Are You Where You'd Thought You'd Be Right Now?

[Seik]

I planned to have 1000+ TNL posts by now but I fucked it up.

I just recently cracked the 1,000 post mark. Really pleased.

[Josh]

noob

[Razor Ramon]

I'm dating the girl of my dreams right now

Is it Smiles, the girl Burg and I met?

[Frogacuda]

I guess the operating question is which projection of the future to use.

When I was in high school, I never thought I'd be where I was. I probably should have, but at the time I had a different view of the world and the opportunities available to me. Most people were expecting me to be a fuck up and my only concrete goal was to go to college and prove them wrong.

In college I think I was enjoying myself too much to dwell on the future. I think graduation kind of snuck up on me, and I suddenly realized that all the lines I had been reciting about what I'd do when I graduated were lies. I didn't want to teach, I didn't want to go to grad school...

So I decided to turn my focus to writing. In some ways it's been harder and in some ways it's been easier than I thought it would be. I've been more able to focus on the kind of work I like doing and reaching an audience than I ever thought I would. That said, I've been freelance for a while now, interviewed with IGN for like 4 times (probably 5 soon) and I still can't get a staff position.

I've been a bit frustrated this week in particular, because I've taken a lot of assignments, done work that my editors have tell me they like a lot, but now if I apply for a news editor position I get "Well aren't you more of a features/reviews guy?" sort of response, and I've been doing features and reviews because that's what they've been paying me to do. I've also gotten "Well aren't you more of a retro guy" or things like that and I feel like I'm getting typecast out of jobs just for doing the work they've asked and doing it enthusiastically.

So yeah, I think the short answer is "no" but maybe because I never thought enough about it to begin with.

[Netwurked]

Move into porn. You got the stash.

[Fe 26]

probably not

3 year old me wanted to drive a garbage truck because they are cool and they smash things

12 year old me wanted to make video games

18 year old me wanted to build giant robots of death

Its only around 23 or 24 that I decided on the current path.

[Drewbacca]

Things are pretty ok, I think. Learning to play the banjo, which was bought with money that would have picked up a 360, had I cared enough to do so anymore. This was the correct choice. Progress makes me happy!

What's the best way to learn an instrument? Obviously playing it, but I mean are there any recommended techniques or books you can take other than just playing every day? I want to learn the harmonica and other than picking it up and blowing I don't know where to begin.

[Razor Ramon]

Try websites for it. Most musical instruments have devoted websites with free lessons. It's how I learned guitar at first. I can't tell you shit for chords anymore but it helped me get the proper hands for guitar.

[Fe 26]

What's the best way to learn an instrument? Obviously playing it, but I mean are there any recommended techniques or books you can take other than just playing every day? I want to learn the harmonica and other than picking it up and blowing I don't know where to begin.

PRACTICE IT EVERYDAY


But in all honesty, thats a pretty open ended question. It changes per instrument. And it depends on how you learn. For some people a book is best. For others, lessons. Some people like videos. Some need music theory, others hate it.

The big thing is to practice a little everyday and to try new things until you find something that clicks. 30 minutes a day will do you a lot more good than 2 hours every weekend. And also try out instruments and gear from different manufacturers. Sometimes a change in instrument can be an inspiration.

I guess my best advice is to get on amazon and look for what the top rates books are and look at the lowest reviews they have and buy like $50 in books. Then google for some forums.

[Drewbacca]

I'll just google it, then, and I guess research books on Amazon. I plan on playing every day. Man I want to quit my day job. That would give me so much more time to do awesome stuff.

On topic:

I'm happy where I am, somewhat. Personally I want to be self employed. I have a job where I get to play with colour, illustration, design and layout all day long. It's low-stress for me. Luckily for some reason I don't get stressed by deadlines. Which is good since this profession is full hard and soft deadlines (6 projects on the go currently under the gun). I also have a small business on the side designing around my day job. I actually earn more money outside my day job than inside it. If I get one more company to sign on and give me work on a monthly basis I'd quit in a heartbeat. The downfall is working some nights until 5am and getting an hour and a half sleep overnight (I get up at 6:30 every morning, usually). So professionally I'm comfortable and successful as an art director in a highly competitive field, which isn't easy to be at 24, but I'm still doing it on someone else's terms and I don't like that. My girl is everything I want in a woman and then some and someone I'm comfortable talking with openly about anything.

So I'm happy. But I'm not ready to settle for good when I know great can be just around the corner if I haul ass harder.