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Subject:
From:
Mike Franch <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Mike Franch <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 22 Jan 2004 09:20:19 -0600
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (121 lines)
Unfortunately, there are a lot of peolpe that have spent a lot of time and
money in their chosen profession. I VOWED as a naive college student, that I
would never work in a position that I consider to be a job. My father was a
meat cutter and, I guess, he liked it becuase he had no other aspirations.
When he retired he worked at a golf club selling tee times, food, etc. Paid
nothing, but he loved it.

I graduated with a degree in Communications and had apirations to be in
television for the rest of my life. After going through three stations with
lay off warnings, and finally being laid off myself, I (gulp) took a job in
sales. The antithesis of intelligence. Its simply the ability to get people
to buy something. I sell newspaper advertising, though, which is not like
retail sales, but its still selling.

Many of my coworkers are in the same boat. All had dreams of some sort, to
be crushed by the reality of the true monetary value of their knowledge.

It's not a position that dreams are made of, or that much pride exists, but
it pays the bills. I have to "psych" myself up to the occaision every day. I
tried my hand at organbuilding, but, again the pay compared with the cost of
living in the area, didn't seem to match. Coupled with my lack of experience
in the field, I was not worth as much as an apprentice organbuilder.

So here I am. Selling. Whoppee!

I truly feel the pain of you folks who have dedicated your life to a higher
calling, only to have society tell you your not worth the value of your
knowledge.

Mike Franch
Madison, WI


>From: Kevin Rose <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Kevin Rose <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Church Employment
>Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 21:12:03 -0500
>
>Hello All!
>
>I am a church musician with a Master of Music degree in Organ and Church =
>Music from Indiana University where I was a student of Dr. Marilyn =
>Keiser.  My background is in the Episcopal Church, and for 5 years I was =
>the organist/choirmaster of a Roman Catholic Church on a full-time =
>basis.  They ran into severe budget problems, and there were many staff =
>cuts.  The music position was not the first to be cut, but it did get =
>cut to part-time.  The person who took my position is not even an =
>organist, but a pianist who plays the organ.  (I referred him to a =
>classmate of mine who is also in my town to give him organ lessons - =
>that is working out well for him from what I understand.)
>
>Okay, now for the challenge:  I am back to part-time church work in a =
>small Episcopal Church.  It has a terrible organ and does not pay well, =
>HOWEVER, the people are nice -- the nice people more than compensates =
>for everything else.  Nevertheless, I have this dream about making =
>beautiful music forever with the sound of organ and choir bouncing off =
>the walls of a reverberant church.  Furthermore, it is my dream that =
>this bring joy into the lives of many people.  As a church musician, =
>this is the ministry to which I feel called.  I would like to get back =
>on track, and perhaps some of you on this list might have some ideas.
>
>Because there has been a dearth of opportunities in music, I have been =
>forced to return to electrical engineering for the time being.  I work =
>as a contractor for the Air Force.  While my work is in basic research =
>and it is the kind of engineering I like to do (I actually get to put =
>electronic equipment together and use a soldering iron - Fun!), I do not =
>want to have to do this the rest of my life.  Yes, the money is good, =
>but I miss the people contact.  Bottom line:  I am not happy doing this =
>kind of work.  The complicating factor here is I have a family =
>(fortunately, my wife works full-time as well), and so that will always =
>figure into how I manage my music career.  Even so, I would not trade my =
>family for anything.
>
>I belong to the AGO and to AAM (the Association of Anglican Musicians), =
>and so I get their job listings.  I have applied over the last two years =
>to several positions, however, not one offer materialized even though I =
>have been to several out-of-state interviews.  I think I am doing my =
>best in the interview situations, however, there is always someone =
>better.  (Okay, so 2nd, 3rd, or 4th out of 50 is not bad, but it still =
>means I was not selected for the position.)
>
>Is church employment really this bad?  Or do I not know of the right =
>contacts?  I would also consider being an assistant somewhere.  The =
>problem with part-time church music positions is that one has to find =
>additional employment to make ends meet.  Do churches just not value =
>music?  What do you think - should I continue this quest or give up?  =
>I've always heard, "Never quit," but I'm tired of sending out lots of =
>applications and going to lots of interviews only to receive a curt =
>letter of rejection (or in a couple of cases, I never heard from the =
>church again).
>
>To be honest, I have had a lot of self-doubt.  People who know me say I =
>am better than I think I am.  Even being an engineer has been helpful as =
>a church musician as it has helped my organizational, administrative, =
>and problem-solving skills necessary for church music.  I worked so hard =
>to get where I am and I don't want to lose my competence.  Any ideas =
>would be appreciated.  Thanks!
>
>- Kevin Rose
>
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>Note:  opinions  expressed on PIPORG-L are those of the  individual con-
>tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
>versity at Albany.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
>[log in to unmask]  saying  GET LSVCMMDS.TXT  or see  the  web
>page at http://www.albany.edu/piporg-l/lsvcmmds.html .
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Note:  opinions  expressed on PIPORG-L are those of the  individual con-
tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
versity at Albany.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
[log in to unmask]  saying  GET LSVCMMDS.TXT  or see  the  web
page at http://www.albany.edu/piporg-l/lsvcmmds.html .
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