My backyard is a disaster. Special Agent Dana Scully doesn’t seem to mind. While showing a recent design client a new updated page, I realized I haven’t made a personal update since last July. So here’s all the stuff that has been going on.
The Too Good To Be True Job
In my update last July I talked about leaving the comfort of a full-time job to take on a temporary full-time contract. So I did. In hindsight, I’m still not sure if it was the right more or the wrong move. Some good and bad came out of it. I’d been having some pain in my previously broken arm that was exacerbated by the work I was doing. Some time off from physical labor has allowed my arm to heal.
The expectations of the job were very unreal and I learned this on my second day. Fortunately, the contract lasted a little longer than expected for UX. Unfortunately, they had once planned to keep me onboard for other work. I think they expected more out of me UX-wise, so that didn’t happen. I have non-disclosures in place, but the long and the short of it is that halfway through August, their plan was to have a fully functional web app for Android, iOS, and responsive web by the middle of October. That’s just eight weeks, kids. At the time our crew consisted of a front end developer, a back end developer, and me as the only designer. I talked more about it in one of my career update videos.
John Morton, Dog Owner
When I was working from home last fall and the funds were rolling in, I decided to finally adopt a dog after going years without. If you’re following me on Instagram, you’ll find half of my posts are now about Special Agent Dana Scully.
Sometimes she is a pain and I can’t just take a trip on a whim without figuring out a place for her to stay, not that I was taking a lot of trips anyway.
I do find that she helps regulate my sleep a little better because she expects to get up at a certain time to eat everyday. Overall I think it’s a net positive decision.
Looking For Work
I’ve been more of less out of work since January 1, taking some odd jobs along the way. I’ve applied to be a bartender, associate financial planner, hardware store team member, and a number of manufacturing and logistics positions like the ones already on my resume. The ghosting is real. Often if I hear back from a prospective employer at all, it’s two weeks after the applicaiton.
I have one glimmer of hope at the moment: Fidelity Investments in Geneva wants to have a screening call with me for a Financial Representative position. It starts out largely as a customer service position while candidates study and take license exams. I’ve been independently studying for the FINRA Series 65 exam in hopes that it will make me a good candidate somewhere. I’d like to say I will pass it before the end of May, but there are no guarantees in life as I am constantly being reminded.
Saying Goodbye to Grandma Donna
Following the loss of Mom’s dad in January, we said goodbye to Dad’s mom in April. Grandma Donna had been in hospice care for nearly a year, so this wasn’t a shock to us. Some people ask themselves, “What would Jesus Do,” but I have often asked myself instead, “How would Grandma feel about this?” She was devout in her faith and the moral backbone of the family.
An uncomfortable truth is that I was not as close with my dad’s parents as my mom’s parents for the simple fact that they moved around a lot more when I was a kid, whereas for my whole childhood my mom’s parents lived just a mile down the road.
In less than seven years I’ve lost a parent and three grandparents. Is this just the stage of life I’m in now? I don’t know if everyone goes though this, but it’s funny to me how the brain takes a while to catch up and realize someone is gone. I’ll think, “Oh, I’ll call Grandma to ask about…” and then realize I can’t do that anymore.
Latest Freelance Project
Recently I completed a website redesign for Sweet Life Garden Group in DeKalb. It has me thinking if I have the bandwidth to take on more freelance clients and how to best split my time. Time spent looking for and working on freelance work is time not spent looking for full-time work. But it does bring the added benefit of adding completed projects to my portfolio.
For the design nerds out there, I completed the redesign using the Semplice theme for WordPress. It’s what I previously used for my UX portfolio. And I actually went ahead and purchased a 10-user license in anticipation of updating other WordPress sites or using it for future clients. At some point I may even implement it on this personal page.
Storytelling And More
As if I am not spreading myself thin enough already, I’ve decided to start a new series of videos. They will feature some storytelling, with a few other diversions along the way.
Here’s the introductory video. I already have the next video in the can. And I have ideas for over a dozen more. What do you think about the background music?
All The Rest
My credit card just got dinged for another year of using BigCartel, so I should probably try and add some items to my online store soon. I’m still reading books and studying for the Series 65 exam and in general just trying to do some things to help me level up in life.
March saw the falling of my fence. I learned a lot about fence repair and jacking up concrete footings out of the ground. My yard is still a mess from the aftermath.
I’m still a little worried about how soon I’ll start a new job. I would love to land this position with Fidelity. It is definitely an employer’s market out there right now. When we went through this in 2008 (which doesn’t seem that long ago to me, but I guess it was) I was fortunate to be in a very useful role. Unfortunately, the economy was always served up as an excuse for not getting a raise.
My subscription to LANDR Audio ends in June, so I should take some time in May to finish off some songs I’ve been working on for years and semi-officially release them. And I still think it would be fun to play a little show in my living room one of these days. Maybe to celebrate a new job.
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