…off. Also known as “made redundant,” along with 10% of the company, apparently. I’ve joined the ranks of the unemployed… suckling off the teat of “the system” (aka Mr. Guapo). I’m taking it pretty well. I’ve actually felt for a long time that the job was not challenging me anymore, and perhaps it was time to move on — that was becoming increasingly apparent. A friend of mine at work even took me out for a coffee and gave me a talking to about how it seemed that I was wasting my life there, and I should get my shit together. However, it is difficult to leave a job that, while a bit underwhelming, had decent benefits, decent pay, decent people working there, and 5 weeks of paid vacation. And, I had nine years invested there — I wasn’t leaving unless they pushed me out.
Well, it was good while it lasted, but for now,I’m making a list of things to occupy my time:
- Not looking for a job
- Managing my investments
- Painting, drawing, photographing
- Cooking/baking
- Reading all of the books I haven’t had time for (have a stack taller than me… which some would say is actually not very many books)
- Writing
- Taking advantage of this great city we live in
- Agitating the government
- Galleries, museums
- Volunteering for various causes
- Hosting dinner parties
- Traveling
- Continuing my Spanish lessons
- Seeing what all the flap about ‘The Sopranos’ is about..
The list goes on…
Comments
Congrats...sort of..I guess. I just got a new job myself.
Posted by: Barrister Jubril | October 23, 2006 10:43 PM
Actually... on my first day of unemployment, a photographer called and asked if I wanted to do some work for him.. I may be printing a retraction soon.
Posted by: Dr. No | October 23, 2006 11:16 PM
what's your new job?
Posted by: Dr. No | October 23, 2006 11:17 PM
RAND Corporation
Posted by: Barrister Jubril | October 23, 2006 11:24 PM
Wow, enjoy your baking, reading, agitating, and all things creative!
Posted by: Mrs. Soul | October 24, 2006 1:00 AM
Suckling on Mr. Guapo's teat is a rather disturbing mental image that I really didn't need.
Posted by: hellx | October 24, 2006 1:17 AM
RAND? Holy Toledo.
Posted by: Mr. Guapo | October 24, 2006 9:07 AM
i dont want to do what i am doing anymore-is there a job out there for me?
Posted by: jebus4me | October 24, 2006 1:25 PM
Well, i think i might have accidentally just started my own business... have 3 contacts now, for consulting work - and a possible 4th. Maybe I'll hire you... Can you type?
Posted by: Dr. No | October 24, 2006 1:35 PM
Congratulations Dr. No!
Skip the sopranos and enjoy your free time. Let me know if you want to go museum hopping, etc.
Posted by: TSI! | October 24, 2006 3:00 PM
Thanks! If I have any free time... Going to a meeting right now, with a photographer. But was thinking that Fridays would be museum/gallery day.
I'm going to enjoy this... not working for 'the man'...
Posted by: Dr. No | October 24, 2006 3:40 PM
Dr.No - What kind of stuff did you do before you got laid... off? I know the company you worked for, and in general the branch, but I'm just curious what kind of work you did that's led so quickly into consulting gigs.
Posted by: Thinman | October 24, 2006 5:17 PM
I was in charge of the department at Getty Images that did all of the preparation work for web upload - It was called Content Classification (most of my department was laid off). My team would check model releases, to make sure they were legit, and make sure image file sizes were within spec, make sure all of the information we needed for keywording purposes was included -- basically made sure that the images would move through the workflow as quickly as possible, with all of the correct info., so they would start selling quickly. The photographers have increasingly been asked to take on this kind of work themselves, pre-submission.
Photographers just want to take the damn picture... and not deal with the tedium of readying it for Getty (or other agencies) - which is where I will come in.
The photographer I met with tonight will hand me his images on a hard drive, which i will take home with me, download to my mac, do some data work, color correcting, retouching, etc - and then i'll burn them to dvd and drop them off at my former office. I still have really good relations with everyone there, so i'm in a good spot to help out the photographers.
this is what i'm hoping to make a business out of... Eventually, I'll bill myself as a Digital Assistant.... and perhaps one day, a Photographer.
Posted by: Dr. No | October 24, 2006 11:46 PM
Congrats Dr. No!
Posted by: plantnerd | October 25, 2006 8:38 AM
Thanks! I'm in a really good position for this to have happened. I know the biz, I know the photographers - could be really good for me.
Posted by: Dr. No | October 25, 2006 1:04 PM
When you're ready to start talking margin vs. raw labor multipliers, just let me know. Those of us that make our money by the hour gotta stick together. Congratulations!
Posted by: doubleohsoul | October 25, 2006 4:05 PM