The gleam of daybreak

[rydain]

Let's get the worst out first. I got laid off. My reviews were stellar over four years of employment. I just happened to lose a game of Contract Musical Chairs during a time of uncertainty in the realm of government R&D funding. I have contacts, I have references, I have excellent prospects lined up - including an interview soon to come with a desirable employer - along with a high security clearance and the magical decade of experience required to bill myself as a senior software engineer. I'll be fine.

It's still a shock absorbed with its share of high octane beer. Spring House Big Gruesome Stout is a new favorite in the Strong 'n Flavorful lineup. It is peanut butter drunky time, and it is glorious. But consumed in measured quantities, all things considered. I continue to put in my quality time at the gym. I enjoyed a four-odd mile hike to get my just repaired car, which was backed into by a very nice and apologetic friend of a friend. I could have pinged the body shop's ride service, but where's the fun and celebratory pancakes in that? And mud-splashed pants, but they needed a wash anyhow.

I'm outlining. I'm pushing conflicts forward into the Great Unknown of my narrative's center. I'm researching soporific details required to contextualize and develop assorted business machinations. Readers will only see the tip of the iceberg, but it needs the apparent weight and fortitude to sink a ship.

I'm working up the nerve to draw again. I get art performance anxiety in ways that writing rarely pings. Oftentimes I'll make a godawful first sketch that needs to be thrown out. Then the next one starts to get it, and the connection clicks between brain and hand, and I surprise myself with some improvement or another, and I wonder why I ever feared the challenge to begin with.

Comments

[sarah_sensei]

Sorry to hear about the job, but it sounds like you may have some prospects already and I hope you bounce back quick. Budget cuts are looming for my job too, since I work for DoD and those across the board automatic cuts are set to start tomorrow. Fortunately, at least for now, this only translates to a potential 22 furlough days between April and September (which means I'd lose roughly one month's pay over the course of the next 6 months). But if problems persist, I'd probably eventually end up on the chopping block. Here's hoping things get better out there. I totally sympathize with you.

[rydain]

Sorry to hear that the broad brush of sequester bullshit is spattering you, too. I hope there are other good options for you in case it really hits the fan. I'm lucky to live next to Penn State's main campus and have contacts there. Interview incoming in two weeks, w00t w00t.

[sarah_sensei]

Good luck with your interview :) I hope it all works out for the best. I'm just trying not to stress about it for the time being.

Worst case scenario is they would eventually stop funding the military schools entirely and turn them over to the local school districts (which means they may or may not keep me on). I'm told that a lot of local districts do not want to be responsible for all those extra schools because they do not receive property taxes from any of the military installations, so, there's no new revenue and budgets are already tight.

Because of that, the federal government may find themselves sending money anyhow to help fund the schools federally. So, I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon... But losing about a month's worth of pay this year is starting to look very likely.

[kaedi]

I haven't drawn in ages. It used to make me feel better but now it makes me rage because I suck at it :P

Sorry to hear about your job too - mine's still up in the air atm - but at least it looks like you've got plans lined up :D

[rydain]

Thank you! I have an interview next week that I'm stoked about, as well as other prospects. I hope your job situation works out OK!

It's weird. I settled on a reference image and started the drawing, and I essentially picked up my progress where I'd left it in October. I like your chunky beefy anatomy style (and that DudeShep/Kaidan Valentine totally makes me smile), and I'd enjoy seeing you get back to it. Have you thought about easing yourself in with simple, fun pieces and doing some self-study to work through those feelings of suckage? I've made a load of improvement by studying pro artists' line work and Andrew Loomis' anatomy texts, which help me get a better grasp on the fundamentals (volume, weight, gesture, composition, etc.) and understand how to sketch and render various tricky business (facial features, materials, and my current twin hellions of cloth and hair). I remember you posting some life drawing studies a while back. Do you have any plans for more art classes?