DJ
I have 15 jobs. So you probably require my services in one way or another.
As the New Year approaches and the endless possibilities of the coming year loom on the horizon, I always like to take a moment and reset my current occupational status, in the event that you or someone you know will require my services in 2015. While occupations like teacher and writer seem like fairly obvious…
Read MoreDon’t say goodbye to the bride and groom. Just leave. Let it be your final gift to them.
Slate’s Seth Stevenson argues in favor of not saying goodbye. Ghosting—aka the Irish goodbye, the French exit, and any number of other vaguely ethnophobic terms—refers to leaving a social gathering without saying your farewells. One moment you’re at the bar, or the house party, or the Sunday morning wedding brunch. The next moment you’re gone.…
Read MoreThis is what happens when you work in the industry for 17 years.
I am working at a wedding tonight as the DJ. Amongst the many people here, I have worked as the DJ at the weddings of: The woman in charge of the reception hall (2002) The photographer (2004) Two of the couples who are attending as guests (2009, 2013) I also served as the minister for…
Read MoreSomeone stole my idea for professional best man and made a movie out of it.
Back in April of 2011, I proposed a new job: Professional best man. I defined the position, listed my many qualifications, and offered myself out for hire. Since then, three potential clients have attempted to hire me, only to be stymied by physical distance. Two lived outside the United States and the third lives on…
Read MorePressure is a privilege
Author Susan Schoenberger posted this quote to her Twitter feed: “Pressure is a privilege.” – Billie Jean King as heard on Fresh Air. I love this idea. It’s so true. Many of the things that I choose to do involve pressure. I stand before 21 students every day, knowing full well that I am responsible…
Read MoreTwo pieces of only slightly snarky advice for wedding photographers (and the couples hiring them)
Another wedding season has drawn to a close. Now that my DJ partner and I don’t advertise and actively turn away weddings that don’t appeal to us, we are doing considerably fewer gigs each year. We did a total of 8 weddings this year, down from our record total of 48 several years ago when…
Read MoreWhen I started working as a wedding DJ in 1997, the world was damn near prehistoric.
My partner and I started our DJ business 17 years ago on a whim. We had no experience and no equipment but thought we could make it work. Since 1997, we’ve performed at more than 350 weddings. Over the course of that time, I’ve also married more than a dozen couples. We’ve done two weddings…
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