i work doing devops stuff for a security company but am taking a job with my previous group (a university) doing similar work, but managing a small team. it should be a new challenge, even if some of the environment and people are familiar. there are plenty of days i miss working outside. it’s not really viable these days, with family, house, and other responsibilities (and expenses) in the mix. for many years, my off work times were filled with learning new technology, programming, figuring stuff out on my own to remain marketable. i’d rather be woodworking or making music these days. finding balance is key. it’s also a luxury or privilege if you can do it. right now, it feels like my balance is in good shape, but we’ll see.
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Wow this is really interesting to read through. I like getting to know y’all.
I’m a copywriter at an ad agency. It’s an alright gig, I mostly work on digital experiences for big name brands, occasionally involving cool innovative tech/concepts. But for the most part it’s just a job.
The best part about it is that I still have energy at the end of the day to focus on music.
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That place is magnificent. We live just across the river and walk there all the time. Best of luck!!
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Since the last couple of years I have what I would’ve considered my dream job 5-10 years ago. Led me into a burnout last year. I think one of the reasons being I gave too much weight to what my job meant for who I am. So I’m currently actually in the process of trying to relativate work a bit more and seeing it a bit more realistically as just a job 
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This is something I’ve had to reckon with as well. My natural inclination is to get a bit too passionate about my work, invest a little too much of my identity in it (like you said), and that makes me suffer too much from the natural ups and downs from a job.
So I’ve worked on keeping a bit more distance between my sense of who I am and the work I do for a paycheck. I don’t claim to have figured it all out, but I’m trying to find that balance and stick to it each day.
I will say that, for me, it really helps to make a point of playing music. I feel much less consumed by my job when I make an effort to carve out my own time for my own creative pursuits. Wish you the best of luck in recovering from that burnout and finding a good path forward!
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I’m a hairdresser, for 30 years (wow). I love what I do. I work with a great group of people. They’re literally my second family. Two of my coworkers and myself have recently purchased a building that we’re going to be moving the salon into. I feel like I’m on the brink of a totally new aspect to my career. I also get to listen to great music all day!
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I work for the head office of a major bank over here, having spent much of my career as a Financial Advisor and a channel development manager (if it sounds boring, that’s because it mostly is). I used to travel quite a bit, having spent a lot of time in Montreal and Ottawa presenting to Advisors. I definitely miss that part of my job.
Music really allows me to exercise the other half of my brain that isn’t bogged down daily in spreadsheets and presentations. I think some of my co-workers are surprised when they find out I used to be in a punk rock band, am into everything from 80’s metal to gangster rap and spend most of my time now playing with synthesizers or my bass guitar (when I’m not being a Dad). I’m a pretty clean-cut guy so I think most probably expect me to be golfing or reading the New Yorker when I’m not working lol.
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Im working full time nights as a ”Acid manager” mainly working with 70-80% hydroflouric acid and 80% HN03.
We make cold rolled stainless steel.
And also neutralising chemical waste.
Lots of work in hazmat suit.
Love my work because i always have to think twice and be on top of everything
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Quit my job at a university in the summer to go full time parent to two mini knobheads.
Well happy.
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I work as a business intelligence consultant specialised on some data visualization software, I work 4 days a week to keep me healthy 
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So, what do you do?
Openly weep Monday through Friday!
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Thanks! And I’m doing quite good as of late!
I’m working in a public library on the help desk(not a librarian just someone who works there). I’ve found that it rides the line of being something that feels worthwhile and a job that I leave at work and don’t feel any real pressure or stress from. I consider myself pretty lucky to be in this position after years of mindless tedium 40 hours a week.
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I’m a User Experience Designer with a focus on usable and accessible product interfaces. Whole bunch of jargon for trying to limit user frustration in digital products.
I used to be very involved with the local hardcore/metal scene in the 2000’s and was in bands. I wasn’t able to get where I was hoping to go so I sorta gave up on music for more than 10 years to focus on my career. When the pandemic hit I put all my extra time and energy into music again, hoping it would help me escape and manage the whole situation.
I got the Model:Cycles in Jan and have been completely obsessed ever since, and it’s now my favorite piece of gear. I’m currently working on my first music release in over 12/13 years and it’s going to be an almost completely Model:Cycles album. I maaaay add some other synth bells and whistles on top here and there, but so far I haven’t so we’ll see what happens.
Best,
David
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I work as a game designer for a video game publishing company. My job is to analyse games in development to provide feedback for the teams to make the game the best version of itself. It’s a lot of fun most of the time. I still wish I had more time to make music though.
However, I feel the constraints of turning a passion into a job with video games, and I don’t want all of my creative hobbies to feel that kind of pressure. So I think I prefer that my music has nothing to do with my job. At least for now.
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studying social work
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ouf. oh boy. I teach as an adjunct at two local Univ. I do some freelance SEO blog writing. I moonlight at a gift shop at a local tourist destination (meaning a place where people come from an hour or two away for a day trip), and I should be starting some freelance basic audio editing work in the next six months (I am essentially just chopping parts out of recorded public speaking and adding some transitions and other materials to the beginning and end, Audacity type work).
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I’m the A.G.M. at a well-regarded brewery in Northern New England…been there almost since it opened. I don’t brew or do anything that interesting though - my job is to ensure that you have a world-class experience while you’re on our campus (which is easy, as our beer is several steps beyond most so-called U.S. “craft breweries”).
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I’m an optometrist. All day I do lots of analytical thinking and problem solving at high speed.
I’ve always sought out an artistic hobby to keep the other half of my brain and personality well developed. I did fine art photography for 12 years and decided to drop it fully. Recently I started learning music performance and production. Started from zero and have a long way to go. It’s been so rewarding already.
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Before the pandemic I worked for Cirque Du Soleil, Audio dept. FOH, Monitors, and network admin for the audio and CCTV systems.
I also worked part time scoring for film/tv/commercial.
Since the pandemic closed our show, the scoring work has become my main thing and I’ve actually been super busy and got several more clients this year. Next month I’m starting a score for a film produced by one of the big streaming services (rhymes with “wetflix”, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to talk about it or not). So, I suppose that is my profession now.
And my studio is at home, so I get to spend all day working on music and hanging with my 2 year old. Life is good.
I feel bad talking about life being good for me when it sucks for so many right now, but I’ll take my blessings when they come and hope for the best for everyone else as well.
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