Author Topic: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)  (Read 18231 times)

Josh

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #15 on: June 19, 2007, 11:20:06 AM »
The drawback is they also almost certainly pay less.  But it could be worth it.

Yes, I'm hoping that my current job (less pay but more experience) will pay off. Could work for you, spaceb00tz.



Regardless of all of that, even if I had a design position that allowed me to be more creative.. it's still the same because it's not coming from you. It's an assignment that's given to you. So with art, I've realized that I'm only interested in making my own personal pieces and I feel I can do that on my own and I should have never tried to find a job in this field.

Many great works of art were commissioned, so I wouldn't say that having a client automatically disallows creativity or artistic merit. I guess what I mean is, don't give up on a profession based on one entry-level job. Baby and bathwater, etc.
"Alright, well, for the sake of this conversation, let's say the book does not exist."

SpaceBootz

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #16 on: June 20, 2007, 11:19:23 AM »
Yeah, the money bit of it isn't what's most important to me. The one thing I do like about commissioned or assigned projects is that they generally tend to get you to do something you normally wouldn't. And that could lead to a growth in your own personal creativity.

Sarah

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #17 on: June 22, 2007, 06:24:47 AM »
Here's a possibility for anyone who can index or make tofu or hammocks (don't you love that assortment of skills)?

SpaceBootz

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #18 on: June 22, 2007, 11:26:25 AM »
knifegirl: do you plan on staying at your current job? also, what kind of work is it?

John Junk

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #19 on: June 25, 2007, 12:30:41 PM »
It's too early to tell whether this will be a horrible day or not, but I'm knee deep in a horrible work scenario.

I work at this art school and during the summer it's my job to throw out the stuff of all the students who have abandoned their studios or cubicles.  This means throwing out personal affects, food, art, the whole shebang.  In order to do this, I have to sort of brainwash myself, because my usual impulse is to never throw anything out.  I have to just be like "It's a dirty job, but it's my job.  These kids need to take care of their stuff.  I gotta teach them a lesson..." Crap like that.  I've never had a job with actual power or "responsibility" before, so this is all an adjustment.  Anyway, Apparently my self-brainwashing somehow convinced me that I needed to cut the locks on all these storage cabinets that the students had stuff in  (It's a long story--I had a few decent reasons for this) -- and also convinced myself that allt hese students had been told that they could not store stuff in these cabinets over the summer.  So me and my assistant sucked it up, cut all these locks, threw out photos, portfolios, notebooks, etc.  Then we found computers--that's funny.  Okay, I can see leaving an old notebook, but a G5computer?  That's crazy.  Well, thank God I didn't throw out any computers, but I did throw out most of the other stuff.  Then there was a whole other room full of lockers with locks, all of which we cut, and then we realized that there were WAY too many people storing stuff in those things for it to be a normal occurence for it all to get dumped.  We thankfully held on to a bunch of this stuff.  I called the guy who had the job before me to ask what the protocol was with these storage units.  No call back.  We put some of the stuff in a storage room, but about 5 or 6 students had all of their shit thrown out by me and my trusty assistant, who for some reason repeatedly assured me that they did this last year when he worked for my predecessor.  Wouldn't you know, I run into the predecessor at a bar this weekend, I ask him about the storage units, and he's like "No, you don't cut those! The students are allowed to store stuff in there for the summer."  Wait, whuuuuuuuut?  Buzzkill is not the word.  I already felt like a creep throwing stuff out that I thought was meant to be thrown out, now I find out I threw out portfolios, books, etc. belonging to people who were told they could store stuff there??  Then I came back to work this morning, checked the info packets I sent out to the students, and there it is "you can store stuff in the storage units under your desk".  Effectively I told them they could store stuff there, and I didn't just double check my own paper work before trashing people's desks.  So now I've just told my supervisor, who is thankfully sympathetic, but I"m just waiting for the shitstorm from students and faculty about it.  The best part is I personally feel terrible and guilty about the whole thing, as it is a real-life version of what would be a nightmare scenario when I was a college student.  Ugh.

SpaceBootz

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #20 on: June 25, 2007, 03:26:18 PM »
John, that was a horrifying story. I mean, I do see your side of it--but I just can't help but think of those students returning to find that their portfolios were thrown out!

Sarah

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #21 on: June 25, 2007, 03:37:49 PM »
John, your story gave me a sympathetic panic/adrenaline surge.  I know how guilty I'd feel in your position, and I feel so very bad for you.

Poor, poor Mr. Junk.

buffcoat

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #22 on: June 25, 2007, 04:34:26 PM »
You don't deserve it, John, but they do!

Damn college kids.
I really don't appreciate your sarcastic, anti-comedy tone, Bro!

knifegirl

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #23 on: June 25, 2007, 04:48:25 PM »
knifegirl: do you plan on staying at your current job? also, what kind of work is it?
I have no plans to leave it. When I left some years ago I went to a job in a small family-run publishing house that I thought would be more interesting/"fulfilling". Awful awful job. Then I worked at something I thought I'd enjoy more (tech support). Slightly above terrible.

I'm a "document specialist" in a law firm. Glorified word processor. I was a proofreader when I started out though.
Make my funnel cake!

John Junk

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #24 on: June 25, 2007, 04:50:21 PM »
John, that was a horrifying story. I mean, I do see your side of it--but I just can't help but think of those students returning to find that their portfolios were thrown out!

I know!  Much as I have a propensity for self-pity, this really sucks a lot more for them!  

Sarah - Thanks for the sympathy.  And the empathy panic attack! You may rest now.  Seriously, I've had trouble sleeping.  Fucking guiiilt.  Plus I was raised Catholic.

Buffcoat - Yours was basically the same reaction as the guy that runs the print shop.

At least now I know a there's a catchphrase for this: "I've made a huge mistake."  Thanks Arrested Development!

Josh

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #25 on: June 25, 2007, 05:05:40 PM »
There were a lot of sketches and drawings that vanished into the ether during college thanks to the underpaid cleaning staff. S hit happens. One way or another, the kids'll be fine. Probably have digital copies or somethin'.

I get a chest-pounding fear when something like your story happens to me. I hate it. Definite all-encompassing, chest-pounding Catholic guilt.
"Alright, well, for the sake of this conversation, let's say the book does not exist."

buffcoat

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #26 on: June 25, 2007, 06:00:50 PM »
John, you should look up the story of what happened to Hemingway's early manuscripts.  And he turned out ok.  At least until, uh, 1961.

But that *probably* had nothing to do with his stuff getting lost early on.
I really don't appreciate your sarcastic, anti-comedy tone, Bro!

dave from knoxville

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #27 on: June 25, 2007, 06:39:39 PM »
I understand his last words were "Only the help saw my best worgargghhhhh"

John Junk

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #28 on: June 25, 2007, 07:48:15 PM »
Definite all-encompassing, chest-pounding Catholic guilt.

Exactly!  I think I'll be able to shake it off by the end of the week, but that shit goes deep when it hits you.  It's true, S Hit does happen.  I remember when I was a lad of 21, I sent all my best drawings to a gallery in chicago, regular mail, no tracking code or anything.  Never arrived.  Gone forever.  Just had to make new stuff to make up for it, and stuff that wasn't as good, btw.  But that's the kind of stuff that happens when you're young.  That's how you get to learn not to trust anyone, especially the incompetents that run art studios (me), and most definitely the U.S. Postal Service.

Emily

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Re: "I'm Having A Horrible Day At Work" (alt. version)
« Reply #29 on: June 26, 2007, 01:28:00 AM »
jarvis -
sorry for your misfortune.

in college i actually had a studio manager deliberately destroy my b&w prints and not because they stunk but because he was trying to proove some point about people not picking up their dry photos, but he did this right as i was arriving (still 10 minutes before closing!) i never forgave him. but mainly i never forgave him because he was an arrogant wuss about it.
weaklings.
if i ever see that Paco anywhere i'm gonna paco him in the face!

you're not a wuss, so don't worry about it. plus it was a mistake.
anyway my point is - focus on the good times and tell us the story of your trip to Vegas!!!!
woohoo!! vegas!!