On 2013-11-18 20:20, Payne wrote:
You job doesn’t have to define who you are and what you really do. I’ve been at my nine to five for nearly nineteen years now. The job I had before that was seven years and counting. I’ve never made magic my “full time” occupation. But when people ask what I “do” I tell them I’m a magician. It’s who I really am and what my life is focused around.

Working my “job” allows me to be the magician I want to be, do the magic I want to do. Since my nine to five pays all the household expenses and living bills all of the money I make doing magic can be poured back into my magic business. I can invest in tricks, books and go to magic based events that I might not be able to afford if I was making my sole income from magic alone. Plus I can turn down the work I don’t want and concentrate my efforts on doing the type of magic I enjoy doing.

So there are definitely benefits in having a job to supplement ones magic lifestyle. Don’t seek identity in your day job. It is only there to afford you the opportunity to do other things. True, it would be more advantages if you had a better job than working for Wal-Mart. I worked for years in retail and know what drudgery it is, especially at this time of the year. It took me several years to not feel kind of weird having the day, heck, the whole weekend after Thanksgiving off and being able to go home early on Xmas eve. Getting all the Federal holidays off is still a thrill as well.

But Wal-Mart is where you ended up so you’ll have to make it work for you. At least you can get all of your playing cards for less with your employee discount. Plus with ten years under your belt you should have a certain amount of seniority so you can schedule the days and evenings you need off for shows and other magic events in your life.

You are a magician first and foremost. Working at Wal-Mart allows you the ability to be the one you want to be. The pressure is off and you can do the magic you want where ever you want. Because you don’t have to make your living performing magic.

Even though I've always had a day job I’ve performed magic in England twice, done a Ren Faire in Guam. I’ve won multiple magic awards, lectured at several clubs and conventions, performed (a couple of brunches) at the Magic Castle, appeared onstage at Two MAGIC Lives, Three PCAM’s, Magi-Whirl and the IBM Convention in Norfolk. I’ve spoken six times at Jeff McBride’s Magic and Meaning Conference, written a monthly Column for MAGIC and do product reviews for MUM. So don’t let anyone tell you that having a “regular job” is any sort of hindrance to ones career in magic or that you are not a “real magician” because you don’t do it full time.

You can be the magician you want to be even though you still work at Wal-Mart. It’s just a job, it’s not who you really are.