The next instalment

So, here we are again, one week later and blog number two. Let me tell you whats been going through my head this week.

When I went freelance, two years ago, I was told by a lot of people that freelancing was a way of life, it was feast and famine and that I should be prepared to be not working for chunks of time. I have to say that it knocked me at first, what was I doing? I had an established position, in a respected organisation, with a certain amount of freedom to do the work I wanted to do and what with a regular wage and most weekends to myself, surely it would be madness to throw all that away?

I have been working in the Arts now for over 17 years and if you don't mind me pointing out, working is the key word in the sentence, I was taught a work ethic by both of my parents who have grafted all of their lives, my Dad is now 65 and works in a granite quarry, he is the strongest man I know, I have taken that ethic into my own work and made decision throughout my time that have enabled me to both practise and to learn and develop. So challenged with these thoughts I struggled with the confidence of my decision, why did I make the leap? Should I have stayed put? Was this a choice too far?

I am two years in and just in the last week alone I have had the pleasure to be asked to work with two Schools, two Museums, a West Cumbrian Hospital, a Community change programme an adults performance group and a very fine Young Mans wedding, which doesn't seem like the wrong decision to me. I have approached this week and the last two years with the same work ethic that I learnt from my parents when I first started work at the age of twelve, that this will not be feast or famine, that there will not be chunks of time when I am not working and that we create our own story, be it positive or negative is really, when you break it right down, up to us alone.

I was just saying to this really lovely lady the other day that I trust myself and I trust the journey that I am on, so with that in mind I shall march on into the future reassured with the fact that where I am is exactly where I should be.

So there is blog number two, finished and I'm still standing. Hope it doesn't read as a rant, it's not supposed to be its just something I needed to say.

Much light

Ian Douglas-Storyteller