Well the current crop of holidays are passing us by and for once, it hasn't been the deep hole of depression this time of the year usually brings me. I'm not mr super happy either, but I've been feeling fine as a whole. This year I gave quite a bit, not as much as I would have liked too, but good amount none the less. The last month had been good for me concerning all the crap I dropped on ebay and the continuation of unemployment too. I also spent part of the last month digitally copying most of my middle sister's family photo collection, so I was able to make new prints for some of the family from them and also made quite a number of other prints from what I had shot of them this last year. One of the things I had hoped to do was to make large number of prints for friends, but honestly couldn't really find the time to wade threw all my photos from the last year and see what was printable. Maybe next year? My other big give, was also a receive of sorts.
Earlier this week I was checking the photo section of the local craiglists when I spied a listing for not one, but two Kowa medium format camera's and 4 lenses. Now for a number of years I had wanted a Kowa and had actively looked for one, but found my Mamiya M645 first and settled on it. Anyway, the price for the pair and lenses was stupid low, so I dropped the guy an email asking if he'd part with em for well, even lower. I got a reply back the next day he'd take offer if no one else was willing to pay the amount he wanted for them after a day or two. Fast forward to the 23rd and an email back saying they were mine. Of course I don't need two camera's so after picking them both up on the 24th I shot a roll on one of them to make sure it worked and then took a quick trip across town and gave that away to a friend of mine as an Xmass present (He's been borrowing medium format camera's or using a Holga off an on for the last two years when he needs to do portraiture). Anyway, they both have found good homes!
Happy New Years folks!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Grade Inflation
So I passed my capstone class. I actually passed it with flying colors and perfect score. In all honesty, I don't deserve it. I think maybe a A- or B+ for the Capstone itself, presentation was solid B and my participation was another solid B. How I pulled off an A+ is beyond me and reading my professors feedback was useless.
Per proff smith concerning my presentation: "Very nice job, Jeff. You had obviously spent a lot of time preparing this, and it showed. I liked your use of notes throughout, which was efficient and unobtrusive. You gave a very interesting picture of your development in the program and what you are now prepared to do. You presented your artifacts well and made good connections between theory and practice. Well done." - in reality I wrote it up two days before the presentation and then rewrote it in class based on the other presentation that were being given. I only shared two of my outcomes, but was fairly complete on them both. I was well under the 10 minutes max time too. I can say that I sat through at least 5-9 presentations that were worse then mine, about 10 that were in the same ball park and another 10 that were much better.
Per proff smith concerning my actualy portfolio: "This really does look good, Jeff. I like all the quirky little pictures that you can miss if you’re not paying attention. The content is solid, and the pictures add a little flip for those on the lookout, but they’re never intrusive. Nice job." No shit, I wrote up 3x the amount that the average person did for this assignment because this dumbass did such a poor job describing what was expected on this stupid ass assignment. I'm perplexed for not being knocked down on this assignment for typos (I always have them being dyslexic).
http://filmphotoarchivist.net/Capstone01.html
Honeslty I'm glad it's over. I'm hitting the gym daily to deal with all the weight gain I've added in the last year. Should take me quite a while to get back into shape again. Ugh.
Per proff smith concerning my presentation: "Very nice job, Jeff. You had obviously spent a lot of time preparing this, and it showed. I liked your use of notes throughout, which was efficient and unobtrusive. You gave a very interesting picture of your development in the program and what you are now prepared to do. You presented your artifacts well and made good connections between theory and practice. Well done." - in reality I wrote it up two days before the presentation and then rewrote it in class based on the other presentation that were being given. I only shared two of my outcomes, but was fairly complete on them both. I was well under the 10 minutes max time too. I can say that I sat through at least 5-9 presentations that were worse then mine, about 10 that were in the same ball park and another 10 that were much better.
Per proff smith concerning my actualy portfolio: "This really does look good, Jeff. I like all the quirky little pictures that you can miss if you’re not paying attention. The content is solid, and the pictures add a little flip for those on the lookout, but they’re never intrusive. Nice job." No shit, I wrote up 3x the amount that the average person did for this assignment because this dumbass did such a poor job describing what was expected on this stupid ass assignment. I'm perplexed for not being knocked down on this assignment for typos (I always have them being dyslexic).
http://filmphotoarchivist.net/Capstone01.html
Honeslty I'm glad it's over. I'm hitting the gym daily to deal with all the weight gain I've added in the last year. Should take me quite a while to get back into shape again. Ugh.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Boot straps
So my unemployment ended last week and I like many others are waiting at this point. I've exhausted my main benefits, but should be eligible for an extension at this point. And by eligible I mean the current congressional broo ha ha needs to be completed. Oddly enough, I'm fine for the moment. I've been saving for the last couple of months and with the help of ebay have been able to put some money aside for this. I should also be able to afford xmass without it sitting on my credit cards. I'm super lucky. Most folks in my position are not. I do hope that for for these holidays, that they survive all of this.
Happy Holidays folks!
Happy Holidays folks!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Tis the Season . . .
December is upon us again and like many, this time of the year I tend either to be sick, depressed on some occasions, sick and depressed. I've been this way most of my life this time of the year between Thanksgiving and the new year. This year, lots going on, but not enough going on either. (note, this is long and full of self righteous drivel)
This year has been a duzy of course, having lost my job just over a year ago. I've never been unemployed this long in my life. I can't see the end of the tunnel too well concerning work, and as depressing as this is, I still have it much better then most folks. I have friends who have been unemployed for more then 2 years now. The tunnel is most respects has closed and I can't fanthum how they are handling it. Yet, it still depresses me.
Grad school is technically done too. I've spent the last year taking classes and really wondering if this is what I should be doing. Actually in theory it was the best thing I could do. I remember just over a year ago deeply hoping to be laid off so I could more easily finish school. I think I waned grad school to liberate me from where I was. It hasn't. For instance I spent the last three months doing a practicum at a local art school library working with a former classmate of mine. She's been working there for the last year and half on a part time basis, and they still won't make her full time. I worked my ass off knowing their was no way I'd have a chance to getting hired on. Now add two more classes and this last semester has been fully stressed out event for me. My neck has been stiff and hurting most of that time from the stress and burn out. I stopped hitting the gym as I couldn't always find the time and then easily wouldn't make the time to go. My pressure based eating hasn't been easy either and of course I've ballooned in weight too. Much of normal clothing isn't fitting too well either. ugh.
Anyway, I started back at the gym last week at least. I've mostly been hitting the walking machine to get my muscles working again. I tried using the stair climber, but I nearly blew my knee out on it. I'll wait a another week or two before hitting it. I started swimming again too (by start I mean, literally just yesterday). I have a nice big hole to get myself out of concerning my health right now too.
What else, I have a birthday coming up in a couple of days. No thanks, I'd almost prefer to skip it this year. I think I've told the family no celebration for me. I blew off going out to a combined December birthday party on Friday too. Again no thanks. This depression makes my social skills nearly non-existent. The only cure for this is working on my social skills, but most of the time I either don't want to discuss or if I do, it's toward more depressing topics. Both make me feel like dead weight most of the time where I force myself to be social. Most folks pick up on this quickly too, and I can tell some of are avoiding me because of it. I don't blame em. I rarely find myself that amusing, fun or even informative to be around most for more then an hour at a time.
Anyway, the last three months has been killer on my psychy. I've been irritable and irritated to no end. For one class it's been killer on me since the proff is complete shit head who has yet to post any grades for the class. I have no idea what so ever how I've been doing in it either. Emails with him have not answered most of my questions, so I tried planning for the worst and did about 3x the amount of work I would normally have done (and would note, 3x what the rest of the class has done as far as our major assignment). I also had to travel to Denver for this class and give a presentation, I over wrote it and rewrote it in class as I watched everyone else do their presentation. I cut about 60% out so I wasn't reading from a script either. Again no grade here, no idea how well I've done or even if I'm going to pass. I know I will, but fucker should have posted grades on at least the major assignment weeks ago, or at least presentation grades, since it's been 2-3 weeks since we did the fucking thing.
Anyway, I'm bored as shit now. I'm in my last week of unemployment under the current first extension too. in some ways it was nice to hear of the extension passing. Though I had prepared for this and put money away, I wished Obama had gone to the matt with the Republicans on this and taxes. Fuckers need to learn what happens when you don't compromise on this stuff if you ask me. SO it looks like I have another 6 months of unemployment possibly coming to me. I'd much rather have a job.
Anyway this is all for now. Happy Holidays.
This year has been a duzy of course, having lost my job just over a year ago. I've never been unemployed this long in my life. I can't see the end of the tunnel too well concerning work, and as depressing as this is, I still have it much better then most folks. I have friends who have been unemployed for more then 2 years now. The tunnel is most respects has closed and I can't fanthum how they are handling it. Yet, it still depresses me.
Grad school is technically done too. I've spent the last year taking classes and really wondering if this is what I should be doing. Actually in theory it was the best thing I could do. I remember just over a year ago deeply hoping to be laid off so I could more easily finish school. I think I waned grad school to liberate me from where I was. It hasn't. For instance I spent the last three months doing a practicum at a local art school library working with a former classmate of mine. She's been working there for the last year and half on a part time basis, and they still won't make her full time. I worked my ass off knowing their was no way I'd have a chance to getting hired on. Now add two more classes and this last semester has been fully stressed out event for me. My neck has been stiff and hurting most of that time from the stress and burn out. I stopped hitting the gym as I couldn't always find the time and then easily wouldn't make the time to go. My pressure based eating hasn't been easy either and of course I've ballooned in weight too. Much of normal clothing isn't fitting too well either. ugh.
Anyway, I started back at the gym last week at least. I've mostly been hitting the walking machine to get my muscles working again. I tried using the stair climber, but I nearly blew my knee out on it. I'll wait a another week or two before hitting it. I started swimming again too (by start I mean, literally just yesterday). I have a nice big hole to get myself out of concerning my health right now too.
What else, I have a birthday coming up in a couple of days. No thanks, I'd almost prefer to skip it this year. I think I've told the family no celebration for me. I blew off going out to a combined December birthday party on Friday too. Again no thanks. This depression makes my social skills nearly non-existent. The only cure for this is working on my social skills, but most of the time I either don't want to discuss or if I do, it's toward more depressing topics. Both make me feel like dead weight most of the time where I force myself to be social. Most folks pick up on this quickly too, and I can tell some of are avoiding me because of it. I don't blame em. I rarely find myself that amusing, fun or even informative to be around most for more then an hour at a time.
Anyway, the last three months has been killer on my psychy. I've been irritable and irritated to no end. For one class it's been killer on me since the proff is complete shit head who has yet to post any grades for the class. I have no idea what so ever how I've been doing in it either. Emails with him have not answered most of my questions, so I tried planning for the worst and did about 3x the amount of work I would normally have done (and would note, 3x what the rest of the class has done as far as our major assignment). I also had to travel to Denver for this class and give a presentation, I over wrote it and rewrote it in class as I watched everyone else do their presentation. I cut about 60% out so I wasn't reading from a script either. Again no grade here, no idea how well I've done or even if I'm going to pass. I know I will, but fucker should have posted grades on at least the major assignment weeks ago, or at least presentation grades, since it's been 2-3 weeks since we did the fucking thing.
Anyway, I'm bored as shit now. I'm in my last week of unemployment under the current first extension too. in some ways it was nice to hear of the extension passing. Though I had prepared for this and put money away, I wished Obama had gone to the matt with the Republicans on this and taxes. Fuckers need to learn what happens when you don't compromise on this stuff if you ask me. SO it looks like I have another 6 months of unemployment possibly coming to me. I'd much rather have a job.
Anyway this is all for now. Happy Holidays.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Reaction
Yesterday, my esteemed professor posted the "Answers to All Your Questions: I have purposely held back on answering many of the minutiae of your questions for the simple reason I wanted you to figure things out for yourselves."
In all honestly I wanted to kick this ass in the teeth after reading this. When people give me vague answers, it means they either don't know what they want, or the are clueless fucking dicks. Because I couldn't get an answers to most of my questions, I ended up doing considerably more work then anyone else did on class. I wanted to cover all of my options and write at least 3x the mount that most of class mates did. Thanks, for the extra stress and waste of my time. Anyway . . ..
I am done. At least I think I am, I won't know till I see my grades. Anyway, today's capstone presentations went off without much fan fair. I was 5th from the very end, so as people did their presentations I rewrote what my own. I started off with 8 cards (many two sided) filled with facts about me and my capstone. As of this morning it took me 9 minutes to give my presentation. I knew I needed to cut it down and after a few presentations it was easy to figure out what needed to be cut. Instead of talking about 4 artifacts and long introduction, I cut it down to 4 cards by nixing 2 artifacts and nixing nearly all of my intro. As the day went on, I rewrote the intro and expanded on my 2 two artifacts and broke it down so I wouldn't be reading much off cards. Keep it natural and hit the points. Decent presentation, but I could have shown off my website a little bit more. My fellow presenters passed me the following notes:
"Nice touch to all the film strip graphics."
"Thanks for traveling a long way to do your presentation! Sounds like your are going to have a successful career in library sciences".
"Congrats! to [sic] bad there isn't a voodoo doughnut. You deserve the bucket!"
"Like your tie" Bibliography was one of favorite projects too" Portfolio program great way ti integrate your information skills."
"Kudos on building your own (web) site! I was going to try but ran out of time. Great job! Thanks for sharing your capstone."
"Interesting background and how it led to this program. Thoughtful content on your artifacts."
"I really like your tie" <---- At least three feedback notes indicated this. My tie, originally from Montgomery Wards is fucking awesome.
In all honestly I wanted to kick this ass in the teeth after reading this. When people give me vague answers, it means they either don't know what they want, or the are clueless fucking dicks. Because I couldn't get an answers to most of my questions, I ended up doing considerably more work then anyone else did on class. I wanted to cover all of my options and write at least 3x the mount that most of class mates did. Thanks, for the extra stress and waste of my time. Anyway . . ..
I am done. At least I think I am, I won't know till I see my grades. Anyway, today's capstone presentations went off without much fan fair. I was 5th from the very end, so as people did their presentations I rewrote what my own. I started off with 8 cards (many two sided) filled with facts about me and my capstone. As of this morning it took me 9 minutes to give my presentation. I knew I needed to cut it down and after a few presentations it was easy to figure out what needed to be cut. Instead of talking about 4 artifacts and long introduction, I cut it down to 4 cards by nixing 2 artifacts and nixing nearly all of my intro. As the day went on, I rewrote the intro and expanded on my 2 two artifacts and broke it down so I wouldn't be reading much off cards. Keep it natural and hit the points. Decent presentation, but I could have shown off my website a little bit more. My fellow presenters passed me the following notes:
"Nice touch to all the film strip graphics."
"Thanks for traveling a long way to do your presentation! Sounds like your are going to have a successful career in library sciences".
"Congrats! to [sic] bad there isn't a voodoo doughnut. You deserve the bucket!"
"Like your tie" Bibliography was one of favorite projects too" Portfolio program great way ti integrate your information skills."
"Kudos on building your own (web) site! I was going to try but ran out of time. Great job! Thanks for sharing your capstone."
"Interesting background and how it led to this program. Thoughtful content on your artifacts."
"I really like your tie" <---- At least three feedback notes indicated this. My tie, originally from Montgomery Wards is fucking awesome.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Over Easy
I'm about 4 hours from boarding a plane and heading off to Denver for my very last class. I'll be giving presentation on most everything I've learned in Grad school, it's what they call Capstone. I generally think of it as a easy out for not doing thesis, that having been said, I think I've spent more time and effort on this stupid thing then I ever would have done on thesis. Plus it doesn't help that I've had probably the 3rd worst teacher/proff for this class to boot. OK, maybe worst isn't the right word here, maybe useless works far better? He never answers the questions I've had for him or when he does, it's usually useless information. THis class has been far more stress then it ever should have been, especially when you consider that it's a one unit class, that's had as much work to it as my current three unit classes for some dumb, and I do mean dumb reason. Anyway, I'll be in Denver starting tomorrow and coming back on Monday morning.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
So it's Been a While . . .
I haven't made a post in a while, probably since I really haven't had anything to add to the discussion or that my life hasn't been that interesting. Anyway, here's what's up.
I'm almost done with grad school! I have small paper and presentation to do in Denver, and then I'm done. DONE I tell you!? Now what? Well not a lot, I'm looking at jobs in the library field and not finding much. The close to home jobs are currently a no. No in the respect that either I'm not remotely qualified or I don't want to do it. I came close to applying for a job at Merylhurst, but then I remembered that I'd be working for the woman that I took cataloging with. She was possibly the second worst teacher I've had in the Emporia program. I ended up repeating the class and got an A. No way she'd hire me, and no way I'd work for her. I know, why waste our time applying.
In other news, instead of sitting around on Tuesday night and watching depressing election results, I took a trip to Bend Oregon and caught Billy Bragg play a pretty intimate show. Absolutely wonderful night and trip. Actually I hadn't really planned it this way, when I found out he was going to be in Oregon and playing locally I found out he was going to be playing at the local McMinnimin locals. I don't really enjoy this venue and at $72 plus fee's I was really turned off. Then I saw he was playing in Bend for $23 and no additional fee's. I've never been to Bend and it seemed perfect. It didn't hit me that it was going to be election night. The only down side I thought at the time was that Nevill Staple was suppose to open for Bragg here in Portland. I'd have liked catching Staple too. But after 3 hours of Bragg, his great song writing and cheeky humor, it was nearly perfect. Anyway, my only kick me moment was finding out that he was OK with photography and I left the M6 in the hotel room. I did have the cheap and old point and shoot that snuck in (even though I didn't have too). Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/filmtwit/sets/72157625177144097/
I'm almost done with grad school! I have small paper and presentation to do in Denver, and then I'm done. DONE I tell you!? Now what? Well not a lot, I'm looking at jobs in the library field and not finding much. The close to home jobs are currently a no. No in the respect that either I'm not remotely qualified or I don't want to do it. I came close to applying for a job at Merylhurst, but then I remembered that I'd be working for the woman that I took cataloging with. She was possibly the second worst teacher I've had in the Emporia program. I ended up repeating the class and got an A. No way she'd hire me, and no way I'd work for her. I know, why waste our time applying.
In other news, instead of sitting around on Tuesday night and watching depressing election results, I took a trip to Bend Oregon and caught Billy Bragg play a pretty intimate show. Absolutely wonderful night and trip. Actually I hadn't really planned it this way, when I found out he was going to be in Oregon and playing locally I found out he was going to be playing at the local McMinnimin locals. I don't really enjoy this venue and at $72 plus fee's I was really turned off. Then I saw he was playing in Bend for $23 and no additional fee's. I've never been to Bend and it seemed perfect. It didn't hit me that it was going to be election night. The only down side I thought at the time was that Nevill Staple was suppose to open for Bragg here in Portland. I'd have liked catching Staple too. But after 3 hours of Bragg, his great song writing and cheeky humor, it was nearly perfect. Anyway, my only kick me moment was finding out that he was OK with photography and I left the M6 in the hotel room. I did have the cheap and old point and shoot that snuck in (even though I didn't have too). Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/filmtwit/sets/72157625177144097/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
