On Writing and Reading, Part 4: Relationships and (or versus) Pay

In these posts, I've carefully kept my own blogging out of it.  I'm an amateur at blogging and writing.  Maybe a knowledgeable amateur on subjects such as books, or gardening, or musicals.  More than just a knowledgeable amateur where music is concerned.  But, even though I think I write the occasional post worth reading, and take the occasional photo worth looking at, I don't ever think of going professional. 

In all this talk of amateurs and professionals, getting paid or not getting paid, I've left out my own experiences - music and aerobics.  I majored in music for two years at the NC School of the Arts.  I was going to go into it professionally, but my asthma and other concerns got in the way.  I've only been paid a few times for playing music - even though, when I'm in practice, I play well, and was well educated.  My problem, now, is not finding paying flute jobs.  It's finding any opportunity at all to play for an audience. 

I do get paid for aerobics.  It's a good part-time job.   On a recent holiday, one club that I teach for decided not to have classes on a three day weekend.  Some instructors asked if they could teach their regular classes anyway - even though they wouldn't get paid!

This sounds like writers voluntarily giving up paid writing to become unpaid bloggers.  Why?

Because of relationships.  Sometimes, those aerobic classes on three day weekends are the best ones to teach.  People are off from work, they're feeling energetic, and they're quite enthusiastic.  They would miss your class if it wasn't there, and they are appreciative. 

Why would I love to find places where I could volunteer to play flute, without pay?  Because I'm the sort of musician who needs an audience (post here).  If I hadn't had knee trouble, I would have been one of those aerobics instructors offering to teach for free - because of the enjoyment of teaching on those days, and the interactions with the class. 

Even aerobics is not the greatest example since few people go into it just for the money.  You enjoy teaching, and it's good to get paid, but there are better jobs, money-wise (once you take the hourly wage, take insurance and certification out of it, and figure in all the hours you spend coming up with routines, it's not nearly as much, hourly-wage-wise). 

If you're happy earning a living doing your art or profession in isolation, this isn't as much of an issue.  If you want interaction with an audience, there may be a balance (or a trade-off) between paid work and allowing for online interaction. 

[Photo is from Duke Gardens in May, 2006.  I currently can't upload any photos because my computer is full.  I'm trying to clear things out.]

Comments

[Karen-In-Law]

Nursing homes. Jeff's mom plays piano at a gazillion of them. Brings joy to residents, who often lack something to relieve their boredom and loneliness.

[M Light]

Good idea. Our homeschool group has a grouop that does this every month, but it's never been at a good time for us.