 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: AJ
Date: 2004-03-29 17:23
Hi everyone, I was just thinking what to do with my life, well I better start thinking more. I'd like to do so many things, biologist, film directer/producer, photographer, psychiatrist, and then there is music which I cant stop thinking about.
I'd rather do music more than any of the above, but my fear in life is regreting to do any of those things I mentioned, yes there is talk about doing both, music and something else, but if I want to do music I dont want to be involved in it fully, and not be something else.
There is a constant battle in my head, and I see conductors, teachers, and musicians that are so happy with their life, but I love making movies, I love talking to people and am interested in the human mind, and, I dont know. Does anyone have any advice, or comments, or anything to say? I'm going to go sleep, if I stop thinking about it...
Thank You
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-03-29 17:39
AJ: If you had an unlimited supply of money, what would you want to do so much that you would pay anyone to let you do it?
Once you have the answer to that, then find someone who would pay YOU to do that same thing. It may not be easy to achieve, and a lot of preparation may be required. But if you do that, you will never work a day in your life. Every day will just be enjoyable!
Regards,
John
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-03-29 18:16
I'm guessing you're around the time to start college?
If so, that's what general education classes are for. Try taking a course or two in each of the fields you mentioned. In some of them, you may find yourself saying "Wait a minute, you have to do THAT?" and narrow down the field rather quickly.
Not to discourage you in the least, but also keep in mind that many of the professions you mentioned are ones that require a significant amount of effort (and luck, connections, natural talent, etc.) beyond "9 to 5 and doing really good work."
There comes a point where you'll have to decide. I, being indecisive, could only narrow it down to two: computer science and music composition (with lots of clarinet performance on top of it). Due to good timing and luck, I've had quite a few opportunities in these fields, and have had to turn down some very interesting projects because there simply isn't enough time in the day. It's all great fun, but there's almost too much of a good thing, too many opportunities I don't want to pass up. But then life is like that, and the best way, imho, to make these decisions involves looking at things from all angles, asking yourself what you truly want to do, and, perhaps most importantly, asking for advice from people you trust and respect, who may help shed light on a seemingly solutionless situation.
Best of luck in your exploration!
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: george
Date: 2004-03-29 19:00
Don't panic. I am seventy years old and still have not decided what I want to be when I grow up.
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Author: sdr
Date: 2004-03-29 19:08
Become a parent. You have to do all that stuff.
-sdr
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2004-03-29 19:46
Steven says:
"Become a parent. You have to do all that stuff."
What he said!!
But seriously, I believe that it is more important to pick SOMETHING -- to have a direction of some sort -- than to pick nothing, or try to do everything. There is some sort of Asian proverb that says, in effect, "Those who don't know where they are going will surely get there." I.e., nowhere.
Read, or re-read, T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". Indeed, there WILL be time. Within one lifetime, you will have the opportunity to do many, many different things. In fact, with increasing life spans and decreasing job stability, multiple career changes (with concomitant re-education) may be more the rule than the exception. And as some of us know, even in the most benign of times you often start out in one direction, and end up somewhere else entirely.
But begin you must. It almost doesn't matter where. (Please note I wrote "almost" -- because where you start DOES matter. It just doesn't matter as much as you might think.)
Susan Kundert
Coshocton, Ohio
(English Teacher turned Budget Analyst turned Choral Director (re)turned Clarinettist)
And of all my skills, the one thing that has most consistently enabled me to find work is my 80 wpm typing speed.
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Author: thezenclarinetist
Date: 2004-03-29 20:21
have you ever read the book the mozart effect? it ties psychology in with music... maybe you could do something like this. ive been seriously thinking of it myself.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-03-29 20:53
The fact is that most of us alive today have a reasonable expectation to live into our 80's (barring catastrophe)... which means adolescence ends in your 30's!
Contrary to what you may see on late-nite TV, you get one pass through.
If you're unsure about your path in education, start at a two year program to 'get your feet wet'.
That being said, this forum (or any other) is pretty much as useful as an umbrella in a typhoon... believe it or not, the people that know you may actually know you best.
I know your folks are probably idiots, right now. God knows my old man has gained a few IQ points since I became a Dad myself.
If you dunno what to do, go learn to wait tables. You'll make a little money, be able to travel and have your days free.
Professional playing is for the rarest breed - the lucky prepared few.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-03-29 21:39
While a 2-year program may help for exposure, I'd caution you to do your research. If you have any thoughts whatsoever of heading into a 4-year university, look at a few potential institutions and make sure that the classes you're taking will transfer (even then, there's no guarantee). I know quite a few people who started at a community college and have had to take a year or two of extra classes at a university that they thought they had already taken care of.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: n_hanson12
Date: 2004-03-29 21:40
AJ,
I know exactly what you're going through, I'm there myself. Drop me a line sometime, maybe we can put our ideas together. n_hanson12@yahoo.com.
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Author: CPW
Date: 2004-03-29 23:07
One word.........Plastics
apologies to Mike Nicols, who directed.
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2004-03-31 02:29
CPW- It's a Swarthmore tradition to watch The Graduate the night before classes start in the fall and cheer loudly when the protagonist says he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. (We also sing along to the Simon and Garfunkel songs and pack a dangerous number of people into the theater.)
The most popular major for incoming freshpeople here is Undecided.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-03-31 12:57
So now I know that the "Plastics" advice was about clarinets. And kudos to Elaine May who could have been, Anne Bancroft who was and Lorraine Bracco who is......
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