before that, they used outside help or did the work themselves.
At some point I'm going to design their catalog, a workbook, their packaging, ads, help with convention materials, and do website updates/design. Pretty much anything creative I'm going to have a hand in, which is awesome. Nobody stands over my shoulder. When I showed my first catalog roughs to the owner, he made a couple of minor suggestions, then said he didn't want to micro-manage it, so show it to him when it was done. They're treating me like a grown-up. The only downside is they're in Ballard. The view of the ocean is awesome, but driving down the main street dodging 100 year old drivers and jaywalking goddamn hippies, got old fast.
It's pretty sweet, really. Decent, not great pay. And it's not a ground breaking company, graphic-wise. But I doubt I could find a job with more creative input and ability to shape their public persona.
I had to go to the eye doctor, a couple weeks before those bennies kick in. I lost a contact lense. It'll cost me about 475 bucks, but I have a job now, so I'm not nearly as worried about it as I could have been.
Once I get settled in, I'm getting back to work on some personal projects, too.
I think that's it. I had a train of thought for a smoother wrap up, but I'm watching the Simpsons and have to pee. Maybe I'll edit it later.