Comments on Freelancing Against All Common Sense: The Good Oil

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It's so confusing ....
at times. A lot of times, my friends have considered me foolish and crazy because of what i do. Often times i  had to ask mywether or not this is the right way to follow. Its a fact, that it doesnt pay much, but, come to think of it, it's not about the money, it's about the feeling you get from doing it.

posted by macphilips on April 27, 2006 at 5:17 PM | link to this | reply

Yes, follow your heart.

posted by _dave_says_ack_ on April 27, 2006 at 9:55 AM | link to this | reply

My daughter is appearing in "Pippin"(after they took our Bob Fosse's stuff)

Odd duck of a play, but the bare bones story is a young idealistic man, goaded by (internal? metaphoric?) others tries various routes to "total fullfillment", and it very nearly kills him and leaves him emotionally destitute time after time...until he compromises and lives for/with another and not for himself.

Not a very exciting premise, so Bob Fosse tossd in some language and some orgies...

Anyway, don't chase fullfillment so raptly and you might find it anyway.

(Cue Dorothy Gail...there's no place like home...)

posted by majroj on April 26, 2006 at 7:22 PM | link to this | reply

Hi, Azur,
Following our hearts is good advice.  I agree.  Even though sometimes, okay, a lot of times, doing what we want to do just doesn't pay the bills or fill other immediate needs, but there is some great value in it for us, if we really love it.  I know, it's not always some monetary value or fame or whatever else people may think they want, but loving what we do is a giant slice of having a successful life, in my opinion.  Also, I hope your friend can find time to do more massages, if that's what she wants to do.  Thanks.  :)

posted by BlackPearl1 on April 26, 2006 at 7:01 PM | link to this | reply

Azur
I used up 40 years of my life before I followed my heart and took up the profession I was a natural at.  You are doing the same, Azur, only you are lots younger.  Feeling the way you do, you are lucky to have a confidante.

posted by johnmacnab on April 26, 2006 at 5:49 PM | link to this | reply

You are so right!

posted by Whacky on April 26, 2006 at 5:03 PM | link to this | reply

The heart is a thing of creativity,
and unforutnately, it is difficult for most of us to make ends meet as a creative.  It's hard to be happy about following our hearts when we have to struggle to meet our financial responsibility while doing so.  There is no satisfactory answer here--it's a bit of a Catch-22.  While choices have much to do with it, so do timing and luck, both such elusive things and alloted to so few.

posted by SilverMoon7 on April 26, 2006 at 4:55 PM | link to this | reply

Azur--- The secret to happiness and success, whether as a writer or
 otherwise, is to make decisions--- not excuses--- based on priorities. So, first you must prioritize, something that many refuse to do or are incapable of doing.

posted by Jazwolf on April 26, 2006 at 4:29 PM | link to this | reply

Brisbane artist, yes. I think people expect things to happen all at once

posted by Azur on April 26, 2006 at 3:59 PM | link to this | reply

Pat B, it doesn't matter what we do, we have slumps
This friend who gives the massage is an excellent confidante

posted by Azur on April 26, 2006 at 3:11 PM | link to this | reply

TAPS- yes I've had people say "it's OK for you, you can do that"
and I don't buy it. If I can do it they can do it.  It comes down to choices

posted by Azur on April 26, 2006 at 3:09 PM | link to this | reply

This is true Azure

the only thing is ...when I followed my heart there was a very long stretch of time between when I began the changes and when they began to pay off.  I am not saying it was not worth it - just - that people who want to make those really big changes really need to get a handle on the idea that it is a really long term proposition and not for the feint hearted.  People may sit at the sidelines saying...."go back to real work while you can?"  It can seem like that would be better and yet the writer/artist needs to be able to trust the process and hang on and let go at the same time.

 

"Hang on and let go at the same time" not a bad line hey?

lol

Jo

posted by brisbane_artist on April 26, 2006 at 12:24 PM | link to this | reply

Maybe it's common sense
maybe it's self-doubt.  Maybe you're at the low swing of the pendulum and by this time tomorrow you'll have a new project and will feel great about it. If not, then the day after that. Count on it. :)

posted by Pat_B on April 26, 2006 at 9:05 AM | link to this | reply

Azur, so often people forget that they are where they are in their lives because of choices they have made.  They also forget that no matter where they are they still have choices and should take responsibility for where they are going.

posted by TAPS. on April 26, 2006 at 8:59 AM | link to this | reply