Gone to America

Ticket officially cancelled. It turns out to have been completely refundable, so my parents will get all their money back. Woo-hoo! I really wasn’t looking forward to any additional guilt. Job continues apace, although still insecurely in the medium to long term. It’s very cool, seeing …

Ticket officially cancelled. It turns out to have been completely refundable, so my parents will get all their money back. Woo-hoo! I really wasn’t looking forward to any additional guilt.

Job continues apace, although still insecurely in the medium to long term. It’s very cool, seeing bits of the game as it comes together, even if my role is a minor one. It is eating into my life, but I guess that that’s just what jobs do – I have to live like the normal people now! It’ll be nice to be able to buy things and pay bills, I imagine.

This job is interesting to me, and I never thought I’d find a sound job interesting again. It just never occurred to me to try a whole different medium – although it may turn out to have been a momentary aberration in the broad sweep of my career as a whole, such as it is.

All will become clear, in time.

Anyway, if it all ends suddenly there are two (two!) low budget features vying for my services. I’d be doing them at home for not much money, but still. Just like buses. I will be sticking with the game thing for the time being.

And I’m still working on rewriting that Science Fiction script I have occasionally alluded to. That’s rather exciting, as it will actually shoot soon and I will get a credit (I think). I haven’t mentioned it more due to an ingrained habit of secrecy regarding films in pre-production, even though I haven’t specifically been constrained in this case. It’s along the lines of this movie – it’s being made by the same guys. Except with me doing some rewriting.

So, I’m working away – some of the time. And it’s pretty cool. Money is fun. Although, actually, I haven’t been paid yet. But that hasn’t stopped me spending! Ok, relax – I’ll admit that I’ve had a problem with compulsive spending in the past, but I’m really …

So, I’m working away – some of the time. And it’s pretty cool. Money is fun. Although, actually, I haven’t been paid yet.

But that hasn’t stopped me spending!

Ok, relax – I’ll admit that I’ve had a problem with compulsive spending in the past, but I’m really trying very hard not to go overboard. I’ve promised myself that I won’t buy myself a new computer until I have at least one credit card completely paid off, and I can buy it without going into any more debt.

I do really want need a new laptop. But I’ve been restricting myself to buying a new book for each day I’ve been working. I think this is reasonable, given what I’m being paid.

Although it remains to be seen how long the job will last. It’s still very haphazardly scheduled as regards me. I was supposed to be working Sunday, then I wasn’t, now I’m not working until Tuesday…

I have no problem with this. It’s just another sad reminder that massive multinational corporations don’t exist primarily for my benefit. It does leave me feeling a little insecure in the medium term, though. And I’m torn…

Maybe I can solicit some advice here. I’m being paid on an hourly basis. The first task I was given on the understanding that it would take me 4-5 days. But I’m really good, and I finished it in 2. Now, should I have padded? In the short term, obviously, yes. I could have made the job last a week without anyone raising an eyebrow, and got paid twice as much for the same work. But in the long term, surely it’s better to impress? But what if there is no long term? Shouldn’t I be making hay?

Anyway, I’m getting different reactions from different people. What do you think?

And I’ve seen and reviewed Anchorman and I’ve posted my review of King Arthur.

OK, so I’m starting tomorrow – but only for a few days. But possibly leading to more. Or not. But that’s OK. It’s definitely enough for me to delay departure for another month and see how this develops. In other news, I saw King Arthur. My review is imminent. ...

OK, so I’m starting tomorrow – but only for a few days. But possibly leading to more.

Or not.

But that’s OK. It’s definitely enough for me to delay departure for another month and see how this develops.

In other news, I saw King Arthur. My review is imminent. In a nutshell, it’s pretty crappy.

Wait! Wait! I showed up for the job this morning – and now there may not be a job! Or there may! And I might find out within two days! Or not! And there may be work next month! Or not! Aaarrghh! Freelance sucks. Anyway, I did some work …

Wait! Wait! I showed up for the job this morning – and now there may not be a job! Or there may! And I might find out within two days! Or not! And there may be work next month! Or not!

Aaarrghh!

Freelance sucks.

Anyway, I did some work there today (just because I was around) and I get to bill for it. I also signed one hell of an NDA, so I will never be able to talk about anything. But it’s the distant sequel to a game I was delighted to find you can download for free here.

Oh man, I really don’t want to leave New York. I became all un-resigned! Grrrr…

In an earlier post, I expressed the following sentiment:
I’ve always been very lucky when it comes to career. Something always seems to happen, just when I’ve given up. Just when I’ve been at my most rudderless, my most despairing, something has always …

In an earlier post, I expressed the following sentiment:

I’ve always been very lucky when it comes to career. Something always seems to happen, just when I’ve given up. Just when I’ve been at my most rudderless, my most despairing, something has always come through. And it was usually something I wanted, no matter how unlikely…
...I have no evidence now that anything will change in the next six weeks, but I have hope. Maybe I should learn to drive and head out to LA. But I want to stay in NYC – I really do. And if I go I don’t know if I’ll ever come back. Trusting to my luck is a very risky proposition. It’s always served me well so far, but past performance is no guarantee of future profit, as they say.
Well, I guess we’ll see. Or I’ll see, and let you know.

I had given up on my luck, and booked a flight. Mere hours after I had picked it and laid down my parents hard-earned cash, I got a call.

I’ve been offered a job, working for a prominent games company here in NYC. At a fairly decent wage. No, no complaints on the money front.

When I got the call (and this wasn’t even a job I had applied for) I was ready to turn it down – I am serious about quitting the film sound thing. But a computer game? And such a cool computer game (I was a big fan of the game it’s the sequel to)? Sounds good.

I start Monday. It’s minimum two weeks, with a possibility of more. If it doesn’t work out (they don’t like me, I don’t like them) then I may be home soon after all.

But if it does, this could be Gone to America – Phase II: The Cash Rich Years.

Bloody fate – had to wait until I’d booked the ticket. I hope they won’t charge too much for cancellation. Isn’t life strange?

I hope it’s not too late return all the bunting, you guys in Dublin.

Flight booked. I’ll be hitting Dublin on August 3rd at about 9am. A few banners would be nice, but don’t go overboard – I don’t really need a parade, or anything. I’ve downloaded another cool plugin, which I will now test. It’s pretty useless for me, I …

Flight booked. I’ll be hitting Dublin on August 3rd at about 9am. A few banners would be nice, but don’t go overboard – I don’t really need a parade, or anything.

I’ve downloaded another cool plugin, which I will now test. It’s pretty useless for me, I imagine, but I can’t resist a tinker. It’s something called “Oekaki”, and you can read about it here. Basically, it allows me to doodle.

I like doodling.

I went to see Much Ado About Nothing in Central Park. It was easily the best free thing I’ve done in New York yet – just great. Jimmy Smits!

And mondo congratulations (that’s right – mondo) to Anita Menotti at the Scratcher on getting her one woman show accepted into the Urban Pop Festival. I’m sick that I’m going to miss it. Anybody who’s going to be in NYC on August 23rd, 24th, 25th or 28th please go and check it out.

Go Anita! Woo!