baby me

Baby me. I just found this picture of myself on a cd of some random files I decided to bring to FL. I thought I'd share. Wasn't I cute?!

I'm digging through some of my design projects to update my online portfolio at AIGA. It's probably not too great to have student projects up there, since it's been a few years since I was in school. I had another interview at Starbucks today and I'm beginning to think that my college degree(s) and my career experience, and all that "design" stuff on my list of recent jobs isn't helping me get a job there. It's annoying to be overqualified. I mean, I've worked there before. I have great customer service skills. I'm friendly. Professonal. And golly-gee, people love me! Eh, maybe I don't want to work there anyway. I had a little bit of a negative experience at that store. One of the baristas--the one who took my order and caused me to receive something I did not order. half calf with white mocha, not half white mocha half dark mocha. there was no speak of dark mocha-- anyway, he was wearing a yellow t-shirt under his green Starbucks apron. (Hello, uniform?! black or white collared shirt please.) THEN the manager walks in for my interview. He looks scruffy, like a customer coming in for a late morning caffeinated beverage. He's wearing a white v-neck undershirt, I can see a few tattoos, and he has khaki shorts on, and to top it off he says he's sick and doesn't want to shake my hand because he wouldn't want to get me ill. How courteous. Is it too much to say "I'm sick. Can we reschedule for tomorrow or Friday?" Our conversation was alright except for the fact that he hadn't looked at my application yet. How do you know the term Partner? Oh, you've worked at Starbucks before. Huh. I thought it was incredibly unprofessional. Almost depressing. I had such a good Starbucks experience before.

So I'm thinking that at this point I should just do some freelance design work. It makes more career sense anyway, I suppose. Maybe I haven't done much yet because it's kindof scary. Things like taxes and billable hours and fair pay and clients and deadlines... it requires a lot more attention and focus and responsibility than "Hi welcome to Starbucks, what can I get for you today?" Steam some milk, make some espresso, add some sugar... ta da. Thanks! Have a nice day. And without a printer or a fax machine or anything like that, who am I to start freelancing?! And it seems like a lot of people want web work. Web work. I don't do web work. I do print work. Things you'll eventually be able to hold in your hands. Ever since that one web class I took in college... I just haven't been a fan of web design. I mean, I'm very glad other people do. I enjoy the web. I can criticize website organization and colors and text choices with the rest of them, but... to actually do the web design myself? No thank you.

Anyway: I'm for hire. Updating the ol' resume, the online samples, and plan to shoot a few emails to contacts in the publishing industry. Wish me luck!

Next question: what the heck do I charge?!