Well, this month was another month of two halves - and as I always do, I'll get the bad half out of the way first.
A certain place that I won't mention referred me to a mandatory training course,the likes of which they've forced me to go on before, you know the type, sit in a classoom with a bunch of strangers while someone tells you "do this, do that". These courses aren't even designed to help the "customers" on them, they're just an exercise in massaging the unemployment figures and keeping the money rolling in - so naturally, I was expecting the worst.
I was surprised, however - the course I was sent on is probably one of the better ones I've been on, there's a relaxed atmosphere to proceedings, and the staff there, unlike other places, actually seem to care about the people in their charge, and I have to admit, there's been some subjects on the course that I haven't been taught on other courses, such as confidence-building and assertiveness. I mentioned those two examples, because I'm lacking in both of those, and I find myself wishing I could be more confident and assertive, not just in looking for a job, but in my whole life too.
Don't get me wrong, I still hate the idea of being stuck in a classroom for 6 hours a day being told stuff I mostly already know, but at least this particular place tries to make the process far more bearable.
During this time, I had some food for thought about my future...one of the staff at the course ave me some advice about what I should do if I want to go into an art career, and their advice was that I should go and study art at college, and try to get a job in something that could lead to an art related job, such as data entry. However, to be brutally honest, I'm not getting any younger, and I don't think I could face being put back into a school situation, at least not full-time anyway. I would like to think that there's another way that doesn't involve college, but that's probably just wishful thinking (I do far too much of that.) I want to live my life, not spend it in a classroom.
On the plus side of things, I got a hold of some new music, and good new music seems to be a rarity these days - the album "Violence & Destruction" by Islander - alternative metal with a sounds throwing back to early 2000's "nu-metal", but without most of the cliches that gave that genre a bad name. Take a listen to one of the tracks from it here.
There was some more nice summer weather to enjoy, and I took advantage of it to take some trips to the beach at Tynemouth - if you haven't gathered already, I love that place. I've been to many beaches, but I always find myself going back to that one, because it's got bags of character, and it's simply beautiful. And needless to say, going there makes my summer.
I'll leave you with a beachside real life/cartoon crossover - no prizes for guessing which beach this was taken at.
31/08/2014
31/07/2014
July 2014
Things have warmed up this month - not on the job front though, I'm afraid. The TK Maxx job was a non-starter, I heard absolutely nothing back about it, and I'm inclined to believe that contrary to what I was told, there was never going to be an interview at the end of the course that I took in June. Typical false promises as always.
I did actually get an interview though - not with TK Maxx, but with Greggs the Bakers, for a job as a team member in my local store. Trouble is, it was also a managerial position, and of course I have no managerial experience - they as good as told me that at the inteview. I think you can guess how that ended.
The weather's been warm though, much warmer than June, and I've been making the most of it, going out for walks and heading to the beach at Tynemouth. I prefer it when there's a breeze to counter the sweltering heat though, that's not to say I don't enjoy the sunshine. Summer is my favourite time of year for a good reason.
This month brought back memories of last July, when I was over in the US for my longest trip abroad to date - you can read about how that went right here and here.
While I wasn't abroad this summer, I did get to go to this year's Sunderland Airshow - it was my fourth time there, the first three being in 2005, 2006 and 2012. The getting to and from the airshow was a nightmare, because of all the crowds, chock-full trains and buses not turning up, however, the airshow itself was as brilliant as it always is. I saw quite a few aircraft, some I'd seen before and others that I hadn't - my personal highlights of the airshow were the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster); the Breitling Wingwalkers; and of course, the star attraction of the airshow, the Red Arrows display team.
You can watch my videos of the airshow at the links below:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Again, I wasn't abroad this summer, but my brother Chris was, he spent a week in Prague in the Czech Republic, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't mind having the house to myself, although you know how it is when one of your family goes away on holiday, you're soon wishing for them to come back. Chris has set foot in Holland, Germany and now the Czech Republic - I have yet to set foot in any European country outside of the UK, so there's a bit of sibling envy going on there!
As always, I'll leave you with some artwork - and considering it's summer, it's only right that it's something summer themed.
I did actually get an interview though - not with TK Maxx, but with Greggs the Bakers, for a job as a team member in my local store. Trouble is, it was also a managerial position, and of course I have no managerial experience - they as good as told me that at the inteview. I think you can guess how that ended.
The weather's been warm though, much warmer than June, and I've been making the most of it, going out for walks and heading to the beach at Tynemouth. I prefer it when there's a breeze to counter the sweltering heat though, that's not to say I don't enjoy the sunshine. Summer is my favourite time of year for a good reason.
This month brought back memories of last July, when I was over in the US for my longest trip abroad to date - you can read about how that went right here and here.
While I wasn't abroad this summer, I did get to go to this year's Sunderland Airshow - it was my fourth time there, the first three being in 2005, 2006 and 2012. The getting to and from the airshow was a nightmare, because of all the crowds, chock-full trains and buses not turning up, however, the airshow itself was as brilliant as it always is. I saw quite a few aircraft, some I'd seen before and others that I hadn't - my personal highlights of the airshow were the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster); the Breitling Wingwalkers; and of course, the star attraction of the airshow, the Red Arrows display team.
You can watch my videos of the airshow at the links below:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Again, I wasn't abroad this summer, but my brother Chris was, he spent a week in Prague in the Czech Republic, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't mind having the house to myself, although you know how it is when one of your family goes away on holiday, you're soon wishing for them to come back. Chris has set foot in Holland, Germany and now the Czech Republic - I have yet to set foot in any European country outside of the UK, so there's a bit of sibling envy going on there!
As always, I'll leave you with some artwork - and considering it's summer, it's only right that it's something summer themed.
30/06/2014
June 2014
What a difference a year makes...
Last June, I was feeling excited and happy for my 6 week trip to the US, getting to see Nicole again and seeing all the sights that we did.
This June, however, I've been feeling pretty much the opposite. I've been feeling just a bit overwhelmed and stressed, and it's all to do with the ongoing jobsearch. I mentioned in my last blog that I had two interviews lined up - the one for the security steward, I went to it, however I quickly realised that it wasn't the right job for me, with it being a zero hour contract, meaning no stable income, so I had to turn it down - plus, it's not a career I wish to pursue, as I've mentioned.
The interview for the assembly operative didn't happen, because it was being held through an agency to have a reputation for putting people through pointless training courses for money, and the job suddenly failing to materialise. However, it was also because something else came up - the work programme that I'm on arranged for me to attend a 2 week "pre-employment" course, to do with the company TK Maxx, who are opening a new store in my area and are looking for staff. I did the course, which involved going over customer service skills, interview techniques and even having to visit a TK Maxx store, plus a mock interview which went really well. I am supposed to get a real interview at some point in the next week or so, so I'll keep you posted on that. I am concerned about the job though, I'm worried that 16-24 hours' worth of wages isn't enough. I want a job, but I don't want to be working just to have every penny I earn be spent on bills. I actually want to have a life too, is it too much to ask?
On a brighter note, it's now my favourite time of year - summer of course, although I'm hoping the heat won't be as unbearable as it was this time last year. And as much as I love summer, I'm still looking forward to flying back over to the US in December to see Nicole again - at least, I hope I will be.
There's also been quite a bit of sport going on - I used to be into it as a kid, but nowadays I couldn't care less about the football. I'm talking about the World Cup - teams from every country kicking a ball around a field for 90 minutes just to win a glorified tin cup? We know it's all just about the bottom line really. I know the same thing could be said for the Wimbledon tennis, but I'd much rather watch that than the football, any day.
Anyway, as always I'll end this with a bit of artwork - inspired by a livestream request from Granitoons, here's Bob & Flyer looking a bit elementary.
Last June, I was feeling excited and happy for my 6 week trip to the US, getting to see Nicole again and seeing all the sights that we did.
This June, however, I've been feeling pretty much the opposite. I've been feeling just a bit overwhelmed and stressed, and it's all to do with the ongoing jobsearch. I mentioned in my last blog that I had two interviews lined up - the one for the security steward, I went to it, however I quickly realised that it wasn't the right job for me, with it being a zero hour contract, meaning no stable income, so I had to turn it down - plus, it's not a career I wish to pursue, as I've mentioned.
The interview for the assembly operative didn't happen, because it was being held through an agency to have a reputation for putting people through pointless training courses for money, and the job suddenly failing to materialise. However, it was also because something else came up - the work programme that I'm on arranged for me to attend a 2 week "pre-employment" course, to do with the company TK Maxx, who are opening a new store in my area and are looking for staff. I did the course, which involved going over customer service skills, interview techniques and even having to visit a TK Maxx store, plus a mock interview which went really well. I am supposed to get a real interview at some point in the next week or so, so I'll keep you posted on that. I am concerned about the job though, I'm worried that 16-24 hours' worth of wages isn't enough. I want a job, but I don't want to be working just to have every penny I earn be spent on bills. I actually want to have a life too, is it too much to ask?
On a brighter note, it's now my favourite time of year - summer of course, although I'm hoping the heat won't be as unbearable as it was this time last year. And as much as I love summer, I'm still looking forward to flying back over to the US in December to see Nicole again - at least, I hope I will be.
There's also been quite a bit of sport going on - I used to be into it as a kid, but nowadays I couldn't care less about the football. I'm talking about the World Cup - teams from every country kicking a ball around a field for 90 minutes just to win a glorified tin cup? We know it's all just about the bottom line really. I know the same thing could be said for the Wimbledon tennis, but I'd much rather watch that than the football, any day.
Anyway, as always I'll end this with a bit of artwork - inspired by a livestream request from Granitoons, here's Bob & Flyer looking a bit elementary.
30/05/2014
May 2014
Normal service has been resumed - the start of this month was my return from US trip #5, and I can't put into words what a great time I had, getting to see Nicole and friends again. I mean it when I say I really didn't want to go back home, and the day I had to fly back home, while not as bad as the last time, was still a bittersweet day. More memories to cherish, though...and also more on all things US a little later on.
For the most part, aside from a mini heatwave in the middle of this month, I've been getting back into the normal routine - and as I've experienced before, after coming back from a trip some things about the normal routine seem to be worse than what they were before - especially the jobsearch side of things. I feel like over the last few months the pressure on me to find a job is getting ramped up, to the point where I'm getting anxiety issues before I have to attend each of my mandatory jobsearch sessions.
On that note, as I type this I have two job-related "interviews" next week, but they're not really interviews - one is a recruitment day for a security/event steward job, and the other is an induction for a supposed assembly operative job. They're both well outside of my comfort zone, and I was pretty much press-ganged into applying for them by certain quarters, because I have no experience in either job and they're not careers I ever wish to take up - but I will go to both "interviews" anyway, if anything just to see what happens.
Also - I might've mentioned this before, I know I have to a few people - there's an issue I've had for the longest time. Whenever I'm in a group situation, either online or offline, and with anyone, I can't help but feel that I'm the odd one out, while everyone else just talks over. It's half my own fault, because I'm a very quiet person most of the time, and I don't know what to say or how to make myself heard, and I'm always afraid that I might come across as rude if I do speak up or say "Hey, listen to me!" However the other people in the group are half responsible too - I'm not saying that they do that intentionally (the vast majority, anyway), but that's how it can come across to someone like me. Plus, if everyone's talking over each other and/or talking about something that just completely goes over my head, it really doesn't help. I know this sounds harsh, but this is how it can be sometimes.
On the plus side of things, and going back to the US trip again - I wasn't expecting to say this so soon, but I have booked my next trip to the US - I'll be flying back over in December, for a month, and I will be there for Christmas, New Year and my 29th birthday - and also a wedding. Two of Nicole's friends, Paul and Crystal, are tying the knot in December, and I'm not only invited, I'm also in the wedding party, so it's a first - and hopefully it'll be a great occasion, too. And the best part is that I'll get to spend it with my lovely Nicole (how many times have I said that now?) - I can't wait.
I'll leave you with this comic I produced for one of Granitoons' art jams this month, based around the very funny improv show "Whose Line Is It Anyway", which he introduced me to recently - give it a watch, and also check out Granitoons' gallery if you haven't already.
For the most part, aside from a mini heatwave in the middle of this month, I've been getting back into the normal routine - and as I've experienced before, after coming back from a trip some things about the normal routine seem to be worse than what they were before - especially the jobsearch side of things. I feel like over the last few months the pressure on me to find a job is getting ramped up, to the point where I'm getting anxiety issues before I have to attend each of my mandatory jobsearch sessions.
On that note, as I type this I have two job-related "interviews" next week, but they're not really interviews - one is a recruitment day for a security/event steward job, and the other is an induction for a supposed assembly operative job. They're both well outside of my comfort zone, and I was pretty much press-ganged into applying for them by certain quarters, because I have no experience in either job and they're not careers I ever wish to take up - but I will go to both "interviews" anyway, if anything just to see what happens.
Also - I might've mentioned this before, I know I have to a few people - there's an issue I've had for the longest time. Whenever I'm in a group situation, either online or offline, and with anyone, I can't help but feel that I'm the odd one out, while everyone else just talks over. It's half my own fault, because I'm a very quiet person most of the time, and I don't know what to say or how to make myself heard, and I'm always afraid that I might come across as rude if I do speak up or say "Hey, listen to me!" However the other people in the group are half responsible too - I'm not saying that they do that intentionally (the vast majority, anyway), but that's how it can come across to someone like me. Plus, if everyone's talking over each other and/or talking about something that just completely goes over my head, it really doesn't help. I know this sounds harsh, but this is how it can be sometimes.
On the plus side of things, and going back to the US trip again - I wasn't expecting to say this so soon, but I have booked my next trip to the US - I'll be flying back over in December, for a month, and I will be there for Christmas, New Year and my 29th birthday - and also a wedding. Two of Nicole's friends, Paul and Crystal, are tying the knot in December, and I'm not only invited, I'm also in the wedding party, so it's a first - and hopefully it'll be a great occasion, too. And the best part is that I'll get to spend it with my lovely Nicole (how many times have I said that now?) - I can't wait.
I'll leave you with this comic I produced for one of Granitoons' art jams this month, based around the very funny improv show "Whose Line Is It Anyway", which he introduced me to recently - give it a watch, and also check out Granitoons' gallery if you haven't already.
30/04/2014
April 2014
No fooling about this April, I can tell you now. Two important things have happened this month, one very much more exciting than the other. I'll get the less exciting stuff out of the way first.
I mentioned in my last blog that I'd gotten a job interview at a shop in Barnard Castle - I'll cut to the chase, I didn't get the job. It was probably just as well that I didn't, because the commute would've made it financially unviable, and they also didn't mention what the hours would be. Still, at least it was some interview experience, which I need badly considering interviews are a rarity for me. The jobsearch continues.
Now for the exciting part - I also mentioned in my last blog that I would be flying to the US for the fifth time to see my lovely Nicole. As I type this, I'm there, on the second week of my two week trip, and it's been great to be back, seeing the sights and getting to spend lots of time with Nicole and her family and friends. The best part was that I was more or less Nicole's main birthday present (how cheesy does that sound? XD), as her birthday was on April 23, and it was great that we got to spend it together. We were also in Newport, Rhode Island for that, where we explored the town, visited some of Newport's famous mansions, walked on the beach and also checked out the International Tennis Hall of Fame, all good times.
I also visited Long Island once again and met up with long-time DA friends Shane and Paula for the third time, took a nice hike in the Rocky Point Pine Barrens and also got together to make some collab drawings, which was just as fun as the previous times.
Despite the weather not being on my side for this trip, I have thoroughly enjoyed it so far, and things between myself and Nicole are as strong as ever. Going back home is going to royally suck, like it always does, but hopefully it won't be much longer before we see each other again.
As always, I'll leave you with some artwork, a somewhat belated Easter greeting.
I mentioned in my last blog that I'd gotten a job interview at a shop in Barnard Castle - I'll cut to the chase, I didn't get the job. It was probably just as well that I didn't, because the commute would've made it financially unviable, and they also didn't mention what the hours would be. Still, at least it was some interview experience, which I need badly considering interviews are a rarity for me. The jobsearch continues.
Now for the exciting part - I also mentioned in my last blog that I would be flying to the US for the fifth time to see my lovely Nicole. As I type this, I'm there, on the second week of my two week trip, and it's been great to be back, seeing the sights and getting to spend lots of time with Nicole and her family and friends. The best part was that I was more or less Nicole's main birthday present (how cheesy does that sound? XD), as her birthday was on April 23, and it was great that we got to spend it together. We were also in Newport, Rhode Island for that, where we explored the town, visited some of Newport's famous mansions, walked on the beach and also checked out the International Tennis Hall of Fame, all good times.
I also visited Long Island once again and met up with long-time DA friends Shane and Paula for the third time, took a nice hike in the Rocky Point Pine Barrens and also got together to make some collab drawings, which was just as fun as the previous times.
Despite the weather not being on my side for this trip, I have thoroughly enjoyed it so far, and things between myself and Nicole are as strong as ever. Going back home is going to royally suck, like it always does, but hopefully it won't be much longer before we see each other again.
As always, I'll leave you with some artwork, a somewhat belated Easter greeting.
31/03/2014
March 2014
So, Spring has sprung once again, and I'm feeling the effects of the clocks going back an hour, not to mention still feeling a bit on the cold side too - though considerably less cold than last Spring's whiteout, of which the US have had their own this winter.
As much as I don't like to being up stuff going on in the news, I'm sure most of you will heard about the missing Malaysian Airlines flight - this has struck a chord with me because I'm a fan of aviation, and because I'll be getting on a plane again myself very soon, and it just beggars belief that in this day and age a modern jet can just disappear off the face of the earth. I can only hope that they find it sooner rather than later, so that the families of those on board can at least get some closure - I can't begin to imagine what they must be going through.
On a somewhat more hopeful note, my jobsearch this month finally got me my first interview since October. The catch is that it's in Barnard Castle, which is somewhat awkward to get to and from because of the bus timetables, and it's a part-time job, which means transport costs might be an issue...but it could also be experience and something to put down on the old CV. The interview is on 3 April, I'll let you know what happens, of course.
And now onto even more brighter news - if all goes to plan, by the time I come to write my April blog, I should be back in the US once again - as mentioned before, it's just less than 3 weeks till I wing my way across the Atlantic for the fifth time to see my lovely Nicole - and obviously, you'll hear all about it here and in my YouTube blog.
So, that's the March madness over and done with - and as always, I'll leave you with a bit of artwork: one of my AMT characters Wolfgang rocking out.
As much as I don't like to being up stuff going on in the news, I'm sure most of you will heard about the missing Malaysian Airlines flight - this has struck a chord with me because I'm a fan of aviation, and because I'll be getting on a plane again myself very soon, and it just beggars belief that in this day and age a modern jet can just disappear off the face of the earth. I can only hope that they find it sooner rather than later, so that the families of those on board can at least get some closure - I can't begin to imagine what they must be going through.
On a somewhat more hopeful note, my jobsearch this month finally got me my first interview since October. The catch is that it's in Barnard Castle, which is somewhat awkward to get to and from because of the bus timetables, and it's a part-time job, which means transport costs might be an issue...but it could also be experience and something to put down on the old CV. The interview is on 3 April, I'll let you know what happens, of course.
And now onto even more brighter news - if all goes to plan, by the time I come to write my April blog, I should be back in the US once again - as mentioned before, it's just less than 3 weeks till I wing my way across the Atlantic for the fifth time to see my lovely Nicole - and obviously, you'll hear all about it here and in my YouTube blog.
So, that's the March madness over and done with - and as always, I'll leave you with a bit of artwork: one of my AMT characters Wolfgang rocking out.
28/02/2014
February 2014
Just as quick as January flew by, February has pretty much done the same. (This is going to be a recurring theme throughout this year, I'm sure you'll agree.) However, apart from one night of snow, which quickly cleared away, the weather this month, much like January, has still been very mild compared to past winters - at least, that's the case in my part of the country, I've been very lucky considering what's been happening elsewhere in the UK with the storms that battered the country this month, and caused widespread flooding. I hope those who've been affected by the flooding will be able to get their lives back in order as quickly as possible, it must be awful to watch your home and the place you know so well get taken over by a deluge.
February also meant a certain day - the day which I now prefer to call "Slushy Day", but what everyone else knows as Valentine's Day. Even though I'm not single, I still have my views on it, which are all very well covered here.
Either way, I got to see my lovely Nicole via Skype, and we exchanged gifts - before you ask, "How were you able to give each other Valentine's gifts via video chat?", she gave me her gift during her stay here 2 months ago, while I sent my gift for her through the post. It'll also be just under 2 months until we're hopefully together for real again, too.
Now, I don't normally watch much sport, however there are exceptions: Formula 1, the Wimbledon tennis, and both the Summer and Winter Olympics. This month was the turn of the Winter Olympics, last held in 2010 in Vancouver, Canada, and was this time held in Sochi in Russia. It enjoyed watching all the different events, namely the skiing, bobsleigh, luge and the snowboarding events, including my favourite event, the snowboard cross, and the events weren't short of drama and action. Great Britain don't usually do very well in terms of medals at the Winter Olympics, but I don't really care about that - for me, the Olympics is all about the action, the coming together of countries, and the taking part, because just getting to compete at the Olympics is an achievement in itself, and it's just a shame that a lot of people, especially the media, tend to forget that. I also don't care much for the political and financial sides of the Olympics, either.
A bit of closure now - I mentioned back in November that I had been considering trying to go self-employed doing artwork, I never mentioned how that all panned out. Well, I had an appointment about it back in December, and the impression I got was that it would be too much of an undertaking, financially. It's a shame, but I need to be able to have a stable income at the end of the day, and that line of work will not give me that.
However, I know two friends who are attempting to go down the same route - Andy and Hayley, aka Granitoons and TopperHay from deviantART, and I wish them the very best of luck with that. Please go and check out their galleries and give them a commission if you can, because they are simply brilliant cartoonists.
I'll leave you with a bit of artwork, as always - my bug characters Bob & Flyer as cowboys.
February also meant a certain day - the day which I now prefer to call "Slushy Day", but what everyone else knows as Valentine's Day. Even though I'm not single, I still have my views on it, which are all very well covered here.
Either way, I got to see my lovely Nicole via Skype, and we exchanged gifts - before you ask, "How were you able to give each other Valentine's gifts via video chat?", she gave me her gift during her stay here 2 months ago, while I sent my gift for her through the post. It'll also be just under 2 months until we're hopefully together for real again, too.
Now, I don't normally watch much sport, however there are exceptions: Formula 1, the Wimbledon tennis, and both the Summer and Winter Olympics. This month was the turn of the Winter Olympics, last held in 2010 in Vancouver, Canada, and was this time held in Sochi in Russia. It enjoyed watching all the different events, namely the skiing, bobsleigh, luge and the snowboarding events, including my favourite event, the snowboard cross, and the events weren't short of drama and action. Great Britain don't usually do very well in terms of medals at the Winter Olympics, but I don't really care about that - for me, the Olympics is all about the action, the coming together of countries, and the taking part, because just getting to compete at the Olympics is an achievement in itself, and it's just a shame that a lot of people, especially the media, tend to forget that. I also don't care much for the political and financial sides of the Olympics, either.
A bit of closure now - I mentioned back in November that I had been considering trying to go self-employed doing artwork, I never mentioned how that all panned out. Well, I had an appointment about it back in December, and the impression I got was that it would be too much of an undertaking, financially. It's a shame, but I need to be able to have a stable income at the end of the day, and that line of work will not give me that.
However, I know two friends who are attempting to go down the same route - Andy and Hayley, aka Granitoons and TopperHay from deviantART, and I wish them the very best of luck with that. Please go and check out their galleries and give them a commission if you can, because they are simply brilliant cartoonists.
I'll leave you with a bit of artwork, as always - my bug characters Bob & Flyer as cowboys.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)