What are you looking for then?

As things have been a bit slow work-wise, I thought I’d revisit some of the freelance agents that are around. One was Beetroot Consulting. I registered on their site and sent my resume.

Today I got an email back:

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for your interest in Beetroot.  We have carefully reviewed your details and we do not feel you are quite right for what we are looking for at this time.

The clients we represent have very specific needs and as we result of this we need to be very selective as to who we bring in for interview.

Good luck with your search.

Kind regards

So just to be clear, someone with over 18 years experience and a product of one of the best design schools in the world isn’t quite what they’re looking for?

What are they looking for if not for people with talent, experience and drive? Maybe God? Or perhaps they actually don’t have any experience in the industry and have just come from a general recruitment background and don’t know the first thing about design?

And they clearly don’t know how to word an email either.

Guess I’ll see the companies I used to work with and kept me constantly busy.

I Do Not Deserve Your Tolerance

I am an Australian citizen. I pay taxes. I vote. I have a passport. I volunteer my time and voice and donate money to charities or causes I believe in. I have a  degree from a pretty good school. For most of the time since I was fifteen I have worked, often 40 – 70 hours a week. I am in a committed relationship. I try to call my mother a few times a week. I hold the door open for anyone in front of or behind me. I’m generally the last one out of the elevator. I’ve contacted my local government when I believed something needed improvement. I have good, long-term friendships. I’ve given money to friends who needed help. I’ve lent countless items to friends, assuming they will not be returned. I’ve worked to help people I know who were in crisis get through the next day. I’ve sat on the phone for hours with people who were depressed. I have a dog,  I’ve rescued from a shelter. I feed and walk him, a lot. I pick up after him, every time. I am called upon to help or give an opinion several times a week. I am financially self-sufficient. I have homeowners’ insurance. When I needed a car for work I got one, kept it in good shape, kept it insured. I take vitamins. I try to eat well and take care of myself physically and mentally. I have a GP. I always bring a gift to a host or hostess when I am invited into their home. I say “please”, “thank you”, and, too often I’m told, “I’m sorry.” I sometimes send out Christmas cards. I rarely say “no”. I rarely say “no” when asked to do anything for someone. I always leave a tip. I don’t yell at waiters or waitresses, though I have yelled at drivers who run red lights. I keep my TV and music at a reasonable level, especially late at night so I don’t disturb my neighbours. I turn off my appliances at the wall in my home to conserve electricity. I almost always pay my bills on time. I backup my computer. I buy extended warranties on expensive electronics. I try to share information as often as I can. I generally pay more than my share when going out to dinner with friends. I generally return calls within twenty-four hours. I keep my home reasonably clean. I keep abreast of current events. I receive my news from a wide variety of sources. When disagreeing with someone, I try to remain civil and respectful. I take my dog to the dog park occasionally. I know he would like to go more often. I compliment strangers sometimes. I call restaurants to cancel if I can’t keep my reservation. I try to validate my friend’s feelings and listen to their thoughts openly. I rarely boast or brag. I try to patronise local businesses. I buy Australian owned and made. Although it’s hard for me to say this, I’m pretty certain I will have left somewhat of a positive impact on the world by the time I’m gone. I want to get married. I can’t, because I’m gay.

I grew up feeling sad and different and sometimes ashamed.

I no longer am sad, I’m glad I’m different, and I’ll be damned if I’ll ever be ashamed of who I am or what I believe. Because what I believe is that we are all the same. We are all equal. We all deserve to love and have our love recognised.

I think I’m a pretty good person. I know I’m as good as anyone else. I have done little enough wrong to deserve your forgiveness. I’ve done nothing that deserves your pity. And I know that I am good enough to not deserve your tolerance.

Tolerance is for someone who doesn’t know better, like my dog who likes to jump on people. Tolerance is for someone whose views negatively impact your life, like people who want to stop me from loving the man I love, with all my heart. I do not want your tolerance. I do not deserve your tolerance. I will not accept your tolerance any longer. What I will do is my best to ensure that we are all given equality and the legal right to love and marry the person who loves us back. From now on I will tolerate nothing less.

Edited from the original by David Badash

Updating soon

I know it’s been absolutely ages, but I will be updating soon with everything that’s happened over the last 18-ish months and why I’ve been otherwise distracted.

Promise it won’t be long.

Mwah!

Work confession

I have decided to drop the towel and expose the truth about my small – okay micro – business.

Today, I have some confessions to make:

  • “We” are not a boutique consultancy catering for the needs of leading Australian businesses big and small. I just sit in my cramped third bedroom and charge by the hour.
  • “We” do not tailor individual solutions based on your needs via our network of expert consultants with in-depth experience in your industry. I do sometimes work with Elizabeth though, and she’s a pretty good girl.
  • Our “accounts department” is not requesting an update on the scheduled progress payment for job #6037. But my electrician wants to know when you’re going to cough up because I need a new fuse box.
  • I currently have a chirping chicken in my shower cubicle, courtesy of my son’s pre-school. I have to carry the box outside when the phone rings.
  • I regularly put my head down on the desk and snooze around 2.30pm.
  • I sometimes work in my pyjamas.
  • And, I have answered the office phone in the nude after a shower – more than once.

So there it is. That feels better. That’s the awful truth. I’m small, I’m alone and I’m happy.

Earth Hour 2008

A few pics from my Earth Hour.

My Loungeroom

My alter

The deco smoking table with the photo of my Gran and the TV unit (built as a kitchen dresser for my Gran by my Grandfather)

The temple of me above the fireplace

My piano (upright grand – family heirloom)

Drop-left table belonging to my Gran

Happy birthday…

to me!

And my identical twin Matthew.

And Jocko from Jockohomo.

And Matt, from Cows in the Barn.

I’m off to bed – it’s been a great weekend.

andrewfaith.com 014 – Sorry

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivers the long-awaited apology to Australia’s Stolen Generations in Federal Parliament.

Ruby Hunter: Welcome to all People

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Recorded: 13/01/2008 via Audio Hijack Pro

Stereo | 33:47 | 30.9 MB

 
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Underwhelmed by Apple – again!

I really, really wanted something released today that made me think, “I’ve just gotta buy that”. Instead, I don’t see a single thing of any realistic interest to me. This is very self-indulgent, I realise…

Apple has been losing me a bit in recent years. I used to sing their praises to everyone and advise and help people to switch. Now that they have momentum they are using their market muscle to the benefit of their shareholders. Meanwhile, users in some countries have been marginalised. This morning’s keynote was clear evidence of this.

Movies and iPhones. But not for us in the arse end of the world.

And no iPhone 3G announcement as networks in USA are not ready yet.

The AirBook is a gorgeous laptop and has the “wow” factor but little substance for those who don’t need an “ultra portable” laptop.

10.5.2 would have been good to see to fix the bugs that are still around.

And a piece of very nice but expensive hardware that promises to do what had previously been very clearly promised as an included feature in Leopard. A feature that simply does not work in Leopard. Suddenly, it’s presented to us as a $700 AUD add on. Not good.

That’s not what I expected from Apple five years ago, but it’s becoming something of an emerging pattern in their business strategy.

Racist Australia and Japanese Whaling

There’s been a lot in the media about the Japanese Whale hunt and some rather interesting opinions on YouTube.

Reply video to Japanese citizen “SasukeZ7″ on YouTube who claims Australians as Racist.

Get involved to stop the slaughter of whales – it’s not research, it’s slaughter.

Don’t get me wrong, I like a lot of things Japanese, but I can’t let this slide.

By far the most popular Anti Whaling Petition Internationally (with a staggering 840,000 signatures from over 239 countries) is the Whales Revenge petition. http://www.whalesrevenge.com/

Almost over

As I write this, there is one day, 16 hours and 25 minutes until 2008.

Where did the time go?

More photos on Flickr too.

See me on Facebook

All systems go

It seems iTurds is working again and the comments are online, so go for it!

This is a pic from Christmas Day – more can be found on my Flickr (over there ->) under Friends and Family.

andrew_scott_251207.JPG

I don’t know what happened…

but the comments are working again – go figure.

Now if I could just get the iTunes feed running again.

Bear with me

I have no idea what’s going on with the comments and iTunes now isn’t picking up the feed properly.

If you can help, that would be great!

andrewfaith.com – 013 – In a jam

Making strawberry jam and catching up on what’s been happening since I’ve been back.

Rolf Harris: Six White Boomers

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Email andrew@andrewfaith.com

Recorded: 18/12/2007 via GarageBand

Stereo | 22:58 | 21 MB

 
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andrewfaith.com – 012 – Up, up and away

On the mobile in the taxi on the way to Indira Gandhi International Airport. Let me know what the sound is like.

The 5th Dimension: Up, Up & Away

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Recorded: 18/11/2007 via Nokia 6120 Classic

Mono | 14:18 | 14 MB

 
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