Life has been pretty stressful lately. I lost a bit of sleep earlier this week, but things are getting back on track. I’ve got a new design project to pursue at work, so that’s cool. Things have been slow the past several weeks so my hours have been cut back. I’ve only vaguely considered finding a way to subsidize my income. I’d either have to get a weekend gig, or just do more freelance. The latter is what I’m more inclined to do.

This weekend I’ve got a test shoot with Mr. Model. Hopefully I won’t be too clueless at the shoot. I’m good at seeing good shots when they come, but not planning them in advance. But, he has nice bone structure and all that, so it’s a start in the right direction.

I got a new eyepiece for my digital slr (I lost the old one at Niagara Falls), and I finally purchased a wireless remote, which I’d been putting off for a while. I’m still gazing longingly at the 50mm lens until I can afford to get it. I’m trying to do this new thing where I’m not destitute before payday comes around. It’s been working out ok.

Off to work I go.

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Oh, If you haven’t seen The Bourne Ultimatum, do it. And then go back and watch the first and second movies. You won’t be disappointed.

Dudes . . .

I know it’s been forever and a fortnight since I posted. Life . . .the usual, has kept me away.

An orthodontist appointment earlier today has left my mouth in pain, so I’m eager to sleep it off. I’m just checking in to throw up this first drawing I’ve done in a while. It is nowhere near perfect. I’ve already noticed some anatomy issues, but it’s something. Sketchbook Allstars is having a jam where we’re asked to reinvent our favorite cartoon character. I chose Rainbow Brite.

She’s sans horse and Sprite, and this would be a lot more effective with color, which I may add later, but I’m still fairly pleased with the result. I may draw some of her associates as well. Orange Blossom is the one I’m considering drawing next. She was cool. And, I’m totally getting her mixed up in cartoons. Orange Blossom was actually from the Big Apple City in the Strawberry Shortcake universe.

A friend of mine has gotten together with his associates to create SLAM EVIL.org. Their first podcast was posted this past Friday, and it’s a good listen. They cracked me up, and he sent me a shout out at the end under my SLAM EVIL! agent alias “Natalie Nouveau.” I appreciate the love, and it reminded me that I am actually an artist. Speaking of which, In a little while, I’ll be doing a photo shoot with an acquaintance from school. I’d like to purchase a 50mm lens for my dslr before then. After talking to him about it today, I think I’ll have time to earn the money to get it. I’m still weighing my options, though. Photography equipment is so expensive that I want to know that I’m going to use it enough for the purchase to be worth it. But, if I did get the 50mm I would definitely use it as my primary lens, since it’s just about all I used while pursuing my photography minor in college.

*Sigh*   My mouth still aches. To bed I go.

Starting Monday, I’ll be a productive member of the working world. My first ever full time job, besides being a student. Surreal, I know, but that’s how my life worked out. I’ll be working as a typsetter/desktop publisher. I believe I’ll also be learning the 4-color printing process, which I’m really looking forward to. Unfortunately, I won’t be doing any designing, but I’m fine with that. I still have opportunities for freelance and fine art.

Tomorrow, my sister and I are headed off to Destin, FL to attend a friend’s wedding in which I’ll also be photographing. It’s my first job of this kind, and I’m really humbled for her to be putting such faith in my abilities on her special day. But, I get a free meal and dinner cruise along with the deal, so some wonderful shots are bound to come out of the experience. Gosh, I’m so far from packed for the thing, though. . .

I woke up this morning around 7:15 to get ready to go to my job interview. This is only the second interview I’ve been to, the first one with Lewis Communications for an internship. I had gone to be the night before at around 2:30AM. Sad to say, that’s early for me. I think I actually got in bed around midnight, but I curled up with my laptop, and tried to pass the time until I got tired. But then, I was washing some clothes to wear, so I got up twice to switch the load.

All this to say that I didn’t have many hours of sleep. My alarm goes off at 5:30am every morning, but I don’t get up at that time. I suppose it’s just to let me know a new day has started.

So, It’s 7:15, and I get up. I’d had an outfit in mind to wear, some black trousers with a black V-neck sweater and white undershirt with rouching at the top. Looking in the mirror I realized that it was too much black. I mean, it’s winter, but I’m hardly in morning. I changed into a grape-colored sweater, and added a black satin-pinstriped blazer on top (taking a tip from What Not to Wear that a jacket completes an outfit). Bingo! Ready to go.

I get to the office around 8:50. I go in, and there’s no receptionist there to immediately help me, but I can clearly see some people in the other room. Apparently it wasn’t their job to help me. Whatever. I stand there awkwardly for a few moments and then a women comes out and asked me to have a seat while she announced me.

I meet with the owner of the company for the interview, and I guess it went fairly well. I don’t have much experience with interviews, so as cliche’ as it sounds, I decided to just be myself and not say “like” too much, during the course of a sentence. It went pretty well. After I answered a few questions, I was given a little test by manipulated a file in Illustrator CS by making it into business card format, and taking away all the registration information. Then I went back to talk with my interviewer a bit more about what I expected from working at the company and if it seemed like a place I’d like to work (it was). Then it was over.

I should hear from them sometime next week I figure. I hope I get the job, because Sharon needs some health insurance.

_listening: “Where Did My Baby Go?” by John Legend

Well, I’m trying to start a health and fitness regime, eating less and exercising more than before (which was not at all). ‘Cause, I’ve a pretty sedentary lifestyle, so I need the extra boost to my metabolism. I could easily stand to lose 15 pounds. I just ran on the treadmill for the second time this week. The first time I ran/powerwalked 1.037 miles, and it was awesome. Didn’t run for 2 days after that, though, because my legs were sore.

And. . .

It looks to be a movie watching weekend. I’ve rented Dreamland, Accepted, and Paradise Now. It was funny when I rented the latter film, the sales associate at movie gallery asked, “You know this is a foreign language film, right?” I was like, “Yeah.” She said the people come in there bringing movies back saying, “This isn’t in English? I’ve got to read this. . .” *rolleyes*.

I’ll take subtitles over godawful dubbing any day. But, I get to have a Justin Long fix and be cultured as well, so it’s all good.

Ok, I’m off to do some sit-ups.