Sound of Jen

Moola. Almost everybody needs it. And to some, it comes easier, than to others.

As a musician (artist, etc.), you may want what you really love to do to be your main source of income. If you don’t have the means to be independent or pay your bills, you are not ready yet.

I know this seems quite obvious, but often brooding over what we want preceds action. The longer brooding is done, the longer our main goal just remains a thought. Figure out how to make *insert dream career here* become main job.

I know that some people are sucked high and dry by the thought of a 9-5, so try to look at the big picture with this. If you are totally depressed with this, don’t let mainstream society tell  you that you need to just suck it up and that’s the way life is.  It’s not. If you can find something you remotely enjoy, can pay your rent, and doesn’t take all the energy out of you, go for it! Try for a job that gives you flexible hours. And if you are stuck in a 9-5, that you just can’t quit because of important obligations, remember what you main goal is. Chip away at it whenever you can.

For both the 9-5 er and the flexer, if you can be really careful with your money, you can even pack away some savings to support your projects.

For many an artsy person, there is no black or white for jobs and careers. There’s lots of grey:

“Should I keep trying to become a music teacher? Try to work in the music business? What about culinary school, I would LOVE to do that. I’m also good at photography….I need money. I want to do what I love/i’m good at/won’t make me feel like a zombie.”

I don’t think this is so strange. But it sure is a juggling act.

Today, I have a job interview. Being in a creative field (music), having even gone to school for it (seems anomalous, I know); I feel very, very awkward. I know most graduates in college have a degree of insecurity, but I often feel most music/artsy people are hanging out on a limb.

Most of my friends (myself included) search for teaching jobs or try to find ourselves some kind of 9-5 job. Because at least then,the money will come in to live, we will feel some kind of self sufficiency and/or we will not feel like lazy citizens that do our countries no service!

I had an internship once. Two internships. Now this, whether it turns out to be a good experience or not, is something I recommend. This has gotten me every music related contact I might ever have. With internships, you are often doing very monotonous, rote, data-ish work. This is something you should expect.
The first one showed me all the work that goes on behind the scenes of promoting an artist, and I learned a lot. The second one, I learned nothing at all and was just a receptionist.

After that, I taught music.

So now it seems logical that I have two venues open for me: Music teaching, or the music industry. I wish it was more common for musicians to be able to make a living (a REAL living, not just a hobby) making music. Composing, performing solo, in ensembles, in bands. Not just some Hollywood dream. I don’t want actual melodious music to become just a side thought.

Is it possible? This is something I strive to find out.

(This was originally written on 3/17/07 @ www.soundofjen.blogspot.com)

There is always so much pressure with beginnings and endings…So,if these first posts sound extremely contrived and awkward, it just has to be. It’s the beginning.

What will this blog be about? A lot of random (yet very important) things that are of interest to me. Will I find my niche in the blogging world? Maybe. Maybe not…

So, here we go…

(This was written on 3/16/07 on www.soundofjen.blogspot.com)