ACCOMMODATION ON KANGAROO ISLAND

I could never do photography for anything but a hobby. I actually attempted something similar to this out of college. I have a bachelor’s degree in Audio Engineering. Out of college at the age of 22 I obviously attempted a career in this field. I got a job at an ABC network affiliate in Connecticut doing broadcast engineering. That was interesting and I had a lot of responsibility. I even made a good amount of money for a 22 year old with no kids. However my working hours were 7pm-4:30am. So I only stayed there about a year. I was young and wanted to hang out and party nearly as much as I wanted a worthy career.

Next stop was this place called Cine-Med in Woodbury, Connecticut. This more closely resembled what I did in college plus it was M-F 8-5pm. I did video editing from medical surgeries that I would film at various hospitals around the country. I flew around various cities and met with surgeons and other people of high ranking to make films for their protegees. Seems cool? Not really, I had to lug around a TON of equipment from airport to airport to hotel to hospital to cab to cab, blah blah. And the material needless to say was *DRY*. Nothing like filming some fat dude get his gut cut open for 10 hrs straight and have to edit this crap down to a 15 minute video that only doctors and nurses will view. I actually wound up getting laid off of this job during the recession of 2001.

Then I landed this job at a Mexican television/radio station called La Buena in Santa Maria, California. I actually moved across the country for a lousy $12/hr. But I had no kids, was 23 years old, and had nothing to lose, so I went for it. This turned out to be even more boring than the last job. I would film these Mexicans doing 2 or 3 minute video shorts of themselves talking advertising their local MTV loser station. They were actually a radio station, but just played music videos on a local cable channel to advertise their radio station. It was really low budget and I really didn’t fit in. I was actually the only gringo there. They wound up firing me.

At this point I realized that although I love doing video, photo, art, etc – I can’t do it as a career, but only as a hobby. Too much pressure to perform. And while I typically THRIVE under pressure, for this type of job it loses its original purpose of being fun. I like doing this shit on my terms, for myself. And the area of the field of video/photo/graphic design that makes money is usually the type that is not fun. Like Weddings make the most money, and that is about as un-art as you can get. People ask me all the time why I don’t do this for money and this is exactly the reason. You lose interest in it, and you start to forget why I love it in the first place when you do it for money.

For the above picture, this is the first time I messed around with textures. I have no idea what I’m doing. And it doesn’t matter, because I’m just doing it for me! It came out pretty interesting I think. Thanks Kelsey for the help!

January 25th, 2009

Today I am in Falkirk (well Polmont I believe) for an exec residential event to continue the mission, vision and values work we did on Friday. It went well and I think we eventually managed to agree (and the mission is pretty much my suggestion, so I'm happy!).

It's the last day of my 365. I don't know how I feel about that. Happy it's over and I won't have any more late night 'oh no, I've not taken the picture', no more having to explain the project to people who think I'm odd for taking pictures of myself and no more mass uploading sessions.

Sad though, I feel I've achieved quite a lot by getting a picture every single day and not missing one at all. I've documented the highs and the lows of this year in a way just a journal wouldn't have let me. And there have been highs and good times, but also there have been some awful times.

Sad as well as I feel privileged to have been allowed an insight into other people's lives, and it's been great watching other people's 365's grow. I also find it fascinating that people have watched mine and supported me through it - Lis, Trish and the others, you know who you are!

So what am I reflecting on for the last year?
- A 'friend' tried to get me sacked from my job, but I fought back and kept it.
- I got re-elected, the students obviously think I'm good at what I do.
- I had lots of great training trips all over the UK
- I went to my first ever ball
- I took time out of work to have days out with friends
- I was involved in the biggest decision my work has ever had to make when we closed down the commercial services.
- I learnt a lot about HR procedures
- I spent a lot of time with my family
- I had a wonderful holiday in the sun
- I said goodbye to my best friend for a year
- I went to see Runrig (twice in one year!)
- I was a Maid of Honour for Amy
- I moved into a flat on my own
- I moved out of Glasgow and into Paisley
- I developed an addiction to Starbucks
- I joined a choir again and re-discovered my love of singing
- I travelled half way around the world on my own to visit Heather.

All in all, a pretty good year, definitely more highs than lows!

I'm going to miss having a project, I might be back...

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