Yesterday I turned in all my paperwork for my new visa and was told I needed a more detailed map of where I live. I had printed one from online and drawn in my street, with a sloppy star marking my building, but she said they need to know the businesses surrounding my house. As Penguin pointed out in the comments, it's probably so they can find me if necessary.
Lucky for me I'm a graphic designer and have designed a map or twenty in my time. The above picture is pared down from what I'm giving to immigration - I removed the identifying buildings so no stalkers can find me. :) Ibis questioned what regular people who can't create a map like this are supposed to do, and I admit they probably would have been satisfied with a hand-drawn map, but there are two reasons I went digital:
1) I haven't used my design software very much and figured I could use the practice, and
2) the woman at Immigration very kindly suggested I have my husband help me with my map, implying I couldn't do it on my own.
As if!
So now I have a map that took me a couple hours (when you factor in the hour I fought with the printer because it will only print 100% black - no color or shades of gray). I'm supposed to turn this in this morning, along with a receipt from the bank that took an HOUR to get, and then I should be done with this running around.
In case you're wondering, this has left little time for writing. I recently joined an online group that writes flash fiction once a month, and tomorrow is the deadline. Last month I posted it on the group's blog, but this time around I'll post it here. So you can look forward to a writing post - I'll knock off the complaining for a day.
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22 comments:
Poop, hoo. I can't see your map, and I have to get a look at that beauty. You try to fixie?
Looking forward to your FF!
Really? I don't know why. Hmmm.. I'll try to reload it.
It's the little red x I see. I'll be sure to check back!
And I forgot to say, I LOVE that you did the map, in part, to show that lady what you're capable of. Ha! ;)
I uploaded it again. If it doesn't work, I also put it on my facebook page.
Yes, I have my pride!
There it is!
Oh man, I don't blame you, Melanie! That's like the adult student who, after Glenn left for Alaska, "reminded" me to write down that he'd paid me and asked if I kept track in a program or spreadsheet.
I couldn't believe it! I mean, this guy was around before Glenn was! I started the business and ran it for eight years before Glenn showed up! Geez!
Spy, people amaze me sometimes. I'm working on a website for my dad and he's anxious for me to contact the company that will host it, but I've had to explain that I'm not contacting them until I have everything ready. I'm a professional designer and I don't want their first impression of me to be someone who doesn't know what they're doing. People already give me crap because they think I'm younger than I am - I don't need to give myself a disadvantage from the beginning.
But I may need your advice on how to track costs...
Uggh! I totally understand how you feel Mel. I get tired of people thinking I am just a sweet little blondie girl. I even had one person say to me.. "I knew you were cute, but I had no idea you were smart too!" (This was after I showed them some Photoshop stuff I had done) PFFT!
Of course, you realize that she won't believe that you made the map. She'll probably complement Ibis on all his hard work. (Ive had that happen before too.)
BTW - The map is awesome!! Nice work!
Turkey, EXACTLY! I also love when I wear my glasses and people comment that they make me look smart. So... I look stupid the rest of the time? Nice.
She accepted my map and I even had to explain it to her a little, lol. The version I turned in is the one on FB and it has a lot more buildings identified. I should hear something in a week!
I am so impressed by your map!
*mental note - if ever need to make a map, enlists the skills of Melanie.
As for the lady saying your husband could help you, stuff like that drives me nuts.
I took a really great picture from the water and blew it up. When I showed it to some people, they kept saying my husband was such a good photographer. When I explained I took the picture, they looked at me in shock and said "really?"
Nadine, that would piss me off so badly! Ibis is really good about giving me credit for things, and I'm always bragging about his skills (he did all the carpentry work in our condo). But to show surprise? That's just ignorance.
It looks like I may have a side business making maps, lol.
Oh, Melanie, I suffer from that problem like crazy. I woulda thought it woulda stopped in my thirties, but NO! You know, it's really quite a disadvantage.
It's become a problem more now, because now I have fifteen years of experience and parents don't see that at ALL.
Ugh. Maybe you should wear a button that says "I've been doing this for longer than your children have been alive."
:)
But seriously, just the other day someone was telling me I should get into some random field that's loosely related to what I do (video gaming) because ONE city in Canada is hiring those people. Umm, hello? I have a career, I'm a grown up, I'm not throwing away a decade of experience for that.
I have to quote this.
"Turkey, EXACTLY! I also love when I wear my glasses and people comment that they make me look smart. So... I look stupid the rest of the time? Nice."
Nope not at all, when you are not wearing your glasses you look sexy.
But I really don't mean that, cause I think you look hot when you wear your glasses(if you still have the same glasses).
But others think like that.
And I had to add, my word is........
poodie, I kid you not.
Aww, you're making me blush. I can't remember which glasses you last saw. I got a new pair in September but the general shape & color have remained the same.
poodie!
Nice map I could have used it the first day or two after I arrived.
Yeah, Ibis has ideas for me selling it now.
Funny story - I went to pick him up from work last night and was tweaking a few things while I waited. Suddenly I realized he was talking to a couple guests, trying to draw a map for them, so I waved mine and said "I have a map right here!" Too bad I couldn't give it to them...
Your map rocks! I'm very impressed! I couldn't make a coherent map of my bedroom.
Robin, come on, I think you can map out the bedroom. :P
OK. Maybe I could. Bed in middle. Adam's underwear and socks kicked under his side of the bed on the right. Piles of books and magazines next to bed on the left. Big chair we all fight over on the left.
Yep. You're right!
Robin, ROFL! I knew you could do it!
*jealous that Robin has enough space in her room for a chair*
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