This is my life

It’s Your Life, So Make the Most of It

My FB activity increases whenever I am dog-sitting. Which is where I am this weekend. I just documented some details of my surroundings while I walked the dogs outside, followed them around the house and watch them, watch me working on my computer. 

For a the last 2 weeks, I have been employed part-time at The Everett Herald. It feels great to be back in a newsroom. Hoping I can remember how to *work* in the newsroom again. Have done a few illustrations and maps. I feel so lucky. 

Still compelled to search out jobs every week. But I have discovered in the last two years, every 3 months, the same companies advertise the same jobs. Makes you wonder what kind of job it is that they can't keep an employee for more than a couple of months. And I have applied several times to many of those places. The last 3 months I made a decisions NOT to apply with those companies. Not that I am bitter about either my having application being ignored or after an interview being passed over for "a candidate that meets our needs more closely" ... :} --- more of the thought that I really don't want to work for those companies. I know those companies well. I know lots of people who work for them and are required to work 50 hour weeks, long commutes, longer meetings full of corporate crap. I finally came to my senses, corporate life is not for me. My curmudgeon, introverted personality does not do well in an environment where I have to smile and sit through long meetings that have no meaning (for me) but to add to the layers of bullshit. 

In my last position, this night owl was given the 430a shift that required several meetings during the morning. Two things on my list of things I DO NOT do well. I was always the one that volunteered for the overnight, late night gig because everyone knew I was better for late, late night than at 430a in the morning. My response to the art director was that "if I didn't know better, I would think you were setting me up for failure, cause for firing". That did not go over well with him, but it was the truth and I saw that coming for 4 years. That's businesses, I am aware of that. I just don't think I want to subject myself to that on a full-time basis.

I feel so free, so relieved! I have made it over the "I-have-to-be-fully-employed-by-a-giant-company" hurdle. I have been doing some freelancing, dog-sitting, now part-time job. I can just keep doing lots of odd jobs instead of one (uncertain) secure one while i get my other art interest off the ground. I am decorating my life.

I sold two more Brantlers at butter home. I tried to get to the studio last week. My band saw came back from being repaired and David cleaned up a big mess we had both made. Ready for me to get back to work and make some fun! 

It is frightening how much TV/online I watch when I am out here. I watched Parade's End on HBO (thanks to the heads up from Maggy) (on my HBO to GO). It was a terrific series, just too short. I caught up on all of my shows I like, Project Runway, the teenager inside of me loves to watch Beauty and the Beast, some new stuff on Netflix. Of course, I am also working as watching ... I am very good at multi-tasking.

This is my six word memoir: "he has always believed in me". More Six Words on Twitter.

I really love Becca Stadtlander illustration style. Prickly Pear below by Becca Stadtlander ... so see more of her terrific work.

I have started following The Reverse Wine Snob.

Can you believe these paintings by Karen Woods? Yes, that is a painting! Via Lost At E Minor
 

I am in a remote place this weekend with bird calls that I am not familiar with. Yesterday at dusk, I heard these distinct "whistle" calls. Long, strong, whistles, many of them out there in the thick of the woods. I started searching bird calls and with the help of my FB friends was able to figure out it was a Varied Thrush. How exciting. I thought at first it was a Cedar Waxwing.