it's official

i am now an award winning t-shirt designer.

*pats self on back*

the duluth superior adfed just had it's 33rd annual addy awards tonight, and one of my t-shirt designs for braggame rights went home with a silver award.



i was hired by nelson&company on august 4th last year, and my first 6 hours were spent creating that very t-shirt design.

i've actually known about my win for a few weeks, only because i have been helping out the adfed for the awards show. because of that, i had prepared the stills for the winner's reel. i got to work with the guys at tri-quantum productions putting together the winners reel and being taped telling a story about kicking a stranger in the butt in idaho. (true story)

the night was fun, i got to watch my boss drink, play a little electronic drum kit along with the dueling piano performers, play piano to some 80's hair metal song (that i can't remember right now) and then i got up and did my best (bad) will ferrel playing cowbell to "don't fear the reaper" impersonation.

interesting night indeed.

job hunt = not so great.

well, i have been unemployed for over a month now. again, this is the first time i've had a lapse in employment since i was 16 (when i moved to minnesota from alaska).

i found that i had a decent network of friends who work in the graphic design industry, or at least close to it; so that was positive. i've been trying my hardest to stay in the duluth/superior area, as we have a mortgage on a place and a lot of family around here, but the positions just don't exist.

i have 2 meetings coming up, one with nelson & co. they usually farm out their graphic needs, so that would be a freelance gig at best for now. the other with ht klatzky. they're not currently hiring, but they were interested enough to sit down with me and go over my portfolio, so that is incredibly cool on their part. especially if i end up with a bad gig somewhere to get the bills paid, that'd be a nice callback in the future. i'm also trying to get my foot in the door at westmoreland flint. i missed an opportunity for a gig in their fargo offices, and i have a few names to drop currently in their employ at their duluth offices, so fingers crossed all around.

i have also sprinkled my résumé and references all over town periodically throughout the weeks, becoming less and less surprised by this conversation:
"hello, company x."
"hello, i was wondering if you are currently hiring for any graphic or interactive designer positions?"
"no."
"that's too bad. i was wondering if there was anyone i might be able to leave my résumé and references with in case you may hire in the future?"
"we're not hiring." *click*

at least i'm fully aware that it's a dead end, but it took a few calls to get used to that dialog. thy must be getting a lot of requests right around now.

i begin my big expansive search next week. i was trying to avoid moving, but if no can employ me here, i have to move to where they are hiring i guess.

i'm not a big fan of uncertainty.