The hot shop coordinator, Chuck Lopez, kept telling me "Quit work, make art" while I was at Pilchuck.

Tuesday the question was raised to me at work, if I wanted to drop from 260 working days a year (standard full-time year round) and work 180 days a year (match the school year).

Today I was given the choice yea or nay, the paperwork has to be submitted. They are "creating" four such 180 day positions, giving the current techs first crack. Once they're filled, they won't be opened again until vacated (i.e. someone quits or is fired, both rare occurrences). Once you've resigned the 80 days, you can't get them back unless a 260 day position is vacated.

Basically, do it now, or don't get the chance. If you do, you're stuck there.

What's this represent? Roughly a thirty percent cut in pay, as the 180 position pays the same hourly as the 260, but you work fewer hours in the year. Still twelve paychecks a year, just smaller checks, and 80 extra days off.

So, I'll be a broke SOB for a little while (only planning on staying two more years tops), but I now have summers off.

Baby steps towards "Quit work, make art."

Here's to not being stuck in the same 9-5 hell for the rest of my damn life.

Cheers.