An Epiphany

[László]

So, as luck would have it, I had a moment of clarity.

You see, I was never programmed with a specific mission to accomplish while on the planet. I don't know who made that error, but it's too late to go back to the moment before my existence began and check. All I can tell you is that it is better to know what one's mission is early in life, or one just kind of muddles through, half-aware.

Yes. At this late stage. In the cosmic sense, I'm giving myself a mission at the last minute, because I'm getting old enough that soon I will lack the energy to accomplish it. My mission will involve music. It will be self-directed; it won't come from a client.

Doubtless, I won't make any money with it. That's an unusual thing for me, as I was raised to believe that non-revenue-producing activities are a waste of time. But that's not true. In fact, I now believe that activities designed to pursue revenue, while beneficial and even necessary at times, are unrelated to living to the fullest.

So I'm going to do precisely what I want.

That's all I'm going to say for now.

 

[jfb]

Sounds like living. I like it. Excited to hear the results.

 

[Hopeful Sinner]

Sounds just capital muh man...

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Disco Les!

 

[alantig]

Sounds like the long-anticipated Les Schefman hair metal album is about to become a reality!

 

[JustRob]

That sounds awesome. I wish I could find me one of those "epiphany" things.

 

[toothace]

"Yes…Jesus H Tap-Dancing Christ I have seen the light!!!" Good for you Les…go get 'em!

 

[Boogie]

So, as luck would have it, I had a moment of clarity...My mission will involve music...Doubtless, I won't make any money with it...So I'm going to do precisely what I want.

Let's see...thankless AND payless? You're going to play in a bar band? :beer:

 

[Todd_FindingMyWay]

Thats a good Epiphany to have..
I taught Martial Arts for approx 20 years at various levels and schools early in my life (20's and 30's) ..some full time, some my own..

Now for the last 17 years I've been sitting in a cube in IT-land like a 'good worker bee'. Do I make a heck of lot more money? Yes. Am I happier? Hell NO!

I can feel myself being pulled back into teaching and doing martial arts..As it turns it out, this is my life's calling...I have to lose the tub of lard around my waste that a combination of cubeland and laziness has given me, but I'm on my way.

 

[clcwarlock]

I think this is a great idea Les. Follow what you love and it will lead you in the right direction. Last New Years Day I committed to getting my basic recording studio setup in my basement and to start recording an album, this was for no other reason than for me to get my ideas down. I have been writing songs all year and putting things together. While I am slow on the recording side I have been coming up with tons of great riffs. Even though I wont make my deadline to have this all recorded by the end of the year I will probably have close to 4 to 5 songs almost written and I am enjoying every minute of it.

 

[veinbuster]

I might give that a try myself - it is a bit (a big bit) against the grain though.

Cheers.

 

[Egads]

Do it! No matter the financial outcome or critical acclaim, you know you've got the support and backing of this big ole group of miscreants!

 

[László]

My friends here are the greatest! Thanks, guys!

 

[John Beef]

I was raised to believe that non-revenue-producing activities are a waste of time. But that's not true. In fact, I now believe that activities designed to pursue revenue, while beneficial and even necessary at times, are unrelated to living to the fullest.

I have never really put it into words before, but I have always found the revenue producing activities are a necessary evil, but otherwise a waste of valuable time. They're something I would never ever choose to do, except I would starve and be homeless and never be able to do any of the activities I want to pursue.

 

[jfb]

I might give that a try myself - it is a bit (a big bit) against the grain though.

Cheers.

Sounds awesome.

My friends here are the greatest! Thanks, guys!

I am...er...I mean WE are!

 

[alantig]

I have never really put it into words before, but I have always found the revenue producing activities are a necessary evil, but otherwise a waste of valuable time. They're something I would never ever choose to do, except I would starve and be homeless and never be able to do any of the activities I want to pursue.

My wife puts it much more succinctly - "I work to live - I don't live to work".

There's something to be said for having a good work ethic, pride in your work, and being productive. There's something more to be said if you're doing that to bring good to the world. It's something else entirely to do those things only for the sake of making one more dollar.

Don't mind me - just having a small crisis of faith about why I continue to get up and do what I do for the people I do it for. This too shall pass. I just try to look at my children and realize the the reason I continue to do what I do is so they can tease me about buying another PRS.

 

[tiboy]

I had my work/life epiphany during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college. Relative to the times and the work involved I was paid extremely well for pulling down a drill press for 8 hours a day. I hated every second of the work. I dreaded going to work every day. I left work every Friday determined to have the best weekend of my life because of the overwhelming dread that Monday was only 72 hours away. Epiphany: it is better to love what you do than to acquire greater wealth doing something you despise. Many times during my subsequent career I confided to my wife, "I can't believe they pay me to have this much fun!" Over the years, I rebuffed many job offers that would have paid me significantly more money than I was earning based on the lesson learned that summer. My career is over. The coffers are not nearly as fat as they could have been, but I have zero regrets with my choice to place happiness over wealth.

 

[veinbuster]

Over the years, I rebuffed many job offers that would have paid me significantly more money than I was earning based on the lesson learned that summer. My career is over. The coffers are not nearly as fat as they could have been, but I have zero regrets with my choice to place happiness over wealth.

I've done the same, though my career isn't over yet. I've done OK, but generally chosen to do things that were interesting.

 

[jfb]

I've done the same, though my career isn't over yet. I've done OK, but generally chosen to do things that were interesting.

Pete rules!

 

[László]

I guess my post gave the wrong impression. The very idea of "working to live" is an idea I find appalling. I've never, ever been a wage slave in my working life. As soon as I gained enough experience, I started working for myself, first as a lawyer, and later as a composer/musician.

I love my work, always have, and have only done things I found interesting and intellectually/creatively challenging. I've made my way in the world just fine.

In fact, I do live to work; it's the main thing I love to do. And this is more the case than ever since my kids have grown. Fact is, I would rather do work in my studio than go on vacation, hang out with friends, just about anything. Which explains why my last real vacation was in 1998. Nor do I think that's a bad thing!

But there is work, and then there is work that takes a person to their intellectual and creative limits. That is my epiphany. I've been too easy on myself. I want to do something really awesome.

It isn't about, "Well, now I want to do some things for myself and not for other people." Heck, it's always been all about me, and whether they're paying or not. On the contrary, I hope I find an audience for it, free or whatever.

What I'm trying to do is something that transcends my own limitations. Something I can point to and say, "I was put on the planet to create this."

That is my epiphany.

PS - Ruger, I love great looking women in underwear. Not exactly an epiphany, but Thanks!