The Trials and Tribulations of Job Interviews

So this past Monday I had an interview. It went great. From what I could tell, they really were interested in me and what I had to offer them. I was equally excited cause it was just really nice to feel wanted and it was doing something I have been wanting to do. They asked me to come in on Friday for a second interview/trial. I thought, hey that is good. They had already asked me how much I was looking for and how many hours. It seemed promising.

Friday rolls around and I was was nervous. Something in my gut was just not sure about all this. I chalked it up as being the fact that I have been unemployed for about 9 months now and interviews were too far and few between. I show up on time thinking, well so far so good. I grabbed a nice cup of coffee and headed over to the place. I get there and I am early, as in noone is there yet. I look at the time and notice I am about 6 minutes early. It's winter and cold, so it's not like i want to hang out outside. I figure I will just wait patiently. My last job noone ever showed up on time! About 15 minutes later, the girl that is in charge of the office show up and was surprised noone was there yet. Then the boss showed up about a couple minutes later as we were waiting for the elevator. The office girl reminds the boss that I am there for working and the boss looked all surprised. At that point I am thinking, oh this isn't good. You don't remember me or the fact that I am supposed to be there! Finally things get worked out and I start to work.

I am in the room working with the guy that is in charge of that room. So I am sitting there and working by myself, listening to some WNYC. All is good. I think back to when I was working in that same sort of setting and how I enjoyed that. The guy that was in charge of the room kept leaving to go pick up stuff from outside, which I thought was kind of strange, but I was content on my working and didn't have any questions. What I did think was odd was the fact that he wasn't checking how I was doing. I would think that if I was doing a test run, they would want to make sure what I was doing was correct! But since I was rather content sitting there working, it was fine.

The room had no clock, but I am guessing it was around noon when some other guy showed up in the room. I wasn't sure if he worked there as well, but then he was handed an identical project as the one I had to work on. I then realized, wait a second- he's here applying for this job as well.... So then it was just me and this other guy working in the room. Neither of us talking and working, I wasn't exactly sure what was happening. All I knew at that point was that I was starving and was just wanting someone to come over and tell me when I should either leave or go to lunch. Finally the guy running the room comes back from one of his many disappearances and tells me that I can take lunch whenever. I go grab my coat and notice that the time is 2:45. No wonder I am starving!

I come back from my half hour lunch and about 15 minutes later, a third guy comes in the room. At this point I know he is also applying for the same job. He is very new at this and has a lot of questions. The guy in charge of the room tells the new guy to ask me and the other new guy if he has any questions. I helped the third guy out. I leave the room at one point to go get some water and notice that everyone has left but us. I walk back in the room and the guy in charge of the room says- I am leaving in a half hour, so you can go whenever you want. I must have given him a look of confusion since I was being told I can go home, finally, and still have no clue if I have a job or not!

I overheard him talking to the second guy about the job and saying something about me doing 2 different jobs. The poor third guy was even more confused and realized that we were all in there for the same thing. I laughed and said to him- yeah, we are all in the same boat. I left there not knowing anything and told to come back in on Monday and if there were any changes, he'd send me an email this weekend.

So here I am Monday, after a weekend of being a bit annoyed and determined to go in today to not work until I got some information. I was not going to work another entire day and not be payed. I needed answers. So I am getting ready to go to "work" and I look down at my phone, which I usually do rather religiously anyways, and notice an email. I look at it and it says something like this- "It was a pleasure working with you last week. Give the studio a call to reschedule a time to come in and see what my other capabilities are." This was in reference to the other position at the place that they are interested in having me do as well. The whole thing is odd.

The whole thing makes me weary. I don't know what they are thinking and they are not communicating it with me. I had had these horrible communications in past jobs and that has driven me insane. I don't like that kind of work environment. I have been in trouble for things because they weren't communicated to me, and I do not enjoy being put in that situation. My gut is just saying don't do it. My brain is saying- You haven't worked in 9 months. I don't know which to listen to.

Ahh the random things I find

An Interview?!

Wow, I have an interview! It's not until February, but hell, it's finally an interview! Now I have a reason to get a real haircut and my hair dyed! Not that this job would require me looking particularly "good", since it is for sculpture chasing. The funny thing is that the artist this is for had a studio where I live, about 5 blocks away. I even had a show in her extra space back in the day as well. I have applied to her before, but I wonder if she had ever seen my resume. I think the assistants filter them first and don't really know what they are looking at. I wouldn't put it past that. Especially since I have the EXACT experience she is needing.

It was funny since i did send the email response to the job ad around midnight. I get an email back from her the next day, from her phone, saying that I seem very qualified for the job. So we shall see. If it works out, it works out. I also have some work at the radio station lined up in February as well, so I could be extremely busy soon. It will just be really nice to have some real money coming in, instead of the unemployment. That and also to feel needed and wanted.

That is one thing that I have found really depressing about being unemployed. I just hate that feeling of looking through the help wanted and seeing the word INTERN. I am about to be 36 years old, I have skills that I have learned over the years and a talent. I am not giving you this for free. fuck you. It's an insult. And because the economy is such crap, employers are taking advantage of this. I also have questioned my skills and talent when looking at the help wanted as well. I think I am not qualified for jobs that I totally know I could do. It's the knowledge that there are hundreds and hundreds of people all sending in resumes who are most likely more qualified, so I don't even bother putting myself out there.

I must say, I still don't hate this time to myself. I never thought I would be able to handle myself if I wasn't working and I have proven myself wrong. I have been extremely busy and productive. I am proud of myself for the work that I have done for ME. That is something that I would never have been able to do if I had a job. And who knows, maybe all this work on myself will lead me to something down the road. Who knows.

Not that anyone cares.... or is reading...

Well, the 13 yr old birthday party was great. Granted the music was not so much, but I now have gotten past that scare of doing live dj-ing. That was probably my most worrisome part. I didn't know how I was about to do it and not sure what it would be like. Now I feel comfortable doing it, but granted, it wasn't a room of my peers. I feel like it would have been very different if it was people my age and the music that I wanted to play instead. So that will be my next hurdle, right?

Trying to also finish up my marathon premium as well. I had been planning this for months and I can't believe that it is practically here! I am nervous about this as well. The marathon kind of lets you know how you are doing as a show. If I can get a good following for the marathon, then I might be seen as a better time slot in the future. I know it is said that it doesn't matter how much you make during your marathon slot, but let's be real. I know that people look at the numbers. So I am definitely nervous about it.

As for art, still busy creating, but the more I do, the more I realize that I need real tools and real space. My neighbor downstairs thinks she may know a friend that has a garage that needs a little work. If it is the right price, I just might have to take it. I really need some space. I am tired of my husband looking around the house at the mess that I am making. I AM making a mess, granted, but hell! My room is small!

And of course, the search for a job is still happening. Starting to see some jobs jump on the boards though. I am seeing a mix of jobs and interns. So who knows. Maybe the economy is on the way back. If you can see jobs in the art world, then it is the first sign! Keeping my fingers crossed for the upcoming future.

Ahhh yes.... I am alive....

Okay I am alive. I swear. Barely.... So to update, I am a) still unemployed b) still creating lots of artwork c) still at the radio station and d) freaking busy! I can't believe how busy i am. I really shouldn't be typing this since i have other work to do! But I figure I should take some time out to see what is going on in the blog world. I figured I should let people know i am alive.

Last month I sold 3 sculptures. That is freaking amazing. I was completely baffled by that. One of the ones I sold was that larger mailbox piece that I posted not long ago. I have now focused on creating my art as my business. When the hell else am I supposed to do it, right? So I created a website for myself, made business cards, going to local openings and trying to be "known" here. The last show, in December, I had great critiques of my work. It was very humbling and flattering. I even had one artist come up to me and say that I am a much better artist than her. I couldn't help but blush. I am now trying to come up with a ton of work for an upcoming show in May. It's a joint show with me and my friend who is doing paintings. This will be a good test for me and a great way to get exposure and build my portfolio. From this, we shall see how I can further pursue my art in NYC and elsewhere.

Radio show is going excellent. I have a great listener ship. I have my regulars who are just amazing and GET what i am doing! That alone makes me so happy. I decided to do one show that was all the same song, pretty much. It was the song "Stagger Lee". There are over 300 versions of the song, so I wanted to go through the years of the song, explain the history and show how the song has changed. Now this is 3 hours of the SAME song! I didn't have many comments, but i can see how many people are listening and it remained consistent. I was amazed. The comments I got were about the songs and how the number of children had changed. They were really LISTENING! So that makes me feel good to know that what I am doing is worth something. People want to listen and I am enjoying doing it. Who knows what this will do for me in the future, but I figure I will ride the wave for the time being and see where it takes me.

I am also going to DJ a 13 year old birthday party this Saturday. Now talk about being out of my element! I don't know this new music. I sound old, I know. I just find today's pop music horrible. There are some decent stuff, but all in all, what these kids are listening to is just plain BAD. I wonder partially if they understand what the songs are about, but then at the same time the songs don't really hide their meanings anymore. I know.... old, i get it. What happened to innuendo? It's sad. So now I have to collect these songs and play them. The other funny thing is that they want the pop songs along with these other songs that make me giggle. Rockband and Guitar Hero have now opened up the musical realm to kids, which is kind of funny. So I get requests such as Beyonce, Flo Rida and then Alice Cooper and Queen. HA! So I will look forward to the other odd requests and try to find the decent Rhiana and Lady Gaga songs. Wish me luck!

Updates

So I know, I been missing lately. But it's all good. I have been busy making art and I just got my third art show since i have been laid off. So all in all, I think this has been a great thing. I have been busy learning how to create kinetic sculptures, which has been fun and challenging. One of these is going in an upcoming show in August. The other thing I am working on is a skull, for an exquisite corpse show in October. So, I have deadlines, which we all know is something i need.

I need to get a website. That is one of the many important things i have to take care of, but with my lack of skills as a web designer, i think this will take a little longer than usual. That and i need to document some of the new pieces. I hate this end of art. I just want to create it, not worry about trying to sell myself.

So for now, that is where i am. Sorry for being distant. It's all good over here. No worries!

New Sculpture!

Well, I started this piece back in 2007. The majority of doing this was this past year. And especially since i have been work free. I figured it was time to stop being stagnant. Time to do some work. So i gave myself a deadline of the end of the month, and I did it, with time left! I am naming this piece "Death of an Art". The entire piece is covered in letters. I had collected letters that had been sent to me since high school. They been sitting in an accordion file in a basement. I had them separated alphabetically. So if anyone had ever written to me within that time, I had that letter. I rarely get letters now, so it's kinda amazing that i have saved these. Ever since email, letters have gone by the wayside.

As I was working on this, I was reading through the letters and trying to remember what was being talked about. Most of the time, I had no clue. And they all said what great letters I wrote. I kinda wish I had those still. I am curious as to what i thought was so important or funny at that time.

I am really happy i have finally finished this piece and happy that I am ready to move on and work on some new stuff! This won't be clogging up my room and I might even get to put this in a show next month. So even more inspiration to get the piece done! Ever since I have been unemployed, I have had tons of ideas of what i want to do. My mind is not stagnant anymore. I just don't have enough time!

I am off to Baltimore this weekend and am going for more inspiration. This weekend is the Kinetic Sculpture Race. Then the next thing I want to do is go to the American Visionary Art Museum. They have a collection of smaller kinetic sculptures where you can crank something or there is a motor and the pieces move. I need to find a book and do some research of moving sculptures. I want to do a series of kinetic pieces based on circus sideshows. I just finished a book about it and I have been fascinated with them for a long while. So we shall see. I want to make some pieces that are cheaper to produce and sell. So each box will be 12" x 12". I also want to make shadow boxes, which I got the inspiration at a museum in Istanbul which was all about shadows.

So let's see what is about to happen. I am excited!