It's not easy being "one of those people." A person that takes it all on. Fascinated with everything. Working off of both hemispheres, both right and left brained. Its a term that I don't like to use because it has classified us in simple overreaching dichotomies because none of us our truly right or left brained. Though experience has shown me that people react to what I do in terms of the hemispheres, and honestly, it hasn't been all good reactions.
That experience has shown me that I should be observant & wait for the right time when I think the person I'm talking with is ready to hear about my adventures. This is especially true in the office. Number one way to get a bad review is to be open in the office. It's not about being crass, its about painting an image of yourself as being too involved in life outside that your not committing 100% to company.
Example- this past week. It was my final week as an intern for a general contractor. I made sure that I was available & adaptable to any projects they had for me. Never did I mention all that I was doing in the outside that wasn't architecture & construction. When I had my final review I brought up all the other ways that I could of been utilized & opportunities for that in the future. They agreed & are writing up an offer for a position in their company.
Next example- a half hour after my final review, I had an interview with the director of the Art Students League of Denver. She had contacted me when they took on some of the course load from Emily Griffith Opportunity School. Emily Griffith is now called a Technical College, as an accredited college, they must have a certain amount of the graduating students getting jobs from their education to keep those courses. So they had to cut seamstress & millinery courses from their curriculum. They did have the comprehension that a department with so much history it shouldn't be just thrown away. That's where I come in, ASLD agreed to take on the courses that would keep in line with their artistic mission, but where were they going to find a millinery instructor? Guess who's name came up! I was quite nervous because the only hats that I had on hand were my small, whimsical pieces. Plus I explained that my goal was never to teach it was to create sculpture that by chance you can put it on your head. That must of been enough because with a handshake I was emailed instructions on submitting my course work for the Summer semester. I'm still walking through the clouds. How can I be studying my brains out to take my architect registration exams & out of left field the dream job comes along?
Which leads to my next example- an email message was waiting for me the when I got home. What pays is the work I do for a surveyor. The message was that my deadline was moved up six days & the ILC was due tomorrow...oh, & here's the project. Drafting ILCs is receiving the point information from a total station, using algorithms to plot those points, then using the plat information I draw up what is exactly on the site just using the legal description, measurements & stand-off points from the field. Hemisphere switch from an hour ago?
That was finished at 2 AM- when I got up later that morning, the report was in that I was one of the 18,330 applicants for the Astronaut candidacy. Why did I apply to be one of the 14 new astronauts for the 3 upcoming mission? Because I can, I'm qualified. Briefly, I studied Astrophysics before going into Architecture & the love of space travel is still in my core. I just transferred my love of remote, adaptable living into tiny homes.
So why do I need the support of my people? I don't need the discouragement to do less or not to explore my opportunities. I crave for the security of a structured life but this is my path. I'm not trying to go against the stream. I have put my canoe in the river & am going the way the current pulls me.
I took a snap shot of a typical day. I was drawn to make an Easter bonnet for my submission to the Artist Alley in the Nan Desu Kan convention in September. Here is the office manager Soi inspecting the feather whiskers.
