Too annoyed to etc. etc. by Kara
Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 9:19 AM

Goodnight, sweet prince.

The bug I had (small, but still a 'legit' bug going around) has put my work back a fair bit, so I'm going to spend today and tonight catching up on it. For me, being sick saps productivity first and foremost, which drives me insane, which makes me feel worse, and so on. It's not only (as you can see) peripheral artwork, but also some things for other people outside of art, and even a few 'real' work issues.

Feh.

Well, fortunately for me (and unfortunately for them), I have no trouble triaging some of the stuff and deciding against a few of the things that have been asked of me. One thing I hate -- hate, hate, hate -- is when I'm only talked to when someone needs something from me. I mean, if it's something little -- 'can I get a CD of _____ fansub' -- whatever, that takes next to no effort. That doesn't even close to count.

But there's been a case recently where someone was positively lovely to me when I was doing some gratis work for them (because, at the time, it was enjoyable). There came a point where I couldn't. As in actually couldn't, didn't have the equipment for it and couldn't afford it. I explained this to said person, and they were lovely and encouraging, assuming I would be able to make said investment shortly, no matter how many times I explained to them that no, they needed to either make a contingency plan or (if I was so essential to them) at least help me foot the bill for the new equipment a little. Oddly, stopped hearing from them then. Nothing whatsoever. Just bugger-all. Which made me feel fantastic, naturally. Once I wasn't of any free use to them, suddenly I was no longer of any interest.

Recently, I got my mitts on some cheaper, better equipment and was able to start helping a friend. Just one or two friends, really, people who are good buddies and needed the help. And funnily enough, whom should I hear from right away?

Yuss. You guessed it.

Within a few months of me being once again enabled, I heard from this guy I haven't heard from in a fair piece of time. And suddenly he's taking an incredible interest in me. Writes me asking how I've been, how's the job, how's my health, how're the comics ... and then finishes up with asking me, oh please oh please, would I come back to help him with this project of his.

Now look, all right? The point here is not needing pity or attention. I really don't care. The point is that this person was lovely to me, and obliging, and friendly, and then suddenly when I'm of no use to them, I no longer exist. And then suddenly when I am ... ta-da!

No. I'm sorry. I'm trying to figure out the most diplomatic way to explain to him that this was fairly cockish of him and the answer is a resounding no. He never paid me, he's not doing it now, he even changed his mind about how useful I was to him when it turned out I might need a few bucks -- bucks that would go straight through my fingers and theoretically benefit him more than me -- to help him out. Now I'm back and I'm 'free.' But there was no contract, nothing exchanged hands, and even if there were some sort of unwritten agreement of obligation (i.e. my own vague impression of professionalism and commitment), I'm pretty sure said agreement would be broken by now.

I stand by what I said when I got my microphone back. I help two friends. Two. Friends. Who may not be paying me, but whom I enjoy working with, who are good to me, and who return the favour in their own way even though I'm having too much fun to care if they do or not. I'm not reinforcing the belief that there are people who can jerk me around when it suits them. Sorry ... got better things to do for better people.

If you have been, feck off.