Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Missing Skills

As I continue/start the job search process there are a few things in my skills grab-bag that I have discovered missing:
- Familiar with GUI programming (at least I know what this is even if I haven't done it)
- Experience with video game build process (again, at least I know what this is)
- Skilled with scripting languages (nope, no skill there)
- Experience with detailed model building or architecture (I sometimes play with the ketchup and salt shakers at restaurants)
- Experience in traditional motion control, optical compositing, camera operation (I CAN operate a camera! No to the rest)
- STRONG proficiency in C (perhaps I am more in the mediocre range)
- Visual effects experience in feature films (no)
- Experience working on a video game (no)
- 1 to 3 years in game development or film (no)
- Passion for sports video games (hah no, shh don't tell them that though)

I believe I will still apply to these jobs and cross my fingers since most people say i will rarely find a job whose requirements fit my skills perfectly. I think that job would have the title: Gemma Professional. Obviously, I have yet to find that job title anywhere.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

[New Title Goes Here]

Oh, well, I should probably tell people that I am blogging again. . . .
I should also come up with a new name since I am no longer in LA. Suggestions are welcome.

Monday, November 17, 2008

A Return to Blogging

I have decided that blogging is a cathartic experience for me even if I don't think anyone is reading. This is why I am going to re-enter the blogging lime light and lifestyle.
Right now I am experiencing the joys of sitting too close to a smokey stranger. I don't mean smokey in the romantic way, I mean it in the odorous way that makes me wish I had chosen the seat to my left in between two women dressed entirely in black (depressing). I had thought my seat choice rather wise considering I don't like, no, correction, hate being in close proximity to strangers. So now, instead of being sandwiched between two women who I can only guess smell nice if not at all, I am next to a bearded smoker. I could still move to the other seat but then it would be obvious that I moved just to get away from my current seat neighbor and even if he smells I don't want to draw attention to myself with a seemingly inexplicable relocation.
I walked over to the library because I cannot concentrate at home and I had a minor freak out after I looked at some job listings this morning. I have serious doubts about my proficiency in anything they ask for. I thought I would wander over here to the computer section and pick up a book on programming in C, the language of choice for most employers. I learned C at Dartmouth but I don't feel comfortable going to a job interview and then having to prove that I know it. Naturally, there are no books on C in the library but several on C#. For people who don't know much about programming languages, C is a popular language that most everyone in CS learns and needs to know, C# on the other hand is useless to me. Thankfully, I brought materials to draw with so I can direct my frustration into art after I have partially vented in this post. Another thing that I feel insecure about are my drawing skills. I can draw. . . . but I am slooooowww and inconsistent. So I have formed a plan to go to the library quite frequently to hone my C and pencil skills. This plan should also prevent me from having so many minor freak outs. I realize this may not be interesting to you, but by writing it I am infinitely more likely to keep to this plan.
The smoker has wandered away but left his things. This is unfortunate for when he returns my nose shall again be assaulted by the stench that it had nearly grown accustomed to before he left.
He is back.
I was right.
And so ends my first post after so long of a break.