Couch Wisdom with Dingo

sometimes its good to find an old friend when you least expect it.

August 15, 2003
A Dissertation on the Drive of an Artist, by a Tired Author

So just got done with tech for the production of MacBeth I'm designing- you may recall my request for leads on rockin' Scottish music from a few weeks back (thanks again Kupsco). And it's a really good show- I'm happy with my work, and the cast is doing some great things. It is due to this show, though, that I am as tired as I am right now. That, and the wanton attempts I've made in the last few weeks to cause my liver to leap out of my body, proclaiming that it was done with all this ridiculous overtime and would I just sleep sometme? Sorry- digression.

So an interesting conversation is spawned after rehearsal tonight, begun by me turning to Chris- friend and director of the show- and asking him, "Why the hell do we keep doing this to ourselves?"

We were unable to prooouce an answer that didn't make us sound as though we were either stupidly masochistic or pretensiously artistic, or both as oft is the case.

So my question dear readers, is why? Why do we keep doing this to ourselves? I ask this, of course, to all those who take that additional role or position on a show because, well, we just have to, in spite of the additional work and silly lack of rest that accompanies such an agreement.

I guess because I've never asked a lot of you before, and no time like the present, why do you do it? Why this chosen vocation and not one that would almost certainly pay more for infinitely less work? Discuss... And if you let this inspire a post on your own site, cool- I would dig being a part of that whole online "community" I keep hearing about.

and my answer of course,

because who wants to work 9-5?
because who wants to survive in a cubicle jungle?
because who would give up the opportunity to live as poorly as we do?
because who wants to do the same thing day in and day out?
its because we are all drasticly searching and working toward that almost unattainable goal of luxury and wealth that will always have us putting in extra time till the wee hours of the morning, to do things that we would rather not do, and to look at something you have created and say, "(shouting on an crowded street)I, I HAVE CREATED FIRE!"

posted by dingo @ 2:09:00 AM