mlai
I want to say something about jobs vs dreams. Maybe it's an incorrect perception on my part, but I'm feeling it particularly acutely today. Prolly cuz it's Xmas.

You know how ppl take a job that's not their dream job, for money. In our case, it's taking a good paying job rather than resigning to the life of a “starving artist.” That's what I did.

Do I have a problem with my day job? No, I really like it. I'm not 1 of those movie-cliche “I hate my job” types. Because as a perfectionist personality, when I am really good at doing something, and other ppl acknowledge that about me as well, the job itself becomes a pleasure even if it's not about art. If there are other personalities here like me, you should understand what I'm saying.

So that's not the problem.

The problem starts after the job hours. As you know, your social circle often revolves around your colleagues or the ppl you meet at work. Maybe you have old dear school friends but often they move away or you move away. In my case, I can't find kindred spirits in the work circles. Sure they're good ppl, I go to their weddings and such… But they're not kindred spirits. Often it becomes a bore, or a chore.

That's why I come here, I'm sure. I've been spoiled by the internet. But the connections you find on the net only go so far. Without a physical presence, everyone here are still just ghosts to each other, in the end. Y'know? I can be with my real life friends, or I can be on the forum here, but in the end, I'm still kinda bummed at both places. It's either spiritual distance, or physical distance. Both equally isolating.

That's when you realize, if you had become a “starving artist,” going to art school, making artist friends, well… that's when you'd find your kindred spirits, at work or after work. That's what you didn't consider, when you first said to yourself “I'm ok with having a non-art day job… I can always draw as a hobby after work.”

I just wish that everyone who comes here all live in the same city. Same town, even. That'd be awesome.

I've been wearing blue this whole day.

Good post, man. I feel the same way about everything you said.

…Hey, what if we had a Drunk Duck Convention? Don't we have something like that? It would be similar to what you are thinking, only a little less permanent. ;)

lastcall
…Hey, what if we had a Drunk Duck Convention? Don't we have something like that? It would be similar to what you are thinking, only a little less permanent. ;)

There was supposed to be something at the San Diego con. Alternately, every year at Orlando's MegaCon for… this will be the third year coming up… JTPokie and his Night Gig crew have been working a booth promoting Night Gig, the Gig Cast and since they are closely related to Drunk Duck… some DD stuff/people as well.


As for this thread's topic…

I have one job. I'm a ‘long haul’ truck driver. It keeps me away from home for three out of four weeks, or sometimes four out of five.

(The following paragraph is more entertaining when you imagine it being read by John Ratzenberger {Mack from Cars})

Federal DOT regulations dictate that I am allowed to only log 70 hours in any given eight days. I can only drive a maximum of 11 hours in any given day, and I have to do it within a 14 hour window. Otherwise I have to wait ten hours before I can drive again. Recently there was a law passed that changed some of the rules, but there is currently a hold on that revisions enstatement. After it goes into efect, the max of 11 hours goes down to ten and we won't be able to use the 34 hour restart (which zeros out our eight day acccumulation of 70 hours). The hold is for a review to keep the 34 hour restart, so that part might stay.

I have to say… ten hours of doing nothing but making sure I don't hit anybody and nobody hits me as I go from point A to point B leaves a lot of time to think shit up… so I have all these ideas that I'm having a hard time finding the time to put into use.

Currently I am in Laredo Texas, waiting for a load to take me elsewhere. Hopefully staying in the south… my bunk heater isn't working right for some reason and it's a bitch when I can't idle the engine for heat.

I am in the market to find a local/regional job that takes me home a lot more… (Local would be a LOT lot more as I'd be home every day. Also, local drivers tend to get a bit more exercise.) I miss seeing my kids every day. Though, it's nice having six days in a row to goof around with them when I am home.

school
part-time at a departement store
part time at a webdesign company

I notice you said “part time web designer” yet I have no PQ from you… okay… I see how it is… ;_;

Currently I work as a security guard full time and a half. I do shit load of overtime.
Plus I need to drive for an hour to get to and from work.

I also co-own a bar and work there occasionally.

I wouldn't have any time to do be online here if it weren't for the fact that one of my steady shifts as a guard is one of the easiest jobs in the bloody world. Remember George's work from the Jetsons. Sitting on his ass pushing a button. That's my job. I open a gate for cars at a work site. Most of the time I'm here, I'm probably at work.

Randal
I notice you said “part time web designer” yet I have no PQ from you… okay… I see how it is… ;_;

hehe, didn't spot your question untill right now,
but I'm sorry to say I can't help you anyway :(
I can't code anything yet, at the moment I only do concepts, collecting data and some graphical stuff.

I hope to be able to learn how to code websites before june

I currently have one. I had two at one point but if we're counting what's paying then right now it's one full time job. I've probably talked about it before but I teach in a high school.

I'm considering taking up tutoring on the side but I rather not. One thing that sucks about teaching is that there isn't that clear line between home and work. I could always be like my colleague sometimes and stay at school to finish work but that's not always possible (and the building becomes VERY scary at around 7 PM.) So you bring work home and you spend your time at home working. So while tutoring is easy money, I don't know if I'm willing to give up another day of my week to further educate children.

I have met other teachers during my practicums/internship that hold two jobs though. One teacher wait tables at The Keg and a lot of other teachers tutor during the weekends.

I guess I'm saying all of this partly due to mlai's post. I had a choice when I was younger to either go into the arts or get a job that brings financial security and is as close to the arts as I can get. I have no regrets about going into teaching (it was not a forced decision) and if I'm not where I am right now, me and my whole family would be financially screwed. But I miss drawing and I miss creating for the sake of creating.

Black_Kitty
I currently have one. I had two at one point but if we're counting what's paying then right now it's one full time job. I've probably talked about it before but I teach in a high school.

I'm considering taking up tutoring on the side but I rather not. One thing that sucks about teaching is that there isn't that clear line between home and work. I could always be like my colleague sometimes and stay at school to finish work but that's not always possible (and the building becomes VERY scary at around 7 PM.) So you bring work home and you spend your time at home working. So while tutoring is easy money, I don't know if I'm willing to give up another day of my week to further educate children.

I have met other teachers during my practicums/internship that hold two jobs though. One teacher wait tables at The Keg and a lot of other teachers tutor during the weekends.

I guess I'm saying all of this partly due to mlai's post. I had a choice when I was younger to either go into the arts or get a job that brings financial security and is as close to the arts as I can get. I have no regrets about going into teaching (it was not a forced decision) and if I'm not where I am right now, me and my whole family would be financially screwed. But I miss drawing and I miss creating for the sake of creating.

kinda curious: what do you teach? And do teachers get payed so badly that they need a second job where you live?

I teach grade 9 and 10 English. Next semester I'll be teaching visual arts.

In regards to pay, I think it really depends on your particular need. To be clear the teachers who I knew were tutoring on the side was from a private school. I'm not sure what their pay was. The teacher who waited tables at The Keg however was a new teacher to the same school board I'm at right now. From what I knew, she wanted to save money for a condo she hoped to purchase.

I don't think teachers get paid too badly although it depends on what your position within the board is as well. If you have a contract job, the lowest pay you could possibly get is about 40k/year. In and of itself, I think it's okay pay.

I have one full-time job, but I'm performing two job functions - translates to about 60 hours per week. (Office manager and webmaster, woo)

I managed to get lucky and find circumstances that make things easy on me for money. I got a job working retail at a much higher pay than normal for my area and I got a scholarship to take care of my tuition. I don't have to pay for college right now because of the scholarship which frees me up to work only a day or two a week and spend the rest of my week doing commision work and work I want to do.

Despite that though, I know exactly how mlai feels. Working in retail most of my coworkers are at least 15 years older, and going to a community college you basically get the screw ups and people who don't want to be friends with anyone. People with art majors are few and far in between in Iowa to begin with too.

So, between my day job and my other stuff, depending on how you do the math I have about 7 “jobs” right now.

One part time job for summer and holidays. I scoop delicious ice cream for lovely people.