Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

[Alzar]

This is always a good exercise - evaluating where you are in life, and then setting some goals for the future. When I informally interviewed a hiring producer/manager that works for Sony, he said specifically that, when hiring someone, they want "Someone who knows what they have done, knows their skills, and knows where they want to be." Talking to him helped me reevaluate how I approached looking at my life.

So here goes.

Currently:

I work at a technology help desk for my school. It's an okay job though often quite frusturating, it pays crummy, and I am interviewing for a different position soon that I'm sure I will like a lot better, and that will pay more. I almost make enough to pay my rent each month, while the college fund dwindles down toward $0 I either gotta take more hours, get a higher paying job, take out some loans, etc.

I get word back on an internship for some larger tech companies this summer. If I get in, I'll be making the big bucks, but I'll have to work for "the man." I'm sure that'll have it's benefits and drawbacks.

In about half of my job interviews, I have used my RPG Maker game as an example for the "creative solution to a problem" question.

School is rough. Computer Science projects take many many hours. It's good stuff though. I just need to improve my work ethic. I'm not the greatest programmer, I feel at times like I don't have the temperment that a lot of other computer scientists (re: nerds) do and don't exactly fit in with them.

I got to level 53 in World of Warcraft, then got really bored with it.

Where I want to be:

I'm doing okay-ish I guess, but it's like I'm only at level 22 omg and I want to level up omg my experience is too low omg must fight monsters.

Eventually, I want to have a lead/management position as a designer/programmer of some large projects. Nothing is very specific right now because of my lack of work experience in the field. I still hate "the game" of business/life, having to impress people, acting professional, etc. But I'm getting a little better at "playing it."

Oh, and that dream of being a professional video game designer/programmer still exists, too. Though my actual goal isn't that specific.

Alright I'm done. How about the rest of you fuggers?

[Nixon]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Where I am now: Working a normal job at a non-profit org.

Where I want to be: Working on art and animation, comics, or writing/directing my own animated series.

I do freelance art jobs, but I would like to work in a studio or for the paper.

I'm in the process of copyrighting some of my work, which means that I won't have anymore excuses for not sending in submissions.

I have tinkered with traditional animation before, and I would like to animate some test segments for two different projects.

The ecomony right now is so bad that I don't ever know if I'll find an artistic job. When things are bad financially, the artists and art jobs are the first to go.

[Ivalice]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Currently:

Finishing up an art degree with about 3 months left. I tutor for my school, and it sucks.....big ass. I have little patience and typically the people who need tutors are the kids that dont take an art school serious.

I also recently wrapped up my internship at a game company where I got to work on a xbox 360 project. That was rad.



Where I want to be:

Anywhere but Arizona. Like seriously....anywhere. I would prefer to work for a small to medium sized game company that creates amazing art. (both 2d and 3d)

Most of all I want to be able to afford **** and not be the typical "poor surviving artist."

[Vonwert]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Where I am now:

Floating around in crappy part-time jobs and slowly going through college.

Drawing here and there, but nothing concrete. Working on my RPGM1 game.

Where I want to be:

A cartoonist with his own comic strip in a national newspaper.

I have to admit, my biggest problem is two fold. One is a lack of knowledge on how to use certain computer programs to the fullest extent.

Another is my lack of determination. I am lazy and I can't seem to find a good way to keep my motivation going.

Though I hope to be able to make a good comic and have it be published.

[The Toecutter]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Currently:

I'm an unemployed college student looking for a summer job, when there isn't **** for jobs available where I live. Plus since my dad lost his job and college tuition has been going up while scholarships haven't and I've already taken out the max loans my university will allow, it's questionable whether I'll still even be able to afford it, especially without a job.

So here I am, spending my time on the internet, spending a few hours each day filling out and sending job applications for anything and everything, reading, drawing, and generally without money. Before long, I will not even be able to afford internet or FFXI. Ahh well.

Where I want to be:

Self employed, building, testing, and selling my own electric vehicle products and solar/aeolic electricity generators. Preferably live in some place out in the boonies with no official adress, and an office in one of the cities that has an adress for whatever business I have that I make a trek out to every couple weeks to check for orders and then deliver on them. My property would be sealed off with barbed wire, and I'd keep a couple gators and big snakes out back so it would be someplace warm, like Florida or Missisippi. I want to grow my own food, keep a bunch of guns, and drive a fast car of which I'd be working on right now would I have something called money. I'll definately have my own CNC machine, among other tools. Maybe even grow some hemp and make fuel/plastics/soap/clothing out of it to sell, I'll apply for the government permit to grow hemp, but probably wouldn't get one since they've refused to grant them here since WWII effectively outlawing hemp growing, so I'll grow it regardless of whether I do it legally or not, and if I don't get the permit, I'll be selling my products on the black market tax free, at below the cost of comparable products on the store shelves. Take the profits, and do things with them that need to be done, perhaps fix up a few homeless shelters, renovate some houses, and fund the schools that aren't getting enough funding. And if I find one willing to live like this as well, maybe even live with a girlfriend, but the odds of finding one like that are doubtful.

I just want to live by my own rules and norms, and no one elses.

[Riotsword]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Currently:

I live with my mom still, and I'm desperately searching for a job, so I can move out. I hang out here at the pavilion and I mud and play Neverwinter Nights. Friday nights I go and play in Magic tournaments, and occasionally bowl or shoot pool. I'm sort-of, not really in a realtionship with a girl who moved to Louisiana. I post on a Xanga blog and that's about it.

Where I want to be:

In Canada or Louisiana with my sweetie, going to school, and working at a record store and having fun all the while. I shoot low. Plus I have no real ability to have a far-reaching outlook.

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Where I am now:

I'm living with a 28 year old woman who I don't particularly like anymore. I moved out to have freedom, and the feeling of accomplishment in life. I have neither. I dropped out of college before my first year was finished, and got a job working data entry. I made the cut from temp to perm and am currently looking at a promotion and small raise. I don't mind my job because I don't have to deal with customers and I don't have to work Friday evenings; I switched to midnight shift and I work with three other people. The isolationist is the life for me, it seems.

I've almost entirely finished the gargantuan task of editing the Creative Writing Story 3 over in the Imaginari, and I feel pretty good about that. My free time just opened up a lot more, and I plan to work on my own writing instead of editing in between my turns for the CWS3.

Acceptance was a hard thing for me to find in Oklahoma. Three years down the road I feel as though I've discovered my niche while I live here. My brother has this group of friends that he made immediately when he moved down here, and I was hard pressed to even know the name of a person I wouldn't mind hanging out with in this state. I gradually worked my way into the group, and I've found mediated acceptance among them. They no longer think of me as just 'Jim's brother,' but as my own entity within the group, independent but necessary. That's a great feeling after having spent three years without any friends within 1200 miles of me.

Where I want to be:

I'm considering another move, possibly halfway between work and my parents' house, but I can't do it alone. I don't know anyone who needs a room mate, and I don't want to live with my brother, who is a complete slob. I've also heavily considered switching back to an evening shift at work, because with an evening shift, I get to spend more time with my newly found friends, and there are people on the evening shift that I like as well. These are my short-term goals, things I would like to do before the end of the year.

Optimistically, the CWS3 will be done by the end of the year. It would be great to have it completely finished. I've got a pretty good start on three different novels I'd really like to write in full, and working on those is my highest priority next to the CWS3. Several years down the road (unlikely but optimistically) I'd like to have at least two to three completed novels that I can start submitting to publishers. Obviously, I feel that my direction in life is to become a writer of some sort, though I may do well in a field such as newspaper or magazine editor. So long as I find a career in writing or editing of some sort, I think I can be happy.

I don't have any college plans for the future, or any current plans to move back to Ohio where I lived for most of my teenage years. Now that I've grown accustomed to life in Oklahoma, and I've found friends and a workable job atmosphere, I've become complacent and dare I say it - content - with a prospective life in Oklahoma.

[d2king10]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Currently:
Schools out and its finaly summer time. I got a job with my mom and am going to learn 3D pretty heavily and study the arts of computer animation.

Where I want to be:
I want to be a computer animator for games and the like. I want to get into either digi-pen or Ex'pression College and graduate. I want to perfect my computer animation and modeling skills and get a job in those arts and do good at it.

[Saul]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Where I am now:
Currently, I am looking foward to graduating high school. I will be going to a local community college for informational technology after summer vacation. Next weekend I am going to apply for a job at WalMart (lolz omg!!!1) My girlfriend and I have been best friends for a year and dating for 8 months. I am making money right now by mowing lawns and doing other various yard work for family members and such.

Where I want to be:
I want a good job in informational technology, and eventually I might go back to college for computer science. I want to be married to my girlfriend, living in a nice house in the country. I want to have all the latest tech gadgets.

[Smurvis]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Where I am now:
Your guess is as good as mine. I'm not entirely sure...

Where I want to be:
Secure and able to live comfortably. Nothing fancy. Just a decent job, that pays enough for food and bills and the occasional (or frequent) gaming purchase. Laziness is a huge problem of mine, and it's going to be the only obstacle in my way. Nothing can stop you when you're determined... but when you've got no will to push forward... that's the real obstacle.

[Manyak]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Nothing can stop you when you're determined

I beg to differ.

[Smurvis]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Yes?

[Manyak]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Take a look at Toecutter, he fills out a zillion applications every month, and no job. Life isn't actually like what they teach you at "character week" in grade 8.

[Smurvis]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Would you say that's a common case? Seems like there are a lot more people trying that succeed than those that don't.

And again, he's got none right now. But if he keeps it up (unless he doesn't get one before he DIES) he'll just add to that "determined" pile. Besides, no one said life's easy.

[Manyak]

Re: Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

I'm not refuting that, I'm just saying that I don't buy in to the "You can do anything if you try" philosophy.