Day Job Blues

When I was a young man, I was a working musician. I always had some other job, just to help pay the bills, but my priority was always music. Then, quite on accident, I got a “real job”. It was a job with benefits and good money, and I was torn as to whether or not I should take it. I knew it meant a shift in priorities. I even remember telling my family about the job where they all congratulated me but when I told my musician friends, they all said some version of “sorry to hear it” because they too knew it meant a shift in priorities.

All these years later, I don’t regret the decision, but I occasionally lament not being a musician. Now that I’m painting again, I find I’m very defensive of my painting time. However, every now and then my day job bleeds into my painting time. It’s got to take priority for many practical reasons, but I still lament not being able to paint whenever I want.