So you know how I quit the bar, then I quit LA Fitness right after that? Well it hasn't been exactly smooth sailing since, other than now I have a focus for somewhere to go in life. Now I don't remember what I divulged the last time I wrote so I may be repeating myself.
A certain someone in my life opened the opportunity to intern for this person who has some sort of digital media company. That's about all I know about him. My friend, who works for the Art Institute, was going to set it up for me and had me do some mock compositions, such as fake ads as well as retouching photos I've taken.
Other than that, I didn't get much direction. He told me what to do with the photos, I'd send them to him, and he'd tell me what I did wrong. It would be frustrating since he seemed to have the expectations of a graphic design student, which I never have been, but he was at least helpful to point me in the right direction and teach me some new techniques.
With that, however, there was a great lack of communication. I seemed to have deadlines, but when I would show him my work close to the deadline, he would tell me how to improve it, and then send it when I'm done. So deadlines kept getting extended, and I had never even talked to this person he was going to set me up with. And as these deadlines were extending, and I was still working, part of my focus went somewhere else.
Seattle was doing well in football. We made the playoffs. We made it to the Super Bowl. We were picked to win by many people who know a God damned thing about the sport. I had to be there. I had no job. No responsibilities. And if I needed to finish these art projects, I could do so from 1,700 miles away as well. So I booked my ticket to Seattle. About a week later, I get a call saying I need to meet this person the coming weekend. I said I couldn't because I'd be out of town. That's when I learned that this person I was supposed to intern for was leaving back to his hometown of Las Vegas the following week when I would be gone. That's where the lack of communication came in. I didn't know this guy didn't live here. I didn't know what the deadlines were, when they were, when we were supposed to meet, etc. So that's kind of fallen to shit, except my friend told me to contact the guy via Facebook and let him know I exist and what my intentions and interests are. So I put that out there, and that's that.
So all in all, it didn't pan out as I'd hoped. However, it did give me sort of an idea of what the hell I want to do with myself. Focus on my photography. Focus on my skills and ability with photo editing and manipulation. See if I can make something out of this. After I qualify for in-state tuition in the state of Illinois, I can go to school. Study up on graphic design. Also, study business. Start my own business somewhere down the line. Make a plan.
Since then, I've been out taking photos a lot. Here in the winter time is a great time to find inspiration in nature. That's provided me with some great shots; a couple of my favorite are as follows:
Since I plan to start a business someday, I've also been wanting to work at getting my stuff out there. So I created my own Facebook page for my photography, called Angel Vazquez Photography & Digital Media (Like it!).
That's been what I've been up to since I've been unemployed. And now things are getting tight. Luckily my tax return was a bit more substantial that I had anticipated so it's helped me survive the past couple months, and has helped me not regret taking that extended (almost 2 week) trip to Seattle, where we completely embarrassed the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl, by the way.
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In other news, my phone was stolen last week. I had a bit too much to drink, fell asleep on the train on the way home, woke up, and I had no phone. That has added a lot of complication to my life, as it was a new phone, with a new provider, and since I hadn't had a chance to turn on a device locating service, and didn't realize with T-Mobile you have to back up your contacts (?) apparently. So everything was gone. All my contacts, photos, texts from the past week. All gone.
When I got my replacement phone in the mail, it was initially a happy thing until I found out about all these complications. But all in all I was happy to finally be connected to the world again. Being unemployed and without a phone, I really felt I had nothing going on. So I took a lot of photos and marathoned a lot of Netflix shows.
Alas, in the same day as I got my phone, I also was told I had been offered a position in a job that I applied for the day before. It's at a restaurant so it's nothing all that fancy, but it'll keep my head above water so I can pay off my substantial debts I've accrued in this unemployment period and finally be able to treat once again, here and there. Just until I can figure out, step by step, where to reach the next chapter of my life.
And of course using Grindr as a wonderful resource.
