I put a baby pacifier in my mouth today.
In public.
And it’s not like it was discreet, either. People were looking in my general direction because I was holding a human alarm system in my other hand at the moment. It’s like he was tattling on me for not washing it properly. We exited the coffee shop promptly thereafter.
Welcome to my Independent Lifestyle.
I had jobs when I was younger. I worked on construction clean-up crews, I waited tables, I even worked one summer at an Electric Company going over blueprints and making estimates on how much it would cost us to do the job.
I wouldn’t say I was unhappy working a job. I liked the predictability of a paycheck, and the fact that I could go home after work and not think about it. But I found that I wasn’t content. I wouldn’t just go home and “not-think” about my current job. I would go home and obsess over the fact that I didn’t have enough time to work on what I wanted to work on: my music.
My life goal, at an early age, became to not have a “job” besides my music. I wanted to play 200+ shows a year, live on tour. Even if it meant just breaking even. I didn’t know if I’d be able to handle the rigors of being on tour, but I was pretty sure that if it was the one thing that was taking up all my non-work (and, let’s face it, a good portion of my non-non-work) time, then I was probably pretty predisposed to the lifestyle.
I have a pretty good idea that if you’re on this website, you’re in a similar situation. Take note: nothing in life is as ideal as it should be. I finally did those 200 shows last year. I’ll tell you some stories in weeks to come of the conditions that surrounded those 200 shows, but the point of it is – I’m doing it. I no longer go home, feet aching, still miffed at the European who spent $100 on a meal, but couldn’t spare more than $3 for a tip.
I do have farrrr more stressful days sometimes now; I’m working from home, and because I’m not yet making enough money to support a family, I’m taking care of a 3-month old baby while my wife works a 9-to-5 (I’d call my level of success… “in transition”) but here’s the important part: it’s stressful because it matters to me. Not all of you are going to decide that “Wage Slave Rebellion” is for you, but please, for your own mental health and for the sake of everyone that has to come into contact with you on a daily basis, do something that matters to you.
It’s not a safe, reliable, or predictable path to take. It’s for the adventurers, the unafraid, the willing-to-fail-a-few-times-to-get-it-right-ers. If that’s you, stick around… I have some stories for you.
Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakecaptive/ / CC BY 2.0
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- Diary of a Wage Slave Rebel: How to Disregard the Safe and Certain and Almost Go To Jail… (Twice) – Part 2
- Diary of a Wage Slave Rebel: Stretching Your Personal Skills for Professional Gain
- Diary of a Wage Slave Rebel: Lessons from the Road
Hey, I'm JD. I'm a writer, web designer and contrarian entrepreneur. Wage Slave Rebel is a place where I (and others) explore alternative and ethical ways to earn a living apart from the corporate hierarchy. The goal of this site is to help people escape wage slavery and start reaping the full rewards of their skills and passions. 
I'm really looking forward to seeing your take on living an unconventional life. What I think is interesting is that you live an UNCONVENTIONAL unconventional life. Most people who step out of the status quo are single or at least don't have children. And most work with web-based jobs.
It's great to hear a true artist's perspective.
Nice to hear that you are going to after for your dream instead of taking the safest dull job you said it was. But I wonder because you are risking your family and kid for your dream, I always think that people should after their dream but then again I would think twice when I have a small child and a wife. Good post anyway…
I think a lot of people just use having a wife and kid as an excuse not to do what they really dream of doing. He's not risking his family for his dream… doesn't sound like they are in any immediate danger.
Yeah, I can see the concern. Rest assured, while I love this Independent lifestyle, I wouldn't hesitate to go wait tables or work construction for awhile if there was any danger of becoming homeless or my kid starving. You gotta have priorities, y'know?
As a person who conducts most of his work off site and takes summers off (I'm a professor), I am totally behind your concept and aims. I structure my lifestyle and classes for maximum effectiveness in the shortest amount of time and I am able to get my work done and much more.
Very interesting blog. I look forward to coming back.
@Bakari I'm glad you like the blog! Thanks for your kind words. Very interesting to see a professor here!
I'm a musician as well and I can really identify with this story. My ultimate goal is to be able to support myself with a location independent business so that I spend more time on music.