Still Itching

Continuing my ruminations on my job life, with some comment follow-ups...

"Can you apply for the stunning job and resign the 9-5 only if you need to?"

Yes. Which actually will probably be the plan. I sort of put feelers out about that, very delicately. I may even be able to take a hiatus, or ask to be dropped down to a freelance status again, only called on if there's a project. Those are all possibilities.

"What would the 9-5 boss offer so you'd stay?"

I don't know that there would be a counter offer. Maybe there would but I don't feel... vital... enough for anything like that.

"I love my freedom but would kill for health insurance..."

Well, part of the plan in taking this job was to save enough to join the union, so that would be taken care of if I did.

This is going to go on for a while. My problems are small, the possibilities are longshots at the moment... but my malaise continues.

Itchy

One year into my 9 to 5 life... and to be honest it's chaffing a bit. I've turned down some damned good work lately, and I hear rumors of some really exciting, stunning work coming up soon that I would likely be considered for if I was available. Can I give up comfort and peace for my semi-rocky freelance life again?

12 of 12 May

May 12th. 12 photos to document the 12th day of the month. Let's go!

Getting ready to leave the house, syncing up those Sunday podcasts (you know which ones), changing the batteries in the camera, grab the cell, and out the door!

Spotted this weird little tree/plant/thing on the way to work. It looks like a small fichus, about 3 feet tall, but has these daisy things growing out of it. Odd, but pretty.

Just beside my office building I grabbed breakfast, and snapped this while I waited in line. It was at this point that I realized that for the first time in months I had a theme building. I used to do themed photos in addition to the standard 12, but that fell away a few months back. Today it returned, everyone say hello to the theme!

At work. Morning was this project, a design for some French bank that is merging with a US firm and opening branches here. Another corporate tea party.

Lunch! Shrimp burrito with limes on the side. I put more of the lime in my drink than I did the burrito, but they were still tasty. Accompanied by a little light reading.

The view off the fire escape from work. Three weeks ago those vines were nothing more than dead branches. In the fall they turn a brilliant red.

After lunch I switched projects and headed down to Chinatown. The next few days I'm baby sitting a theatre project and I needed a few yards of fabric for the project.

The show is on a tight budget (of course, what theatre isn't?) so headed to the cheapest place I knew. 4 yards of black satin, $5 a yard. (Obviously not from this pile, this is the ripstop nylon, but it fit my theme better.)

On the way up the street to the theatre. I checked in on the show on Friday and Sunday as well, and this bike has been in exactly the same place since at least Friday. What do you want to bet that it'll still be there tomorrow?

At the theatre. These are the "cigar boxes" or road cases that the shop that built the show sent down. It contains anything that might be needed for the run of the show, or for the strike when it's all over. The shop will come back and retrieve the box, and the set pieces, and use the tools inside for the strike.

Dinner prep. Fiddle Head ferns, and baby yellow squash. I sautéed them in a little olive oil with red pepper flakes and then tossed them with egg noodles and parmesan. Tasty!

Ted gets a little brushing while I watch TV before bed. And that's my day!

Did you spot the theme? I admit that the first one might be difficult because the screen on my iPod blew out in the photo... but it's there.

To see the 12 of 12 from the other participants check Chad Darnell's blog here.

Derby Season Opens!

Derby season officially opened last night, coincidentally the game was between the two teams that I have left in my chibi artwork, the Manhattan Mayhem and the Queens of Pain. Queens was the season champs in both 2005 and 2006 and they barely missed being champs in 2008, so obviously a strong team. Manhattan is... well... not. They are the clear underdogs of the league and going into the draft for this season they were also the team with the fewest players. So this game was not only mismatched in terms of past performance, but Manhattan is basically a team of rookies at his point, with more new players than veterans. They have been skating together as a team for a bit more than a month. But I had hopes.

Hopes that were futile it turns out. Manhattan had a strong showing in the first 15 minutes of the game, managing to keep a tight score behind Queens. In a game that can score up to 15 points during a 2 minute jam they were within 9 points at the 20 minute mark. And then it all went wrong. The team fell apart. Several of their players spent practically the rest of the game in the penalty box, and Queens just kept pulling further and further ahead until the won the game with 152 points to Manhattan's 71.

But still... it's derby season!! And with some practice I think Manhattan might actually have a team worth fielding this season. Two of their players are transfers from other leagues, and several of the new girls really show promise, they were just really really raw.

I know several of you local types have expressed interest in attending bouts in the past. The next game is June 7, so get in touch if you want to go!

Go, Speed!

For those of you, like me, who will be headed to see Speed Racer sometime in the near future... a bit of trivia that I realized today.

In the original Japanese cartoon Speed's name is "Go." Pretty straight forward.

The car is still called the Mach 5 in Japan. But Japanese for 5? Go! So both Speed and the car are named Go. Fun, huh?

It's Coming Back!!

My favorite reality show of all time.

The show that introduced me (and the world) to Anderson Cooper (he isn't involved this time, alas.)

The show I literally waited a year for them to complete the second season of.

The show that I thought they had ruined forever with two very ill-advised "celebrity" editions.

The Mole is back. I'm not sure ABC could have made me much happier.

Now and Then

Finally, an art meme I can get behind! Dave Valeza seems to have unintentionally started a meme, asking people to draw themselves as teens, and as adults to compare. Here is my own take on this idea, me at 16, and at 36. You can see all of the others who have participated at Dave's site here.