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Finally an updates of sorts
11 years ago
General
MORE NIBS
I just bought a whole ton more Wacom nibs (regular and stroke nibs). If you'd like some, check out my ad, which is still very much valid.
WALL OF SHAME
I was going to put up a more elaborate update this weekend, but as usual things never quite work out. As of late I've been feeling quite bitter, and I think it's finally time I posted a "not-quite-a-call-out-journal" journal outlining some of the bad artists I've come across over the years. There's not much point to it seeing how most of them don't do commissions anymore, but still, I shouldn't need to create a LiveJournal account to tell people on Artists Beware about my experiences, and there's no reason I should just keep my mouth shut. Plus, it'll make me feel better.
So yeah, that will be coming eventually. I'll be sure to read through the new TOS before I start writing it.
I'll follow that up with something more positive, like my commission statistics, tips, and some of my favorite artists or something. That might be helpful, seeing how many hundreds of artists I've commissioned over the last 20 years. Having scanned my commission gallery database, I've come across some interesting numbers (most notably... the number $6,467).
WORK SUX
To make a long story short, I'm still working 14-hour days on average with 15+ hour days going on over the July holiday season. I'm just... burnt out and in no mood to get online, let alone draw. I'm still trying to whittle down my commission list and pay nice people to draw me stuff, but the last thing I need to do is start up more conversation obligations. I'm a man of few words, so just commentary is difficult enough, never mind critique and compliments. Too bad, too, as have the opposite problem as most people -- lots of money, but no ideas or time.
Yes, I should quit my job, but I can't seem to get away from that security blanket of having the pay rate that I do. It's good for my savings and retirement. It's just not good for anything else. I keep working here because I have a hard time believing that work conditions are better elsewhere. I've heard some pretty horrible stories, and the last thing I want is to go to a new job, put up with the same crap as I do now, but get less pay and a longer commute.
It's pretty depressing to see corporate America ram this kind of treatment on the public, and see the public so willing to put up with it. I argue with and stand up to my bosses all the time, but it's frustrating doing it alone. Why doesn't anyone else have the balls to stand up for themselves? Do unions even exist anymore? I hate being so alone and powerless about this. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person at work who doesn't live paycheck-to-paycheck and actually WANT overtime. How can people live like that?
Still, I really can't believe how badly this company has shot itself in the foot. Things can't possibly get worse than this. It's disgusting how management is so positive and how they keep blatantly lying about how things are getting better every day. We all know the operation is fucked and we're working half as fast as in the old building. I'd like to believe Hanlon's Razor, but it's very difficult. It's not going to get better.
I'll wait for my annual review in August. If they don't get the hours down AND give me a sizable raise (seeing how I haven't had one in years), then I'm gone. Cheap bastards. I'll take a few months off from work after that, since I can afford it and I really deserve it.
In the meantime, I must once again apologize for my horrible response times. I hardly get online at all during the week, let alone hang out here. Between not working on FA, not talking to people, and not programming anymore, I'm feeling pretty useless and incompetent these days.
S.O.
I've also reached that point where I should start looking for a girlfriend again. Normally this isn't anything interesting or worth mentioning, but for a long time I've felt I should date exclusively outside the furry fandom. Well, that's been pretty much a disaster. I won't get into any details, but it appears that people are pretty much the same no matter what hobbies they have. So, yeah, maybe online dating isn't such a bad idea after all.
Now, I just have to get over the creep factor. There don't appear to be as many 30-something furries as there used to be compared to my early fandom years in the 90's.
I just bought a whole ton more Wacom nibs (regular and stroke nibs). If you'd like some, check out my ad, which is still very much valid.
WALL OF SHAME
I was going to put up a more elaborate update this weekend, but as usual things never quite work out. As of late I've been feeling quite bitter, and I think it's finally time I posted a "not-quite-a-call-out-journal" journal outlining some of the bad artists I've come across over the years. There's not much point to it seeing how most of them don't do commissions anymore, but still, I shouldn't need to create a LiveJournal account to tell people on Artists Beware about my experiences, and there's no reason I should just keep my mouth shut. Plus, it'll make me feel better.
So yeah, that will be coming eventually. I'll be sure to read through the new TOS before I start writing it.
I'll follow that up with something more positive, like my commission statistics, tips, and some of my favorite artists or something. That might be helpful, seeing how many hundreds of artists I've commissioned over the last 20 years. Having scanned my commission gallery database, I've come across some interesting numbers (most notably... the number $6,467).
WORK SUX
To make a long story short, I'm still working 14-hour days on average with 15+ hour days going on over the July holiday season. I'm just... burnt out and in no mood to get online, let alone draw. I'm still trying to whittle down my commission list and pay nice people to draw me stuff, but the last thing I need to do is start up more conversation obligations. I'm a man of few words, so just commentary is difficult enough, never mind critique and compliments. Too bad, too, as have the opposite problem as most people -- lots of money, but no ideas or time.
Yes, I should quit my job, but I can't seem to get away from that security blanket of having the pay rate that I do. It's good for my savings and retirement. It's just not good for anything else. I keep working here because I have a hard time believing that work conditions are better elsewhere. I've heard some pretty horrible stories, and the last thing I want is to go to a new job, put up with the same crap as I do now, but get less pay and a longer commute.
It's pretty depressing to see corporate America ram this kind of treatment on the public, and see the public so willing to put up with it. I argue with and stand up to my bosses all the time, but it's frustrating doing it alone. Why doesn't anyone else have the balls to stand up for themselves? Do unions even exist anymore? I hate being so alone and powerless about this. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person at work who doesn't live paycheck-to-paycheck and actually WANT overtime. How can people live like that?
Still, I really can't believe how badly this company has shot itself in the foot. Things can't possibly get worse than this. It's disgusting how management is so positive and how they keep blatantly lying about how things are getting better every day. We all know the operation is fucked and we're working half as fast as in the old building. I'd like to believe Hanlon's Razor, but it's very difficult. It's not going to get better.
I'll wait for my annual review in August. If they don't get the hours down AND give me a sizable raise (seeing how I haven't had one in years), then I'm gone. Cheap bastards. I'll take a few months off from work after that, since I can afford it and I really deserve it.
In the meantime, I must once again apologize for my horrible response times. I hardly get online at all during the week, let alone hang out here. Between not working on FA, not talking to people, and not programming anymore, I'm feeling pretty useless and incompetent these days.
S.O.
I've also reached that point where I should start looking for a girlfriend again. Normally this isn't anything interesting or worth mentioning, but for a long time I've felt I should date exclusively outside the furry fandom. Well, that's been pretty much a disaster. I won't get into any details, but it appears that people are pretty much the same no matter what hobbies they have. So, yeah, maybe online dating isn't such a bad idea after all.
Now, I just have to get over the creep factor. There don't appear to be as many 30-something furries as there used to be compared to my early fandom years in the 90's.
... ugh, wish I had a similar problem. I swim in ideas, I lack just motivation sometimes XD
"it appears that people are pretty much the same no matter what hobbies they have"
Yup, completly true.
Good to know youre still alive! :3
I'm jealous the internet wasn't that big when I was your age. Use what you can to save time and annoyance.
It sounds like you have a good plan in place for the employment situation. As there won't be much in the way of competition to that company for a while they can, and will, get away with it. Maybe you could try a similar occupation or get certified in other skill within your career. I'm not sure if the forklift requires a cert or something similar but those kind of things could be looked at. Find a specialty position that your years of experience would be a major asset for hiring. I'm kind of clueless about warehousing and shipping actually. I've never had good enough health to be that physical. Building rock walls in my 20's pretty much took all that out of me.
Stay strong in the face of fatigue though. You really don't want to become a bitter old man this early.
My "plan" is pretty much to not take anything for granted, and save and invest as much money as I can. I don't have enough for a comfortable retirement, but I'm much better off than most people. I can afford to be unemployed for 8-10 years if necessary. The real problem is that I don't really have any valuable skills. I'm pretty smart, but the things I like to do don't put bread on the table. It's confusing to have a white-collar attitude but a blue-collar determination. I just haven't found a calling, so to speak. I'm a craftsman by nature and love to work with my hands. That doesn't get you money, though, unless you have some level of engineering experience.
Warehousing is a really tough job since every company switched to voice picking. It's near impossible to find jobs with less than 12 hour shifts, and you're working full tilt the whole time. I can actually handle the work and the long hours just fine, it's the total lack of respect on the job, and lack of free time at home, that have been eating at me. When I joined the company I was flat broke and in debt, so I didn't have a choice. Today, the money is just not worth it anymore.
I'm a utilitarian guy. I don't need much. If I can figure out an arrangement with regards to health insurance, maybe seasonal work would suit me better. I'd love to be able to work, say, only 9-10 months out of the year, or 12-hour days 3 days a week or something. It may not look good on a resume, but getting a job has never been a problem for me.
In the off season... a few road trips around the coast and through the country would do me a lot of good. I love just getting into my car and going nowhere in particular.