I get asked this. The doctor who asked me, then said, “Well, what do you really do?” when I said I was an oboist. He just knew I couldn’t possibly by making an income from playing. Tee hee … we get to play … ha ha … he doesn’t. (Or maybe he loves his job so much it’s like playing?)
Anyway, what DO I do? And do I make a living? I’m married, and my husband makes the higher salary these days. But I think I could make it on my own between ALL my jobs: performing, teaching at two universities (only private lessons … I’m not professor or Dr. or anything), and private studio. But I wouldn’t have any health benefits. That’s would be a drag. So maybe I wouldn’t be making a living after all. Maybe I’d have to quit and get a “real job”.
I just read this:
Many decades ago, I heard Conti say, “You are what you do. If you drive a cab five days a week, and play music on the week-end, you are not a musician, you are a cab driver who plays music”.
What you read above is from Loose Poodle in this blog entry. It does make me think. And I can’t say I entirely disagree with Conti. (Aside: He came to San Jose Symphony (RIP) quite some time ago, by the way. I barely remember him, though. He didn’t leave any impression for yours truly. Maybe someday I should write about the folks that DID make a good impression. I won’t write about those who left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m careful that way.)
Anyway, I have to admit I kind of laugh (only in my head, not in their faces) at people who say, “I’m a [fill in a profession]” but don’t practice that profession in any significant way, other than in the privacy of their own home (or privacy of their own brain). Maybe that makes me sound like a snob. Sigh.
But … what the heck am I? I don’t make a full time income as an oboist. I don’t make a full time income as a teacher. So I just don’t know what I am now.
Uh-oh.
Am I anything? Aside from goofy? And lazy.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. 🙂
