Here's to a career in retail and hospitality management!

Honestly... I find my way into the strangest things without realising it sometimes. I've somehow gone from a career in advertising and graphic design to being a trainee store manager in an Australian alcohol retail chain. I think I'm enjoying the change from design to retail.

For one thing I'm not sitting at a computer all day wracking my brains for creativity. Which means I have more energy for projects like my novels, Linear and comics when I get home. That was one of the main reasons why I left computer-based work. After designing ads and brochures all day the LAST thing I felt like doing when I got home was working on my laptops with my own projects. I also got diagnosed with a rare eye disease in my right eye called Pars Planitis, which really bothers me if I use a screen too much. (My vision is permanently obscured by faint blurry patches, 'floaters' and dead cells trapped in my eye jelly. These only become more apparent in bright areas like looking at the sky or a white screen.) Ive still got perfect eyesight and it's not considered a health risk... It's just VERY VERY annoying and I need to get it closely monitored every six months, they will only treat it if complications arise.

I've been a little dead online lately due to settling into this new job. The pay is really good but it's also very demanding. I'm actually feeling really fatigued but I'll get used to it once I learn the ropes, I'm still learning so much. My regular days consist of 9hr shifts with one or two 11hr shifts per week. Most of which I operate the store alone all day from open to close. I'm still not used to standing for so long, coming from a desk job and all. I'd easily be doing 45-50hrs a week and I work weekends too, which kinda sucks. I used to like having my weekends off with my old line of work but I guess that's the joys of retail.

But this is going to be good for my creative work. I was actually seriously considering skipping out on Brisbane's Supanova convention next year... but I might re-think that. I just don't think I'd get a lot of new content done or have much new stuff to showcase from last year. 2009 has been horrid for 'getting stuff done' thanks to my highly stressful freelance business losing it's major client! *Sigh* I'm so glad I'm out of there. Much less worry in my life now...

So we'll see how I go and how much I get done. Now that I think about it, the convention is the only chance I get to promote my stuff in person and the 60 or so leftover copies of Red Generation sitting in boxes under my guest room bed won't sell themselves! I'd really like to get a short full-colour comic done and printed by the con. But I have so many stories floating around in my head, it's going to be so hard to pick just one!