A question for the older folks

[dzavracky]

Hello everyone,

I know this post doesn't quite belong here, but since it pertains to my collection and this section of the forum gets the most traffic I want to ask it here.

As some of you know, I am a college student. And after 6 long years, I am walking across the stage this coming Friday with a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and Jazz/Studio performance. I am still figuring out what I want to do in life. Part of me has always wanted to move into NYC to pursue Jazz as a career. Now I am fully aware that this path if not really the most lucrative. But it has always been a dream and I know it would be really hard...but it's my dream. And I don't want to just give up my dream for the sake of making money and having a career. Ideally, I want to find a way to do engineering and jazz at the same time.

I consider myself to be truly blessed to have the collection I have at my age. I have two full barrel cabinets, an amberola 1A, Brunswick Cortez, etc. I didn't move too far when I moved into this apartment, and that move was hard enough. I am NOT even going to consider the idea of trying to move all this stuff up to NYC or really anywhere. So then what do I do with it? I spent a lot of time looking at Facebook and waiting for my dream machines to pop up, and pounced on them as soon as the came up for sale. I don't want to sell them, because I spent so much time finding, but also fixing them.

So my question: What do you guys think I should do with my collection? Some of the items are replaceable, but the memories of the trips to get them and the time spent fixing them are not. And some items are truly NOT replaceable, like my full barrel/triumph combo. I spend over 3 years on the full barrel cabinet and have not even finished it yet. I was considering the idea of getting a storage unit and putting it at my folks place. That way I can store it were I know it will be safe, and then come back to get it later in life.

I know this is kind of a long winded post, but I would really appreciate any input on this. I haven't really felt like a person in 6 years because of school and this crazy schedule I have. So now that I am at the end and am free to go do what I want with life, I don't really know what to do. I would hate to be held down by trying to take all this stuff around with me.

Thanks y'all.

David

[Zwebie]

Sounds like you are young, so I am guessing your parents are fairly young. If you are on good terms with them, then storage at your parents would be ideal. You could pay them a monthly?, yearly?, storage fee, or just take them out to dinner whenever they like.

[Curt A]

When you graduate from college you are suddenly faced with reality - what do I do now?

Reality says you need a place to live and food to eat. Fantasy says "jazz will make me money", BUT only if you are among the most gifted and talented in the world and luck out. Your degree is the obvious way for getting a job (at least you have a useful degree), but not as interesting as your "dream" vocation. Reality steps in and says you are not (I am assuming here) born with an unlimited trust fund. Reality says you probably can't afford to move to NYC from Knoxville, as the cost of living is exorbitant, unless you go as a homeless person or illegal immigrant.

So, suck it up, get a job, become successful enough to then be able to live your dream or just accept that having a home and family with food on the table is the real American dream and be content. I'm 75 and retired and still don't know what I want to do for my dream job. Actually, the ultimate dream job is having enough money to do what you want without having to work. Unfortunately, it's already too late to be born into royalty or be an heir to Jeff Bezos.

Your collection is another matter and one we all face. Reality: you can't take it with you when you're gone. It's cumbersome to move and store while you're alive and who do you leave it to? Sell it or keep it and enjoy it... it's only stuff that is meaningful to you. I have faced selling items I know I will never find again, but actually don't regret it, since I don't have to be concerned with them anymore and the actual most rewarding fun of having them was finding them in the first place...

[emerson]

David, Being as intelligent as you are, the want of what you want and the reality of what to do---is simple. You went to school for a purpose continue the purpose and pursue it. Find a job where yo are at and continue both in Tenn. Why, because you know the area and most important you have your family---- a close and loving family is the most important and best thing you can be blessed with (besides your phonograph collection). Plus you have connections from school. This old man won't run the tape any longer (good pun?) So go with the flow and never doubt and say I should of done this. Make the carrier your success. OK. Here in NJ, they are putting up condo complexes all over, with prices that are unbelievable ---close to train and bus transportation to New York----not liked. They are making small towns into drop off points and the new residents can't drive and have attitudes.

[drh]

Maybe a good approach would be to do things in stages. I think it's safe to say that almost nobody makes a "go" of a solo performing arts career straight out of school, starting from ground zero. Get a good day job that pays well, but start performing in local clubs or whatnot on the side to make connections and get experience and exposure playing in public. Gradually ramp it up from there as the opportunities arise. As to New York--well, don't limit yourself. I can think of another city with a rich jazz heritage right there in Tennessee, just at the far end on the Mississippi, and the cost of living there would be a LOT less. For one thing, no state income tax. Just a thought!

PS: The performing arts are a wonderful avocation but a miserable, difficult, uncertain way to make a living. To preserve your love of them, you may want to avoid trying go "go pro."

[gramophone-georg]

" I was considering the idea of getting a storage unit and putting it at my folks place. That way I can store it were I know it will be safe, and then come back to get it later in life."

I think that's your answer as long as it will fly with your folks. Do this, then follow your dreams while you are young. You only get one chance.

[Granby]

The other responses seem to have provided some great wisdom! I will jump to your dilemma with your machines and offer my two cents. The most "cost effective" option is to reach out to a family member or dependable friend and see if he/she would give the phonographs a home for a few years until you find a more "long term" living situation or career. If you're worried about them tampering with them, keep the cranks with you! If you don't have any family members or close friends that come to mind, you could look into a climate controlled [safe, indoor, respectable, clean] commercial storage unit. Again, I stress clean and climate controlled.... reputable, too!

I speak from experience - I did this for a few years. However, there will be an expense associated with storage, and, values may not go up on these machines, as much as I hate to admit that... You may end up with more money tied up in them then they are worth. But, if you are holding on to them for sentimental reasons and you think they may be a focal point in your home one day, it may be worth allocating $80 - $125 a month for a nice, clean, storage unit. Shoot, we pay more than that per month for cell phones.

I am glad I hung on to a few of my machines. I am now over 40 and I have only recently retrieved some of my antiques that have been in storage for years and they now hold a special place in my home. I also sold a few along the way... We can't keep them ALL.

- Chris

[JerryVan]

I was going to type out a reply, but Curt pretty much covered all I wanted to say. Still, I'll throw in my 2 cents.

In short, go with engineering first. Make some money. Get on solid footing financially and pursue music a bit later. Yes, as you already know, the career in music will be a hard struggle. Wouldn't it be a lot less hard if you went into it with some financial backing first, and also the work experience that you can fall back upon if need be? I am a Mechanical Engineer and, until recently, since I let my license lapse, a P.E. I can pretty much tell you that if you go 2, 3, 4 years in the music trade, without being employed in engineering, you will have wasted your degree. It will be very hard to get hired in engineering after waiting several years before trying to get a job. On the other hand, if you work a few years in the engineering field while you cultivate your music career, you'll have that experience under your belt if you need to ever go back to it.

Let's look at the NYC thing. To my thinking, it's like saying you want a career in Major League Baseball, so you go directly to the NY Yankees and apply for a job. Most folks would agree, it doesn't work like that. I would assume that a career in music might not work that way either. While you're working at engineering, you could cultivate your music career in an area more local to your "day job". After you "pay your dues" in that way, you've got more experience to offer in the bigger markets, like NYC. Heck, get an engineering position within reach of NYC. Then if an opportunity should arise, you're already in the neighborhood.

As to the phonos. You've got some good advice their already.

You're a very fortunate guy to have a variety of different skills to offer the world. Try to balance them to the best of your ability so as not to waste either one.

[gramophone-georg]

Yeah, I think your main actual dilemma is what to do with your collection. Solve that first.

One of the things to temper the advice us "older folks" will give you with is the realisation that the world you inhabit now is far different than the world we inhabited at your age. You have opportunities we did not, and vice versa. You can't really base your plans on Boomer advice because too much has changed. For the better? Yes, in a lot of ways, through our electrical connectivity and the opportunities of remote work and social media networking. That said... I sure miss the days when I'd leave work and drive home with no cell phone or GPS, or even any knowledge of it. Can you imagine? If I stopped at a bar, nobody knew except me and the other people in the bar. If I did something stupid it had zero chance of going "viral". If I did not answer the land line my boss could not find me till the next work day.

Now, on the other hand, you have opportunities daily if you know where to look.

Maybe your engineering background could be useful as a recording studio producer or for improving musical instruments. Maybe you could find other musicians and form a trio or quartet, make YouTube videos, and get noticed.

I think the best advice that I personally could give is to first manage your expectations, and more important, your regrets, and second, always be willing to think outside the "box". In fact, learn to excel in that.

One of the most interesting people I met when I was hiding out from life in Sun Valley, Idaho in the 1990s was a guy named Bing Copeland. He was a surf bum in California in the late 50s- 60s. One day he got a wild idea to make his own surfboard and came up with a bunch of improvements. it exploded into a huge business. He's always smiling. Wonder why.
You just never know.

Somebody on here has a saying that goes something like "Opportunity is often missed because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work." While true, so is the converse: Work can look like an opportunity masquerading as work.

Stash the collection. Go have fun. If you can turn fun into money so much the better!

[dzavracky]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I have been applying to jobs since January and have heard back from about 3 since then. I might have one or two offers coming soon... so I will see what happens with that. Ideally I would like to find some engineering work in or within commuting distance of NYC. The dream is to have an engineering job that during the day and then be free to go do jazz at night.

I have been talking with dad and we will probably find a way to safely store all my stuff with them. What that looks like, I don't know.

I suppose updates will follow! I am kind of sad about moving out of my apartment though. It's been fun having a one bed apartment with 14 phonos neatly stuffed into it .

Cheers,

David