People Are Confusing

What if everyone was practical?

What if we all decided to do the "sensible" thing and get "real" jobs with a 401k and a benefits package and, the big one, retirement?

Well, some of us would be doing exactly what we are doing already, but some of us would be incredibly miserable.

Playing music, painting, singing, dancing, writing and drawing; they're all part of arts and we all love the fruits that are provided for our (the general public's) entertainment.

I know Ive mentioned this before but artists (of all kinds) don't get paid unless they have a big break. They live on Ramen Noodles and ahve serving jobs at a Cracker Barrell talking about when they will get this "big break." Some give up and some sell out. They stop doing their dream and start serving the public. And there are the people who produce beautiful work and it is stolen from them. ALl of this work is enjoyed y us - although we pirate it and borrow from friends, eventually stealing from people's livelihood.

But, thats not waht I'm here to talk about, I'm here to talk about jobs. And, this time, it's really jobs versus careers. The struggling CAREER of being an artist versus the impossible JOB of being an artist.

YEsterday, I went to an interview at Bush Gardens to be a costume character. Besides the fact that it's hot and it's acting (nither of which I car for too much), it pays $11.50 an hour. Great pay for a student. So I auditioned and it was fun, but I didn't get it... big suprise.

Needless to say there were 100 people there and I had the incredible pleasure of meeting 10 of them - or at least listening to all of their life stories. The realization I came to is that, although I am a writer and an therefore an artist, I don't concentrate on my art. I figure that will come to me - you know - my art (mojo - stories and creativity). I concentrate on perfecting my craft, becoming an expert in my field. The difference is that these people just play, all their lives, and they will probably be happy (which is great) but not successful in that they will have money problems and social networking problems.

But, who am I to say how people will really turn out? I just look at the patterns. I watch people. How do they act? How do they speak and why do they say waht they say, if anything?

Some of the people I met have truely raw talent, but why won't they practive their skills? Why won't they make the most of their talent and their passion? It's when you choose to do those things that you truely have the potential to flourish. It's so simple.

Why don't people do it?