September 1st, 2010
Summer 2010 Pt 2
Happy September, you guys.
This week I started training for my second job, which is an Evening Supervisor position at Carleton College’s Gould Library. Basically, two nights a week, I keep an eye on the library after it gets late enough that the “real” adult employees want to head home to their families. I think this will be a nice job; I hope I’m right! My bosses all seem very nice.
ALSO: More cartoonist name-dropping in this page:
Jesse Gillespie
Britt c. h.
Ryan Dow
Danno Klonowski
Zander Cannon
Lance Ward
September 1st, 2010 at 10:44 am
Ever considered library school? I know grad school isn’t affordable so it’s moot, but the field is riddled with comics enthusiasts, and imho it’s a good career for folks who need a day job to support their main interest. UW-Madison has a good distance ed program. If you can’t get the degree, paraprofessional library jobs (as you’ll see) can be sweet gigs and if you stick with it they pay ok after a while, at least at colleges.
September 1st, 2010 at 11:04 am
Please don’t say that you “suck at drawing.” I really appreciate your style and it bothers me when people get down on themselves about their art. It is honest and you know how to tell a story. In my opinion, that is all that matters.
Also, it is okay to have those feelings about “what am I going to do with my life.” I have those feelings every day.
September 1st, 2010 at 12:22 pm
KP: I actually have been considering library school! I’ve been researching it this summer. Unfortunately, MN is not exactly a mecca of ALA-accredited programs, but there are still options, and I am lucky enough to know several people with librarian experience (including some very smart people at my new Carleton Library job!) whom I can pepper with questions. It’s definitely something I’ll keep thinking about.
Daniel: Heh, sorry about that… I don’t *really* think I suck at drawing, and many of my favorite cartoonists are not at all traditionally talented illustrators. Crude drawings are often much more full of emotion. But doubts about my cartooning abilities are just one of those things that creep into my “what am I doing” feelings after I’ve got myself riled up enough.
I’m glad you have those feelings, too. Well–not “glad” exactly (it would be better if neither of us had those feelings!), but it’s reassuring to know that I’m in good company with my freakouts.
September 1st, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Hey Athena -
I think I suck at playing bass but that doesn’t keep me from performing in public with a band. No sense in letting high standards keep you from doing what you love.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:18 am
You’ll also hopefully get to meet Andreas Stoehr, who I think still works at the library, and contributes regularly and prolifically to the Carleton Comics Journal. He’s very into comics and film, is incredibly intelligent and friendly, and I think you’d get along with him like gangbusters! He also blogs often about film and gender: http://mendthiscrack.wordpress.com
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:13 am
Loving the summer series, as always. YOU SHOULD DO LIBRARY SCIENCE! I have considered this career path many times and it seems very cool. Still, probably not quite as cool as independent comic book writer/artist.
November 3rd, 2010 at 11:53 pm
Aw, Dad! Thanks for being such a nice dad, and don’t be hard on yourself about the bass.
Scott: We have met now! And I’ve read his latest collaborative minicomic! So cool. Also so cool is the pumpkin that Jacob Canfield painted with the new president’s face. It is a TRAVESTY that that pumpkin did not earn the library the title of best-decorated office this Halloween.
Casey: It does seem like a pretty cool job! And it has the advantage over the comic in that I might actually make a little money at it. But for now I am so completely clueless about my future that I can’t even think about grad schools. Maybe by the time I’m 40 I’ll be ready. Probably not.