Double shift

Today is the first day where I will work my two jobs in one day. I'll be at the gym from 1 to 5 and then at Dowling from 6 to 10. It should be an interesting experience. I know tonight that I have a glaze to mix and a kiln to load.

As far as the gym goes, I will assume the usual duties will apply. If I have enough ambition I hope to write a couple of articles and maybe even some rants, but who knows.

Another thing to do is go over again what goals and tasks still need to be done. I find brainstorming and reviewing these things is helpful to keep me on target.

Early Morning

I got up and opened the gym this morning. For those that might not be aware, we open at 5:30, so I got up around 4:30. while there I continued what I was working on the night before. I also closed the gym last night as well. I have been working on mathematically breaking down the glazes at Dowling to different percentages.

By doing this I am creating a guide for myself in the future, and working around having to do math on the fly. The rest of the day will be devoted to working on the house and various other tasks.

Tomorrow, I will work at the gym and then at Dowling. It will be my first shift alone in the studio. The idea is both exciting and slightly nerve wracking, luckily it is early in the semester so there shouldn't be that many there.

Back after a couple of weeks

As the title suggests this is my first blog post after vacation. Though I got back over a week ago, it took about a week to catch up and get back up to speed on what happened while I was away.

It is shocking how much one misses with just one week off.

Most of last week was spent sending emails, trying to get over jet lag, working and getting my new job started.

Last week really began my new position in the gym as Assistant Manager. I picked up a couple of extra shifts, one being the first time I opened the gym at 5:30 am. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, mostly because I was able to ride the wave of jet lag and still go to sleep early.

Also I spent a lot of time preparing for my new job at Dowling in the ceramics studio. The job is exactly what I have been looking for. It is 20 hours a week with an ok rate of pay. It allows me to still keep my presence at the gym, possibly sub at NCC, and still gives me free time to pursue my own goals as an artist, illustrator and comic book inker. I'll be working Wednesday nights, Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Over all a good schedule, it does hamper me taking part in any future weekend activities for the time being, but it is the trade off.

On the comic book front, there will be an upcoming meeting this Thursday. We will be deciding the future of Pronto, what will happen with the anthology and other matter. I am looking forward to new talent being introduced as well. Also the idea for new stories and projects being put forth. A lot of things have to be ironed out and that is what this meeting should be for.

On a final note, I sent out another mailing last week. I am looking forward to getting mailings out on a more frequent basis. Hopefully every 3 months. Now that the Dowling job is in place it feels like a major part of the puzzle has been added. I hope that it will allow me to be freed up monetarily wise, and I can put more money into my business. Now is the time to really sit down and sort out what I want to do and how to got about it. I can really begin to create a system/machine to run my life a bit more smoothly. At least I hope that I will be able too anyhow.

Accomplished somethings

Yesterday turned out to be a fairly productive day. As you know, if you read the blog, I had an interview yesterday and then went to work. While at work I wrote another article. when I got home I typed up and submitted 2 articles, yesterday's and the day before that, to helium.

Appreciating art without artists or history

Humor: Trying new foods

Also I finally got a chance to work on the cover, beyond a sketch point. I drew it up, did some fast inkng to it and applied the first light watery coat of paint. If you have seen my work, then you might know the next thing I will do I build up the color and paint. I should be able to do that today, either way though it is imperative that I finish the cover before I go to Ireland.

Today I have errands to run and people to see, as well as a couple of other tasks to do before I leave .

working on working

Yesterday I worked and wrote out another article. The main objective for me was to prepare to applications for freelance writing positions at online magazines. Also I spent last night preparing for an interview today. God willing and with a little bit of luck (and prayers), I'll get the job. I am wary though, because it is exactly what I am looking for and the pessimistic Irishman in me refuses to get his hopes up.

As for today I'll be working at the gym. Hopefully I will get some time to work on another articles as well as the cover. Unfortunately, the cover keeps having to get pushed back. This is problematic as I only have so much time to work on it.

Laboring on Labor day

I spent the bulk of this labor day weekend both working as well as having fun. Friday and Sunday I worked at the gym. I did a little sketching and rethinking of the cover submission that I want to do.

Yesterday I finally got a chance to type up several articles that I had sitting around. They can be found on helium:

http://www.helium.com/items/1579597-marvel-comics-character-profile-wolverine

http://www.helium.com/items/1579611-what-is-great-art

http://www.helium.com/items/1579745-human-condition-individual-society-people-humanity-philosophy-evil-good

As far today I've already done a reference search to help me draw up my cover submission. I want to start working on that later tonight, most likely at work. Also I am doing research for another alcohol review. I want to get that written up in the next couple of days. Finally, after submitting those articles I took the time to do some title hunting and have plenty of new titles to write about.

Writing is definitely something I want to get working on again. I haven't forgotten my goal to make $100 a month as a writer. Doesn't sound like much, but when added up over the course of the year it is a good chunk of change and it would allow me just a little more financial leeway. Also I need to start creating concepts for t-shirt submissions. I have completely neglected 2 websites that I was interested in, threadless and modern-t. Finally, there is the mailing to be done. The only thing I need is stamps. i hope to send out the mailing when I get back from my trip.

Working on a cover

I spent yesterday working around the house ans subsequently didn't get to work on the cover like I wanted to, but I have some free time today so I should be able to work on it.

Also today I want to head to the library and look up some books on inking comics. I want to become the best inker I can, so that requires I draw/work in ink almost every day and to study inking as well.

I am working later tonight so I will spend the shift working on the cover. I want to get it done as soon as possible and submitted hopefully next week.

work and a meeting

Tuesday I ran around doing errands and general domestic stuff.

Yesterday I went to work and while there I worked on my idea for the cover of the upcoming anthology. I have done a lot of sketching and brainstorming, but i was able to solidify a final idea and put together a fast sketch.

This was helpful for last nights Pronto meeting. I was able to show it to some and get a couple of notes on it. I hope to have the whole project done withing a week.

Last nights meeting wasn't exactly what I was hoping it would be. For the most part it was another status of the anthology meeting. Not as many writers were there and we didn't get a chance to start thinking about future projects. So that meeting will be pushed back to October. To get the topic rolling though, I sent out an email when I got back last night. I hope that by doing so the writers will start thinking about what they want to do next and be ready to make pitches for the next meeting. If we are really lucky some teams and projects might even get started by the time of the next meeting.

Today will be another domestic day, but hopefully tonight I will be able to muster the concentration to do some work.

Cover

The most recent thing that I have been working on is a cover for the anthology. Several of the writers have thrown out ideas, but I started working on my own idea before them. I've done several sketches and will be bringing the cover together hopefully today.

This is not to say that I don't like some of the other idea that have been put forth. I want to try and come up with some sketches based on some of the other ideas. Tomorrow is the next Pronto Comics meeting, so I am eager to see where we are in terms of the anthology, as well as what ideas people have for upcoming projects.

Another good thing that has happened is that I will be working on CAG's next installment of their Iconic title. This is something that I am definitely looking forward too. The current goal, in terms of comics, is too get my name out on as many published books as possible. So any project is welcome.