Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The "Can I Make a Living Doing What I Love?" Experiment (#3: Money-Grubbing)

by Pam Victor

[The "Can I Make a Living Doing What I Love?" Experiment is my one-year challenge to make a living through creative pursuits. Read all the updates here.]




I feel like an asshole for even talking about money. We "artists" are not supposed to think about making money at our craft, to do so almost by definition shit-splatters all over our artistic integrity. Though let's face it, my use of the questionable verb "shit-splatters" pretty effectively shit-splatters all over any artistic integrity I have anyway. 

I certainly didn't hear him say it, but supposedly the Romantic artist and poet William Blake intoned, "Where any view of money exists, art cannot be carried on." (Read it in a precise British accent for more effect.) That matters not because I apparently can only apply the term "art" to myself when used in quotes. I am an "artist," an "actor," a "comedian." And that's the rub. Because I don't know about you, but I can't consider myself a Real Artist (sans quotes) until I make a living at it. 

Shit-splattered no matter how you slice it.
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which has to do with Cheetos and rats in a box (and thankfully nothing scatological in the least).




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Pam Victor is the founding member of The Ha-Ha’s, and she produces The Happier Valley Comedy Show in western Massachusetts. Pam performs a "Geeking Out with: The TALK SHOW," a live version of the written Geeking Out with... interview series, at comedy festivals throughout the land. Pam writes mostly humorous, mostly true essays and reviews of books, movies, and tea on her blog, "My Nephew is a Poodle." Currently, Pam is co-writing "Improvisation at the Speed of Life: The TJ & Dave Book" with TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi. If you want to stay abreast of all the geek out action, like the “Geeking Out with…” Facebook page!  (Yes, I said "breast.") And get all her nonsense at www.pamvictor.com. 

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