The monkey made me do it

Whoopee!

For the first time in, like, EVER, I have a full-time job! Yes, I have managed to go over thirty years now without holding down a position that was not freelance, contract, or seasonal. As my sister put it, "of course - you had to choose a career in the ARTS". Now it seems like I've somehow conquered the nomadic artist lifestyle and I am perfectly happy with that!

My last two months have been spent working as a contractor with a museum exhibit design firm in Seattle, and loving it. They discussed in the beginning switching me over to full time at some point, but given that the last time I heard that (at the job in Mukilteo) they put me off for 6 months and then laid me off right at the worst possible time, I wasn't counting on anything. What tipped the scales in my direction was an intervention from my friend Gloria, who happens to cut the hair of a higher-up at a big architecture firm downtown. The combination of her motherly boasting about me and her death grip on sharp scissors right over his head made him get me an interview with the design team. I'd interviewed with them last year, and even though I did a great presentation they decided that they needed someone with more experience. This time I went in expecting nothing, and my presentation was completely random and probably far too honest (I said "I don't know what I was thinking there" in an INTERVIEW) (I also said one of my earlier choices was design on crack), but I made them laugh and two weeks later they gave me a job offer. When my current firm saw that I'd gone on an interview and it had gone well, they flipped. They had a job offer to me within the week - I went from nothing to TWO great offers!

This last week I agonized over both of them, trying to not miss anything or pass up anything that I would later regret. It was a battle between formal corporate design with tons of resources and training opportunities and creative design with environmental leanings and the opportunity to go crazy with design in a more relaxed atmosphere. Not easy. Then I got to thinking about the corporate ladder environments I'd worked in before, and how it was a challenge most mornings to put on any more than sweats and a t-shirt (guess what I'm wearing right now?) and how most hotel and office interiors were less than exciting (hello, beige. hello, taupe. goodbye, interest). And the place I was currently working was lots of fun, with big projects and big dreams and the ability to humor my preference for bright colors and my innate aversion to mustard (I'm trying to learn to love certain shades of olive but it's a long, painful journey).

When I told the museum design firm that I would be joining their staff, the principal architect did a little happy dance, and I joined her. I think that's the universal sign that you've made the right career decision!

Now I get to design a page for myself on their website, and claim a place for my crap in the office. It's nice. I can finally exhale about the job thing and enjoy my work instead of trying to figure out what I'd be doing next. Hooray for full time!

posted by LadyJay @ 4:39 PM