Happy New Year!
2015 was pretty damn good to me, really.
It's pretty much been the year of the house, though I did stop doing stuff halfway through the year. But yeah. I moved into my new house! And completed both the bedroom and studio to be pretty much perfect. I love them both. I had meant to at least start on the garden in spring but somehow the entire season just flew by and now we're already a month into summer, and all I've done is get a quote to have everything removed. YEP. That'll be a 2016 project.
I also bought a new car! My (money is an object) dream car, even! It's name is Yoshi. I've been eyeing these things off for YEARS, they're so pretty and the green is perfect and I love them. And I love Yoshi. I haven't got around to selling the Shagna yet so I currently own two cars. Yeah. Better get around to that.
I turned 30! And celebrated that in the best way possible, flying to Sydney to see my two besties, Alex and Cassie. We went to Quay for the most amazing dégustation in the country, and also to high tea in the Queen Victoria Building the day before specifically for Alex's birthday (we're the same day but different ages) and they were all gorgeous. Best people, best time. Cassie and I then took a road trip up the East Coast to Brisbane, which was awesome. I discovered Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay and I'm so going back to both of them. Mostly Byron Bay. I could spend a week in that area. So gorgeous.
I've also really, really focused on learning new web design stuff. I would go nowhere near to saying all the stuff I've been learning is my bitch, but we're getting there. I made a blog in Wordpress with a layout, I'm pretty damn good with flex-boxes and @media queries to make responsive layouts now, made a snazzy gallery and beat parallax scrolling into submission. I'd hoped to have my snazzy new web folio finished by the end of the year, but I've still got two more bits to finish--the writing and the print design.
This is, of course, all part of getting a new job. I love my workplace and I have the best boss I've ever had ever, who makes me and my work feel SO valued and SO welcomed, but at the end of the day it's still print and that's not where the future of graphic design is. So still looking for another job, but at least I have a great workplace while I'm looking now.
Outside of my life, my little brother got married! I have a sister-in-law now :DD The wedding was gorgeous, despite the 40+ degrees. I love that girl, so glad to have her in my life ♥ They finally got their house building under-way at the beginning of December, after frigging ages of plan approvals and loan approvals.
SA got set on fire TWICE, once last summer and once a few weeks ago. I mean, there are always smaller ones but I'm talking the big ones that take days to put out and get on interstate and possibly international news. And then this video came out from the last Pinery fire and I just askdgjhalksdga oh my GOD you idiots.
Mr Rosenfeld said Australians who had commented on the video had said ‘it’s people like you that put our fire service at risk’.
“They’re absolutely right. We put those people at risk if they had to come out and save us and risked their own lives,” he said. ... “[Bushfires are] bigger than you, and people have to research and respect other countries.”
YA THINK? GEEZE. HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE HEARD ABOUT AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES. IN SUMMER. WHEN IT'S 40+ DEGREES. How can you come to Australia, see a GIANT CLOUD OF SMOKE LIKE THAT, and not think something along the lines of 'oh shit'?
Anyway. I got carried away. This is the year-review-and-preview post not general posting.
Minor things:
o Changed up my hair. It's super short on the right and long-ish on the left so it goes swishy and I love it.
o Stocked my kitchen, mostly. Just a few things left on the list of stuff I need in the kitchen.
o Sold my old Lego Paradisa for $400 on ebay YEAH! also sold all my old bedroom furniture yay!
o Got payment from the government for the money I was owed from old work, yay! So that chapter of life is officially closed.
o Crows coach Phil Walsh was murdered by his son and the trial is... happening now I think? Or soon? Idk. Unsurprisingly nothing is getting out.
o 1985 Hill of Grace from Colin and Laura for my 30th! Which we had later on in the year with a beautiful steak, mmm.
Pretty much covers it, I think. Onto the goals!
1. Be a full time graphic designer at a graphic design company in Adelaide.
Straight up FAIL.
2. Update the online portfolio.
The original plan was a solid 2 hours work on the portfolio every week, but I probably didn't actually start on it til mid-year. Still. I've done that much on it since then that I'd say I've probably averaged 2 hours a week by year's end. I'd hoped to have it finished by the end of the year but it's not quite there. I'm calling that a WIN.
3. Take up calligraphy classes.
WIN. Found a weekend class at Brick + Mortar Creative and did that mid-year, and have been practising since then. Yay!
4. Anything else to make you more employable.
FAIL. Forgot about that one. I'll c+p it for 2016.
5. Get back in contact with old friends.
FAIL. I got scared and didn't even look.
6. Drink more water.
FAIL. idk why this one's so hard .-.
SO THAT WENT WELL. ONTO 2016.
1. Finish the folio.
This means the writing page and rejigging the print page, and also rejigging the print folio to match the refreshed branding. The plan is to have this done by the end of January, so then I'll review it every three months. Also update blog every week-ish.
2. Web design.
The writer's website, hopefully the stonemason's website, and add them both to a web design section of the portfolio. Also, create a fake!brand.
3. Anything else to make you more employable.
C+P from last year because I like this one. Whenever you think of something, write it down and do it. No putting things off. No 'wouldn't it be nice if...' or 'I'll do that when I've...' do it NOW. Look for inspiration online! Physically visit some other design studios, though how this can happen when working full time in the same hours as they work I'm not sure. Do it, though.
4. Get back in contact with old friends.
Don't get scared this time.
5. Get fit.
Dropped the ball over Christmas mostly because it's been goddamn hot. But it seems to be cooling down now so get back into the sprint thing. Also be better with the healthy food stuff. TARGET IS END OF FINANCIAL YEAR SALES. YEAH. Plan to go serious clothes shopping.
6. House plans.
Do up the garden annnnnd evaluate at that point what the plans are for the living/dining room. I'd like to at least get a new telly but we'll see. Evaluate.
It's pretty much been the year of the house, though I did stop doing stuff halfway through the year. But yeah. I moved into my new house! And completed both the bedroom and studio to be pretty much perfect. I love them both. I had meant to at least start on the garden in spring but somehow the entire season just flew by and now we're already a month into summer, and all I've done is get a quote to have everything removed. YEP. That'll be a 2016 project.
I also bought a new car! My (money is an object) dream car, even! It's name is Yoshi. I've been eyeing these things off for YEARS, they're so pretty and the green is perfect and I love them. And I love Yoshi. I haven't got around to selling the Shagna yet so I currently own two cars. Yeah. Better get around to that.
I turned 30! And celebrated that in the best way possible, flying to Sydney to see my two besties, Alex and Cassie. We went to Quay for the most amazing dégustation in the country, and also to high tea in the Queen Victoria Building the day before specifically for Alex's birthday (we're the same day but different ages) and they were all gorgeous. Best people, best time. Cassie and I then took a road trip up the East Coast to Brisbane, which was awesome. I discovered Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay and I'm so going back to both of them. Mostly Byron Bay. I could spend a week in that area. So gorgeous.
I've also really, really focused on learning new web design stuff. I would go nowhere near to saying all the stuff I've been learning is my bitch, but we're getting there. I made a blog in Wordpress with a layout, I'm pretty damn good with flex-boxes and @media queries to make responsive layouts now, made a snazzy gallery and beat parallax scrolling into submission. I'd hoped to have my snazzy new web folio finished by the end of the year, but I've still got two more bits to finish--the writing and the print design.
This is, of course, all part of getting a new job. I love my workplace and I have the best boss I've ever had ever, who makes me and my work feel SO valued and SO welcomed, but at the end of the day it's still print and that's not where the future of graphic design is. So still looking for another job, but at least I have a great workplace while I'm looking now.
Outside of my life, my little brother got married! I have a sister-in-law now :DD The wedding was gorgeous, despite the 40+ degrees. I love that girl, so glad to have her in my life ♥ They finally got their house building under-way at the beginning of December, after frigging ages of plan approvals and loan approvals.
SA got set on fire TWICE, once last summer and once a few weeks ago. I mean, there are always smaller ones but I'm talking the big ones that take days to put out and get on interstate and possibly international news. And then this video came out from the last Pinery fire and I just askdgjhalksdga oh my GOD you idiots.
Mr Rosenfeld said Australians who had commented on the video had said ‘it’s people like you that put our fire service at risk’.
“They’re absolutely right. We put those people at risk if they had to come out and save us and risked their own lives,” he said. ... “[Bushfires are] bigger than you, and people have to research and respect other countries.”
YA THINK? GEEZE. HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE HEARD ABOUT AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES. IN SUMMER. WHEN IT'S 40+ DEGREES. How can you come to Australia, see a GIANT CLOUD OF SMOKE LIKE THAT, and not think something along the lines of 'oh shit'?
Anyway. I got carried away. This is the year-review-and-preview post not general posting.
Minor things:
o Changed up my hair. It's super short on the right and long-ish on the left so it goes swishy and I love it.
o Stocked my kitchen, mostly. Just a few things left on the list of stuff I need in the kitchen.
o Sold my old Lego Paradisa for $400 on ebay YEAH! also sold all my old bedroom furniture yay!
o Got payment from the government for the money I was owed from old work, yay! So that chapter of life is officially closed.
o Crows coach Phil Walsh was murdered by his son and the trial is... happening now I think? Or soon? Idk. Unsurprisingly nothing is getting out.
o 1985 Hill of Grace from Colin and Laura for my 30th! Which we had later on in the year with a beautiful steak, mmm.
Pretty much covers it, I think. Onto the goals!
1. Be a full time graphic designer at a graphic design company in Adelaide.
Straight up FAIL.
2. Update the online portfolio.
The original plan was a solid 2 hours work on the portfolio every week, but I probably didn't actually start on it til mid-year. Still. I've done that much on it since then that I'd say I've probably averaged 2 hours a week by year's end. I'd hoped to have it finished by the end of the year but it's not quite there. I'm calling that a WIN.
3. Take up calligraphy classes.
WIN. Found a weekend class at Brick + Mortar Creative and did that mid-year, and have been practising since then. Yay!
4. Anything else to make you more employable.
FAIL. Forgot about that one. I'll c+p it for 2016.
5. Get back in contact with old friends.
FAIL. I got scared and didn't even look.
6. Drink more water.
FAIL. idk why this one's so hard .-.
SO THAT WENT WELL. ONTO 2016.
1. Finish the folio.
This means the writing page and rejigging the print page, and also rejigging the print folio to match the refreshed branding. The plan is to have this done by the end of January, so then I'll review it every three months. Also update blog every week-ish.
2. Web design.
The writer's website, hopefully the stonemason's website, and add them both to a web design section of the portfolio. Also, create a fake!brand.
3. Anything else to make you more employable.
C+P from last year because I like this one. Whenever you think of something, write it down and do it. No putting things off. No 'wouldn't it be nice if...' or 'I'll do that when I've...' do it NOW. Look for inspiration online! Physically visit some other design studios, though how this can happen when working full time in the same hours as they work I'm not sure. Do it, though.
4. Get back in contact with old friends.
Don't get scared this time.
5. Get fit.
Dropped the ball over Christmas mostly because it's been goddamn hot. But it seems to be cooling down now so get back into the sprint thing. Also be better with the healthy food stuff. TARGET IS END OF FINANCIAL YEAR SALES. YEAH. Plan to go serious clothes shopping.
6. House plans.
Do up the garden annnnnd evaluate at that point what the plans are for the living/dining room. I'd like to at least get a new telly but we'll see. Evaluate.