Is this what it has come to? As I sit and wait for my potatoes to boil I feel I should probably write something here. If nothing else than to vent my thoughts. Not that I’ll really do that here, but being easter there aren’t many people around and I’ve spent far too much time with myself

Work is progressing. Extremely slowly. But it’s getting there. If you want to see the work in progress visit twostepmovie.com or check out the behind the scenes stuff at the Two Step Production Diary. I’m currently working on a preloader for the first one as those images take a long time to load off that server. That’ll really need a bit of work as the last thing I want is for the site to load bit by bit.

Other than that I’ve gotta get stuck into a programming assignment, and then once all is handed in I’ve an exam to study for. After that, it’s all over.

Six years of being a student (including that year that I just lived like a student) will be over, and a new chapter in my life is about to begin. If you’d asked me all year am I looking forward to it I’d have given you a great big resounding ‘No!’ but now I’m just anxious to get out and try some new stuff, whatever that means.

The job market for a web designer is extremely tough to break into. There are no jobs being advertised so it’s a sell yourself kind of situation. My design lecturer Chris constantly tells us the big heads at major design studios are asking him to recommend graduates to him. So there’s a way in. But if you don’t make the cut in Chris’ eyes, you may as well consider a new direction.

I was considering such a thing when I recieved my first semester results. Judging by how I was marked it seemed Chris didn’t have a very high opinion of my work, and I began to think there may be another path I should go down in terms of a career. But there’s no doubt I have a passion for design, and in particular I love designing for web. My doubts were quelled somewhat when my design was chosen out of 95 of my peers for the new caramurphy.com web site (the site is yet to go live). Added to that Chris got me a one off contract to design a site for a local film company - though nothing has materialised yet.

As graduation approaches the question still remains. I’m finding myself more and more drawn to photography - and this ‘Two Step’ project has really brought to light what a passion I have for film. For either to be a serious career path or even an ‘on the side’ thing to make money from, I’d need to learn a lot more. But courses take time and money.

My friend Paul is travelling round the world next year, after working for 6 months and building up some money. It’s not my thing (I get homesick after 2 weeks away anywhere!) but I have got a real desire to see the world. Little trips here and there is more my kind of thing. Again, time and money is a necessity.

At this stage in my life I expected to be settling down, getting a career and sticking to it. But more and more people have been saying to me that jobs aren’t like that any more. You get a job for a few years, see how you like it, and maybe move onto another field. I think my ideal situation would be freelance design, photography and maybe even some film (though that’s more likely to be a hobby or side project). The problem with freelance though is if the jobs aren’t coming steady your bank balance begins to suffer. Not that I’m worried about money. I know I can survive on a lot less than I’m spending now, and I’m pretty tight compared to most people I know. But say I went a couple of months without getting a design job. How do I then fund things like marketing? I’m not a programmer. For more technical websites I’d need to hire one. Same goes with complicated flash animations. If that’s what the client is looking for they won’t go to me.

I guess it’s got to the stage when I know the next few years of my life will define who I am. The past few have begun that process certainly. But I know it’s just the beginning. I’m not willing to let a 9-5 job steal my opportunity of having life to the full. And yet maybe life to the full will involve a 9-5. If it’s true that I can easily change my career path in a few years then there’s no need to worry. But I’m not sure what I’m doing now is worrying. Just getting impatient. I’m still a work in progress, and I know I always will continue to be shaped and stretched. But I’m desperate to see it come soon. I want to be who I was born to be.