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There’s a very old joke: How do you get a musician to complain? Give him a gig.

There’s more than a grain of truth in that old groaner. Right now I’m in the middle of a stretch where I’m playing and conducting eight shows a week, and, by Sunday night, after having played five shows in three days, I’m pretty whupped. I like my down time; I’m very good at doing nothing. But, I’ll tell you this: down time is more enjoyable when it’s your reward for having worked hard.

I’m very appreciative that I have a skill that is somewhat marketable. With all the under- and unemployed people running around, these are indeed confusing times.

A Labor Day toast: Here’s to many multitudes of complaining musicians.