Some Expenses You Really Don't Want Me To Cut
Thanks for the helpful advice you've been offering in my recent post!
A lot of you are having trouble believing me when I say I don't have much fat to trim from my expenditures. "It can't be possible", I hear you cry. Some cannot comprehend how it is possible to not get by. I must be spending on cable, yes, that's it! No, I was serious. I have never had cable. I don't smoke and I don't like alcohol. I do my shopping in thrift stores. I eat ramen. I don't have a land line. I got my bed from Freecycle. These are not temporary "measures" -- I don't need or want any of that stuff.
I do not have an ATM card. I do not have a checkbook. For me, an impulse purchase wouldn't just mean whipping out plastic: I count my cash every time I open my wallet.
Computer desk? Off a curb. Three computers? Cobbled from donated parts. Three gigantuous monitors? Given away at work. Scanner? Gift. And it is all awesome! Behold the mad scavenging skillz! *Rubs hands in glee* OK, well, except for my printer which I bought from Erik Kauppi's friend at the Stilyagi picnic an incredible discount, which has never worked. Fourth printer in a row that doesn't work. That'll teach me to pay for things.
You know where all the expenses are which I could trim, if I really squeezed until it hurt? Gas money for seeing all of you. Running conventions. Renting a room in a wonderful home with a cool dude who lets me host you all for a Penguicon concom meeting this Saturday at 1PM (hint hint). Don't worry, there is absolutely no way in holy heck I am going to cut all of you out of my life and lose my biggest creative outlet, which is fandom. It would take me a dozen years of no-more-Denny's and no-more-driving-M14 before I could end such a hermitage. So, that idea is out. You do not want that to happen.
Yes yes, we've identified my "career" as the source of the problem here. I do not get paid $$$ to do things that would suck my soul out through my ocular spheres, and when I look at my resume it tells me to do that. However, some of you have suggested some creative income sources that take my imagination to interesting places right now! More about that if it works out.
Comments
paranthropus on Nov. 8, 2006 7:53 PM
"Don't worry, there is absolutely no way in holy heck I am going to cut all of you out of my life and lose my biggest creative outlet, which is fandom."
Frankly, there's your problem: fandom does not pay.
At least, not very well... and of course there are exceptions... but before I get off track, let's just accept that as a rule for purpose of argument. If you are a creative person who wants to be compensated for his creativity, fandom is going to let you down financially speaking.
Interesting that you mention "cut you out of my life" in the same context as "creative outlet". I think that if you ask your friends why they hang out with you, enjoying your creativity will only be a small part. People hang out together simply because they enjoy each others company. Indeed, if you become an appreciator of creativity, rather than a creator, it's interesting how ones circle of friends grows.
You've got some ideas for new creative income sources. It will be interesting to see how those develop. I'd maintain that a good start would be taking your creativity out of the context of your circle of friends. You can still do that without having your soul sucked out.
BTW, how would you define "soul?" :-)
matt-arnold on Nov. 8, 2006 8:10 PM
The fact that fandom does not pay is not a problem.
See, I need to be talked into having the mindset of wanting compensation for my creativity, of connecting my income to my passion. Of course fandom doesn't pay. That's why I treat creativity as a hobby. I've never depended on it to pay, and I have a hard time listening to certain people we both hang out with who keep expecting to get paid for their creativity (you probably know who I mean) without telling them that they need to give up.
You could be right that I can take my creativity outside my circle of friends. I'm going to keep trying.
When someone flourishes, they find expression in what fits with the unique nature embedded deeply in their brain, not running counter to it. It fits their emotional and psychological needs. That nature is how I am using the word "soul" in this context.
users on Nov. 8, 2006 8:15 PM
"Saturday at 1PM (hint hint)"
I'm there (late) if i can find a sitter
paranthropus on Nov. 8, 2006 8:23 PM
Well, I applaud your efforts. It takes a great effort of will in order to take ones creativity seriously enough to make it pay. Everything in our modern system of work and compensation, and even our friends and family, seem to conspire against it. You are an extremely creative person, and I know you can make a go of it. If I can help, just ask.
Thanks for the definition of "soul". That's a pretty good one, I admit, though I was just making a lame joke.
rachelann1977 on Nov. 8, 2006 9:17 PM
I did not mention this before because it seemed unlikely to be something you would want to do, but I'll give it a shot. You could do what I am doing now, which is something like debt trading, with the hope of a promising future career. If you go back to school, you get to encur a whole different kind of debt, but it is one that is not so easily frowned upon, and tends to be easier to pay back as well.
The problem with that solution, of course, is what will you study? And what can you possibly study that would be both enjoyable and lurative? The fact that I love to help others so much and am fasciinated with psychological weirdness made my choice easy. I have no idea what opportunities may or may not exist for you, but maybe it's something to think about?
matt-arnold on Nov. 8, 2006 9:27 PM
That's the problem. I can think of plenty of classes that I'd like to take for fun. I can't think of even one among those that teach a marketable skill. That's why I got an art degree the first time. When I was a teen, I didn't know art was work. Heh heh.
Believe me, I think about this all the time.
blue-duck on Nov. 8, 2006 9:22 PM
I have to think there's a lucrative market for voyeuristic chocolate consumption and that you would have a bright future in such a profession. Just sayin'. :D
matt-arnold on Nov. 8, 2006 9:28 PM
OK, I take back what I said to rachelanne1977's comment above.
avt-tor on Nov. 8, 2006 10:21 PM
You write in grammatically correct sentences, and you can draw. Surely you can do some freelance writing or web design.
matt-arnold on Nov. 8, 2006 11:16 PM
I absolutely could do design, in the abstract. And occasionally I do. But to paraphrase Doc's quip from Back To The Future about plutonium, clients aren't the sort of thing you pop down to the corner store to pick up. The talent-- and interest-- I lack is that of building a business.
As for writing, the thought has never occurred to me that people would be crazy enough to pay me to do something so easy, and I wouldn't even know where to start.
rmeidaking on Nov. 9, 2006 4:15 AM
Lots of people get paid lots of money for writing. Tech writers make the most these days; if you can translate what engineers are saying into real English, you'll never go hungry.
twoofdtm on Nov. 10, 2006 4:31 AM
You didn't even touch the second job comment.... does that mean you aren't interested in taking one?
matt-arnold on Nov. 10, 2006 4:41 AM
Actually, that's become my foremost plan. Thank you very much for suggesting it. Do you happen to know anyplace around here you think would be particularly good to work?
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