Doors and Windows

Well, I finally heard back from that potential employer I've been hinting at for a while now. They are putting the new proposal I mentioned on hold right now. Apparently, con season is slamming them, understandably, and they are restructuring a bit. So they'll contact me who knows when about the new job, but I gathered it wouldn't be anytime soon.

The company is Tales of Wonder, and they are an online graphic novel and statue retailer. They're one of Marvel's top 10 online sellers, and they offered me a pretty good starting salary with some perks to be their marketing and con guy. There were some issues with the con stuff, an aspect I wasn't particularly crazy about, but more than willing to do, but they decided ultimately that I was a better fit for another position they had in mind.

Unfortunately, I have no idea when I'll actually hear about that new position, and thus I have to move on for now. I will certainly entertain it when it does come across my virtual desk, but for now I have to entertain and seek out other offers and opportunities.

Lately I have been picking up some small freelance writing gigs though. Mostly SEO keyword articles and blog posts and the like. I'm decent at it, and it's fun, and the pay's a nice side income. So that's working well so far.

I also did sell all those comics I listed over a couple of posts recently. Every last one of them and a few more are gone, gone, gone, in the mail today. So that was a welcome surprise!

Wizard World Chicago is looking better as a possibility. There are still just a couple of things I need to work out before I can commit to it, but I'm hoping I'll be able to make a decision by early next week if things pan out. I'd love to go as I know (in the online sense) a LOT of people who will be there, and it will be really cool to meet them all.

I had to go to the dentist twice this week due to some complications, but it's all good now. On a bad note, though, it did set me behind schedule on some things, so tonight and tomorrow, and throughout the weekend is going to be pret-ty busy indeed.

Incredible Hulk comes out tomorrow! TOMORROW! Yeah, I know, the first one was a borefest, but what I hear from people who saw an advanced screening is that this one is SO much better. And Tony Stark from Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) makes an appearance, and it's rumored that Captain America does as well. We saw Cap's shield in Iron Man, so it'll be fun to see where the pop in the Cap appearance. And if I can make it to the theater in any way this weekend I am definitely going to go see this. Have my soda and junior mints waiting for me, usher!

B-Out

Moving Away, Then Not, Then Maybe...

Well, folks, as most of you know, last week I went out of town. What most of you didn't know was why I went out of town, so let me break it down for you.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by an online comic retailer about a possible job opportunity. Basically they offered me the job based on my online work that they had followed, and wanted to fly me down and put me up for a week. So I went and spent the week down there checking the place out and learning what the job entailed.

The salary they offered was decent, and parts of the job were fun and exciting. Other parts were not quite as glamorous, but still a pretty cool experience.

So, after a week of wrestling with the decision to move away and take this job I accepted the position last Friday morning. They were thrilled, and thus a new chapter of my life was to begin.

24 hours later that changed a bit. I had emailed them to discuss a few details, and one arbitrary sentence at the end of the email I typed at 3am caused them to reevaluate things and they took the offer off the plate.

So, after emails and phone conversations trying to straighten all this out, now instead of moving down immediately (like tomorrow) as was planned, I'm waiting to hear, probably for a couple of weeks, whether this is still the direction they want to go or not.

All that said, it is still possible that in a few weeks I'll be moving away to take a nice job with some perks moving away from my home of the last 26 years. Then again, it's possible I won't. So I'll keep you posted. Not that it affects any of you, but in the transition there would definitely be some lag time for lettering projects and so forth.

The job itself is twofold. One side of it, the side I like, involves marketing, interviewing creators, managing content and so forth as I am familiar with and have done for the past two plus years. The other side is working convention booths, specifically the register and managing people, at twelve cons throughout the year. Not to mention driving the con truck to all these places. This is the part I'm not as crazy about, but is still pretty cool.

So anyway, I guess I'll have to wait and see what the final decision is, even though I had already accepted and they had already offered. I guess that's the way things go sometimes though.

In the meantime, I'm back home catching up on all my emails and starting back to lettering work today and tomorrow. I'm also looking out for other opportunities both locally and abroad just in case this falls through as last week's trip showed me that regardless of what happens I am ready for the next chapter in my life, and I'm ready to spread my wings and start more actively pursuing my ultimate goals.

If this particular job doesn't happen I am still doing my best to make preparations to make it to Wizard World Chicago at the end of next month. I'm not sure if it will work out or not, but I know a lot of people who will be there and I'd like to hook up with them if I can. And if I do get this job I'll be there as well, but I'll be stuck at the booth through the duration of the event.

So, that's what's up, people.

B-Out

Possibilities

Well, I may have a new job prospect, and a better paying one than I'm used to. However, there is one major stumblingblock I am trying to overcome that could potentially hinder me getting said job.

What is the job? I'm actually not sure what all it entails yet, but I'd be working in an office again, but working on the internet mainly and doing stuff related to stuff I've done before, only more interesting. And no tech support! That would be great.

So hopefully I can find a way around this little problem of mine. I guess if it's meant to be it'll happen. If not, hopefully something else will come along.

B-Out

Quirky

I'm in a rather odd mood today. I can't explain it really, just odd. I'm sleepy, but I can't sleep. Hungry, but I can't eat. Kind of whimsical, yet kind of bored. It's an odd mixed bag of emotions that leaves me making funny faces at the computer as I type this for no apparent reasons. It's as if I'm trying to find the emotion by contorting my face in bizarre ways.

Anyway... I got really busy yesterday, so I'm sorry I didn't give an update.

First 6 pages of SWP (Superworld Presents, a hilarious and fun comic to read and work on) have been sent off, the next 7 are about halfway done.

I had to request some clarification on some pages of Merc43, so I'm waiting on those. In the meantime, I've finished some random pages of it. Still shooting for the weekend for completion, but it may be a day or two later than that.

Sent off the first five pages of Shelter #1 early this morning.

I also applied for a BUNCH of freelance gigs ranging from copywriting to testing to logo and banner design. Haven't gotten any responses yet sadly.

The bills are pouring in as fast as what little money I have is funneling out, so if you've got some work for hire stuff sitting around, I'm available!

I did get a very interesting email about a potential job yesterday, but I can't share that yet. I'll give more details on that as I can. If it works out it will be pretty awesome for me.

My brother's killing me this year. With funds low (the full-time job just isn't cutting it these days - long story), my brother, who's 15, would have to pick this year to want only expensive stuff. His wishlist this year includes:

Alienware gaming laptop
XBox 360 Elite
Guitar Hero III
Dean Razorback Guitar
Dog
Emerica Nomad Jacket
Money for Clothes
Money for CDs

And that's just the main things. Not one thing under $100 there.

My mother's not much better as she wants a laptop as well, and a GPS device for the car, and she kind of wants the dog too (they both want a miniature Schnauzer). I do have her a bunch of small things I've accumulated over the past several months, and my brother bought her something yesterday. So she's covered sans a big gift, but I don't know what I'll do about my brother. I just can't swing all that, nor can my mother. But we'll work it out, we always do and manage to have a decent Christmas.

Not that it's about the gifts, I'm just the kind of person that LOVES giving gifts, especially after building up how much I can't get them, then if things work out seeing the looks on their faces when they get it anyway. Doesn't happen often, but it's a nice thought. I just love seeing them happy.

So let's see. Nothing special going on, haven't been watching much TV or movies lately, and my life is pretty much boring. Just work, work, work.

I know I saw a couple of news stories I wanted to talk about, but they've completely slipped my mind now.

I will say that I have become increasingly annoyed at the misuse of the apostrophe lately. Maybe it's the editor in me, but for a while now it crops up everywhere, and it's starting to drive me crazy! If you're talking about a decade, the there is NO APOSTROPHE. It's not 80's, unless you're following that with something the 1980s own. And if you leave of the "19" then it's '80s. And when you're talking plurals, it's "CDs", not "CD's". And these are common mistakes that are being made by professional writers all over the place. I don't mean to harp, it's just become a pet peeve of mine of late.

Oh, and have you all heard of the mail delivery New York Pizza place? Check out www.IWantNYPizza.com. They literally mail you a New York style pizza. The pizza only costs $12.99 to $27.00, but the shipping? $65! Worth it? I don't know, I've never had New York pizza. But loving pizza as I do, if I had that kind of extra cash laying around I would probably try it once.

Another thing I was wondering about lately is why we care so much about the lives of celebrities. Sure, if you become an entertainer of some sort there is a perceived responsibility to the fans in regards of presenting yourself as a figure of respect. But let's be fair. They didn't ask to be role models, they're just doing what the love to do, or what makes the big bucks, however you want to look at it. Yet they are held with an immeasurable and unfair scrutiny more than even the President is under, and that's quite a bit! They don't really deserve it. Do I agree with the life choices of the latest starlet, pop singer or whoever? Not necessarily. Is it any of my business? Not really. So why do we care so much? Are we really that bored? Don't answer that.

If you're really that bored, or just want to see something cool, click the title to find some videos of Christmas lights synced to Christmas songs. I couldn't find the one I wanted to share, but some of those are pretty cool too.

Now I'm just looking into the ethers trying to pull things down to talk about, so I'll spare you of any further rambling.

B-Out