re: #94 ObserverArt

Believe me, I know your position. I started doing freelance design to help cover some of my college costs, rent, etc. to help my parents out with it all.

From that I built a client base that built into a partnership with another guy from college. That lasted for a few years and then I went on my own for a few more. Then a client asked me to be his art department for a small tech advertising agency which turned into 17 years as in house art department for racing teams and racing and auto parts.

Then because that whole industry changed the company was closed and I was out at age 58.

In a city with a good art college along with Ohio State also offering graphics, etc., 58-year-olds are not needed. There are a million 35 and down taking jobs as unpaid or low paid interns.

I’ve managed to struggle my way to this year for full retirement with a plan of doing some small jobs for extra and moving into painting and drawing which I always wanted to do.

Yeah, it all sucks. It was all good for some time and then boom…not what I was expecting at this age.

30 years as an adjunct. 30…fucking…years. I can’t get hired full time because English is a PhD that everyone in the fucking world has no problem managing. An M.A. with 30 years is like yesterday’s coffee grounds getting reused for another pot. I don’t have a fucking portfolio. I don’t even understand what a portfolio is supposed to be. My entire career has been people handing me a departmentally-generated syllabus and saying, “Don’t worry about not having the parking decal yet. They don’t start ticketing until Thursday and we’ll have one put in your mailbox by then.” Teaching philosophy? Show up. On time. Do what I’m asked. Grade with some sense of speed. Go home. So I definitely understand the whole “extra cog unneeded for final assembly” part of a career.