Resolution #45: Find A Day Job...

Date: 2-14-2014

Due date: ASAP

Resolution: A couple of weeks ago I resolved to become my own boss. Part of that resolution was to find a part-time job to supplement my income until I was able to figure this out. I had a few leads at the time but I haven't heard back from either. 

As the end of the month approaches and my bank account remains empty, this is no longer a case of supplemental income. I've lived the past two or three years doing freelance film work and it always slows down around this time of year, but I don't know if I can do it anymore.

I think I need a little more stability so I can focus on my writing and not freak out every other month about whether or not I have work. It was a good run and I had a lot of fun, but I think it's about that time to move on and go back to just being an employee collecting a check and dreaming about time off.

Wish me luck!!!

 
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Result #45: I Just Said I Was Going To Get A Day Job… I Said Nothing About Keeping It... SUCCESS!!!

 

Update #1: Hired!!!

Date: 3-13-2014

I'm having mixed feelings about this, but today I started my new job. I loved working with the Seattle Film Community but I've found that I'm not cut out for the instability of a career that requires self-confidence to strive in. 

To be honest, I've never really been into filmmaking and always just wanted to write. That said I always gave it my all and learned everything I could to be more useful on set but this was because I've always loved the people that I worked with and it felt great to make a living by doing something creative.

This new job is nothing all that magical. I'll be a Shift Leader for the local Walgreens, and I'm actually kind of excited. First… it's a block and a half away from my house. That means… I won't be wasting my time in traffic during my commute.

I'll have a decent, steady salary that will allow me to be able to afford the financial freedom to create the project I’ve resolved to work on for this site and possibly produce more of my own short films. I've learned to live like a starving artist so a steady income will feel like I'm rich especially if I keep my none creative overhead as low as I've gotten it to.

I’m very excited that I'll only be working eight hours a day and have the rest of my time to myself. Working in film… you can expect to work at least twelve hours a day. In the past when I had a day job, it meant waking up and hour and a half before I had to be at work, giving myself a half hour to get ready then an hour to drive in traffic, to then work eight and a half hours counting lunch, stop at the grocery store then drive an hour home to make dinner. An eight hour day easily took twelve to thirteen hours to complete. By the time I was done I was too exhausted to do anything after.

Now, it’s literally a five-minute walk to work. I have uniform… so I can wake up twenty minutes before I need to be at work throw on the uniform and head out, then walk home for lunch and walk home at the end of the day, making an eight hour day, eight and a half hours at most. For the rest of the day… I'll have to work on my projects. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this aspect of the job.

The hardest thing for me is that I'm really going to miss everyone that I've worked with over the past few years. It was a good run and had a blast with each and every one of you, well except for that one guy.

Oh well, there will always be Facebook!

 

Update #2: The Conclusion…

Date: 2-18-2015

For those of you who follow this blog at all… I'm sure you already know what my answer was.

At the time I set this resolution I had to get a day job because I wasn't able to cut it as a freelance filmmaker anymore. I figured working as a supervisor at an established drug store would lead to some stability only to find that other than having a steady payday my life actually became less stable.

I found I was still living paycheck to paycheck and what made it worse was that I no longer enjoyed what I was doing to make said paycheck and never got a break like I had grown used to in the freelance world.

I'm not sure what my next move is but I hope I can finally find a job that I enjoy or at least one that I don't dread.

We'll see what happens.

 
 

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