Monday, June 22, 2009

When is a job, not a job?

So, I'm having one of those moments...you know, those moments where you wish you could find what you love to do and do it for gobs and gobs of money? But then I start thinking of some of the cool things I would like to do, and then I follow it about 5 to 10 years down the road, okay, like 6 months actually, and I think to myself 'Would I really still like to do it after it's my job? Because doesn't something being your "job", take all the fun out of it?

Say that your dream is to become a rockin' hair stylist (which was one of my thought patterns for cool things I'd like to do, even though I way suck at doing hair...but I could go to school right?)...so you go to Vidal Sassoon school for hair, and you become totally awesome and you go work at a cute little trendy salon. You get to wear way cute clothes, and have a hairstyle that you would never get away with at a 9-5 suit job. But then, after months and months of washing, and styling, and sweeping up hair particles, and fighting with your salon co-workers because they keep "borrowing" your styling wax...then, is it still fun, and your dream? Or do you start thinking about something else?

As you're working as a hair stylist you think...wow, I'd love to be a massage therapist...because it'd be really cool to work in a fancy schmancy spa with soothing music all day and helping people relieve their stress. Everything is going great, until the first day you get Mr. Super Hairy Back Guy on the table...what do you do then?? My girlfriend's daughter is a massage therapist and I ask her questions like this all the time...and she's totally cool with all the funky stuff she encounters, and she handles it quite diplomatically...but she's like 22, so will she be cool with it for the rest of her life, or while she's massaging Mr. SHBG is she daydreaming about...

Becoming a famous singer?? (this is also on my list, as was the above mentioned Massage Therapist) So, you get vocally trained and you play in a band and you get stage experience and you make an album and you try and get heard by a bunch of different recording labels. And you finally get signed! YAY! That's totally exciting, but then you're whole life is booked for you from the time you wake up, to the time you go to bed, with radio appearances, autograph signings, performances, charity events...yada yada yada...and then don't you get burnt out?

So, you become a writer instead. You have this great idea for a book, and you stay up all night for weeks getting it finished. And you track down an editor and a publisher and stuff...and then they tell you...well, you have to take 30 pages out...by end of business tomorrow. So, you're so close to being published, but then you have to do all this work...do you really want to sit there and figure out which lines don't absolutely need to go into the story...or would you rather be reading other people's blogs about how cool and awesome their artsy fartsy life is? Because that's what I'd wanna do.

Is there a way to get paid lots and lots of money for reading other people's blogs? :)

3 comments:

Angela said...

I have often wondered if I am doing what I was intended to do for a living. I say yes, I love my job..I love the people I work with and I get paid what I call 'stupid money'. BUT, I have often had dreams of becoming a rock star singing sensation. Can you do that when you are middle age!?!?!

Angela Hill said...

I don't know, but if there is sign me up!!! I would also like to get paid for hanging out on facebook and reading trashy novels.

Lauren said...

Oh my word...how did you get inside my head? Although I've never wanted to be either a massage therapist, or a rock star, I am ALWAYS in search of the perfect job. The one you described that you're just passionate about. I am 44 years old and I'm still searching. And yes -- I too would like to be paid to write and read blogs -- sadly, the pennies that I'm getting by hosting ad$ isn't paying the bills.

I will say this though, I think you can find your way to a job that you are pretty passionate about. You just have to think about the values that are on your heart more than the the tasks of the job.

Good luck with your quest...and if you ever find that blog reader for bucks job...please let me know!!