riverstwilight

I love how you guys have plans and know where you're going. And Rivers, you're always so determined. Even though we don't always agree I have to admit it's admirable.

I am the pit bull of love!!!

What AM I doing with my life?

I'm making it up as I go along. Right now, I'm hoping to finish my four-year degree because it will give me more leverage in looking for the kind of work I want to do. I want to work in publishing, preferably in a way that gives me some opportunity to use my voice. Reading a book on tape would be awesome, but I'm also really good at public speaking and moderately good at singing.

If I can't get the funding for school, I'm going to relocate to the first city that I find a decent job in. I'm looking at 6 cities that I think would be an excellent match for me.

One way or another, I'm getting out of here.

I'm only 5foot lol. You can see how short I am in this vlog I did at 3:16

haha!

 

Next to performing...I like to draw...but only do it when inspiration hits me, it's not something I can do 24/7. The one after that is writing, which is why I thought about maybe writing for a magazine

The nice thing about working in the creative field is that most jobs allow you enough variety that you don't feel like you are doing the same thing 24/7 even if you are doing a specific job.

Making maps wasn't glamorous, but it was never boring. Hair pullingly frustrating at times. Never boring. (And I loved it the most when I hated it.)

@riverstwilight [quoting would fill all the page ]

Maybe I'm being off topic but I hope not to be killed because of that

Just wanted to let you know that I love the way you write and that after I read this post I took a look at your blog and found it very sincere, positive and meaningful and after having had eating disorders I can tell that are this kind of things that sometimes people need to change their way of looking to their bodies, appearence and life in general.

I think you can help many people to have a better life and that's great

Thank you!

Decided to delete my first post because it was too long and no one would care about what I had to say

Just imagine if I did that! You'd never have anything to scroll past

Holy hell Rivers you write so much

 

I'd love to be backing dancer in music videos or whatever, but I'm too short. Fact. No going round it. Plus I'm not professional. I may have been dancing since I was 4, but I haven't been to dance college and there's a difference. (sorry if I seem blunt, I am very grateful for your help...)

Dude, that was the SHORT version. You don't even want to know how long it took.

Anyway, my point was, open up the possibilities. You are young. You don't have to choose a specific career and stick to it no matter what. You have time to explore the options. Hang out around your theatre. Talk to people who work at jobs in the creative field and start finding out what jobs are available.

You see that thing you just did with dancing? You chose a specific job and said, "I can't do that, so I can't really dance for a living." That isn't the only job for dancers and it may not even be the best job for you.

Also, don't put all your eggs in one basket by focusing on one favored skill and ignoring the rest. Most creative jobs require a range of skills. Writers have editors and fact checkers and proofreaders because we can't do it all. People who can write don't necessarily become writers. They work as editors and fact checkers and proofreaders.

Your love for dance is good for a lot of things besides being in video and being on stage. You don't want to teach. You don't want to be a choreographer. What about physical therapy? What about stage direction? What about....I don't know. That's where talking to people who chase the work comes in. Find how what work they chase and how they chase it.

Write a one woman show and figure out how to get it produced. Work on it as a side project while you are paying the bills. Then, make yourself famous.

If you spend your life shooting down the possibilities, you end up like me. Much as I love being me, it would have been nice to figure out some of this stuff when I was younger and in a better position to take advantage of certain opportunities I missed because I was too busy saying, "I can't."

Don't let the world tell you who you are going to be. Start exploring the world. The creative world is HUGE and full of an incredible range of possibilities.

One example and then I'll stop. When I say that I was a graphic designer, what do you think my average day looked like? What do you think I did?

I worked for a small design company that made site guides for RV parks. At times, I designed entire guides, but my primary job was map maker. I made area maps with dingbats to show the locations of the businesses that were advertised in the guides we made. When I worked on entire guides, I did everything from color correcting photos to balancing elements in order to make attractive advertisements. I designed backgrounds and wrote copy and did more proofreading than you would believe. Writers aren't the only ones who need proofreading. I was manager of my department, so I had to proofread every map for accuracy. Since I was one of the managers within the design department, I had to proofread every site guide for over all balance and design.

Mostly, the jobs were split up in to specific parts. One person did the color correcting and photo sizing and designed the cover. One person did the site map displaying the layout of the RV park. Three different people created the advertisements. One person handled the over all page layout for all of those elements. All of those people were graphic designers, but each of them had a specific job to do. We helped each other out and worked together on making sure that each part of the design fit within the over all design.

I know so much about design from making maps because there is a lot of design that goes into making a good map. Making a bad map is easy and I've seen more than my fair share of them. Designing a good map is hard work. You have to choose the right font, the right colors, the right line widths, and you have to balance more 50 elements in the space the size of a greeting card and make sure that it's legible and makes some kind of sense.

You go to design school to learn the priciples that you'll need to design anything from a perfume box to a map to a travel brochure to an advertisement. I didn't go to school and had to learn all of that stuff the hard way. I only had that opportunity because some guy from the Ukraine realized I was a genius and stuck me in a hole and said, "Ok genius, DO IT!" And I did it better than anybody in the building. And that is really NOT the way to make friends because it makes everybody else feel like the work they did and the education they got is meaningless. When it isn't.

What you make in design school isn't half as important as what you learn from making it and how you can apply those skills in the working world. You won't always get to apply them in ways you want, but if you love applying them, it doesn't really matter what you make.

It didn't matter that I made maps. I loved the challenge of creating a beautiful design. My early maps were craptastic. They were AWFUL. When I got the hang of applying advanced design principles to my maps, they were the best maps anybody will ever see and millions of people have seen them and used them. They've even been plagiarized.

You want to know how I got that job? I applied for a proofreading job because I thought that I would at least get to use my writing skills to some degree. I did get to use them, but not nearly as much as I hoped and not in any way I had ever foreseen. And it was the best job I ever had.

You take the skills you have and plug them into any holes you can find and you find out that you can fit into the world in all kinds of ways you never knew about. That's the beauty of working in the creative field.

Somedays, I just really shouldn't be allowed near a keyboard.

WHAT DO I LIKE DOING: Singing, dancing, acting, drawing, writing

WHAT DO I WANT FROM LIFE: Success

WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE ME? : Right back on square one.

These questions are only useful for choosing a general direction. They tell you whether you want to be a creative field, a scientific field, or other field.

You want to be in a creative field. That's a challenging field to be in because it's deeply self-motivated and self-guided and there's no roadmap to success like there is in fields that are ruled by more specific guidelines.

You could spend a lot of time thinking about how you define success, but in a creative field, unless your definition of success is very broad and easily fulfilled, that really isn't going to help you DO anything.

Unless you have a very strong vision for a specific thing you want to create, you really have to look for ways to apply your talents to the world around you. Looking to famous people for inspiration is easy because they get a lot of attention. However, that doesn't really help you figure out how to use YOUR talents. Look for the artistic people who don't get noticed. Learn about the specific jobs available in the creative field.

Do you want to be a dancer who does gig work like hanging out in the background of a music video and filling out the chorus for a stage production? Do you want to be a choreographer? Do you want to lighting or set design? Start scouring the internet for people who do those kinds of things at an accessible level and find information about how they started. Look for opportunities to volunteer at your local theatre and start learning some of the ropes. Get to know people who do creative stuff for a living and find out how they got into it.

Celebrities are great dream fodder, but it's the people who make their living by chasing the work who are the best examples to learn from. If you want to be a celebrity, that's great, but you still have to figure out how to do the work and that comes from getting to know the people who do the work. The ones who do it on the ground level are the most accessible. They are the ones who have the experience and the time to share it.

I'm a writer. There's no job description for that because there are a million different kinds of jobs that make use of that skill. I've ruled things out by trying them.

I worked hard on journalism and hated it with the fire of a thousand suns. I've been a tutor and taught Bible studies and learned that I hate teaching even more. People think that it's the circumstances that I tried those things in, but I'm a very relational thinker with a strong grasp of transferable concepts. The things that turned me off about those experiences are universal in those fields. I'm good at doing those things, but I'd rather jump off a bridge and I'm terrified of heights.

Those experiences were valuable not only because they showed me where I don't fit, but they showed me some things I am good at. I hate teaching, but I'm good at building a rapport with people and making the feel comfortable in situations where they are uncertain of themselves. That works well in situations where I get to be a mentor or a supervisor.

I hate journalism, but I'm exceptionally good at meeting deadlines and making things fit into specific spaces. That worked well when I was a graphic designer.

Right now, I'm using my mentoring skills to work as a caregiver for my brother, who has a developmental delay. It's creatively unfulfilling, but it keeps the bills paid until I can develop a more specific direction for my writing. I'm feeling a driving need to use autobiographical information to inspire others, but haven't figured out the execution beyond maintaining a blog that seems to inspire a handful of people to stop hating their bodies. That's pretty cool, but it doesn't pay the bills.

The thing is that people keep telling me that I should do anything and everything to pay the bills, but that isn't practical. That's desperate. Practical is finding ways to pay the bills that contribute to my skill set.

Which brings me to telling you that the best thing you can do as you look for work is to keep your skills and interests in mind. Fast food pays the bills, but it does nothing for building your skill set. Office work isn't the most creative work, but it can provide some of the most basic skills needed for the creative field by giving you the opportunity to work with others and deal with deadlines. Ideally, you want to look for entry level work in fields that interest you and volunteer for creative projects (both on the job and during your free time.)

Unfortunately, I grew up in small towns where my choices have always been fast food or office work, so I don't have specific suggestions, but look for people who are already doing the work. Ask a variety of questions. Learn as much as you can whenever you can. You'll figure it out as you go along.

We could always MAKE something go on!

Maybe dinner or a get together before?

Anyone up for planning something???

I am not a planner. The details are going to be last minute for me because I got two tickets, but it isn't certain if my mom will be well enough after her gall bladder surger on the 20th.

All I know for sure is that I've pre-paid a non-refundable room for the 25th and the 26th, so I will definitely be spending two nights in Seattle and seeing Mika. The rest is up for grabs.

I am most likely to spend Monday exploring downtown like it's my first time there even though I've been there plenty of times before. I might hit Pike Place market for that place that sells the cheese curds and the bread shop that's near that...but I won't be going into the market proper. Something about it always makes me burst into tears for no apparent reason. I think it's haunted.

I might even take a trip to the aquarium. That's one of the few places I have good memories. The octopus likes me

Don't know. I'm just going to wander around and see what happens

I'm starting to get excited!!!

I got an e-mail saying my tickets have been dispatched!

Is there something going on Monday? I totally have the day free if there is.

BIENIE!!!

It's good to know I won't be missing out on the MFC love if I'm not there in the dark hours of the morning (because my butt don't leave that bed til NOON! )

It will be a good day to wander around the city and make some new memories in old familiar places.

I wouldn't quite go that far lol but thanks anyway

You are free to disagree with me, but I stand by my opinion, as always

NO I'm totally kidding, that will obviously never happen, but daydreams hurt no-one xD

 

And Rivers, you totally ARE stalking me.

I can't help it! You're just so HAWT!

Daydreams are nice. I'm sure I've had mine, though I'd (almost) NEVER admit it.

What are people going to be up to during the hours leading up to gig?

Are people planning on sitting in front of the building all day or lining up half an hour before the show or...?

I thought I'd ask now since I'll be in Seattle all that day and don't actually have anything planned yet. I don't really want to go hang out in front of The Moore all by myself for a day

Mika NEEDS to become a dad.

 

With my child.

This is another one of those things we disagree about passionately.

I love Mika to death, but not even HE could talk me into THAT....unless he's got more charms than I know about (creepy voodoo man )

EDIT: Caz, I'm totally NOT stalking you. I was just trying to think of something useful to say when I saw your post and went with humor instead. Don't hate me

The bad news is that I've got walkin' pneumonia.

The good news is that I've got teenage mutant ninja antibiotics and am expected to be right as rain by the time Mika is in Seattle

However it gets sorted, I'm not available for that right now.

Off to an emergency doctor's visit because what started off as bronchitis that should have cleared with antibiotics has been getting steadily worse since I started treatment six days ago.

I am going to cry if I'm stuck in the hospital when Mika plays Seattle.

Yes you are Rivers!! They MUST know what they plan to do.

Please let us know what you find out so we don't ALL have to bombard the Moore with phone calls and have them wish they had never booked Mika!

Will do!

(Crap, I just volunteered for something! )

If you're hell bent on not bringing a laptop, then email Sandbag a day or two before you leave and pre-arrange something.

Actually, I might call The Moore and find out what kind of arrangement they had with Sandbag for our tickets because they might know if the tickets are supposed to be will call or if they've been mailed out.

I am a genius!

If you're hell bent on not bringing a laptop, then email Sandbag a day or two before you leave and pre-arrange something.

 

Where there's a will, there's a way and all that.

I would, but given the way they handled my order for the album, I have ZERO confidence in their ability to communicate. If they refund my money when I send back the second copy they never charged me for, I'm just going to let it go because I've written THREE clear notes explaining that I ordered ONE album, they charged me for ONE album, they sent me TWO and they still respond that they will give me a refund if I send it back. And I'm all NO! I don't want a refund because I paid for ONE and I am keeping ONE and I am just sending back the EXTRA I wasn't supposed to get. Ok, send it back and we'll make sure you get a refund. AAAAARGH!

Try to do the right thing and people just don't UNDERSTAND.

(Yes, I know most people would be over the moon about this kind of error, but it completely defeats the purpose of supporting my favorite artist with my money if they are just going to give it back.)

So, yeah, I'm fully expecting something tragic to happen with my tickets and to just deal with it when it does because if I don't do anything in advance, there is the least likelihood of miscommunication. The less miscommunication there is in advance, the easier it is to solve a problem IF one arises at all.

And yeah, I'm hellbent on traveling without my laptop. It's a hard rule for me. I'll have my cellphone, but never my laptop. I won't even use somebody else's computer if I'm offered, unless there's an emergency of some sort or I'm away from home for an extended period of time (more than two weeks.)

I'm slave enough to technology without dragging it around with me when I want to leave the world behind and experience life.

If I seem inordinately terse, it's because I've been on antibiotics for 5 days and I'm getting worse instead of better, so I'm terrified that I'm going to be on my deathbed by the time Mika plays Seattle....and being on my deathbed is the ONE thing that would keep me from that show. (Well, that and not being able to get my tickets )

*falls to my knees and thanks all that is pure and good in the universe that Mika exists and I know about it*

Thank you for those

You'll be fine. If you have to leave for Seattle and you haven't received your tickets yet, email Sandbag and explain that to them. They should be able to re-issue them at the venue.

I'm not taking my laptop when I go, so I won't have access to MFC or e-mail.

It's a strict rule of mine, I never take the computer when I travel because traveling is about getting away from the computer, seeing the world, and experiencing life.

I'm starting to have nightmares that I'm in Seattle and something has gone wrong, so I can't get into the venue. It's been everything from "I never received my tickets" to "Mika hates you, please leave." (Seriously, that dream sucked.)

I received my tickets for the Vancouver show, but it's a day later than this one. Hopefully the Seattle tickets will ship soon, or we'll find out for sure if they'll be at will call.

As long as I find out two days before the gig, I'm solid. If they ship them and they arrive at my house the day before the gig, I'm hosed because I'm already going to be in Seattle. I booked a room for the 25th and the 26th and won't be bringing my laptop.

Hopefully nothing important at the last minute because I'll miss it if it does (unless somebody awesome has my cellphone number and calls me )

am i the only one who's gotten their tickets?

You got your tickets?!

I have not gotten my tickets

He's been saying that for a little while, but it's interesting that he's saying that "he's kept it quiet for so long."

 

I'm thinking maybe he was in some sort of relationship-ish thing that was still sort of new and unsure, and lately it's maybe become a bit more sure.

 

Either that, or that's just the hopeless romantic in me talking.

Whatever is going on with him, he's looking happy and that makes me happy.

Mika not single? I just heard the sound of millions of hearts breaking

(And one of them was mine )

I'd read the rest of the article, but I'm actually in the middle of a conversation with a cute boy

Edited to add: He turned out to be a nice boy. I may talk to him again some time