Oh my god did Rent make me eyerolly, loved the music and left the theater grumbling about those snotnosed abnoxious irresponsible tools.

They all ran plan b at some point to get to where they are.

But not everybody does. I don't know why anybody's upset to hear iconoclastic advice from Amanda Palmer. The list of artists who've gone homeless to achieve their success includes people like Michael J. Fox, Tom Waits, Kurt Cobain, Harry Partch (composer) and on and on. Faulkner fucked off on his post office job to write masterpieces, and Nathanel West was a hotel manager who let writers stay there for free.

Frankly, I believe Plan B is often inimical to creative work.

This is the Sunday in the Park With George argument.

(There's probably like two people who are going to get that.)

Faulkner fucked off on his post office job to write masterpieces, and Nathanel West was a hotel manager who let writers stay there for free.

But I assume they were still getting paid.

Frankly, I believe Plan B is often inimical to creative work.

I think what's pretty inimical to creative work is being so sick you can barely lift your head and not having the money to see a doctor. Living on so much ramen and PB&J you're actually malnourished because you don't have money for decent food.

I don't know why anybody's upset to hear iconoclastic advice from Amanda Palmer.

Partially because I KNOW that Amanda Palmer's plan A included the safety net of being able to go home to her parents, and (as I said upthread) relied on other people taking care of her and the people working for her.

Frankly, I believe Plan B is often inimical to creative work.

We have different opinions on this. That's really all I can say.

My friend C is the pie baker -- she was a baker , did the corporate thing and is now a baker again. I know what she did to become a baker again. She took care of business - put together a plan to get back into a creative field

her last newsletter

[link]

Wed night is not a great kerfuffle night for me, not really feeling it.

Congrats Gud!

Also, I will say that in my experience, the people who are dismissive of having a plan b or safety net are also usually the people who will tell you all about their big plans for their fantastic project that they're going to start on any day now. There's a lack of follow-through, and that is one of the things that makes my hackles rise.

I mean it is great if you don't need a plan B. Creative work,if done properly is hard work, and having a second full time job no more enhances it than having a second full time job enhances any other full time job. But not being willing to turn to plan B when you need one really is irresponsible. That it occasionally works out is great, but a lot of people ruin their lives and those of other by not having a plan B. And I notice that nobody says how great it is if someone takes a run at professional sports, fails and has no education or backup plan to make a living ...