Let’s get the unpleasant news out of the way first. Not too long ago I mentioned the threat of layoffs and well, they happened pretty much out of nowhere this week. I was lucky to not be affected by them but the whole experience was pretty jarring to say the least. The company I work for seemed to be different and more caring about its employees than others out there but I would say the entire thing certainly makes you cynical and shows you what you’re worth and how quickly that can change. All I can say is that I hope that the economy doesn’t get as bad as people are predicting or I fear the kind of grisly day that I went through this week will be happening in a lot of other places across the world which is a real shame. I’m not ruling out that there won’t be more layoffs at my company in the future either because you just never know.
With that out of the way, let’s talk about happier things. I went ahead and painted up Roger’s marker this week which I think went well. I’m realizing that I really enjoy painting these markers because they give me a chance to really bring the characters to life. its a shame that there’s only one more to work on if my memory serves me correctly. At least Roger is ready to be used in-game and that is another nice Hellboy win.
I just started my (next) Golden Demon project yesterday after quite a bit of model prep so I would expect that I can share a bit more on that next week which is cool. I’m not totally pumped up and into the project yet but hopefully I will be by next week. I’ve certainly got plenty of time to work on it yet too so that is always good and something that didn’t work out so well last year.
I also received a new game this week. I purchased Legendary James Bond because I like card games and I grew up watching James Bond a fair bit. I’ve been looking for a game that isn’t campaign-based and that I can pick and play when the mood strikes and so this looked like a good fit for that. I haven’t had a chance to play yet as I’m still playing an Arkham Horror Card Game campaign but I hope to soon. I’ll report back and write a review of the game one day too.
As I teased last week, I wanted to talk about some other website statistics and this time, I generated these myself. I don’t think they account for the painting I did the last week or two but I thought I’d look and see what I’ve accomplished this year to see if what I think I managed to do and what I actually finished are the same. Here is what I completed this year:
- Fallout miniatures – 6
- Fallout terrain – 5
- Hellboy miniatures and doors – 36
- Prehistoric miniatures – 3
- Display projects – 3
While I’m pretty happy with the amount done for Hellboy and that I got it pretty playable within a year of buying it, I do find some of these other numbers a bit disconcerting. Fallout miniatures and terrain totals are a lot lower than I expected and wanted. Most of the terrain I completed has been smaller stuff like storage crates, and the damaged highway pillar. The shotgun house is really the only thing of note that I completed and I started it in 2021 and it bled into this year.
That really doesn’t feel productive enough to me and I’m not going to be able to play many games of Fallout in the next year if I don’t rectify this. I’m still waiting on my next terrain project from Black Site Studio (more on this whenever I do receive it), but I’m clearly going to have to work harder on terrain so I can play more. I also am realizing that there are so many miniatures out there for the game that I may not actually be able to realistically paint them all unless I’m willing to work at this for 20 years. Now that is a crazy thought to try and process. After a conversation with friend of the site, Grumpy Gnome, I’m realizing that I need to think about what in the game is possible in the next year or two instead of thinking about things I’d like to one day but am not close to being able to start, let alone, complete. This is a good exercise for all of us to think about from time-to-time, especially if you have a large backlog or a lot of things you hope to accomplish in the future.
So I will certainly try to do more Fallout stuff next year. I probably will try to limit the display projects (besides Golden Demon of course) to help me be more productive too. I’m sure that if I totaled up the time spent on them, I probably spent around 4 months on those projects, if not longer and that’s probably why I haven’t gotten as much gaming stuff done in 2022. I do enjoy display projects and I have plenty of ideas for more so I guess you never know. What I won’t do is take on any crazy big or ambitious ones for a while as I just don’t have enough time to devote to them as I’d like which is a shame as I’ve promised Wudugast, another friend of the site, that I will do an epic Vampire Counts Warhammer diorama one day.
Either way, the main conclusion I took away from this is that trying to paint and play multiple mini games is really hard unless you paint really fast which has never been my strong suit. I certainly won’t be getting any new miniature-heavy games in the near future because my backlog of both purchased miniatures and terrain and things I think I’d like to do one day is bigger than I can possibly complete at the moment.
Kuribo's Painting 
Glad to see the marker for Roger stops at the coat 😁 I tracked what I did one year and decided one year was enough. I know if I had tracked this year I would be disappointed in what was started vs finished. I was struck by the shiny objects bug and digressed from my LOTR pile of shame to add a Broken Legions and Alien pile.
Looking forward to you doing more games with what you paint.
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Haha, I don’t mind that either about Roger! All I can say is that I’m no role model for being focused on one project anymore. I’m probably trying to do too many different things now and don’t have time for them all, if I’m being honest with myself. Welcome to the club 🙂 We’re always happy to add new members!
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Sadly I think working lives will get worse for some but good to know you came through what is a rough experience. I like the marker and your stats look good to me. Will be interested to see what you have planned for the Golden Demon. As for what you paint going forward, just do what takes your fancy and enjoy! 🙂
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I feel very fortunate and I agree with you on the work stuff, mate. I’m glad you’re looking forward to the Golden Demon project. I already look forward to sharing progress on it next week myself. It is certainly going to be different than anything else I’ve painted recently. Regardless of my disappointing productivity in 2022, I’m sure I’ll bounce around between projects and get about the same amount done next year regardless of what I think now 🙂
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I can empathise with you on the layoffs since I’ve had the same experience as yourself in that I stayed in my job when people around me were made redundant (it was a long time ago though)! It’s very unsettling to say the least! We have to hope everyone can weather the storm!
I like the Roger marker and it complements the gaming mini well! 🙂
Sounds like Grumpygnome is talking sense to me! I’ve finished a lot less this year although I seem to have been working away on stuff, but that’s because a fair sized chunk of time has been spent preparing rather than finishing off. Because of this I’ve decided to concentrate on those projects/armies that are close to being finished, alongside a couple that have been laid aside for too long that I planned on working on this year in advance. I’m also tending to work on “core” units rather than any fancy optional extras to make sure my forces have basic capabilities. I also find concentrating on short-term goals keeps me focused better in the long term (not sure that quite makes sense but I know what I mean)!
However you approach it though, just enjoy it! 🙂
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It is very unsettling and disorienting. I think the company got very little done this week after the news broke because it was hard to focus and the direction of the company isn’t as clear as it should be but I’m sure they’ll fix that in time.
I would say that you’re lucky to have a good excuse for preparing future projects. I can’t really even say that I’ve done that. My output of roughly 50 miniatures done plus some terrain and display projects is pretty much all I got done. With that said, I like your idea of focusing on “core” units. I’ve mostly done that with Fallout and I think I probably should continue that for a while until I fill out the core stuff I want to own. I’m glad you mentioned that, as I hadn’t really thought of it. I will certainly keep painting whatever I’m in the mood to paint as that is more or less what I do each year, I reckon 🙂
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Glad you came through the layoffs unscathed. I survived so many rounds of layoffs while working at newspapers, and the threat of more was a motivating factor in me taking a buyout back in 2020. I’m glad I did, because a couple of weeks after leaving three of the papers I worked on were shut down.
Great work on the Roger marker, and I for one am very glad it ends above his waist LOL! As far as completing stuff goes, I got an absolute ton of minis and scenery done and then I went and got a job, so my output over the past couple of months has dropped, which is annoying given how many minis I have lined up to paint. I guess I just need to crack on with them, as well as playing more Space Station Zero.
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I can only imagine, Matt! Journalism really has been a tough industry to be in for awhile now which is a shame as it serves an important role in our society.
Thanks for the kind words on Roger as well 🙂 Having to work definitely puts a time constraint on all of us. I haven’t found a solution to that problem yet but if I do, I’ll be sure and share it!
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Sorry to hear about the layoffs, glad you came through it, but it can certainly be unsettling, for both those who stay, and those who go.
The marker looks excellent, and really strengthens the work you did on the model.
Hope the new card game you bought brings plenty of enjoyment.
Now for the stats, first I would ask what you enjoy most ? as this should always be the guiding factor, yes there are things we need to do, but after all this is a hobby, and it’s all about enjoying what we do. Like me you seem to enjoy painting, which means it will take longer to paint up armies, as your busy enjoying the painting aspect. Targets can be useful, just make them flexible so as things change, you can adapt your target list, and always make it attainable as unrealistic goals can be demoralising.
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Thanks for the kind words and I’ll be curious to see how I get on with the card game later this week.
I enjoy painting (certainly more than making terrain), however, the satisfaction of having a beautiful battlefield to play on is also really high up there in enjoyment/satisfaction. The problem I really have is that I’ve started too many projects and have too many goals and don’t have time for them all and now I’m throwing my toys out of the pram as people say in your country haha. I think I’ll probably have to live with the current situation for a couple of years as I bought so many Hellboy minis that I have probably something like 150 minis or so to paint yet.
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I am pretty sure there are some real tough times ahead. Hopefully most folks can weather the coming storm. I am selfishly glad you did not get laid off mate.
Roger is looking good. You really work magic with your painting.
As for refocusing my own hobby goals, it is going to be a lot more like changing the course of river than the tight turns of a dogfighting fighter plane. It is going to take quite some time and effort to dispose of cancelled hobby project items with any kind of financial efficiency. And some things are going to be harder to let go than others. However, I do feel I am making the right choice. There is only so much time left for me in this mortal realm.
I sincerely hope that in 20 years I am still reading your blog posts… especially if they include Fallout gaming!
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I selfishly am glad too though it certainly shapes your feelings on your employer at the same time. Thank you for the kind words on the painting too!
I’ve been working on selling off my card collection for the last year or so and I can confirm that it takes a long time to sell things, especially in our niche hobbies. I wish you luck in reducing your collection and look forward to seeing your hobby progress in the meantime too.
You may not be able to read about Fallout games online in 20 years, you may have to visit me in the old folks’ home where you can only see the action in-person haha!
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Time and time again in my life I found my loyalty to my employer was not reciprocated. It is one of the reasons I am a rather bitter, grumpy gnome.
I think the trick to selling things for a decent price is not to be in a rush, especially niche items. But patience is not one of stronger qualities.
It is a pleasure to read your posts and the comments you get on your blog always brighten my day…. even if I still across across as a grumbling grognard gnome.
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I don’t know if this gives you any hope but unlike our parents’ generation, mine knows that employers aren’t loyal and don’t trust them in the same way. My Dad got laid off a few times in my life because of the industry he was in so seeing what he and my family went through definitely opened my eyes up and once they’re open, you can’t really close them, if you know what I mean.
I would definitely agree. You have to balance offers at lower than what you want to sell with patience. I’m patient with things I know are valuable or sought after but if you aren’t sure, it can be a good idea to sell at whatever decent offer you receive just to get rid of stuff. That has been my approach and truthfully, I still have a lot of stuff to offload.
While I’m pretty positive online because that is the impression I want to leave on our community, I’m pretty cynical in “real life” and as am about as sarcastic and dry-witted as can be so no need to be a ray of sunshine here when you’re not in the mood!
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As always mate your words inspire. Thanks again!
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The world’s in a bad place right now and we’ll all be lucky to come through unscathed I think.
Nice Rogering there old boy 😉 The markers really enable you to push things a little bit further and the flesh looks great mate.
Ah! Legendary 007, very nice. I have the X-files version. It’s a great game, surprisingly thematic, and at time quite challenging. I haven’t played it as much as I’d like, though, as Yasmin hasn’t seen all the series’ yet, and there’s lots of spoilers so we’ve only played a small part of the game.
I look forward to hearing your experiences of it and I might just add it to my wish list, as I too am a big Bond fan – I already have the Aliens version on my list but it’s proved difficult to get hold of recently.
It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who’s on the slow side when it comes to painting, and it does make it frustrating when you have so many games that have so many miniatures; you just never get anything played, at least not in full, glorious Technicolor, that is!
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Well said, mate. These are trying times to be sure. Thanks for the kind words on Roger too 🙂
You’re going to think I’m daft but I remember when you said you were going to watch all of X-Files, I could not figure out why you were determined to watch every episode of an old show. I thought you were just a real UFO-enthusiast haha! Now it makes a lot more sense! The X-Files version of Legendary looks fun and I like the scanning system that I think it has (I know Aliens does for sure). Bond doesn’t have something like that which is a shame but hopefully it is still fun to play. I just got done with my Edge of the Earth first playthrough in Arkham and so I can give Legendary a shot soon too. I’m going to definitely share my experiences with it and write a review one of these days too.
You certainly are not alone with being a slow painter. I guess the results speak for themselves but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating as you say!
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Yeah, I’ve seen them all but Yasmin is playing catch up. I’m a massive fan of the program and I was a bit wary about getting the game, incase it didn’t live up to my expectations, but actually, it’s really quite good.
Looking forward to hearing more about another of my favourite IPs – Bond – hope you enjoy it.
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That is encouraging to hear! I haven’t played Bond yet but am questioning my choice to get it slightly. I kind of wish I got more Arkham Horror cards instead! I’ll get a game in fairly soon and we’ll see how I feel after that…
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Knowing how much you’ve been enjoying AH I am slightly surprised you branched out. Still, if you don’t like it so much it will make you appreciate AH even more when you return to it – there’s always a positive side!
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Well said, mate! Your wit and wisdom shine through as ever 🙂
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First, congrats on the survival but keep your options open. It’s never easy to change jobs but its better when the helmsman of your ship is you. Luckily (or unluckily) after I got laid off in 2018 I found a wee bit of age discrimination – so no retirement party, just retirement. But you’re still young and just remember companies and loyalty are not always in synch. As for Roger, (I’m referring to the figure and not our blog buddy), you did him well. Production wise, it doesn’t matter as long as you are happy with what you did. Hell, I’m never going to even attempt a Golden Demon shot, but you have those chops, so rock on!
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I completely agree with your advice, Mark. I already polished my resume a couple of months ago and have gathered up some fresh writing samples to that end. Truthfully, I have been looking to find a new job for a bit and unfortunately, the layoffs going on around the country are going to make that hard for a while but I am hopeful that I will move on to a new place in the future.
Thanks for the kind words on Roger and I hear you on the production side of things. I think if I had stayed focused on one project instead of taking two new ones on, I’d be in much better shape as far as production goes. As it turns out, you can’t have it all and if you try to go for too much, there is a cost! The way you focus on one project at a time is definitely the way to go, if you can manage it I’d say!
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Well. That sucks. Hopefully you’re not hit in the next round (and there’s no next round this year). Good to hear that you got through this one at least, though it seems like next year could be a tough one and it’d not be a bad thing to get your CV and references updated and in check regardless.
Roger’s bust looks pretty good, though it’s not entirely how I’ve always pictured him. At least there aren’t any exposed dangly bits on it (unless you freehanded them underneath the base?)
Hope the Bond games works out to be fun. I’m really not a card guy, though I’ve only just started to dabble a bit in the last couple of years with the Marvel one and a couple others I’ve not yet played (40k Conquest and the LotR one). It’ll still be interesting to read about what you think of it when you get some games in.
With the Fallout minis and anything similar – all I can say is to repeat that “good enough” is literally good enough. Plague Zombies and Ghouls and non-hero NPC models just need to look good in a group so get through them so that your heroes (and villains!) can have the time to look as good as you want to. By definition, not all of your work can be your best work!
I mean, to put it bluntly – those doors you painted were fantastic. But in the end, they’re just doors. By all means use them to experiment and do whatever you want/need to in order to enjoy the process, but in the end they’re just background pieces – so not very different to those War Cry gates I painted recently. And you’re likely going to get a lot more warm fuzzies from spending *slightly* less time on the scatter and background stuff and more of that same (zero-sum) hobby time working on another model of Hellboy himself or another Super Mutant.
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Thanks, mate. My resume is up to date and I’ve got some fresh writing samples ready just in case. What was surprising is that a good amount of engineers got laid off at the company and I would have generally thought they were in the safest position since we rely upon them for so many things. I guess not…
It sounds like you better paint up your copy of Roger and show me how its done then, mate! 🙂 Underneath the base, I sculpted and painted the most realistic depiction of the male anatomy ever conceived. Its a shame its too explicit to show anyone!
I think if you own an LCG, you are a card guy, just about 🙂 I probably won’t be going for any other card based games (unless I don’t end up liking this one) as I feel like I have plenty of gaming options right now. Hopefully, 007 is fun and I have good things to report on it. It looks very casual friendly and pretty easy to pick up and play so that definitely was a big appeal for me.
I hear you, mate, and I appreciate how utilitarian you are with our hobby. Its true that the act of creating terrain is not my favorite but when it all comes together and you have a great looking battlefield, well, that’s almost better than playing the game itself for me. I also don’t like pulling out minis for gaming and thinking, “Probably could have done better on that one” so that is why I generally try my best on each one. I also don’t own or paint many board game minis so generally the sculpt quality is higher and the ceiling for how well I can paint each mini is too so that is why I’m always trying to do my best. I figure it helps to have that mentality when it comes to display painting as well. If I had mostly board game minis or to be frank, a really large collection like you have, I’d have to emphasize speed more or I’d truly never get enough done.
The one thing I will say is that hopefully when I tell you that you get more done in a month than I do in a year, you’ll believe me (if you didn’t already)! 🙂
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That is a really nice mini. I love the way that you’ve made the skin so pale, and especially the way it contrasts against the dark armour (or is it a cage?), shoes and gloves.
Good luck with the employment situation. My own experience has been that no matter how nice your immediate managers are, or how nice the company tries to appear to be, deep down it will not hesitate to act like a sociopath and lay people off.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how your next Golden Demon project proceeds.
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Cheers, mate! I think it is supposed to be leather armor so you’re spot-on there. I’m glad to hear you’re looking forward to the next project as well.
I’m as cynical as you are when it comes to employers. As far as I can tell, high-level managers picked who got laid off and they didn’t know the people they axed personally so your description is apt. With that said, I hope you view your manager with a little more sympathy. I would never lay you off, especially if you keep winning MCP tourneys 😉
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Haha, I’m glad that I can rely on your continued management 🙂
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Work environment is definitely getting rough and things look bleaker than they have in awhile. Glad to hear you survived though! So, the Roger marker looks great and it’s an awesome way to show off your talent at getting that skin nice and smooth! It’s kind of fun to have a piece like that in a game that lets you shine. Some of the Blood Bowl tokens are kind of like that too.
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It certainly is looking bleak but I hope all is going well with your employer at the same time. When you buy a bunch of minis at one time, you don’t always know which ones you’re going to really enjoy working on and these markers have proven to be a really pleasant surprise. I’m glad to hear you like the end result as well 🙂
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Things are not great with my employer. I work at a University and we seem to always be under funded. There has been a nearly perpetual threat of losing jobs since I first started. That feeling of coming under fire to defend your role, is one I am quite familiar with!
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I know exactly what you mean there! I used to teach college writing classes as an adjunct and the English department where I worked had the exact mindset you describe. There was always hand-wringing about money being taken away and the department’s status compared to others at the university. Every day of gainful employment can feel like a victory in that setting for sure.
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Not to mention productive employment with the bureaucracy of being in such a large institution! Our Dean once remarked to me that she was so amazed at how I was able to get things done behind the scenes. I think over time I’ve learned (much like a rat in a maze) if I hit an obstacle (usually a person who refuses to budge) I just go around it. Some people prefer to fight a long protracted battle, but I just don’t have the time to waste on that when I’m already doing the equivalent of three jobs.
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I can only imagine and I know what you mean on the levels of bureaucracy. Its hard to comprehend unless you’ve worked in that environment before. I figure IT requires a lot of troubleshooting to be good at it but it sounds like your troubleshooting skills are on another level!
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Yea, that’s to funny when you’ve worked in corporate and then academia. I was just talking to a coworker and they mentioned their spouse having a Christmas party with open bar and a raffle, bonuses, etc. And we were like “That’s a thing?!”. Lol!
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Absolutely! The corporate world spends (I would even say wastes) money on some outlandish things. The first year I started for my current company, I won a free trip worth $10,000 at the holiday party. You would never get that in academia and I’m not sure that I really deserved that crazy prize either. Having said that, the amount of money my company has paid to rent out prime venues in the city of Chicago for past holiday parties is much more expensive than the trip they gave me…
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My Wife’s company isn’t as extravagant, but it’s funny when we talk about spending. Spending $1000 at my job is often a big thing. Where she could be dealing with $100,000 and not have to go through even a tenth of the hassle!
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My company has dialed it back the last couple of years which is probably a good thing but I know exactly what you mean! I’ve missed teaching since I left six years ago but our conversation reminds me that I don’t necessarily miss academia at the same time 🙂
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Haha! Well, the grass is always greener on the other side. Money can be tight, but I don’t miss corporate mentality either. Though there has been a movement to run schools more like corporations over the years and we’ve seen our fair share of megalomaniac leaders who wish they were a CIO. Thank goodness for family and hobbies to keep me sane! 😃
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I can only imagine. Our hobbies keeping us sane is something that unites us no matter which side of the divide we’re on 😀
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Haha, too true! 😂
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I worked at a company where there were layoffs and it’s a horrible thing. One of my good mates, who also worked, there drew the short straw and was told to pack up and go. However, he became state manager at his very next job, hired me as a Rep and we had four years of great times. You never know what change can bring.
Roger looks great mate!
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It isn’t great whether you stay or go, is what I suspect. I’m glad to hear it worked out for and your mate as well. I wouldn’t mind a change of scenery myself but with a tight job market, that is no small task I would think. Thanks for the kind words as well 🙂
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Not good on the work front there man, glad that you did not get let go, but it’s not nice situation.
I think you got the correct idea on the model front, consider what you can achieve and focus on that while not trying to change the way you paint.
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I was lucky to keep my job, I reckon and thank you for the kind words as well. I’m glad to hear my strategy for painting makes sense to you as well. Hopefully that means I’m on the right path!
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Sorry to hear about the lay offs matey, never great to see your co workers go, it happened in places I worked and it was very unsettling, I certainly feel for the younger generation as thing are at the moment, fingers crossed that it doesn’t get any worse.
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Most definitely. It certainly alters the good feeling and optimism you may feel about an employer. Even with some time passing, I still find myself feeling skeptical of them. I’ve got my fingers crossed for the global economy too!
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👍🏻🤞🤓
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