Quote of the day to start your Labor Day Weekend

"Although it is true that only about 20 percent of American workers are in unions, that 20 percent sets the standards across the board in salaries, benefits and working conditions. If you are making a decent salary in a non-union company, you owe that to the unions. One thing that corporations do not do is give out money out of the goodness of their hearts." -- Molly Ivins

Brought to you by a former member of Local Musicians No. 94, now retired (a polite way of saying my body gave out from overuse injuries). Working conditions, benefits, and salary were bad to nonexistent for orchestra musicians. Compared to the rest of the performing arts, we were as privileged as George W.

I'm celebrating this Labor Day by not working, something that hasn't happened in years, due to Draconian publishing deadlines or the Picnic Concert on the Polo Ground. Frankly, I have no idea what to do.

10:45:11 PM    

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Call It Luck If You Must

Sometimes life feels so good. Plenty of times it doesn't. But coming out of 3-year gray haze and seven months of active thumping, I'm feeling so grateful, I may burst into song. My list follows. Note the absence of raindrops on roses and biscuits on kittens.

• Getting a small contract, most welcome in this unemployed household, that is the easiest book I've ever worked with. I have a month to do a job I can do in a week (as opposed to the last contract where I had 3 weeks to do a job that takes 3 months).
• THIS JUST IN: My former client, the one who mistook weeks for months, has new projects with longer lead times. I wrote asking them for a reference, since I was hitting the old job search. They wrote back with work.
• Meeting RLP, his friend Rick, Kristen, and Mike
• Dragging myself to a 12-step group and going to lunch with a stranger (though she remembered me from 3 years ago when I was the featured speaker at a meeting. Had to deal with feelings of fame/shame.) At this point, God is just showing off. My lunch partner is also a classical musician looking for others to perform with. That's the one thing I missed about New England, people to make music with. I even know where my music is because the silverware was in the same box.
• The Nia class (2 blocks from my house, 3 times a week, $4/class) is wonderful, with a great teacher. Weak muscles are pleasantly sore; tight ones released.
• Diabetic Cat and Mildly Emotionally Disturbed Cat are feeling much better. Other cats have not yet inflicted major damage on this rented house, though they are sure enough working on it.
• Getting a scholarship out of the blue for a workshop. I hadn't thought much about going, but unexpected gifts are fun.
• Stepping outside the house for an early morning walk and hearing small wildlife as opposed to a pride of semis on the highway (And this house is only a quarter mile from the highway with 90% of the NAFTA traffic. Little things mean a lot.)
• Having almost enough energy to clean the house. Considering having a neighborhood potluck, a strange thought for Little Miss Private. Bought some food to cook, as an alternative to peanut butter, cheese slices, and Slim Jims. Cooking will still have to wait until late evening, or the house will be hot all day. But that's okay. I can deal.

Feeling like I can deal is the best of all. Dancin,' dancin', dancin'. Hope your days and mood are as good.

10:23:04 PM    

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Encouraging Words from the Workplace

Good news in time for Labor Day (and it's about time for something good): More Companies Adopt Gay-Friendly Policy.

10:10:44 PM    

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