As I wrap up my spring break and head back to work, I marvel at how quickly I slipped into my old freelancer lifestyle, and how that particular lifestyle is really conducive to blogging.  Now, while I actually much prefer my new lifestyle (I like getting up early and working with large groups of people rather than sitting in my cave–actually, sitting in my lakefront tower now–all day), there’s something about getting up at a leisurely pace, making coffee, and sitting in front of the computer (or iPad these days–things actually have changed since I was blogging a lot), that just lends itself to contemplation and writing.

For about three years, I put out an average of three blog posts a day, most of which consisted of original writing and commentary on music news, etc.  These days, while a post still goes up every weekday, it is mostly generated by reader submissions (thank you, people–you are what keep this site going!), and I site down a couple of times a month and bang out a few weeks of posts.  They auto-post every day and I go about my regular life, letting the blog take care of itself and not really checking in at all.  This is a far cry from when I used to put maybe 30 hours (or more) a week into the site, and I think it’s almost 100% due to switching careers.

These days, I go off and do my thing, and when I come home, the last thing I want to do is write.  I just want to relax, hang out with my wife, or go explore Chicago–anything but sit in front of the computer and write.  It’s not that I don’t enjoy it (I actually do once I get started), but I don’t really feel that compulsion to write like I did several years ago.

I’m actually surprised that more freelancers don’t blog.  Think about it:

  • time off during the day or waiting for gigs (it takes time to write a meaty blog post–I’ve been at this particular one for 30 minutes already)
  • artistic temperaments
  • frequently bizarre or  less-than-ideal working conditions
  • colorful colleagues (fringe of society types tend to end up in music freelancing in my experience–no offense! I’m one of you)
  • a love of coffee (watch how many people walk into a gig with a venti Starbucks or swarm to the nearest coffee joint on breaks), which tends to fuel writing

Not to mention how blogging can actually help to better your condition is a freelancer.  Really–it’s true!  You’d be amazed at how many people recognize me at national conferences solely through this site.  A lot of what I’ve accomplished in the past five years can be tied (not sure whether to be proud of this or ashamed that this is what has helped me, but it is what it is) to this silly site.

Anyway, though I appreciate the good things that blogging has brought me, and this site will be around for a long time to come (again, thanks to you folks out there, and if you want to submit a story/video/photo/link, just email jasonheath -at- doublebassblog.org), I don’t see a return to that three posts a day ideal blogger schedule anytime in the future.  That window has closed for me, and that’s just fine by me–I’m much happier day-to-day in my new life by a long shot.

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