An email response to my sister who asked me to go to an NHL game with her next weekend:
Hey,
Sorry for the slow reply - my last few weeks have been pretty hectic...
I got asked if I wanted to come up with a new set of concept designs to be
submitted to Canadian Tire a.s.a.p. about two weeks ago. These are always fun and
have typically come with a little dose of Canadian pride and bragging rights too.
So I quickly finished the
job I was working on, set aside the other ones waiting, and got out the sketchbook. I came
up with 12 designs and submitted the 8 strongest/paint ready. He kinda
approved 1 (with requested revisions.) It has always been a bit of a gamble
*and I did know this going in*; but I still count on/need him to approve about
60-70% of my submissions to typically maintain profitability on this sort of
work. So I had to tell him: “Thanks, but no thanks.” They are still my designs
and I can still use them however I please but... No payday, though - Ouch.
In the meantime, I had to accommodate for the additional ‘productivity
molasses’ of having two pint-sized combatants filling the house with constant,
constant, and more constant bickering while on their week long pre-summer
purgatory known as ‘Spring Break’. I love my kids... I really do. Honest. I
just need to better manage my doses of heroin, apparently... and/or keep a
better eye on my duct tape inventory.
Anyways... So I got back onto the previously scheduled projects but, of
course, was now falling way behind. I had written “Thurs. Apr. 3” as my firm
deadline for the project for a guy coming in from up north – and I was still going to
make it if I pretty well stayed up late all this week and pulled a
near-allnighter tonight. I was pretty surprised when he called from our
arranged meeting point this morning wondering where the hell I was... (I even argued
with him that we were supposed to meet tomorrow – and bought up that I had even
written it down on the project description; “Thurs. Apr. 3”) Dammit. Oops.
Ugh.
He was actually quite forgiving about my fumble but still a little
understandably upset that the main reason he had driven all the way into town
(through a snow-storm) wasn’t panning out as planned/promised. He couldn’t stay
or wait for me to finish but agreed to be back in two weeks to pick up his
parts but... No payday, though - Ouch.
So now I look like an idiot to two of my better clients, am fully disarrayed, totally behind on ALL of my projects and
scrambling to get something done that may actually, hopefully(?!) be followed by
a positive monetary transaction. The one silver lining here is that my
stupidity has inadvertently cleared up my schedule for tonight – and there just
happens to be a Dr. Sketchy’s going on at the bar downtown!
I haven’t managed a payday in a few weeks now but, in true artists fashion,
am still heading out to the bar with the intention of drinking beer and drawing
several poor renditions of a half-naked ‘Wonder Woman’ at Dr. Sketchy’s (not
kidding – tonight’s model is Wonder Woman.) Cheers! *Oh yeah - and Thank God I
married an Engineer!!!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Rod
P.S.
Yes – I would very much like to go to the game with you - Thanks!!
