Clothes Make A Big Difference

This past Saturday we played Crest Community Center.  That is with the all originals band Enter the Blue Sky.  Actually it is all the singer's material.  She made it clear from the start that she was not going to dilute the effort any time soon.  

She has since let me know she's open if I came up with something.  I haven't done anything.  Valor and Lace also is open.  They have actually taunted me to write something or bring out something already written.  But after next Friday I won't see them until Christmas.  They will come back on three or four major holidays so the kids can visit bio dad.

And here I was gearing up to roadtrip Austin for the holidays if I could.  It may be hard to get away from work this time.  I have to work fast to start making more money and achieving more freedom.  This is getting old--being tethered to a job with floating hours which are doubly hard to predict because the manager doesn't bother to let people know.

My co-workers, Nikki and Jeanine and I take turns texting with basic questions that he should already have answered.  So unbelievably myopic and clueless.  Kind of a nice guy, but the sort who would dump the body, or dig the shallow grave if the boss asked.  There is an edge hidden in there.

I think having to be subordinate to a nincompoop in this situation amplifies my clear tendency to underachieve.  Maybe those days will end.

As much as I have played with bands and such and I always felt inferior in a way.  Not legitimate.  Even though I knew I had better sense than the rest of the group regarding sound balance and level.   Especially volume level.   Even Enter Blue Sky resisted at the Italian place when I insisted on do their sound check, and setting myself last because I had more control of my level.  And I am who I am.  smiley face

OK so a fiddle player I had not seen for months was their Saturday playing with the group that was alternating sets with us.  He noticed the difference.  I have become more aggressive, which is to say I am probably just at the right level.  I err toward quiet.  No apology for that.  But I am not inwardly so apologetic in the musician sense any more.  Our CD will soon be pressed.

On this material I have to say that was close to as well as I could do.  Definitely at that point in time.

OK. To the point.  I did not wear jeans this time.  I stopped short of a tie or sport jacket. Don't have the jacket and this is socal, too hot.  Anyway.

The difference in how everyone treated me, and how I behaved as a result was significant and profound.  Really.  I was treated with real respect and I think I behaved in a more deserving manner.  Truth is, though I have worn blue jeans almost exclusively for years, I am more comfortable in casual whatever slacks and cotton button down shirts.  Business casual?  1957 retro couture.

Truth is, I am white collar at heart, even though I blue collar it,  or whatever it is that does their dirty work collar it most of the time.  Not sure the collar beyond white in which you just do stuff and people pay you but you aren't any but your own employee.

Stunning result.  I will begin the process of taking advantage of this intelligence.   I am not one who expects to attract much just by inner goodness and brilliance.  If dressing like a grown up does the trick, then so be it!

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