Category — Away from work
Getting back into it!
Before going to the USA, my plan was the leave this blog with plenty of pre-written articles to drop in bit by bit, and to drop in as much as I could to update personally.
Instead, a few days before leaving my system crashed with a virus that needed a complete re-install to rid me of it.
Which then, of course, left me behind on work.
And so this blog wasn’t updated.
But! Now I’m back! Read to get this thing moving! And I think I’ve got some interesing things coming up – so stay tuned! I won’t skip out again. 
August 23, 2010 Comments Off
You can’t take him anywhere…
Seth and I travel half way around the world to Seth’s parents place in California, where they welcome us into their home with open arms.
Last night, the maids have left the house spic and span and we’re standing in the kitchen, just chatting, while Seth’s parents cook dinner… when Seth (for some reason known only to himself) starts turning his pockets inside out, dumping drifts of lint and old paper all over the clean kitchen floor.
Seth’s mum turns to him with a look of ‘What the hell are you doing to my clean floor?’
Seth, ever the gentleman, apologises for the mess and explains:
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to empty lint all over your clean floor. I thought my pockets were full of sand.”
Nice one Seth.
June 26, 2010 3 Comments
More to life
A lot of shitty things have happened to me in 2010.
A lot.
2010′s latest gift to me (a concussion and a cracked cheekbone) caused a friend to suggest that this is the universe telling me I need to slow down.
That I’m working too much, and I need to look after myself.
I thought about this for a bit.
I actually don’t think, as far as illustrators go, I DO work that hard. Do I?
I mean, usually get up and am at my computer by 9. And I’m usually there at 6pm. 7pm. 8pm.
But I DO take breaks. I check the PO Box. I go for a walk. I go out for coffee.
I even spend some time every evening watching some DVDs or documentaries with Seth.
I mean, sure, there’s never a day I DON’T fire up the computer and at least check that no clients have sent me urgent messages. Or maybe just tweak a painting for 15 minutes or so.
And a few weeks ago, when I had a whole weekend away from my computer and work, I almost had a panic attack about it.
I know that’s not healthy, but hey, I’m an illustrator. I’m freelance.
It’s hard!!
It comes with the territory. Suck it up princess and get to work.
Still, it’s been on my mind. So today I asked Seth:
“Do you think I work too much?”
“Yes”
“I…oh. Yes? You don’t even need to think about it?”
“No. Yes. I told you that before. I keep saying you’re spending too much time at the computer.”
“But it’s where my work is!!!”
“I know.”
My initial response was to feel anger.
Don’t people understand what my job is? That I’m a freelance illustrator and designer? Don’t people know how hard that is? Don’t people know what odds I’m up against? Don’t they understand that there are more neurosurgeons about than full time illustrators? Do they know what that means, and how much time it takes to be able to reach that level?
Don’t they care?
And you know, I realise, the answer is no.
No, they don’t care about that.
They care about me.
They couldn’t give a rat’s if I make it into this competition, or that one. But they sure as hell do care when they see somebody they care about hell bent on obsessively working themselves to death.
And while it might not be a heavy workload by ‘industry’ (I despise that term) standards, it is by sane people standards.
I guess I would do well to remember that.
And I guess it might not actually hurt me to unplug my computer one day a week for some rest and recovery and…dare I say it…relaxation?
I’m going to give it a go.
April 14, 2010 3 Comments
