Oh....
My only "day jobs" have consisted of the following:
-A one month job as a temp. Data entry. I had to "dress up" since the boss wanted everyone to look their best. Even though none of us had any contact with the public throughout the day. Even though there were no windows in our office. Etc., etc., etc...
-My father set me up with a job once. He was working for Mrs. Dole at the time... So... I show up one morning at this address not too far from the Library of Congress. It turns out to be one of the telemarketing/fundraising offices of the Republican National Convention. I went on my first break after the "meet and greet" and never came back. -In fact, I ended up heading over to the LoC, and pulling scores and playing in the practice rooms until the end of my "work day".
The next morning, I headed over to Foxes Music - where I had been a loyal customer for years - and asked if they were hiring. They were. And I started that day. It was a great job. I worked in the sheet music division. I had shopped there so much, that the buyer would let me behind the counter to look up my own special orders - I was doing a LOT of accompanying and recital work. So, when I started working there, I already knew the routine.
My boss also let me come and go depending on my gigs.
When I moved back to Richmond seven years ago, I happened to stop into the music store there. There was sign looking for someone to take over their Sheet Music room. The current clerk was getting to retire. Well... I started that day too. I was there for about nine months. I doubled the inventory. Increased the customers - in fact, I was 'stealing' some of my regulars from Foxes who happened to live in Richmond and would do mail order. And by Christmas that year, the sheet music room had their best December in years. In fact, I doubled the revenue from the sheet music division alone in just those nine months!
*And as "luck" would have it, the owner of the place did not believe in end of year bonuses - or bonuses of any sort. However, the local manager appreciated my work, and actually gave me $50 out of his own pocket!
But then I got the call to join the team for Eleanor: An American Love Story. The show would workshop down at Duke University for a six weeks, then move up to Ford's Theatre.
I had been doing some "legit" theatre work before then. Sometimes with a day job. Sometimes not. But ever since Eleanor, which was back in 1999, I've been a full-time, freelance musician.
-And that's also part of why turning 30 was such an amazing time for me!
