Work Hazards

It's funny, everyone has some sort of hazard on the job. Though when the phrase 'job hazard' is used we tend to think of jobs like construction workers or firefighters or maybe inner city school teachers, but musicians is probably not on the list, unless you consider personal drug and alcohol abuse a job hazard.

Today, I encountered multiple job hazards and my day is only half over. Most of them are just embarrassing really, but still...

So far I've managed to drop my bow on stage during a performance, not because I was clumsy, but because my hand was damp and therefore slippery. Luckily it didn't break and also luckily it didn't fall completely of the small stage or go flying into the audience. I was able to pick it up, run my hand across the hair to get off excess water and keep going.

Then I was walking backstage on the two foot wide ledge that circumnavigates the dolphin pool when a dolphin decided it would be fun to leap out of the water. This behavior is cute and desirable when one is seated in the audience and merely might get splashed, but I'm waiting for the day when I get knocked down or knocked into the pool. Today I just got scared out of my gourd and soaking wet and waylaid while I waited for the dolphin to go back in the water so I could keep walking.

And apparently where I work, physical violence is also a hazard as I've now been the recipient if this although that was a couple of days ago, not today. Now I'm more watchful and wary at work and exercising my alertness skills.

There are also good tripping hazards I attempt to avoid every show and have done so successfully except once where I caught myself. Definitely not looking forward to the day I trip in the dark on one of the ropes and fall in the water or fall on the rocks, either if which will sufficiently destroy my violin.

As I'm writing this entry during my lunch break I must close and go play the next show. Just wanted to share these thoughts while they were still fresh!

I miss ship life. Or in other words; I just want to go home.

Did somebody say Ship life?

This list was posted by a ship friend of mine and I thought it worth sharing with all of you.

Now, ironically, these things listed below are often negative, but for me, they remind me of home. How I feel when I cross the gangway onto the ship is such a relief, even if vacation on land was fun. Even the little things that are annoying make me smile because I'm so happy these are the little things annoying me as opposed to the annoyances of permanent land life. Maybe someday I'll wist for land and soil beneath my feet, but for now, I wish only for the open water and everything you read below.

It's true what they say.

It doesn't feel like work when it's what you love to do!!

- Days of the week become countries
- Taking a bath is considered a luxury
- You have to be a contortionist to shave your legs
- When you talk about how to spend your "hours off" not "days off".
- You have to turn on the tv to see the weather outside
- Where you can get drunk for $5
- Hangovers can be blamed on seasickness
- Hours back determine when parties are
- You haven’t had 10 minutes alone since you walked onboard
- Arriving at a new country usually consists of finding the free wifi
- You haven’t known what day of the week it is for 6 months
- Being screamed at by a passenger condones chugging a beer on a bathroom break
- Being solely responsible for tens of thousands of dollars with no sweat
- Happy hour can be every hour.
- Working less than 10 hours is considered to be "an easy day".
- You know there will always be white rice for breakfast/lunch/dinner
- Partying with your bosses
- It’s been 4 days since you’ve stepped outside
- You’ve just spent a 13-hour day with the same people, so you go to dinner and happily spend the rest of the night with them
- Packing a variety of costumes for a contract is smart
- You can survive with 3 pairs of jeans for 6 months
- Seeing the captain at the gym is like seeing a movie star at a grocery.
- You smile even if you’re having a bad day
- When you’re in the real world you stop yourself from saying hello to random people walking past you
- Walking across the hallway and knocking replaces the need for a cellphone
- If you get a job on land you’ll feel naked without a name badge
- You’re so far from home but seem to be surrounded by your family.