I watched the whole feed to be sure he was really leaving (eight words)

Marine One,
Take this
burden away.
maybe Texas?

Vonnegut might still be right (eight words)

The Sirens of Titan
The Bitches of Ganymede

Water Landing

Sure, no one’s surprised that I might challenge myself against the Espresso machine at my new job. It's not the sort of thing I announce, but just something I do to satisfy my curiosity for the world. How else am I to know where I fit in on this planet?

The big problem was after my 5th successful Espresso. I was buzzing along getting some serious work done. The ipod is jamming. The Secretary comes in and has an announcement.

Secretary: “Hey Guys, the water department just shut down all the water for blocks, broken pipe”
SB (smirking and shooting back the 6th Espresso): Good thing I’m not drinking water then, bitches!! (to myself of course)
Secretary: “and the toilets aren’t working now, should be back up in a few hours”
SB: “oh dear”

Andrew Wyeth

I'm sorry about the death of Andrew Wyeth for alot of reasons. He lived just a few miles from me, and is one of the few painters I've admired. I'm only 20 minutes from his families Museum and I'm embarrassed to say I've never been. Another item for the list.

buzzzzzz.....

Things are moving along.  I'm in the middle of my first full week at the new job.  Mostly they have had me writing analysis of their current projects.  I should be doing some creative production in the near future.

 

What's funny about this place is that there is no coffee in the office.  No coffee machines, no coffee pots, no coffee ice cream.  What they do have is Espresso.  Several old fashioned Espresso pots and a new fangled Espresso machine that takes Espresso grind cartridges. 

 

The problem is that I drink unknowingly when I'm busy and without any kind of volume to slow me down I have been drinking shots of Espresso all day long.  My goal today is to drink one of each of the seven varieties they have available.  Really, what else is there to do?

disposition of the new employee

bright shiny worker

yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

whatever it takes

take a walk (eight words)

tripped
in the forrest
and made
no sound

Steakbellie Lands the Job

Great News!
I got the job.
I start tomorrow.

I also picked up a shitload of freelance work.
and now I'll be stuck working every night for a least a month to get both commitments fulfilled.

Being home I noticed that these dogs dont do shit all day. Seriously, they sleep all freaking day until somebody new comes home. I dont know what I thought was going on, but couldnt they be using their time more effectively?

What a life.
Time to get to work.....

The Crack of the Bat

The last two weeks have been pretty productive and I'm doing ok. I have spent my time trying to drum up Freelance work in anticipation of a long job search. I have spent my time looking for a full time job. I have spent my time seeing how great my freaking family and friends are.

The phone calls and conversations I've had over the last 2 weeks have been amazing as friends have texted, emailed, and called their offers of help and love. Sometimes I find myself consoling the other person.

The truth is that I'm in a corner and in some trouble without a job. The truth is that, ironically, I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my chest. The last four years have been a Crescendo of me settling for something that wasn't a right fit and allowing myself to become afraid. Terrified of losing a job I didn't want. It's a remarkable situation that was twisting my insides.

So I've been applying to other jobs that potentially could be in my price range. I'm going back to a more Creative Environment hopfully but not expecting to truly be happy with work.

So I have an interview last week with a local design firm. I have everything they wishlisted in the posting. And after some conversation I am starting to feel that I want this job. The interview is going well and I've shown them all my web work. He mentions something about 3D Rendering to make a point, and I pull out a whole portfolio of 3D Rendered Illustrations. He starts talking Print Design and I drop the mother load of samples on the table.

The conversation shifts to a place I used to work in NYC.
He mentions the name of a famous designer I used to work for.
I'm surprised that he's heard of this designer and I mention a few nice things about him.
He mentions that he once saw the designer give a presentation on some of the work that was being done in the office and how incredible it was. I let him go on for a minute or two about what he saw.
It was like somebody was throwing me a meatball to knock out of the park.
Because everything he saw that day and still remembers years later.....

Was drawn by me.

I may not get the job
There are a few more people Interviewing for the position
They may be younger than me
They may be cheaper than me
They may have bigger boobs than me
But I feel pretty good to know I have value again.

Making Unemployment Look Sexy

So the last few months have been somewhat hard on me. Business at work has been spiraling down and the tension within the hallways (and in my chest) has been spiraling up. A large part of the work done there is Hiring Services for other companies Nationwide (think background checks & drug tests). If nobody is hiring then there is little to do. It's been eating at me and I responded by stopping running and stopping sleeping.

Monday came and the announcement that WingBowl would ban all pro-eaters this year. (more on that later)

Tuesday I was laid off.

Wednesday I woke up with nowhere to go.

Surprisingly, I feel a little less stress now that I've been laid off. I couldn't control that event, but I can completely control my own job search. Currently I am looking for Full time work as a Graphic Artist or Interface/Web Designer. In the meantime I am looking to pick up as much Freelance Work as possible, as I once worked Freelance for 3 years straight without getting divorced.

If you would like to see some of what I do, check out:
http://www.livingstonvisual.com
My resume is located at the top of the that screen.
The website needs to be updated with my latest projects but the resume is current.

I design logos, build websites, flash animations, brochures and can truthfully say I am an 'Award-Winning' Illustrator for some of my 3-D Renderings. During the 2001 recession I did pretty well as a lot of companies dropped their Agencies and hired me to do their work (since I was the one doing their work via the Agencies anyway)

Steakbellie is sorry that we will have to cut some corners and unplug your Iron Lung for a few hours each day.

Steakbellie is sorry he gave you Young Joc when you asked for Young Jeezy

Steakbellie is sorry he made you unknowingly test his failed Urine to Drinking Water Conversion Machine. Sorry.

Steakbellie is sorry he forgot to pick you up from practice

Steakbellie is sorry he had to chose between Jen and Angelina

Steakbellie sold his Soul for Egg n Pork Roll

Steakbellie is sorry he neglected to mention the beartrap he set in the kitchen. Very sorry

Steakbellie is sorry he threw away proof of your innocence but this room needed to be cleaned

Steakbellie is sorry he told you that you could be anything you want. Its not true in your case

Steakbellie is sorry that he ate the last of the Captain Crunch and then put the empty box back on the shelf

Steakbellie is sorry that your toolbag floated away. He thought it would be funny to undo the tether as a joke and didnt realize the bag cost $100,000

Steakbellie is sorry he told your children that they might be adopted

Steakbellie is sorry he let the elevator doors close in your face. You were running and pleading with your hands full but he pretended not to notice

Hard Times - Heavy Rotation

This is one of the most powerful, yet completely unlistenable albums ever recorded. I've become reaquainted with it after almost a decade and I just cant stop playing it over and over again.....

Steakbellie is sorry he took your nightlight, but it was late and the walls were closing in on him again