I don't get to hang around too many designers... well, actually, I don't get to hang around any designers, but for those of you who are designers, have you noticed that when you're stressed and pressed for time that you come up with your best (and worst) work?
Last week one of the million bosses around work asked if I'd help layout a 30-something page brochure for the centennial celebration. They didn't have everything together at that time, but I said I would help because I knew that they needed it and I want to keep my design muscles moving. I was already prepping for three weeks in advance because my immediate supervisor was getting ready to leave the country at the end of the week so I knew it was going to be stressful.
Well, I got a peek at the basic "this is what I want" stuff on Tuesday, but didn't get any real details till Thursday afternoon. I worked as hard and as fast as I could, attempting to keep up with my regular duties and get that monster job done (and up to standard - my standard and up to their expectations) enough to print out and have ready for the committee to review during the weekend. I'm not sure how it got done, but it did. I completed the third draft of the document after a gruelingly long day - printed it out and put it in their basket and went home. I dreamed about laying it out (and am still dreaming about it...) Monday I worked on revisions and by Tuesday afternoon I was sending the final file over to the printing company.
Being in this job and not in a "graphic designer" position sucks my designing confidence most days but when the printer wanted to know who'd done the layout and was sure it had taken 40 hours to layout I got a little wind in my sails again. But I still don't know about this. I like this job, but it's so hard to make ends meet. God's been amazing - He's provided when I have no idea how He did it. And I've been really trying not to stress about money and such, but I know that I'm going to have to ask if where I am now salary-wise is it for me here. I'm thinking I'm going to either have to find a house-mate or a decent part time job. I've been doing odds and ends jobs here and there for extra cash, but I don't expect those to continue to show up. Mom has offered to allow me to clean her house for about $50 every two weeks. Were it anyone but my parents offering that I'd jump at the opportunity. I did clean it last week because she had some things she wanted to do and she really needed my help with that, however, I believe I need to do something about things long-term.
I am going to need a roof here shortly and I know that will cost in the neighborhood of $6,000 and since things are so tight, I don't have anything extra I can save towards that end. I am doing more than one job around here - I am not going to ask for two salaries, but I do need a significant raise if I'm going to make it and be reasonably happy here long-term. I do want to stay here. I like it here. I feel useful and it's a work environment that is relatively stress-less. The bosses are great. The general environment is good. It's near the house I just bought. It uses nearly every creative talent I have in a way that honors God - I couldn't want a better job than this one for me. I just need more income and I need to find out if this place can do anything to help me towards that end.
Last week one of the million bosses around work asked if I'd help layout a 30-something page brochure for the centennial celebration. They didn't have everything together at that time, but I said I would help because I knew that they needed it and I want to keep my design muscles moving. I was already prepping for three weeks in advance because my immediate supervisor was getting ready to leave the country at the end of the week so I knew it was going to be stressful.
Well, I got a peek at the basic "this is what I want" stuff on Tuesday, but didn't get any real details till Thursday afternoon. I worked as hard and as fast as I could, attempting to keep up with my regular duties and get that monster job done (and up to standard - my standard and up to their expectations) enough to print out and have ready for the committee to review during the weekend. I'm not sure how it got done, but it did. I completed the third draft of the document after a gruelingly long day - printed it out and put it in their basket and went home. I dreamed about laying it out (and am still dreaming about it...) Monday I worked on revisions and by Tuesday afternoon I was sending the final file over to the printing company.
Being in this job and not in a "graphic designer" position sucks my designing confidence most days but when the printer wanted to know who'd done the layout and was sure it had taken 40 hours to layout I got a little wind in my sails again. But I still don't know about this. I like this job, but it's so hard to make ends meet. God's been amazing - He's provided when I have no idea how He did it. And I've been really trying not to stress about money and such, but I know that I'm going to have to ask if where I am now salary-wise is it for me here. I'm thinking I'm going to either have to find a house-mate or a decent part time job. I've been doing odds and ends jobs here and there for extra cash, but I don't expect those to continue to show up. Mom has offered to allow me to clean her house for about $50 every two weeks. Were it anyone but my parents offering that I'd jump at the opportunity. I did clean it last week because she had some things she wanted to do and she really needed my help with that, however, I believe I need to do something about things long-term.
I am going to need a roof here shortly and I know that will cost in the neighborhood of $6,000 and since things are so tight, I don't have anything extra I can save towards that end. I am doing more than one job around here - I am not going to ask for two salaries, but I do need a significant raise if I'm going to make it and be reasonably happy here long-term. I do want to stay here. I like it here. I feel useful and it's a work environment that is relatively stress-less. The bosses are great. The general environment is good. It's near the house I just bought. It uses nearly every creative talent I have in a way that honors God - I couldn't want a better job than this one for me. I just need more income and I need to find out if this place can do anything to help me towards that end.
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