Careers ...

[Ross Macintosh]

In another thread I just learned Jean-Guy and Delta Moon are both bean counters who use xara as creative outlets. This had me wondering what range of careers Xara X users have. My thought is that in this thread we can each post a brief indication of our career or lack thereof. The thread could be much like the one Gary started about where we all live - I found that really facinating. To encourage participation I'll offer a fabulous prize. I'll send an exclusive postcard featuring beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada to the person with the best brief description of their career.

To start things off: I used to work as a lifeguard when I was young and fit. I wet to university for something like seven and a half years eventually getting a M.Arch degree. I'm now an associate in a small architectural practice. I sometimes get to use Xara in my work but only occasionally. So most of my Xara use is for fun. I find it a good stress release. My description isn't very exciting but then I'm disqualified from getting the prize anyways.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[This message was edited by Ross Macintosh on May 26, 2001 at 07:21.]

[\"W\"]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Thanks to Gary's tutorials, I've gotten some of the graphics education I never had. Thanks to the explosion in the forum of tutorials from other contributors, I can see how much farther I can go (some day).
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Amen to that, Allison [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Wayne

[gwpriester]

I'm not sure if Mary Worth is still a viable comic strip but I have always been facinated with people's stories (as was Mary Worth--she was always evesdopping on other people's conversations then getting involved with their lives).

I guess in a way, we are all involved in each other's lives here. And as my long-suffering wife always points out, everybody has a story.

What about you shy folks out there? I know we have more interesting stories out there than the few fine ones recorded here for posterity.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Early So Humble...

[amoore]

I was born and raised in the Southern USA (North Carolina and Virginia), but I spent my childhood machinating on how to get out of the South and move to New York "where I belonged".

From as far back as I can remember, I never intended to have any career other than the theater, and I worked at just about every aspect of it (except design) at one time or another. Majored in theater at Northwestern University. I spent 10 years as a professional actor, during which I discovered that my specialty was period roles, particularly British (go figure). When it finally dawned on me that "show business" was only a business and had nothing to do with "art", I stopped banging my head and happily went on with my life.

By that time, I'd taken a temp job (one of many) for a small company with whom I got on very well. It's over 20 years later, and I'm still here. I wear just as many hats as I did in the theater, and I work just as many hours (minus the downtime between "shows" <sigh>). OTOH, I may be frustrated, but I'm never bored. I'm constantly working on something that I've had no time to master, so I'm frequently challenged. And I have much more autonomy than I ever had in the biz (except when I was doing a one-woman show).

The company develops medical record software for healthcare facilities (hospitals, clinics, large physician groups). My usual title is Managing Editor, because we've never found anything else that covers my activities. I write, edit, design and/or publish software documentation, online help systems, sales collateral, proposals, newsletters, demo disks, contracts, functional specifications, user group materials, user communications, presentations, and anything else that turns up. I get involved in the text and layout users see in our systems (way behind on this one). I'm the backup for the administrators and periodically oversee the office staff. I'm also the backup for the trade show staff, so I demo our software at conventions as needed. Oh yeah, I forgot the website (but then I often do) and the databases (who cares).

Since I don't draw, my artistic efforts revolve around page design and manipulating clipart. Thanks to Xara, I've been able to take those efforts far beyond anything I previously thought I could do. Thanks to Gary's tutorials, I've gotten some of the graphics education I never had. Thanks to the explosion in the forum of tutorials from other contributors, I can see how much farther I can go (some day).

Now, if I could just get through some of these deadlines and get back to Xara...

BTW, Juan Carlos, I just bought a Plantronics headset phone for home. My ears and my neck send compliments to you and your colleagues. :-)

[frits]

Hi Guys, (haven't seen any girls?)

Work at SNS bank in the Netherlands. Developed Internet banking last year and am now doing several projects as a projectmanager. But still like computers/graphics and like to learn how to create the butifull things you guys make. When I have time I like do do Gary's tutorials. Stumbled on Xara.

Yep, that's enough for now..
[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[jassony]

I've been facinated by all the various day jobs people have.

I spent 20 years in Banking, I was a Operations Officer, then changed over to loan sales. This was a big mistake,the pressure was terrible. The last straw was when I was told to go solicite a home equity line of credit from a coach of a national football team who was dying of cancer. The guy had no family, good insurance and no need for the loan, and I was told not to let on I knew about his condition. I went home and threw up and quit.

Next I became a credit manager for a firm that made computer sub systems and controller boards. A few years later they went out of business from over expansion.

I next became a credit manager for a small firm that repaired and upgraded a major laptop computer line. After an attempt to manufacture a complimentary product for the laptop, they too went out of business.

This was in the mid 90's and the economy was suffering from the woes of the aeorspace industry and our house was actually going down in value. We quickly sold out and a year later moved where we are now.

My current profession is that of a "kept woman" [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] My husband is a bit older than I and retired, so I said "me too!"

I was a volunteer at our local community art gallery for several years, and I still maintain their website.

Judi

[Mickie]

At 12 I took the "if you can draw these faces, you can be an artist test". (They are still using that test 40 years later)...so the seeds were there even then.

After college I sort of "fell" into library work. First at a public library where we sponsored a class in calligraphy which reawakened my creative instincts. Then in '86 I was off to a University Libray where I discovered the internet and Coreldraw. Computer graphics then became an avocation.

Now I am lucky enough to have a job as a web designer for a local company...They actually pay me to play with Xara all day...well, I do have to save a little time for html, javascript, etc.

Mickie

[danifou]

Cartographer by choice (but no job goverment cutbacks), then technician in land surveying (2 years)changed to assistant technician in radiology due to reduction of staff (4 years), went back to university, became a glacial geomorphologist, started my own consulting company (1 year), went back to university to get my teacher's certificate 11 years ago...
1st computer 1990, been using CorelXara 1.1 (1996)and now XaraX mostly to enhance maths and science lessons. Next year I get to teach Draw (If Xara you be in french, I would persuade my school to get it) and robotics.

[jval]

I am the type who becomes easily bored so I have had not a career but a series of diversions. While in school I earned money by playing craps and writing essay homework assignments for lazy students. A couple of scholarships would have sent me to university but I found nothing interesting so played coffee house blues and jazz instead. Unfortunately I couldn't make much more than enough to pay for my food and drink so I eventually drifted into general insurance where I learned property and casualty insurance. Over the next 3 years I eventually became the youngest property inspector in Canada but tired of it a year later. Got married and decided to sell high end hi-fidelity systems instead. If you are going to make a change you may as well go all the way. My wife was in insurance and when the B.C. government got involved a lot of companies left the province. She was offered a promotion and transfer to Toronto so off we went and I became a clerk for a major photo equipment chain.

A series of promotions brought me into upper management. That was okay but there was not really very much to do. Meanwhile I had developed a small reputation as an art photographer so I quit and pursued that for a while. That was okay at first but I ran into a brick wall when I discovered just how political the art world was and that I had no stomach for it. Meanwhile we got tired of Toronto and moved to Ottawa where I discovered microcomputers and entered management at Zenith Data Systems. A series of accidents led me to set up a BBS which became immensely popular throughout both Canada and the U.S. (this was before the internet and web had really caught on.) I was asked to present an informal talk on the subject at the Ottawa Computer Club which had a membership of well over 1,ooo- mostly professionals. As a result I wound up earning a living by giving lectures to various large businesses and government institutions such as the RCMP and QETE.

My wife was also doing well and the pressures of our yuppie lifestyle and occupations left too little time for each other. So we decided to cut back and returned to Toronto where we bought a sailboat for relaxation. I became tired of management, etc and a simple, no-stress job seemed to be what I needed. So I sold pet food for a while. Turned out I didn't like not thinking so that didn't last.

Eventually we decided to just give up so we simplifed our lifestyle, moved onto the sailboat and retired in my mid-forties. We were amazed at how little money was needed once we left yuppieville so have remained retired for the last 10 years. Whenever unexpected expenses such as a new computer or software arise I design a few web sites or do some commercial artwork. Have also had a few small gallery shows and even manage to sell the occassional piece of "art".

This is not the career path I would recommend to those who seek financial success or public notoriety. But after more than 30 years of marriage my wife and I are still not bored with each other so it has its compensations. Definitely we do not have as much as in previous lifestyles but life is much more enjoyable for both of us. No idea what we'll be doing next year but we're sure it will be interesting.

ps. In between sessions I have also been a police dog trainer, writer, sold sailboat charters and did a number of other things you don't care about either. Had a tough time paying the bills by writing but it was infintely preferable to training dogs!

Are you bored yet? <grin>

[minimiro]

In 1994 I finished my (midlle) study in exquisite art.
Come here in Rousse to study "INDUSTRIAL DESIGN" in Rousse University
In 1996 started my teach in computers and graphical design - profile pre-press. After 6 monts (twenty-four hours in day, studying in Photoshop, Quark, CorelXara, Corel Draw, 3DS4, Page Maker) I was invited for my first job like professional pre-press maker in IDS (Industrial Design Studio) - maybe better design firm in this part of Bulgaria for this time.
After 2 years I gone in one of first private printinghouse in Rousse, there for first time I soil my hands with printing inks, and there in practice I recieved many answers on questions from theory of pre-press.
In 1999 I come here in Antares - like leader of their design team, and we achieve so much.
Now we are the bigest paint-roller producer on Balkanian, and third in Europe...
And everything this thanks to the ADVERTISING [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
In all this years, every my projekt was realisated first In Xara, and then in other kind of softwares...

P.S. In "3D graphics forum" (http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...8&f=9601904871) you can see my last atempts in this advertising...