"Do not criticize or complain"

Or at least that is what Dale Carnegie says.

As for me. I am frustrated out of my wits. I am desperately trying to remind myself of the good points, and I'm not saying that I don't have them, but right this very second, I want to bang my head against the wall.

So here is a short list of things that are frustrating, to be followed by things I love and am happy with because that is a much more positive note to end on.

1. The Gap. Trying to climb the ladder, hate having people beat me to it that have less experience than I.
2. KC guys. Why can't I bring myself to talk candidly when appropriate and shut my big mouth when if spews forth nonsense.
3. My big mouth. For previous reasons.
4. Other part-time printing employees. Who think they're above folding cards. Sorry pal, you print 'em, you'll fold 'em (eventually).
5. "Totally". Again, big mouth. I'm not fifteen anymore.


I have some other issues, but really, who wants to listen to anyone gripe? Certainly not me.
On to things I like.

1. My roommates. The best I could ask for.
2. KCPPCA. Sometimes a night for typesetting washes all the frustration away.
3. My bike. Same thing can be said for a bike ride.
4. Screenprinting. More love here.
5. Wearing my new boots. They make me feel powerful and sexy.
6. Evenings with Halliday and Terri. Excellent lady friends.
7. Working on my product line.
8. The West Bottoms. Everyday I find more to love.
9. same could be said for Kansas City. If only I didn't have to have a second job, or if only my second job could be more fun.

Batrider

This weekend I had a fair amount of time working at the Gap.

Sunday I worked from 6pm to 3am helping move maternity down a floor and expanding kids. Yesterday I helped with Kid's visuals because the CEO of Gap will be visiting on Friday and we must have everything perfect for his arrival.

Today I am taking time to catch up on my art projects. Which pring me to my Batrider mock-up. I am really excited for this piece. It will be a four color screenprint with an edition of fourty. The ugly brown color in the digital piece will be metallic gold in the final.

I'm thinking the halo might be larger as well to better balance out the top, oh and "at the" is missing from next to "3rd" but like I said, this is just a mock-up.

Expert

Lots of work, both at the Gap and Hammerpress. Finally printing again at Hammerpress, which is a relief, I was close to tearing my eyes out putting together orders.

At Gap there is the possability for moving up. A part-time manager job has opened - Brand Logistic Expert. The work encludes mostly dressing mannequins and heading up brand standards. If I do this, I would be trained to open and close the store, as well as work primarily, if not all, visuals.

Totally going to interview, and at very least ask for a move up in the column, since if I don't get it, someone else will and I can take their job.

Yesterday was also Zack's, from Lovely Press downstairs, birthday. The ship opened up and he had a few bands play. It was a good time. I had my hair did and dress up real nice. Joe took some pictures that I'll post when he gets back from St. Louis.

Out of the dork closet.

Long time no blog. A sad habit, but I just can't bring myself to write everyday. Late nights, early mornings, a lack of initiative, it all adds up to sporadic updates, so no long will I pretend that this will be updated daily, but instead everyone will be surprised when out of no where I post random and extra long going ons of my days.

Recently, I've been coming out of a funk. The last few weeks I've been pretty low. Maybe it has to do with restarting at the Gap, or the weather (probably both), but I can't waste time sitting in my bed watching hulu. I've got to get up and make the most of my time here, because it keeps seeming like it isn't nearly long enough.

So what have I done since I last posted....

- Started at the Gap. The Wednesday after the anniversary show was my first day. I've been getting a whole bunch of hours and due to chatty co-workers have found that my work situation it pretty nice. I have a higher pay than most of them and I work Visuals (dressing mannequins, setting up product) rather regularly which many people want to do, but haven't been able.
On that note, being part of the visuals team has been great. Very fulfilling, well as much as retail can be. There is much potential to be moving up the visuals ladder and so far have been getting progressively complicated tasks and left to work somewhat independently.
Oh, the Gap I work in is three stories and has all departments including a Baby Home. I feel like if I work at a different Gap, I want to manager/key holder position. I've found I know a ton about the brand and I feel like it is about time.
- First Friday. hung out at Hammerpress.
- American Royal Barbecue (First weekend of October). The world series of barbecue, no joking. five hundred plus people come from around the country to compete in cooking. There are four meat divisions, two side dish and one dessert. There really isn't anything for the wider public to do at this event except wander around and look at RV set ups and oil drum grills, well unless you play it right.
A friend had some wristbands, so Joe and I didn't have to pay the eleven dollar cover. We wandered in real casual like both on Friday and Saturday (Sunday I was BBQ'ed out). If a person is real friendly, preferably with a girl, and talkative it is very likely you'll find yourself swimming in free meat and beer. Since the judging only calls for six pieces, almost everyone has meat to spare. The only question is if they are nice enough to share it with your poor-ass self wandering around like a homeless puppy staring at their platters of pulled pork.
There are two types of people at the American Royal. Those who are serious competitors, and have been invited - they are in the front parking lot, and those who love to drink and cook - they are in the back parking lot, or the "darkside".
In the front parking lot I found: "The Party of the Year", one plate of pulled pork sandwich, frat boys, grumpy wives of bbq cooks who didn't want to share their meat bounty.
In the "darkside" I found: free margaritas, an oven mitt, beer, homemade potato chips, crazy delious grits side dish, more beer, brisket, ribs, makers mark, local and organic bbq, a dj laying down sweet beats, pulled pork, more potatoes, mexican bbq, more beer.
I think it is obvious where the fun was.
- Zombie fashion show. Saturday night (of American Royal) I joined Halliday's crew, donned some of her sexy fashions and drove to Lawrence, Kansas for a zombie themed fashion show. Lawrence has been described to be as the only place in Kansas worth visiting. It's a college town, and although I only saw part of it, at night, it seemed pretty interesting. I plan on going back before I leave and look around. There seems to be some shops worth a look, and somehow, Lawrence has all of the good-looking guys in the general area of Kansas City, or at least an unfair population.
The fashion show went well and the MC's outright said that Halliday had the best models. (We all had zombie make-up and walked like we were dead). The only thing was that night was the first night of the ultra cold weather we have been experiencing.
- Basement letterpress. The Hobbs building, a warehouse on the other side of the tracks, has been turned into artist studios. For sometime is has been growing in reputation along side hosting an insane amount of weddings on the first floor.
A while ago Joe showed me the basement where there is a letterpress studio - Kansas City Center for Book and Paper Arts. I finally took it upon myself to hound the guy who runs it and find out what he is about.
Turns out that KCCBP is a co-op. I can come in, pay an hourly fee and use whatever I please, which includes two Vandercooks, six cases of type (one that is all wood and cowboy fonts, yes I fainted) paper cutters, and soon a working platen press. The only catch is there were was no ink except red to begin with.
So for two dollars an hour, or the purchasing of letterpress ink, I am free to work there whenever I choose. Calvert, the guy who runs it, and I have even come up with a system where he leaves the keys and I can work in the middle of the night if I so choose.
I know, this sounds like a dream right? A letterpress, literally three minutes away. There is even a guy who is working as a tech, Greg, who bought ink and I am free to use it in exchange for showing him a thing or two about vandercooks. He's even going to take me shopping for huge linoblocks at an artstore in Westport, oh and help me dehaze my screens. Nice.
- Zombie Prom. dressed up in a blue wig and the swing dress my mom fixed and sent to me(thanks mom!). Was disappointingly like real prom. All couples, bad music. Some indie film trailers were screened, but I feel unimpressed. Just a bunch of guys just out of college, riding the coat tails of Quentin Tarentino. I had great skin that night though, I don't know how that happened so well.
- Bike riding - all the time, everywhere. Except the Gap.
- Picture taking with Joe - Joe is back into photography and I am officially his assistant.
- Dollar taco Tuesdays in KCK - best Tacos anywhere, period.
- Jared moved in - awesome mix. He's been an incredibly welcome addition to the Pistol. He's helping me refurbish my bike (which I've still yet to name), bought me potatoes, and took care of me when I got sick. We plan on having craft nights, but we've yet to start them. Tioo much bike polo for him and too many late nights at the Gap for me.
- Got sick
- Tuna and greenbean diet has turned into baked potato and greenbean diet with a side of queso fresco and yogurt.
- KCK library. who would have thought the best library would be in Kansas?
- Pistol shows. You and Yourn
- Hobbs open studios. I've never seen so much free food and beer, well, not since three weeks ago at American Royal anyway.

So that is my last three weeks in a nutshell...
More to come, I've got to go to target for some boots.

Joe just broke it to me that I am not a secret dork, apparently I'm rather blatant about it.