Here I am, now a recent graduate with a Masters degree and hunting for work. I have been looking at teaching jobs at private schools. I am only qualified to teach at the private school level. I am also trying to decide if I stay in New York or start looking in Pennsylvania. My boyfriend just received a grant which means that he has to remain a Pa. resident for two years, so he would like me to get a job in Pa. Also, my parents are in Pa. and I would like to be closer to them as well. There are some potential for work in Manhattan but I do not think that he likes the idea. Also, I am getting a little tired of the city. If you do not make a lot of money, it can be hard to enjoy it. Then again, it is nice not having a car or paying car insurance.
So it is a bit of a toss up. I need to make money so I need a job. Also, I will have loans that I will have to start paying off. So I do want to find something that pays well enough to actually start putting some money away. I hate having to live hand to mouth.
Anyway, so the hunt is on. Do I get a union theater job, which has great hours but almost no time off; do I try an advertising company, good money but do art for someone else and be a total slave. The teaching offers want someone who has been out there and teaching. I have done some but not on the school level. Catch 22, how do you get experience when all the employers want someone with experience?
I would like to be somewhere where I can have a back yard and closets, oh boy, do I need a place with closets. You never know how much stuff you have until you move into a place that has none.
Anyway, time to carry on the hunt.

Today was the first hot day in the city and it certainly made the job hot. I hope that we will get another air conditioner in there soon to help with the late afternoon roast.
It is a sad thing to have to clean out my studio. I have been making trips to my studio in the evenings to catch up on work and every time, I take more of my belongings home with me. I have taken all of my small plants and now I have started to take my books home. I sort of wish that I have not taken advantage of the Barnes & Noble that was closing around the corner. I bought way too many books but what can I say, it makes me very happy to be surrounded by books.
They are heavy so I can only take a few at a time.
It is still a sad thing for all of us. All of my classmates feel the same though a few have gotten studios together at other locations. Part of me would love for that option but money is tight so I can not afford a space. I hope that someday, when I make some money and have a house in the country, that I can get myself a little table top press and a small print studio of my own.
On another good note, I just got for my birthday an automatic plant waterer. It can water my plants for up to 40 day. Now I no longer have to worry about my dear plants when I go out of town. I just got tired of putting them in the bath tub all the time.
Part of me still wishes that I had not started up my job again, that I could still spend my days in my studio at school and work on art but I need to start making money again. Then there is the search for a new job. I have nothing nailed down right now but I do have a few options. I hope that one of them will pan out.

I hate having to take the bus back to NYC. They keep upping the price and the ride, though fairly quick, can hit many road blocks. I knew that things would be hairy Memorial Weekend. Everyone returning to the city, the bus would be full, the traffic. I expected this and wished that half way through the trip that I had taken the train. The traffic was so bad and the bus driver kept pulling off at each and every rest stop, look at the line for the gas pump and continue on. Strange.
This time, while forking over my $30 for a one way to NYC, the attendant at the desk says that the bus will be 20 min. late. 30 min. later, the bus show. New driver. We sit for another 15 min. before heading off. I had hoped that the river would pick up some time on the NJ turnpike but this was not to be, instead of heading to the turnpike, he hoped on the NorthEast Extension. Have to go many miles before one can turn around. Yikes, now I know that my boss is going to gut me like a fish. She is very nice, is ok with the fact that I come in an hour late. I always make p my hours missed on the road.
Last time, instead of getting to the port authority at 11 am, we got there after 12 in the afternoon. Who knows how long this noob will take to get us there now. We still have to stop at WIllow Grove to pick up more people.
Ahhh, public transportation. Yup, next time I will get up earlier and take Septa into Philly and hop on NJ transit. It is cheaper too. I just hate having to get up so early.
If it helps me keep my job then, it is worth it.
Sorry all, I am sitting on this bus from hell and I felt that I just had to rant and get it off my chest. I am all for public transportation but this is beyond what I can stand.

So I have just had m final review and it seemed to go very well. Best news is that I do not have to matte my pieces for the show. They thought that it would look better just well printed with rough edges. So I have spent two days printing and printing and I am happy with what I have to show for my work. The show will be up from the 2nd till the 17 of May. I have also been accepted to a continuing education show as well in May. I am very happy for that.
I will hate to have to move out of my studio space but since it seems they are moving the building that houses the print studio from across the street to away a few blocks, I am glad that I am graduating when I am. It is hard enough going back and forth across the street and up a few blocks. Carrying 12 zinc plates a few blocks away and then coming back for paper and then tools and ink then having to truck it all back, no thank you.
I do have to find a home for all my plants though. My Philodendron is over 5 feet long, it is a cutting from one that was 21 feet long, and I know that my orange tree just will not be happy with less light in my small apartment. I still have not thought of what to do with my sweet peas, which want to climb up everything. I think that I might give a few away to people with larger and more bright apartments.
So now I have graduation coming up. It is on the 16th, my birthday of all days. I know that that will be a long day in deed. I heard that the grad school kids go first so that might be a great way to get the heck out of Dodge. I am not going to sit 4 hours and wait for the whole school to graduate.

So when I checked my site this afternoon, my avatar was all fucked up. WTF!
Some stupid looking little blue thing with bad spelling.
Some people. I see that it has effected other Deviants. I hope that they figure out what is up. I tried to change my avatar back but was unsuccessful.
I hope others have better luck in dealing with this intrusion. If anyone finds out how to return their avatar back, please let me know.

Thanks.