The Stagnant Artist

The Trials and Tribulations of Job Interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:32:00 +0000

So this past Monday I had an interview. It went great. From what I could tell, they really were interested in me and what I had to offer them. I was equally excited cause it was just really nice to feel wanted and it was doing something I have been wanting to do. They asked me to come in on Friday for a second interview/trial. I thought, hey that is good. They had already asked me how much I was looking for and how many hours. It seemed promising.

Friday rolls around and I was was nervous. Something in my gut was just not sure about all this. I chalked it up as being the fact that I have been unemployed for about 9 months now and interviews were too far and few between. I show up on time thinking, well so far so good. I grabbed a nice cup of coffee and headed over to the place. I get there and I am early, as in noone is there yet. I look at the time and notice I am about 6 minutes early. It's winter and cold, so it's not like i want to hang out outside. I figure I will just wait patiently. My last job noone ever showed up on time! About 15 minutes later, the girl that is in charge of the office show up and was surprised noone was there yet. Then the boss showed up about a couple minutes later as we were waiting for the elevator. The office girl reminds the boss that I am there for working and the boss looked all surprised. At that point I am thinking, oh this isn't good. You don't remember me or the fact that I am supposed to be there! Finally things get worked out and I start to work.

I am in the room working with the guy that is in charge of that room. So I am sitting there and working by myself, listening to some WNYC. All is good. I think back to when I was working in that same sort of setting and how I enjoyed that. The guy that was in charge of the room kept leaving to go pick up stuff from outside, which I thought was kind of strange, but I was content on my working and didn't have any questions. What I did think was odd was the fact that he wasn't checking how I was doing. I would think that if I was doing a test run, they would want to make sure what I was doing was correct! But since I was rather content sitting there working, it was fine.

The room had no clock, but I am guessing it was around noon when some other guy showed up in the room. I wasn't sure if he worked there as well, but then he was handed an identical project as the one I had to work on. I then realized, wait a second- he's here applying for this job as well.... So then it was just me and this other guy working in the room. Neither of us talking and working, I wasn't exactly sure what was happening. All I knew at that point was that I was starving and was just wanting someone to come over and tell me when I should either leave or go to lunch. Finally the guy running the room comes back from one of his many disappearances and tells me that I can take lunch whenever. I go grab my coat and notice that the time is 2:45. No wonder I am starving!

I come back from my half hour lunch and about 15 minutes later, a third guy comes in the room. At this point I know he is also applying for the same job. He is very new at this and has a lot of questions. The guy in charge of the room tells the new guy to ask me and the other new guy if he has any questions. I helped the third guy out. I leave the room at one point to go get some water and notice that everyone has left but us. I walk back in the room and the guy in charge of the room says- I am leaving in a half hour, so you can go whenever you want. I must have given him a look of confusion since I was being told I can go home, finally, and still have no clue if I have a job or not!

I overheard him talking to the second guy about the job and saying something about me doing 2 different jobs. The poor third guy was even more confused and realized that we were all in there for the same thing. I laughed and said to him- yeah, we are all in the same boat. I left there not knowing anything and told to come back in on Monday and if there were any changes, he'd send me an email this weekend.

So here I am Monday, after a weekend of being a bit annoyed and determined to go in today to not work until I got some information. I was not going to work another entire day and not be payed. I needed answers. So I am getting ready to go to "work" and I look down at my phone, which I usually do rather religiously anyways, and notice an email. I look at it and it says something like this- "It was a pleasure working with you last week. Give the studio a call to reschedule a time to come in and see what my other capabilities are." This was in reference to the other position at the place that they are interested in having me do as well. The whole thing is odd.

The whole thing makes me weary. I don't know what they are thinking and they are not communicating it with me. I had had these horrible communications in past jobs and that has driven me insane. I don't like that kind of work environment. I have been in trouble for things because they weren't communicated to me, and I do not enjoy being put in that situation. My gut is just saying don't do it. My brain is saying- You haven't worked in 9 months. I don't know which to listen to.

Ahh the random things I find

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:53:00 +0000

An Interview?!

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:29:00 +0000

Wow, I have an interview! It's not until February, but hell, it's finally an interview! Now I have a reason to get a real haircut and my hair dyed! Not that this job would require me looking particularly "good", since it is for sculpture chasing. The funny thing is that the artist this is for had a studio where I live, about 5 blocks away. I even had a show in her extra space back in the day as well. I have applied to her before, but I wonder if she had ever seen my resume. I think the assistants filter them first and don't really know what they are looking at. I wouldn't put it past that. Especially since I have the EXACT experience she is needing.

It was funny since i did send the email response to the job ad around midnight. I get an email back from her the next day, from her phone, saying that I seem very qualified for the job. So we shall see. If it works out, it works out. I also have some work at the radio station lined up in February as well, so I could be extremely busy soon. It will just be really nice to have some real money coming in, instead of the unemployment. That and also to feel needed and wanted.

That is one thing that I have found really depressing about being unemployed. I just hate that feeling of looking through the help wanted and seeing the word INTERN. I am about to be 36 years old, I have skills that I have learned over the years and a talent. I am not giving you this for free. fuck you. It's an insult. And because the economy is such crap, employers are taking advantage of this. I also have questioned my skills and talent when looking at the help wanted as well. I think I am not qualified for jobs that I totally know I could do. It's the knowledge that there are hundreds and hundreds of people all sending in resumes who are most likely more qualified, so I don't even bother putting myself out there.

I must say, I still don't hate this time to myself. I never thought I would be able to handle myself if I wasn't working and I have proven myself wrong. I have been extremely busy and productive. I am proud of myself for the work that I have done for ME. That is something that I would never have been able to do if I had a job. And who knows, maybe all this work on myself will lead me to something down the road. Who knows.

Not that anyone cares.... or is reading...

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:59:00 +0000

Well, the 13 yr old birthday party was great. Granted the music was not so much, but I now have gotten past that scare of doing live dj-ing. That was probably my most worrisome part. I didn't know how I was about to do it and not sure what it would be like. Now I feel comfortable doing it, but granted, it wasn't a room of my peers. I feel like it would have been very different if it was people my age and the music that I wanted to play instead. So that will be my next hurdle, right?

Trying to also finish up my marathon premium as well. I had been planning this for months and I can't believe that it is practically here! I am nervous about this as well. The marathon kind of lets you know how you are doing as a show. If I can get a good following for the marathon, then I might be seen as a better time slot in the future. I know it is said that it doesn't matter how much you make during your marathon slot, but let's be real. I know that people look at the numbers. So I am definitely nervous about it.

As for art, still busy creating, but the more I do, the more I realize that I need real tools and real space. My neighbor downstairs thinks she may know a friend that has a garage that needs a little work. If it is the right price, I just might have to take it. I really need some space. I am tired of my husband looking around the house at the mess that I am making. I AM making a mess, granted, but hell! My room is small!

And of course, the search for a job is still happening. Starting to see some jobs jump on the boards though. I am seeing a mix of jobs and interns. So who knows. Maybe the economy is on the way back. If you can see jobs in the art world, then it is the first sign! Keeping my fingers crossed for the upcoming future.

Ahhh yes.... I am alive....

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:49:00 +0000

Okay I am alive. I swear. Barely.... So to update, I am a) still unemployed b) still creating lots of artwork c) still at the radio station and d) freaking busy! I can't believe how busy i am. I really shouldn't be typing this since i have other work to do! But I figure I should take some time out to see what is going on in the blog world. I figured I should let people know i am alive.

Last month I sold 3 sculptures. That is freaking amazing. I was completely baffled by that. One of the ones I sold was that larger mailbox piece that I posted not long ago. I have now focused on creating my art as my business. When the hell else am I supposed to do it, right? So I created a website for myself, made business cards, going to local openings and trying to be "known" here. The last show, in December, I had great critiques of my work. It was very humbling and flattering. I even had one artist come up to me and say that I am a much better artist than her. I couldn't help but blush. I am now trying to come up with a ton of work for an upcoming show in May. It's a joint show with me and my friend who is doing paintings. This will be a good test for me and a great way to get exposure and build my portfolio. From this, we shall see how I can further pursue my art in NYC and elsewhere.

Radio show is going excellent. I have a great listener ship. I have my regulars who are just amazing and GET what i am doing! That alone makes me so happy. I decided to do one show that was all the same song, pretty much. It was the song "Stagger Lee". There are over 300 versions of the song, so I wanted to go through the years of the song, explain the history and show how the song has changed. Now this is 3 hours of the SAME song! I didn't have many comments, but i can see how many people are listening and it remained consistent. I was amazed. The comments I got were about the songs and how the number of children had changed. They were really LISTENING! So that makes me feel good to know that what I am doing is worth something. People want to listen and I am enjoying doing it. Who knows what this will do for me in the future, but I figure I will ride the wave for the time being and see where it takes me.

I am also going to DJ a 13 year old birthday party this Saturday. Now talk about being out of my element! I don't know this new music. I sound old, I know. I just find today's pop music horrible. There are some decent stuff, but all in all, what these kids are listening to is just plain BAD. I wonder partially if they understand what the songs are about, but then at the same time the songs don't really hide their meanings anymore. I know.... old, i get it. What happened to innuendo? It's sad. So now I have to collect these songs and play them. The other funny thing is that they want the pop songs along with these other songs that make me giggle. Rockband and Guitar Hero have now opened up the musical realm to kids, which is kind of funny. So I get requests such as Beyonce, Flo Rida and then Alice Cooper and Queen. HA! So I will look forward to the other odd requests and try to find the decent Rhiana and Lady Gaga songs. Wish me luck!

Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:18:00 +0000

So I know, I been missing lately. But it's all good. I have been busy making art and I just got my third art show since i have been laid off. So all in all, I think this has been a great thing. I have been busy learning how to create kinetic sculptures, which has been fun and challenging. One of these is going in an upcoming show in August. The other thing I am working on is a skull, for an exquisite corpse show in October. So, I have deadlines, which we all know is something i need.

I need to get a website. That is one of the many important things i have to take care of, but with my lack of skills as a web designer, i think this will take a little longer than usual. That and i need to document some of the new pieces. I hate this end of art. I just want to create it, not worry about trying to sell myself.

So for now, that is where i am. Sorry for being distant. It's all good over here. No worries!

New Sculpture!

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:13:00 +0000

Well, I started this piece back in 2007. The majority of doing this was this past year. And especially since i have been work free. I figured it was time to stop being stagnant. Time to do some work. So i gave myself a deadline of the end of the month, and I did it, with time left! I am naming this piece "Death of an Art". The entire piece is covered in letters. I had collected letters that had been sent to me since high school. They been sitting in an accordion file in a basement. I had them separated alphabetically. So if anyone had ever written to me within that time, I had that letter. I rarely get letters now, so it's kinda amazing that i have saved these. Ever since email, letters have gone by the wayside.

As I was working on this, I was reading through the letters and trying to remember what was being talked about. Most of the time, I had no clue. And they all said what great letters I wrote. I kinda wish I had those still. I am curious as to what i thought was so important or funny at that time.

I am really happy i have finally finished this piece and happy that I am ready to move on and work on some new stuff! This won't be clogging up my room and I might even get to put this in a show next month. So even more inspiration to get the piece done! Ever since I have been unemployed, I have had tons of ideas of what i want to do. My mind is not stagnant anymore. I just don't have enough time!

I am off to Baltimore this weekend and am going for more inspiration. This weekend is the Kinetic Sculpture Race. Then the next thing I want to do is go to the American Visionary Art Museum. They have a collection of smaller kinetic sculptures where you can crank something or there is a motor and the pieces move. I need to find a book and do some research of moving sculptures. I want to do a series of kinetic pieces based on circus sideshows. I just finished a book about it and I have been fascinated with them for a long while. So we shall see. I want to make some pieces that are cheaper to produce and sell. So each box will be 12" x 12". I also want to make shadow boxes, which I got the inspiration at a museum in Istanbul which was all about shadows.

So let's see what is about to happen. I am excited!

A Week of Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:18:00 +0000

Well it has been a week of unemployment. I must say, so far so good. I have been cleaner in the house than i would be when employed. I have made dinners and gone shopping. I have had time to work on my art work and time to spend at the radio station. Even did another version of my podcast, which will be more often if this keeps up. I think i have been more productive than I have been in a normal work week.

The one rule i am making for myself in this lapse of work is that I will NOT take a job just to take a job, well at least not yet. I am holding out for something that is right for me. I don't need to jump into another job that I absolutely hate. And I refuse to take a pay cut either.

So today I had an interview. I was not too psyched to go, to be honest. I knew their hours and mine don't really agree with each other. But all in all, I can't say no to an interview. I have to give everything a chance and if this job is right for me, they will work around my needs as well. So I go in and all seems to be going okay. They even brought up the radio station and what my schedule is there and say that they could work around that as well. So I am fairly happy to hear that, but then he starts to quiz me. Literally. I had a verbal and written test. Now I understand talking to someone and giving scenarios on situations to find out how people respond to them. But I just felt a little taken aback by having to take a written test and adding things together. And not only adding things together off the top of my head. The written test was even about shit that doesn't even pertain to the job i am interviewing for, such as making a formula for an Excel file and organizing photos.

I think if you are going to do something like this, please let them know ahead of time. I was totally off my guard and might have been a bit more prepared mentally. Hell, at least brought my own pen! The whole thing left a bad taste in my mind. Then he gave me a tour after finishing my test. I walked around and saw the tiny rooms they work in. Then I realized that this metal finishing really is a lot of nothing. Cutting lengths of metal, tapping and die it, and then finish the metal with scotch brite pads. Really, not very difficult. I think i have a little more experience with metal than this. So this aspect of the job could be very boring.

The part that did interest me was some possibilities of learning more glass blowing and working with glass in general. I had done a course in glass blowing that i paid for in college. I left there with a new respect for glass after that. So the idea of learning more of this definitely interests me a lot. I am all about learning new things, but with my luck I would be stuck cutting brass tubing.

In the end, I walked away not really knowing what to think. I just don't know. I don't know if this is something i want or not. In the meantime, I can just keep going on with what i am enjoying on my own. And i am keeping busy, so boredom has not hit.

I have sent out a lot of resumes. So as my TKD teacher would like to say, if you throw enough mud on the wall, some of it has to stick. I am hoping there is some truth in that. I figure i am throwing out enough resumes, something has to stick. I am kind of wishing for a part time job. One that allows me to keep getting my unemployment and keeps me working and making a little money while I am allowed to work on my own work. Is that bad of me? I just feel like this is the first time since college that I am being allowed time to work on MY artwork. And I see progress. Something i haven't seen in way too long. I am almost finished with a piece. That makes me psyched. That is actually pushing me more and more as well. I am trying to get it finished by the end of this month. i have also started to work on another piece as well. It's amazing what happens to a creative mind when it isn't being bogged down with the job of hating your job. That really puts up a big wall in the creative progress and makes you extremely tired.

I also came across today some interesting reference material i had stored away from college. I haven't been able to look at it, but one of the things I found was about freelancing. Tomorrow i have a busy day at the radio station and then a concert, but I see Thursday as a great day to sit down and go over all this information. So busy days ahead. Then Friday night, i hop on a plane and am off to Chicago for a TKD seminar on refereeing. See, I told you I have not been bored. This free time just may do something good for me. Just stay tuned to see what it is!

A Statistic

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:28:00 +0000

Yep, I am officially a statistic. I am apart of the 13.2 million people out there. I was laid off. Yep. It sucks, but part of me doesn't feel bad about it. We all know, I hated my job and every aspect of it, so part of me right now is breathing and finding my zen. I am not stressed, but it's only because I had way too much stress from old job. It's not like I didn't see it coming. I saw the numbers coming in, or more like not coming in. I saw the bills pile up and the stress getting worse and worse. I was the last full time employee there. We moved into a new space because of rent and sent out sculptures that were practically free.

So yes, it happened to me. It happened at lunch on Friday. He wanted to sit down and have a lunch meeting. When i heard that, I knew what was happening. We sat down and ate and talked about my vacation. I knew that was a cover. Then he said that they have no money. They can barely pay themselves. They are skimming by, and barely. He said I should know, which i did. He didn't say it officially for a while in the conversation. It was strange. I was hurt, only for the sake of not leaving somewhere because I said so. I wanted to be the one to say, I quit. Not leave and think- well at least i can collect unemployment.

So that is what is up. I am free. I don't have to dread going to work. I don't have to hate every single day. I won't feel the need to flip off my boss behind his back on a daily basis. I will be able to collect my thoughts. I will be able to do something for me now. I will be able to work on some art, go to WFMU more and find the real me again. I am good, I am not freaked out (yet) and I am remaining calm. We shall see what the future holds. But I think this all happened for a reason.

I'm Alive

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:24:00 +0000

I am here. I been busy fighting jet lag, uploading photos and hating my job. So nothing new. Found out my dad lost his job. Who has this economy not effected? or is that affected....

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:53:00 +0000

Ahhhhh, hello all! I am BACK. Back in more ways than one. I was away as you might have been able to tell by my lack of posts and due to craziness at work. I was also away on a MUCH needed vacation. And lastly I am back in a "my mind and patience are re-aligned" way. I feel a lot better to have been away. I really needed to get away from everything. I guess i should go back a few weeks, to give you an idea of crazy.....

Well two to three weeks ago, my work was getting ready to go through a move. We were packing up the studio and getting ready to move to a new space. The new space is good in the sense that it is closer for me to get to and drops my commute by 15 minutes. So that is good. So it was a good move.... but bad at the same time. So in the middle of packing, our phones and internet were turned off, which then means no sales were coming in. We lost contact with all our clients and since my job is in sales.... that is not too wise.

When we did finally move to the new place, I was told that the new office, which had to be made was moving right along. I was under the assumption that it was going to be by the middle of the week that we would be back to normal. That Monday morning when i walked into work, I looked around to the lack of work that was done and the horror of what was ahead. All the office was was a built up loft space. Just a floor. That was it. The guys were just starting to build the walls that day. So between, dry walling, mudding up the walls, sanding the walls, scrapping the decay and paint off the beams and ceiling, repainting the ceiling, painting the entire room, moving shit around.... I was doing everything BUT my job title. Now don't get me wrong. i am not a primadonna. I don't mind getting dirty and doing some hard labor. I actually miss it in a way, so sorry Chuck... I do miss being dirty from the mold room! The problem was more of- not my job department. I was not prepared to all of a sudden do the work that was needed. I was wearing nice clothes under false assumptions of the progress. The other issue was that I ended up being the only person working! I was told- Oh yeah... no worries... here you will have all these people to work with you on these miserable tasks, such as painting a ceiling. Then they would be pulled away and I would be left alone doing it. Yeah... fun.

The first week finished, and there was still no office. Just a pure skeleton of one. The following week, they had moved in all the furniture.... and moved it into the undone office.... which you saw images of. So needless to say, all that had to keep getting moved around that like annoying puzzle game where one piece is missing and you have to slide the pieces around one at a time to make the image complete. Yeah. Awesome. So on top of getting no help, my boss who you all already know that I think is completely useless, did NOTHING. He did absolutely no manual labor in helping getting the office ready. He stood to the side playing with his iPhone. That pissed me off more than anything. I was busting my ass (and back) while he did nothing. He'd come in and move stuff in the way of what you were working on, or give useless ideas about what should be done next. Then he would say... okay i gotta go home and do some work. Nice eh? Oh, and did i mention that there was no hot water or heat? No? Well, there wasn't. So washing your hands after getting utterly filthy was next to impossible. You would wash them in freezing water, dry them off on your dirty clothes and have them be freezing cause the room temperature was freezing. Yeah....

That week, i busted my ass and finished the painting and started to move the carpet around when TA DA! I threw my back out. Yes... two days before my vacation. Why was I moving carpet without help? oh i wonder..... I had noone else helping me. The guy i work with was watching me move it when it happened too. Nice huh? So I sent an email to my boss saying- you planning on coming here and helping any time soon? I just threw my back out trying to do this by myself. So he came in and I went off to the acupuncturist. That man worked miracles. MIRACLES. If you never have had that done... go do it! I don't care if you are afraid of needles.... just do it.

Finally the last day before my vacation, I came in, helped roll out the carpet with my boss and coworker and we finally had an official office by the end of the day. Amazing.

Oh, while all that drama was happening that last week, I was also busting ass at WFMU. It was marathon week and I was working on two shows that week. So I spent ever single day at WFMU that week. Which isn't a bad thing... just eats up all my extra time.

So lastly I finally went on vacation.... YAY! and I will write about Istanbul later... with appropriate images to go with! But wow... did I need that break. The one good thing is that when i got off the plane, I had a message on my email asking me to do a fill in for Wednesday, March 18th. So of course I said HELLS YEAH! So tomorrow night at 11pm to 2am EST I will be spinning tunes at the station again! Very exciting. So come listen and send your love!

So now that i am all rested and relaxed, I am ready to jump into the swing of things again. Sorry I have been missing! Now go out for a tasty beer tonight and for god sakes... don't drink green beer... that is just wrong. And if you are in Chicago... go by the the river to see it that brilliant green color.

My Version of Hell

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:24:00 +0000

I have been MIA lately... these pictures will only begin to explain it. This is 2 weeks into the whole thing too. I hate hate hate hate hate my job.

Fascinating... really!

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:27:00 +0000

This site is all sorts of awesome... in a gross way...

Ladies Kick Ass

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:52:00 +0000

Oh yeah we do!

That Time of the Year Again....

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:16:00 +0000

It's that time of the year for me. Every February I get frustrated and annoyed and it's like a permanent PMS. This year I was going to be pro-active and make sure it didn't happen, but here we are again and it's happening. I get beyond frustrated with my job, so I had sent out applications for new jobs. I got two call backs where one I met with them twice and the other I had two phone interviews. I was told that I was supposed to have a third interview ( which is kind of annoying) but I hadn't heard back from them. I decided to be proactive and send an email stating that I was supposed to have this third interview and wanted to know when it would be so I could plan my meetings with my clients accordingly. Which is true And makes me look like I am organized. I had sent this out about a week and half ago with no response. I did finally get an email yesterday saying it was getting postponed until after the 23rd.

I was also supposed to have my other face to face instead of phone interview scheduled last week and have not heard from them either. This is also equally annoying, but their hours are not what I really want and might not be flexible to accommodate my WFMU time. That is just something I don't want to disappear right now.

On the radio front, as you can tell I have not had any fill in shifts. I did get asked to do one for last Sunday from 6 am to 9 am. I did that shift before and loved it. The problem was I responded too late and someone else said yes. And I mean too late being 45 minutes after it was sent! I was do excited to get more air time. The one nice thing was that he liked the show I did when I filled in for him last time and I am now on his radar as a fill in. The other thing about the station is that the station manager keeps bringing new people around for studio training, especially when I am in the studio working on my weekly show. Since I am only board op-ing, and running a ore recorded show, that studio can be used for training. What annoys me is that he is training SOMEONE else! I been with this station and dependable! Give ME a chance! People seem to like what I am doing.... So come on!

The last thing I am annoyed at, but is not high on the list is this stupid bar that wanted to meet me about showing my work. So as I had said, the guy who was in charge of that was no longer there. I figured I would contact them in a month or two. No biggie. Then a couple weeks later I got an email from the person taking over for him. She wanted to honor the people he contacted and was having a hard time finding everyone's info. So I wrote her back and sent example images and that was that. I haven't heard anything else. The only reason this one isn't as high is because I wanted some time to create and finish some new pieces and I haven't had any free time due to my TKD training.

Well I can at least end this on a good note. I took my black belt test and all my extra classes and off day practicing has paid off! It was long, about 6 hours total, and there were parts j wanted to stop, but I made it. I broke my wood, which I haven't done in my past few tests. I even broke one with my hand and broke a double board with a back kick. J survived the circle of death. I was sore the following day but only that day. I was not as wrecked as I thought I would be. Tonight I have my black belt ceremony. So that should be fun.

Thank you Lux Interior..... You will be missed!

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:46:00 +0000

I am re-releasing this from the WFMU website. I just found out today. I am rather saddened about this loss, as I never got to see them live and was planning on trying to see them as they were still touring around.... Thank you Lux Interior for your amazing contribution to the music world... I leave you with these words and this amazing video. The Cramps did a live concert at an insane asylum, which would and could never happen these days.

For Immediate Release: February 4, 2009

Lux Interior, lead singer of The Cramps, passed away this morning due to an existing heart condition at Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, California at 4:30 AM PST today. Lux has been an inspiration and influence to millions of artists and fans around the world. He and wife Poison Ivy’s contributions with The Cramps have had an immeasurable impact on modern music.

The Cramps emerged from the original New York punk scene of CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, with a singular sound and iconography. Their distinct take on rockabilly and surf along with their midnight movie imagery reminded us all just how exciting, dangerous, vital and sexy rock and roll should be and has spawned entire subcultures. Lux was a fearless frontman who transformed every stage he stepped on into a place of passion, abandon, and true freedom. He is a rare icon who will be missed dearly.

The family requests that you respect their privacy during this difficult time.

Looking Back in Time

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:43:00 +0000

I was reading Frankie's blog about old friends and Facebook and it has gotten my mind thinking lately. Like most people, I have Facebook. It took me a LONG time to get it. I thought it was for kids in high school now. And if it was for school in general, I had been out long enough to not need it. I was in contact with the people I wanted to be from then. But alas I was sent an invite and there I was. The funny thing is that I have searched out no one really. Most have found me and I have become surprised at who has.

Let me explain high school from my eyes. I was the arty girl that would have been the weird or freak of the school. I didn't follow normal trends and hung out with the other arty/ punk/ indie/ skater before it was cool crowd. Kids now make fun of the emo and goth kids ( like the goth kids in south park). I was one with them smoking my clove cigarettes, hanging out at Denny's or Friendly's, wearing my thrift store clothes with a Smiths t-shirt and a pair of creepers or DM's. Got a good mental image? I didn't participate in school shit. When I graduated high school 17 years ago, we as a class didn't give a shit if we saw each other again.

So the surprise that people were interested in what I was up to was a surprise. I mean it's not like I was really interested in what became of them. I would have random wonders, but that was it. I would get random rumors from my friends about who they ran into and it would be rather caddy- you won't believe what they look like or she has 4 kids!

Now I get requests and I have to ask some friends who that person is. What is scary is that I am getting interested in what they are up to. Before I never went to a reunion cause I didn't want to see them or explain my life or why I have no kids. I still don't fit in that mold but now I am content in that. I don't want that life. I am happy looking at their pics and seeing what I am "missing".

Now I know that I have too much access to Facebook. I can see updates on my phone. I am obsessed to see what mousy girl is now an avid traveler and who came out of the closet. I enjoy seeing who contacts me as a friend. I like seeing who was curious enough about my life to look me up. I secretly wish the guy who I had a major crush on would look me up. My friend here, Izimbra, knew me then and now. I know she tried to swear off Facebook, but she was drawn back. It is a drug. I agree. But at least it's a safe one and just filled with gossip and a brief glimpse into their lives without having to have a conversation.

Geartar - Meghan McKee

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:20:00 +0000

Geartar - Meghan McKee, originally uploaded by Mark Dalzell.

A fancy picture of the Guitar project that I did this past September. And someone said it was their favorite. Yay!

A Time of Change

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:18:00 +0000

So we have a new president. Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? A NEW PRESIDENT. It's an amazing thing. We all now can sigh with relief. I no longer have to lie about where i am from or give excuses explaining that I did not vote for Bush. It's a relief.

Other changes are happening. Or could be happening. I have had an interview and getting ready for another one this coming Friday. This happened yesterday. Yesterday I also got a two phone calls about another job, which i had in sense did a phone interview. That is rather exciting and a surprise. Part of the surprise is that people are hiring in this economy. Part is that they are calling me. I guess another part of the surprise is that I am happy to know that there IS a possibility of getting to leave my current job, which i a miserable at. My boss is constantly up my ass about trying to get sales and go out and meet with people and stir up business. Now mind you, I don't mind meeting with clients, but not when i am forced to. And to go out, knowing that no one is ordering cause it is not a NEED of their events, makes it difficult. I even came up with a great idea to give our clients incentive to buy more, which went over well that day, but then was shot down the following day, cause my boss has no balls. He needs many people to tell him this is a great idea and stroke him, so that he will be happy... It's annoying. I am not the kind of person to stroke his ego or make him feel loved and what not. You are the boss. You have the ability to make executive decisions.

This past weekend I went to The Zlatne Uste Golden Festival up in Inwood (Harlem). It was an all Balkan music festival, with three stages. I was working the second day there, airing it live on WFMU. We were there for 6 hours, airing the music. It was definitely a great time. Three stages of music playing all at the same time, so there was always music to check out. Lots of dancing, free food and beer and a lot of fun.

As for the meeting up with the possible show at the local bar, well that didn't go so well. The guy in charge of that was let go the day before i showed up. Fun eh? So they don't know who is taking over that job, and i am stuck waiting again. Oh well. So be it.

The End of an Era

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:46:00 +0000

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Six Days Seven Nights

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Let us all be thankful for this change!

The Wheel Goes Round and Round

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:10:00 +0000

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately. And yes that is what you all have been smelling (hehe). I have been thinking of whether I should keep doing this blog. I wonder what it does for me. What it does for you. What it does in general. It's like a diary, that i share. Keeps me seeing what i was feeling a year ago... where I was. But really, is it worth it? I guess it does get stuff off my chest and that is good.

I have noticed the usual cyclical elements of people lately. My boss is up to his usual things again. I am just tired of it. I can almost point to a calendar and point out the times he goes through his certain freak outs and then I have to deal with it. I am also noticing it with friends as well. I see how she is dealing with her life and her husband's and I am at the point where i am fed up reading about it. It hurts me to watch her do the same things over and over. And i know she wouldn't listen if I told her. She'd just say I wouldn't understand cause i am not going through it. She has moved away from the person I knew to some totally other person that i am not too fond of. It's sad. I just wish she'd read back at what she writes and notice what I am saying now. And i know she's not reading this any more... so she won't even know what i am thinking. I am sorry.

I am tired of these circles. I want to move in a straight line. I want to plow ahead and keep my focus. Yes, it is fine to revisit themes and improve on them, but I can't dwell. I have plans and I am doing something about it. Today i am meeting up with local bar to see about having a show there. I found a thing online where they were looking for local artists. So i figure, with my looking forward mentality, that I should reply. I sent some work to show him and I got a response. He was interested in meeting, so that is exciting. It will also get my ass in gear to be productive. I worked on a piece this weekend and made some good progress. I am very excited about it and have an end in sight. So that is good. I also have some other ideas I want to start on, but not until this one is finished. The other ones are smaller and more manageable, so i can sell them at lower cost as well. That was another goal of mine. To make my work affordable.

This weekend I am going with WFMU to do a live feed. This time i will not be behind the board, but at the venue learning this end of things. This will also be another good opportunity for me to show that I am a team player and have a vested interest in the station. So we shall see. I was really proud of my little blurb I say at the end of the show I work on this week and it made me hungry for more air time. I should manifest this into doing another podcast.

Well I would love feedback and opinions. Let me know what you think of me doing this or not. Thanks.

Busy Already?!

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:39:00 +0000

The answer is YES! I am rather amazed at how this year is starting off. Let's go in order... The month of January is dedicated to two things. First it is dedicated to making art. Damn it. I need to spend time inside making art and finishing this one sculpture that i am in the middle of. It's not too far from being done, I just need time to do it. So i have dedicated every Saturday to making art. Hopefully this will just continue, where i can spend one day to art. Maybe make it a habit and I won't stop. Part of the reasoning on this is A) I have to- I am an artist and B) I have the possibilities of shows. The woman that put up that show at the local bar is connected to other people and she likes my stuff. So if someone likes your stuff, they are more apt to promote it. I swung by on Monday to pick up the pieces from this past show and she gave me another book to do something with. They were having the opening for the next month's show the following evening and she told me to come by. I did, met the artist and got some good talking time with her. She had told me of a call for artists that she thought my work would be great for. She also introduced me to some of her friends and told them i was the one that created the book pieces in the past show. They all said how much they liked my work, which is a great feeling. So with all this possible pushing and prodding, i need to get my ass in gear and make some new work.

The second thing I am devoting the month of January to is working out. No, don't get me wrong. It is not a New Years Resolution AT ALL. Granted I do feel like a big fatty, but that isn't why. I have finally been given the date of my black belt test. It will be February 1st. So I need to make sure i don't pass out or die in the middle. So i am amp-ing up my cardio workouts, so my little heart can keep up. I also need to just do all my traditional stuff (which is something I can do on my own), and just keep at it. So this month I will practically be living at the Tae Kwon Do studio. But i am excited and ready. My mind is ready. I am not fully nervous. I have a goal and a date, so I will be good. Granted, I will most likely be scared shitless the day of... but that is another story.

I have also booked my upcoming vacation. This will be in March for about 8 days total, but granted 2 days are really travel days. I will be going to Turkey. I am so excited for this trip. This will be my first trip to Asia and to a Muslim country. I am flying into Istanbul (not Constantinople.....) and plan on spending a few days there. Then i want to fly out to Cappadocia. This is in the middle of Turkey and has these caves and underground cities. I worked with a guy who had lived in Turkey and has sculptures there, so I am going to pick his brain as well as to what he thinks I should do.

The month of February will fly by, as it always does, with my birthday in the middle of it. I will be gearing up and planning.... and of course making art.

New Year No Regrets

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:56:00 +0000

Well another year has come and went. As like all the years... it has had it's ups and downs. I think it was an interesting one and was glad to see some people got what they deserved. The election had its ups and downs, but all in all I think the best person won. The economy sucked... but luckily being an artist I don't have a 401K or really a savings. I don't own a house, so that was good too.

But I don't want to dwell on the bad. I think i had some good things this past year. I think it showed me that taking the initiative will get you places. You can't sit and wait for anything to happen. You have to be ready to take rejection, but you never know what may surprise you. I am not going to make any resolutions. Hell we don't follow em anyways. Yeah yeah, i wanna lose weight, get rich and be fabulous... but shit, who doesn't. I am going to just look back at things I am proud of.

I am damn proud first and foremost of the radio stuff. The beginning of the year I said to myself, screw it. I am going to make these podcasts and if people listen to them, cool. I just knew i had to do it and didn't care if copyright laws or what not got me. I made them, got more and more comfortable. I kept at it, not knowing what would come of it. Then the online radio site decided to start back up. This is where i started to begin with, so that was great. I would be able to have another place to post my stuff. I would have another audience. It would be good. Then WFMU, who i have volunteered for for the past 7 years was looking for someone to help out at the station. I said yes... and little by little, I have now been filling in on shows in hopes of having my own show one day. But even still, I have had great feed back from the fill ins and am just really happy with how that has turned out.

Even though i didn't make a ton of art like i thought i would, but i did take the initiative. I had three shows. didn't sell anything, but still having the opportunity to show my work was great in itself. I got great feedback on the pieces and was happy to be apart of the community. And it also made me realize that i can be a bit more direct about showing my stuff. Go ahead and just ask. Don't be afraid and be worried about being rejected. Different strokes for different folks... some stuff might not be that person's thing. I will find the right person.

Work has sucked this year, but i must say at least i still have a job. I can be thankful about that. I know a lot of people around here are getting laid off and I know that i have been miserable, but all in all, I am still getting paid. A new job will happen, not right now maybe, but it will happen.

For the first time in a long time, I have a savings account. We are saving up to buy a house. And not to sound like I am going to bank on others losses... but hells yeah i am! That shit was way way WAY over inflated in price. Not my fault most people didn't know how to do math and realize that they were paying more than what they were making. So as I sit waiting for people's egos to deflate a little and realize that their houses aren't worth as much as they have put it up for, I will keep saving to finally own something.

I am also happy i have had the opportunity to travel. Last years trip to Panama was great and my little trip down to Texas was a nice change of pace. I have another trip lined up for this March to go to Turkey. I am extremely excited for this trip. Such a culture change and i am already doing research as to what exactly I want to do for this trip.

So all in all, i think it was a great year. I have no real regrets. At least none that i can think of. And hell, if i can't think of them, then i obviously don't regret it at all! I am excited for the new year, even though i will be another year older and most likely none the wiser. I am just going to keep trudging along and try new things. I am just going to see where all these little things take me. I hope some new and exciting adventures. Everyone have a safe and good new year!

Whirlwind of a Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Wow.... I can't believe i am still standing. I feel like i have been living at WFMU this past weekend. Oh wait, I kinda have. Really. So I did my show this past Saturday morning. Woke up at midnight to go get ready. Went down and did the train show. A couple glitches here and there, but all in all it was a good show. I had a lot of friends listen in and comment, which was really nice. I also got some other feedback from people that I don't know, which is even MORE important to me as they CHOOSE to stay and listen. I even got some weird phone call about how they had met me a while ago and they were enjoying the show but upset I brought my boyfriend with me. Odd.... but oh well. I guess I should expect to get those calls in the middle of the night.

I go home and sleep for a couple hours and relax all day. Clean up the house a little. Friend came over to hang out a little... Listened to the archive of the show... went to eat Indian Food. On my way to the Indian food, I saw i had a message on my phone from a DJ at WFMU. I listened to it and he needed someone to fill in for him for the next morning from 6 am to 9 am. I figured, hell this is a WAY better time slot, so why not? I called him back and he told me that he was sick and the station manager Ken had suggested me, since i was local. I figured that since Ken had recommended me to him, I should do it. That and it was a BETTER SLOT. But i had to get home, in my stage of over-tiredness, and pull together a show quickly. So I pulled together the car show which i had done, but still needed some more songs to make it last 3 hours.

I went in, started the show and was amazed. I was getting amazing feedback. People were calling in and writing on the comment page. And it was ALL people I didn't know at all. They felt compelled enough to write in and say something to me. I was shocked. I had one friend towards the end of the show write in, but that was it. It was all other people. I even had one DJ write in as well. It was the best thing and EXACTLY what i needed. I needed that feedback. I been needing it badly.

I have been doing this for a bit now, via my own podcasts and what not. I just have had friends and family basically listen to it. It hasn't really gone far from there. I have heard from some people i didn't know... but in the blogsphere I did. I just needed a new ear... one that doesn't know me or what I do. I even tried to get any feedback from the other site I do my podcasts on. That has produced a lot of nothing too and a whole lot of attitude from the only other person that does a show. I think it's just jealousy... as my show is way better than hers. Not being cocky... just honest. So it was great to get these people to write in from all over the world. Listening and liking what they heard. It was like radio crack. This is what DJ's are needing. That approval. That knowledge that there are people out there so happy to hear that is being played on the radio. I know i get really happy if I hear something I don't ever get to hear. Even when i was playing songs I would get people writing in saying-

From: cosmic

no thank you! theres something more magical when its happening right now though. even if it is lunchtime here!

From: tokindaddy

great show this morning, meghan, been listening since 5am, and I haven't heard one I didnt like

So here is the link for you all to listen to past archives if you haven't had a chance to listen- http://wfmu.org/playlists/MN.

Brings a Whole New Meaning to Comics

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan McKee) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:12:00 +0000

My coworker showed me this site. He looks at it daily. It's kind of depressing and sad. It becomes deep and sad. Poor Jon. What a pathetic loser... and he knows it. Could be any of us if we were caught talking to our animals though. I always wonder what someone would think if they just heard my inane conversations with my dog. Lock me up and throw away key.... Enjoy the site.