There it was again. The word that sets my teeth on edge. The "H" word. As in... "You don't work, you have a hobby." My hubby gave me an apologetic smile. He knows this will set me off. I dryly replied that if the person in question thought it was such a hobby, then maybe he should come do a show with us.
As if that would happen.
But, as I sit here, I am aware that there are people who can't seem to break out of the "nine-to-five" mindset. My chosen profession must seem alien to someone whose job takes them no farther than the copier to the coffee pot.
Allow me to enlighten.
A hobby: The alarm goes off... oh, who am I kidding. There is no alarm. You wake up when you wake up. A job: You wake up in the dark. It's 4 am. You sigh. There is no point of going back to sleep when the alarm is set to go off in 30 more minutes.
A hobby: You decide what to wear. Maybe suit the weather, or maybe suit your mood. It's not too important. A job: Get up and check the weather online. Your choice will be based on this. It's cold. Wear multiple layers, boots, gloves, hat, coat. If it's a night show, bring a blanket. Nope. It's going to be hot. Wear something that won't show the sweat stains too bad. Remember the sunscreen. Try to look semi-put together. Now, decide if you can move in either ensemble. Can you bend? Lift? Sit without exposing any unseemly bits? Can your shoes get you from point A to point B? Wait. It's a costume show. Drag out the appropriate costume and as you tighten that corset or fight those crinolines, you wonder why in the hell anyone EVER dressed like this.
A hobby: It's lunchtime! You pass a favorite restaurant and pull in for a bite to eat. A Job: You choose a drive thru. Your menu choice will be based on the easiest to eat while driving. Eat quickly while navagating traffic. Don't spill any on that carefully chosen outfit. Ration all drinks as there is no easily accessible bathroom at the venue. (Yes. This includes rationing coffee at 4am). OR... pack a lunch for your venue. Be too busy to eat. Pack up, drive home, eat ravenously while standing in your kitchen.
A hobby: Buy the latest and greatest toy to play with. A job: Drool over the latest toy. Dream. Then take your hard-earned cash and buy office supplies, retail paraphenalia, licenses, commissions, taxes and fees. Buy needed and neccessary supplies. Buy a bag of groceries with what is humbly left over.
A hobby: Settle down in bed. Grab the remote to the TV and start to watch that late show you've been wanting to see. A job: Crawl into bed. Balance 2 dogs, one cat, one husband, a book on new techniques, and your sewing project. See that the clock reads 9. Sigh. Place sewing back into the pile, arrange animals, kiss hubby and go to sleep. You have a 4:30 wake up for a show in the morning!
