Profession: Unknown

I try to read ‘Little Red Boat’ everyday, and today’s entry from Anna about being asked whether she was a ‘jounalist’ got me thinking. Asked by a stranger in an airport, she had a major dilemna about whether she was an aspiring / bona fide / fraudulant / qualified / failing blogger /writer /journalist. And lately, I’ve experienced the same.

On the 1st of March I talked about my plans to joing Morgernstern’s Diary Service. And I’m pleased to say it’s happening. It means that I can now say I’m a musician as I belong to a ‘musicians’ answering service’. I was, of course, already a musician – but now it seems to have greater credentials. It has weight. So I’m a musician.

However, if someone were to analyse my time management, or my accounts, they would conclude that I’m a cello and bass teacher. Afterall, I spend 16 hours over 4 days teaching. I earn the majority of my income for teaching. I qualify for a teacher’s pension for Christ’s sake! So I’m a teacher. 

Okay, so I’m a musician who teaches – which seems a bit of a cop-out, like I’m teaching because I’m not succesful enough at being a musician. But then, maybe I’m a teacher who also plays – but this just makes me seem like a desperate wanabe, clinging to the idea that my life hasn’t become what it clearly has become.

And what do I put on an official form? Luckily there isn’t a census looming or I’d be in crisis – you only get the one space you know! Maybe I’ll flit and change as the mood takes me…’teacher’ when I need to seem sorted and responsible, and ‘musician’ when I want to seem arty and Bohemian.

That’ll do it for now…