tick.

everyone has that something that makes them tick. something that makes them take a deep breath, relax their neck muscles and sigh. for some it is working out (yeah i wish). for some it is reading or sitting on the beach, and hell, for some it is both. i do find though, for most it is music. 

music moves people in ways that are difficult to describe. my profession is built on it. thousands of people's livelihoods are in one way or another. i mean, this isn't just a hobby or a thrill of sorts. nope, this is for some, the bread and butter of life. 

it is after watching a sold out crowd for a great gig that i sit and ponder this whole phenom if you will. you have those that are moved, touched, and brought to their knees with a beat and you of course have those that make it their life in the literal sense. i am a very moderate mix of the two. music or entertainment is my life because it a. pays the bills, b. is the product of hours of brainstorming and anxiety that has brought me across state lines afar, and c. the very thing that makes me tick to balance it all. 

what i mean by that is that there is nothing more in my current state that i appreciate more than watching and "enjoying the moment" of a sold out crowd for a performer that i happen to be a fan of. it's a buzz that is addicting...intoxicating even. i mean, it has to be after spending 15 hours in an office running around and being pulled in 5 different directions all at the same moment just to ensure a "smooth" event day. i mean seriously, what does an actual "smooth" event day really look like? hell if i know...

however, all of this brings me to that balance i spoke of previously. life is about balance. this is a sensitive topic for some. ya see, there are plenty that drown themselves in work, long days and stretching themselves thin. and for what? passion? 

see for me passion is tough. it's touchy if you will. what is passion and how do you balance the what makes you tick vs what needs to be your bread and butter? for me i have found it is a healthy marriage of taking what i do and, enjoying the moment. enjoying the sold out gigs, the artist interactions and the pats on the back a good review or cover story may get you. and as for what makes me tick, it's gotta be the thing that makes it all go around after a long day that will allow you to close the car door, take a deep breath, relax your neck muscles, sigh and finally crank on that perfect jam to put it all to a close.