Decisions, decisions......

It has been a while since I blogged...... a whole 9 days. Some things have been brewing in the teapot and I should document the steps of the process, because that's what I like to do, even if for my own purposes, whatever they may be...actually documenting things helps me in retrospect gain understanding of the underlying motives driving my ambitions.
Anyway, almost thru the crazy retail work schedule .... seems no matter what job I do, I can't escape the inevitability of daze of this time of year. However, yesterday I was playing for mass at Ressi, and sitting there thinking about how much I love performing on the organ. I also subbed at St Phil's again, and experienced the opportunity of playing the 28 rank Cassavant. I came to the realization that I never truly happier, or sucked out of the dimension of time, than when I am invested in the art of making music. And let's face it....I just love hymns. I was born to love them. And to play them, and to improvise on their melodies....as sure as a doctor was made to heal, I was made to play music.

So here I am at another crossroads: in light of the recent realization that the particular sales job I am currently doing is not something that I am interested in dontinuing to do for the next 11 years or so, I am thinking about exercising other options.

Here's the main problem with the current job situation: I have been doing 'ok' with sales, and have found myself even surpassing some of the guys who have actually been there for a lot longer than I have. The problem is, I am stuck in a limited sales environment as keyboard sales associate/consultant. In this capacity, I am competing with other sales guys, many who have been there for over a year, and are
a: either department managers, who get all the BIG business that comes into the department or
b: assistant managers who have the ability to roam the entire store selling whatever they want, in any department they want, taking the best business away from the peons.
The truth is, I just don't want to stay on this merry-go-round long enough to move into that kind of a situation, where I am able to have that kind of freedom. Working for minimum wage, plus commission ( but only after I fade my paycheck) is not cutting it. I am working way too long and hard for the compensation. ( If it were just selling, that would be better, but we do mechandising, cleaning, inventory, garbage runs..... it's like slave labor, really).
And, the hours have been horrendous! My whole days are consumed by the act of being employed in this job. I leave to catch the bus between 8:30am or 10:30am, and don't get home till near 11pm. 6 days a week! And on the 7th day, there is NO rest, because I have been playing at church.

So here's my plan: I went back to Jason over at Sheetz and asked about a job there, and he was very accommodating; unfortunately, since it has been over 60 days (just barely) since I last applied, I have to start from the beginning of the process: on-line application, drug test etc. OK, fine, I can do all that. The other side of the spectrum is that I looked at what Ressi is asking of the position they have advertised, and decided I will put in an offer to do the job for full-time for 28K plus benefits, and extra for weddings and funerals( they must be kidding! for what they are asking, only offering part-time). I will even say "give me a year, and see if you think that what I create is worth continuing". Between the two jobs, it will be a bit busy, but at least it will bring me closer to my goal of having the dental work completed, AND I will lease a car, taking Suzie off the hook for having to pick me up from work at gawd awful hours of the day.

So there is a brief, quick, down and dirty thumb nail sketch of what's going on in the teapot these days.

Go ahead, give it to me with both barrels! I figure I'll just do the Sheetz gig for a year. Then I'l go back to concentrating on ust music and maybe even teaching.

On other fronts, at least I am home, where I belong, with friends and family....even tho I am way too busy to spend quality time with them! The other thing is that mom plans to have the other knee done in 6 months, then after that, she is thinking she will go to live with Tim and Esther in San Diego after she recuperates. That hope has totally enlivened her, and it is good to see her positive mood. This has been rough on all of us.

C'est la vie!