🎙 TREE 374: Get that paid time off. Maybe.

This week, please welcome back music producer Steven Lee Tracy. He’s writing the posts and choosing the songs. I’m drawing weird things. —Jeff

One.

I have the wonderful and awful gift of doing the thing I love most for my job. It is an endless source of pleasure and self-doubt. It is not for everyone, and some days it is not for me. Having your hobby become your job or your...errrr, “j-obby” (I’m so, so sorry. I hate myself a little) is incredibly complicated. There are plenty of days I want to cash it all in, turn in an application at an Apple Store and be done with it.

Before being a music producer, I was in a band. We had some success, and it took me all over the world touring and making albums for labels. I was remarkably lucky. That being said, it was also complicated.

I remember stepping off of a tour bus (which I recognise made me look wealthy, but I assure you that I was VERY, VERY poor), and I was met by a fan who wanted to chat. His question was “How do you get a record deal?” My answer was more or less this…

If you can do ANY other thing with your life and be happy; start there. If the source of your life’s satisfaction could be Corporate Account Manager OR Writing Songs hoping that it will put food on your table, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE TAKE THAT MANAGER POSITION AND GET THAT BENEFITS PACKAGE!

But…

if you see no other options for yourself, that is ok too. It will just get a bit tricky. Monetising the thing you love will change it. There is no way around that. The good news is that you can take some measures to protect it and make sure you don’t hold your jobby (again… so sorry) hostage in return for happiness.

Two.

Amanda dreams of becoming a professional dancer. Please consider having a different dream, Amanda.

Three.

For today's song, I’ve chosen Big Thief’s “Little Things” for no reason other than it was my most played running song last year and exercise is important.

Grow slowly.