RISING FROM THE DEPTHS -or- ENTER: THE JOB-THING!

We interrupt this blog's usual content for this

* SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! *

*And Look for UPDATED info posted 10/06/2010 at the end of this entry*

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I AM EMPLOYED!

A few liberties were taken with this quick photoshop gag. *

That photo was taken over 6 months ago. I'm back to being kempt with short hair.

The job doesn't really require me to do all that much artwork (I think).

I doubt that they'll have "naked and mossy dress-down Fridays".

I can't draw cats as well as that. - OK... maybe I can.

Today marks my first day at a new position - at a new job!
After being downsized from my old job, which I had held for nearly 7 years, (as I blogged about while in full-on panic mode back when it happened [HERE] and [HERE]), I have been unemployed for the past year and a half.
The pickings for employment in my area have been meager to say the least.
Jobs in my field (as an artist/ illustrator etc...) have been slim-to-none.
Of course, aside from some freelance assignments, I was looking to do anything and everything far removed from an art-based job, as well.


Were I to have been more inclined to commute to New York City again, I may have found something sooner, but then a good portion of my paycheck would have gone to the commute, so it seemed best to look in my area for something at a lesser pay, but closer to home.
(Especially, since due to the overwhelming number of applicants-to-job ratio, many positions I was seeing were asking for more experience and responsibilities for far lesser pay-scales than once offered.)

Oddly enough, I almost didn't reply to the ad for this new position, as it is a bit "afield" of my more traditional artist abilities. It's more "art-adjacent".

However, after reading the ad, and quickly researching the company online, I redesigned my resume' to look similar in look and feel to their web-presence.

Sending my resume off on a Wednesday afternoon, which I thought was going to be a day too late to be taken seriously, I was amazed to receive a call the next morning asking for me to come in for an interview.
A Monday morning appointment was scheduled and the meeting went well.
Well enough, in fact, that the next morning I was called again to see if I would be willing to come back to show them what I could do on the computer (Apple Mac) and if I could handle the programs (Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator).
So, the next day I went in, and after spending some time learning their processes, ended up pitching in to help them meet a deadline - learning and working (pro-bono) from 11am - 5pm!
With that positive experience behind me, I wasn't surprised that the next morning I was asked to come back in for another meeting - so that on Friday, the job was mine to take.
(The entire process went by so fast, I never had the opportunity to send in the oft-touted traditional "Thank You" letter for the initial interview.)

Supposedly, the ad for the position drew 200 applicants.
50 of which were called in for interviews.
The final pick was between myself and two others.
I won out.

My new position (at a company whose name I won't disclose, as there is a lot of non-disclosure info that I need to swear to) is as a pre-press artist/ designer / technician.
I'll be pre-flighting artwork and designs that are sent in, maybe recreating some designs, or the occasional complete original work-up, and producing printing plates for these - which will grace products and print work that will be seen and purchased by many the world over.

They are also a print-firm in themselves, as they have a full-facility of high-quality over-sized printers, vinyl plotter/cutters, multi-color/station silk-screen machine and more!


With full benefits and a commute time of only a 30-minute drive on rural, tree-lined roads, it is the answer to many prayers.

Not the least of which because it means that my wife and I will be able to save our home.

I was worried that if a position that paid enough was not found, we could conceivably be forced to give up our house. You may recall that in preparation for that looming possibility, we had packed the whole place up to move to a more affordable rental.


What many do not know, is that I had indeed MOVED more than half of our belongings to the new location (including ALL of my comics and a good portion of my "Sanctum"), but within a few days of that - while prepping the rest of our stuff for the journey - I received a call telling us that the rental property was no longer going to be available to us as it was instead going to be sold off.

So, I then had to move ALL that stuff BACK here - and still had to find a job - after losing valuable time which I had spent packing the house and looking for work in the new area.

Anyway, I just finished the last of the re-move this weekend, loading up the basement with every box and bauble (and desperately needing to organize it all again).
The place looks like the warehouse scene from "Raiders of the Lost Arc".
We basically have to move in - all over again.

So, while I AM employed and can try to enjoy blogging - with a lighter heart - once again, I DO still have a LOT of technical stuff to learn at my job (keeping my mind occupied) and a ton of things to organize around the house (keeping my body busy) for the foreseeable future.

I'll still be blogging when I can, and hope to get back up to my pre-downsize ratio of nearly daily entries, but until then, know that I'm "on the job" (both figuratively and literally).

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MANY THANKS go out to all of you - my friends and followers on the world wide web for your positive thoughts, wishes and prayers.
The universe has answered.
Thank you.

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*

The original cover used for my self-"mocking" mock-up was of
MAN-THING volume 2 # 1!

With all apologies to Bob Wiacek, the mag's artist.

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* UPDATE 10/06/2010 *

"ARTISTIC ACOLYTE - or- DEADLINE DISCIPLE"

*Whew!*

So, it seems I spoke a little too soon...
I had mentioned that I wasn't sure if my artistic and illustrative skills would be called into much use for my new position in the pre-press trade.

Well... my first day I was given an extensive project wherein I was to design a complete company identity for a client; logo, mascot, web-site, brochure pamphlet, etc... (although I have a deadline that isn't a killer)... on top of my other duties wherein I am to learn the multi-faceted aspects of the pre-press industry and all the intricate nuances of how art-files are prepped, corrected, produced as print-plates and go off to final printing.

I'm going to be quite the busy boy.

However, do not fret, I have a few posts all lined up for the next few days.

Well... ONE is ready (to go live in a day or two).
The others are in planning and conceptual stages.

With all this training and learning I have to go through, I feel like I'm

"Doctor Strange; Disciple - Year One".

I could REALLY use a man-servant like Hamir or Wong about now.
If for nothing else, but to bring me tea.

* END UPDATE 10/06/2010 *