Tough it out

Busy, busy, busy. I haven't posted in quite awhile partly because I didn't have anything to talk about along with me getting very busy. I'm not exactly sure how I became so busy so let me explain it for you and myself.

The start of 2011 I had just completed my time as a seasonal design associate at an online company. I was pretty much unemployed with nothing to do but go back into job hunt mode. A network from the online company had a lead. I interviewed for a freelance design position and I got the job.

For several months I worked on and off for one of my first freelance clients. Actually I'm still working for him. So far he's been a dream client. He signs contracts, is laid-back, lenient, knows what he wants, and pays on time. Why can't all clients be like this?

With only one client I felt like I was hardly busy. I was definitely not making much money. I then received a call from the Taproot Foundation, a non profit that I was accepted into a year ago. They had an opening for a designer to create a pro bono brochure. I wasn't busy and I always need to pad my portfolio so I signed onto the project.

The online company I had worked for in the winter did a callout for bug testers. I was one of four to bug test their new system. It was draining monotonous work. However since I was the fastest one on the team I was called back for several more days of work. It always seemed like they had some work for me so I kept adding days.

Meanwhile a few weeks later I received another chance to interview at a company that I previously had interviewed for. So I interviewed again and it felt like I wasn't going to get the job again. Three days later I received a job offer and I took it immediately (of course).

The job seems complicated and disorganized at first. It's a challenge finding images, making out design orders, and using outdated technology. Although there are gripes about the job and pay I'm at least doing a lot of stuff I've never done before. My hands are definitely deep into projects and my opinion counts.

While I'm working at my new job I get several job offers. One is for the past online company. This doesn't stick because I don't have the right qualifications, still I'm a bit relieved since I don't think I would have enjoyed the position. Funnily when I got back home from the interview I received another job offer from them in the design department. I reply but it takes me nowhere. I also had a freelance interview with a guy from LA. It was very odd because I didn't really know how he found me. I believe it was through linkedin.

I don't have much experience with clients but I have built up a certain sixth sense when it comes to people. So my intuition and design experience led me to steer clear of this guy. He couldn't really get a hint, well more like explicit statements. He said he was still interviewing other designers so I'm not sure why he sounded frantic all the time. Recently I just missed some phone calls from him. I'm confused why he's left no phone messages or sent me an email.

Up to this point I'm working one part time job, one freelance client, and one time consuming non profit team project. All of which are challenging in a new unexpected ways. Then comes that online company again with an option for me to work weekends. I take the offer. I won't turn down guaranteed money especially when work is so rare.

If this 6 day work week isn't enough already my friend asks if I'd like to help create a the visual brand to a web app they're developing. How could I possibly say no? I don't have many developer friends so another opportunity as promising as this is rare. I say yes mostly since it's completely different from anything I've done in terms of application. A week later I my part time job asks me to extend my hours. Really? Why couldn't you have told me earlier? Gahh.

Just as I was about thinking about changing careers I started to pick up a lot of jobs. It also seems like once you pick up a job or two it makes you exponentially more marketable. It gives you a chance to show that you're active, challenged, and insightful. Sure the pay and recognition could be better but at least people respect my position and I'm constantly learning on the job. I'm getting job offers now and then. I don't feel like turning down anything but I know I can't do everything. If I can make it through the rest of the year I will be relieved. Right now I feel a bit overwhelmed and overworked much like college life. One day of relaxation is a far cry from a life of unemployment.

2011 Film List (So Far)

So far this year hasn't been a great year for movies. I'm really getting tired of all these remakes, sequels, and adaptations. I admit there are some movies I still want to see like Midnight in Paris, Captain America, Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, and War Horse. But for the ones I have seen it has been hit or miss. Here's a list of movies I've enjoyed so far in 2011. I haven't included the films that I didn't enjoy (Harry Potter etc.).

1) Fast Five

I'm shocked that I liked this movie as much as I did. I was never a huge fan of the franchise or its actors. But this one gets it right with nonstop action and amazing stunt work. The story and dialogue isn't amazing but it's only a vehicle for the next amazing action scene. Don't drive soon after watching this movie.

2) Super 8

A surprising amount of special effects make this film a fun joy ride. The film is more of a metaphor for accepting death than a monster flick. Great acting from all of the child actors. Too much lens flare by JJ Abrams; however, it's his best film to date.

3) X-Men First Class

Easily the best X-Men film in the franchise. The film has a lot of youthful energy, great leads, and neat looking special effects. The film does a good job of showing people's motivations yet the way that characters jump from one loyalty to another feels rushed and not as cohesive as it could have been. I also wish the time period was taken advantage of more. Some of the mutants they chose were strange. Darwin and Angel Salvadore?

4) I Saw the Devil

A very graphically violent Korean film by the extreme filmmaker Jee-woon Kim. The movie is about a cop who torments a serial killer who killed the cop's wife. A strange film full of interestingly choreographed fight scenes. It's like a Hitchcock film infused with Korean craziness. Not as good as Old Boy but pretty good. If you like this movie go watch 'The Chaser', another brutal Korean film.

5) 18 Assassins

If you want to see a 200+ person bloodbath go watch this movie. The last action scene might be 40 minutes long. It gets a little monotonous but there are some gem scenes in there. This film also has one hell of an evil villain that will make you smile when he finally gets his due. Most memorable line in the film, "I can't believe you kicked his head!"

6) Ip Man 2

The first Ip Man was a cool martial arts film but without a satisfying villain. Ip Man 2 is a much more balanced film that earns its stripes. Good character motivations and a villain to root against. I feel like I need a master.

7) Kung Fu Panda 2

A good film overall but it's not a fun rollick like the first. The overly serious back story of Po drags the film down. While the emotional overtones work in How to Train A Dragon, it doesn't work here. The fight choreography is amazing but it never feels like there's a challenge to be had since the master kung fu artists are so unstoppable. Great characters established in the first movie are sidelined to a couple of lines of dialogue.

8) Hanna

An "interesting" film that starts off with a lot of promise. I really liked the first 30-40 minutes of this film but then the film becomes something different. Instead of having a badass girl assassin do her duty she doesn't know how to cope with her surroundings. She soon grows attached to a traveling family. I don't know why films with professional killers always have to do this. Just go be an amazing action film not a family drama. Answers are never fully uncovered and the final battle is very unsatisfying. Artistic bookend? Maybe but it feels cheap.

9) Source Code

A fun little ride that has as many holes as Swiss cheese. Jake Gyllenhaal does his best to make a hit movie but comes out with an okay movie full of unanswered questions. The end of the film feels like the end of Lost, full of emotion but ultimately one big copout. Cool explosions.

Harry Potter Overall

Harry Potter has no doubt been one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons since Lord of the Rings or even Star Wars. Millions of books sold, boat loads of merchandise, and SEVEN movies. SEVEN MOVIES? Wait, I mean EIGHT MOVIES. Star Wars doesn't even have that many movies.

I've never read the books of JK Rowling. I think I was turned off to the entire franchise when my art teacher put on an audio book while we worked. It drove me mad. I couldn't concentrate with the Harry Potter vocabulary confusing my ears. However once the first Harry Potter movie came out some friends and I went to go see it to see what the hype was about.

I enjoyed the first Harry Potter. The good acting, special effects, production value, and story made entertained me. I never fell in love with the movies but they were entertaining enough and I always felt like they were produced with a lot of respect, care, and intelligence. My favorite movie is the third in the series, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". I hear that this film detours from the book the most yet it's probably the best film in the franchise because of this.

The Harry Potter story falls into mediocre territory when David Yates picks up the directing ropes. It might be his fault or JK Rowlings. The story's emotional weight never connects with me. For the first few movies I felt invested yet the last films I don't connect at all. They don't earn my empathy for the characters, instead they tell me why I should care.

I still stayed with the movies to the very end because I wanted to finish the series. Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part 1 was very disappointing. It was very boring. It's Harry Potter and his friends camping out in the woods trying to evade the dark forces. That's basically it. Them camping out whining about how they should go about things for a movie length of two hours.

So with the final installment of Harry Potter Part 2, I just had to finish it. I had heard there were a lot of revelations and monumental deaths of major characters. The trailer looked awesome so I couldn't wait to see the big confrontation of good versus evil. Well they delivered with what was hyped yet it didn't land. The big revelations felt like copouts. Ways of saying that the bad guys are good and weren't that bad after all. The big deaths aren't that important. I thought bigger characters were going to die. When people did die it didn't really feel that important or you weren't shown how they died. Throwaway moments that should have been valued.

One of my biggest complaints with the series is the way they communicate the level of power that each wizard is. It's never really clear how powerful Harry Potter, Voldemort, or any other character is. In the final movie one of the coolest evil characters Bellatrix Lestrange played by Helena Bonham Carter fights against a homely female wizard (she's one of the mom's of the twins, can't remember her name). It's clear in the past movies that Lestrange is a pretty cruel and powerful wizard that has killed many before. Yet in a fairly quick battle she's killed in a duel. Like how the hell did that happen?

Another example is when a young Slivern student creates an amazing fire spell which he can't control. It lights up the entire place burning everything in sight. The special effects are amazing. How is it possible that this young wizard create a huge fireball, yet non of the more experienced wizards create anything this deadly during the entire film?

The final boss battle is confusing in the same light. While the battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort in a previous film was pretty badass and epic, the final battle between Harry and Voldemort was really boring. It looked like the Ghostbusters were fighting instead of two powerful magicians. And just how is Harry Potter that strong? Usually it's Hermione who's saving everyone's asses. Shouldn't she be more powerful than Harry? Yeah Harry has the power of love, but when they'r battling they don't show him utilizing it. There is no way of knowing how strong different wizards are.

If someone pulls out a pistol and another guy pulls out a shotgun. You automatically know in film speak that the guy with a shotgun is more powerful. But in Harry Potter they all have wands. So who is more powerful? I don't know. Kids are fighting old ass wizards and somehow they can compete. It doesn't make sense! At least in Lord of the Rings there is some kind of power hierarchy.