Blobert, Blobbera, and Waitressing

Let's start off by introducing the title characters, Blobert and Blobbera:

Yup, these six inch high models are a new addition to my drawing repertoire. While I love apps like Magic Poser and Easy Poser, it takes quite a while to maneuver 3D figures and there are always some awkward bend deform issues. While a physical model like these comes with its own issues, it's much quicker and easier to manipulate. 

When you first get these guys, you'll absolutely want to pop them apart and fiddle with the assembly. If you're adventurous, you may want to take an X-Acto knife to a few places. The male's neck is a bit thick at the back which limits the tilt there. The female's head tends to pop off easier since it's not ball socketed like the male. However, any part that isn't sitting right can benefit from a little putty or, my standby favorite, silicone earplugs. They're wonderfully built but make them yours, if you pick some up. I love how little real estate they take up as opposed to the larger drawing mannequins. I have Barbie sized ball-jointed dolls, built much the same way, if I need something bigger but I think these little guys will get more mileage.

As for waitressing, it does get better. While I haven't yet run into any raging assholes, it's also possible my natural temperament prevents that. I am straightforward but apologetic when I get something wrong. I easily take blame when it's my fault and quite honest about it. When people get irritated, I don't send it back. I simply nod and tell them how I will fix it. My family is more forthright so they tell me they will step in if anyone gives me shit. Which isn't terribly likely to happen, but it's always good to know they have my back.

In a typical day, we spend about 30 minutes prepping prior to a shift. People all tend to flood in around the same hour or two, but the rush typically doesn't exceed two hours. There are some people that linger beyond closing time so we pretty much work around them to close up and finish up pretty quickly once they leave. This little restaurant only serves breakfast and lunch, closing at two. I bust my ass for around three hours and it pays decent. If everyone was a fair tipper, it would be better, but we'll get a mix of cheapskates and big tippers that sometimes balance it out. 

I love that I rarely stand still. Sedentary jobs are the worst. I love it as an artist because I stretch out on the end of my foam bedding, wear pajamas, and break when I need to. However, getting dressed up in uncomfortable business casual, sitting in a cubicle and twiddling my thumbs would drive my restless soul up a wall. It's constant thinking on my feet and I sweat like a marathon runner but it does wear me out enough that good sleep is the reward after.

So my blog is a mixed bag of nuttiness but I'm okay with that. I'm working towards an important goal so it's important to build my bases too. 

Also, shhh, but I bought my younger nephew a lightbox drawing tablet for himself. It's not going to be as high tech as mine, but it will work great as a tracing aid that can turn his efforts into a digital file. For him, drawing is a hobby. If he decides to get serious about it, I'll help him upgrade but there's never a sense in dropping big bucks early into anything. Work your way up and you get a sense of doing things both manually and then really appreciate the newer perks as you go. I support my nephews in anything they want to try and they can try more when we're thrifty--at least until we know how far they actually want to take it.

Now about that sleep... I'm ready for it.