January 14 - Leads Out Of The Weeds In A Dead End

For everyone except assholes, November and December of last year were slow, lean, sullen months. Over here, delivery work could barely cover the cost of gas. For three consecutive pay periods I needed advances from my boss to make rent. Like many folks I could not afford to go out. When I went home, I stayed there. I made my own lunch. I sold back records. I sold my bike.

Wow, I even cut out drinking for a whole week!

The actual dead end of my dead end job was staring right at me. Kind of checking me out in a rapisty kind of way. Faced with this reality, for the first time in my adult life I considered going back to school. So I decided to pursue journalism: The Other Dying Industry!

For years I have been told that as a writer I have some talent, and a voice, and this sort of thing. In fact, last summer I freelanced for one of the few growing companies in the country. I had an opportunity for a full time position with benefits. However it conflicted with a tour of Europe with The Bitter Tears, and who would say no to touring Europe?

With more tours in the works, that opportunity has since vanished. So I thought freelance writing might enable me to do both.

I met with my friend Christy. She has been freelancing for ten years now. It is how she makes a living. Christy lent me books, answered my questions, and gave it to me straight. Her insight opened my mind, and cleaned out all the naive cobwebs.

Sitting on her couch I had this epiphany:

* What you like to write doesn't pay

* What you don't really want to write but can, does

Ohhhhhhhh...so this is just like everything else.

The good news is that I can do this.

Verdict: Win