In limbo.

Yeah, so after months of thinking about it, and despite a substantial number of "common-sense" reasons against it, I quit my job as a senior artist at a well-known "many-artists-would-probably-give-a-big-toe-to-work-for" gaming company 3 weeks ago.

This was done despite the fact I told myself many times that it wouldn't be wise to leave a job without having another lined up. I'd say:

"You know, you'd be an idiot to leave this job, in this job market, without having another job lined up", to which the response would always be:
"Ummm, yeah, hello me! I know! And by the way, you're repeating yourself again."

So yeah, I left fully aware of the fact that the job market is may be total crap present some challenges right now. But "Every exit is an entrance to somewhere else" as they say, and opportunity abounds. So you never know.

But here's the clincher (is it really a clincher, I don't know, but it sounds good), I also left totally knowing that because the project I'd been working on since September '07 (Read Dead Redemption) has yet to be released, I am unable to show any of the work I've done in nearly 2 years. Which presents another challenge, as it means my portfolio is essentially 2 years out-of-date.

So knowing all of this, I still left. So it wasn't a decision made lightly. But I'm almost over it. ;) So moving on...

For the past three weeks I've basically been putting in regular work hours to get the various CG skills I've had atrophy on me over the last year or so back into shape.

Portfolio polishing is also a part of that process, but most of what I've been doing is learning (input), which hasn't resulted in much productivity (output) just yet. Or at least nothing I feel is worth showing. Heck, even some (most?) of the stuff I am showing I no longer feel is worth having up!

(Especially when I take a look around at some of the inspiring works being produced by the CG community!)

So one of the things I've had to do is re-familiarize myself with 3D Studio Max (from now on, just "Max"). Which should be entirely unnecessary (as I used it professionally for years)... but when I started my previous job, I learned a new piece of software (Maya) and then proceeded to use it exclusively for almost 2 years (at the expense of my efficiency in Max).

And while Max and Maya essentially do the same thing(s), they do them in slightly different ways. Just enough, that for whatever reason, my Maya habits have imprinted over my Max skills.

I could go on about hotkeys and navigational issues, but seriously, that's dull. I'll just cut to the chase and say that the differences between the programs and the way I learned them has thrown me for a bit of a loop.

It's like coming home and finding that the layout of your apartment has not only been "mirrored", but someone has replaced everything in it (such as your stereo, clock radio, and remote control) with something else that does the exact same things as the old thing used to, but does them in a different way.

So that's been fun. And what's funny is, I really don't know which software the next company I will may go to will use...but since I know both, I feel I should be fully prepared to use either as it opens up more opportunities.

I just hope I don't forget anything while I'm jaunting about in Utah.

Utah!?

Yes, I'm heading to Utah.

My little brother, who, like other family members I see way too infrequently, and I are heading to Utah for a photo/camping adventure for 6 days.

Six days of hopping around the national and state parks of Utah. And certainly some mountain biking in Moab (First sentence on that page, "Welcome to the home of the greatest mountain biking on the planet"). Oooooh yessss!

Should be a heck of an experience. One I am totally looking forward to for so many reasons. I have been to Utah before, even camped in Arches National Park, and visited Bryce Canyon and Zion. But I was really only passing through on my way to California (and hauling a trailer), so it was rushed. This time will be different.

I also hope to document the trip via this blog here, but it depends on laptop power and cellphone reception. We'll see. It'll be a test of sorts, as I have other potential possibilities floating around in my head right now.

But that's a week from now. I've got other entries to write before then.